The achievement of the ministry of confessions during the missions was obvious in every parish mission undertaken by the Oblates. Initially it was because of the situation caused by the French Revolution and its aftermath, and how this encounter filled the emptiness in the religious lives and spirituality of the people by inviting them to examine the quality and direction of their lives and to make changes.
A further reason was that, in the small villages where everyone knew everyone else and the priest was so involved in everyone’s lives, some people would have stayed away from the normal opportunities for confession because of a sense of shame, or a lack of objectivity on the part of the local priest. The advantage of foreign priests coming in who would then not be seen again was that it allowed people to open up with honesty. The missionaries were also not involved in the emotions of local affairs, and so could offer an objective uninvolved opinion.
The importance of this is attested in so many of Eugene’s writings. An example from 1860:
All our missions in France, England, Ireland and Scotland give us great consolations. God is blessing the steps of our missionaries; everywhere the work done far surpasses the strength of the workers, and I must confess I am a little worried about this. Can you imagine that at the last mission given by our Fathers in Ireland they heard the confessions of twelve thousand people and there were thirty thousand who actually wanted confession.
Letter to François Semeria, 8 July 1860, O.W. IV n. 51.