Eugene had a devotion to many saints and firmly believed in their example and intercession. Some of his large collection of relics is in the Postulation museum in Rome.
One of his principal models was Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists. They had much in common (cf https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=654) and his spirit has significantly molded our own.
When Eugene’s father had returned to Marseille from exile, he spent over a year translating an Italian biography of Alphonsus into French, at the request of his son. It was never published. When Eugene was in Rome for the approbation of the Oblates, he collected biographic material and documents on Alphonsus which he brought back to France, and entrusted Father Jeancard with the task of writing a biography. The book was completed in 1828 and the 609-page biography became the first to be published in French.
In 1829, Eugene sent a copy of this work to the Pope, through an ambassador
When the Pope was the Cardinal Grand Penitentiary, he was involved with Leo XII of blessed memory in gaining for my uncle the Bishop of Marseilles the right to pray the Office and celebrate the feast of Blessed Alphonsus Liguori in his diocese; in his letters on this matter, he gave witness of great devotion to this Blessed person. Since one of my priests has written a biography of Blessed Alphonsus which has merit both in terms of facts and also of style, I thought it would be proper for our Holy Father the Pope to have a copy of it and I am offering him one.
A lovely personal touch:
I recommended that we bind it as nicely as possible. One of our young missionaries thought of making an embellished cover which turned out to be quite beautiful. I would like the Pope to use this to cover his ceremonial breviary; you could suggest the idea to him; it would be too bad if such a beautiful work would only gather dust in a library.
Dear friend, I beg you to present to the Pope on my behalf this little tribute of my devotedness to his sacred person and to the Holy Apostolic See. Do not forget to assure the Holy Father that he has no more devoted son in France;
Letter to the Marquis de Croza, 22 July 1829, EO XIII n. 72
“The Saints were not superhuman. They were people who loved God in their hearts, and who shared this joy with others.” Pope Francis
The word communion – the “communion of saints” comes to me this morning as I reflect on what is offered here.
Even reading the title I immediately thought of St. Paul for I have always thought that Paul and Eugene were much alike. Reading further I thought – why not – why wouldn’t Alphonsus Liguori and Eugene de Mazenod be similar for they both ‘loved God in their hearts and shared that with the rest of the world’.
There is a line from ‘Ulysses’ that I first heard when I was a teenager and that I often quote for it explains who I am: “I am a part of all that I have met…”. In coming to know the Oblates of Mary Immaculate I have lately been reflecting on how the spirit of St. Eugene, his charism. continues to be alive and thriving today. Each person who shares in Eugene’s charsim adds their own spirit to that which has been shared with them. And rather than diluting it, the overall spirit only grows stronger because of it all that it is.
It seems to me that this is the way of the Saints. Like their communities they each retain/ed their own particular identities, their own uniqueness and yet are integral parts of and with the others. They are in communion with God and each other, as are members of communities – families.
A crude analogy, but it is the best way this morning that I am able to put words around what brings me immense hope and consolation. Being one with those who have gone before us, those around us and all those yet to come. I am quite unable to explain how I know this to be true – only to say that I believe it to be. And all these saints who love/d God in their hearts and who share/d this joy with others – we enter into communion with them when we do the same.
There is a oneness with it.
As for Eugene and the gift that he sent to the Pope – isn’t that how we love. We find or create something that is precious to us and then share that with others that we love. There is no greater pleasure than to give something to another and then to witness how it becomes a part of that person, a part of their life. It is how we imitate and become like each other – and that includes the saints.