While the missionaries aimed at personal conversion, their ultimate ideal was to help the whole parish to grow together. The local pastor was involved in the mission \u2013 at no stage did the missionaries take over the running of the parish from him during the time of the mission. He participated as the leader of his people, and the mission was done on his behalf.<\/p>\n
Eugene highlights this when he writes\u00a0to the pastor of Barjols:<\/p>\n
\nMore than fifty pastors are asking insistently for a mission\u2026 However, I am inclined to give you preference. It seems to me that our duty is to rush to where there is the most urgent need.They asked for us at Marseilles; we could expect consolation there, whereas at Barjols we must await only contradictions and difficulty; but we will at least have the happiness of coming to help a good pastor\u2019s solicitude for his lost sheep. If we were to gain from our mission nothing else than having struggled against hell with and under the direction of such a capable veteran as you, we would still have to congratulate ourselves on having done so.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to the Pastor of Barjols, 20 August 1818, O.W. XIII, n. 14<\/em><\/p>\n
To the pastor of Aubagne in preparation for a mission:<\/p>\n
\nI hope that your assistants will want to help us in this demanding ministry, in which case we can include them in our calculations. To sum up I flatter myself that we all form but one family of which you will be the father and that we will have but one heart and one will.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to M. Figon, 5 October 1822, O.W. XIII, n. 42<\/em><\/p>\n
Fr Marcello Zago comments on the continuation and development of this aspect today when he says that the focus of Oblate mission has moved<\/p>\n
\nfrom a presentation concentrating on the conversion of souls to an evangelization with a three-fold objective: personal and community conversion, the building of an inculturated and responsible ecclesial community, and the promotion of the Kingdom of God.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cEvangelization and Mission\u201d in<\/em> Dictionary of Oblate Values<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While the missionaries aimed at personal conversion, their ultimate ideal was to help the whole parish to grow together. The local pastor was involved in the mission \u2013 at no stage did the missionaries take over the running of the … Continue reading