EUROPE: ITALY: GENERAL CHAPTER OF OBLATES OF MARY FOCUS ON CONVERSION

Agenzia Fides REPORT – On Wednesday, September 8, the XXXV General Chapter of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) will open in Rome, to focus on conversion. As the outgoing Superior General, Fr. William Steckling, who has led the Oblates for 12 years, writes in his report on the situation of the Congregation, (online at http://www.omiworld.org/ ), “Our Chapter theme is, surprisingly, not mission but conversion. Centered on the person of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves to a profound personal and communal conversion for the sake of our Oblate Mission. Our precapitular process was guided by the motto 'Conversion: A new heart - a new spirit - a new mission.'”


It was the 2007 Interchapter meeting in South Africa that identified this theme, says Fr. Steckling. The Congregation saw a growing consensus on our identity as missionary Oblates. “The one missing element was a change of heart. Intellectually and theoretically we may often be clear about concepts and ideals, models and action paths, but the heart is not fully engaged. We realized that our whole life style as missionaries had to change so that we could live together more harmoniously, be more consistent in prayer and reflection, and then cross the borders to witness to Jesus Christ to the poorest and most abandoned in more creative ways. In the Chapter, with St. Eugene, we should explicitly unite conversion to the missionary needs of today.”

The General Chapter will last four weeks, ending on October 8, and will take place in Rome's Casa La Salle. It will be attended by 89 Oblates, including members of right and elected members, from: Africa-Madagascar (17), Asia - Oceania (14), Canada-United States (15), Latin America (11), Europe (20). In addition to these are the members of the General Government (12).

The Chapter will focus on developing guidelines that are applicable internationally and can help to embody the religious missionary life in concrete cultural contexts. Moreover, among the main issues are the structural adjustments "in a changing world and a changed Congregation," the election of the new Superior General and his Council, the discussion on some changes in the Constitutions and Rules in order to better respond the present reality, and the situation of temporal goods.

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate - founded by the French Saint Eugene de Mazenod (1782-1861) - are currently 4,354 in 1,083 communities throughout the five continents. Their motto is: "He has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor," which they carry out through all the different aspects of the mission: first evangelization, the new evangelization, interreligious dialogue, reconciliation, justice and peace ...
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