The Oblate
Missionaries of Mary Immaculate

Claire's life was rich in experience and involvement in various fields. Following her death, we received several testimonials. Here are a few of them in the form of a mosaic illustrating the luminosity of her face.
The key words to bear witness to her are trust, a positive outlook, welcoming events, openness to Providence and to the action of the Holy Spirit. This is what enabled Claire to move forward and discover the Will of God in her life and in the life of the Institute.

- Today we lost you, one of the pillars of our Institute. You were a gift to all of us Italian Oblates, a beacon, an extraordinary woman, a wise and passionate President of our spirituality and charism. Your love for the Institute helped us to grow as a group and to appreciate the richness of secular consecration. You were firm, clear and competent. You were truly an only child of Father Parent. We loved you very much; we loved each other; we shared strong moments of fraternity and prayer. We Italian Oblates had the good fortune and joy of having you here in Italy for many years while you were at the service of the World Conference of Secular Institutes (WCSI).

We thank God for having met you and for having travelled a long way together. Thank you for your service to the Institute, for the translations you did for us, and for the work in the archives that you continued to do as long as you could. Farewell, Claire, we miss you. God, pray for us all.
Italian Oblates

- Claire was brave and courageous. Whatever she undertook, she did it well and to the end. She knew how to pass on her experience and knowledge to others, and was happy to do so. Reading, news and recent discoveries were all important parts of her life. Despite her sometimes-serious air, she loved to laugh and be teased. She was a pleasant companion at work, knowing how to exchange ideas and share opinions despite differences of opinion.

- Claire has fulfilled a number of responsibilities at various levels within the Institute. She has always taken a positive, confident view of the changes and modifications regularly made to the way the Institute operates, at various levels: leadership, administration, bringing members together, giving direction.

Over the years, many of us have benefited from her great organizational skills, her team spirit, her precise communications and frank relationships, her professional skills and her infectious, sincere laugh. Thank you, Claire! Your name expresses your qualities, your mission, your talents, your thousand and one services in a total gift! Continue to shine in the presence of infinite Love.

- Drawing on her experience as a secretary to a judge during her term as President of the Institute, Claire updated the Institute’s legal status and worked on the creation of new corporations. She would serve as President for more than 14 years, until October 2023. She regularly travelled the 200 kilometers from Waterloo to Trois-Rivières, braving the illnesses from which she suffered. The archives also benefited from her expertise. She knew the history of the Institute and was gifted with a faithful memory. Each of her visits to the Head Office was punctuated by anecdotes told with humor and accompanied by a creamy sucre à la crème of which she kept the secret. She was a joy to be around!
Oblates of the Sécommi Fund

- She was a woman of openness, of dialogue and discernment, refined and sympathetic; a presence that reflected wisdom, unconditional welcome, gentleness and strength at the same time.

The Lord gave Claire many human and spiritual gifts and charisms. It is for these reasons that I praise and thank the Lord Jesus, who opened the doors to the Love and Glory of Paradise for her.
Italian Oblates

- From Mauritius, Ellena writes: "When you were elected President, you asked me to be your Secretary General. You had great confidence in me. You always gave good advice and were very frank and lucid about your illness. You are a great Lady, a great Visionary, and you know it... Thank you for all you have done, not only for me, but also for other Oblates, both young and more experienced. Be at peace and don't forget us.

In conclusion, we can say that Claire has made a major contribution to the influence and good health of the Institute. Thank you for your fine work as guardian of the lighthouse that is the Institute, because you have guided us and shown us the way, without imposing.

On June 4, 2005, Claire's birthday, Father Parent wrote: “Your parents and friends thank God and the Blessed Virgin for the life you lead, for the good you sow, for the love you spread around you. In my eyes, you are a gift from God, an inspiration to the Institute, a jewel of the Virgin Mary, an achievement for heaven. May the Virgin continue to hold you by the hand.”

Dear Claire, enter now into joy, into the fullness of life with the Lord, with all the saints, Father Parent and the companions who have gone before you.

I'm pleased to offer you a little gift of serenity and peace as we enter Lent, a special time with the one who gives his life for us.
I'll be playing a personalized arrangement of YOU RAISE ME UP on the piano, performed on December 9, 2023.

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

Violaine Couture

Excerpts from the lyrics of the song:

When I'm down and, oh, my soul, so tired,
When trouble comes and my heart is heavy,
Then I stand still and wait here in silence.
Until you come and sit with me for a while.

You raise me to stand on mountains.
You lift me up to walk on rough seas.
I'm strong when I'm on your shoulders.
You lift me higher than I am.

Compassion: a therapy

Compassion is a quality of the heart, the goodness of the heart that allows itself to be shaped by tolerance, indulgence, patience, forgiveness, by overlooking the other person's fault.

Compassion really is a therapy that takes you out of yourself, makes you see others who are less well off than you are, and encourages you to work with them to help them find their balance.

Compassion is a spare wheel that allows you to reach the limits of your tenderness for yourself and for others. Compassion is a divine force that greatly helps overcome your suffering.

Compassion is a kindness that first works within us. It empties the head of its own worries, cleansing the heart of any aggression, resentment or grudges, pooling energies, making one less vulnerable, as it makes its way through difficulties that cease to be walls and become a test of the solidity of its being.

Compassion is a richness of the heart that springs forth as tenderness for oneself and for others. Tenderness is the richest fruit of compassion.

Forgiveness exists in every heart; it's just a question of seeking it out. On the day of our baptism, the roots of goodness were readjusted in each of us.

So, the skills to be good are already in place, and you can take on responsibilities and live as free as the air on a mountain top.

Excerpt from the “Collection Volontaires de Dieu”, Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I.

Read:

Start living again (1)

Start living again (2)

Start living again - conclusion articles 1-2-3

Father Louis-Marie Parent, o.m.i., is a lover of grace. He regularly talks to us about the “present moment”,
so that we can open our hearts and experience the moment.
Here is one of his prayers for us.



You are my servant.
You are my child.
I hold your heart in my hands.
Nothing can break it.
Live the present moment.
Keep watch over your quality of being.
Let me act in you.
Your confidence is the true expression of your love.
Amen.

From the book “In Intimacy with Jesus” by Louis-Marie Parent, O.M.I.
“Collection Volontaires de Dieu”

The least well-known and least executed recipe is undoubtedly the recipe for building peace. It's like the recipe for cakes, there are several:

there is peace in the world,
peace of heart,
peace in the family,
peace in the workplace,
peace in our community, peace of mind…




The basic ingredients are always the same:

- A large amount of listening
- Enough presence to create trust
- A lot of frankness
- Quality time
- An accompaniment carried out by the presence of God

At this time when everything costs more for less, the recipe for building peace is the one that enriches us and those to whom we offer it. It can come simply by listening, by a gesture of kindness, by a message of encouragement, by a prayer, by a smile...
Here is card model prepared by a group of volunteers and offered at the exit of the church to people who wanted to bring the message to other suffering people too often forgotten in their milieux.
I encourage you to use it, in your respective circles, to build peace by taking care of others.

Nicole Gélinas-Dostaler,
Friend of the Volunteers of God in Canada
and former Spiritual Animator in Schools

I enjoyed my profession (India)

I, Flora Joseph was born on February 6th 1944. I joined the Institute on 15 August 1968.

I was a teacher for twenty eight years. I enjoyed my profession because I uplifted so many below average students implanting good values in them.

In 1997, I was inspired by the marvellous use of the herbal plant by applying it on my broken nail. I studied about various herbal plants. I also learned about the benefit of Acupuncture. I equipped myself by attending short term courses on Reflexology, Floral and herbal medicine, etc... I felt that God wants me to use these simple less expensive means, having no side effect, to heal the sick and relieve the pain.
Our Institute supported and encouraged me by installing this health care Center, ‘’Peace Illam’’ at Oothu, India.

Acupuncture is a Natural science which involves applaying pressure on points in the palms of the hands and soles of the feets. With this, I identify the nature and the causes of their illness. If I am asked to provide information on this technique, I will do so generously. I received for free , I give for free.
I impart faith to all who contact me by quoting the words of Jesus : ‘’Have faith in God, therefore I tell you, what ever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:23,24.)

Those who have a chronic illness can stay for ten days at the Center. I give them massage with special oil, steam bath and natural food according to their nature of their illness.

    

Lily Pushpam, an oblate companion, is a great help in preparing the diets. In addition, we prepare medicines such as pain balm, oil for arthritis pain, skin disease, psoriasis, etc. Many people find release using them.

We pray and meditate with the sick.

I continue to update myself by reading spiritual, medical and spiritiual psychology books.

For several years, I was the responsible of the formation of our oblates companions, sharing my life experiences as best as possible.

I thank God and the Institute for the peace, health and happiness that I enjoy and appreciate.

Flora Joseph, India

Hilda, how do you live charity in Cuba?

“I live in a single movement the love of God and neighbour.” (Const. 1.32)

Three things I can't afford to be without:

1.  An unconditional welcome. Many people with different kinds of problems knock on my door because no one welcomes them. Mary Magdalene reminds me: “It's the Lord!”

2.  Listening. People are suffering, lacking food and medicine, family members moving to other countries. Talking is liberating and gives a new perspective on the same reality.

3.  The sharing of the being and the having. “I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have.” (Ac. 3:1-7)

Hilda Mateu

Read:

Universal face of the institute (1)

Universal face of the institute (2)

The document we are presenting here is the fruit of the reflections of the Spanish-American Volunteers of God on peace.

The virtual meeting of the Spanish-speaking Volunteers of God was held on October 28. This meeting gave rise to an interesting exchange on peace and how to build it. Here we share with you the reflections of our Volunteers.

Cecilia, from Ecuador, Edelmira, from Colombia, and Eliana, from Peru, agree that in order to spread peace among our brothers and sisters and those around us, we must first establish peace on a personal level, and this comes with prayer. They believe that if we are united in prayer, we will be able to change the injustices experienced in the world today.

Marilyn, from Miami, says that the Volunteers of God have such a special spirituality that one of their attitudes to life is to be peacemakers. For this reason, we need to live peace in our daily lives in a more responsible way, mainly by example. And to achieve this, it is important to establish peace first and foremost in our families, with our children, our grandchildren, our colleagues at work - in short, with all the people we meet on a daily basis. And this peace must be lived out in action, by helping our neighbours, without useless complaints or destructive criticism, by being of service every day.

Mariela, from Houston, says that Pope Francis talks to us about listening. He says that this can be done with humility and therefore in a charitable way. These actions will surely help to build peace in the world. And if, in addition, we are humble, if we know how to listen to others without trying to impose ourselves, then we will be true sowers of peace, and we will live the charity of Christ in the present moment.

Patsy, from Spain, says that prayer can indeed help to build peace. But she also believes that conflicts exist because we don't respect each other. We don't respect the beliefs of others, because we don't value the other and want to impose ourselves. She also points out that Pope Francis' message insists that we must all accept each other, that the Church calls everyone and that no one should be left outside.

Patsy continues her reflection by saying that this attitude of imposition and lack of respect for others is a far cry from the teachings of Jesus, a far cry from the example of the Good Samaritan who reaches out to others and helps them without worrying about their beliefs, and a far cry from our attitudes to life, through which we always seek to see the presence of the living God in our neighbour.

Esther, invites us not to forget that we are called to be peacemakers by setting an example. We must strive to establish peace in our family, among our colleagues at work and in our community. To do this, we need the people around us to see the efforts we are making to build a path of peace. We cannot claim that it is important to respect others if, by the way we act, we are unable to show respect for those who think differently from us.

We were reminded of a lovely metaphor shared by Oblate Réjeanne Mathieu: "We have two ears, but only one mouth". This means that nature itself shows us that we need to listen more and speak less. This is a concrete way of building peace.

To sum up, the Spanish-speaking American Volunteers of God believe that peace is the fruit of prayer. It leads us to live as peacemakers who, as Father Parent taught, seek to focus on the positive aspects of our neighbour and patiently try to detect the qualities and gifts of others. This will enable them to value their brothers and sisters by avoiding useless complaints and destructive criticism, and will lead them to become a person of service who always perceives the presence of God in their neighbour.


Esther Acuña
Coordinator of Volunteers of God
Spanish sector