Monthly Archives: March 2020

THEY DRYLY TEACH THEM THE LETTER OF THE CATECHISM… BUT DO NOT TRY TO BRING OUT GOD’S GOODNESS, THE INFINITE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

On a pastoral visit to some rural parishes for confirmation, Bishop Eugene commented on the knowledge of the children. A visit to Caillols where the parishes of Saint Julien, Camoins and Chateau-Gombert had come together… I was very pleased with … Continue reading

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THERE YOU MUST BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE, AS WAS THE DIVINE MASTER WHOM WE SERVE AND THE HOLY APOSTLES IN WHOSE FOOTSTEPS WE FOLLOW

Eugene, as Superior General, gave Fr Hermitte a new missionary assignment to serve the spiritually needy. I am directing you to leave for N.D. du Laus so that you may give good service in this shrine to which so many … Continue reading

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IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE TRUE MEANING OF WHAT A BISHOP IS, THEY WOULD BE LESS ASTONISHED TO SEE HIM APPROACHING HIS SHEEP WHEN THEY ARE SUFFERING

Eugene records two of his pastoral visits to comfort those who were suffering. Coming back to the city, I went to visit Father Fissiaux who is sick with grief, seeing that the plague of cholera had taken seven little girls … Continue reading

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ST EUGENE DE MAZENOD AND HIS MAZENODIAN FAMILY DURING TIMES OF EPIDEMICS

As a Mazenodian Family, let’s try to set aside some time each day to pray (oraison) in solidarity with all the members of the Mazenodian Family throughout the world. Recent entries of this daily reflection have been dealing with the … Continue reading

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THE POOR ARE RELYING ON THE BISHOP’S HOUSE, AND SOON WE WILL BE REDUCED TO SELLING OUR SILVERWARE TO HELP THEM

As the cholera epidemic was lessening, so did the awareness of the misery it had caused. But misery is being felt on all sides, and we do not dare to hope that the collections taken up so ostentatiously in the … Continue reading

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ORAISON: PRAYING WITH THE MAZENODIAN FAMILY ON MARCH    15

“In the prolonged silent prayer we make each day, we let ourselves be molded by the Lord, and find in him the inspiration of our conduct” (OMI Rule of Life, 33).     The practice of Oraison was an important part of St. Eugene’s daily prayer during … Continue reading

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LET ANYONE DARE TO COME AND PREACH TO US A SPECULATIVE LOVE, DEPRIVED OF SENTIMENT AND WITHOUT AFFECTION

Eugene reacts, in his private diary, to those who think only with their heads and not their hearts. He knew and loved Scripture, and in this text we see him freely using texts from the First Letter of John, chapters … Continue reading

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THE HEART OF JESUS CHRIST WHO HAS FORMED, ANIMATES AND INSPIRES MINE

Continuing to refect on his grief at Dauphin’s death by cholera, Eugene reveals the role of the love of Jesus, represented in the Sacred Heart, in his own life and ministry: People will understand from this that I am far … Continue reading

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I DECLARE THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE CAN LOVE GOD, IF THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO LOVE PEOPLE WORTHY OF BEING LOVED

Eugene’s outpouring of his personal grief, in his private journal, at the suffering and death of Dauphin who had been a domestic servant at the Bishop’s house in Marseilles. Although he had stopped working there for a number of years, … Continue reading

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I AM NOT AFRAID TO EXPRESS WHAT I FEEL… DID OUR DIVINE SAVIOUR NOT WEEP OVER LAZARUS?

Eugene’s personal journal continues to give us glimpses into how he handled suffering. The occasion was his former servant, Dauphin, dying of cholera. Dauphin is still alive, but is steadily becoming worse, I just said Mass for him. Father Tempier … Continue reading

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