OMIWORLD
After much deliberation on the contemporary relevance of Information OMI, Bonga MAJOLA, the Director of the General Service of Oblate Communications, sought insight from Fabio CIARDI regarding the publication’s historical background and continued necessity.
Information OMI – Historical
Already during the Founder’s lifetime, several publications had been aimed at informing the Oblates about the works of the Congregation, showing a desire to maintain and strengthen fraternal ties among all the members now scattered throughout the world: some of the Founder’s circular letters and two Necrological Notices signed by Fr. Vincens, General Secretary, three Notices historiques et statistiques et l’État du personnel.
In 1854 there appeared a booklet entitled: État du Personnel de la Congrégation des missionnaires oblats de Marie Immaculée. The same year saw the publication of Notice historique et statistique sur la Congrégation des Missionnaires Oblats de Marie Immaculée et Compte-Rendu de l’Année 1853-1854, which aimed to give a glimpse of “the present state of the Congregation and the most notable things that have recently happened in its bosom….” “It will be like a concise picture of its history during the last ten months [August 1853-June 1854].”
The following year a second 39-page booklet appeared with the same title. The introduction reads, “In order to know something of the history of the Congregation and to make the reports of each year more interesting, a more detailed Notice on each house will be inserted later, beginning with the oldest, first of all with the house of Aix, to which the title of the oldest belongs.”
Finally, towards the end of 1858, a third 29-page issue appeared, covering the period 1857-1858. We do not know why these publications were discontinued.
In 1862 “Missions OMI” was founded. The review aimed to publish reports from each house, as Fr. Fabre indicated in the first issue: “In order to fulfill the most ardent desire of our Venerable Founder, every three months we will have printed a pamphlet containing some of the reports or letters we have received” (Vol. 1, 1862, p. 3).
“Missions OMI” was addressed primarily to members of the Congregation: “The circulation,” Fr. Fabre writes again, “will be limited to the family. The reports may also be communicated to some friends, but we prohibit, for reasons known to us, any dissemination without authorization, which will be requested of ourselves” (ibid.). This, among other advantages, allowed greater freedom of expression.
In 1891, alongside “Missions OMI,” the “Petites Annales” (Paris) and “Missionary Record of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate” (Inchicore) would be launched, soon followed by “La Bannière de Marie Immaculée” (Ottawa, 1893), intended for the general public.
Fr. Fabre’s words in his report to the 1887 Chapter retain all their value: “The reading of our Annals can and should do much good in the Family” (Circular No. 42, Circulaires administratives, II, p. 40). Speaking of necrological notices, he added, “This reading, like that of our Annals, is destined to do great good in our houses, especially in our scholasticates, novitiates and juniorates” (ibid, p. 41).
The 1926 General Chapter recalls the importance of the review and deals with it in depth. Circular No. 143, dated May 17, 1930, is entirely devoted to “Missions OMI”: “We would like Missions to be more and more a historical collection, intended for present and future historiographers” (Vol. 4, p. 191).
In Circular 143, dated May 17, 1930, Bishop Dontenwill established a “Press Bureau” at the General House. In the meantime, A.R.O.M.I. Agence Romaine des Oblats de Marie Immaculée, Rome 1928-1966, had been born.
On April 18, 1967, the first mimeographed monthly bulletin appeared, ”O.M.I. Information”, edited by the “Information Service.” It also contains official acts of the General Administration. It in a way stands in continuity with A.R.O.M.I.
In 1968 “O.M.I. Documentation,” a monthly mimeographed booklet appeared. It contains articles and documents on the life of the Congregation. The first editor was Fr. Rafaël Lechasseur. At first it gathered reports on missions and pastoral works, missionary and social initiatives, reports, monographs. As the years went on, more and more studies comparable to those appearing in “Vie Oblate life” appeared in it although always attentive to the actuality of the topics. Its publication ended in January 2011.
Information OMI – Today
Fabio provided a compelling response, emphasizing the importance of Information OMI as a crucial communication tool for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Over the years Information OMI has facilitated the dissemination of news, updates, and information within the Oblate community and to external stakeholders, such as partners, donors, and individuals.
Information OMI often covers a wide range of topics related to the activities, missions, and initiatives of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate around the world. Looking ahead, this publication may include articles about the work of Oblate missionaries, reflections on spirituality, updates on community events, and insights into the charism and values of the congregation.
Our desire, in continuing with this series of publications, is not only to help those who have administrative responsibilities in the Congregation and to protect documents that belong to its history, but also to enable Oblates who are interested in following more easily, with a better overview, the current life and evolution of our beloved Oblate family.
Fabio CIARDI, OMI
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