Eugene spent 13 days at St Laurent, compiling a Rule of 55 hand-written pages. His early biographer, Jeancard, described him poetically as being like Moses “going up to Mount Sinai to receive the Commandments of God.”
This was not quite the case – although the process of writing was certainly done in a spirit of prayer and discernment of the will of God. This is why he was able to say with conviction to the Oblates near the end of his life:
For my part, my very dear Sons, I will be content to sum up my advice in this single recommendation: read and meditate upon your Holy Rule. In the Rule you will find the secret of your perfection; it contains all that is necessary to lead you to God.
Circular Letter 1, 2 August 1853, O.W. XII
It is clear that the bulk of the work had been done in the preceding years. It became the occasion to put into words the spirit according to which he had lived during the events of the preceding years.
In compiling the Rule of the Missionaries of Provence in 1818, Eugene walked on solid ground.
Firstly he drew on his own experience of the sound formation he had received at St. Sulpice and on how he had lived this in practice in his life and ministry for nearly seven years since his ordination.
His ideals and rules for the Youth Congregation had been tried and tested and he brought this experience with him.
To this was added the experience of nearly three years of existence of the Missionaries of Provence and their practice of community living and ministry of proclamation of the Word of God through missions in Provence and ministry in Aix.
It was all this which Eugene brought with him and expressed in the Rule. Throughout the Rule he aimed at communicating that which imbued him to act and the attitude that was particular to this group of missionaries. By means of the Rule as a guide and instrument of formation he aimed at communicating the spirit that was to imbue their life and ministry.
Today, Constitution 163 invites the members of the Mazenodian family to continue being inspired by Eugene’s spirit as enshrined in the Constitutions and Rules:
The Constitutions and Rules set out a privileged means for each Oblate to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. They are inspired by the charism lived by the Founder and his first companions; also, they have received the approval of the Church. Thus, they allow each Oblate to evaluate the quality of his response to his vocation and to become a saint.
That sense that the C&R are founded on the lived reality of Eugene and the Community is essential. Today at the past Chapter, the same is true. Looking at our lived reality defines who we are. This calls for both an individual and communal honesty and integrity. “Read and meditate on your Holy Rule” sums up our disposition to the C&R -Openness!