THESE GOOD MISSIONARIES ARE GOING TO SUFFER GREATLY

In 1847, Eugene had responded to the invitation of the local bishops to send Oblates to work in present-day Oregon and Washington states. He had chosen Father Pascal Ricard, one Oblate Brother and three scholastics for this new mission. It took them seven months of travel to reach Walla Walla. Four months later, two of the scholastics were ordained priests while the third chose to mission as a Brother. (see https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=5355 and the following 9 entries)

After the difficulties of the journey, the reception from the Bishop was not very welcoming. Eugene complained about him to Bishop Bourget of Montreal:

I was going to say in confidence how little the Bishop of Walla Walla had responded to the alacrity with which I had, in his pressing appeal, furnished him with devoted missionaries. Having been provided, during the period that our good Fathers were on their way by sea, with what he thought would suffice, I believe he was annoyed to see them arrive. He received them in the first place more than coldly and does not appear to have become more amiable towards them since. What appals me is that the distance between us and these good missionaries means that they are going to suffer greatly before I can get to them the reinforcements which I had to presume this prelate would furnish since he had asked me for them as a great favour, his letter being proof of that.

Letter to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, 12 February 1848, EO I n 93

Bishop Bourget tried to calm the waters by responding: “I believe that Fr. Ricard and his confreres might well have been surprised by the cold manner of the Bishop of Walla Walla. But I hope that when they will have lived with him, they will better be able to judge the goodness of his heart. He is naturally serious and his manner is cold and even glacial to anyone approaching him for the first time. Besides you understand that in the sorrow one feels on leaving his fatherland and in the middle of the fatigues of a long and uncomfortable journey, one is not naturally inclined to laugh.” (Footnote in EO I n 93)

REFLECTION

Sometimes we can be very shallow about the way in which we speak about carrying the Cross. These four Oblates had responded to the call of the Crucified Savior through their oblation, and had sacrificed themselves to bring the message of salvation through the Cross and Resurrection to people who had never heard the Gospel. Their sufferings were redemptive. When we encounter situations of suffering let us never forget that the Cross is the doorway to the resurrection – we may not understand, but God uses us as instruments in these situations.