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About Sr. Maria Sherry | About the Oasis | About the Book | Order the Book | Contact Us |
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The Oasis de Jesús Sacerdote |
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Why the Oasis? | Brief History | Life in the Oasis | Characteristic Traits | Contact Oasis |
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WHY THE OASIS? Our Lord Jesus Christ, our beloved Master, one day told His Apostles, who had come back tired from preaching to the people in Palestine, “Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little.” (Mark 6:31) Our Lord was looking for an Oasis. And still today he is looking for it. He seeks a retreated place where He and His priests can rest... where there are hearts that love Him, that console Him, where He finds rest... a place where souls live only for love of Him and of His priests and consecrated souls. This place is the Oasis. Indeed, this is the motive – the only motive – for which the Oasis has sprung. God has wished it and had planned it thus from eternity, and so it has been accomplished. Everything in Him is providential. From its foundation until now, one can see God’s loving hand forming it, guiding it and quickly making it grow. Ah! What graces have been received! How grateful are today’s Oasis members! |
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BRIEF HISTORY
In 1960 the first meetings take place between Rev. Father
Pedro de la Inmaculada Muñoz and a few young Spanish women who wish to
participate in an apostolate for priests. o Besides the three common vows taken by all congregations (poverty, chastity, and obedience), there was a fourth vow: a vocational vow, that is, this congregation would have as primary goal to offer their lives for priests and consecrated souls, daily sacrificing themselves to obtain many holy priests and consecrated souls. o It would be a contemplative congregation and therefore the convent would have to have the necessary conditions for retreat and silence. It had to be a cloistered convent. In 1966 the first Oasis members begin their community life in a humble house in Barcelona, which was obtained only through many sacrifices – a sure sign of God’s hand.
In 1980 they are able to acquire property in Argentona (outside of Barcelona) where the desired convent would be built, with a cloister and everything needed for the contemplative life.
As God tests His chosen souls, the Oasis members were few for several years. Father Muñoz tells his daughters with total confidence, “My children, if God wishes our work, He will send vocations. Never doubt that for a moment.” And then the prayers were answered. After several long years came a wave of vocations from all countries (Mexico, France, USA, Africa, Argentina, Urugay, Chile, Dominican Republic, India). And so, in the blink of an eye the Oasis became “international” with an overpopulation of little nuns who wish to give their lives for priests.
In 1987 His Excellency Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre aproves their consitution, as will Bishops Lazo and Rangel a few years later.
All is Providential
Little by little everything came to be: the Sisters’ cells, their job assignments, the garden, the cloister walls, etc. All with help from heaven, which was always present. But they needed a church, a place worthy of their beloved Spouse. How were they to build it? How were they to raise the money? On one of Archbishop Lefebvre’s various visits to the Oasis, encouraged Father Muñoz in his endeavour, “Yes, Father Muñoz, you must begin construction on a church. Begin by placing the first stone and you will see how God will take care of the rest.” And so it happened. After the first stone, a second one was placed and then a third one... It was a miracle! Without knowing how, a large and most beautiful church was built. But they really did know how... God wished it; He needed an Oasis! |
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LIFE IN THE OASISWhat do the Sisters at the Oasis do?This is an easy question to answer, but not as easy to understand, mainly for those without Faith and without God who cannot comprehend how it is possible to “lock oneself” in a convent – and a cloistered convent at that! Sometimes, it is difficult even for some Catholics to understand.
Their Goal It is exclusively a priestly goal: to offer everything, with God’s grace, even their own lives 1) for the sanctification of priests and consecrated souls, and 2) for many holy vocations. |
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Daily Life The Sisters divide their time between prayer and work, this last being on occasion very unique and varied. Besides the fixed duties which each Sister has (assigned by the Mother Superior), such as cook, lathe operator, gardener, etc., there are those “extra” jobs which come up during the day or the month and which also need attention. So much so that there are always visitors at the convent who are astonished to see a nun climbed up on the roof or another using a chain saw or another driving a tractor... and let’s not forget to mention those who make sidewalks or unplug pipes. Yes, these jobs, such as cleaning chimenees, painting walls, fixing doors, etc., are necessary and pressing jobs in a convent – even with a lack of personnel and money. But not everything is work... we also have our daily recreations (two a day, with a total duration of one hour and fifteen minutes) during which we chat, laugh, sing, and talk about our day. |
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Spirituality The Spirit of Saint Francis de Sales The Oasis bears its name by God’s mysterious plan. Indeed, each letter
holds in itself a truth, inspired by the doctrine of Saint Francis de
Sales, which forms the spirituality of this congregation. Oración (Prayer): The life of prayer should necessarily be our main spiritual nourishment, since it is indispensable for our own sanctification. Our whole life revolves around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, prayer before the Sanctuary (two hours a day), the recitation of the Divine Office (all except Matines), the Holy Rosary, etc. Amor (Love): A total giving of oneself to God in complete cloister; a most special love for the Blessed Virgin Mary; a love for all priests – it is truly a life of love! Sumisión (Submission): A life of perfect obedience until dying to our own will, practicing humility, which is the defining virtue of the Oasis. Inmolación (Immolation): This loves moves us to sacrifice our lives by offering them day by day for priests, in the fulfillment of our duties and hidden from the eyes of the world. Silencio (Silence): It is kept all day except during the two daily recreations: one after lunch and one after dinner. The latter is suppressed during Advent and Lent. The spirit of the Oasis does not consist in the practice of great austerity, but rather in humble obedience on the altar of self immolation, for the glory of God and the sanctification of priests and consecrated souls. Its community life is a field in which the virtues particularly valued by Saint Francis de Sales are cultivated: evangelical simplicity, humility, and charity, always remembering the holy Doctor’s words, “Live in happiness because you are consecrated to Everlasting Joy.” |
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CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS OF OUR OASIS* Devotion to Mary “Following the devotion to Jesus, the devotion to Mary is the most profound and important one for the Oasis member.” Yes, our Oasis stands out for its tender love to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the Queen of the Oasis. Her statue presides in the chapel, in the cells and in the entrances of the convents. This devotion to Mary expresses itself in the filial and perfect consecration to Our Lady according to Saint Louis de Montfort and in the devotion to Her Immaculate Heart. Ah! When a feast of Our Lady comes around, there are always songs accompanied by guitar, tambourine, drum, and castanets. All to pay homage to our sweet Queen in a joyful family atmosphere. Our confidence in the Most Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph (main patron saints of the Oasis) has no limits. From the smallest things to the most grave and important ones, we place them all in their hands and we are never disappointed. One time, two seminarians came to help us complete some projects and the chain saw they needed wouldn’t start. They were about to give up when one of our Sisters said to them, “Have you invoked the Blessed Virgin?” The question left them silent and surprised for a few moments until they replied, “No, we have not.” “Then how can you want this machine to work if you have not asked for help?” It was said and done! Moments after their prayer, Our Lady came to their aid and the chain saw worked. And so in everything else... After a short procession made with a small statue of Saint Joseph, during which we showed him all the urgent convent repairs that were needed, we received a shower of graces. Saint Joseph sent us a group of faithful who came to help. * Simplicity and joy Life in the Oasis aspires to be a faithful copy of the life of the Holy Family in Nazareth: a simple and joyful life, hidden from the eyes of the world, without anything extraordinary, uniting every action with our Divine Spouse and having our sweet Immaculate Mother by our side. The Oasis members are very joyful... although there may still be some who ask themselves, “How could one be happy when she has to get up so early and cannot leave the cloister?” Ah! It is because... there are so many graces to be received from God! Yes, the Oasis member knows that a simple headache offered up with joy, pleases God and merits many graces to encourage and strengthen our beloved priests. Ah! It is incredible what a religious can obtain if she offers herself with joy and simplicity, imitating her Divine Spouse Jesus. |
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CONTACT THE OASIS Father Pedro Muñoz |
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