When St. Eugene De Mazenod founded the Missionary Oblates, he envisioned a group of missionaries who would leave the comforts of their homes to be among those most in need of hearing the word of God.  Although he was an educated man of noble birth, he spoke directly to the poor – those considered to be less important, less valued than the rest of society.

In his famous Lenten sermon of 1813, he preached to the poor gathered in the Church of La Madeleine and helped them see their own values – their own worth as beloved daughters and sons of God.

“How does the world regard you?  In its eyes you are a class of people who are meant to toil laboriously all your lives in an obscure occupation which deprives you of your independence...  What are you in the eyes of the world?  A class of people enslaved by those who pay your wages, subject to contempt, injustice, even ill treatment...Come now, and learn from us what you are in the eyes of faith...You are the children of God...the cherished portion of His inheritance...you are a holy people.”

More than 180 years later, many people continue to struggle in poverty, they continue to live without enough to eat, without access to healthcare, and without opportunities to become independent. 

True to the call of our founder, the Missionary Oblates continue to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and give knowledge to those seeking education and a better way of life.  And when we do all this, we help share the message of God’s love with them. 

Help us reach out to those in need.