The Oblate
Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

It is not easy to give a definition of the Presence of God. Nor is it easy to give a definition of one’s presence before God. But we can manage to clarify these two states: God in my presence and I in the presence of God.

God is always present to me as Creator, Providence and Father. Everything is present to God, nothing escapes him, neither in my being, nor in my thoughts, nor in my activities, nor in my imaginations, nor in my dreams, nor in my feelings. All my volitions are known to Him; He detects everything, He knows everything, He sees everything. His eye is constantly on me. Nothing surprises Him, nothing repels Him. He is slow to anger and faithful to his alliances.

The presence of God is to center ourselves, to listen to the Lord who dwells in us. It is to listen to the Lord who speaks in us through our conscience.

To have the presence of God in oneself is to refer to Him constantly, at all times, in joy as well as in sorrow. God’s presence within us keeps us in the beautiful, the good and the true.

Let us remember that God is as present to me as the word is to my mouth. If we were convinced of this, our thoughts would be more serene, less anxious, our hearts would be peaceful.

Let us allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by his love, his goodness, his mercy and his trust. We are the temple of his presence and we must be worthy of it since God is in each one of us. Let him show through our attitudes, through the quality of our spiritual life, through our welcome, our listening so that the people we meet can detect Him in us.

Jonquière, the Volunteer Team

To tell the truth my daily life is very simple. My day begins with a time of prayer that prepares me to fully live the present moment and disposes me to be available for whatever the day will bring.

The spirituality I live from day to day - I call it my recipe for happiness – helps me to respond with love to the needs of my companions who are ill. I make myself available as well to respond to other needs that arise.

Since I am a people-person who loves to help others, I am often asked by neighbors to accompany their little ones to daycare. Recently the daycare personnel organized a party for the children and asked that each child by accompanied by a grandparent. One 5-year-old had lost all four grandparents. In tears, he went to his mother and said, “Mom, I want Madame Poulin to come to the party with me!”How could I resist! I accepted readily and went with pleasure. The daycare personnel commented on how proud and happy I had made that little boy. As a result, one morning a week last year I walked the child to his daycare. Webecamegood buddies.

It is a delight for me to be a friendly presence for that family.From time to time I share good home-made soup with them. Occasional their two children drop by to visit with me.

My daily mission boils down to many small services but small services don’t make my mission less great.

Thank you, Lord, for these many opportunities to sow joy and be of service.

Yvette P.

Certainly if I manage to control my worries.

It is true that worries do not all have the same intensity, that their rhythm varies, that some cannot be used to build upon, that others are dangerous and must be eliminated without fail otherwise the person is demolished.

More and more psychologists encourage their clients to reflect in order to master the daily worries inherent in life and to completely free themselves from the most serious. Some worries can break a life; they are parasites that eat away at energies. We should not be afraid to look at worries, to analyze them, to hold them to find positive aspects to be exploited.

Could not the victims of worry, the chronic worriers, do like the followers of Alcoholics Anonymous and promise God, the Supreme Being really alive as they conceive Him, twenty-four hours of sobriety each day?

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 accept myself as I am. (part 2)
Can I become free ? Certainly, if I manage to achieve a certain degree of concentration (part 3)

The question brings to mind that it was the 5 points that first attracted me to join the OMMI Institute:  I immediately loved and adopted that spirituality. I saw it as a “program” that bundled the strong point of the Gospel, a program complete in itself and, in few words, a way of adhering to all dimensions indispensable to the life of a Christian and, more particularly, to consecrated life.

Father Parent, OMI, founder of the Institute, expressed the mission in a variety of ways: the mission of the Institute is a mission of CHARITY that requires:a fully alive relationship with God,precise and demanding ways of living fraternal charity (absence of destructive criticism, interior and exterior) and of responding to difficulties that affect me (absence of useless complaint, interior and exterior).

The fruits that emanate from these are joy in serving and in radiating PEACE.

Where else can the expression such a self-realizing and demanding life-style be found!

When I focus on living the 5 points I am more alive and joyful.

I feel it in my contacts with others; I tend to be charitable and less judgmental in my view of others and of events;
I strive to be more positive and seek out ways of being of help.

I am better equipped to carry out the mission to which I am called. I believe that in living the attitudes of life I lay my stone in the transformation of the world, discreetly, like leaven in the dough. Like Christ, I can manifest to all persons the unconditional love of the Father; I am all set to love.

Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Mary, for showing me theway, for accompanying me.

Bérangère F.

I live my mission every day through my relationship with God and others.

I understand that whether my relationship with others is good or not depends on my relationship with God because He is the source of all truth, all goodness and all beauty.

As a member of a Secular Institute living in the midst of the worldlike all laypeople,I fulfill the duties of a consecrated person present and working with everyone in the environment where, for me,God is first and always at the forefront. I live His presence in union with Him through the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, meditation, the review of the day and the sacraments I receive. I ask Mary to offer my person to the Lord so that He can use me as He wills.

I also asked her to intercede for God's grace for me and to help me live according to God’s as she did.

Before I go to work or meet and interact with others, I always ask God to accompany me and enlighten me in discerningthe right things to do to help others and to honor Him.

In addition to my group activities, I have responsibilities as an assigned directress and asformator for my companions.

For the past 10 years and to the present time:

• I am involved with a group of Volunteers of God; we meet every month and share about how the members have lived
5 attitudes in their milieus. I help these members to better understand and practice the 5 attitudes of life, a practice that requires love and sacrifice.
I translatefrom English to Vietnamese the “Sparks of Life” newsletterthat is published by the Volunteers of God in Canada and dispatched to members in other countries. I visit theVolunteers who are old, sick or suffering and encouraged them to live the 5 attitudes and to pronounce their annual commitment to God even in their limited circumstances,be they in wheelchairs or bedridden.

• I look after the oblate house; I welcome guests, prepare the meeting room for gatherings, the celebrations and other activities for the oblates and the Volunteers of God.At the house, I also arranged rooms for rent as accommodations forstudents or workers. That, in part, ishow I earn my living.
I care for and support students in difficult circumstances by sharing food and life experiences with them to help them to avoid pitfalls due to their lack of knowledge or learning.
I constantly remind them of love, solidarity, tolerance and respect, and especially assure that they aware of rules and discipline necessary to maintain fraternity, safety and public order for everyone.

• I participate in parish activities as well, the choir,in particular. I am available when I am needed. I am also in touch with many people who need comfort and encouragement.I also suggest that they practice 5 attitudes of life to increase their faith in God, to be able to love and to forgive more easily as well as to avoid complaining or criticizing, attitudes that destroys one’s own peace and community harmony.
In addition, I do not forget to care for and pray for others all over the world, especially those who do not yet believe in God, those who are sufferingand those who need God's mercy.

Doan thi Ngoc Diêp

Réjeanne Allard paid tribute to the leader of the group of the Volunteers of
La Tuque, Quebec, for its 25 years of loyalty.

Who is this person in charge of this group of Volunteers?
It’s none other than Lise Defoy.

She is a person with a missionary heart, gifted with caring and kindness.
Over many years she was for her students a warm and welcoming educator with a compassionate heart.

She is a woman of heart; service is another of her strengths.
She is the mother of Mélanie and Maude.

She joined the group of Volunteers in 1994.
She brought her positive spirit to the group and, in 1996, became part of the animation team
with Suzelle Doucet and Francine Durand.

As they were convinced of the seriousness of spirituality, they invited other people to join the group.
For them, sharing the 5 life attitudes through their everyday life is a priority, thus, they live the mission
of the Volunteers which is:

"To live the love of Christ everywhere in the present moment."

In light of such dedication over all these years, Lise, with her current collaborators,
Nicole Picard and Denise Binette, has prepared this celebration of thanksgiving.

Now it's with the whole team that we sing:

How beautiful are your works
How great are your works
Lord, Lord, you fill us with joy!

In the hope that there not be a reoccurrence of empty streets devoid of the joy of laughing children.
In the hope that there not be a reoccurrence of covered faces making people around us hardly recognizable.
In the hope that there not be a reoccurrence of the scent of chloride in homes, businesses, bars and public places.
In the hope that there not be a reoccurrence of greetings at a distance devoid of meaning, that say from afar, “We are no longer visiting.”
In the hope that there not be a reoccurrence of the tired faces of doctors and nurses, cleaners and so many good people who work in silence – the researchers.
In the hope that there be daily applauding of the Corona on the way out when we will once again be brothers.
In the hope that Covid disappear leaving in its wake the usual greetings restored with their full meaning of meeting and hugging!!
In the hope that we can appreciate our magnificent creation, gift of God to all humanity, to be shared in peace and fraternity.
How will we transition from nightmare to dream? When grudges, falsehood and treachery dissipate and our Corona virus takes on the name LOVE.
Hilda M.
April 2020

I didn’t want to live in a group with a predetermined agenda, a habit and regulations. When I learned of the secular institute of the Oblates I understood that I could live my commitment to follow Jesus while evolving in my existing milieu, exercising my profession and maintaining my relationships with family and friends. What influenced me to choose the Oblate Institute was the objective at the time: Live and witness the charity of Christ. I have always felt a strong call to universal Love. The secular nature of the Institute suited me. So I became involved and have no regrets!

Denise D.

It was a joyful occasion when, for the first time since the beginning of COVID-19, I gathered my team of Volunteers for a picnic. We brought our lunches, respected social distancing and shared our lived experiences of the pandemic.

Several have committed to phoning 2 or 3 people a day, others enjoyed quiet time with their spouse or helping out their children while others made virtual visits to family using Face Time or Messenger. One member worked at the parish from time to time. All appreciated the assistance of younger friends or neighbors who helped with grocery shopping. Acts of unforgettable solidarity were witnessed.

We all grew in awareness that we could live more simply, with less and focus on the essential which included a realization of the importance of our spirituality in the present circumstances. Having had to sacrifice team meetings due to the present situation we came to appreciate them more. We recognized the need to support each other and nurture our relationship more consciously.

In closing I wish to thank God for each of you who are witnesses in your respective milieus:
Aline B. / Jacqueline C. / Françine M. / Ghyslaine L / Jocelyne B. / Louise F. / Marie-Jeanne F. / Jacqueline B.

Paulette C.
Leader of the Volunteer team in Drummondville

I have the pleasure of presenting you my refreshed website. I thank my technician, Mr. André Martimbault, for his good work.

You can now download the songs you want as well as my 5 albums with the song scores. The prices are listed.

Something new: you can subscribe to on-line biblical meetings, two hours every two weeks, AUX QUATRE SENS DES ÉCRITURES (The Four Meanings of Scripture), with live groups of 5 to 10 on the Webex platform.

Subscribers receive a link to the platform to click on at the time of the meeting.

Aux Quatre Sens des Écritures is a dynamic way of giving and receiving the Word by sharing on the various meanings in a specific biblical text. Visit the website for more information. The meetings will begin September 16, 2020.

Here is your link to the website: violainecouture.com.

View a short video explaining the content of the website and of the Aux Quatre Sens des Écritures meetings.

	Vidéo promo Site Web 16 juillet 2020 (Website video Promo July 16, 2020) To view a short video presentation of my own website, go to  violainecouture.com  It explains: -  how to download the songs, song scores and complete albums -  how to subscribe… Visit my YouTube channel

Looking forward to hearing from you one way or another.

Violaine C.