The Shrine of Our Lady of Laus was gearing up for the busy summer pilgrimage season during which the Oblates would be feverishly occupied with pastoral ministry to the pilgrims.<\/p>\n
\nNow the feast of Pentecost is upon us, appeal to the whole community, in my name, to take twice as much care to see that the crowds of visitors don\u2019t give rise to a kind of exterior dissipation which wouldn\u2019t be edifying in men from whom one expects behaviour that is not only full of zeal but truly modest, grave and recollected as well.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Eugene reminds them of the principle that he was constantly insisting on in the lives of the Oblates: \u201cbe\u201d in order to \u201cdo.\u201d<\/p>\n
The source of all activity, the goal of all ministry, and the strength to persevere came only from their community life as religious. \u201cRegularity\u201d – faithful observance of the Rule of Life – was the \u201cbe\u201d of the Oblates from which the pilgrims would draw abundant graces.<\/p>\n
\nPlease, insist a lot on this subject. Let it be demonstrated that, when a religious has to devote himself to external ministry, the habitual regularity that he should have acquired in the bosom of the community is a source of abundant graces and help, so that he isn\u2019t found wanting and doesn\u2019t disappoint the faithful\u2019s expectations: more is required of him than of others in the wholly supernatural action of his demanding work,<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Jean Baptiste Mille, 18 May 1836, EO VIII n 571<\/em><\/p>\n
\u201cBE\u201d in order to \u201cDO\u201d sums up the Gospel for all, not just the Oblates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Shrine of Our Lady of Laus was gearing up for the busy summer pilgrimage season during which the Oblates would be feverishly occupied with pastoral ministry to the pilgrims. Now the feast of Pentecost is upon us, appeal to … Continue reading