Mary Murphy’s reflection on prayer in a time of famine

In our minds and hearts we are to think of those who are suffering and in need. Right now, through our media services, we have become aware of this crisis of famine and the tragedy in Norway. It is important to keep all those who suffer in our prayers. This we believe and profess each week in our liturgy. Prayer is real! Prayer in times of tragedy and famine also helps to shape us as disciples to value life and remember the gift and fragility of life.

We are reminded to cherish those around us, our nutrition supply and continue to cultivate hearts of gratitude and reverence for food and the people and creation we love and those that we can’t even picture or call by name.
    
Perhaps during this famine, our grace before meals will take on a deeper meaning. Maybe how we shop, cook and eat will change and become a prayer in themselves. Maybe our actions in prayer will heal the famine or end the broken relationships that cause our global hearts to stall or go numb.
    
Prayer is real. And when we feel overwhelmed – lost – we bring that to prayer too- because it is God who can change water into wine, make manna in the desert and give hope where there is no light.

Mary Murphy is pastoral associate at St. Joseph’s Parish

Eugene de Mazenod and the youth

This text on St. Eugene forms part of a new initiative from the Oblates aimed at better understanding their charism.

Eugene expressed his guiding ideals for working with the youth in a letter to his friend Father Forbin Janson. What is clear is that Eugene wanted these young men to become yeast in Aix. Through their formation they could become leaven in the “dough” of all the young people of Aix that they came into contact with.

You know what my intention is in setting up this association:

it is to form Christians worthy of bearing this name,

to give instruction to those young people who, without my help would never have got beyond the basic text of the catechism,

to separate them from dangerous company, and

hold them by the attraction of amusements suitable to their age.

To Forbin-Janson, June 1814 in O.W. XV n 125

It was because Eugene was clear on his goals and his methods that the youth congregation was a success and bore fruit.