Some background information on this new mission in Marseille:
With the official, and laboriously written letter in his possession, Father de Mazenod left that same day with Brother Suzanne, followed closely after by Fathers Maunier and Moreau, since the installation was scheduled to take place the following day, May 6. Although improvised, the ceremony was nonetheless surrounded with a brilliance and solemnity worthy of the city. Father Vigne, the vicar-general residing in Marseilles, presided in the name of Bishop de Bausset. A long procession, including the clergy of the city, confraternities of penitents, Brothers of the Christian Schools, all the pastors and an immense crowd left Saint Martin’s church to escort the Founder and his three confreres to the shrine confided to their care. All four were given a place of honor in the procession, behind the ordinary pastors and directly in front of the canons.
Leflon Volume 2, p. 182
Their ministry to the pilgrims at the Calvaire took off immediately. Two years later:
In 1823, Father Dupuy said that the number of pilgrims was increasing. On certain feastdays, the enclosure, which could only contain several thousand, was more than filled with people who came especially from the populated city sections that surrounded Le Calvaire. Here the missionaries found themselves in their real element. Zealously they applied themselves to serving the needs of the pilgrim poor.
Yvon Beaudoin, “Marseilles, Le Calvaire” in Oblate Historical Dictionary, Volume 1
“Religion points to that area of human experience where in one way or another a person comes upon mystery as a summons to pilgrimage.” Frederick Buechner
Don’t you just hate it when you think that there is nothing here for you and then suddenly a light is turned on and you find it’s your truth staring you in the face? I laughed gently this morning as I read how once Eugene accepted and said yes to serving the needs of the pilgrim poor, they celebrated his entrance to the site and how successful it was. Even as early as then Eugene was allowing God to show him and his Oblates a new way of recognizing and serving the poor, giving a new face to the poor and a new way to preach the gospel. I remember being told a few years ago as I hesitated to take on a leadership role with a group, that I should not worry about, because if it was of God it would grow and thrive and last. Great! Sometimes it hard to separate if its of God or if it’s just of ‘me’ wanting or saying its of God. Thank you God for giving me people to pray and help me in my discernment as Brother Suzanne did with Eugene.
This morning as I reflected on how God initiates all, how God is the lover and I am but one who responds to that love, I am perhaps one who can somehow try to reflect back that love. I look at how Eugene accepted and lived that, how he opened himself to God and to all of God’s people, whatever their poverty was. This morning I dare for one brief moment in time to look at how we all are on a pilgrimage and how we are all called to serve each other in our poverty. This morning I acknowledge that awesome love of God and ask how might I reflect it out to those who pass my door on their pilgrimage. Who will be the pilgrims passing my door and how shall I open it so that God’s love will be reflected upon them?