Today, when the Church recognizes the sainthood of a person, there are two criteria for canonization. The first is that the person have lived the virtues of faith, hope and charity in a heroic way. Secondly, the Church recognizes that the actions, words, and writings of this person are exemplary and that this person can be imitated as a model of Christian discipleship. Thirdly, that people can turn to these saints for intercession.
For these reasons Eugene had a strong devotion to the saints, and he wanted his Oblates to do likewise. In 1821 he had written to Henri Tempier out dedicating each room in the house to a patron saint, whom he called a “guest”, as an inspiration to the person living in that room.
I have drawn up right away the list of our rooms and have chosen the guardian saints that I wish to give to each dweller in them. Our patron saints would be already installed if we had found the pictures of all those whom we want to have as guests… I must not omit to say to you that I would have preferred that you had not given to individual common patrons such as the holy Angels, the Blessed Virgin, the Sacred Heart, the Child Jesus. It is the common rooms which should have such patrons.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 9 January 1821, EO VI n 58
Now during his convalescence in Grans he reflects on the patron saints of the villages they had evangelized so as to continue praying for those people through the intercession of their particular patron saints. He writes to Tempier, who is doing the canonical visitation of all the houses, and was in Nimes at that moment:
I have never been able to get our people to give me the names of the holy patrons of the parishes where they have preached missions; this is the reason why our litanies are still incomplete. My intention would be, when finally we will have succeeded in finding out their names, if they are too numerous, to spread them throughout the months…
Ask then, to begin with, the Fathers of Nimes to give you the list of the saints under the patronage of whom they have evangelized the people until now.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 6 August 1829, EO VII n 334
The saints are our “guests” and accompany us on our Kingdom journey.
What a wonderful idea! I remember the profound effect upon my being when I first heard “We must lead the people to act like human beings, first of all, then like Christians, and finally, we must help them to become saints.” One of my deepest desires that first came to light when I was a little girl and open to such thoughts. That desire though would be shoved to the farthest corners of my thoughts because I thought it to be impossible and because for the most part I did not hear more about it (except casual mention at church). But Eugene himself said it, taught it, made it a part of his life. What an invitation!
I do believe in the ‘communion of saints’ (which I profess to when I recite the Apostles Creed) but I think that for the most part I do not actively live this out, or reflect upon it.So is this practice still alive today in Oblate houses?
We have the practice of naming rooms and buildings after people who have donated money to specific organizations and of course our churches are named after saints. I think of the pictures we hang on our walls – some works of art and others personal reminders of people and places we have known and loved.
I have come to know and love Saint Eugene de Mazenod – he is deeply personal to me. But what about the others? I have not received an invitation from them (except for St. Paul) and so they are not really that much a part of my consciousness and I most certainly have never thought of them accompanying me on my journey or even knowing who I am. Yet they are all a part of the communion of saints – and isn’t that what I have been step-by-step working to become a part of. Maybe I need to start living as if I am a part of it (little leap of faith there).
I like how Eugene suggested that they begin with getting a list of saints that were the patrons of the parishes they gave missions to. A small thought. I have begun to get to know the early Oblates, particularly those in my own country and to celebrate them. I am quite unable to rhyme off a list of names but my study has begun. All at the urging and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
I need to remember the ‘guests’ who accompany me on my journey and make them or allow them to be an integral part of my life.