The Oblate
Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

Thanks to the Lord and the generosity of the Paroisse du Bon Pasteur in Trois-Rivières, the Trois-Rivières Volunteers of God have been able to obtain a beautiful building free of charge and have access to two conference rooms in the presbytery of S. Pie X and in the basement of the church.

With the arrival of university students, we needed a bigger place to hold our meetings. For some years now, the church and presbytery of S. Pie X have been home to groups dedicated to evangelization and faith education. Since the Volunteers of God meet this criterion, we have been able to operate in these premises, which we greatly appreciate.

We officially moved here on March 14, 2025.

Thank you to everyone involved in this project!

Violaine Couture
Coordinator of the Volunteers of God
English and French sectors

I would like to share with you a precious moment spent with our Father Louis-Marie Parent, founder of O.M.I. Here are three photos with the Oblates and Volunteers of God: one at the Centre de prière l'Alliance in Trois-Rivières and the other two at Cap-de-la-Madeleine.

That weekend, Roxane Poirier, Christianne and France Racine, my team leaders from the Jonquière Volunteers of God group, put on a play about the five evangelical attitudes. We wanted to show that by practicing these attitudes, our outlook becomes that of Jesus. So, we made about a hundred pairs of cardboard glasses and gave them to everyone, symbolizing and inviting all of us to change our gaze to that of Jesus.

Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I. had a good laugh and was very proud of us.

        

Roxane Poirier
In charge of the Jonquière Volunteers of God.

What a wonderful gift!

In the first part of the TV program, Sylvain Charron, host of the program, “La Victoire de l'amour”, promotes the 2025 Lenten calendar. The calendar was created in connection with the 5 attitudes of life and charity by Roxanne Poirier and the Jonquière Volunteers of God.

Thank you for your boldness and your joy in promoting our beautiful spirituality.

Here's the link to the program, well worth a listen. In French only

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsvkSOmXbuU 

La Victoire de l'Amour — Monday March 3,2025

Violaine Couture

In preparation for the feast of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025, we invite you to take the time to pray to and invoke him.

Good Saint Joseph, pour out unity on each one of us, so that with the same heart and the same mission, the Oblates, the Volunteers of God, the Friends and every baptized person may feel responsible for creating unity in their environment, so that there may be harmony in the world. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

Let us entrust our country to him in this difficult time for everyone, a country that has hoped for so much on its journey of faith.

The sign of the cross: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen

MARCH 11: SAINT JOSEPH, PROTECTOR OF THE CHURCH. Saint Joseph, accompany those who serve in the Church so that they are attentive to the directives of Pope Francis in this Jubilee Year. Watch over our Church, the body of Christ, in its struggles and trials. Protect our Church in its vocation. Give her the strength to overcome the challenges of today's world, and inspire her members with the courage to follow Christ with a pure and sincere heart. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 12: LET US PRAY TO SAINT JOSEPH, THE SUPPORT OF FAMILIES. Good Saint Joseph, you know how many families are experiencing difficulties of all kinds. Help us to support them in prayer. On this day of the novena, let us become aware of our great Church family and let us show our support by being of service through prayer, a phone call, a letter, a visit... O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 13: SAINT JOSEPH, WATCHMAN OF THE SICK. Good Saint Joseph, open our hearts to the distress of the sick. Let us be compassionate towards those around us by being kind. And if we do experience discomfort, let us be serene in our acceptance, without complaining needlessly, living in perseverance. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 14: SAINT JOSEPH, DEFENDER OF WORKERS. Good Saint Joseph, you have known the fatigue of carpenter's work, inspire confidence in people who are struggling to find work so that they can feed their families properly and achieve personal fulfilment. Let us admire their tenacity in their search rather than criticize them for not making enough effort. Let us also show solidarity with those who are fighting for safe working conditions. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 15: LET US PRAY TO SAINT JOSEPH, CONSOLER IN TIMES OF SUFFERING. Good Saint Joseph, you know that many people are physically, mentally or morally handicapped. They don't always feel accepted, and this is a great source of suffering. Let us be present in our hearts to this suffering, to discover the richness of God's presence in these people, and let us tell them of our discovery of the positive in them. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 16: SAINT JOSEPH, GUIDE IN SITUATIONS OF CONFLICT. Saint Joseph, we especially pray to you for those who are at the heart of negotiations to obtain better working conditions. Open their hearts so that there may be areas of agreement. Don't forget couples, young people at school, those working in our health system, and may respect, justice and the search for peaceful solutions reign in the world. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 17: SAINT JOSEPH, MAN OF PEACE. Good Saint Joseph, man of peace, you collaborated in God's work in your community by sowing the seeds of peace. As peacemakers, we too must be attentive to discerning what can build peace in our communities. Our founder, Father Louis-Marie Parent, o.m.i., tells us that peace is a fruit of the Holy Ghost, the most rewarding of the Beatitudes. With you, Saint Joseph, let us put it into practice day by day. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 18: SAINT-JOSEPH, INTERCESSOR IN THE HEART OF THE WORLD. Today, Saint Joseph, we implore you with confidence and perseverance for the many needs of the world. We think of the war that forces many people to leave their country. Families are often separated by the departure of their loved ones. Let us also pray for the extinction of famine in some countries. Let us be open to sharing that frees people from selfishness and opens them to the breath of the Gospel. O good Saint Joseph, pray for us, hear us!

MARCH 19: FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH, GUARDIAN OF SOULS. Good Saint Joseph, thank you for guiding us during this novena. Today is your feast day. May you intercede with discretion, firmness and love for those entrusted to you. You are the patron saint of our great Canada. Shape our hearts and keep them close to God's will and enlighten our minds so that we put our hope in the Lord, just as you have done in the present moment. Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen

Réjeanne Allard Drummondville

Our journey as Oblates is one of unwavering faith and profound challenges. Our brochure, with its thrilling words and captivating images, resonates deeply, igniting a spark within those who seek a path of faith and service.

Years ago, when I first came across our brochure, I was captivated by the words “Faith and Challenge.” I felt called to join the Institute but my family opposed it. Yet, my faith had already been shaped by a powerful experience in my adolescence—an encounter where I was miraculously saved from a grave situation. I had unknowingly walked into danger, but God, in His infinite mercy, had chosen me for Himself. This moment became the cornerstone of my life, anchoring me in the belief that if I remained faithful to Him, He would always take care of me. “If anyone declares publicly that he belongs to me, I will do the same for him before my Father in heaven” (Mt 10:32).

Throughout my journey, faith and challenge have gone hand in hand. I have encountered numerous moments that tested my courage and commitment. Two experiences stand out vividly: During my formation period, I was one of three formees working as teachers at a government school. One of our colleagues, a Hindu teacher, faced a dire situation—her mother was hospitalized, and she had no one to care for her. We sought permission to assist her, and while two of us from OMMI were granted leave, the other formée from a different secular institute was denied permission. We wholeheartedly served the ailing mother, earning not only blessings but also immense respect for OMMI. The incident was a testament to our charism—serving selflessly, beyond barriers of religion or background.«««««

Another test of faith arose when a bright and talented young woman, one of my students, faced an uncertain future. She was pursued by a young man deeply in love with her .She had a medical condition that prevented her from bearing children. But this Young man, upon learning of her condition, remained steadfast in his love.

Faith guided us as we sought counsel from Canon law experts, physicians, psychologists, and surgeons. To make their union valid, a major surgery was required—a deeply personal and confidential matter, especially within the cultural fabric of Kerala. The family, unable to handle the situation alone, turned to me for help. It was a daunting request—I had to take leave, obtain permissions, and most importantly, maintain strict confidentiality. Some fellow Oblates opposed my involvement, but my Directress supported me and I accompanied the young woman through her medical journey. The operation was successful, but I faced a lot challenges being alone in a strange place and I too was very young. I turned to prayer, drawing strength from God. Eventually, she recovered, and after six months, she and her beloved entered a blessed marriage, later adopting two beautiful children.

These experiences reaffirmed my belief—without faith, one cannot embrace challenges. Our charism calls us to a life of constant availability to the will of the Father. As Fr. Parent wisely said, “My neighbours give me the opportunity to discover in them the image of God.”As Oblates, we are women of faith and challenge, strengthened by the mission to serve. In every act of courage and compassion, we witness His presence, transforming lives and glorifying His name.

Valsamma Joseph, Oblate, Kerala, India

I'd like to introduce you to one of the two new groups from Trois-Rivières, comprising young people of four different nationalities: one Lebanese, six Madagascans from Madagascar, one Colombian and three Quebecers.

The ethnic diversity of this group means that we are able to attract a wide range of people to the activities, whether it's singing, praying or sharing experiences. The members, most of whom already knew each other, form a very close-knit group.

Enthusiastic the spirituality of the five attitudes to life, they have decided to hold their meetings every four weeks. Some of them take turns to animate part of the meeting, even after only three meetings.

They are very fervent and serious in their commitment. They also celebrate a monthly Mass in Madagascan in the Franciscan House for the Madagascan population of the Mauricie region. Glory be to God!

Violaine Couture
Trois-Rivières

Hello everyone,

I am happy to share with you what my life is now, what nourishes me and where I find happiness.

For a year now, I've been living in a retirement home for autonomous people (RPA) called Les terrasses de la Fonderie Drummondville. It feels like my own little village as there are 435 of us.

There are plenty of activities and attention given to each person, even though there are so many of us. For our birthday, a greeting card arrives at our door, there is a lively get-together, greetings from the various committees, and so on. There's a real spirit of brotherhood and family.

I am also happy to be involved as a volunteer on the liturgy committee, for the weekly mass and other activities. I'm part of a bowling team, a scrabble team and a card team.

Every 15 days, on Sundays, I play the accordion, accompanied by a guitarist, a pianist and sometimes a violinist. We call our group Les heureux troubadours. I always do a little animation when I play the accordion. On New Year's Day, when I wished them a Happy New Year, I told them what I had read that morning and found very beautiful: “Let us become a word of blessing for others.” There are a lot of single people, as well as couples, about 50 or 60 in all, who don't have visitors and love this music. Their appreciation gives me energy to learn new tunes. It's good for my neurons, and I have the joy of sharing with them this talent that the Lord has given me.

I make a point of learning their names, always saying hello with a smile and try to look at everyone with love.

I like it here; my health is good, and I have no pain, except for the fact that the cancer is in progress, but in silence...

Of course, I am learning to keep time for myself, which is important.

This is my new life in an RPA, and I really enjoy it.

Paulette C.

Lord, grant that
where the world is at the moment,
I put the presence of God,
where there is slander, backbiting and prejudice,
I put the absence of criticism, respect for others,
where there is moaning, complaining, whispering,
I put the absence of useless complaint,
a sense of wonder,
where there is incompetency, laziness, selfishness,
self-interest, putting myself first and others second,
I put service, devotion, the gift of myself,
where there is disagreement, dispute, trouble,
controversy, discussion,
I bring peace.

Lord, make me a source
an element, a craftsman, a maker of peace,
a vehicle of charity, a prophet of hope
with the way of thinking of someone resurrected.

Lord, make me live the spirit of the Beatitudes,
make me a builder of your Kingdom,
model me on the heart of Mary. Amen.

Excerpt from the book: “Je t’accueille”, page 161, (in French only)
Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I.