Letter to the Congregation from the First Congress on Oblate Vocations
The Church, that marvellous inheritance of our Saviour, continues to thirst for her children to respond to the call of Jesus the Saviour.
This plight of the Church moves us deeply, and calls us to offer answers.
Led by the same Spirit living and acting in our Congregation, we gathered in Aix, our Mother House, our Holy Land, to renew our fervour for Oblate Vocations.
We the vocation directors, together with Fr. General, the Assistant General for Formation the General Councillors and the Community of Aix, together representing the congregation worldwide.
Why do we need Oblate vocations?
We look for new vocations because of our love for the Church. We are a special gift for the Church, and the Church needs this gift to help evangelise the poor.
We are very hopeful. The Spirit of God continues to call in many parts of the world. And so we believe the same Spirit is stronger than secularization and the spirit of the world. It is God’s mission and we, the Oblates, are God’s co-operators.
Here in Aix, where everything was born, we have tried to listen to the cry of the poor, and we feel strongly the opportunity that something new may be born from here onwards.
What are we to do in order to continue our journey in the footsteps of Christ?
Be faithful and live joyfully and radically the gift of the charism of Saint Eugene de Mazenod so that we may invite others, as Jesus did, “come and see” (Jn 1, 39).
Vocations ministry is not a matter of recruitment or advertising, but rather a witness of life. We have the fundamental mission to show the youth that religious life can change the world. How?
- Create a culture of vocation.
The importance of prayer for vocations.
Evangelization: sharing faith.
Communities open to experience Oblate Spirit.
Accompaniment and Invitation to Oblate Life.
Mission with the Youth.
- Formation for full time Vocational Directors. As Father General asks, that there may be a full time Vocation Director in every unit who will direct a vocations team.
Support affectively and effectively the Vocation Directors.
- Networking at a regional and congregational level.
To have a vocations bureau at the General Administration which favours and feeds such network.
“Mary Immaculate is the model and guardian of our consecrated life (C. 13). We entrust our renewed efforts toward inviting new members to join us through a prayerful ministry of vocations to her intercession and tender care for us.”
(Letter from the Superior General on Vocation Ministry, Dec. 8, 2013)
May we respond to this call as Fr. Tempier did: “count on me wholeheartedly.”
Participants of the First Congress on Oblate Vocations
OMI VOCATIONS YEAR [2018-2019] 