Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Eugene writes to his longtime friend, Forbin Janson who was also a bishop who had had problems with the government and his diocese.

We are above all and essentially men of the Church.

Eugene reminds him to keep focused on the essentials in the midst of his difficulties. These essentials are: love for the Church as the People of God, and a dedication to ensure the eternal happiness of these people.

The salvation of souls is our special vocation. It is the work towards which we must tend with all our efforts, the accidents that God permits should not check the ever supernatural action of our onward march, we must draw back only before what is sinful, everything else has to be surmounted, overcome because of the excellence of the end, and it must be said, out of duty.

Letter to Bishop Forbin de Janson, 11 December 1835, EO XV n 180

An invitation to us as Mazenodian Family to focus on what really counts: God and the welfare of God’s People.

When we are in periods of darkness, our light and strength comes from remembering our experiences of God.

When I hear what you say about the workings of grace in yourself. I am filled with an almost tangible joy; that is how God in his goodness deals with his children when they display goodwill! The profound impressions that your soul thus receives are not given merely for your progress in these days of fervour when the dew of heaven falls in a tangible way for your consolation and encouragement, but also for times of trial and darkness, should the Lord condemn you to them, as he sometimes does even those he loves much. Then the memory of intimate communications of grace is a sustaining force: one lives, so to speak, on this nourishment.

Letter to Casimir Aubert, 10 November 1835 EO VIII n 551

Two weeks later, Eugene continues to oppose the suggestion that his servant be fired because it would cause that man sorrow and misfortune.

I don’t, strictly speaking, need this man’s services, nor anybody else’s. What I can’t bear is having in my hands the fate of someone devoted to me, having it in my power to make him happy or unhappy, and giving my consent to his being plunged into misfortune. Were it question of someone else altogether in the same position regarding myself, I would say the same thing, for I would experience the same scruples.

God made me that way; and I say that God made me that way with good reason, for if you went back over my whole life, you’d find I don’t know how many times when I had precisely the same feelings I’m experiencing now. When nine years old I almost choked in my grief just at getting the news of the death of my nurse’s daughter, for the sole reason that this sorrow would sadden my nurse. You must note that the persons concerned were not there with me; I was at Turin and they were at Aix. I repeat. should this man’s happiness be assured, I give way without any problem.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 17 October 1835, EO VIII n 550

Three years later, Eugene had to eventually give in and dismissed him in January 1839. In his journal he wrote:

 Departure of my servant Pascal Testamire. This time I have let him go for good, sorry though I am for him. His dreadful character shocked everyone and has asked too much of me during these three years.

Even Eugene’s soft heart had to recognize the limits of realism.

The message that Eugene and the Oblates always preached was that of God’s mercy and the possibility of a wrongdoer to convert and start again on a better path. Eugene lived this approach in his personal life too, and not only in the pulpit or confessional. Fr. Tempier had obviously complained about one of the servants in the house and wanted Eugene to fire him.

How can you ask me to intervene actively in a matter in which I would already derive intense suffering in a merely passive role. I have never voluntarily inflicted pain on anyone, even those who have done me the greatest injury, how could I cast someone into despair who is sincerely attached to me and has been manservant both to me and to my uncle?

Certainly he has caused me a lot of trouble, it has to be acknowledged, because of his very difficult character rather than from a sustained malice. I know that he has let everyone down in a very uncivil manner, as he has myself, and that is what hurts me most; but it is because of his character, it is a lack of formation and often through being over-attentive. I am saying this, not to excuse him: who is more critical than I am of his behaviour? Who feels more sharply the repercussions?

But I do it so that the cause of his wrongdoing will be understood and to raise the hope that he won’t repeat them again, for a month has passed now in which he has given satisfaction, I know that he’ll be unhappy to leave my household. How can I bring myself to plunge him into this unhappiness? To make someone who loves me unhappy, when I can’t bear the idea of those who mean nothing to me suffering! I can’t do it.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 9 October 1835, EO VIII n 548

The preacher of mercy put his preaching into practice in his personal life – can I apply these words to my life and relationships?

Communication was slow in Eugene’s time and he had heard a rumor that his closest companion, Henri Tempier, had been dangerously ill. This letter shows how badly Eugene had taken the news and the sensitivity of his heart. A few years earlier he had suffered the illness and loss of two of his close collaborators, and he had remained scarred by the experience. See https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=3261

There’s no need for me to tell you all I’ve suffered these last several days. Everyone was saying you were dangerously ill. You know me well enough to understand how I felt with this dagger plunged deep into my soul. From the 25th September until October 6th this martyrdom was mine to taste. Towards the end, I was no longer in the land of the living.

Your letter puts me at rest. Let us say no more about it; what an amount of suffering you would have saved me by one single line from your pen! But I forgive you everything. There is nothing but love in my heart. I thank God for not submitting me to any worse test than this, heart-breaking and excessive though it was.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 9 October 1835, EO VIII n 548

We can certainly identify with his experience – let us be grateful for the relationships we are privileged to have.

Eugene, as father of the Oblate family, rejoices when he can express this paternity in the special moment of ordaining Etienne Semeria to the priesthood.

The ordination of Father Semeria was a real family feastday which gave a special character to that solemnity where grace flowed from the father over his children, sole witnesses of the wonders worked for the glory of one of their brothers and for the good of all and of God’s Church. The next day the first Mass was celebrated in the miraculous sanctuary at 5 o’clock in the morning according to our normal usages.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 22 September 1835, EO VIII n 544

We find this same sentiment of fatherhood expressed in response to Brother Ferrand.

I find it delightful to discern in your heart the affection and attachment you have for your father in Jesus Christ, and it gives me pleasure to assure you that you are paid in return

Letter to Jean Ferrand, 1 October 1835, EO VIII n 545

Two firsts here: Brother Jean Bernard Ferrand was the first Oblate Brother to be make his oblation in the Congregation and Father Semeria was to be the superior of the first group of Oblates to go to Ceylon.

If one can find in your house no more than a group of priests living under the same roof, as pastors from the surrounding neighbourhood might do, you will be guilty before me, before the Congregation and before God; and the people for whose sake you surrendered your Oblate way of life will go away but little edified and certainly deceived in their expectations.

And so I recommend you to be quite rigid on all of this, I want no political correctness or human considerations. Everyone knows who you are, so be worthy of your vocation and strive to accept its every least demand.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 8 October 1835, EO VIII n 547

Strong words that hold true today. If a ministry conducted by Oblates and by members of the Mazenodian family does not show a distinctive approach and spirit in the light of our charism, then we have missed the point of our vocation.

The Oblate community at Notre Dame de l’Osier ranged in age from 27 to 32 years of age and with minimal years of experience of priestly ministry. For this reason, Eugene kept a watchful eye over them and guided them to establish firm foundations. It is important to remember this as we read these extracts from the letters of Eugene to the community.

I recommend you to be very flexible as to formalities but to be rigid when it comes to what is basic regarding everything that concerns to the Rule or the spirit of the Congregation.

Eliminate anything that hints of childishness from amongst you.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 8 October 1835, EO VIII n 547

The only way that Bruno Guigues, the young community superior, could animate his community of peers was through observing the Oblate Rule. he had to learn to rigidly adhere to the prescriptions of the Rule and to the Spirit which this Rule of Life enshrined, but flexible in non-essentials.

Sometimes it is difficult to discern the difference and we fall into the trap of focusing only on the trivial and we forget the big picture.

The missionaries in charge of the Shrine of Our Lady of Osier are reminded:

As to matters outside the house, remember that Providence has put you at the service of this sanctuary so as to give a better direction to people’s devotion. I pray that their devotion to the Holy Virgin will bring them to conversion through your ministry.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 3 September 1835, EO VIII n 541

People came to the shrine because of their devotion to Mary – the mission of the Oblates as co-operators of the Savior, was to direct that devotion to the Savior and not to stop at Mary. The aim of the sanctuary was not directed at Mary, but to her example and intercession that led people to conversion to her Son.

Writing to the superior of this Marian shrine that had been in the care of a group of young Oblates for a short time, Eugene referred to one of the aims of the Oblates when we were founded: to work for the formation and the renewal of the clergy. Our houses were always to be open to welcome priests for retreats or for spiritual guidance.

You tell me that priests are beginning to come. I hope they will be edified by what they see in your house. No amount of politeness counts as much as scrupulous fidelity to all our observances.

It was the quality of the lives of the Oblates that would lead to conversions, not their words. In a similar way new recruits would come to the community not through prayers, but through the attractive witness given by those in the community.

We do need to pray the Dominum messis [ed “Send laborers into the vineyard”] for him to send us workers. The most effective mea ns of being heard is for us to be everything we are called to be.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 3 September 1835, EO VIII n 541