We Share a Charism!

It’s an unprepossessing entrance, across a parking lot and under a bridge, but inside, the De Mazenod Centre in London’s Tower Hill area is warm and welcoming. On a recent Saturday in May, I was privileged to meet there with 16 Friends of Saint Eugene. Over the course of the day, we reflected on and explored the connections we each had to the Oblate charism, me as an Oblate Associate of OMI Lacombe Canada and they as Friends of Saint Eugene. To our delight, we found we had more in common than we did differences and we were truly able to say, “We share a charism!”

Our conversation about the similarities and differences took shape within the context of the five identifying characteristics of the OMI Lacombe Canada Associates. As we talked about the Canadian Associates’ identity being grounded in: i. a sense of call; ii.  a participation in formation; iii. the connection to Oblate community; iv. having a heart for mission and v. the making of a formal commitment, the Friends noted that despite some variations, the essence and spirit of the connection to the Oblate charism was the same. Most particularly, we noted the awareness that one is called to this sharing of the charism and it becomes a conscious, spirit-led decision to become either a Friend or an Associate. Whichever one was, participating in initial and on-going formation was part of it, as was staying connected to Oblate community and engaging in service and mission.

The connection between our two groups was even clearer when we compared our respective mission statements.  We found within them the same spirit: the charism was prominent and mission, service and community were defining elements.

We ended our day with a brief look at how the charism continues to inspire us in daily life. Pope Francis’ recent exhortation on holiness recalls Eugene de Mazenod’s insistence that all must be saints.  Eugene, hungering for holiness himself, constantly exhorted his Oblates to it and reminded them that their mission was to alert people first to their humanity, secondly to their call to be Christian and finally to their vocation to be saints.

The place where our holiness is lived out however is, as Pope Francis points out, in our everyday life: “I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant.,”  We turned to the Canadian Oblate, Brother Anthony Kowalcyzk as one example of this ‘everyday spirituality’.  Nicknamed ‘Brother Ave” because of his great devotion to Mary and his faithfulness to praying the rosary, Anthony’s life as a blacksmith and a handyman was one of small, ordinary tasks carried out with great love. Sainthood, we are reminded, will be found precisely in this fidelity to our call.

We ended our day together with the beautiful prayer of Orasion. We gathered in silence before the  Blessed Sacrament, and let the spirit of Eugene fill us. As Friends of Saint Eugene and Oblate Associates of OMI Lacombe Canada we find our home in the Oblate charism and are blessed to be members of the Mazedonian family.

By Sandra Prather, HOMI and Provincial Associate