PITTSBURGH: LET US TAKE CARE OF EACH MISSION WHICH GOD CONFIDES TO US

Posted on August 14, 2024 by franksantucci

“Bishop Michael O’Connor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was passing through Marseilles at the end of 1843 and he asked Bishop de Mazenod for some Oblates for the major seminary in Pittsburgh. The Founder’s reply was negative because of lack of personnel. Bishop O’Connor renewed his request for priests and, on June 7, 1848, he met with Father Guigues in Longueuil to arrange details for an establishment of the Congregation in Pittsburgh. Fathers Adrien Telmon, Augustin Gaudet and the scholastic Eugène Cauvin were appointed to staff the major seminary.” Y. Beaudoin https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/pittsburgh-pennsylvania-united-states-1848-1849/)

Eugene wrote about this to Bp Guigues:

If we succeed at Pittsburgh, we will soon have other establishments in the United States. Already proposed is the seminary of Detroit. When we have a third establishment we will form a new Province; this is all the more desirable since already our Fathers in the United States have difficulty in receiving directions from Canada.

The training of clergy in seminaries was one of the important missions of the Oblates, which explains why Pittsburgh was accepted as an Oblate mission. This first foothold in the eastern United States was so important that they were prepared to make an exception by taking on a parish as well.

It appears that the Bishop of Pittsburgh insists that our Fathers serve a church in the central part of the city where he wishes them to be placed. Let us not be particular and since Providence has permitted us to expand, let us take care of each mission which God confides to us.

Letter to Bp. Bruno Guigues, 15 September 1848, EO I n 102.

REFLECTION

“If you are seeking what God wants you to do with your time He will reveal it to you. Just don’t be surprised if it is the last thing you ever thought you would do.” S. Stephens.

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1 Response to PITTSBURGH: LET US TAKE CARE OF EACH MISSION WHICH GOD CONFIDES TO US

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate says:
    August 14, 2024 at 14:39

    There are threads from yesterday’s reflection that seem to run through today’s. tapestry of our life journeys. Eugene mentioned that they were trying to build huts to live and pray in rather than great Cathedrals. And today we catch another glimpse of St. Eugene who sees a larger picture when he looked through the eyes of our crucified Saviour.

    And now we have a few who want to serve only the small picture of their lives, while Eugene and his Superiors saw a wider vision. I think of Isaiah 52:4 and how we are all called to enlarge the space of our tents (and so our hearts) to include more – even the ones who are the lepers of our communities. I am reminded of the necessity of community discernment and of the vow of Obedience that we are invited to live and serve with freedom, particularly the most abandoned, and the poorest of the poor.

    This is one of the deepest and truest part of the Charism given to Eugene de Mazenod and shared with all of his sons and daughters.

    “Providence has permitted us to expand, let us take care of each mission which God confides to us.”

    Surely we are all lepers in one way or another! Love is love is love… I never envisaged God calling me to lovingly serve the Church, my local parish, as well and most deeply true 2SLGBTQ+ persons. I am joyfully proud that they all ask me to walk with them. I do this as a daughter (or as one Oblate was said, a step-daughter) of St. Eugene de Mazenod. To be a recipient of God’s people who are not universally accepted by the entire Church fills me with tears of gratitude. This is how God chooses us to be, as God created us to be…

    Reply

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