The Oblate Vocational Mission

We strive to see the world through the eyes of our crucified Savior. Our mission is directed to those people whose condition cries out for salvation and for the hope which only Jesus Christ can fully provide for the human heart. We respond to the Church to preach the Gospel, celebrate the Sacraments and enhance the human dignity of people in locations most often overlooked. Lay people recognize that they are called to share in the vision of St. Eugene according to their state in life. Through faith formation, we invite them to support and participate in our spirituality and mission.

The Lord has sent me to preach the Good News to the poor

St. Eugene de Mazenod, O.M.I.

St. Eugene de Mazenod is the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He was born into an aristocratic family in southern France shortly before the French Revolution, and experienced the exile and devastation of that time. After a conversion, Eugene entered a seminary in Paris and was ordained a diocesan priest in 1811.

Seeing the state of the church and of the people, he chose to work with the poor and the rejected, to preach missions and to organize a youth association to “…lead people to act like human beings first of all and then like Christians and finally…saints.” The task was so vast that he soon gathered other priests to join him and in 1816 started the “Missionaries of Provence.” Within 10 years, this group developed into what is now the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Saint Eugene’s mission today has extended from France to nearly seventy countries around the globe. Over 4,000 Oblates carry forward the missionary vision of St. Eugene.

If you are interested in learning more about joining the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, please read on or contact us by calling us, or by sending us an email.

Discerning if God is calling you to be an Oblate involves prayer, reflection, and seeking guidance from spiritual mentors. An Oblate lives out their spirituality while remaining in the secular world, with a focus on prayer, service, and community. If you feel drawn to these aspects of life, it may indicate God is inviting you to explore this vocation. Spiritual direction and learning about the Oblate way of life can help determine if this calling aligns with your faith journey.

US Province
Fr. Art Flores, OMI
Phone: 210-349-1475
Email: vocations@omiusa.org

Mission in Tijuana, MEX
Fr. Jesse Esqueda, OMI
Phone: 626-877-2977
Email: jesqueda@omiusa.org

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