“Trust has to be earned, and should come only after the passage of time.” (Arthur Ashe)
The Oblate presence in England started suddenly on an insecure foundation with the arrival of the just-ordained and inexperienced Father Daly. It was difficult for Eugene to find Oblates capable of learning and speaking English at such short notice. As the numbers grew, so was it necessary to ensure the presence of a mature Oblate to solidify the foundation. The person chosen was Father Casimir Aubert who could not be spared from his commitments in France, but who would visit England for long periods of time. Eugene wrote to Mr Phillipps:
Reverend Father Aubert, to whom I have given powers of Visitor, will have the honor of seeing you and discussing everything concerning the good of religion in your region. He is my alter-ego whose merits you already know.
Letter to M. Ambrose Lisle March Phillipps, Grâce-Dieu Manor, 2 July 1846, EO XIII n 107
“Alter ego” is a Latin expression used by Eugene translated as “another me.” It meant that the Oblate had understood fully the spirit and way of governing of the Founder and was empowered to make decisions accordingly where Eugene was not present to be consulted. He considered all those whom he chose to be the founders of new missions, or appointed as official visitators, in countries outside of France as “alter ego.” Casimir Aubert was highly respected by Eugene.
Fr Michael Hughes fills in some details regarding this new Oblate venture in England.
“Ambrose Phillipps sought to establish himself in Grace Dieu Manor as the patron of a Mass-centre from which priests would go out to convert the locality…
On 5 September 1845 the community took possession of The Warren, a house placed at their disposal by Phillipps, some distance from the Manor House. It afforded the Fathers the privacy needed for their community life but was too far from the villages they served, and Ambrose agreed to build a new residence adjoining the Holy Cross chapel in Whitwick…
The first members of the community were Fr. Perron, superior, Fr. Naughten, Br. Bayeul, and a secular priest from Marseilles the Abbé Coussinier. Frs. Cooke and Tamburini, with John Noble not yet ordained priest, joining the community in July 1846.” (https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/grace-dieu-england-1845-1848/)
With small beginnings, the Anglo Irish province was to become one of the main providers of Oblate missionaries in all the English-speaking countries of the world.
I have struggled a bit at the part that Phillips played in all of these beginnings of the Anglo-Irish Province. “Ambrose Phillipps sought to establish himself in Grace Dieu Manor as the patron of a Mass-centre from which priests would go out to convert the locality…” Googling the word ‘patron’ showed one of the definitions categorized as Historical British; a person or institution with the right to grant a benefice to a member of the clergy’. This reminded me of the place of the kings in French history which led up to the French Revolution: the hierarchy with God, then kings, then the Church. Not that Phillipps was bad, but I do find myself thinking about the problem of ‘colonization’ which stills plays a part in our world and in my own country with her many wounds.
Nevertheless Eugene welcomed the invitation and care of the men he sent to England, and followed up with a “Visitor” in the person of Fr. Casimir Aubert. Eugene called Aubert his alter ego, which prompts me to think about Jesus and his disciples, and the idea of being an “alter Christus”. Beginning with that first group gathered in the room to receive the Holy Spirit and then sent out… I think of the handing-down of Eugene’s Mission Cross to each succeeding Superior General who indeed continues the practice of sending our and caring for. The Oblates who call, invite and in a sense send out many of the members of the Mazenodian Family; and again of Phillipps who might find his place in heaven with many of those family members.
Working alongside of the Oblates in ways that were perfectly suited to Phillipps and so many of us – yet all a part of the same Mission – “…called to share in the charism according to their state of life, and to live it in ways that vary according to milieu and cultures.” (R 37a) It is God who determines the where’s and the how’s…
“Alter ego” and “alter Christus” – ones who are chosen and called. The same spirit given and shared with the first disciples, is what is shared with us – for Eugene’s model was none other than Jesus and his apostles and disciples.