As Oblates we were foundedfor a specific purpose for which there was a great need back in 1816 insouthern France. The Founder perceived this call as coming from the Spiritand led us to live in a determined way to fulfill this mission. The Churchrecognized the new family under a distinctive Rule. The year 2001 willbe 175 years since the Constitutions and Rules of the Missionary Oblatesof Mary Immaculate were first approved. We have a right to exist onlyunder that Ruleaccording to our call as missionaries and religious.I always get a bit upset ifasking a young candidate: why do you wantto become an Oblate? I get the answer: because I want to become a priest.Probably he does not mean it literallybut there must be something morethan wanting to become a priest. Is he aware that he will be sent to thefringesto difficult missionseven outside his own country? Does healso recognize that we areas our mission requires (C 12)a societyof religious?Did he consider at all the vocation of a Brother?A group of Oblates that makes us aware of our condition as religious arethe Brothers. The Chapter has devoted special attention to them. Let usbecome aware in a new way of our identity as missionaries and religious.Even the sociologists tell us that minorities (like our congregation orthe Church) do better if they show clearly their identityrefusing toget simply integrated into the dominant culture. Why are new foundationslike Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s so prosperous? Because everybodyunderstands that there must be a response to people dying on the streets.Society is crying out for help in this point. Let us not be afraid tobe specifically Oblatelike Eugene in Aix. Let us re-found his groupof missionary religious in the context of today’s global villagelistening to and responding to the cry of the poor.
“If only we couldunderstand who we are.” An important part of our identity isliving in community and working as a team. I really desire that the youngOblates would push us in that direction and I perceive that there is alonging for community life out there. I quote from what the young Oblatessaid before last Chapter: “it is necessary that the community betruly an apostolic body: our life and our work in a team can become aprophetic sign that challenges the individualism reigning in today’sworld” (2). I also quote from a letter that the General Council receivedand studied at the beginning of this year from three Oblatestwo of themin post-graduate studies: “We envision internationally constitutedhouse communities of five men dedicated to an intensecommon missionarythrust to the materially poor in a local area. ... Since our apostolicministry is participation in the mission of Christ we would dedicate ourselvesto an intenseregular prayer life. ... We would commit ourselves to aprolonged oraison each day. ... One day a week would be reserved for prayerand reflectionas well as community recreation”.
Vita Consecrata remindsus that as religious we are “experts in communion” (VC 46) andthe Holy Father goes on to say in the same document: “The Churchentrusts to communities of consecrated life the particular task of spreadingthe spirituality of communionfirst of all in their internal life andthen in the ecclesial communityand even beyond its boundaries”(VC 51). Here the different Oblate Lay Associations come into the picture.They share our charism and sometimes they wake us up by asking us whowe are. They also reach out to spread this Oblate spirit of familyofcommunion “in the ecclesial communityand even beyond its boundaries”.As sons and daughters of Saint Eugene we have inherited a special lovefor the Church. How could weas a communitytogether become even moreskilled experts in communion for the Church and the world?
Youthe 900 young Oblatesto whom this letter is addressed in the first place come from about 50countries. Two thirds of you belong to the Regions of AfricaAsia andLatin America; the remaining third is equally split between East and West.These data mean that the Congregation has undergone a great changegiventhat 70% of the older partthe other 3770come from the West. In thefuture it will be up to the southern hemisphere and to the East to sendout the bulk of the missionaries. Are you ready to be sent ad extraad gentes? This is what many young Oblates are now asking as theirfirst obedienceand I consider this normal for us. Of the older generationabout 30% are working in a country other than their own; among youtheyounger memberswe have only reached 20% up to now. I would even considerit normal for a missionary congregation like oursif almost every scholasticor Brother passed at least one year abroad during his formation perioda practice which some provinces have now introduced. It could make usaware that as missionaries we have to reach outto go to the home ofthose culturally differentto learn to listen to them and to share ourfaith with them in their languages.
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