
The mystery of this event can be well explained by the term of oblation which in our Oblate Congregation is used to describe our vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and perseverance. Oblation signifies an action through which the Christian, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gives himself to God. Even at the beginning of the Institute when it was still called Missionaries of Provence, the vows taken by the members were called Oblation. 20 years later when St Eugen went to Rome to ask the Pope to approve the Institute he changed the name to Missionaries Oblates of Mary Immaculate. One can say that the vows – Oblation gave the final name to the religious family founded by St Eugene de Mazenod. First the Missionaries lived their total surrender to God like Mary did, and then they sealed it with the new name: Oblates. They offered themselves to the Immaculate as they knew that Mary keeps nothing or nobody to herself but offers it all to her Son Jesus Christ.