“I AM WITH MY CHURCH ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE”
As Bishop of Marseilles, Eugene wrote many pastoral letters to those entrusted to his care in the diocese. His Lenten letter of 1847 dealt with the death of the Pope and the election of his successor in the midst of turbulent times. Christianity was being persecuted and attacked on many fronts at this time, and during these stormy times that the Church was going through, Eugene assures people that God never abandoned it
When the death of Pope Gregory XVI, of happy memory, threw the Church into mourning, we invited you to offer prayers to the Lord for the father we had lost and to beg Heaven “to give us, among so many men in good relationship with God, the Pontiff most suitable to govern his people in the present times. We are living – we said – in such stormy times, when the “empire of darkness” (Lk 22:53) has become so powerful on earth, that it seems that we need the Lord, in his mercy, to grant us one of those extraordinary men whom he has raised up on other occasions to bring back the most beautiful days of the faith…
Referring to the Conclave of cardinals gathered to elect a new Pope, Eugene continued:
the operations of the distinguished gathering were suddenly brought to a close by an unexpected effect of the assistance of him who said to his Church: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). He had also said “that he would not leave us orphans” (Jn 14:18). And so, as soon as he had been invoked, the consoling spirit, the Paraclete he had promised us, came to make his choice, giving us a father in the person of the vicar of Jesus Christ, and the name of Pius IX, greeted by universal acclamations, became the known name of the Pontiff whom God had elected “to direct our steps in the ways of peace” (Lk 1:79).
Pastoral letter of Bishop de Mazenod to the Diocese of Marseilles for Lent 1847
Throughout his long letter the Bishop continually stressed that God never abandons the Church, the Body of Christ – a message still relevant for today.
“Christ’s followers cannot expect better treatment in the world than their Master had.” Matthew Henry
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The difficult and turbulent times in the Church – in Eugene’s time and even before and back to the beginning; no different from today.
Eugene wrote about Pope Pius IX “whom God had elected ‘to direct our steps in the ways of peace’.” A beautiful reminder that it is God who calls forth our leaders, those who will walk with us as directed by God – never something they do on their own. The Pontiff is like those first apostles, called, led and sent out by God. Pope Pius IX was known for convoking the First Vatican Council in 1868 and for permanently losing control of the Papal States in 1870 to the Kingdom of Italy. Changes!
I think of Pope Francis and wonder what he will be remembered for. He has and is leading us to open the windows of our hearts to allow the Spirit in as new life… We who make up this beautiful Church seem to be divided and wanting to hold on to the past – yet we are called to let go of the past swo we can live in the present…
The readings this morning speak of the apostles who after being flogged and told to not speak of Jesus gave thanks and “rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonour for the sake of the name.” (Acts 5). Matthew Henry who was really before Eugene’s time reminds us as God’s followers not to expect better treatment than our Master had.”
Yesterday the news broke of more bodies being discovered where there had been an Indian Residential School, not so far from where I grew up, not so far from where I would go as an adult to holiday with my sister.
I hold on to the words of Jesus that Eugene and Frank remind us: “I am with my Church always, to the end of the age.” Now is but another time that we are called to love, forgiveness and compassion, for all…