“Eagerness to ‘Live Jesus!’ will enable us to exercise
holy love in all things, great or small.”
St. Jane de Chantal
About the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales is an international religious congregation of Catholic priests and brothers serving in 18 countries.
In the US, the Oblates are organized into two independent provinces or geographic regions, each headed by a provincial superior elected by the Oblates in that region and established as its own legal entity.
Mission
The mission of the Congregation is to grow as a religious community in loving union with God and with each other, to share our charism with the People of God, and affirm them in “living Jesus” as the needs of the Church dictate. Following the example of our founder, Bl. Louis Brisson, OSFS, and in accordance with the spirit of St. Francis de Sales, we Oblates place ourselves under the guidance of the Holy See (See of Rome), in the pursuit of this mission.
Shield
Each element of the Oblate Shield has profound meaning to us. The Oblate Shield incorporates several elements and each has significance to us. The Shield has represented our religious community for centuries and the different elements can be found in the logos of our ministries and schools.
V + J
Vive Jesu or Live Jesus
These letters stand for the words, Vive Jesu (French for Live Jesus), which was the guiding principle in the life of St. Francis de Sales and appeared on his own coat of arms. The motto is situated in the center of the Rising Sun, which symbolizes the Risen Christ. Living Jesus is what the Oblate way of life is all about. The small cross shows the "way" this is achieved is through total self-abnegation. This was the life-long goal of St. Francis de Sales - and it is the raison d' etre of our Oblate life and work.
How to Live Jesus
What does “Oblate” mean?
The word Oblate means “offering” and each individual Oblate dedicates himself to serving God by imitating the life and virtues of St. Francis de Sales.
The Oblates do this primarily through the practice of The Spiritual Directory, a small book that contains St. Francis de Sales’ teachings on how to remain in God’s presence throughout the day even in the midst of one’s daily activities.
Tenui Nec Dimittam
The motto for the Oblates comes from Song of Songs 3:4, “I have taken hold and will not let go.” These words express the tenacity, the strength of love. We are invited to listen as Jesus says those very same words to each of us: Tenui nec dimittam! Those words, heard, said, and believed over and over again throughout the course of our lives make us who we are truly called to be: one who loves, follows, and lives Jesus!
St. Francis believed in the simple practice of prayer whereby we consciously direct to God what we are about to do. The action itself becomes sacred.
Thus brief, prayerful consideration focuses our attention on the presence of God in all things. In The Spirituality Directory, St. Francis de Sales writes: “They who wish to thrive and advance in the way of our Lord should, at the beginning of their actions, both exterior and interior, ask for His grace and offer to His divine Goodness all the good they will do. In this way, they will be prepared to bear with peace and serenity all the pain and suffering they will encounter as coming from the Fatherly hand of our good God and Savior. His most holy intention is to have them merit by such means in order to reward them afterward out of the abundance of His love.”
There are different versions of the Direction of Intention prayed at Oblate schools and communities. Each is designed to take a moment and offer your actions to God.
Direction of Intention
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