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Oblate Missions headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is responsible for providing funds to help to provide aid to the "poorest of the poor" in the third-world countries where we serve. Under the leadership of its Oblate priest director, a staff of approximately forty people facilitates the acquisition of funds and materials for the missionary endeavors of the U.S. Province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
This missionary outreach is accomplished through direct mail appeals to donors who have shown an interest in our cause, preaching, and through planned giving programs including wills, trusts, bequests, annuities, memorial gifts and seminarian scholarships. The highly motivated staff of Oblate Missions is compensated with a just wage. Our organization is a very lean, no frills operation. Expenses are held to the absolute minimum, and monitored by a professional auditing firm. The majority of appeals designing, printing and mailing is done by Oblate Missions' personnel.
St. Eugene de Mazenod-Founder In 1841, contrary to all the rules of planning, Eugene de Mazenod, fired by a faith and zeal which knew no limits, began sending his Missionary Oblates in every direction to five continents. He felt that Christ's command to his Apostles, "Go forth to the entire World!", was addressed to him personally. By early 1849...three Oblate priests and a brother had traveled from Canada to the United States. They journeyed down the Mississippi River, pausing in New Orleans, then continuing to Port Isabel, Texas. They finally chose Brownsville, Texas as their headquarters on December 2, 1849. This laid the foundation for what is now known as the United States Province of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
The American apostolate was not limited to Texas, and ultimately reached into the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Priests form the U.S. Province have served all over the world, including Africa, the Arctic, Asia, Australia, Europe, Central America, Mexico, North America and South America.
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto of the Southwest The spiritual center of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate and Oblate Missions is Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto of the Southwest, dedicated on December 7, 1941. To honor their patroness, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate erected the Grotto, the most perfect replica in America of the original Shrine in Lourdes, France. Towering from level ground, it is carved from stone and shaped to resemble the cave in which the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette. Within the grotto a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes looks down upon Bernadette who is kneeling in prayer. Located on five acres, the beautiful Grotto honors two revelations of Our Blessed Mother: as Our Lady of Lourdes in the Old World and as Our Lady of Guadalupe in the New World. Both the Grotto and the Hill of Tepeyac sites welcome pilgrims from around the world and serve as eternal signs of hope for all who visit. Daily Mass is offered by the Oblate Fathers in the Eucharistic Chapel located within the Grotto. The prayer petitions and intentions of MAMI members and Oblate Missions' donors are remembered each day in the liturgies. There is also daily exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel.
Five decades in The Philippines Your Support Helps the Poor Around the World. For over 50 years, Oblate Missionaries in the Philippines have struggled against grinding poverty, language barriers, and natural disasters to help countless families make a better life. Our Missionaries have established health clinics, hospitals, irrigation projects and schools which work wonders for thousands of men, women and children each day. Today, we're training people in skills that can help save their lives. Villagers are learning to make mosquito nets and soap which they can sell in local markets for extra income. Both products can also be used to prevent the spread of disease. In addition, many poor families are being taught organic farming so they can increase crop yield and end their dependence on expensive fertilizers.
Fifty Years in Mexico For the Oblate Missionaries of the U.S. Province, autumn of 1943 meant a new missionary effort to Mexico. Our first missionary effort was a chapel in Mexico City known as "Guadalupita or "Little Guadalupe." Soon, our small mission expanded and now includes more than 30 Oblate Fathers and Brothers. Today, Oblate Missionaries continue to serve "Guadalupita," two other mission parishes in Mexico City, missions on the southwest coast in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero and a new mission effort in Guatemala. Our accomplishments for over fifty years have been many: the establishment of medical clinics in remote areas, building of chapels, construction of water wells for small villages and the journey of countless souls to learn the Good News of the gospel.
African Missions Our African Missions were on the "Bright" Continent years ago when Africa was virtually unexplored, the common description was the "Dark Continent." For our Missionaries at work in Zambia since 1983, it's become the "Bright Continent." Although there have been setbacks, the accomplishments of the Missionary Oblates shine brightly. Our original team of Missionaries brought a wealth of experience to their new territory, as large as New England but as barren as the plains of the Old West. A lay missionary family soon joined the team to manage special relief programs such as the Oblate-sponsored Mongu Nutrition Center. Since that small beginning, our mission sites have expanded in Zambia and now serve over 300 communities. The Mongu Nutrition Center has also grown, distributing food to almost 20,000 families each month. Agricultural training and health care programs have been established to help prevent the cycle of malnutrition, disease and death. One of the brightest achievements has been in the field of vocations- there are now many young men entering the seminary and many others who desire to become Missionary Oblates.
Your support By remembering the missionary works of the Oblate Fathers in one's will, their generosity lives on long after they pass from this earth. One's memory lives on in support of those helping Oblate Missions continue their ministry.
Planned Giving To assist generous benefactors in planning their estates and to insure the future stability of our ministry, Oblate Missions has established a Planned Giving Office. To receive more information on this service, contact the Oblate Missions Planned Giving Office, 323 Oblate Drive, P. O. Box 659432, San Antonio, TX 78265-9432 or call (210) 736-1685 or Fax (210) 736-1314.
MAMI members (Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate) give spiritual as well as financial support to Oblate missionaries. Their contributions fund mission programs, education of seminarians, and humanitarian projects throughout the American Southwest and around the world. Membership is extended to those who support the works of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate with their prayers and resources. Benefits of membership in MAMI include: *Share in six Masses daily, celebrated specifically for all members. *A Novena of Masses offered each month at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto of the Southwest in San Antonio, Texas.
*An active sharing in the Masses, prayers and good works of over 4,500 missionary bishops, brothers, priest, lay missionaries and seminarians. *Participation in the good works and merits of the members of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate, numbering over 1,000,000.
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