“The attitude of Mary of Nazareth shows us that BEING comes before DOING, and to leave the DOING to God in order to BE truly as he wants us.” (Pope Francis)
Two years after the foundation of the Missionaries, we were invited to take over the mission of the Marian shrine of Notre Dame du Laus
After visiting there, Eugene wrote this description of the place and of the evangelization that the Missionaries would undertake from there:
We have formed an establishment at Notre Dame du Laus thus bringing ourselves into direct relations with the dioceses of Gap, Digne, Embrun and Sisteron.
We have become the guardians of one of the most celebrated shrines of the Blessed Virgin where the good God is pleased to manifest the power that he has granted to this dear Mother of the Mission.
Letter to Pierre Mie, October 1818, EO VI n.31
Notre Dame du Laus
At this moment the Missionaries of Provence did not have a specifically Marian identity. Being missionaries at the Laus sanctuary, this identity started to be expressed as they came to understand that Marian shrines did form a part of their missionary outreach.
Seventeen years later Eugene wrote about this mission:
They all rightfully attribute it to the care the Congregation has always taken to fulfill its mission in this place of blessing. Hence the ever-increasing number of the faithful who flock to the feet of our good Mother, assured that they will meet on the steps of the earthly throne of the Queen of Heaven zealous ministers of her divine Son, especially charged with reconciling sinners upon whom this Mother of mercy is calling to forgiveness and peace through her powerful protection. Hence so many conversions. Thus a renewal of fervor for so many pious souls attracted daily to the shrine by the good odor of Mary’s perfumes, by the brilliance of the marvels she never ceases to work, and, it must be said, by the edification produced at the sight of a regular community
E. MAZENOD, Act of visitation of the house of Notre-Dame de Laus, October 18, 1835
I have learned a lot about my relationship with Our Lady, Mary over the years and she is a part of who I am called to “BE” as Pope Francis and Frank Santucci speak of it: that way of ‘being’ that gives birth to our doing. And I continue to uncover the many layers of my life and her integral place in our relationship and journey of life.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate slowly found their way of being with their mission at Notre Dame de Laus and that became another part of their mission journey. And although she was not stated in that first copy of the Constitutions and Rules, still the founding community took her name. I do not know which iteration of the Oblate Rule of Life she was first given a place in and I suppose it does not matter.
I looked at a 1945 version of the Constitutions and Rules this morning and find the following first mention of her: “Our Congregation has been established under the title and patronage of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary. Our members, there fore, must ever foster in their how hearts and promote among the faithful a special devotion to this heavenly Patroness and Mother.” (C10) 1845. And while the 1966 Interim Constitutions and Rules made incredible changes, the 1982 version was more in line with what we have today.
I do not know where I would be today without Her as model of the Church’s faith and my own. “We shall always look on her as our mother. In the joys and sorrows of our missionary life we feel close to her who is the Mother of Mercy. Wherever our ministry takes us, we will strive to instill genuine devotion to the Immaculate Virgin who prefigures God’s final victory over all evil.” (C10) 2000
She is an integral part of our journey in life. She does not take the place of God – for she rightly has her own place: she continues to share Jesus with the world, and with each one of us.
Our relationship with her is so much more than just the words in our name. May we continue to discover the place of Mary in our mission and our lives.