Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Bishop Eugene reflected in his journal:

Funeral obsequies of Count Pagano, consul general of Sardinia, Knight of St. Maurice. His position as consul of Sardinia and Knight of St. Maurice, as well as the good turns he did me in his day, decided me to go and assist at his funeral liturgy and perform the absolution. I warned the family in advance by way of a very polite letter.

What was my astonishment, on arriving at St. Charles, the deceased’s parish, to learn that there would be no High Mass at the funeral although the poor deceased had made quite contrary arrangements. I reproached the person who came to make excuses to me in the family’s name, as it had undertaken with the cortege not to delay it overlong in the church, and to mark my disapproval of a complacency so strongly contrary to the spirit of the Church all the more expressly, I indicated that I would not be prepared to give the absolution as I had proposed.

This lesson must have gone home and the parish priest also will have learned that it is not opportune to lend oneself so easily to the scarcely religious caprices of families. It was the third example in succession of this kind of impiety, in the parish of St. Charles.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 4 February 1837, EO XVIII

Times seem not to have changed! How often we are asked to sacrifice the the true sacramental celebration in favor of the wedding reception venue or the convenience of the funeral directors.

In sending missionaries to Corsica, Eugene was responding to what he discerned to be the needs of the most abandoned.

Firstly, far too many of the priests in Corsica had received very poor academic and pastoral training and it was their parishioners who suffered as a result. The Oblates were sent to Ajaccio to rectify the situation, primarily by establishing a major seminary to assure a solid formation of the future priests.

The newly appointed Bishop of Ajaccio took advantage of this opportunity to insist that some of his priests go back to the seminary to receive a proper formation. In his private journal, Eugene reflects on how the Oblates cooperated with this:

Letter from Father Moreau from Ajaccio. Very satisfying news from the diocesan major seminary. The work there for the directors is excessive because of the large number of participants, but their perfect behaviour encourages and compensates the teachers.

The second group calling for a response were the poor village inhabitants of Corsica. The Oblates responded by establishing themselves in Vico and making this apostolic community a mission center from which they ministered to the population and went out to preach missions in the isolated villages. The Oblates who staffed the seminary would join the Vico community to participate in the missions during their breaks from the seminaries.

They are persevering with the plan of giving the mission in Ajaccio in French and Italian. All our Fathers will take part in it.

A third response came from the forthcoming priestly ordination of two young Oblates who were destined to become fine missionaries for the rest of their lives, one of them in Corsica. They were both below the canonical age for ordination and had had to apply for dispensations in order to receive an early ordination

Letter from Rome. Dispensation from age for our Brothers Rolleri and Bellon

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 1 February 1837, EO XVIII

Today that spirit continues as the Mazenodian Family continues to listen to the call of the “new poor” in our rapidly changing world.

Eugene recalls the second mission which the Oblates had ever preached , in Fuveau in September 1816 (See https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/suzanne-marius/ ) at which the young Marius Suzanne was present. He immediately understood the Oblate charism and wanted to participate in it in every way possible.

This man was one of the first fruits of our missions. He joined us during the one we were giving in Fuveau, where his family had their home, for he was born in Aix. Those who write his life will say that in a certain way he did his apprenticeship during that mission. The zeal that this dear child, then 16 or 17 years old, employed in the search for sinners who had the most need of our ministry, his assiduous attendance at all our exercises, his eagerness to approach us whose really excessive workload he wanted to lighten, no doubt earned him the grace of his vocation.

From that time, I was his confessor and since, his trust equalled the tenderness he inspired in me: neither the one nor the other are forgotten. However, he did not speak with me then about the plan the Lord was inspiring him with, and I for my part said nothing to him about the desire I had that he join us in our work. It was not long before his attraction made him want to come and live in our house; at that time, we had only the one in Aix. He spent some time there still without saying anything about his ulterior aims.

Finally, on the day we went for the Puget mission, [ed January 1818] near Fréjus, he opened his heart to me and, hugging me, he said: I am yours for always.

Who could have guessed at that time that I was destined to close his eyes in death! I think he was only eighteen years old. He spent fifteen years in the Congregation, Our Annales will say that he put them to very good use! May his memory always be held blessed among us, for he has truly earned the gratitude of the Church and the Congregation. And his death in our bosom was that of the just.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 31 January 1837, EO XVIII

The Constitutions and Rules of an approved group in the Church are that group’s way of expressing the Gospel according to their God-given charism. This is why they are often referred to as a “Rule of Life.” Eugene was convinced that all those who faithfully lived by the Rule, our Oblate expression of the Gospel, were in the fullness of the Kingdom of God after their deaths.

Sad anniversary of the death of our dear Father Suzanne. Yesterday, being a semi-double feast, I said a requiem mass for him. It was more to console my sorrow, and for the consolation of performing this solemn act of communion with the men who have gone before us, than with the thought that this blessed missionary, predestined in death, had any need of my prayers. I would say as much about all those I have seen die in the Congregation.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 31 January 1837, EO XVIII

Eugene’s constantly repeated reminder: the success of any pastoral action depends on the quality of one’s relationship with God – otherwise we are mere functionaries and not disciples.

 I recommend you take it upon yourself to see that regularity is observed: oraison, examination of conscience, etc. Do not be men totally involved in exterior activities: let people not get the idea that you have no more than the prayer habits normal for a good priest. Such dissipation causes very great harm.

… Do not forget that you are missionaries by profession, and consequently you have a Rule to observe during missions which is proper for that period, foreseen beforehand, already lived out, in a word, familiar to each one of you. This applies also to your behaviour which must be serious and reserved.

…In a word, act in such manner as not only to do much good but also to leave behind you a true impression of sanctity. Otherwise people will say that you are only doing your job. You must be absolutely men of God, work only for God, walk unceasingly in his presence, edify from morning till night all those who deal with you or who surround you.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Mille, 20 January 1837, EO IX n 603

Eugene rejoices in the wonderful spiritual results of the missions that the Oblates were preaching in several towns. He reminds the members of his missionary family of the importance of being in communion with the local bishop, whose people they are ministering to.

I wanted you to know that I find it quite opportune that you give some details of the blessings the Lord is showering on your mission to His Grace the Archbishop. I do not doubt that you have done so in a good manner, that is, modestly, rightly attributing to God alone all the good that is being accomplished. It is normal to presume that a chief Pastor should insist much on knowing what is being accomplished by the ones he has sent, the ones to whom he has entrusted a special mission to bring a portion of his sheep to the knowledge of the faith, to the practice of virtue.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Mille, 20 January 1837, EO IX n 603

That spirit of communion continues today, as Constitution 6 stresses. All the service to the local church which the Mazenodian Family accomplishes must always be one of collaboration with all who are working for the Kingdom of God in the Church.

Our love for the Church inspires us to fulfil our mission in communion with the pastors whom the Lord has given to his people; we accept loyally, with an enlightened faith, the guidance and teachings of the successors of Peter and the Apostles.

We coordinate our missionary activity with the overall pastoral plan of the local Churches where we work, and we collaborate in a spirit of brotherhood with others who work for the Gospel. (OMI Rule of Life, C 6)

Let us never forget that the Missionary Oblates were founded primarily to preach missions to those who were considered the most abandoned by the ministry of the local church. We were founded to be on the move, searching for ways to evangelize those who were the furthest from a relationship with Jesus Christ.

We have seen how the missionaries responded to the culture and popular piety of the people of Provence. [ see: “Parish missions: ceremonies to reinforce the preached message and to appeal to the senses” in https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=489 and the entries which follow until https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=543 in which these ceremonies are explained] People responded warmly to symbolic gestures, processions and religious objects. Here, 21 years after our foundation, Eugene reminds the missionaries of the basic practices always to be followed, while thanking God for the rich spiritual harvests of the work of his religious family members.

Our practice is to impart Benediction every morning and evening after the service, to solemnly expose the Blessed Sacrament during the ceremony of the renewing the baptismal vows, and in the morning of the day fixed for the blessing of the children, during the recitation of the breviary before the procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

Several processions take place during the mission

1. The day of the Missionaries arrival.

2. The day of atonement.

3. The day fixed for the consecration of the girls to the Blessed Virgin.

4. The day set aside to commemorate the dead, at the cemetery.

5. The day solemnizing the Blessed Sacrament, with the Blessed Sacrament.

6. The day of the planting of the cross.

The letters I receive from our various missions – we are preaching five at the same time in different dioceses – are most consoling. Marvels are taking place everywhere.

Letter to Hippolyte Courtès, 20 January 1837. EO IX n 602

If you are interested in learning more about the missions, I recommend Chapter III of “Living in the Spirit’s Fire” https://www.omiworld.org/wp-content/uploads/Living-in-the-Spirits-Fire.pdf

Eugene’s primary work as a young priest had been his youth ministry with the almost 300-strong youth congregation he had started and nurtured in Aix en Provence. (See “MY BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONGREGATION” at https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=1228 )

Many of them kept on contact with him over the years. Here he refers to one of them, Melchior Bremond, who had been a member of the Youth Congregation from 1814 to 1819:

Letter from M. Bremond, notary in Aix. He writes me the kindest things on the pains I took to safeguard his youth, congratulating himself on his subsequent happy experience.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 18 January 1837, EO XVIII

Twenty-six years after the foundation of the Youth Congregation Eugene recalled the beginning and successes of this venture:

I therefore answered the Bishop of Metz that my sole ambition was to dedicate myself to the service of the poor and the youth. I made my first debut in the jails, and my training consisted in surrounding myself with young people whom I instructed. I trained a good number of them in virtue. I saw some 280 of them gathered around me, and those who today still remain faithful to the principles that I had the happiness of instilling in their souls and who do honour to their faith in every rank of society or in the sanctuary, will uphold for a long time, either in Aix or in the other places where they are dispersed, the reputation that this congregation had rightly acquired for itself while I was able to care for it.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 31 March 1839, EO XX

In his personal journal, Eugene reveals the depth of his anguish at the sudden tragic death of the 32 year-old Father Joseph Richaud, and his reliance on God to cope with the blow.

The details of that catastrophe are heart-rending. The fall was followed almost immediately by death. Within a few hours this good priest expired surrounded by his grief-stricken Brothers and the whole seminary. The bitterness of our grief is indescribable! My God! Better contain oneself in the resigned silence that You alone can give, for our human nature is prostrate under the redoubled blows of Your stern leading. I hasten to repeat: Thy holy will be done over us, enlighten our journey through this great mystery of your Providence. May nothing discourage us in this way that is incomprehensible to our feeble lights. You call us to work from all parts in your vineyard, we respond to your voice, everyone one gets to work and makes every effort to do the work of two, for the work exceeds our numbers. Blessings follow, good is done prodigiously. Suddenly, and in rapid succession, You take from us the means to continue your work, and only we can take it on. Mystery, mystery: I adore You, O my God, under this veil, as I adore your Trinity in your Unity, as I adore You and love You hidden under the veils which hide you from my eyes in the sacrament of the Eucharist. But Lord, if indeed I was the obstacle to the accomplishment of your designs, You know that I have not waited until today to beg you to remove it. How many times have I not said to You and I repeat it afresh: do with me what You will “my destiny is in your hands” [ed. Psalm 31:16].

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 14 January 1837, EO XVIII

In 1836 and early 1837 some Oblates had either left or had had to be expelled from the small Congregation. Each one was a cause of suffering for Eugene and the Oblates

In the midst of the consolations I experience at the sight of the good done by our small group, I have the grief of seeing the devil screening us, and that among the grain shaken in the sieve there are some kernels that are lean and shrivelled enough to pass through and thus be removed from the threshing floor of the common Father. What disastrous illusions there are in this matter! I will protest before all and before God against these apostasies till my last breath and beyond, for it is before the judgment seat of God that I summon all those who are guilty of it.

He then reflects on oblation as a permanent commitment

There are some religious who dare to say that they had made their oblation only with the idea of quitting the Congregation someday. What a horror! Let them study theology. They will learn that it is not allowed to place any condition, any mental restriction in making vows, and the formula of oblation pronounced verbally must be made seriously and from the bottom of the heart. Otherwise, it would only be a lie, hypocrisy, the profanation of a holy and religious act.

Are we allowed to play games with God and with people, to consider an act made in the presence of Jesus Christ at the holy altar as only a vain and laughable ceremony? Would there be anything sacred on this earth if vows, that is, oaths made before Jesus Christ and accepted by the Church in his name, do not express what they signify? I cannot make head or tail out of this ….

Letter to Joseph Martin, 9 January 1837, EO IX n 600