The presentation of Eugene’s request to the Pope to shorten the approbation process turned out to be interminably linked with the saga of a cardinal’s health!
I will have nothing new to tell you concerning the matter for which I am here, until tomorrow, that is, if Cardinal Pacca, with whom I dined yesterday, does not forget to present to the Pope the request that I am trying to make to him.
The next day:
Cardinal Pacca, being rather indisposed, has not been to his audience with the Pope this morning, so there is no new development. If he has improved on Friday, which is his second audience day, he will do what he would have done today; let us pray in the meantime for holy patience.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 10 January 1826, EO VII n 217
On the Friday we see Eugene’s nerves becoming more frazzled.
One must have patience in these affairs, my dear friend; I pray the good God to give me some so that I may not lose the merit of my trials. I had told you that it was agreed with Cardinal Pacca that he would propose, last Tuesday, that the Pope accept the examination made by the Cardinal ponent after the latter had conferred about it with him, prefect of the Congregation, before they would subsequently present their work to the Holy Father. But that Tuesday the Cardinal was indisposed and did not go to the Pope. I was hoping that matters would mend today and went purposely yesterday evening to the Secretary of the Cardinal so as to have him remind his Eminence about the matter and find out at the same time if he intended to have his audience. I was assured that his Eminence would go and was promised that before midnight he would be informed of the purpose of my visit. This morning found me in the Secretary of State’s salon at the time I thought my Cardinal was with the Pope. By chance I mentioned him to a gentleman next to me. He assured me that the Cardinal had not left his house and, as I appeared to doubt his assertion, he did not fail to reveal that this had been prescribed by himself whence I concluded that it was his doctor.
You can imagine the pleasure this fellow gave me with his verdict.
On leaving the Vatican, I sent someone to the Cardinal’s house to find out what the situation was; the report came back that his Eminence had not gone out. He suffers from occasional attacks of rheumatism. So if this time of year is an obstacle to his going out, and rheumatism is incurable, he is finished for the whole winter.
That is how amusing the situation is…
The following week:
I have seen Cardinal Pacca. Alas! I dare not tell you he will see the Pope tomorrow; he assured me however that he would take means to shorten the work. He seems to be annoyed at being the cause of a delay which he knows is grieving me very much; but how to fend off a doctor’s orders coupled with the threat of seeing the malady become incurable if his prescriptions are disobeyed? I intimated mildly that I also had rheumatism in a thigh which I dragged along all the time on streets and high roads.
Three days later:
January 17. – It has turned cold only two days ago and today the icy wind here known as the tramontana is fairly strong. This is by way of telling you that Cardinal Pacca will not have dared to go up to the Vatican. I am not yet sure of it but I expect presently, when I go round to his dwelling, to hear myself being told: His Eminence has not left the house because of the bad weather …. So I am going out to learn that my Cardinal, intimidated by his doctor, is staying near his fireplace…
What I had foreseen has happened, the Cardinal did not go out. It is however a fine day and the sun shines but it is cold. What can be done? No one is surprised here, affairs simply do not move any quicker than this. Would that there be an end of it! And these delays give time to others to stir up trouble, apart from the prospect that the Pope may fall ill again..
Letter to Henri Tempier, started on 13 January 1826, EO VII n 218
Finally, two days after this, the Cardinal was eventually well enough to speak with the Pope The request was granted, and the Pope had allowed the formation of a commission composed of three Cardinals and Bishop Marchetti, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars.
“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” Napoleon Hill
Eugene. Here is a man whose life has been full of seeing what needs to be done and then doing it. This waiting had to have caused more than just a little bit of struggle, as he went from church to church to say his daily Mass and pray his Office, meeting with other congregations and visiting holy places. The letter campaign from France against Eugene not totally stilled, and he must still think in the terms of the possibility of the Pope again becoming ill. What more could he do?
I love that he says “I intimated mildly that I also had rheumatism in a thigh which I dragged along all the time on streets and high roads.” I can almost hear him and I find myself again relating to Eugene, identifying with him especially in this way. I find myself wanting to give a small laugh and thinking that I can almost hear myself saying something along those lines.
I see in this another way that Eugene is giving of himself, giving his all to God. His passion, his fire is most assuredly tied in with his seeking approval for his society, for his family and if he could I believe he would try to move both heaven and earth to see that it succeeds. But there are small delays and roadblocks that must be overcome and he has had to ‘let go’ of it all in some ways. Giving his all to God through the Church.
How often does God ask me to do that? What areas of my life require equal measures of patience and persistence and plain old hard work? I have to be honest and recognize that there are a few immediate areas in my life where that seems to be the case.
St Eugene, guide me to accept God’s call in my life with strength and love, with equal measures of patience, persistence and hard work. Pray that I follow your example and have the courage to continue to do God’s will, to give me all to Him.