On 17 February 1826, the Oblate Constitutions and Rules, had been approved by the Pope \u2013 the Church had recognized the hand of God in Eugene\u2019s actions of bringing the Oblates to birth \u2013 and the Rule was the expression of God\u2019s handiwork.<\/p>\n
\nI said to myself while meditating on our Rules that we will never be able sufficiently to thank God\u2019s goodness for having given them to us, for God alone indisputably is their author. The person who consigned them to writing does not recognize anything in them as coming from himself; so it is in full liberty that he passes judgment on them, as of a work which is outside of himself. But how can I even speak of judgment where the Church has spoken in the person of its head!<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u201cWe hereby with a ready and willing mind, establish it, and wish it to be known by the name of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, conceived without sin\u2026.We, with the plenitude of Our Apostolic Authority, approve and confirm its Constitutions\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/h6>\n
That is how Pope Leo XII put it, in the Apostolic Letters of institution. Judgment is thus rendered by infallible authority<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Retreat notes, October 1831, EO XV n. 163<\/em><\/p>\n
See https:\/\/www.eugenedemazenod.net\/?p=1260 <\/a>\u00a0Today we continue seeing Our Constitutions as belonging to the Church and not to us \u2013 we cannot make any changes unless the Church authorizes them.<\/p>\n
An invitation to reflect on God\u2019s presence in the Mazenodian vocation of each of us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On 17 February 1826, the Oblate Constitutions and Rules, had been approved by the Pope \u2013 the Church had recognized the hand of God in Eugene\u2019s actions of bringing the Oblates to birth \u2013 and the Rule was the expression … Continue reading