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MAY 21 - Feast of St. Eugene deMazenod, OMI
Eugene de Mazenod, a father totally given
Reading # 1: John 10:10, 17-18
Reading # 2:From the Oblate Rule
The Oblates are a Missionary Congregation. They are men set apart for the Gospel, men ready to leave everything to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Their principal service in the Church is to proclaim Christ and his kingdom to the most abandoned. They preach the Gospel among people who have not yet received it. Where the Church is already established, their commitment is to those groups it touches least.
The mission of the Oblate is especially to those people whose condition cries out for salvation and for the hope which only Jesus Christ can fully bring. These are the poor with their many faces - they have our preference because of their need.
Leader: We pray, Father, that your Church would never lack for shepherds. Remember the poor, abandoned and needy. Raise up men of love and zeal to preach the Gospel to all those who are in need of the hope of salvation. Eugene de Mazenod understood your love for all your children and was generous in their service. May there be many who would share his vision and give themselves selflessly as Oblates of Mary Immaculate. We ask this through Christ Our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Our Lady of Hope... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 22
Jesus, a brother who welcomes
Reading #1: Mark 10:13-16
Reading # 2:Eugene de Mazenod, Founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate wrote:
“If priests could be formed, afire with zeal for men’s salvation, solidly grounded in virtue - in a word, apostolic men deeply conscious of the need to reform themselves, who would labor with all the resources at their command to convert others - then there would be ample reason to believe that in a short while people who had gone astray might be brought back to the long neglected duties of religion. We pledge ourselves to all the works of zeal that priestly charity can inspire... We must spare no effort to extend the Savior’s Empire and destroy the dominion of hell.”
Leader: Lord God, Father, through the intercession of Saint Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, we pray that there would be many more young men willing to give their lives in service of the Gospel. Send workers into your vineyard in these days when the harvest is great but the workers are few. We make our prayer though Christ our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Our Lady of the Snows... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 23
Mary, an attentive Mother
Reading # 1: Luke 2:19, 51
Reading # 2:From Pope Paul VI’s writings
Like Christ, the Church sees before her an immense multitude of people who need the Gospel and have a right to it, for God “wants everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth.”
The Church has a duty to preach salvation to all. The Gospel message is not reserved to a small group of the elect or privileged but is destined for everyone. There is anguish in the Church of Christ because there are exhausted crowds like sheep without a shepherd who hunger for the liberating word of God that offers hope and life. The word of God must be spoken, shared, proclaimed and lived.
Leader: God our Father, you inspired Eugene de Mazenod to send forth missionaries to teach and live the Gospel among the poor and abandoned. Increase our love for You and Your word. Extend Your loving call to many generous young men to continue Your work in the world of today which still is in need of Your love and salvation. Raise up good and holy priests who will give of themselves with total dedication to Your service. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Our Lady of Guadalupe... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 24
Jesus, the way to God
Reading # 1: John 14:5-6
Reading # 2:Blessed Joseph Gerard, Oblate Missionary to South Africa wrote:
I can picture an Oblate of Mary Immaculate in his mission: he wants to see everything with his eyes, know with his heart, give joy to everyone by his presence, be all things to all people to win them over to Jesus Christ... He is not satisfied with general relationships, where the priest is the priest of everyone, but not enough the priest to each one. He loves in such a way that each one would believe himself or herself to be uniquely loved by him... We must love our people, love them in spite of everything, love them always. The world belongs to the person who loves it most and proves it.
Leader: God our Father, you have loved us so much that you sent your only Son to be our savior; stir up the grace of a holy vocation in the hearts of many young men. May they have the generosity and willingness to serve you with their whole lives as Oblates of Mary Immaculate and win many over to the love of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Mary Conceived without Sin ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 25
The Spirit, gift of the Father
Reading # 1: John 14:26
Reading # 2:From the writings of Saint Eugene de Mazenod, Founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Every religious congregation in the Church has a spirit all its own; it is inspired by the Spirit of God to respond to the needs of the Church to work for the salvation of souls. By our particular vocation we are involved with the redemption of humanity... May we, by the sacrifice of our whole being, so cooperate as not to render His redemption fruitless for ourselves and for those we are called upon to evangelize.
Leader: We pray: Stir up the flame of faith and the fire of love in the hearts of young men and inspire them to dedicate themselves to your service with unbounded confidence and zeal. Through the intercession of Our Immaculate Mother bring a great many vocations to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate so that the work of the Congregation may continue. We ask this through Christ Our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Mary our Queen and Mother ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 26
Jesus, gift of God
Reading # 1: John 13:16
Reading # 2:From the Oblate Rule
Our mission is to proclaim the kingdom of God and seek it before all else. We fulfill this mission in community; and our communities are a sign that in Jesus, God is everything for us. Together we await Christ’s coming in the fullness of his justice so that God may be all in all.
Growing in faith, hope and love, we commit ourselves to be a leaven of the Beatitudes at the heart of the world. Our mission requires that, in a radical way, we follow Jesus who was chaste and poor, and who redeemed mankind by his obedience. That is why, through a gift of the Father, we choose the way of the evangelical counsels.
Leader: Jesus our Lord and brother, you still extend your invitation to discipleship in our day. May there be many who would hear your call and find within themselves the generosity and faith to respond. Raise up men to service at your altar, men of hope and dedication who will follow you without reserve as Oblates of Mary Immaculate and who will serve your people with joyful love. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Queen of the Missions ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 27 - Blessed Jozef Cebula, OMI
Blessed Jozef Cebula, a devoted father
Reading #1: 1 Chronicles 12:33
Reading # 2:From the Preface to the Rule
How should men who want to follow in the footsteps of their divine Master Jesus Christ conduct themselves if they are to win back the many souls who have thrown off his yoke? They mus strive to be saints. They must walk courageously along the same paths trodden by so many before them who handed on splendid examples of virtue they must wholly renounce themselves, striving solely for the glory of God, the good of the Church, and the growth and salvation of souls.
Leader: Father, you continue to call men to total service, commitment and dedication: men open to the Spirit who will bring forth Jesus in the world today through the gift of priestly ministry. May those You call hear your gentle voice and have the courage to respond with whole hearted confidence and trust. Stir up the grace of a vocation in the hearts of many generous young men so the work of the Oblates may both continue and flourish in the church.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Mary, Disciple of the Lord ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 28
The gifts of the Spirit
Reading #1: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
Reading # 2: A Sermon of Eugene de Mazenod
Servants! Farmhands! Peasants! Poor!
Come and learn who you are in the eyes of God. You poor of Jesus Christ, you afflicted, unfortunate suffering, infirm, diseased: all you who are burdened with misery, listen to me! You are the children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, co-heirs of His eternal kingdom, His cherished inheritance. Lift up your minds: you are the children of God.
Look through the tatters that cover you. There is an immortal soul within you made to the image of God, a soul redeemed at the price of the very blood of Jesus, more precious in the eyes of God than all the riches and all the kingdoms of this earth. Know your dignity - you even share the Divine Nature - Children of God, Children of the Most High!
Leader: Father, you chose Eugene de Mazenod and inspired him with a wonderful love for the poor and gave him the gift of touching their hearts. May the Oblate sons of Eugene continue, increase and flourish in the Church. May they never cease proclaiming the liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ to the poor in imitation of their founder. Raise up zealous men of faith to the Oblate family for the glory of your name. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Mary, Comfort of the Afflicted ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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MAY 29 - Blessed Joseph Gerard, OMI
Blessed Joseph Gerard, the dedication of an apostle
Reading #1: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
Reading # 2:From the Oblate Rule
The cross of Jesus Christ is central to our mission. Like the apostle Paul, we “preach Christ and him crucified.” If we bear in our body the death of Jesus, it is with the hope that the life of Jesus, too, may be seen in our body. Through the eyes of our crucified Savior, we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection.
Leader: We pray: Lord Jesus, you redeemed the world by your passion and love. The depth of your love is revealed in your suffering. May there be young men raised up in the Church who are inspired by your love to give themselves, their time and their talents, - Oblate Congregation grow in numbers and with strength of holiness as it continues to share your love with the poorest and most abandoned souls. We pray through the intercession of Mary, our Mother, and in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who suffered and died for our salvation.
Our Father...
Saint Eugene de Mazenod... Pray for us
Blessed Joseph Gerard... Pray for us
Blessed Jozef Cebula... Pray for us
Mary, Virgin Mother of God ... Pray for us
Praised be Jesus Christ... and Mary Immaculate
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