Author Archives: franksantucci

Realizing that the Bishop had misinformed them about the true situation, Fr. Telmon and his companions lost heart. Eugene consoled them with the bigger picture: In founding the house of Pittsburgh in the United States, you are laying the foundations … Continue reading →

“Fathers Adrien Telmon, Augustin Gaudet and the scholastic Eugène Cauvin were appointed to staff the major seminary and they left on September 15, taking over the seminary on October 3. They found that there were only six students, lodged in … Continue reading →

“Bishop Michael O’Connor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was passing through Marseilles at the end of 1843 and he asked Bishop de Mazenod for some Oblates for the major seminary in Pittsburgh. The Founder’s reply was negative because of lack of personnel. … Continue reading →

I take occasion in speaking of this to recommend that you greatly insist on our Canadian Fathers, correcting their accent and taking as a model the pronunciation of the English with whom they live. They are young enough to succeed … Continue reading →

The Oblate missionaries in Oregon were doing first evangelization and thus had no income and infrastrucure. They relied on grants from the Society of the Propagation of the Faith, to whom Eugene wrote: These missionaries do not appeal to your … Continue reading →

Saint Eugene will take a pause in writing new reflections until August 12. In the meantime there are 3115 daily reflections you can access from the home page (www.eugenedemazenod.net ) So St Eugene still speaks!  

Instead of deterring young Oblates from volunteering for the foreign missions, the narratives of the Oblates, and all their hardships and challenges in making Jesus the Savior known, spurred them on to desire to be courageous missionaries themselves. Nothing is … Continue reading →

What can I say of our men in Oregon and on the shores of the Red River? For food they have a little bacon, they have no bed but the bare ground, and with that they are content and happy … Continue reading →

Eugene encourages his Oblates in Oregon in their disappointment at being so coldly received by the bishop. He invites them to focus on what is the unchanging ideal of their vocation: oblation for the salvation of souls as is expressed … Continue reading →

In 1847, Eugene had responded to the invitation of the local bishops to send Oblates to work in present-day Oregon and Washington states. He had chosen Father Pascal Ricard, one Oblate Brother and three scholastics for this new mission. It … Continue reading →