Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

We will spare no effort to awaken or to reawaken the faith in the people to whom we are sent, and we will help them to discover “who Christ is”

CC&RR, Constitution 7

We were initially founded to “re-awaken the faith in the people” whose faith and religious expression had been stifled as a result of the French Revolution – primarily by conducting extensive parish missions in the rural villages.

In the course of this ministry, the Oblates came across people who had never been evangelized, thus necessitating a ministry to “awaken” their sense of God and religious knowledge. It was in the foreign missions, however, that the ministry to awaken the faith of people in Jesus Christ took root. Writing to a missionary sent to North America, Eugene said:

Foreign missions compared to our missions in Europe have a special character of a higher kind, because this is the true apostolate of announcing the Good News to nations which have not yet been called to knowledge of the true God and of his son Jesus Christ…. This is the mission of the apostles: “Go, teach all people” this teaching of the truth must penetrate to the most distant nations so that they may be regenerated in the waters of baptism.

You are among those to whom Jesus Christ has addressed these words, giving you your mission as he gave their mission to the apostles who were sent to convert our fathers. From this point of view, which is a true one, there is nothing higher than your ministry and that of our other Fathers who are wearing themselves out in the glacial regions to discover the indigenous people whom it is their task to save.

Eugene’s letter to Fr. Pascal Ricard, 6 December 1851, EO II n 157

We will spare no effort to awaken or to reawaken the faith in the people to whom we are sent, and we will help them to discover “who Christ is”

Constitution 7

Eugene founded us to “reawaken the faith” of the people of France after the French Revolution. Christopher Dawson described that situation as “an atmosphere of defeat and disaster” and continued:

“Everything had to be rebuilt from the foundations. The religious orders and the monasteries, the Catholic universities and colleges and, not least, the foreign missions had all been destroyed or reduced to poverty and impotence. Worst of all, the Church was still associated with the unpopular cause of the political reaction and the tradition of the ancien régime.

Yet, in spite of all these disasters, the Church did recover and a revival of Catholicism took place, so that the church was in a far stronger position by 1850 than it had been 100 years before when it still possessed its ancient wealth and privileges.” (The Historic Reality of Christian Culture, p. 57 – https://archive.org/)

Eugene’s Missionaries played an important role in the recovery of the Church through the impact of the prolonged and intense parish missions in France and Corsica, and later in the missions outside of France where they encountered Catholics who had fallen away.

(The topic of the popular missions has been reflected on in depth in this series in the past. I invite you to consult some of these entries, from https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=358 to https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=2524 )

We will spare no effort to awaken or to reawaken the faith in the people to whom we are sent, and we will help them to discover “who Christ is”

CC&RR, Constitution 7

Before his conversion journey, Eugene intellectually knew “who Christ is” – after 25 years of religious observance he knew his catechism. What happened at his conversion was that this knowledge became experiential. He entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ that would be the characteristic quality of the rest of his life.

Conversion did not mean getting to know about Jesus but getting to know Jesus in a relationship that he became passionate about. From now on he would “act in everything and for everything” only for him and he would love him “above all else.”

What he received was so powerful that he was impelled to share it with others – particularly those whose situation made it difficult to come to the same knowledge. These were the poor for Eugene, as he described in this letter to his mother:

As the Lord is my witness, what he wants of me is that I renounce a world where it is almost impossible to find salvation, such is the power of apostasy there; that I devote myself especially to his service and try to reawaken the faith that is becoming extinct among the poor; in a word, that I make myself available to carry out any orders he may wish to give me for his glory and the salvation of souls he has redeemed by his precious blood.

Eugene’s letter to his mother, 29 June 1808, EO XV n. 27.

All who share in Eugene’s charism participate in the same dynamic of working to lead others to the same experiential knowledge of the Savior. Each in our own way, and in our particular circumstances, has this mission of helping others in this process.

It is noteworthy that the text says “we will help them to discover ‘who Christ is’.” Mission does not mean going to people to fill them with knowledge – it means journeying with them as they discover and deepen their understanding of the meaning of a relationship with Jesus.  Eugene’s use of this phrase in the Preface speaks of helping people to understand that which Jesus Christ is for them (“ce que c’est que Jésus Christ”) – who he is in their lives and the meaning he gives.

We will spare no effort to awaken or to reawaken the faith in the people to whom we are sent, and we will help them to discover “who Christ is”

Constitution 7

Fr. Michel Courvoisier writes:

“Nil linquendum est inausum ut proferatur imperium Christi…”, states the text of the Preface of our Constitutions and Rules of 1826. As a literal translation, I suggest: “We must overlook nothing, leaving nothing undared to advance, to extend the reign of Christ”. This apothegm has sustained and presently sustains the missionary thrust of the Congregation.”

Eugene’s life was made up of a series of daring actions, of sparing no effort, for his Savior. Breaking away from his mother’s dominating wishes and the high society of Aix, his going to the seminary in Paris unleashed a chain reaction of daring events. He spared no effort in his defense of the rights of the Church in the persecution of Napoleon (nor of any other King of France in later years).

He spared no effort in giving himself to the service of prisoners and youth in Aix, and then to the villages of Provence. He dared to invite others to join him and spared no effort to get us to evangelize the rural towns of southern France.

He dared to introduce the moral theology of St Alphonsus which stressed mercy and compassion in the face of the prevailing Jansenism in France.

He dared to send missionaries to Canada and to the British Isles and Ireland at a time when we were so few and not coping with the demands in France. He spared no effort in the missionary outreach of the Oblates until his death.

As Bishop of Marseille, he spared no effort to evangelize his people and to lead them to respond to the never-ending needs of the poor with their many faces.

“Daring” in the Dictionary of Oblate Values (http://www.omiworld.org/en/dictionary/dictionary-of-oblate-values_vol-1_d/1037/daring/)

We will spare no effort to awaken or to reawaken the faith in the people to whom we are sent, and we will help them to discover “who Christ is”

Constitution 7

“Spare no effort!” In 1818 Eugene wrote these words in the first version of what has come to be known as our “Preface.” For over 200 years these words have been engraved in the hearts and imaginations of our Oblate missionaries: “spare no effort!” These words sum up Eugene’s entire life and the history of his Missionary Family present today in 65 countries.

The Church has shown its recognition through the words of the Popes at our General Chapters. Pope John Paul II, for example:

With you all, I give thanks to the Lord for the work accomplished by the Oblates. Your presence on every continent, and particularly in distant lands, brings you into contact with men and women of different cultures and traditions; this is the sign of the Church’s universality and of her concern for all peoples.

[…] You are also concerned with the new areas of mission, especially the communications media and confident dialogue with the people of today, in order to establish an ever more fraternal society and an era of justice and peace. You are making courageous efforts to meet new, urgent pastoral, apostolic and missionary needs, and to undertake the necessary inculturation, a patient process which, while requiring you to listen to people, “must in no way compromise the distinctiveness and integrity of the Christian faith” (Redemptoris missio, n. 52). The Church appreciates your willingness and concern to answer the Lord’s call wherever you are sent and to put yourselves at the service of the local Churches […]To the XXXIII General Chapter, September 24, 1998

Eugene charges us today: spare no effort to make him known in whatever you do, in your speech and in your actions of love for others

Oblate Brothers share in the common priesthood of Christ. They are called to cooperate in their own way in reconciling all things in him (cf. Col 1: 20). Through their religious consecration, they offer a particular witness to a life inspired by the Gospel.

Brothers participate in the missionary work of building up the Church everywhere, especially in those areas where the Word is first being proclaimed. Missioned by the Church, their technical, professional or pastoral service, as well as the witness of their life, constitute their ministry of evangelization.

Rule 7 c

“The Brothers brought their many skills to the Oblate mission, especially in teaching: “in 1850-1853, brothers were teaching in Canada and in England. In the period between 1841 and 1861, at least twenty-five brothers taught catechism in France, at Vico and in Sri Lanka.

The brothers were so much a part of the Congregation after 1841 that Bishop de Mazenod distributed as many as possible in the houses in France and made them a part of every missionary contingent. Moreover, more and more brothers joined the Congregation after the acceptance of foreign missions. At the time of the death of the Founder, of the four hundred and fourteen Oblates, there were eighty-seven brothers, giving a total of twenty percent.

In the appendix of the 1853 Rule on foreign missions, Bishop de Mazenod … opened up a new field of apostolate for them by asking that in all our missions the priest should never be alone, that he be accompanied by at least one brother. He added that the Oblates should turn their attention to teaching the youth” (S. Rebordinos, https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/brothers/ )

As priests and Brothers, we have complementary responsibilities in evangelizing.

Constitution 7

From the beginning, Oblates had one mission, and all participated in it according to their talents. Initially the Brothers supported the mission through common prayer and ensuring the functioning of the community structures so that the priests could dedicate themselves fully to the preaching and sacramental ministry. Later they were to participate in evangelization in more direct ways.

The problem arose that some of the priests treated them as domestic workers. Eugene went to great lengths to correct this situation, as he wrote in his Diary:

Letter from Father Vincens about his novitiate and what he must grant to the Coadjutor Brothers who no longer must be considered like salaried domestics. They are entitled to everything that may be done by religious men. In addition, their work must be moderated by pious exercises and everything that the Rule prescribes.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 8 December 1842, EO XXI

Father Jetté comments:

A brief historical review can help us to understand better this distinction in the Oblate life. In the beginning, Eugene de Mazenod wanted to establish a Society of priests who would dedicate their lives to evangelizing the poor, especially by the preaching of missions and the celebration of the sacraments (Reconciliation and the Eucharist). These men were called “missionaries” or “apostolic men”. Lay persons soon came to join them: they wanted to consecrate themselves to God in the Oblate religious life and to cooperate, according to their preparation and talents, with the missionary activity of these “apostolic men”….

Since then until today our terminology has changed: the terms “missionary” and “apostolic men” are now equally applied to the Brothers and to the priests.

“The Apostolic Man” p 47 -48

Over the years, so many of our lay associates have also felt called to move on from being the helpers of the Oblates to being missionaries with us.

As priests and Brothers, we have complementary responsibilities in evangelizing.

Constitution 7

Initially the Missionaries had been founded as a society of priests to evangelize though preaching and sacraments. Two years later, when we became religious with vows, the element of religious life became an essential component of our vocation. This opened the door to men who wanted Oblate religious life without being priests.

The brothers assured the religious life of the community as they were the constant members who did not go out preaching missions. Initially, they participated in the Oblate mission by caring for the material needs of the house and community, enabling the priests to focus on preaching and sacramental activities. Some of the Oblate priests whose focus was on clerical ministry which the brothers were unable to do, were tempted to regard the brothers as domestic servants. Eugene counteracted these notions because he was convinced of the importance of the Brothers.

At one time didn’t you mention a candidate for the brothers? I passed on the news to the novitiate. I have sent Brother Ferrand to Corsica. That leaves us only Brother Roux. They are a rare breed but vital, and when they come to us it is important to give them a good formation.

Eugene’s letter to Bruno Guigues, 3 May 1835, EO VIII n 514

So far I have only been able to send to Ajaccio Guibert, Telmon and Brother Ferrand, without whom Guibert tells me he wouldn’t have been able to open his seminary, so useful is he to them. Let’s have no more debate about the good brothers after that! So I’m going to admit Brother Roux to his final oblation. It’s up to the rest of you to come up with some more.

Letter to Bruno Guigues, 27 May 1835, EO VIII n 516

As priests and Brothers, we have complementary responsibilities in evangelizing.

Constitution 7

Passionate as a cooperator of Jesus the Savior, Eugene brought together the first Oblate priests in 1816 to make this ideal a reality for themselves and for the most abandoned. Nearly three years later the group realized that God was calling them to become religious. This meant that our Oblate identity was now first of all as consecrated religious – which made it possible for men who chose not to be priests to be missionaries. Each would bring his talents and abilities to the service of the mission in a complementary way. The history of the ministry of the Oblate Brothers throughout the world makes for inspiring reading.

In 1818 the Holy Spirit led the initial Oblate Family of priests to expand to include those who were not priests to be members. Since then, the Holy Spirit has led the Church to understand that the call to holiness is universal (Vatican II Lumen Gentium n. 5) and not the exclusively limited to the “call to perfection” of priests and religious.

Thus, over the years, lay persons have experienced the call to live the charism of St. Eugene together with the Oblate religious – each group having complementary responsibilities.

This leads to the question: “How do you see your responsibilities in evangelizing where you are and in whatever situation you find yourself.?”

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We remember Eugene’s words that the Constitution and Rules

are not a trivial unimportant thing, they are no longer simple regulations, merely pious directions; they are Rules approved by the Church after most minute examination. They have been judged holy and eminently suited to lead those who have embraced them to their goal.

Letter to Henri Tempier and all the Oblates, 18 February 1826, EO VII n 226

As we explore our Rule of Life, step-by-step, it is through the eyes of St Eugene that we look at it. What does he say to us through it? How does he communicate his spirit and vision to us? What is he calling us to be and do as he accompanies us, the members of his beloved Charismatic Family? For what is he interceding for us in the presence of God and the saints?

For the last few months, we have been exploring our Rule of Life with St Eugene. To recap briefly now. Each of us has been called by Jesus Christ

·      to share in his mission as his cooperators (C1)

·      to know him more deeply, to identify with him, to let him live in us (C2)

·      to follow the example of the apostles by living in his presence and sharing this experience with others (C3)

·      to see the world through the eyes of his Cross which leads those in need to the power of the resurrection (C4)

·      to proclaim him and his Kingdom to the poor and most abandoned (C5)

·      to recognize and love him in his body, the Church, and participate in its mission (C6).

We will now continue with Constitutions 7, 8 and 9 which illustrate how we put all this into practice as we share with others “who Christ is” is for us and how his love transforms our lives.