Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Writing to his confidant, Henri Tempier, Eugene speaks of the efforts he has made to prepare for the visit to the Pope. Above all, he prayed fervently for the success of this mission.

When will my return be possible? I shall soon know for the Pope is expecting me; everyone has announced my visit to him and still I do not appear before him. It is on purpose that I did not wish to present myself before some Cardinals and other principal Prelates would have spoken to him about me. Now I can delay no longer and all the more so because when Mgr. Mazio asked for an audience for me, he had the kindness to say to this prelate: “But I am waiting for him; the Cardinal Secretary has already informed me.” If you only knew how apprehensive I am on seeing the moment come when I shall explain to him the principal purpose of my journey! Another person would perhaps be satisfied with having obtained what has already been granted very willingly and, I assure you, would know full well that so he should be.

 In any event, I have armed myself with all natural and supernatural aids by praying, asking for prayers, offering the holy sacrifice, invoking all the saints with all the fervour I could call upon. God will now guide his Vicar’s heart. I shall neglect nothing in explaining my request, nothing whatever that is apt to make the most impression on his mind; I have put down in writing the principal points and shall leave them in his hands. But if there is a general policy that opposes us, we must be resigned and consider ourselves fortunate to have what we have already obtained. One of my motives for wishing to delay in presenting myself was to have already in hand what I have mentioned above, just in case.

Letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 18 December 1825, EO VII n. 212.

 Here at least, my dear Tempier, the days of fasting are days of penance, especially for Provençals who cannot, whatever effort they make, swallow the detestable oil they eat in Rome. On rogation days, they observe what is called the strict minimum, that is to say, eggs and dairy products are forbidden. I thank God for my invincible repugnance for the foul oil and have contented myself these days solely with a piece of boiled fish on which I have squeezed half a lemon. Mgr. d’Isoard had wished that I dine with him; I took care not to accept his pressing offer because I admit that I felt nothing would have replaced the happiness that I experienced in doing three days of penance in the true sense and the real spirit of the Church.

Letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 18 December 1825, EO VII n. 212

Eugene was living at San Silvestro during this time and wrote about some of the older priests he spoke to who were an inspiration to him

I am grateful to God for having placed me in a situation where I could marvel at such sustained good conduct. There is only one thing that really bothers me, that, even though I am far behind them in virtue, they all smother me with every sort of consideration and treat me with respect I certainly do not merit.

He then refers to St. Giuseppe Maria Tomasi, of the Theatine Regular clergy who had been beatified in 1803, and was canonized the following century in 1986.

Besides living with such holy people, there is another remarkable circumstance which often during the day furnishes me with some good thoughts; that is, that Blessed Tomasi lived forty years in this same house, which seems to be completely imbued with the good odour of his virtues, and that my venerable master, venerable Don Bartolo Zinelli died here in the odour of sanctity, since they attribute several miracles and various prophecies to him; I came across the plaster mould that retraced his features, and his body rests in the church where I have the daily good fortune of celebrating holy Mass.

Roman Diary, 15 December 1825, EO XVII

Eugene recalls and prays for the deceased members of his family. He also refers here to his older sister, Charlotte Élisabeth Eugénie, who died at the age of 5 in 1784 when Eugene was only two years old.

Today again I fulfilled what is prescribed to gain the jubilee indulgence for the holy souls in purgatory, according to the indult granted to this effect by the Supreme Pontiff. I visited the church of Saint Lawrence in Damaso and the designated altars. May God render profitable to the holy souls, especially the souls of my dear relatives, the suffrages I applied to them.

 My father, who died so saintly in my arms, my dear grandmother whom I so tenderly loved, my grandfathers, my great uncle, my aunt, who assuredly came to mind as they are always present with me at Mass. I don’t know why I also mentioned my sister who died so young; but it is out of affection that my dear little niece Caroline also daily appears in this picture, since she certainly doesn’t need my prayers. But, that is what my heart is like, it cannot forget anyone it loves, living or dead.

Roman Diary, 15 December 1825, EO XVII

A rather realistic description of a funeral wake which was a stark reminder to Eugene of the Ash Wednesday words: “Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return.”

I was busy at home all morning. After dinner, I went to the Colonna palace to see Cardinal Ercolani, laid out in death on an ornamental bier. I expected to see a brilliant chapel, something magnificent. I saw only a large canopy on which was placed, at a great height, the body of the deceased cardinal in soutane, surplice and mantelletta with a red biretta on his head. The bier on which the body was placed was very vast, covered with a large golden cloth. Only four candles were burning around it. Many people filed past to see this spectacle which grieved me more than satisfied my curiosity, since, apart from the lackeys’ indifference which I noticed while passing through the first antechamber, I felt a kind of horror at seeing a number of flies devouring the eyes, nose and mouth of the deceased, an outrage from which his high rank did not exempt him no more than it will protect him from the voracity of the worms which will soon take charge of these remains as of a prey surrendered to them.

Roman Diary, 12 December 1825, EO XVII

In the evening of the beatification, Eugene participated in a jubilee pilgrimage walk to St Peter’s.

The Monsignor Dean of the Rota, in his prelate’s garb, carried the crucifix, I was beside wearing my soutane and long coat. As we went along, we sang the litany of the saints and I felt a real pleasure in making the streets of the Christian world re-echo my voice, singing the praises of God. When we arrived at Saint Peter’s we were presented for veneration by the faithful the famous relics of the Passion, such as the wood of the true cross, the holy lance, etc.

 I was deeply moved by the profound silence which reigned in that entire basilica during this ceremony. Everyone was kneeling in the most pious prayer. Nevertheless, it was an immense crowd. I should remark in this regard, what I have noticed ever since I came to Rome, continually making the rounds of churches; that I have noticed always and everywhere there has been the greatest respect, and that the piety of the faithful, who are however all ordinary people, poor peasants, most of them in rags, always edifies me more and more.

Roman Diary, 18 December 1825, EO XVII

Third Sunday of Advent: I have an insatiable appetite for seeing Church ceremonies when they are carried out with dignity. That’s why I gladly returned to the papal chapel. The Sovereign Pontiff did not attend so a Cardinal officiated once more and nothing is more majestic than to see this noble assembly.

Roman Diary 11 December 1825, EO XVII

A week later he was back in St. Peter’s.

This was a memorable day. I went to Saint Peter’s where Archbishop Mazio had me placed in a privileged spot, where I was able to see and hear everything marvellously. First of all, I saw the entire part of Saint Peter’s church from the confession to the far end where Saint Peter’s chair is, held up by four Doctors of the Church, two Latin and two Greek, lit up by a prodigious number of candles, for the day of the beatification of Blessed Angelo d’Acri, priest and Capuchin missionary, whose covered image was hung up at a great height, all surrounded with torches.

Roman Diary 11 December 1825, EO XVII

Describing the beatification ceremony to Fr Tempier:

Here is another of these missionaries beatified; they all have the same method and in ten or twelve days put on a mission for you with all that belongs or goes with it. That gives us courage and hope. I had been assured that the Pope would come down to pray before the newly Blessed and indeed that is what happened. So I had the consolation of being present for the inaugural ceremony for this saint, to whom I commended myself strongly, placing all of you under his protection, as well as the happiness of seeing and contemplating at leisure the Head of the Church. I cannot describe to you the impression made on my soul by the Vicar of Jesus Christ. I looked at him, it is true, with eyes of a lively faith; so I experienced feelings that were certainly not shared by most of the people close to me who only looked out of curiosity. He prayed with great fervour and I quietly united myself to him.

Letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 18 December 1825, EO VII n. 212

After many weeks of absence from the Oblates in France, Eugene expressed his frustration at hw slowly things moved in Rome, and how much he missed his community.

Were I to pay attention to myself, I now have had my fill of Rome; I cannot accustom myself to live in separation from those I love, I have no pleasure away from them. Oh! how happy we will be in heaven when we are all there together! Then there will be no more journeys, no more separation and although absorbed in God we will love our friends more than ever. His intuitive vision of God did not prevent Jesus Christ from loving men, and amongst them, some more than others. That is how it is, however it pleases refined mystics to wish to give us, for the sake of perfection, another nature which assuredly would not be worth that which we have from God. So much so that there is no happiness for me, separated from those who are mine!

 Judge from that how saddened I must be at seeing how matters proceed here. It is a world in which there are nine months of vacation in the year. Business in consequence is done very slowly

Roman Diary, 9 December 1825, EO XVII

The Vatican officials were not hopeful that the Pope would give his approbation to the Oblates as this was not the custom at this time of the foundation of so many religious societies in France. In this atmosphere of lack of hope, Eugene continued to use every means at his disposal to gain a positive reponse, yet he remained reaslistic.

I have not yet seen the Holy Father and I am not annoyed at that because I am not yet prepared. Only yesterday did I finish the petition which I propose to present to him; I filled four pages of large paper. Before composing it, I had to work on the language. Shall I tell you? They give me little hope. Cardinal de Gregorio, to whom I had been warmly recommended from Turin and who has treated me with much friendship, who has already given me a dinner and a thousand courtesies, has told me positively that he does not believe that the Pope would give his formal approbation;

 … I have begged the Cardinal to speak to the Pope beforehand in my favour; he will not fail. I had previously seen the Cardinal Vicar who, it seems, will have spoken to him of me. If the audience is delayed a little, other Cardinals will be able to render me the same service. In the meantime, I have not wasted my time and since graces ought, in the absence of all else, to signify something, I have asked some which will carry weight. For this I have gone to see the prelate who is Secretary of the Propaganda, who is disposed not to refuse me anything. He will present my requests immediately to the Pope.

 I am going tomorrow to see the Cardinal Secretary of State but it is the audience with the Pope which will decide the matter. If he refuses to give the brief, I will leave immediately after Christmas; if he dithers or if he yields to my wishes, then we shall see. We will know where we stand seemingly in the course of next week.

Letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 9 December 1825, EO VII n. 211

In his petition to the Pope, Eugene stressed the benefits which their Rule had brought to the Missionaries. Now he asked that the Pope fortify their mission by giving the Rule his approval.

Now this family of which Your Holiness is the beloved father, this family completely devoted to the Church, to the Holy Apostolic See and to the sacred person of Your Holiness, begs you to add to the foresaid benefits already granted that of giving it a consistence which it cannot acquire except from Your Holiness, from whom it confidently awaits the formal approval that Your Holiness will deign to give to its Rules.

 The experience of almost ten years proves that these Rules are suitable for helping the members of the Society achieve the goals they have set for themselves. The approval of seven noteworthy bishops such as the Archbishop of Aix and the Bishops of Marseilles, Gap, Digne, Fréjus, Nimes and Nice are a second guarantee, equally certain, that the Missionaries dare to present to Your Holiness.

 Most Holy Father, deign to affix the final seal and consolidate for ever such an important work by fortifying it with pontifical approval and your apostolic blessing.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48