On leaving the house of the Archpriest Adinolfi, I said a heartfelt Te Deum laudamus and entered the church where lies the body of Saint Joseph Calasanz, there to thank our Lord and pray him to finish his work.
Despite the Pope having expressed his personal opinion, there was still a formal process to go through before the Oblates would be formally approved. Much work and prayer awaited Eugene in the coming weeks, and he would need the prayers and unity of his brother Oblates to see the project to its completion
Thus our cause is on its way, but if it has taken a great step initially, this is not to say that it is finished. Before God and as far as we are concerned, it is quite as if the Head of the Church has spoken, his will is known to us, but for it to have effect we have a procedure to follow and many formalities to perform which will take much time.
Here I am then kept far from you and from our whole dear family. Believe me, this is a great sacrifice I make; but if ever it had to be, it is certainly at this time; yet if I make such a remark, it is not to complain about it, nor, God forbid, to murmur; but it is to let you know that I am only happy beside those whom the good God has given me.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 22 December 1825, EO VI n 213
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” Colin Powell
I cannot but help see the correlation between what was happening with Eugene and the work needed to “see the project to its completion” as Frank puts it and to what is happening with Oblate Associates here in parts of Canada. It would seem that from both Oblates and Associates, equal amounts of clarity, intention, openness, dedication, work and discernment are needed. For my part, I need to make sure that in all of this, small as it is, that it is not just for myself. I do have a personal stake in it, it does matter to me because it is about how I feel called to live. But it is not just about me, it is also about others, some who are ready and also want this now, and for others who will come in the future. That sounds so altruistic and I am not that pure, but there is a basic truth in it, for it part of the passion and drive that seems to have been given to me. In other words it is not just my agenda. Solid guidance and support is needed from and for all of us, working together. Trust in God and what God has given to each of us. I want to say that I must let go of it in order to have it and even as that thought crosses my mind I think of ‘dying in order to have life’. I find myself more concerned on how this will nourish others, thinking of what will work for them and that surprises me a little.
Once again I seem to have wandered far from Eugene’s situation and what Frank has shared. There is a connection I suppose, albeit a small one. There is great truth in what Eugene has said about “I am only happy beside those whom the good God has given me”. There is a love and joy that have not originated from myself but most certainly from God for those that he has given me, they are most precious to me.