THE GIFT OF AWAKENING MISSIONARY ZEAL
A few weeks after the arrival of Fr Leonard on his vocational recruitment drive in France, Eugene wrote to Fr Pierre Aubert in Oregon:
Father Leonard was sent to Europe simply to make recruits. Your America is expanding so much that there is no way of satisfying its needs, and yet we do not dare refuse to respond to the requests made to us from all sides. That is why Father Guigues has risked sending our Father Leonard across the seas so that he might use all his gift for speaking, accompanied by the grace of God, to persuade the young seminarians to embrace the religious state with the idea of devoting themselves to the missions to the unbelievers.
He has not yet let me know if he has obtained any results from his efforts. If he is successful, you must know, my dear friend, that we will reserve some for your mission, for you are constantly present in my mind and in my heart.
Letter to Fr. Pierre Aubert in Oregon, 3 February 1847, EO I n 81
The Oblate missionary successes in North America, the British Isles and France created new horizons and infinite possibilities, but progress was hampered by lack of personnel – hence the need for urgent vocational recruitment of young men.
REFLECTION
“The power of youth is the common wealth for the entire world. The faces of young people are the faces of our past, our present and our future. No segment in the society can match with the power, idealism, enthusiasm and courage of the young people.”
Kailash Satyarthi
May this continue to be true for all sectors of our Mazenodian Family today.
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I find myself simply sitting with and thanking God for those who have the gift of awakening missionary zeal/passion. Those who recognize God’s love and want nothing more than to share that. Those who are filled with energy and life; who have not yet created the false boundaries that can become a part of us as we journey through this life.
I think of the hurdles and challenges awaiting the young and the young at heart – and how they are up to those experiences; as they are up to experiencing and living out their dreams. They are not mini versions of ourselves, but our DNA is a part of them and we need to be able to trust God to work through that – just as God has and continues to work through each of us.
I think of Eugene de Mazenod who is my Founder, who invited me to stand at the foot of my crucifix… He was not perfect, but he shared and continues to share his spirit through each and all of us. God allows and works through many…
This is our legacy which we are encouraged to share with all those we meet, as we are sent out… We then become models of how it is possible to live out dreams, but only when we continue to dare and share and encourage… Our familial Rule of Life offers us guidelines and shared values and it is these that we become models of as we share and pass them on. It is the youth who will ensure they remain relevant.
It is how we continue to live as vibrant and healthy pilgrims of hope in communion…