Tag Archives: oblation

OBLATION: WHAT YOU WANT IS WHAT WE WANT

Briefly put. Father Tempier and I felt that we should not delay any longer, and on Holy Thursday (April 11, 1816), when both of us had taken our place under the structure of the beautiful repository we had erected over … Continue reading

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OBLATION: ENTERING INTO THE DYNAMIC OF THE LIFE OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES

Eugene’s understanding of the Oblate vocation was to a lifestyle and mission that was as close as possible to that of Jesus and his apostles, and in our first Rule he defined us as being “called to be the Saviour’s … Continue reading

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OBLATION: THE DEFINING MOMENT OF HOLY THURSDAY APRIL 11, 1816

The basic foundation stone of the existence of the Oblates, and of the whole Mazenodian family, had been laid on 25 January 1816, when the group came together formally to live as a community. Less than three months later, a … Continue reading

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THE MISSIONARY: CALLED AND CONSECRATED FOR A TOUGH MINISTRY

 The missionaries make it clear that they did not come together only to DO a most necessary ministry merely as a workforce, but that they answer a call from God which demands a response of consecration. It is a call … Continue reading

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VOCATION: THROUGH THE EYES OF THE CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU

Henri Tempier is invited to look at the religious situation of the poorer people in Provence through the eyes of the Crucified Saviour. It is an invitation to feel from the depth of his heart their experience of not having … Continue reading

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THE GROWING YOUTH CONGREGATION DEDICATED TO MARY IMMACULATE

During the time of Napoleon, the formation of Christian youth sodalities was banned. Eugene’s gatherings with the youth were initially illegal and had to be disguised as a recreational youth group. With the end of the Napoleonic era, it was … Continue reading

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MY CHIEF OCCUPATION WILL BE TO LOVE HIM, MY CHIEF CONCERN TO MAKE HIM LOVED

After his return to Aix as a young priest, Eugene lived in his mother’s house, together with Brother Maur (Trappist monk whose monastery the revolution had detroyed). A couple of months after his arrival, he did his annual retreat. As … Continue reading

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THE UNCHANGING FOUNDATION OF EUGENE’S LIFE AND MISSION: “I WISH TO LIVE ONLY FOR YOU”

In these words, written a few hours before his priestly ordination, Eugene expresses what will be the central infallible foundation of his life and ministry as a priest. It is this ideal that led him to found a missionary congregation … Continue reading

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ORDINATION: A JOYFUL AND GENEROUS OBLATION

Eugene reflects on the experience of his ordination to the sub-diaconate, particularly his thoughts during the Litany of the Saints. Although he is not yet an “Oblate”, it is the language of joyful and generous oblation that dominates his descriptions … Continue reading

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