THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MEMBER OF A FORMATION TEAM

Posted on March 4, 2022 by franksantucci

The scholastics (whom Eugene always referred to as “the Oblates”) were studying at the Marseilles Major Seminary, together with the diocesan seminarians. Father Tempier had been the Superior and Formation Director since 1827. At the same time he was also very busy as a Vicar General of the diocese and of the Oblate Congregation. He thus had to rely heavily on the members of his formation team in the seminary. Eugene had close contact with all the students and expressed his concern at some examples of insufficent piety. He wrote to Father Charlses Bellon, one of the formators:

I remind you, who are their director, that it is not a question of being satisfied with anything you can achieve, but that they are to put themselves heart and soul into acquiring the virtues that are proper to the state of perfection they have vowed

Letter to Father Charles Bellon, 30 August 1844, EO X n 853

Father Bellon  was 30 years old, and as we will be encountering him frequently in Eugene’s correspondence, it is good to introduce him. (He was going to be Eugene’s first choice to be Vicar Apostolic of Natal in 1852)

“Father Bellon was called to the major seminary of Marseilles in the fall of 1843 to teach dogma there and be spiritual director for the scholastic brothers whose number was growing year by year. In this regard, Father Fabre wrote: “For their direction, it was necessary to choose a priest who possessed solid and profound learning along with a gentle, enlightened piety, a priest who could teach by his words as well as by his example. Among everyone else, Reverend Father Bellon was worthy of the choice our superiors made of him. During the five years this very difficult and important work was confided to him, he always showed himself equal to his sensitive task.

Never demanding of others what he would not do himself, his life was for the seminarians and for the Oblates a continuous teaching. In class, a conscientious and well-read professor, in chapel and the prayer room, a model of piety, fervour and regularity, in his room he was a good, prudent, enlightened director, without being too weak and without being too rigid, exteriorly of great equanimity, his face inspired confidence, while his words inspired a love of piety. Since he knew how to use his time wisely and having a pious appetite for study, he was able to acquire that depth of learning that would later make him sought after and held in high regard at the provincial council of Agen [in 1859] by the learned and pious clerics, while at the same time he was educating himself and perfecting his knowledge of Hebrew, Italian, German, English and Spanish. His day was marvellously well organized. He had found the means to do a lot of work and do it well, to blend a profound learning with a gentle, kindly piety…”  (See https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/bellon-charles-barthelemy/)

He obviosuly taught by example, but Eugene felt that he needed to be more pro-active.

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2 Responses to THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MEMBER OF A FORMATION TEAM

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:
    March 4, 2022 at 12:03

    I began my time here reading about the life of Father Charles Bellon and see with enlightened eyes how he was a missionary in his own country, in and to his own congregation. For some reason I think of Lacombe and then the faces of living Oblates pass before my heart’s eyes and resulting image is more holistic.

    “Not my will but your will be done O Lord.” (cf. Luke 22:42) I think of Jesus walking a few paces away from his apostles to pray in private with the Father. And then accepting he went to fulfill the purpose for which he had been sent. I suspect that all who make their oblation, giving themselves totally over to God may well experience this kind of experience throughout their lives, perhaps many times.

    They called him teacher.

    “Never demanding of others what he would not do himself, his life was for the seminarians and for the Oblates a continuous teaching.” There are many ways to be a martyr to love and that image of Oblates in our own time returns and becomes blurred with words that push forward; words from the living expression of our shared charism. Oblation, obedience, charity, unity, love, sacrifice… A tag cloud that is ever evolving and growing.

    These then are the formators who give themselves over to teach, guide, mentor, befriend, share, model, love, walk with, send out… And the tag cloud again becomes a collage of faces…

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  2. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:
    March 5, 2022 at 20:03

    I find that today my mind keeps returnint to yesterday’s morning post about Fr. Bellon and his being a formator and think of all the qualities that make up a good formator, a good teacher, professor, mentor… And my mind keeps returning to a picture that was posted on Facebook a couple of days ago by Jarek Pachocki OMI and that I actually shared on my page saying that is what oblation looks like.

    It was a photo of three priests and one young man, a scholastic who we are told is in pastoral internship in the Ukraine. With the breakout of the war Norbert Jablko OMI turned down the opportunity to return to Poland, saying: “I don’t want to use too pathetic language, but I stayed with people. I know that I cannot help here sacramentally, but I can at least be present. Oblates do not run away!”

    “I can at least be present.” Is there any greater gift that he could offer? These men are the fruits of very good formation, these are the fruits of those who have become imbued with the charism and wish only to it out, sharing themselves with others.

    I wanted to cry and still do at this very special young man who has chosen to serve the poorest of the poor. I can only imagine what his formator(s) might be thinking. Thanking God for this young man, maybe down on their knees, and praying for his safety along with the safety of millions.

    I can hear my professor saying: “This is oblation!” And I cannot help but be proud of this young Oblate, this very special member of our Mazenodian Family.

    I hope Norbert, that you are still safe. May God continue to bless you with courage and truth. Know how loved you are and all those that you stand with and for. I join your formators in giving thanks for you, a cherished member of our Mazenodian Family. We will join our prayer with yours and somehow be a silent presence with you.

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