I NOT ONLY LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, BUT SHARE WITH YOU SO WILLINGLY ALL MY THOUGHTS

Writing to Father Henri Tempier, Eugene reveals something of his heart and the importance of warm relationships.

I confine myself to uniting my feeble prayers to yours in order to draw down upon you all the blessings that I could wish for myself, and that is not remarkable because I have never considered you other than as one who is identical to myself, that is why I not only love you very much, but share with you so willingly all my thoughts, while being surprised nevertheless that independently of our inter-related positions, you have so much trouble sharing yours with me.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 6 October 1829, EO VII n 338

Fr. Yvon Beaudoin comments:

It is not easy to sum up Father Tempier’s life which is so replete with different things. We can say, however, that his most important role was the part he played at the Founder’s side.

Fr. Henri Tempier OMI

During the first years of his priestly ministry at Aix (1812-1815), Eugene de Mazenod did not have a true friend who was able to lessen his cares and to share his great designs, as he candidly says this in a letter to the abbé Forbin-Janson of September 12, 1814. His encounter with Father Tempier in 1815-1816 brought him what he was looking for and even more. Besides sharing plans and giving comfort in troubles, Father Tempier, a man who was calm, pondered and much less emotional than the Founder, tempered the outbursts of the Founder’s character and helped him – at times also replacing him – perseveringly to accomplish all his plans and undertakings.

Bishop de Mazenod had a real affection for and always esteemed this collaborator and friend from whom he kept no secrets. He wrote to him often, entrusted all positions of trust to him, openly admitted to him that he considered him as one identical to his own self (Mazenod to Tempier, October 6, 1829) and that in the Congregation people counted on Tempier as much as they did on the Founder (Mazenod to Tempier, August 15, 1822).

http://www.omiworld.org/en/dictionary/historical-dictionary_vol-1_t/998/tempier-fran-ois-de-paule-henry/

This entry was posted in WRITINGS. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to I NOT ONLY LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, BUT SHARE WITH YOU SO WILLINGLY ALL MY THOUGHTS

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    Yesterday, in the course of my pursuit of getting to know the CC&RR more deeply I read Henri Tempier’s response to Eugene’s now famous letter where he began by instructing Fr. Tempier to “read this letter at the foot of your crucifix…”. Henri wrote “…had I known your intention, I would have been the first to beg you to receive me into your Society.” He went on to say that he did not think that he was a great enough preacher as was needed but he could teach catechism, give talks, hear confessions and do whatever was needed to help ‘establish the reign of Jesus Christ in souls’. He was a humble man who was filled with quiet strength and perseverance and who served.

    “I confine myself to uniting my feeble prayers to yours in order to draw down upon you all the blessings that I could wish for myself, and that is not remarkable because I have never considered you other than as one who is identical to myself, that is why I not only love you very much, but share with you so willingly all my thoughts, while being surprised nevertheless that independently of our inter-related positions, you have so much trouble sharing yours with me.” Eugene must have felt safe and secure in the love of Henri Tempier to write as he did. They say that we strike out at those we love and of whose love we are most confident of.

    This morning I have spent my time reflecting on this man who Eugene said was identical to himself, on how he said yes to Eugene’s invitation to join him even though he did not think of himself as being able to preach as Eugene and the others did, but who found his way of belonging to and serving that society.

    “To have a part in the precious cross of the Son of God… is a grace of predilection that God gives only to his saints,” Tempier wrote to Father de Mazenod on October 23, 1817. This gives me hope, inspires me to continue pursuing the invitation that I heard when first I heard Eugene’s letter to Henri Tempier. My heart gives a small leap of joy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *