The Oblates were committed to the welfare of the local church, and this included providing good ministers either as Oblate missionaries or as diocesan priests.
Be assured, Bishop, that we will neglect nothing to prepare ministers for the Church who are worthy to serve her. We have the consolation of seeing the Lord bless the efforts of our zeal for his glory, but it would be too happy a situation if we did not have to grieve over the infidelity to grace in the case of some of them.
During 1825 several novices had left the Missionaries, and Fathers Bernard Vachon and Jean Joseph Touche, both from the Diocese of Digne, were on their way to doing so. For Eugene it was always a cruel blow when people did not remain faithful to their commitments.
We must share in the bitterness felt by the most Sacred Heart of Jesus at the treason of Judas. If I can judge by the sadness that I feel in regard to this kind of infidelity, it must have been excessive. It is a cruel balance to the delight that I reap from the perfection of life led by all those who are submissive to our Rule.
Letter to Bishop Miollis of Digne, 22 June 1825, EO XIII n. 46
From our Rule of life:
“We will help each other find joy and fulfilment in our community life and in our apostolate, supporting one another in our resolution to be faithful to the Congregation, whatever the circumstances which could provoke its dispersal or tempt us to withdraw from it.”
CC&RR, Constitution 29
“Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is undermining the Church’s credibility.” Pope Francis
I have read this over a few times and wondered what if anything there was here for me, a lay person who has felt called to a specific way of living and sharing in the charism of St Eugene. I believe there is.
“We will help each other find joy and fulfilment in our community life and in our apostolate, supporting one another in our resolution to be faithful to the Congregation, whatever the circumstances which could provoke its dispersal or tempt us to withdraw from it.” “We will help each other find joy and fulfillment….” what an incredibly inviting statement. This to me is community, family. To me this is a ‘growing’ kind of statement, a ‘widening’ type of statement, one that is open and inclusive. We will help each other….
I am reminded of St. Eugene going out to the poor, the ignored, the uneducated, the ‘others’ to share with them the love of God. I am thinking of how he tore down literally the divider, the separating wall in the church so that there was enough space for all. What had been practiced for hundreds of years in the church – he changed it. He was trying to ensure that the church was able to minister to all.
I am thinking this morning of our parishes, where many from all walks of life are invited to join in with us in not only our Sunday worship and praise, but the rest of the week as well, becoming an extended family, in living a specific way, whatever that might look like. We walk with each other, learning from each other, sharing with each other, growing with each other.
I wonder what he might look like were Eugene to walk or drive down our streets today in the 21st century. Who would he see as the ‘other’. Who would he speak to? Who would he invite to walk and work with him? Interesting – it is still in looking at the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a congregation, a community, that I find myself.
Tug of war. There is a tug of war going on in my heart between the secular world and the world of Jesus. The Oblates constantly remind me by their witness that the Truth is the truth. I struggle between secular thinking (the world has changed, Faith is old fashioned, irrelevant, niave etc) and the Oblates are right to remind me that Jesus is our Saviour and will always be so regardless of what the world does or doesn’t do.
It is reassuring for me to have St Eugene’s steadfast example and wisdom. I must listen, ponder and put into action the love for the ‘poor’ and for the community members he exudes.
Oh Lord, help me to remember your words and put them into action in my life every day.