I AM PRIMARILY THE SERVANT OF MY BROTHERS

Posted on January 28, 2012 by franksantucci

Continuing his retreat reflections, Eugene evaluated how he divided his energy in his dealings with others:

In my relations with others who are not part of the community.
They must always be subordinate to the obligations I have to fulfill as head of the house of the Mission and as the one responsible for the youth.
I am primarily the servant of my brothers, and of my sons’, then everyone else’s.

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

In a particular way, he had to dedicate a lot of quality time to the formation of the prospective members of the Missionaries. Jacques Jeancard, who had been formed by Eugene, reminisced (in a somewhat hagiographical 19th century style):

The Society still existed in an emerging form, … a mustard seed that was to become a tree whose branches have spread much further than we imagined at the time.
While following the holy inspiration that that he had received to seek everywhere priests willing to sacrifice everything for God and to unite themselves in a congregation to work with him for the sanctification of souls in the work of missions, M. de Mazenod had dreamed at the same time of forming around himself a type of school of apostles. This would continue the generous project and would be the element through which it it would develop. The young people I mentioned above were the first pupils of this holy school. They were especially cared for by M. de Mazenod himself, who became their spiritual director and novice master. He was concerned for their education all the time: during recreation during their walks (when he had the time to accompany them), in his room, in the meeting room, in the chapel, and finally in all circumstances he tried to animate them with the spirit of God.
Thus we can say that the air of the house was permeated with this spirit; we constantly breathed it, and we breathed no other. We lived in an atmosphere that was totally apostolic. It must be said that all the priests of the community still maintain it.

Melanges historiques sur la Congregation des Oblats de Marie Immaculee
(Tours, 1872), pp. 26 and 27.

 

What did Our Lord Jesus Christ do? He chose a certain number of apostles and disciples whom He formed in piety and filled with His spirit; and after having trained them in his school and the practice of all virtues, He sent them forth to conquer the world which they soon brought under the rule of his holy laws.

1818 Rule

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KEEPING THE MISSIONARY FIRE BURNING

Posted on January 27, 2012 by franksantucci

During his retreat of May 1818, Eugene continued to reflect on the activities of the year. These included the return visits to some of the places where they had already preached missions. He wrote about this in the Rule:

The missionaries will return to the place where they gave a mission four or five months later to give several spiritual exercises, but the return must be shorter than the mission, and there will be fewer missionaries. In this way they will solidify the benefits produced by the mission.

1818 Rule Part 1, Chapter 2, §1, Article 12

Uncle Fortuné, who was always fussing about the health of his nephew and the other Missionaries expressed the same sentiment to Eugene’s father:

I would be very happy if after Easter they were to go out and spend twelve or fifteen days in the places where they had done their apostolic ministry last year with such great success. The parish priests desire that they consolidate their good work. This expedition would not be tiring and would produce the greatest good.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 7 March 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 A month later, Fortuné give a description of these visits to places where they had preached over the previous two years: Arles, Grans and Mouriès. The latter two parishes were important because they had no permanent priests at that time, and so the people were able to fulfill their Easter duties. He adds: “Eugene is doing well despite the fatigue of his apostolic journeys” (12 April)

We received news from our missionaries by the return of the carriage which had brought them. Their journey has been very happy; after dining at Salon they slept at Eyguières, where your son preached on his arrival, to the great satisfaction of all the people of good will. As this place was not the purpose of their apostolic labors, he sent two of his confreres to Arles on Tuesday. He went on the same day to Grans with Father Tempier, his close friend, to start his work and give all the spiritual help possible to a large parish, which currently has no parish priest and no curate. He will go from there to Mouriès, which also does not have a priest and as it will be more tiring, the Missionaries sent to Arles will join him. That’s the awful situation in which the vast diocese of Aix finds itself, and certainly it is not the only one …

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 9 April 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 

“When you drink the water, remember the spring.” Chinese Proverb

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MISSIONARIES AT HOME

Posted on January 26, 2012 by franksantucci

Just because the Missionaries had been forced to cancel two parish missions because of exhaustion, did not mean that they sat around idly. The normal ministry of the community to the youth and to the people of Aix in the Church of the Mission kept them busy. Their first Rule of life had established the principle:

When their apostolic journeys are over, they will return to the community to rest from their labours by exercising a ministry that is less demanding, and to prepare themselves through meditation and study for a more fruitful ministry when next called upon to undertake new work.

Request to the Capitular Vicars of Aix, 25 January 1816, O.W. XIII n.2

 Eugene’s Diary of the Youth Congregation shows some of this “less-demanding” ministry over and above the twice-weekly gatherings with the youth and the many hours of personal meetings:

Blessing of the Ashes preceded by an instruction and the recitation of the seven penitential psalms in congregation.

4 February  1818

 Blessing of Palms. Procession on the Place des Carmelites. The Holy Week Services followed carefully by the congregants. Holy Thursday. The Mandatum.

15 March 1818

 Plus the intense preparation of some of the congregants to receive confirmation:

His Lordship the Bishop of Digne came to say Holy Mass in the church of the Mission and conferred the sacrament of confirmation on several congregants who had been prepared for it according to our customs.

Diary of the Aix Christian Youth Congregation, 26 March 1818, O.W. XVI

 Uncle Fortuné gave a description of the Easter period, speaking of his nephew:

Our missionary has not been too fatigued by the considerable work that his zeal provided him with, and his confreres have taken on a good part of it to make his task easier. Among other things they took responsibility for the sermons on the passion and resurrection that would have overwhelmed him. Our church has been extremely busy and all the ceremonies were performed in a marvelous way.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 23 March 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 

“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.”    Spanish proverb

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25 JANUARY 1816: RECALLING THE FOUNDING STORY

Posted on January 25, 2012 by franksantucci

The all-important first day of community life for the Missionaries was obviously a story often repeated in all its details. In his Memoires, Father Tempier, described it as: “This memorable day that I will never forget for as long as I live.”

Here Eugene is writing to the novices and scholastics who were in Billens, Switzerland, to escape the dangers of the anti-religious persecution by the government of Louis Philippe. He narrates the story of the beginning of their religious family, and draws a conclusion linked with the vow of poverty and the call to simplicity.

Tomorrow I celebrate the anniversary of the day, sixteen years ago, I left my mother’s house to go and set up house at the Mission. Father Tempier had taken possession of it some days before. Our lodging had none of the splendour of the mansion at Billens, and whatever deprivations you may be subject to, ours were greater still. My camp-bed was placed in the small passageway which leads to the library: it was then a large room used as a bedroom for Father Tempier and for one other whose name we no longer mention amongst us. It was also our community room. One lamp was all our lighting and, when it was time for bed, it was placed in the doorway to give light to all three of us.
The table that adorned our refectory was one plank laid alongside another, on top of two old barrels. We have never enjoyed the blessing of such poverty since the time we took the vow. Without question, it was a foreshadowing of the state of perfection that we now live so imperfectly. I highlight this wholly voluntary deprivation deliberately (it would have been easy to put a stop to it and to have everything that was needed brought from my mother’s house) so as to draw the lesson that God in his goodness was directing us even then, and really without us having yet given it a thought, towards the evangelical counsels which we were to profess later on. It is through experiencing them that we learnt their value.
I assure you we lost none of our merriment; on the contrary, as this new way of life was in quite striking contrast with that we had just left, we often found ourselves having a hearty laugh over it. I owed this tribute to the memory of our first day of common life. How happy I would be to live it now with you!

Letter to Jean-Baptiste Mille and the novices and scholastics, 24 January 1831, O.W. VIII n.383

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BURNOUT

Posted on January 24, 2012 by franksantucci
It was high time I thought of extricating myself from that innumerable throng of tasks of every kind that overwhelms me spiritually and physically and came on retreat to apply myself seriously in the matter of my salvation by carefully going over all my actions…

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

The exhaustion that Eugene was experiencing was not limited just to himself. Two years after their foundation, there were still only five active Missionaries in the Society. They too felt the many demands of the ministry inside and outside of the house. A number of parish missions had been planned for the first part of 1818, but they were forced to cancel all but one.

This was the mission in Puget, a town of 1300 inhabitants. Eugene accompanied the four Missionaries just to start the mission, and then returned to Aix to maintain all the ministries in and around the house.

The Missionaries returned exhausted and the Vicar General of Aix forced them to cancel the two missions scheduled thereafter at Eyguières and Tourves.

Uncle Fortuné de Mazenod takes up the story:

I pride myself that the frightening mission in Eyguières will not take place, because three quarters of the missionaries are worn out and are in a physically impossible state to undertake and even more to complete it. It is a place full of people without morals or principles, whose population of 4000 souls would require ten to twelve of the most robust missionaries – and they are only four, almost all crippled by their previous work.
So I have put heart and soul to ensure that they do not undertake it this year, and I have no doubt that I will succeed. If necessary, I will get the Vicars General to act, as I have done before to get them to moderate the excessive zeal of Eugene and to force him to spare his health … Besides, I have on my side the doctor, who pronounces himself very clearly on this and told them they could not undertake new missions without killing themselves.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 7 March 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 

“Over the years your bodies become walking autobiographies, telling friends and strangers alike of the minor and major stresses of your lives.” Marilyn Ferguson

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SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND SELF-DISCIPLINE

Posted on January 23, 2012 by franksantucci

In order to be fully at the service of God and of others, Eugene was convinced of the need of self-discipline. This was one of his ongoing concerns throughout his life. In accordance with the Church’s traditions, he expressed this through fasting during Lent and on a regular basis throughout the year (particularly on Fridays). Similarly, he often speaks about mortifying his body – in other words, doing physical penances to ensure that it was he who controlled his body and not vice versa. We find this theme recurring in all his retreat notes. In the 1818 retreat that we are examining at present we find:

I felt the need of leading a still more mortified life and I ardently desired to do it.

As we have seen above, however, those around him thought that he took the matter to extremes and they tried to moderate his zeal. One of these was Henri Tempier who was Eugene’s spiritual director. While Eugene could brush off his mother and his uncle Fortuné’s fussing, he was unable to do so in the case of Father Tempier because of the vow of mutual obedience that they had made on Holy Thursday 1816.

One thing alone distressed me and that is the fear that it will meet with opposition and my Director will take advantage of the vow of obedience I have made to him to put obstacles to what seems to me evidently God’s will. I cast about seriously for the means to escape the too pressing attentions that charity suggests to some who are overly-afraid I will fall ill once again. I was indignant to have such a fuss made over me while I know full well that I am good for nothing, and that the little good I have done, I have done because God in his goodness was pushing me by the shoulders.

We have many examples of Henri Tempier’s insisting on this vow of obedience – almost always in connection with Eugene’s health and welfare.

Only, since I remark that my health is better since Holy Week, that my chest is not hurting any longer, etc., I will plead with my Director to let me follow the attraction that pulls me strongly to lead a penitential life. I believe it would be to go against the spirit of God to try to resist this any longer, on the pretext that my health needs attention.

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

 

“Modern Man is the victim of the very instruments he values most. Every gain in power, every mastery of natural forces, every scientific addition to knowledge, has proved potentially dangerous, because it has not been accompanied by equal gains in self-understanding and self-discipline.” Lewis Mumford (A 20th century sociologist)

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SUCH A FUSS OVER MY HEALTH

Posted on January 21, 2012 by franksantucci

Eugene’s dedication to others had affected his health.

The state I find myself in is an extraordinary one and calls for prompt treatment. It consists in an absolute apathy to all that concerns me directly; it seems that when I ought to move on from service of neighbour to consideration of myself, it seems I say that I have no more energy, I am completely exhausted, dried up, unable even to think.

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

 In reality, Eugene’s health had been more of a concern for those around him than for himself. Looking at his mother’s anxiety at the way in which he overworked himself he wrote with a touch of humour:

I must try to dissuade her from the idea that I want to kill myself.

Summary of retreat resolutions, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 146

 The first part of 1818 saw Eugene tired and prone to illness. His uncle, Father Fortuné de Mazenod was living in the house with him and noted some of these in his letters to Eugene’s father in Marseille.

Eugene, despite the enormous weight of his occupations, is not doing badly. His only suffering at this moment is a considerable flow of blood caused by hemorrhoids.
I never cease to point out to him how essential it is to moderate his zeal in all respects and to light a fire that will last, but often I speak to deaf ears.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 30 January 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 Two weeks later Fortuné notes that Eugene had been sick:

Eugene is getting better each day. He was able to say Mass yesterday and today, and he begins to regain his strength, exhausted by work and by fasting… We finally have him where we want him and he will have to obey.”

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 17 February 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 And the next day:

Eugene no longer has any symptoms and continues to get better by putting limits to his zeal and by taking more food and sleep. I feel that this has worried him a little and upset some of his ideas on piety. But he must give everything its proper value and not try to be wise beyond measure, as St. Paul says. Otherwise, before he reaches the age of 40, he will have become useless for the Church and he will only be capable of occupying a bed in the company of those who are incurably ill.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 18 February 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 Two weeks later:

Eugene did not have mumps as was first thought, it was only a swelling of the neck caused by nervous tension … It has decreased in recent days and his physical condition has improved significantly. No more indigestion, no more insomnia, no more Lenten practices, in a word he is better and is recovering from his lack of prudence. We had little difficulty in persuading him to take more food, rest and sleep and eventually, with the grace of God, we have overcome.

Letter of Fortuné de Mazenod to Eugene’s father, 1 March 1818, OMI General Archives F.B. V, 1-7

 Eugene’s own version of the situation was:

I seriously looked for the means to escape the too pressing attentions that charity suggests to some who are overly-afraid I will fall ill once again. I was indignant to have such a fuss made over me…

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

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FOR THE SERVICE OF OTHERS

Posted on January 20, 2012 by franksantucci

Eugene’s overriding concern was always to be “all for God” at the service of others. It is in this light that we must read his retreat notes. They are not an opportunity for self-whipping and for proclaiming how great a sinner he is – but an occasion to improve the quality of his life in order to be more fully at the service of God and neighbour.

 God forbid that I would want to give up the service of neighbour! Far from it! I would like, if it were possible, to do still more for him than I have done until now, since without doubt the Lord is glorified by it, precisely as it pleases Him to be more so, but I will be better advised, and in serving my neighbour 

True service of neighbour was only possible to the extent that Eugene lived in communion with God, and was able to invite others to participate in this communion.

I will no longer forget myself as I have done; I will not persuade myself so easily that the exercise of charity towards him can take the place of everything, serve as my meditation, preparation, thanksgiving, visit to the Blessed Sacrament, prayer, etc. That is an excess that threw me into the state I saw myself in yesterday.
It will not be an easy thing to change. God knows that if I give myself up to exterior works, there is more of duty than of liking in it, it is obeying what I believe the Master demands of me; that is so true that I always do it with an extreme repugnance from my lower nature. If I followed my taste, I would attend solely to myself and content myself with praying for others. I would spend my life in study and prayer.
But who am I to have a will of my own in this respect? It belongs to the Father of the Family to fix the kind of work it pleases him to have his workers do. They are always too honoured and too happy to be chosen to cultivate his vineyard.

The zealous Eugene realizes that his temptation is towards losing himself in excessive action, and so resolves:

The essential thing is to combine things in such wise that nothing suffers, and that in service of neighbour I do not forget myself to the point of becoming lukewarm.

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

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I FUNCTION AS A MERE MACHINE IN EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS ME PERSONALLY

Posted on January 19, 2012 by franksantucci

Eugene, whose life was totally dedicated to serving others, now came to an important realization: he could only serve others well if he looked after his own welfare. Otherwise he would have nothing to offer to others:

The need was pressing as my spirit is so confined, my heart so empty of God that the exterior cares of my ministry, which throw me into continual dependence on others, preoccupy me to such an extent that I have come to the point of no longer having any of that interiority which previously constituted my consolation and happiness…

Eugene had spent his energy and resources in being selfless towards others, but had ignored his own personal spiritual and physical welfare.

I function as a mere machine in everything that concerns me personally. It seems I am no longer capable of thinking once it touches me personally. In that case what good can I do for others? This way a thousand imperfections creep into my regular relations with my neighbour and make me lose perhaps all the merit of a life entirely consecrated to his service.

At 36 years of age he was learning that he could not be a “young enthusiast” all the time jumping from one project to another. He needed to take care of himself so as to render more effective service to others.

I have good reason to be alarmed at this state of affairs; I’ve been aware of it for some time without being able yet to do anything about it. Today with God’s help I am going to work carefully at it and put such order into my actions that each item may reassume its place and love of neighbour may not be a reason for me to fail in the love I owe myself, all the more since the best means of being really useful to one’s neighbour is without doubt to work much on oneself.

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

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STOP AND TAKE STOCK

Posted on January 18, 2012 by franksantucci

After our in-depth exploration of the Youth Congregation, I now continue with the writings of St Eugene in chronological order.

The second part of 1817 had been demanding for Eugene, who had spent 5 months in Paris trying to assure the future of his Missionaries. Significantly in this regard, the name of his uncle Fortuné de Mazenod had been put forward and accepted as Bishop of Marseille. In December Eugene’s father and uncles returned to France and settled in the city of Marseille, while Fortuné came to live with the Missionaries in Aix as a result of complications regarding his appointment as bishop.

Eugene’s return to Aix saw him immersed in many activities. During the first half of 1818 his energies were spent in directing the Missionaries and their ministry, forming the young men who were training to become Missionaries, the demanding activities of his expanding Youth Congregation, the services in the Church of the Mission, and many administrative tasks. For this reason he took a pause in May 1818 to do a retreat and to take stock of where his life was going.

It was high time I thought of extricating myself from that innumerable throng of tasks of every kind that overwhelms me spiritually and physically and came on retreat to apply myself seriously in the matter of my salvation by carefully going over all my actions…

Retreat notes, May 1818, O.W. XV, n. 145

Throughout his life, Eugene taught the importance of stopping to take stock, to reflect on what is happening in and around us: at daily, monthly and annual intervals – and to react accordingly. Our Oblate Rule of Life accentuates this:

To put ourselves increasingly at the service of God in his people, we will set aside special times each month and each year for deeper personal and community prayer, for reflection and renewal. Constitution 35

and

Examination of conscience is important in helping us become aware of the ways in which the Lord calls and is present to us throughout the day. In this examen, we evaluate the faithfulness of our response to him. Constitution 33

 

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.  Thomas Paine

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