Tag Archives: vocation

VOCATION: YOU ARE NECESSARY FOR THE WORK WHICH THE LORD HAS INSPIRED US TO UNDERTAKE

God inspired Eugene to begin a missionary congregation, and God invites others to play a role necessary for the success of its mission. The invitation to Tempier continues across the years to all who feel called to participate in Eugene’s … Continue reading

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VOCATION: AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS LISTEN TO WHAT GOD IS ASKING OF YOU

Eugene’s letter to the 27 year-old diocesan priest, Henri Tempier, is an essential foundation document for us. It contains the seeds of what is essential in our vocation. For this reason I am breaking it up into smaller sections to … Continue reading

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VOCATION: WE MUST FORM A LIFE-GIVING NUCLEUS THAT WILL BE A SOURCE OF LIFE TO OTHERS

Continuing to reflect on Eugene’s letter of invitation to Hilaire Aubert, we come across a central concept of Eugene’s thought and action: that of forming a group that would be a life-giving cell in the world. He uses the word … Continue reading

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VOCATION: THE GOOD WE INTEND TO DO MUST REMEDY THE GREATEST EVILS THAT FACE US

The time had come for Eugene to begin to invite others to join him in his missionary project. As members of the Mazenodian family, lay and religious, we are invited to see in these vocational texts something about our own … Continue reading

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THE TRUE REASONS BEHIND EUGENE’S VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD

Having expressed his annoyance at the interpretation that the gossips gave to his vocation, Eugene now explains the real reasons to his father. The break of communications caused by the war had made it impossible for Eugene to tell his … Continue reading

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ANNOYANCE AT BEING MISJUDGED BY SOCIAL GOSSIP

At the time of Eugene’s decision to go to the seminary, the war between Napoleon and Britain had prevented communications between France and Palermo. Eugene’s father was thus not aware that his son had studied to be a priest and … Continue reading

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A PRIEST GIVES HIS LIBERTY AND LIFE FOR A SUFFERING CHURCH

Eugene the seminarian reflects on the meaning of priesthood in an abandoned Church: The number of seminarians has risen considerably this year; I really think we are close to a hundred. Among the candidates we pride ourselves on, we can … Continue reading

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A PROJECT THAT CERTAINLY COMES FROM GOD

Eugene had done a thorough process of discernment – and had been told by his spiritual director that his priestly vocation was “as clear as the noonday sun.” Once he had understood this as God’s will, he never wavered in … Continue reading

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WHEN THE VOICE OF SIGNIFICANT OTHERS THREATENS TO BE LOUDER THAN GOD’S VOICE

Madame de Mazenod had ambitious plans for her 25 year old son. He consequently didn’t have the guts to tell her face-to-face that he wanted to go to the seminary. So he chose a roundabout way and gets her cousin, … Continue reading

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THERE IS NOTHING INSTANT ABOUT CONVERSION

If we take Good Friday 1807 as a highpoint in Eugene’s conversion journey and search for a direction in his life, then this is the first text after that event that shows that he believes himself called to “a more … Continue reading

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