Category Archives: WRITINGS

The Oblate General Chapter was cut short: During this interval, cholera, which was winding its way around the city for some time, broke out with much greater intensity. I hurriedly sent home all of our fathers, keeping here only those … Continue reading →

Eugene’s travels ended with his returning to Marseilles for the General Chapter of the Missionary Oblates, an important decision-making gathering that takes place every six years. This reunion is rather touching for a father, surrounded by his sons. Eugene de … Continue reading →

Throughout his life, Eugene always considered the day of his baptism the most important day of his life. (cf https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=160 ) The anniversary of my baptism. Before leaving St-Martin to go to Marseilles, I said, at the Mass, with a … Continue reading →

On his birthday Eugene looked back on 56 years of life, and focused on 26 years of priestly service, seeing them as part of a journey which he began at a sprint but was now reduced to little steps. At … Continue reading →

On his 56th birthday, Eugene was spending a few days at his sister’s summer home at St Martin de Pallières. Out on an excursion in a horse-drawn carriage he narrated: Coming back to St. Martin, my brother-in-law and I tipped … Continue reading →

Eugene narrates the moving experience of ministering to the prisoner condemned to death: All the prisoners and some other people took part in it. Fathers Lagier and Mille served at the altar. We obtained permission for the condemned man to … Continue reading →

Eugene had gone to the city of Gap to perform an ordination, but it was cancelled at the last moment. But the good God had not brought me to Gap for that reason. In the depths of a jail cell … Continue reading →

Eugene’s willingness to give the sacraments to a prisoner condemned to death went against the attitudes of many of the local priests and authorities who were still entrenched in the principles of Jansenism. That good Father Lagier, all entrenched in … Continue reading →

“COME AND I WILL SHOW YOU WHO YOU ARE IN THE EYES OF GOD” These words come from the first recorded sermon of Eugene de Mazenod as a young priest as he began his ministry to the most abandoned in … Continue reading →

A prisoner condemned to death wished to receive the sacraments, but many clergy followed the Jansenistic practice of not doing this. Eugene was visiting the Diocese of Gap. In the absence of the local bishop, he wanted to bring God’s … Continue reading →