The Oblate
Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

The Bible is a library of stories to be told and retold.

The Hebrew word "to relate" is said to be "haggada" or "higgid." This is the 1st level of transmission, telling the story in its literal sense, the Peshat. It is about letting it settle

within oneself.

Then comes the questioning, the Drash. It is important to allow the arising of questions about amazing images.

From there, we look in the Bible for similar images in other accounts; we compare them, we put them in parallel (Remez), we see the spider spin that unites them.

Then emerges a new meaning (Sod), a direction of interpretation to change one’s life, one’s relationship to God, to others and to oneself. It is akin to lectio divina.

Here is my approach as explained in this simple video in French: https://youtu.be/EhJKdET1bbU

I invite you to watch my other videos on my Youube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE2NKNmrazaU_h3VBEMh4fA/videos

Violaine C.

In this difficult time, what effect is the second wave of the pandemic having in us?
Are we afraid of reliving loneliness, of being isolated, of being cut off from communication with our families, of being affected by the virus?
You are invited to listen to this video that challenges us to make a choice with confidence.

Louise F. Volunteer of God

To view the video (available in French only) go to

Certainly there are many reasons to be fearful today but Jesus teaches us that Love can and does overcome fear.

We are a generation of very privileged Cuban men and women witnessing profound social and political change. As a Church, we are living the unimaginable, similar to that experienced by the first Christians during the age of the catacombs.

We have witnessed the experience of a life of faith lived in a hostile environment.

We have lived a “special period” of time without losing our enthusiasm and our joy - a time of invention: come to mind home-made soap and grapefruit steaks… and so much more. We experienced receiving the visit of three popes.

One day, Father Miyares, president of Concur, asked me to accompany a priest belonging to CLAR for a tour of the country. He asked me with amazement, “How is it that, everywhere we go, everybody knows you?” Well, for us, that was very normal: the Cuban Church, from St. Antonio to Maisi (from east to west) is one big family.

We lived the prohibition of the dollar at the risk of imprisonment, the experience of simultaneously having two currencies in the country, the rationing of everything, economic change from 20 centavos to twenty dollar bills and, like the rest of humanity, technological progress with computer science – digitalization, etc. 

We saw newborns too weak to “lift their heads” while today babies are walking before they leave their crib.

And, finally, we end up with the hard experience of a world-wide pandemic, the Corona virus, and the celebration of Holy Week at home. What else is to come; we don’t know and it is just as well we don’t.

I want to thank Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament dwelling in the tabernacle of my heart for all the friends with whom I share this life of unconditional love subjected to the trial of silence, of distancing and of illness.

Many have passed away but I am sure that the celebration and the joy of meeting again will remain as in the best of moments in this life.

Today, Holy Thursday, these words come from my heart a like as an everlasting thanksgiving and are addressed to those who have felt this covenant of love sealed in the great banquet of the Last Supper of the Lord.

Those who arrive at the last hour, but have felt the interior resonance of everlasting friendship, will not be excluded because true friendship is FAITHFUL.

Hilda M.
April 2020

As an Oblate Missionary of Mary Immaculate, I ascribe to what Father Parent, our founder, has said, “The oblate must be all things to all people.”

She is open to all milieus and is destined by vocation to go “everywhere Christ has rights.” For us Oblates it is important to witness through our daily life. We are not called to talk about God but to live the Gospel; doing so draws us close to the people – it is our way of evangelizing the world. Accordingly, I begin with my family, my friends, my parish community and all those people God puts on my path each day.

We have a precious treasure in our spirituality – that is the invitation to live the present moment. From day to day it allows me to start afresh living with love and through love.

What is my motivation? It is a debt of gratitude to God, who, in Lourdes in 1988, called me to conversion. Since that moment, my life has taken on a missionary thrust, in particular in relation to youth, who, in my estimation, is the category of the poorest and neediest of our time.

In Calabria, the southern-most region of Italy, I collaborate and work alongside the Oblate Fathers. During a presence of almost 12 years, we have carried out 35 popular missions in which I was involved with youth through a specific and direct evangelization.

As Pope Francis has said, “…we must open the doors of churches to reach the peripheries of existence.”

Graziella F.

Certainly, if I manage to achieve a certain degree of concentration.

Concentration is the application of all intellectual effort on a specifically defined object.

Concentration, or awareness, helps us establish direct communication with ourselves, with our most profound zone. Each of us must discern in what is going on in our life - what builds up, what diffuses fear, what frees from feelings of guilt and what allows self-fulfillment and growth towards what we are called to be.

I have to concentrate on knowing, accepting and appreciating myself and living out the best of myself.
Qualities, gifts, talents, energies and aptitudes are deposited in me like grains of seed which I must cultivate and which I will harvest one day and from which others will reap benefits.
Being free assumes that you know yourself well which requires the ability to grow in awareness of the riches of your being.

Conclusion of parts 1-2-3

To come to experience the indulgence, friendship, fraternity and mercy that lie dormant in oneself, a person could choose to adopt a new mode of thinking. How? By practicing the following approach for 15 minutes a day: settling into a relaxed comfortable seating position then refraining from reasoning that leads to the analyzing of feelings of frustration and by banishing anxieties and worries. In so doing they would then willingly decide to improve their listening and understanding skills; understanding that spontaneously giving their trust to others is more profitable than exercising control over them to find out whether or not they are worthy of affection.

We become free when we live consistently and fully the riches of our being. Life is more a matter of the heart than of the feelings or the mind.

Personal reflections

1. What am I currently worried about in my surroundings or in the daily news?
2. What qualities, talents and aptitudes do I have?
3. Do I lay guilt trips on myself? If so, about what in particular?
4. How can I Today remain free from the past?

From the Volunteers of God Collection, "Can I become free?"
Group associated with the Secular Institute, the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

Can I become free ? (part 1). Certainly if I manage to control my worries.
Can I become free ? (part 2). Certainly if I manage to accept myself as I am.

Dear friends,

Our Bible meetings have started on the Web since September 10 and are going well.

Here is the link that takes you to the video on YOUTUBE; it is a summary that I make of the meeting which is, it goes without saying, much more animated since the participants bring a lot of themselves and their discoveries to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yUHc0CqFWY

The Book of Jonah is both astonishing and enigmatic. It prompts us to seek a teaching for our existence beyond the fact that the lesson survived (or not) in the belly of the fish. How does this apply to me? What is the belly that constantly swallows me and perhaps prevents me from fulfilling the way of God in my life? Maybe I need the womb of God to feel "gratified with His mercy"?

These are very enriching meetings. On September 16, we had the pleasure of welcoming to our set Mr. Haim Ouizemann, a specialist in Biblical Hebrew and the Hebrew tradition. He lives in Ashkelon, Israel, with his wife Miriam. I had the pleasure of co-hosting the meeting on Jonas with Haim on the Web. It was a very special experience to function with him in Israel and me in Quebec. The participants were delighted with this meeting and are asking to have him back. Haim is always welcome to our set; we are aware however of his busy schedule.

If you understand French, it is still time to join us if, in your heart, you would like to be part of these meetings. You could simply contact me at this e-mail address. violainecouture@hotmail.com

Violaine C.

At the age of thirteen, I already knew the Institute and I observed more and more how these people lived the Presence of God and Charity in action in the midst of the world. This is what I was looking for; the opportunity to go all over the world to share and deepen the happiness of knowing the good God of the Gospel who was often presented above all as severe and punishing.

Not being attracted to community life, I entered the Institute at the age of twenty-one and continued to teach at the same school.

After fifty-five years as member of the Institute, I am filled with gratitude. I give thanks to God for grace of my vocation.

Celine B.

I made the “Among Friends” quilt during the COVID-19 quarantine; it is made up of over 8 000 pieces.
I spend a lot of time doing quilts for NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for two local hospitals.
The project I take part is called “Baby Love Project”. In mid-March the hospitals went into lock down and for the time being
the quilting group cannot deliver the monthly 30 quilts we usually donate. So, in order to stay occupied, I decided to work on this Among Friends quilt.
A co-quilter gave me all the fabric remnants from her quilt and I had enough to create this one. The pattern is from “Primitive Gatherings”. The type of fabric used is reminiscent of the Civil War era.
You will see my signature label which I designed and printed on my computer on special fabric; it bears my photo and the Oblate logo to signify my Oblate vocation.
I also made four tote bags during quarantine to use up some of the remnants I still had.
To exercise my vow of poverty I try to avoid waste and use up all the leftover fabrics. I am not at a loss for ideas.
Claudette C.

On August 9th, 2020 a few Oblates celebrated the 65th anniversary of Marguerite Lambert. Because of the pandemic the annual retreat had to be canceled and no large gathering could take place.

Pauline Labbe organized a small celebration for Marguerite. We felt she really deserved a celebration. A prayer service was prepared by Pauline Labbe in a small chapel reserved nearby. The Sisters of the Presentation of Mary opened their small chapel for the celebration. Present were Marguerite and her two sisters, a niece Michele, Anita Plourde, Sister Rachel, a sister of Mercy, a few Presentation sisters, Pauline and I. We were a total of ten. As required by law we all wore masks.

I started with opening remarks, thanking the sisters for having us in their chapel. Also acknowledging those in attendance and identifying them. Then Pauline started with the prayer service after which, Marguerite, Pauline Labbe and I renewed our vows, then photos were taken and we left for a nearby restaurant to have lunch. The sisters came to join us. Because of social distancing required we had two small table six feet apart.

After lunch we proceeded to Pauline’s home to enjoy the cake ordered by Claudette to celebrate Marguerite. More photos were taken and a card made by Claudette and a gift certificate were given to Marguerite which was a paid one-year cell phone cost. So important for her, due to her hearing lost, she uses it to communicate by texting. Pauline Labbe decorated a table along with a candle for everyone.

Even though we had restrictions, Marguerite was most grateful for what we did for her. Her two sisters and her niece Michele were happy to be there to celebrate. The two sisters that Marguerite cares for were so happy that we were able to reward Marguerite (Maggie) in such a special way.

Claudette C.

Certainly if I manage to accept myself as I am. 

Every human being is an indisputable value in the eyes of God and of men. Each being is rich, marvelous, mysterious, almost unreadable, almost unfathomable. All human beings are alike by their qualities, by their natural gifts, by their richness of being, by their deep aspirations, by their dynamism. What sets them apart is the use each of them makes of their gifts and richness. Some, because of their background, feel attracted to developing qualities that will make them athletes, others to become thinkers, some may chose administration, commerce, industry. Some will be merchants, others will be buyers, etc.

Human beings have a multitude of talents and skills within them that will never be used, even if they are essential elements to developing a degree of autonomy.

If we knew only one of our qualities, if we set out to live it three to five times a day, our life would be totally changed in a few months.

From the Volunteers of God Collection, "Can I become free?"
Group associated with the Secular Institute, the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

Can I become free ? Certainly if I manage to control my worries (part 1)
Can I become free ? Certainly, if I manage to achieve a certain degree of concentration (part 3)