Category Archives: DIARY

PARISH MISSIONS: ALWAYS CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE

Through personal contact the people were invited to an encounter with the Saviour. In that spirit of closeness, the missionaries visited the people of the smaller villages in their homes on the first days to establish contact with them and … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: THE EXAMPLE AND APPROACH OF THE MISSIONARIES CHANGES THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE

In the previous entry Eugene spoke about the initial coldness of the Mayor of Marignane towards the missionaries. They persevered in their efforts to win him over, and in Eugene’s diary entry four weeks’ later he describes a man with … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: NOT EVERYONE GAVE THE MISSIONARIES A WARM WELCOME

In describing the opening day of the mission in Marignane, Eugene had spoken about the warm welcome that the missionaries had received from the villagers. Noticeably absent were certain members of the middle class, the Mayor and the lay administrators … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: WARMLY WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE

Generally the parish missions were welcomed by the majority of the people of the villages, who had been starved of genuine religious renewal. The description that Eugene gives of the greeting they received in Marignane shows the intensity of the … Continue reading

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PARISH MISSIONS: IT IS GOD WHO MUST ACT THROUGH THE MISSIONARIES

Insofar as possible, the missionaries will arrive in the place of the mission on Sunday at the time for vespers. The pastor will see to it that all the bells were rung the previous evening to solemnly announce the mission. … Continue reading

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THE JOY EXPERIENCED BY THE PREACHER IN BEING AN INSTRUMENT OF GOD FOR OTHERS

Concluding the narrative of the blessing and opening of the chapel for the youth, Eugene tells how he preached, and was happy to see that his words bore fruit. As preacher, Eugene understood himself as being an instrument through whom … Continue reading

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THE YOUTH CONGREGATION BECOMES THE FIRST TO USE THE MISSION HOUSE IN AIX EN PROVENCE

We continue the narrative of the beginnings of the house in Aix en Provence – the place of birth of so many important aspects of our charism. The youth were the first to make use of the building. Thus the … Continue reading

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FUND-RAISING: DREAMS CANNOT MATERIALIZE WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF THOSE INVOLVED

 The poor state of the church necessitated expenditure to make it usable. Initially it was the choir – the internal chapel once used by the Carmelite sisters – that needed repair, and thereafter the church itself. The very first group … Continue reading

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FROM THE DEPTH OF HIS SOLITUDE, AND IN THE SILENCE OF THE NIGHT, HE WILL WATCH OVER THE MEMBERS OF THE YOUTH CONGREGATION

Brother Maur was a monk at a Trappist monastery near Paris. When Napoleon expelled the monks from their monastery in 1811, Brother Maur needed to earn a living and so was engaged by Eugene as a domestic first in Paris … Continue reading

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THE SUCCESS OF THE CONGREGANTS IS A PROOF THAT THE PIETY THEY PROFESS, FAR FROM HARMING THE PROGRESS OF THEIR STUDIES, HELPS THEM TO FULFIL ALL THEIR DUTIES WELL

Following the writings of Eugene in chronological order brings us today to the prize-giving ceremony at the college where many of the members of the youth congregation were studying. Eugene’s fatherly pride in the achievements of “his” youth shines through … Continue reading

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