I HAD LONG BEEN PRAYING TO OUR LORD THAT HE CAUSE TO SHINE A RAY OF HIS LIGHT ON HIS INTELLIGENCE SO THAT HE WOULD UNDERSTAND HOW EVIL WAS THE WAY HE WAS FOLLOWING

Father Jean Baudrand was 30 years old when he was sent to Canada in 1841 as part of the first group of Oblates. He was a good preacher, but had a hyper-critical spirit.

In a September 20, 1842 entry in his Diary, Bishop de Mazenod expressed his displeasure:“Things would improve in America if Father Baudrand was not fostering this internal division. Father Baudrand is a man of no education, without tact and endowed with very little virtue. He…  uses his knowledge only to grumble, to sow discord, to complain even outside of the community, emphasizing the faults of his confreres according to what his imagination and his ill-natured heart portrays them. He is really doing the devil’s work in Canada and the damage he has done us is incalculable”

In April of 1843, Bishop de Mazenod decided to recall him to France…  In response to the insistence of Bishop Bourget, the Founder left Father Baudrand in Canada, but on August 10, 1843, he wrote the bishop: “You wanted to give Father Baudrand a respite. […] Let’s exercise a bit more patience, then, even if he does not show more sincerity in his obedience. And if he does not break himself of the mania he has of wanting to judge everything and everyone, we will have to deal with it.” Did Bishop Bourget share this letter with Father Baudrand? On May 10 1844, Father Honorat announced that Father Baudrand had made a retreat, asked pardon for his actions and promised to change. In closing, he stated: “I consider this change of heart as being one of the greatest graces that God has granted us since we are in Canada.” (https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/baudrand-jean-fleury/)

When Eugene received this news he responded:

First nothing could console me more than the holy dispositions which you assure me are to be found in Father Baudrand. I had long been praying to Our Lord that He cause to shine a ray of His light on his intelligence so that he would understand how evil was the way he was following  and that He would also touch his heart so that he would repent and repair the scandal of his obstinacy.

I do not yet have before me the proof of his amendment. It would be impossible to believe him converted as long as he does not take the initiative in my regard that his whole duty demands. I am certainly disposed to pardon him but I cannot exempt him from making a sincere act of reparation which should not have taken so long to come.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Honorat, 18 July 1844, EO I n 43