IT IS IN THIS STATE OF HOLY ABANDON THAT I WAITED

Having delivered the Pope’s request and the Rule to Secretary Adinolfi, Eugene spent the next day at home praying for the success of Adinolfi’s audience with the Pope.

I continued to recommend it to God through the intercession of the holy Virgin, of the Angels and Saints and it is in this state of holy abandon that I waited to go and learn what was decided in this audience with the Pope, so vital to our interests…

I chose the recourse of going to pray to God in the (chapel) balcony, the while I supposed the audience was taking place, not that I had the foolish idea my prayers could produce the good effect that I desired, but because it seemed to me appropriate to recollect myself in the presence of Our Lord, somehow or other, while grace should work and the Holy Spirit should inspire the Head of the Church as to how he should decide our fate and the salvation of an infinity of souls.

Letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 22 December 1825, EO VII n. 213