Category Archives: WRITINGS

April 23: Holy day of Easter. General elections. No episcopal office nor High Mass. I went to vote for the first time since I have been bishop. Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 23 April 1848, EO XXI Despite the progressive euphoria … Continue reading →

On the Sunday of the General Elections, the faithful will do their utmost to reconcile the duty of hearing Mass with that of casting their vote; those for whom this would be impossible are exempt from the obligation to hear … Continue reading →

We urge you all to do so, confident that this great act of your social life will be performed in the sight of the Lord, with a spirit of duty and according to the impulses of a conscience strongly dominated … Continue reading →

We continue to read Bishop Eugene’s Pastoral Letter to the people of Marseilles on the forthcoming elections: You will therefore strive, our dear brothers, to implore heaven by your most fervent supplications, but you will not restrict yourselves to expressing … Continue reading →

Religion, whose interests are above those of this world, as much as the soul is above the body, also shows us its sacred cause closely linked to that of the country… May the Lord grant his Church that justice may … Continue reading →

Eugene saw the positive train of events taking place in France as contributing to a participation God’s plan of salvation for all. But in order for the Almighty hand, that has designed these divine plans from all eternity, to unfold … Continue reading →

Eugene saw the positive train of events taking place in France as contributing to a participation God’s plan of salvation for all. But in order for the Almighty hand, that has designed these divine plans from all eternity, to unfold … Continue reading →

The National Assembly would construct a new constitution, which Eugene portrayed as an invisible building encompassing all the citizens of France. Its builders and protectors would be the politicians in the National Assembly.  He invited the people of Marseilles to … Continue reading →

The new provisional government in France decided to establish a constituent assembly which would govern the new Republic of France. It was decided that the members would be elected by a universal vote in which all the men of France … Continue reading →

The new Republic seemed to bode well for the Church. Eugene noted in his diary: It appeared that, in this revolution, it was being said that homage be given to religion and to its clergy; that’s a reason for lending … Continue reading →