Perpetual Oblation

11/23/2014

Br Sayyane was in the church well ahead of the schedule time

Our Christmas present has arrived earlier this year. It was a gift from Christ indeed as Br Sayyane took his final vows last Saturday. After a week-long spiritual retreat in the beautiful Gipsland region he returned full of energy and eagerness. It was uplifting to see this young man so excited about committing the rest of his life to Christ and the mission of evangelization.

Our Lady's Parish prepared the church beautifully

Lots of Oblates came to support Br Sayyane

Mass celebrants

After the Gospel was proclaimed, making Christ the Lord present amongst his people, the Church called Br Sayyane to the vows. For a long time Brother had been discerning the call to the religious life and eventually arrived at the decision to give his life to Christ, but to remind him and all those assembled in the church that the call comes from the Lord, not simply from a human decision, Brother Sayyane was called publicly to the vows and then before the Church community he responded by saying: “Present.” In this way he expressed his will to unite his whole life to Christ in the Oblate Institute.

Church calls Br Sayyane to the vows

During the most important events in the life of the Church we ask the intercession of the saints. After the homily, while Br Sayyane prostrated we all sang the Litany of the Saints asking the support of those beautiful people in heaven to pray for the Brother.

Litany of the Saints

Once the Litany of the Saints was finished the most important moment came when Br Sayyane pronounced the vows of Poverty, Chastity, Obedience and perseverance for life.

Perpetual Vows

Signing of the vows

By pronouncing the vows the person consecrates himself to Christ. It means that from now on every aspect of the new religious' life belongs to the Lord. That's why after the vows are made the superior who received the vows in the nave of the Oblates prays the consecration prayer which seals the commitment that was made.

Fr Gerry OMI, Superior of the Thai and Lao Oblate Delegation prays the prayer of consecration over Br Sayyane.

As a visible sign of our oblate perpetual vows we are given the Oblate Crucifix.

In 1818, St Eugene de Mazenod wrote:
They will have no other distinguishing mark except that which is proper to their ministry, namely the image of the Crucified Lord. This crucifix will serve as the credentials of their embassy to the different peoples to whom they are sent. It will be a perpetual reminder to the missionaries themselves of the humility, patience, charity, modesty and of all the other virtues with which they are to carry out their most holy and sublime ministry.

Receiving the Oblate Crucifix

Br Sayyane receives a medal of Mary Immaculate, the Patroness of our Oblate Congregation

Br Sayyane is given the Book of the Oblate Constitutions and Rules. That's our Rule of Life. As the Book was placed in his hands his Superior said: "Do it and live" This book shows us how to walk the path of the Oblate journey which leads us to heaven.

The final ritual of the whole ceremony was the sign of peace and welcome exchanged by Br Sayyane and all Oblates present. It was an acknowledgment that with the final vows Br Sayyane has gained a new family: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. It was our joy to welcome him to our religious family.