Renewal of Vows

Nov 20

On November 21 the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and Visitation Sisters renew our vows. To mark this day in 1901, our founder, Blessed Louis Brisson told us, “Let us renew our vows with the desire to belong entirely to God, to live with Him, to spend every Day of this exile in His company, to do nothing without Him.”

Something new in my Oblate life happened this year. Leading up to the renewal of vows, I presented a retreat to the Visitation Monastery in Toledo. We started on Monday and the final presentation was yesterday. Before I continue, I need to tell you something. Usually, when I give a retreat, I recycle my DeSales Weekly articles and package them together. I use a lot of my old material. What’s the problem with using my old material this time? The problem is I’ve been preaching weekly at the Visitation Monastery for over 10 years. They know all my stories! I had to create something new.

I started the retreat by letting the Sisters know that I was sharing new material. In response, they openly shared their thoughts and insights with the group. This mutual sharing reminded me of a great truth I needed to renew; religious life is not a lonely life. In the midst of sharing the messy and miraculous our lives connected. We enjoyed a common language, a common spirit, and a common heart. We also had a wonderful sense of humor!

I renew my vows yearly because I drift from Brisson’s words above. I forget who I am, and I thank the Visitandines for helping me remember.

May God be Praised!

Vows of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

For the love of God, and moved by a firm resolve to consecrate

myself more fully to Him and to follow Christ more closely in my

whole life, here and now, with you my brothers as witnesses, I,

Joseph Newman, renew my perpetual vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience

according to the Constitutions of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. I

give myself with my whole heart to this religious family, so that, by the

grace of the Holy Spirit and the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I may

seek perfect charity in the service of God and the Church.