The Oblate
Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

The Oblate Missionaries extraordinary people.

This day of the 70th anniversary of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and the Volunteers brought me a lot and did me a lot of good. I forgot the pandemic. The words of Bishop Laliberté and the beautiful songs of Violaine and Denise created joy and inner peace in me. The meal allowed me to meet extraordinary people, with radiant faces, who spread so much joy and love around them.

They are truly people of service who live to help others, listen to them and make them happy. The video gave me a lot of information about the remarkable work done over the years.

Thank you and congratulations to the organizers for this day which will leave an unforgettable memory in our hearts.

Denise Binette, Volunteers of God of La Tuque

Magnificat !

What beautiful memories came back to my heart on this anniversary.

So many reasons to say THANK YOU! It is with a heart full of gratitude that I write this message requested by Réjeanne, the great instigator of my presence among the Volunteers of God.

First of all, I owe this thanks to Father Parent. I met him a few times and was always edified by his simplicity, but this simplicity hid an exceptional greatness of soul. The five points have been part of my life for 35 years... and I try to apply them every day. Some days it is easier than others, but with the Presence of God it helps a lot!

My second THANK YOU is to Réjeanne Allard, this positive and radiant woman who invited me one day. With joy, I said YES and I am so grateful to her. What a beautiful secret she allowed me to discover!

THANK YOU to the wonderful team that allowed us to gather at the Sanctuary. To meet over a lovely meal allowed our spirits to recharge, and Violaine sang so well, “LOVE has a THOUSAND AND ONE Faces that GOD in his image comes to deposit in us like dew, like a breeze on a summer's day...ˮ.

What a beautiful breeze of love we felt! I feel like Mary wanting to sing “MAGNIFICAT my heart exults with joy! ˮ

Congratulations to you all on your 70th anniversary,
Diane Pichette,

Volunteers of God, La Tuque

I felt the call to consecrated life strongly throughout my entire life and have met and worked with various members of religious communities. But, I continued to realize that, although I greatly respected the communities many of my friends and co-workers belonged to, I knew in my heart that was not the consecration God was calling me to.

Then I was introduced to the OMMI’s through Bishop Gerry Wiesner and got to know the OMMI’s of Western Canada, and all of a sudden my call to consecrated life started to make sense to me!!

My desire to live a simple life, being open to offer my gifts to others without being separated by things such as a title or habit felt right for me. Things such as finding God in everyday life and availability were already major parts of living my faith journey. And the more I learned about the 5 attitudes, the more I saw this as a guiding light on my life’s pathway!! (Especially as numbers 3 and 4 continue to challenge me each day and keep me aware of God’s continuous call to growth in faith, hope and love!)

Marian G. Regina, Saskatchewan

The role of the Institute in my life has been to give me the chance to consecrate my life to the Lord, while remaining in my secular condition at the heart of the world and to live an extraordinary spirituality.

The simplicity and depth of the five points of our mystique has transformed and is still transforming my daily life. This mystique draws me into the presence of my Beloved,
makes me look for the positive in the people I meet as well as in every event of my day.

By being of service, with Him while trying to spread His Peace, I realize that my experience in the Institute will help me to always show my unconditional love to everyone on my path: in my environment and beyond...

Thanks to Father Parent who founded this gem for our time.

Lucile Authier

I thank God with all my heart for giving me a vocation to OMMI. OMMI has given me the privilege of being a consecrated woman in the world I love. The gifts of being united in love to God-Trinity in a vowed life, to participate fully in the secular world by meaningful work as service, enjoying the arts and sciences, and to be an active member in the society are encouraged in OMMI.

The Institute has given me companions for mutual support in the spiritual and missionary journey as an Oblate. To make known the Lord through my service and relationships with the people I encounter challenges me. OMMI by its twin characteristics of consecration and secularity provides me with a full and meaningful life.

I thank Fr. Parent for giving us a secular institute with such a simple yet deeply profound spirituality and for all the Oblates who have continued in their life this legacy for the 70 years of OMMI’s existence. My heart is full of joy and gratitude for being an Oblate Missionary of Mary Immaculate.

Anita P.

Sixty-three years ago, the Lord called me to live a form of secular consecration because it is lived in the midst of the world. In this Institute, with a well-organized spirituality that is still true today, the members are offered attitudes of life which, although spiritual, are first and foremost human centered. They aim to develop the mentality of Christ, little by little.

Out of these attitudes, some appealed to me more. Like “don’t judge and you will not be judged,” which calls for patience and tolerance. Likewise, overcome the natural tendency to complain unnecessarily by welcoming and consciously accepting the whims of life, whatever they may be. These attitudes directly affect relationships with others and create a more favourable climate for communication.

I am grateful to the Institute for welcoming me and for drawing my attention to these manifestations of tolerance and benevolence that Jesus himself asked us to observe. Now living in a new living environment, this invitation incites me more than ever to live in this state of mind, thus helping to create a healthier and more serene living environment.

I like to keep growing from these words that Father Parent left us: “Where there is complaint, wonder disappears. Where there is wonder, the soul is ready for contemplation.”

Denise G.

The good weather often leads us to take a few moments to enjoy it. With the heartfelt prayer of Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I. let us take
the time to recognize the love of God, so good towards us, in our daily life.

Lord, you are good, you are wonderful,
Your words are truth, your heart is friendship,
You pour out your grace on those who seek you.

You make friend of all those
who turn their gaze to you.
My salvation has become your own cause.

Lord be forever blessed
For your beauty, for the brilliance of your glory,
For your goodness, for your Providence and for your forgiveness.

Lord be loved and blessed
For your faithfulness, for your loyalty, for your righteousness.
You teach me.
You make me love justice, hate evil;
You remove obstacles from my path,
You hold me by the hand, you protect me,
You guide me, you keep me safe, you trust me,
You associate me with the work of your Son,
You direct my rhythm
By placing me under the movement of your Spirit.

You are my Lord, my King, my Father, my All.
I bow down before you;
My heart, filled with your silence, savors your goodness,
My lips speak your praises,
in quiet reflection,
my whole being is enveloped in your peace.

Be adored everywhere and by all.

Amen

Taken from the book: “I welcome you” page 88
Father Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I.

Photo: Aaron Cabrera de Pixabay

Missionary women with burning hearts.

What a beautiful day we had! What a loving experience I had at this 70th anniversary reunion party… to see these missionary women with burning hearts in action come alive. We are like family.

I came back filled with your joy, faith and self-sacrifice...

The celebration, animation, songs, welcome, meal, friendship, and history all made the day a success.

Thank you for the invitation, it is engraved in my heart forever... Friendship.

Suzelle Doucet of La Tuque, Volunteers of God of La Tuque

A warm and welcoming secular institute

I describe it as a breath of love. A warm welcome. Frank smiles. A prayerful celebration under the title of the Visitation.

Thanks to Jacqueline Lemay, I have rediscovered the songs of my youth. This afternoon, I sang them with a CHSLD resident who has Alzheimer’s. She knew them. It made her heart happy... and mine too.

It was a celebration. A beautiful love story that lasts. Thank you for the invitation. I love you all.

Nicole Nault of La Tuque, Volunteers of God of La Tuque

A meeting full of love and friendship!

It is always wonderful whenever we are invited by the Oblates. They are welcoming, simple and dedicated. Celebrating their 70th on the day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is a good way to get closer.

Like Mary with her cousin, they come to us and are filled with the Holy Spirit who accompanies them everywhere in their mission.

This day has nourished me spiritually. Thank you for this!

Lise Lacroix, Volunteers of God of La Tuque

 
The Volunteers of God of La Tuque

It was at the Cap-de-la-Madeleine Shrine, on May 31, 2022, that this beautiful founding celebration took place, a gathering worthy of the joy and life of Oblates. And how joyful it was to have Bishop Martin Laliberté, SMÉ, Bishop of Trois-Rivières come to celebrate, accompanied by Father Oblates, Voluntas Dei, as well as Volunteers of God and members of the Amicale 5-5-5. Sincere thanks to Marie Martineau and her team for organizing this great celebration. What a beautiful day!

I have lived 5 years of Oblate life, but 61 years of human life. Oblate life is above all a human life, but consecrated entirely to God while living in today's world. Mary is my model of human life consecrated to God, just like Jesus, God made man, who chose to live a human life in the “today” world of their time.

It is therefore a beautiful gift from God given to Father Parent, founder of the Institute, so that in his humanity, he had the deep desire to imitate Christ "in the present moment" by following the movement of Holy Spirit, and thus accomplish the will of the Father, with the precious help of Mary, Mother of Fairest Love, as it is written in the Constitutions of the Institute.

The founding in 1952 of the Secular Institute of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate by Father Parent was prophetic because it responded to the needs of the Church in his time and in the present. The Oblates who followed him were missionary apostles who desired to be witnesses of the Love of Jesus Christ in the midst of the world, a desire which invited them to live a life, both secular and consecrated. They are still missionary apostles in the world of today.

It was the joyful testimony of an Oblate, who embodied this consecrated life in today's world, which helped me to discover that I too had this call to be a witness to the Love of Jesus Christ in the midst of the world… with the help of Mary, and following her example too!

Like the first Oblates, I work at adapting to the service of the poorest, to radiate the joy of Christ who invites me not to criticize or complain, and thus contribute to a climate of peace wherever I am. The Oblate spirituality and attitudes of life help me in my daily work as an administrative agent in the health system, with clients with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, but also with my families, my neighbors and all the people found on my way.

Seventy times thank you to Father Parent, and to all the Oblates around the world, for keeping alive this project of holiness for all!

Diane B.

I asked my Lord to help me sing;
to help me celebrate.
So from my heart a poem sprang,
as roses bloom in summertime,
to God our Lord I sang.

It rose above, a song of praise,
a song of thanks resounded.
From North to South
from East to West,
all Oblates join in song
- we feel so blessed -
that full of joy we celebrate.

Allow me first, my story tell,
‘tis young and old my story,
with many, many names remembered,
of vocations discerned by one,
Father Louis Marie Parent,
an Oblate Missionary,
so dear to our hearts
our founding father is and was!

Canadian born, his was a strong vocation,
an Institute he founded,
where many souls would strive to seek,
a holy road of growth unique
- a Marian oblation -
a commitment to honor to the end.

With vows we pledge,
Mary intercedes,
for our Oblate consecration,
to spread the love which we receive
from all three Divine Persons,
whose Presence daily we perceive,
the Father’s Will we ought fulfil
through lives of service, lives of peace.

Christ’s charity our aim remains,
with loyal, saving help from Mary.
“Five Points” as attitudes we seek,
our secular charism to live;
we love and pray, we work and strive,
where God us plants in any land,
in any city or countryside.

Our aim? Allow our Lord on High,
to bless us all and sanctify our own
and many other’s lives,
as His Holy Will provides.
To be obedient, chaste, and poor,
within the world may we endure,
this legacy to live.

Day in, day out, trials surmount,
the Present Moment seek,
in such a way, we always may
in God’s hand our own keep.

And so may all of us unite
to Church triumphant up on High,
and join those who before us went
to never ending Life Divine.

May God and Mother Mary
keep us in this Mission while we live,
and in their loving mercy grant,
the day we’re called, each one may find
the doors of Heaven opened wide.

Lourdes López Chaves