Tag Archives: OMI Rule

A READINESS FOR RESPONSIBILITY

The vocation and life of the Missionary was presented in glowing terms in the first paragraph of the Foreword, and the members were exhorted to allow themselves to be totally transformed by these great ideals. Now Eugene continues to show … Continue reading

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AN EIGHT-POINT IDENTIKIT

In writing the Rule in 1818 Eugene wanted to put down in writing the spirit of how the Missionaries had experienced themselves for three years. His aim was that others would be transformed by the same spirit through following this … Continue reading

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THE FUTURE OF THE MISSIONARIES THREATENED FROM WITHIN

Eugene used the annual retreat of the Missionaries as the opportunity to present to them the Rule that he had compiled. The retreat extended from October 23 to 31, 1818. As the events of this retreat, and of our first … Continue reading

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A SMALL STEP FOR EUGENE, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE MISSIONARIES

Completing the writing of the Rule, Eugene left St Laurent for Digne, where Brother Moreau was ordained to the priesthood. In the meantime Henri Tempier had come to Digne to join Eugene and the Bishop to negotiate the transfer of … Continue reading

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THE RULE: ENRICHED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS

When Eugene had written to Henri Tempier to invite him to join the Missionaries, he had said: We will live together in one house, that which I have bought, under a Rule we shall adopt with common accord and for … Continue reading

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THE RULE: PUTTING A LIVED EXPERIENCE INTO WORDS

Eugene spent 13 days at St Laurent, compiling a Rule of 55 hand-written pages. His early biographer, Jeancard, described him poetically as being like Moses “going up to Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments of God.” This was not quite … Continue reading

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TIGHTENING THE BONDS SO AS TO HAVE UNITY OF THOUGHT AND ACTION

In the process of discernment, Eugene placed the situation of establishing a second community and its implications before all the Missionaries. His Memoires recall: I felt that I should summon to an extraordinary council, all those who then comprised my … Continue reading

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A QUANTUM LEAP

Two and a half years after the foundation of the Missionaries, this seemingly insignificant letter signalled an explosion in their life and a new direction. The letter was written in response to an invitation from the Vicar General of the … Continue reading

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COMMUNICATING A SPIRIT OF GROWTH

The 30 year-old Father de Mazenod started his youth ministry with 7 young persons in 1813. With the numbers increasing rapidly it was necessary to produce statutes to formally express the ideals of the group and to give the body … Continue reading

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COMMUNITY: IF WE KNEW HOW TO PRAY BETTER, WE WOULD HAVE MORE COURAGE

While Eugene is in Paris to regulate the business of the Missionaries, he has time to look back and reflect on the 18 months of the life of the Missionaries of Provence. From the context of what he writes it … Continue reading

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