Eugene presents Bourellier as a man without the academic ability to have coped with the regular studies for the priesthood. Yet with his sensitivity for the most abandoned, Eugene did see the possibility of this young man functioning well within the support system of the Missionaries and to use his talents to the best of his ability within those protected circumstances of a community.
When I proposed you to His Grace the Archbishop for ordination, I forewarned him that you were profoundly ignorant, that it would not be possible to have you undergo the least examination, that you could not, in a word, be a priest or even a simple student outside a community, but I made myself the guarantor of your virtue, I would answer to him for your good will and I advised him that being irrevocably bound to our Society, you would always find therein the help that was indispensable to the feebleness of your learning, to your lack of general knowledge. These reasons decided him to ordain you.
Bourellier had spoken to Eugene about leaving the Missionaries, and consequently the support system that the community gave him.
In effect, you could not, without exposing yourself to sinning seriously, do the least priestly function outside the community. I thought you were convinced of that, I thought you also were imbued with the nature of your engagements in our Society, engagements so essential that you could not entertain in your mind thoughts which are contrary to them without sinning most gravely. However, you speak to me of leaving; you speak to me of dislike for the Rule, that is to say, the obedience which you have vowed as well as perseverance.
Letter to Hilarion Bourrelier, 27 August 1821, EO VI n 71
“Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival.” Carlos P. Romulo
I have read this a couple of times now and struggle with it. Loved the title. Loved the ending quote. But Eugene’s way with words seems to have escaped him. To me there has to have been a better way of telling Bourrelier this. Maybe I do not have the whole picture of this guy Bourrelier and how seriously he was wanting to leave Eugene and his missionaries or was he just fighting inner demons. Or was Eugene ‘reacting’ to his own hurt at the possibility of the man leaving the community – I say this remembering how he referred to the man who did leave their community – never to say his name again. But couldn’t Eugene have found a gentler tone somehow?
The whole idea though of a community embracing the weakness of an individual strikes a chord and I have seen that over and over again. I don’t know if it is because I am still on a ‘high’ from the retreat but looking at it, at others from the foot of the cross I am reminded that even the first 12 apostles each had their own brokenness and weaknesses and I think of Peter who denied Jesus three times. In fact, with the love and support of community there is strength and we find that indeed this is how we live, it is only through and with each other that we truly live and become more and more alive.
And even as I say this I see in my mind a few who I really struggle with and am not so willing to accord the love and understanding that I speak about above. Who are the Peters or the Bourreliers in my life (and in truth I do know who they are)? Whose eyes am I really looking and seeing them through? (Am I looking out through the eyes of Jesus, or simply out through the eyes of Eleanor?) If “Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival.” as Carlos Romulo says then their survival depends just as much on me as I do on them.
From this excerpt we don’t know what Bourreliers was rebelling against and what it is he wanted to do. Still, I don’t think much of Eugene putting him down in this manner. I don’t think Francis of Assisi would think very highly of Eugene in this circumstance for he (Francis) thought intellect got in the way of true faith – too much analysing, too much rationalizing.
I see Eugene’s love of Hilarion shining thru in his frank honesty about Hilarion’s capabilities and desire to leave the priesthood. It is clear that Eugene personally went out on a limb to seek the Bishop’s approval for Hilarion’s ordination and is dismayed that this will come to a bad end.
I agree his words like ‘ignorant, convey a certain condescending attitude but the overall message not to leave and that I And the community will always support and love you is very reassuring.
I find myself in self doubt and unworthiness at times and to know that others love me and support me unconditionally is very reassuring and helpful.
I love the ending quote. Where do you get these from?