I WOULD SECURE THROUGH THIS A DOUBLE HOMAGE TO OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND TO HER DIVINE SON

Writing in his diary, Eugene reflected on the procession he had had the courage to organize:

General procession. This procession had been recommended as having to make up for those which were not able to take place at the time of Corpus Christi, because of the barricades and the disorder occasioned by the riot. I regarded this procession as necessary, either because I had announced that the processions of Corpus Christi were only delayed or because it was time for our city to give this homage to our Lord Jesus Christ. I thought that the day of the grand solemnity of the Blessed Virgin would be well chosen, because I would benefit from this circumstance in moving down the statue of Our Lady de la Garde, and because I would secure through this a double homage to our Blessed Mother and to her divine Son.

This determination being known, the good faithful experienced great joy therefrom; but certain considerations convinced my vicars general and some others to not approve it.

In the light of the recent unrest, Fr Tempier had approached Eugene to dissuade him from this very public show of faith, reminding him of how the mob had murdered the Archbishop of Paris.

I had all too well thought about the decision which I had to take in order to withdraw from my project. It’s necessary, moreover, to really acknowledge that the bishops have the grace of state for the government of their diocese. It was a matter here of fulfilling a promise, of satisfying a popular expectation, of rendering to our Savior Jesus Christ the public homage which he still had not received for this year… I, moreover, did not experience any anxiety; I had been convinced of the good effect that our wonderful feast would produce, and I felt myself so sure of success, in the midst of a population like ours, that I finally responded that, even though I would not be granted one soldier, I would nonetheless do the procession.

Eugene’s Diary, 15 August 1848, EO XXI

REFLECTION

“You come to me and unite Yourself intimately to me under the form of nourishment. Your Blood now runs in mine, Your Soul, Incarnate God, compenetrates mine, giving courage and support. What miracles! Who would have ever imagined such!” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)