A small digression from texts to happenings after the celebrations of these days! It has been marvelous to see with what enthusiasm St Eugene’s feast day was celebrated. Facebook was filled with pictures of celebrations from all over the world. St Eugene is clearly alive and well and loved by the members of his Mazenodian Family.
In Rome, Eugene’s successor, Fr Louis Lougen, hosted the visit of Cardinal Joao Braz de Avis, the one in charge of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in the Vatican, under whose jurisdiction we are as religious. Pictured with them is our legendary 96 year-old Brother D’Orazio – still sparkling after a lifetime of service to St Eugene and to the missionaries on all continents. For over half a century he looked after the postal service in the General House (often slipping an encouraging memento or gift to the Oblates on difficult missions on their feast days). Naturally gregarious, he evangelizes countless people on his journeys across Rome on the busses.
More pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153665604116903.1073741848.267939951902&type=3
As we give thinks for 200 years of Eugene’s charism, let us join in praying the beautiful novena for vocations – as is customary between the feast of Eugene and that of Blessed Joseph Gerard on May 29. It can be found at http://omiworld.org/upload/animation/novena-vocations-2016-english.pdf
My God, double, triple, multiply by a hundred my forces
So that I can love you, not only according to my possibilities –which are nothing—
But as much as the saints have loved you,
As much as your most holy Mother loved you and loves you. (Saint Eugene)
What a gift it is to be able to share (in a way) how others answer God’s call, especially this past Saturday with Dan who was ordained on the anniversary of St. Eugene’s death.
I seem to have missed any celebrations up here – was it mentioned and was I too distracted to hear about it? A very real possibility. For me St. Eugene, his life, who he was and how he lives on in so many others, the legacy which he left for all of us who are invited to hear is call – that is very foundational for who I am as a person, how I live, how my being an Oblate Associate is an integral part of who I am and how I live. And perhaps because it is so deeply ingrained within my DNA that I want to share it and acknowledge it. Perhaps I need to ensure that I do not wait for another(s) to mention it, prepare a celebration for it; perhaps I need to forget about ‘whose job it is’ and step and do it myself. And perhaps I need not to demand, wait for or ask for acknowledgement of what I do share – for that is truly not the point in sharing. Am I feeling a little ‘guilty’ because I did not make a big deal of it?
I do not recall the details but Eugene did write a letter to one of the early missionaries that he sent to Canada, asking why after such a long period of time there was no sign of conversions happening. And I think of how my grandmother prayed for me those many years that I was feeding my addictions and living the life that went with that – she never gave up on me and simply continued to pray and be herself, sharing as she had done all her life. She did not seem to wait for validation or affirmation – she simply prayed for me. I feel a little chagrined with myself so instead I look forward.
I am deeply grateful at this moment that Frank has shared so much with all of us, including the beautiful Novena he has written for this 200th anniversary.
Eleanor, thank you for your stirring reflection about the power of being believed in and prayed for.
Just to clarify something about novenas. The novena I refer to in the reflection is the Oblate Vocations Novena, of which I am not the author.
Ooops and thanks Frank. I will check it out.