Oblate News

Greetings from Aix-en-Provence and the Foundation House of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Aix, France (Where the Oblates began)

Over the last few days, there has been a gathering of lay people and vowed Oblates from different countries of Europe – Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech, Poland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Ireland – to share  with each other what has happened in our Provinces (not each country is an individual Province) since the Congress and to consider what could be our next steps to move forward with the task given to us by the General Chapter of the Oblates.  Some countries from Europe, including Denmark, which is now in our Province, were unable to send delegates at this time.  The key outcomes, in the context of the laity, was to mandate the congregation to develop the role of lay participation and collaboration with the Oblates in all their areas of mission.  In our own Province, this means our parishes, youth, Friends of St Eugene, Lourdes Pilgrimage, MAMI, and the very many other ways that today, lay people and vowed Oblates throughout Ireland and Britain work together.

In each country, there is a local coordination team, a continuation of those who prepared the Oblate Lay Associations Congress for their Province, and at a European regional level, a Commission that is in service to the local teams.  The gathering in Aix was to bring these entities together, face to face.  There were two phases to our meeting.  First, each Province or Unit shared with those from the other Provinces and Units, what has happened in their area since the Congress including near-term plans for activities planned and which will happen this year.  The second phase was to consider how to progress from here and how the European regional team (CELA – Commission Européene pour Animation due Laïcat Oblat Associé / European Commission for Animation of the Lay Oblate Associate) can support and enhance the work of the local teams. 

We are all very conscious that this work is best characterised as a journey, not a destination; it is not about being first to cross the finish line!  The meeting acknowledged the uniqueness of each Province and Unit and accepted that what can work well in one place might not easily translate to the same success elsewhere.  We live in different cultures, different experiences, and our goal must consider this local context in all that we do.

The key conclusions from our time in Aix-en-Provence was threefold, viz.

• That we must provide opportunities for the lay in our Province to learn and understand more about St Eugene and the charism on which the Congregation, and all that it does, is founded.
• Maximising the opportunities for communications is critical. We mustn’t hide our light, our good news, and all that is happening, under a bushel!  Here in this Province, we have a first-class Communications team and indeed, other countries from Europe spoke of how they would like to learn from our team.
• There is a need to provide times for people to gather face-to-face. The experience of all in Aix was that we are energised by being together, and we then go back to our own place, renewed with that energy and motivated to be part of what is possible with the Oblates and their congregational commitment and desire to work more closely with lay people, in all their missions, wherever they may be.
• The value of the connection between the local, regional, and worldwide levels is clear. However, the importance of what happens at the local level was recognised as being of paramount importance. 

Of course, it would be unfair to end this summary by speaking only of the work that was done – and it was a lot.  We had a time to socialise with our European counterparts, we tasted their food, tried their drinks (!), danced their dances (!!) and played their games.  Some of this will remain in our memories for a long time to come!

T. Gerard Bennett

On behalf of the Anglo-Irish Province Coordinating Team  

In Aix: Pauline Thomas, Mary Tyrrell, Kirk Jacob, Fr Oliver Barry OMI, and myself

Other team members, who were not in Aix: Rebecca Roughneen, Padraig Corcoran & Dawn Benbow.

St Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2024.

Gerard Bennett, Mary Tyrrell, Kirk Jacob, Fr Oliver Barry OMI, Pauline Thomas with Stefano Domenici in Aix-En-Provence