Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Overview
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary
religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod
, a French
priest born in Aix-en-Provence
in the south of France
on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope Leo XII
on February 17, 1826. The congregation is composed of priests
and brothers
usually living in community. Their traditional salutation
is Laudetur Jesus Christus
("Praised be Jesus Christ"), to which the response is Et Maria Immaculata ("And Mary Immaculate").As of 2011, the congregation had approximately 4,400 (including 580 in formation) members serving in numerous parts of the world.
The congregation was established to renew the Church in France
after the Revolution
, primarily to
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod
Charles-Joseph-Eugene de Mazenod
Saint Eugene De Mazenod born Charles Joseph Eugene de Mazenod and more commonly known as Eugene De Mazenod, was a Frenches Catholic clergman, beatified on 19 October 1975 by Pope Paul VI, and canonized on 3 December 1995 by Pope John Paul II.-Biography:The saint was born on the Cours Mirabeau in...
, a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
priest born in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
in the south of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII , born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola Sermattei della Genga, was Pope from 1823 to 1829.-Life:...
on February 17, 1826. The congregation is composed of priests
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
and brothers
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
usually living in community. Their traditional salutation
Salutation
A salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other written communication, such as an email. Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common form of salutation in a letter is Dear followed by the recipient's given name or title...
is Laudetur Jesus Christus
Laudetur Jesus Christus
Laudetur Jesus Christus or Laudetur Iesus Christus is a traditional Roman Catholic greeting, which is commonly used among members of religious communities, especially of certain ethnic backgrounds. The answer to this greeting is typically "In sæcula! Amen" or " in aeternum! Amen"...
("Praised be Jesus Christ"), to which the response is Et Maria Immaculata ("And Mary Immaculate").As of 2011, the congregation had approximately 4,400 (including 580 in formation) members serving in numerous parts of the world.
The congregation was established to renew the Church in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, primarily to
"(1) Revive the spirit of faithFaithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
among rural and industrial populations by means of missionsParochial mission (Catholicism)A parish mission or parochial mission is, in the terminology of the Roman Catholic Church, a term applied to certain special pastoral efforts among Catholics. These are "home missions", distinguished from the apostolic missions sent to make conversions among pagans and heretics...
and retreats, in which devotion to the Sacred HeartSacred HeartThe Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
and to Mary ImmaculateImmaculate Heart of MaryThe Immaculate Heart of Mary originally The Sacred Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God, her maternal love for her Son, Jesus, and her compassionate love for...
is recommended as a supernatural means of regeneration.
