“We praise you, O God: we acknowledge you to be the Lord”… My dear friend, my dear brothers, on February 17, 1826, yesterday evening, the Sovereign Pontiff Leo XII …specifically approved the Institute, the Rules and Constitutions of the Missionary Oblates of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary”…
But let us leave these reflections aside so as to stop and consider only the infinite goodness of God and the designs of his Providence on our behalf. Do you realise that nothing ever has been seen so astonishing as this?
Astonishing because the events leading to the pontifical approbation had not been easy. Some of the French bishops who had praised the Oblate Rule, had reversed their opinion, for political reasons, and written to the Vatican that they had withdrawn their support. Added to this was the fact that it was not the custom at that time to approve new religious congregations. Despite these and other hurdles, the request was successful – while other congregations’ requests around the same time had not been approved.
Those whose duty it is to deal with such matters are the first to make this remark and to be all the more surprised with the happy outcome of the steps we took, all of them inspired, directed, blessed by God, inasmuch as the policy was no longer to do anything of the sort and I, being right here engaged in my quest with the aid of the Master of all hearts, have seen several others come to grief and not obtain what they sought.
Letter to Fr Tempier, 18 February 1826, EO VII n. 226
The “Master of all hearts” had guided Eugene’s every step. May this loving guidance continue to be experienced by all of us because Jesus is the Master of all hearts who makes the astonishing happen
