Faith and Mission

The Three Moments of Grace

During the early part of this term, we remember the Founders Feast Day on the 21st May. Eugene de Mazenod, on his journey towards sainthood, experienced three Moments of Grace that were significant in his self-discovery of who he was in the sight of God. The moments help us to recognise St Eugene the man and to draw ourselves closer to an understanding of what motivated him in his relationship with God, the Oblates and his people. Over the next three weeks you will be given an opportunity to reflect on the three Moments of Grace.

1st Moment of Grace - Good Friday Before the Cross

When Eugene returned to France from exile in Italy he attempted to live life to the fullest to make up for lost time. He had decided that marrying a young rich heiress to secure a prestigious position in society and access the pleasure of a good life was the direction he wanted to take. After living a partying life for some years Eugene was beginning to find the superficial friendships and easy pleasures of high society living was leaving him feeling empty and wanting something more.

It was around this time that St Eugene had what is often referred to as his first conversion, or first moment of grace – A moment before the Cross on Good Friday in 1807. Eugene didn’t share this moment until many years later. As far as we know, the first mention of this experience is in his notes from a retreat in December 1814.

I looked for happiness outside of God and for too long with resulting unhappiness. How often in my past life had my wounded, tormented heart taken wings for God from whom it had turned away! Can I forget the bitter tears that the sight of the cross brought streaming from my eyes one Good Friday? Indeed they welled up from the heart, there was no checking them, they were too abundant for me to be able to hide them from those who like myself were assisting at that moving ceremony. I was in a state of mortal sin [p. 6] and it was precisely this that made me grieve. I could then, and also on some other instance, perceive the difference. Never was my soul more satisfied, never did it feel such happiness; for in the midst of this flood of tears, despite my grief, or rather through my grief, my soul took wings for its last end, towards God its only good whose loss it felt so keenly. It was this moment before the cross that led him to the path of joining the seminary to become a priest.

Mother’s Day Mass

All mothers and grandmothers are invited to this year’s Mother’s Day Mass.

Please RSVP to Damian Wallis by email:

wallis.damian@mazenod.wa.edu.au.

Please also include the names of your son(s) who will also be attending the Mass.

2023 Winter Appeal

This year Young Vinnies are running our Mazenod Winter Appeal during Weeks 3 – 5 of this term. Please give generously, by donating items to your Form Room. We are supporting The Shopfront in Bentley and St Pat’s in Fremantle, to ensure that what we collect goes to those in need.

Below is a list of needed goods. Please ensure that all non-perishable food are in code. Any expired food will not be able to be used and will have to be disposed of by the College.

Hamper List

Food  Items

Non Food Items

Flower Roster Volunteers

Damian Wallis

Director of Faith and Mission