New Online Course in Oblate Studies Begins in August

AN INVITATION TO DEEPEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF ST. EUGENE DE MAZENOD AND OF OUR SPIRITUALITY

The endowment of Robert and Ruth Kusenberger HOMI of a Chair of Oblate Studies has made it possible for OST to offer ONLINE courses for the members of the Oblate Congregation and our Associates throughout the world. Our first two courses were successfully held last year.

The 2018 Fall semester is about to begin in mid-August. Two courses are being offered: one on Eugene de Mazenod every two weeks from August 2018 – April 2019; and the second is on Mazenodian Spirituality which will be every week from mid-August until December 2018.

The courses are ASYNCHRONOUS – which means that the videos of the classes will be available on internet to be viewed by the students in their own time over a specified period.

They are offered for credit purposes as part of an online MA Spirituality degree or a Certificate in Oblate Studies. In these cases each class has assignments to be done for grading purposes.

The courses are also offered for non-credit purposes where there is access to all the material but without the requirement of assignments.

More details are available from the OST website https://ost.edu/oblate-studies/

Fraternally,

Frank Santucci OMI

Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies

The contents of the courses.

 

Saint Eugene de Mazenod. The historical background, life, and the key aspects of his spirituality, charism and mission (13 fortnightly classes from August 2018 – April 2019)

1        An overview of the life of Eugene de Mazenod (1782 – 1861) in relation to the historical and social background of France and the Church.

2        The first twenty-five years, during which God formed and prepared his future co-operator through events and people

3        “Can I ever forget the sight of the Cross one Good Friday?” – Eugene’s conversion journey to become a cooperator of Christ the Savior: his conversion and discernment of being called to discipleship

4        “Father Eugene de Mazenod” – Vocational discernment, formation in St Sulpice, ordination.

5        “The New Faces of the Poor” – Priestly Ordination and the First Years of Ministry, 1812 – 1815.

6        “Read this letter at the foot of your crucifix” – The foundation of the Missionaries of Provence in response to the needs of the poor.

7        “Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate 1816 – 1826” – Incarnating their missionary experience and spirit in a Rule of Life

8        “They are co-operators of the Savior” – The mission of the Oblates 1816 – 1841

9        “Here is a vast field opening up to our zeal” – Missions outside of France (1841-1861) part one

10     “The good which I do through our men” – Missions outside of France (1841- 1861) part two

11     “Our duty is to rush to where there is the most urgent need” – Eugene de Mazenod and the Diocese of Marseilles, 1823 – 1861

12     “Practice among yourselves charity … charity… charity… and outside, zeal for the salvation of souls” – Eugene as Superior General of an expanding congregation (1841-1861)

13     “The missionary crosses must be passed on to the new Oblates who will profit from such a heritage” – Saint Eugene’s charism and spirituality as the foundation of the ongoing charism and spirituality of the Mazenodian Family

Mazenodian Spirituality (12 weekly classes from August 2018 – December 2018)

1/            INTRODUCTORY PRINCIPLES

• The concept and definitions of spirituality
• Relationship between charism and spirituality
• Mazenodian Spirituality

2/            THE “SPIRIT” OF THE MAZENODIAN FAMILY

• How the “spirit” has been expressed since 1816
• Post Vatican 2 teachings on charism expressed in the Missionary Oblates and their Associates
• The 1976 charism congress and the 1982 Constitutions and Rules as major expressions of Mazenodian spirituality.

3/            THE COMPONENTS OF MAZENODIAN SPIRITUALITY

3.1          Jesus Christ, the Savior

3.2          Evangelization

• The apostolic model (Mark 3:14)
• The Church
• The beneficiaries: the most abandoned
• Methods: mission preaching and permanent mission centers
• Eugene de Mazenod as Bishop of Marseilles: an Oblate evangelization
• Appropriation: the person of the missionary

3.3          Religious life

• Apostolic community – ideal
• Need for vowed commitment
• The state of perfection
• Evangelical counsels
• Oblation
• Vatican 2 – changes as shown in the CCRR

3.4          Living out the charism and spirituality

• Mary Immaculate
• Oblate models
• Patrimony and practices
• Sources…

3.5          The Mazenodian Family (the spirituality of laity and religious as protagonists of the charism)