Frustrated by the interminable delays in the process of all ten cardinals having to read the text of the Oblate Rule before a judgment could be reached, Eugene decided to propose a shortcut.
I am going to try something, but cannot be sure of its success that is, to beg Cardinal Pacca to request the Pope on my behalf to consent that the report of the Cardinal ponent be presented to him without the affair having to pass through so many hands, which would keep me here more than the good of the diocese and of the family would permit. If the Cardinal agrees to present my request and the Pope consents to it, we will be all right; otherwise, I shall languish here for still a very long time, for you can see the time that it will take. Cardinal Pedicini will not be able to hand on the dossier to him who comes after him until the end of next week, and there are seven after him.
All this was taking its toll on Eugene’s nerves
Believe me, I take no rest; I will go to the thermal baths on my return for admittedly this operation cannot be accomplished without stress. Nevertheless, I am in the best of health, physically and mentally – it truly seems that the good God wills me to pursue my task while united to him, and he does not let me offend him, at least not in a manner I can perceive.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 5 January 1826, EO VII n 216
“To reach a port, we must sail – sail, not tie at anchor – sail, not drift.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Waiting – while others go about studying a problem, or a process, evaluating, judging, discerning. Wondering if they will really understand, wanting to make sure they do. Wanting, waiting. This seems to take nothing less than grace. Eugene had to continue to be there, to answer any questions or issues that might come up (even though it looks like he had everything pretty well covered in his rules). He took the risks involved in daring to suggest a change in how the process might work (suggesting there be only three Cardinals to review his rules instead of the eight). There is a quality of powerlessness and vulnerability in Eugene’s waiting. And for his men, his family back in France who he missed and who most assuredly missed him – they too had to have been experiencing the natural loss of not having Eugene in their immediate midst, missing him, wondering how long it would take to receive approval and acceptance by the Church for the way of life they were called to, chosen for. Risky to keep living that way. They too were waiting as they went about their days, doing what needed to be done, doing and being what they were called to. They too knew how busy the Cardinals were and how their business was just a small part of that of the Pope and the Cardinals. Hoping above hope that they would surely receive the approval of the Pope and the Church. It took such a long time to hear from Rome in those times, and Rome seemed to be such an impossibly long way from their part of France.
It seemed to be about how they waited and went about their daily business of living. They all were united in and with God and so it was their life in and with God that sustained them, helped them to sustain each other, gave them the way to keep them from giving up or into something lesser. I wonder how many of them secretly (or not) told themselves they could do no less for this was the life they were called to? It was/is only their/our unity with God preventing them/us from languishing/quitting and walking away.