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Letter of Fr. Louis Lougen, OMI, Superior General for February 17, 2018 February 5th, 2018
Originally Published on OMIWORLD.ORG
Click here to see the article en Español
L.J.C. et M.I.
Dear Brother Oblates and all who form part of the Oblate Family,
Among our celebrations of Oblate history, this year is the bicentenary of the first draft of our Rule. Moved by the Spirit to seek companions to start a society whose aim was re-evangelizing the countryside of Provence, the young Eugene very soon felt the need to give this small, young society a code of life, a rule. It would contain norms to help all its members in the twofold objective that he had already outlined in broad terms to the vicars of Aix when, together with his first five companions, he had asked permission to live in community in the old Carmel of Aix, purchased by him for this purpose.
You can also read the full letter at OMIUSA.org
Upcoming Event: Dialogue on Ethical Dimensions of Extractive industries January 31st, 2018
The Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office of OMI Lacombe in partnership with Saint
Paul University are pleased to invite you to a morning dialogue.
Attend the event or watch it online. Registration information below.
Where: St. Paul University, 223 Main Street, Ottawa, CANADA – Laframboise Hall
When: February 13, 2018 – 9:30am to 12:00pm EDT
Entitled Ethical dimensions of Extractive industries in Catholic Social Teaching, the event is an opportunity for open discussion about Laudato Si’s calls for change in the mining practices of modern industries. While denouncing the violations on human rights, environment and the non-sustainable and irresponsible approach of current extractive sectors, this is also an opportunity to together find alternatives for change and better practices.
Guest speakers are:
Mr. Jim Cooney, Lecturer at the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada; who will be talking about Mining and sustainable development from a Laudato Si’ perspective
Rev. Seamus Finn, OMI, Chief for the OIP Investment Trust and consultant to the US Province JPIC office, who will be addressing the Catholic Ethical dimensions of Extractive industries.
You are invited to join this important event which aims to feed the thinking of those who want to be part of a grand coalition for social change.
To attend the meeting at Saint Paul, please register here.
For online streaming, no registration is needed. You can join live on February 13, 2018 – 9:30am to 12:00pm EDT by clicking here.
For more information about the event or to register, please feel free to contact:
Fernanda de Castro – JPIC Office
jpic@ustpaul.ca
613-236-1393 ext.2661, or
Leonardo Rego OMI
613-236-1393 ext.2660
Anniversary of OMI Congregation’s Founding – January 25, 2018 January 24th, 2018
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 Photo courtesy: Oblate Communications |
“…Conversion, community, poverty, and such themes remind us of Father de Mazenod’s zeal to preach God’s Word to the poor, and are appropriate subjects for community prayer on this day.” (Oblate Prayer, p. 72)
On January 25, 1816, Saint Eugene de Mazenod brought together in community the first Missionaries of Provence to preach the Word of God to the poor. At the heart of this new beginning was the quest for holiness. If there were men, filled with apostolic virtue and zeal, the work of preaching the Gospel to the poor would bear much fruit in a short time. A life of regular prayer was essential to this new missionary life. St. Eugene borrowed from his Sulpician training and freely included inspiration from other schools of spirituality. A tradition of prayer and religious exercises began in our Congregation.
(Oblate Prayer Opening Statement, Fr. Louis Lougen, O.M.I. Superior General)
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR OUR OBLATE VOCATION
O God, we are filled with gratitude for your call to be Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. This vocation, first inspired in Saint Eugene de Mazenod, is a gift for the life of the Church. By this charism we have a special relationship with Jesus the Saviour, whose Cross reveals your unconditional love for all humanity, especially for the poor and most abandoned. Through the Oblate charism we also are brought into close communion with the poor, and we discover that we are evangelized by those to whom we have been sent. We thank you for the grace of our vocation, praying that we live it in faithfulness and joy through the intercession of Mary Immaculate and in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – January 18–25, 2018 January 18th, 2018
“Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power.” (Exodus 15:6)
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU) has a history of over 100 years, in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. By annually observing the WPCU, Christians move toward the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper “that they all may be one.” (cf. John 17:21)
The theme for the 2018 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “Your Right Hand, O Lord, Glorious in Power,” is taken from the book of Exodus 15:6 and the biblical text is Exodus 15:1-21. The resources for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by the churches of the Caribbean by an ecumenical team of women and men under the leadership of His Grace Kenneth Richards, Catholic Archbishop of Kingston, the Antilles Episcopal Conference, together with Mr. Gerard Granado, General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC).
- Download full 2018 international resource
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Find additional materials at the World Council of Churches and the Graymoor Ecumenical and Interreligious Institute websites.
Brazil Will Host 2018 World Social Forum January 10th, 2018
The World Social Forum (WSF) will take place in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil from March 13 to 17, 2018. It is the largest annual summit held by non-governmental organizations, civil society and religious leaders working to create a more sustainable and equitable world.
Missionary Oblates have previously participated and presented at the World Social Forum in solidarity with many other groups from around the world, meeting to share concerns and explore effective responses to a range of issues – globalization, ecology, sustainability and actions against human trafficking, trade relations of nations, extractives industries and indigenous people’s rights.
We are grateful to Oblate provinces and missions that provided hospitality to Oblate participants at past World Social Forum events: Kenya (2007), Brazil (2009), Senegal (2011) and Canada (2016)
- More information about the 2018 World Social Forum (WSF) click on this link: https://wsf2018.org/en/
