GIFTS AND TALENTS

Posted on September 21, 2023 by franksantucci

From the time that the Missionaries became a religious congregation, there have been men who discerned that their vocation was to be religious brothers and not priests. In France, the Oblate brothers generally maintained the infrastructure of the Oblate houses thus enabling the priests to focus on preaching and the sacraments.

This letter to Fr Allard, in Canada, marks an important shift: in the foreign missions the Oblate brothers were to play an important role in the mission itself by having external ministry themselves, especially as teachers.

Would you like us to prepare an able brother for teaching? We have one at the moment who is being instructed by the brothers. He’s intelligent, regular and strong; I’m sending him to you.

Letter to Fr Jean-Francois Allard in Canada, 8 and 9 June, 1847, EO I n 85

REFLECTION

The beauty of the Mazenodian Family is that we have realised that the charism, spirituality and mission of St Eugene can never be completely effective unless we all contribute through our different talents and cooperate as a family.

“I was blessed with certain gifts and talents and God gave them to me to be the best person I can be and to have a positive impact on other people.”   Bryan Clay

This entry was posted in WRITINGS. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to GIFTS AND TALENTS

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate says:
    September 21, 2023 at 12:57

    “The charism of Saint Eugene de Mazenod is a gift of the Spirit to the Church, and it radiates throughout the world. Lay people recognize that they are called to share in the charism according to their state of life, and to live it in ways that vary according to milieu and cultures. They share in the charism in a spirit of communion and reciprocity amongst themselves and with the Oblates.” (R37a)

    I remember my conversion experience of God and how I had the overwhelming desire to love and the only way I could do that was to give all of my love to Jesus and through him I would be able to love the world. And even though I was almost thirty years old, I was like a new born baby.

    ‘Lord, make me little, make me ordinary, make me a light to my neighbours feet.’ It was only when I met the Oblates and St. Eugene de Mazenod that I felt like my heart was finding a home.

    It is in this way that I was invited to walk with St. Eugene de Mazenod and his many sons and daughters.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *