THEY WILL SEE ALL THE GOOD TO WHICH THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE

Posted on October 11, 2022 by franksantucci

“Missionary work has never been easy, and yet the joyful rewards cannot be equaled by any other experience.” (Gordon B. Hinckley)

The Missionary Society for the Propagation of the Faith relied on benefactors and annual collections in the parishes to collect money for the missions. An important part of their fund-raising was as the result of publishing accounts of the missions in their periodical, the Annals, so that benefactors could be involved in the works they were supporting. Eugene regularly sent reports to the Annals.

I recently received news from our missions in America. The Fathers chosen for Red River and Hudson Bay left Montreal at the beginning of July. Their journey will take 45 days and they will therefore reach their destination towards the middle of August. However, due to the infrequent communications between those wild zones and the rest of North America we have no positive news of them as yet.

With regard to the missionaries who evangelized the groups of people along the Canadian border this summer, they have returned from their apostolic tour and are preparing the report on their efforts, which will soon be sent to us. It will be a pleasure for me to send you the most interesting excerpts so you can publish them in the Annals and thus your readers, while finding therein material for their own edification, will also see all the good to which the Associates of the Propagation of the Faith can contribute.

Letter to the Central Council of Southern France for the Missionary Society of the Propagation of the Faith, 27 October 1845, EO V n 96

We have our own Mazenodian Annals in many provinces as well as our website that shares our missionary news from all over the world: https://www.omiworld.org/news/

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One Response to THEY WILL SEE ALL THE GOOD TO WHICH THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate says:
    October 11, 2022 at 11:21

    In the past month news has flowed out daily from the General Chapter and shared around the world with all members of the Oblate Family. We experienced in real time unprecedented openness and transparency that was not limited to just a few pictures: there were regular ‘chats’, invitations to join them in morning prayer and celebration of the Eucharist, as well as interviews, videos, historical explanations and instructions on the various stages and processes within the Chapter.

    The inclusion of laity in the overall family was not limited to the first four days when the lay delegates prepared their report and then presented it to the chapter capitulants. We continued to be a presence in their midst through the Holy Spirit.

    We have witnessed the palpable joy that occurs and continues to be present among all of them; not just in prayer but in how they relate to each other and work together. The Holy Spirit flowing between them; that and the joy have been the most precious gifts shared with all of us.

    This has given me a new perspective and anticipation of the Acts of the 37th General Chapter which will detail and offer the new colours and taste of the directions we will move with in the coming months and years. Not a changing of the mission itself but a new relevancy which allows us to continue on in the present times and into an unknown future.

    Yesterday in an interview with Brothers Harley and John, Harley was explaining his vocation as a Brother as being full and he said: Ministry is whatever God is calling us to do – it’s not the job or work, but our life.” (I hope I got that right Harley.) I do not need to know each person individually (although recognition of many has also been joyous) in order to be a member of this family. I think of the people of God and the communion of saints which we all belong to: it happens as we come together in the heart of Jesus, the one place that is big enough for us to be embraced and held.

    This too is what many of the Mazenodian Annals will continue to portray.

    Reply

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