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Passionist Oblates in Kentucky, page three |
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Getting Down to Work The Oblates built a storage facility for the monastery farm equipment as well as a "Passionist Inspiration" shop in the retreat house. They also manage this Passionist resource center stocked with Passion-centered materials as well as other religious books and articles.
Besides offering earnest prayer for good vocations for all our Passionist communities, the entire group of Oblates has been very helpful in promoting our Passionist vocation in informal ways as well as at diocesan youth gatherings. Following a call of the Holy Spirit to expand the program to others, the Oblates began a series of inquiry sessions in February 2002 for a large group of interested Catholics, including another diocesan priest. The formation program, which lasts about three years, prepares individuals for Passionist commitment and continues for the rest of their lives. continues for the rest of their lives. Our community of cloistered Passionist Nuns has been deeply inspired by the Oblates' desire to share in our Passionist mission, so that many others may be drawn to make a deeper personal response to the love of God revealed in the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. During a recent Oblate retreat here at our Whitesville monastery, one of the Oblates summed up her own experience of belonging to the Passionist family in this way: |
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"We are children of Christ Crucified. We are also children of Saint Paul of the Cross, and he is very much with us providing his love, guidance and encouragement. [In his letters] I discovered his tenderness and realized how much of a spiritual father he is to me. "We have all been called. The fact that we are all here together today is a testament to that fact. "We are Passionists. We have been called in a special way by our Crucified Lord and our holy founder to promote devotion to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and God has called us to this with an urgency at this critical time in history to do an important work. He wants the Passionist family to love, and live, and grow! "The teachings of Saint Paul of the Cross and our Passionist saints have so much to say to the world..... and what an awesome gift it is to be a part of sharing that! Alleluia!" |
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An
Oblate serves as our devoted caretaker, while others regularly help
with work on the monastery grounds. Our Oblate Animator, former chief
of staff at a local children's psychiatric hospital, was
called to take
early retirement to devote his services to the Church; a young mother
left her job in the business world in order to be at home
for her children.
This led to the formation of a mothers' prayer group that
provides faith
support and study for other young mothers. photo:
Whitesville monastery
