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DIRECTIONAL STATEMENT FROM THE 2003 CONVOCATION OF THE U.S. PROVINCE OBLATES OF MARY IMMACULATE |
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We, the Missionary Oblates of the U.S. Province, along with the entire congregation, join in a special time of reflection and renewal in order to remain faithful to St. Eugene de Mazenod's vision and his call to leave nothing undared. We are called to move confidently into the future and to bring to life in all of us an immense hope.
We recognize the challenges that face us as an apostolic community living in the North American context of power and privilege. Self-interest often overrides a compassionate love for the poor. Families must struggle in the face of enormous pressures. The dignity of the human person and God's love for all creation are undermined. The wellbeing of the earth is jeopardized in favor of short-term profits. Widespread scandals erode people's confidence in the Church and its leaders. Death, departures and declining vocations continue to deplete our ranks, affecting the quality of our pastoral presence in an increasingly complex society.
But, we are men of hope.
Our hope is inspired by the Holy Spirit and the call of the Church. We choose a direction for our province that proclaims once again Jesus Christ and his Kingdom to the most abandoned. With a hope that draws its strength from God, we recommit ourselves to living God's holiness and justice. Under the patronage of Mary Immaculate, we reclaim our heritage as a vibrant, joyful and confident missionary force for the 21st century.
These are the goals we believe will help us respond to our God-given call.
1. We will become men who are more aware and more responsible for the international dimensions of our mission in Christ. We will foster respectful dialogue between the rich and the poor, as well as between various cultures and traditions. We will review our policies, procedures and practices to build greater solidarity with the poor abroad and with the Oblates who serve them.
2. We will respect the laity's baptismal call to become a vibrant missionary force in the world. We will promote, according to the Oblate tradition, the development of lay leadership among all the ethnic groups we serve. Because Hispanics will play a central role in the future of the Church in the United States, we will support research and programs needed to build up the next generation of Hispanic leaders.
3. In the light of significant downsizing, we will reorganize our parishes so that they correspond more fully to our missionary capabilities and province priorities. We will strive for excellence in parish ministry and build up Christian communities that unite us more closely with poor immigrants and with the marginalized of all races, languages and cultures. We will form a Parish Ministerial Council to assist Province leadership in identifying the type and manner of parishes that we can effectively staff.
4. We will enliven the prophetic witness of our apostolic community and, through dialogue, further our accountability for the common life we share. We will enhance our communities' commitment to common prayer, shared reflection, planning, evaluation and fellowship.
5. We will revitalize our preaching as the foundational Oblate ministry. We will promote and respect appropriate forms of lay evangelization and preaching in all our ministries.
6. All Oblate institutions will review and assess how they promote our Oblate charism. Each institution will develop a plan of action on ways that it intends to reach out to the poor and those most abandoned.
7. We will meet in ministry specific groups to pursue pastoral excellence, monitor developments in ministry, make recommendations for improvement and assess ongoing OMI commitments.
8. We will review, assess and implement our vocation promotion plan at the local level. Each local community will invite young men to consider Oblate life. With the help of vocation directors and lay collaborators, each community will find ways to help these young men in their vocational discernment.
9. We will dedicate resources to develop more effective ministries to teens and youth in all our local missions. We will network our teen and youth ministries in order to enrich them with our Oblate values and priorities.
We believe that we have been called as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to proclaim Christ and His kingdom in this time and in this place. Grateful for the calling, we recommit ourselves to the vision of St. Eugene and, asking the intercession of Mary Immaculate, the first disciple and our model of hope, we renew our commitment to Jesus Christ, the Church, and one another.
The Oblates of the United States Province Nashville, TN October 24, 2003
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