Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Bishop Eugene had been horrified when he went to a church on a Marian feast and had seen that the statue of Mary had been so honored that the tabernacle had been used as its pedestal. He resolved to make sure that this abuse never happened again in his diocese. These two extracts from his Pastoral Letters, written 20 years apart, are an example of his teaching:

Thus it is the Son whom we honour in the person of the Mother and this is why, in our homage to Mary, it is impossible to overstep the limit, provided we consider her a creature, because God then always remains the supreme focus of all this homage.

Bishop Eugene’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Marseille, 8 July 1849.

We never give too much honour to the Blessed Virgin, provided devotion to her is understood and practised in the limited sense of what is due to a creature, however great and sublime she may be.

We must be careful however, lest we pay to ordinary images of God’s Mother a veneration whose external signs seem to obscure those required by the presence of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, the devotion which our faith and love addresses to the adorable Eucharist, must, in proportion to our humble means, be far superior to what we generally accommodate and have for Mary Immaculate.

Bishop Eugene’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Marseille, 21  December 1859.

In her, we recognize the model of the Church’s faith and of our own. (Constitution 10)

As much as Eugene loved Mary, he was always aware f the importance of never giving Mary the first place: she is honored only because she helps us to have a greater dedication to her Son.

Mary’s power of intercession and maternal love are acclaimed everywhere, and in our day devotion to her has increased to a wonderful extent. It is in the highest honour as it was in times of great faith. We bless the Lord for this. This multiple homage honouring the Mother of God marks a period of renewal in faith. From Mary, it reaches her divine Son, since is so greatly honoured only because she is the Mother of Jesus Christ. Mary’s name is invoked with so much of confidence, that she may intercede for us with her divine Son, who is thereby acknowledged as the author of all grace.

Bishop Eugene’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Marseille, 21  December 1859.

She received Christ in order to share him with all the world, whose hope he is. (Constitution 10)

For Eugene, Marian shrines were special places of mission for the Oblates. Together with our patroness, the Oblates were able to imitate her in making the Savior present in the lives of those they ministered to.

On our arrival at Notre-Dame de l’Osier to make a visitation of the new establishment that divine Providence has entrusted to our Congregation, our first concern was to thank the Lord for the remarkable favour he was pleased to bestow on us in calling us to this shrine to restore the devotion to the Most Holy Virgin, and to draw from the bosom of this good Mother the graces needed by the members of our Institute to accomplish worthily the apostolic ministry they are to do in these regions.

Act of Visitation of the house of N.D.de L’Osier, July 16, 1835

He expresses this sentiment even more clearly in praising the mission of our first Marian sanctuary, Notre Dame du Laus. The same sentiment remains true of all our Marian shrines today is many countries.

Surely this is an enchanting spectacle! When we consider that the Lord in this single place presents our Congregation with the means powerfully to achieve all the ends of its Institute — for also from here our missionaries go forth to evangelize all the people of the environs and even farther afield, and this family centre is definitely one of the most famous shrines of our holy Mother and Patron – we have ample reason to be swept away by consoling happiness, or, better still, ample reason to humble ourselves before God in our helplessness fully to appreciate such a gift, such evident protection. 

Act of Visitation of the house of N.D. du Laus, October 18, 1835

Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)

The personal consecration of the Missionaries was something that they shared with the people in their ministry. During the parish missions they always organized a procession focused on Mary. Eugene wrote,

The consecration to the Blessed Virgin is made when the procession held in honour of the Mother of God comes back; it is obligatory. It is made from the pulpit, before the Blessed Virgin’s statue, placed on a throne, as beautiful as the locality can provide.

Letter to Fr. Bruno Guigues, 5 November 1837, EO. IX n. 652

The procession was meant to lead the people to make a personal and community act of commitment to following Mary’s Gospel example of discipleship as Christians, and of having Mary as intercessor and guide.

The recitation of the rosary and the teaching and dissemination of its use as a Gospel meditation prayer also formed part of the program of the missions.

Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)

Eugene’s vision for the Oblates:

My consistent thought has always been that our little family should consecrate itself to God and to the service of the Church through the vows of religion.

Rambert, I p. 187

Mary is the model and accompanier of our consecration

May we truly understand who we are! I hope that the Lord will grant us this grace, with the assistance and protection of our holy Mother, the Immaculate Mary, to whom we must have great devotion in our Congregation. Does it not seem to you that it is a sign of predestination to bear the name of Oblates of Mary, that is, consecrated to God under the patronages of Mary, whose name the Congregation bears, like a family name shared with the most holy and Immaculate Mother of God?

To Fr. Tempier in Marseilles, 20 March 1826, EO VII n. 231

As we are guided by the charism and try to live our lives in its spirit, we are never alone.

Admit that it will be as glorious as it will be consoling for us to be consecrated to her in a special manner and to bear her name.

The Oblates of Mary!

This name satisfies the heart and the ear.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 22 December 1825, EO VI n 213

Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)

The witness of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Canada immediately drew others to join us in our vocation. Fr. Damase Dandurand was the first Canadian to become an Oblate. Eugene wrote to him:

I could not receive, my dear Father Dandurand, a more agreeable present for the holy season of Christmas than the letter you wrote on the occasion of your approaching oblation. When it was delivered to me, your consecration to God had already taken place and you were decidedly one of us, that is, you had become member of a body which has Mary for Mother and which, under her patronage, wherever her members are to be found, wages the battles of the Lord to destroy the empire of the demon and spread with all its might the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Already, I know, you have put to the test your strength in this warfare and by divine grace you have reaped abundant blessings.

Letter to Fr. Dandurand, February 1843, EO I n 15b

However we express our commitment in the Oblate Family, we can be assured we have “become members of a body which has Mary for Mother and which, under her patronage” we can bring the Good News of salvation to those most in need – and be protected against the power of evil.

Open to the Spirit, she consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Saviour. (Constitution 10)

Each year of Eugene’s seminary formation began with a retreat.

Up to now I can only speak of the life we are leading during the retreat, which is now unfortunately coming to an end. We are finishing tomorrow with a feast which fills the seminary with its fragrance and is proper to it. It is the feast of the Interior Life of the Holy Virgin, that is to say of all the virtues and the greatest marvels of the Almighty. What a lovely feast! And how fully I am going to celebrate with the most holy Virgin all the great things God did in her! 

Oh, what an advocate at God’s side! Let us be dedicated to her; she is the glory of women. 

Letter to his grandmother, 18 October 1810, EO XIV n 29

Eugene’s devotion to Mary was always connected with God. She was the marvelous instrument who witnessed to the wonders God worked in her and in people through the incarnation.

With her example and intercession, she constantly focuses us on Jesus.

Mary Immaculate is patroness of our Congregation.

Constitution 10

We go back to 1822. In the midst of all his concerns for the survival of his newly-founded Missionary family, Eugene celebrated the feast of the Assumption. It was a moment which was to leave a permanent impression on our Oblate Charismatic Family.

Eugene’s letters of 1822 show the many concerns and difficulties he was experiencing. Not least among these was his worry about the survival and future of his small group of Missionaries. It was in this spirit that he blessed the new statue in the chapel, which became the opportunity for a powerful life-giving insight. He immediately wrote to Henri Tempier, who was in Laus.

I believe I owe to her also a special experience that I felt today; I will not go so far as to say more than ever, but certainly more than usual.

Eugene was usually very reticent about describing his deep spiritual experiences. His “more than usual” experience was connected with the life of the Missionaries of Provence, who were experiencing external difficulties and whose future existence was in the balance.

I cannot describe it too well because it covered several things, but all related to a single object, our dear Society.

He then described the confirmation that he received that the foundation of the Missionaries had come from God and that God assured him of a solid future for this group.

It seemed to me that what I saw, what I could put my finger on, was that within it lies hidden the seed of very great virtues, and that it can achieve infinite good; I found it worthy, everything pleased me about it, I appreciated its rules, its statutes; its ministry seemed awe-inspiring to me, as it is indeed. As I looked at the Society I found in it a sure, even infallible, means of salvation. 

Letter to Henri Tempier, 15 August 1822, EO VI n 86

Here we understand why Mary is the mother and patroness of our Oblate Family. She smiled at Eugene and c0ntinues to smile today at his Oblate Family and each of us.

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