Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Eugene’s biographer, Rey, describes something that we will see regularly in the future: Eugene’s ability to identify a group of people who were “the most abandoned” and to take practical steps to rectify the cause. In this case the group was the children who had been left orphans when their parents died of cholera. Rey’s vocabulary is a bit flowery, but it conveys the powerful message.  I quote the passage in its entirety.

“He never ceased, however, to deal with the cholera and the dreadful consequences which had resulted from it, and which manifested themselves daily. On April 5, he had summoned to the bishopric the most distinguished ladies of the Marseilles society to have them adopt, in principle, the foundation of an asylum for children who had been fatherless and motherless, following the cholera. At this meeting, where the brave bishop electrified his audience – which was common to him in all circumstances … It was a preparatory meeting: the ladies consulted and stimulated by the eloquent words of the Prelate, they raised the funds necessary to the immediate adoption of several orphans. A new meeting was announced in the church of St. Vincent de Paul on May 19, the first day of the Rogations. The church was too small to receive the multitude of the faithful attracted by the desire to hear the message of the Bishop of Icosia and to contemplate the spectacle that offered at the feet of the altars, the assembly of Lady Patronesses and young orphans. We would like to reproduce the words of the speaker; they were collected by gratitude; we will confine ourselves to the quotation of a passage which shed the tears of all:

“Here they are, ladies, those innocent creatures which your charity consents to adopt under the auspices of Providence; Here they are dressed in their mourning clothes, which attests to their misfortune. You have made them feel all that they can expect from your mothers’ hearts, and already theirs beat at that name full of charm that they dared no longer pronounce. They extend to you their supplicating hands, to you, ladies who are so good, so tender, compassionate, say better, so eminently Christian. Ah! Ladies, I understand your emotion! Our poor children are saved!

“Yes, I see you pressing them against your maternal bosom, and in this delicious transport of a most divine charity, lavish on them your caresses, give them with your affection, not only the food necessary to sustain their lives, but some something more precious, for I see you preparing them for an education which, assuring their happiness in this life and in the other, will crown all the care you want to take from their young years.

” Almighty God. God most holy, God infinitely good, favor from heaven’s height this admirable adoption which delights my soul with joy, makes my tears flow and excites my gratitude.

 “And you, adorable Jesus, our divine master here present, bless from your tabernacle this nascent work; bless those children whom your Providence has just placed under the tutelary mantle of those who represent her here below.

“Bless these Christian ladies, so worthy of this beautiful name, whom they honor by so many virtues;

“Bless also those humble religious who will dedicate their best years to the relief, the instruction and the sanctification of these children whom we entrust to them today”.

The work was founded. The blessings descended on her cradle have never abandoned her.

Rey I p 619 – 620.

Cholera had ravaged Marseilles for 111 days with a death toll of thousands.

God has been glorified in the public prayers we prescribed. The doctors were forecasting a frightful recurrence of the disease, and instead, as if to mock their predictions, God has sent it packing with a puff of wind; the epidemic came to a complete end with the novena of solemn adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. For me and all those with faith this is a clear miracle, more marvelous than that of the resurrection of a dead person. If the Holy Father is unaware of these things, you might speak of them, believe me you will not be guilty of exaggeration.

The two processions of the Blessed Sacrament, on the first and last days of the novena, each lasted five hours. My uncle, in light of his 85 years, left me to preside over the ceremonies. There were twelve thousand people, torches in hand, in the procession; and on the square, where the final benediction was given, more than eighty thousand people. You can just imagine the effect of so many voices during the “Tantum ergo,” in that huge church with the heavens as its cupola, and stretching as far as the eye could see; tears streamed down people’s faces. From that moment I knew we were being heard.

It is a fine compensation for my sufferings to see God glorified in this way, so many souls converted, and our town healed by these all-powerful means employed by infinite mercy.

Letter to Bishop Frezza in Rome, 27 April 1835, EO XV n 177

While assisting those who were suffering so greatly, Eugene and his uncle, Bishop Fortuné, arranged to focus the attention of the people of Marseilles on concentrated prayer. The population had a special devotion to the small sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Garde on the hill dominating the city. The statue of the “Good Mother” which represented Mary’s “keeping guard” over the city and over the sea, was particularly loved by the people. Eugene wrote:

We are going to offer solemn prayers. Tomorrow we are bringing down the statue of Our Lady de la Garde for exposition in the cathedral for three days. Afterwards we will have a procession of the Blessed Sacrament for all who wish to take part as you can read in the brief pastoral directive I am sending you.

Letter to Casimir Aubert, 10 March 1835, EO VIII n 508

Writing to his mother some days later he describes this event:

We are now confronted by a quite ravishing spectacle. It is a holy explosion of devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which was displayed not only in the course of the journey down from the Mount to the cathedral, but is still going on with a sustained trust. The cathedral, where the Blessed Virgin has been exposed, does not empty from five in the morning till seven in the evening. When I say it does not empty, the fact is the whole vast building is continually full, from the altar to the organ; we have let them invade the choir, which is constantly full of men. One cannot but weep for joy. So I have to tear myself away from this temple, and if pressure of business did not call me away, I would not leave, my heart bursts so amid this very wonderful devotion. I think the Lord cannot but allow himself to be touched nor his divine Mother fail to obtain us mercy. I do not know what will come of it. The fact is that during the daytime yesterday, instead of the huge number of cases that have been daily terrifying our quarter, we had only a single case; and St. Laurent, which is suffering as much as ourselves, had only two. It is a huge decrease. Let’s hope.

Letter to his mother, March 1835, EO XV  n. 176

Beaudoin tells us: “From March 8-12 the statue of N.D. de la Garde was exposed in the cathedral. On the 12th. there was a procession from the cathedral to the church of St. Martin where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for nine days. These days of prayer ended with another procession on the 22nd.”

We have had to bring immediate relief to the most urgent cases. In some parishes, like La Major and St. Laurent, the clergy were at the end of their tether. I have given two Missionaries to St. Laurent. Calvaire is doing more in the line of service than a parish; the people like to come to the Missionaries in their need.

Letter to Casimir Aubert, 10 March 1835, EO VIII n 508

The Missionaries referred to are the Oblates who were sent immediately to the aid of those in need in the diocesan parishes because the local clergy was not coping.

Father Mille immediately offered to undertake the three-day journey from Notre Dame du Laus to be of assistance. Father Tempier responded in the name of Eugene:

The Bishop was totally confident of your spirit of devotedness and so he was not surprised at your request to come and care for the cholera victims. This time, however, you will gain the merit only of your good intentions: we can handle everything nicely. Do your work in the locality where you are and where the disease could very well pay you a visit: it adapts itself to every climate.

Letter of Henri Tempier to Jean Baptiste Mille, 16 March 1832, EO2 n 69

At the height of the epidemic, Eugene described the situation in Marseilles:

My dear Son, the demands made on us increase by the day. It was two hours past midnight before I got to bed yesterday. We are in a state of maximum alert on account of the re-appearance of the horrid disease that is afflicting our city.

We have had to bring immediate relief to the most urgent cases. In some parishes, like La Major and St. Laurent, the clergy were at the end of their tether. I have given two Missionaries to St. Laurent. Calvaire is doing more in the line of service than a parish; the people like to come to the Missionaries in their need.

I am myself on call in every district for the administration of the sacrament of confirmation to the large number of those who have neglected to receive it; I am fresh now from the hospital, and on my return there are a host of matters to be attended to from all over. I have just received a summons at this very moment to a poor woman who will not be for this world tomorrow.

I take up my pen again to express my regrets at my inability to respond to your requests which I would love to satisfy, but you understand that my place is here, and that I must give an example of a holy courage.

Letter to Casimir Aubert, 10 March 1835, EO VIII n 508

Where the most abandoned were suffering was the place where Eugene had to be as a cooperator of the Savior.

By February 1835, the cholera outbreak had become an epidemic. At the height of the epidemic Rey gives the average number of deaths of people in their houses as at least 83 each day, without counting those who had been brought to institutions to die. Panic hit the population of Marseilles with between 25 and 30,000 people fleeing the city to escape the ravages.

René Motte describes Eugene’s situation:

“At the time, Bishop de Mazenod had lost his civil rights because he accepted to be consecrated bishop without the authorization of the French government. He did not react negatively, asserting that Marseilles had no more claim on him, that he could have left the city like those who had enough money to find a safe place in the rural area. Quite to the contrary, he was aware that the Lord had called him to remain with the poor, “my place is here.” Moreover, his ministry as a bishop prompted him to administer confirmation to the sick who had not received this sacrament. His faith in the role of the Holy Spirit in every Christian life prompted him to make himself available to everyone to make sure that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is faithful to this calling in spite of the danger of becoming infected.”

“Cholera Epidemics” in https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/cholera-epidemics/

In 1832 there had been an initial outbreak of cholera in Marseilles while Eugene was in Rome to be made Bishop of Icosia. Fearing that it would lead to epidemic proportions, Eugene approached the Pope to grant a series of indulgences to people of the diocese who responded to the needs of those dying of cholera. Eugene’s list received papal approval in November 1832.

1/ A plenary indulgence for those who had contracted the illness and went to confession;

2/ 100 days for each person who visited the sick to bring them spiritual or material help;

3/ A plenary indulgence once a week to those who cared for the cholera victims in their (usually fatal) illness;

4/ 100 days for each priest approved as a confessor each time he heard the confession of a cholera victim;

5/ a plenary indulgence once a week to priests who assisted those dying of cholera.

Papal Audience of 2 November 1832 in Rey I p. 617.

Perhaps the question of indulgences does not speak as loudly today as it did then, but the point of this text is to show how serving the cholera victims was portrayed as a Gospel corporal work of mercy. This was highlighted by the fact that the illness was highly contagious and that people obviously avoided those who had contracted it. Thus, those who remained to give the necessary assistance were being shown that whatsoever they did to one of these victims, at great danger to themselves, they did it to God (cf. Matthew 25) and in God’s name.

The 1832 cholera outbreak did not take hold and last, but in January 1835, cholera broke out again and this list of indulgences was promulgated and published in every church and oratory of the diocese.

Marseilles, being a port, was always in danger of outbreaks of diseases carried by the many ships which called at the harbor. The inhabitants of this city had lived through many cholera epidemics, with 1835 being one of these. 1835 was to be a difficult year for St Eugene. He continued to be embroiled in the ongoing conflict with the French government over having accepted to be made Bishop of Icosia without their permission in 1832. we have seen in many entries above how this conflict played out. It was also a time when some priests of the diocese had to be disciplined and who went public in their unfounded condemnations of Eugene. All in all, a difficult year.

In the midst of all these difficulties, his faith in God shone through:

Provided God be exalted, what does it matter if one remains humiliated, overlooked, abandoned by nearly everyone? I pray that in the eyes of men “I am willing to look even more foolish than this” [ed. 2 Samuel 6:22], even to be humiliated. Ever since I came into the world, God has led me by the hand; he has had me accomplish so many things for his glory, that I had reason to fear pride if men had perceived them and shown gratitude towards me; it is better for me that they be unjust and ungrateful; in this way God will be my sole reward, as he is already my sole strength, my only hope.

Letter to Bishop Frezza, 27 April 1835, EO XV n 177

Not long after the arrival of the Oblates in Corsica, Eugene was able to write proudly:

Father Guibert has won his spurs at the first attempt. You wouldn’t believe the speed and ability he has shown in forwarding his task. The seminary is already set up, and on the sixth of the month the solemn opening will take place, in all likelihood by the Bishop himself who will just have returned at that time. Father Guibert left him at Bastia to choose a favourable site to treat with the authorities. Ajaccio is excited to see the completion in such a short time of an operation which seemed interminable.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Mille, 2 May 1835, EO VIII n 513

You wouldn’t believe with what ability Guibert has conducted his business, quite unaided, for His Lordship the Bishop stayed at Bastia while Guibert treated at Ajaccio with the civil authorities. I mention it in passing for your satisfaction.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 3 May 1835, EO VIII n 514

Hippolyte Guibert showed his extraordinary talents in the venture of setting up the major seminary. It is not surprising that seven years later he was appointed Bishop of Viviers, and eventually Cardinal Archbishop of Paris. Understandably, he and Father Tempier were Eugene’s closest confidants whenever a major decision concerning the Oblates had to be made.

The colorful Adrien Telmon, the third in the foundation community of the mission in Corsica was born in 1807, and made his oblation as an Oblate in 1826, being ordained a priest in 1830. Yvon Beaudoin tells is the story:

“Following the mission preached at Barcelonnette by the Founder and his confreres from April 20 to May 20, 1822, Adrien followed the missionaries to Aix. Bishop de Mazenod wrote in his diary under the entry of May 1, 1837:

“I snatched him, so to speak, from the cradle during our parish mission at Barcelonnette. How old was he at the time? Fifteen or sixteen, I do not know. Anyway, he was not even knee-high. He looked like a little child. Nevertheless, I took him under my wing and always considered him as my own son. I saw to all his needs and saw to it that he received an education. Finally, I welcomed him into the society and so I led him right up to the priesthood in spite of the fact that he did cause me some concern during his years in vows and on one occasion he fled the house at Aix.”

Of a rebellious and impulsive disposition, at the very outset he began to be a source of worry for his superiors.

Following the 1830-1831 school year, Father Telmon became part of the community of Notre-Dame du Laus until 1834. It was an experience he did not enjoy. He found the climate in Marseilles too hot and Laus too cold.

At Laus where Father Hippolyte Guibert was the superior, Father Telmon was teaching Sacred Scripture to some of the scholastic brothers and preaching missions. But there was little demand for parish missions after the Revolution of 1830.

However, in 1834, Bishop Casanelli d’Istria, the Bishop of Ajaccio handed his major seminary over to the direction of the Oblates. The Founder suggested Father Guibert as superior of the institution and announced that he would be accompanied by “a dogma professor, a talented man with a good grasp of Sacred Scripture and the ceremonies of the liturgy,” that is, Father Telmon. They arrived in Corsica at the beginning of 1835 and Father Telmon taught dogma from 1834 to 1837 and, at the same time, during Advent and Lent, accompanied Father Albini preaching parish missions. Both his preaching and his teaching were successful. His preaching was much appreciated by the public.”

We will be reading a lot more about this zealous missionary in the future: how he was part of the first group of Oblates going to Canada, and then founder of the Texas mission in the USA.

He died in France in 1878

In Father Telmon’s obituary, Father Soulerin stressed especially his talent as an orator and his zeal. He wrote: “He was an orator, a compelling speaker. His success in the pulpit was due to his diversified learning and his thorough knowledge of Sacred Scripture, making judicious application of Scripture texts as called for by the circumstances, along with the novel and ingenious conclusions he drew, his flow of words and elocution was outstanding, as well as the pleasing quality of his voice and his physical appearance. His speech was not flamboyant; there was none of that showiness which comes from style and gesture, but it was solid, enlightening, winning and simple with the poor, of a noble simplicity with the educated. His ability was such that he could in some way or other improvise on any subject whatever […] He would not have achieved such fine success without having been a man of zeal, sacrifice, self-denial, faith, piety, charity, of love of the Church and the Congregation. Truly, it was a touching scene [in Texas] to see him forgetful of himself in every respect, take on the most onerous task, thinking only of building a fitting abode for our Divine Savior, to achieve a splendid liturgy, to lavish upon souls the most earnest care, literally pursuing the lost sheep, taking his sometimes inadequate meals very late in the day, stooping to carry out the most humble household chores when the poor lay brother was overloaded with work. How often did we not see him at the end of the day vomit blood or collapse from fatigue and to fall asleep on the floor of his cell or in his chair until far into the night. Nevertheless, he was at meditation when morning came. He would offer Holy Mass, make his thanksgiving, after which, before turning his attention to his breakfast, he had already planned out all the details of the coming day…”

See: https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/telmon-pierre-antoine-adrien/