– By Rev. Fr. Clement Waidyasekara, OMI
The Oblates of the Colombo Province solemnly celebrated the Bicentennial Jubilee of the Papal Approbation of the Constitutions and Rules (1826-2026) on 17 February 2026 at Our Lady of Fatima Church. Oblates, Lay Associates, members of the Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate (MAMI), and the faithful gathered in a spirit of thanksgiving and renewed missionary commitment.
The Eucharistic celebration was inspired by the theme: “Rekindling the Flame: 200 Years of Living the Rule, Walking with the Poor.”
The theme highlighted the enduring relevance of the Constitutions and Rules as a living guide to holiness, community life, and mission, while reaffirming the Oblate call to serve the most abandoned.
A significant moment was the blessing of the Jubilee Flame, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, the Founder’s zeal, and fidelity to the missionary vocation. Standing before the Flame, the Oblates renewed their vows, joined by Lay Associates and MAMI members who likewise renewed their commitments, expressing a deep unity in charism and shared responsibility in mission.
In his message, the Provincial reminded all that “the Jubilee is not a memory-it is a mission,” calling for renewed fidelity to the spirit of the Constitutions and a deeper commitment to the poor. As a concrete expression of this mission, Samata Sarana – Help for All, a social outreach initiative, was entrusted to the Oblates as a sign of continued service to the most vulnerable.
The celebration concluded with the installation of the Jubilee Flame in a permanent place of honour-within a dedicated corner of the Fatima Church itself. It stands not as a relic of the past, but as a living sign and enduring symbol of fidelity, communion, and missionary courage.
As the Oblate family celebrates this historic milestone, the Jubilee becomes a renewed invitation to live the Founder’s vision in today’s world. When Saint Eugene wrote the Preface in 1825, society was marked by spiritual decline, social fragmentation, and neglect of the poor. His appeal was clear: renewal must begin with integrity of life, compassion for the abandoned, and courage to rebuild what has been broken.
Two centuries later, we face different yet equally urgent challenges-economic uncertainty, social division, youth disillusionment, migration, loneliness, and ecological vulnerability. In this context, living the mission of Saint Eugene today calls for a renewed authenticity of witness. It invites us to be missionaries not only in distant places, but in the ordinary spaces of daily life-within families, parishes, workplaces, and even the digital world.
The Jubilee challenges us to rediscover simplicity of life, transparency in leadership, and courage in mission. It invites the Church in Sri Lanka to be less defensive and more missionary; less inward-looking and more outward-going.
For the Oblates, to continue the Founder’s dream means rekindling our original fire. For the Church, it means reclaiming her prophetic voice. For society, it means recognising that authentic leadership begins with moral clarity and service, to make Christ known and loved, and to build a Church that is truly close to the people, especially the most abandoned.
