Eugene had been away from the Oblates for almost four months, and he would still have to remain in Rome until the Papal Brief was completed and published. It was, however, a time of deep grace and intimacy with God that he experienced and lived – and he knew that this was the secret of his success.
I lull myself into thinking the contrary for I find that it is indeed a long time since I am separated from you and the family; but I feel that it had to be so and the good God has chosen me to render this service to the Society;
and I ought to offer thanksgiving to him for whom we work, for having so well disposed hearts in my favour, that each of those with whom I had to deal advanced to meet me half-way, were favourable to begin with and found good in all I proposed, as if the Lord revealed to them the sentiments of my soul and let them perceive from within that my sole ambition is to please God and procure his glory by serving the Church and saving souls. I must add, that from the facts I presented and all that the weight of the truth obliged me to say, they conceived, the Pope especially, a very favourable idea of the whole Society, which ought to stimulate us to deserve more and more, by our devotedness to all good, a protection so high and so honourable. Amen.
Letter to Fr Tempier, 18 February 1826, EO VII n. 226
As we celebrate these 200 years, may the sentiments we carry in our hearts be like Eugene’s as we live our daily tasks, no matter how dull and menial some of them may be.
