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May 13, 2012 | by Kevin Francis Bernadette Clay, Founder & Executive Director
Act of Consecration of Transitus – Oblates of the Last Martyrdom to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Revised version of the act originally offered 13 May 2010, Feast of Our Lady of Fatima) “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16) It was precisely by reason of this love that the Son of God consecrated himself for all mankind: “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.” (Jn. 17:19) By reason of that consecration Christians of all ages are called to devote themselves for the salvation of the world, and to supplement Christ’s sufferings for the sake of his Mystical Body, the Church. (Cf. Col 1:24; 2 Tim. 2:10)
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April 6, 2012 | by Kevin Francis Bernadette Clay, Founder & Executive Director
There are countless truths and lessons to expound upon and learn from the liturgical season of Lent. There is one in particular that has stood out to me this year (2009). God spoke through the prophet Isaiah (58:1-12) to the People of God saying, “Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” (Is. 58:5) Was God criticizing their manner of fasting and penance? No. God rebukes them for their hypocrisy and vain religiosity, namely because “your fast ends in quarreling and fighting.” (Is. 58:4)
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February 22, 2012 | by Kevin Francis Bernadette Clay, Founder & Executive Director
Regardless if we are called to the monastic or secular way, if we bear the name Christian, we must not only liturgically accompany Christ in the desert, we must truly learn from him, imitate him, and share in his temptation in the desert and martyrdom on the Cross, lest we – like the children of Israel – be overthrown by the Enemy and perish by our own sinfulness. We must never forget that our entire life on earth is a desert and wilderness to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Cf. Phil. 2:12) through the seasons of aridity, temptation, persecution and wandering among the fear of being empty, broken, lost and forgotten. Nevertheless, if we are courageous and wholehearted enough to persevere – by grace and mercy through faith and patience – the desert or wilderness will prove to be our God-given “transitus” (Passover, Pascha, i.e., Easter) from the captivity of sin and death to the promised land of heaven and eternal life.
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February 22, 2012 | by Kevin Francis Bernadette Clay, Founder & Executive Director
Profoundly saddened by the misfortunes that the Church was then passing through in his time (the 13th Century), St. Francis of Assisi conceived the incredible design of renewing everything conformably to the principles of Christian law – i.e., the Gospel. Francis, in the impossibility of opening the Order to all who had the desire of being formed in his “school”, resolved to provide, even for souls living in the whirlpool of the world, the means to tend to Christian perfection. Thus was born the project, which no founder of a regular Order had yet imagined, to cause the religious life to be practiced by all. Francis first conceived the idea, and the grace of God gave him to realize it with the greatest success.
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GOSPEL & LIFETransitus – Oblates of the Last Martyrdom is a new monastic association, existing as a school of Christian perfection for the renewal of the Body of Christ. Transitus is open to all followers of Jesus Christ who wish to adapt the Gospel ideal commonly associated with monasticism to their life in the world. “The world is my monastery, my body is my cell, and my soul is the hermit within.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
Under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi and the San Damiano crucifix icon, Transitus is entrusted to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, in union with her son, Jesus Christ, Eternal and Sovereign High Priest and King, and his Divine Merciful Love.
The Rule of Transitus is to observe the Gospel of Jesus Christ by following the example of the Saints, who made Christ the inspiration and model of their life with God and people. Jesus, the gift of the Father’s love, is the way to him, the truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us, and the life which he has come to give us abundantly.
The Rule is built upon seven “pillars” (the cross, name, words, prayer, works, body, and life of Christ) and fulfilled through five covenant promises (poverty, purity, penance, humility, and charity). The GOSPEL is our primary rule, JESUS is our primary example, and LOVE is our primary vocation and law.
Upon making the Act of Oblation to Divine Merciful Love, members pursue communion with God, and by grace, conversion of heart and the salvation of souls through daily prayer, commitment to the Church, fraternity with one’s fellow Oblates, and loving service to others – going from Gospel to life, and life to the Gospel.
“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
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