Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

In his petition to the Pope, Eugene stressed the benefits which their Rule had brought to the Missionaries. Now he asked that the Pope fortify their mission by giving the Rule his approval.

Now this family of which Your Holiness is the beloved father, this family completely devoted to the Church, to the Holy Apostolic See and to the sacred person of Your Holiness, begs you to add to the foresaid benefits already granted that of giving it a consistence which it cannot acquire except from Your Holiness, from whom it confidently awaits the formal approval that Your Holiness will deign to give to its Rules.

 The experience of almost ten years proves that these Rules are suitable for helping the members of the Society achieve the goals they have set for themselves. The approval of seven noteworthy bishops such as the Archbishop of Aix and the Bishops of Marseilles, Gap, Digne, Fréjus, Nimes and Nice are a second guarantee, equally certain, that the Missionaries dare to present to Your Holiness.

 Most Holy Father, deign to affix the final seal and consolidate for ever such an important work by fortifying it with pontifical approval and your apostolic blessing.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

Once the missionaries had started to work outside of Provence, it became necessary to change their name. They had adopted “Oblates of St Charles,” no doubt to honor the Founder’s patron saint. Eugene, however, did not like this name. Of his own accord he decided to change it to Oblates of the most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary and needed the Pope’s permission for this change.

Such touching signs of the great protection on the part of Your Holiness is already a kind of approval; besides, the Society of Missionaries is pleased to regard them as an inalienable title, of which it hopes, with God’s grace, never to be unworthy.

 At the same time, we ask Your Holiness that, in the Brief of Approval which the Missionaries request, you give them the name of Oblates of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary instead of Oblates of S[ain]t Charles: this to avoid any confusion of names with other Congregations; and further, if you are agreeable and if you approve, to make it clear that the Abbé de Mazenod, who was thereto named by unanimous vote of his co-workers, be and remain the superior of the Society of the Missionary (from now on called, if it pleases Your Holiness) Oblates of the Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary.

 The most humble, faithful and devoted son of Your Holiness,

 The Abbé de Mazenod, Vicar General of Marseilles.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

Eugene’s petition to the Pope included the letters of support for the Oblate Rule that he had received from seven bishops.

Pope Pius VII granted liberal indulgences to the Society of Missionaries and the Bishops have not ceased to encourage their good works. It was soon necessary to expand beyond Provence and go into Dauphiné and Languedoc to respond to the wishes and concerns of the Prelates. All those in whose dioceses the Missionaries are working have approved their Rule in most flattering terms. There are seven of them. Several wanted to write this approval in their own hand so as to give in this manner more force to their honourable witness. All accompanied it with the most touching expressions of the liveliest and most sincere interest…

 But they still lack something that they desire with great intensity, that which each of them begs with greatest insistence through their spokesman, the Abbé de Mazenod, their superior: they still lack the approval of Your Holiness.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

Eugene’s petition to the Pope included a summary of the work and achievements of the Oblates since their foundation ten years before:

They have devoted themselves mainly to the missions, which is the principal end of their Institute and this preferably in the most abandoned areas, preaching there in the vernacular, that is in the dialect, the daily language of the people who do not understand French well in these remote places. They have offered their assistance to the Clergy in view of a moral reform by means of retreats and a good priestly training in seminaries. They have dedicated themselves to the care of the youth whom they gather in Christian groups in order to withdraw them from the world’s corruption. They have also been engaged in serving poor prisoners whom they instruct, to whom they administer the Sacraments and those who are condemned to death they accompany even to the gallows…

The Missionary Oblates of Saint Charles thus constituted have four houses and a hostel at the present. They are serving in six large dioceses. They are entrusted with the hospitals of Aix, the prisons of Marseilles, the prisons of Aix, and the shrine of Notre-Dame du Laus. Bishops are calling them to assume the direction of their seminaries. They have, furthermore, the consolation of enjoying the affection and esteem of their Superiors and fellow citizens.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

In his petition to Pope Leo XII for approbation, Eugene continued by marveling at the results of their ministry. It was ony possible for God to work through the Oblates if they themselves lived on the presence of the God they wished to communicate. In order to do this effectively a Rule of Life was needed as a spiritual companion and guide.

They themselves have been struck by the wonders that grace has achieved through their ministry. They feel that to become worthy of their vocation, they must walk in the footsteps of the Saints; that the members of their Society must have the possibility of working at their perfection and at the same time, they would provide the people with the means of salvation by preaching conversion to them.

They have resolved to embrace the evangelical counsels and to devote themselves totally to whatever would promote the greatest glory of God, the salvation of the most abandoned souls, and the service of the Church.

The Rules and Constitutions of the Society of the Missionary Oblates of Saint Charles (which is the name they had taken), commonly known as the Missionaries of Provence, have been drawn up in this spirit.

Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

During the day, I was busy preparing the petition to present to the Pope on the day he grants me an audience.

Eugene’s Roman Diary, 8 December 1825, EO XVII

As this document gives a good description of the state of the Oblates in 1825, it is worthwhile to spend some time with it.

Most Holy Father,

 The Abbé de Mazenod, Vicar General of Marseilles, prostrate at the feet of Your Holiness, has the honour of informing you that since 1815, after the Sovereign Pontiff Pius VII had manifested his desire that Missions be preached in France to the people who are demoralized by the Revolution, he saw it as a duty to dedicate himself, with several chosen companions, to this holy ministry in the Diocese of Aix en Provence.

 The extraordinary blessings that God deigned to shower on the efforts of their zeal sparked the desire in neighbouring Bishops to procure the same benefits for their flocks. They repeatedly requested the Abbé de Mazenod to have him and his companions evangelize the people of their dioceses. The Abbé de Mazenod considered himself fortunate to be able to second the pastoral concern of these venerable Prelates, and was delighted to be able thus to further knowledge of Jesus Christ and to [assure] the return of a greater number of lost sheep to good principles.

Having set out the reason for the establishment of the Oblates, Eugene continued by establishing why a Rue of Life was necessary:

Now the Missionaries thought quite rightly that, since they were to expand into various dioceses, it was necessary to set common rules which would be like the bond of their new-born Society.

 Petition to His Holiness Pope Leo XII, 8 December 1825, EO XIII n. 48

Preparing the way to present his request for approbation of the OMI Rule to the Pope involved requests to various persons.

Visit to Bishop Caprano, secretary of the Propaganda, to alert him of the favours I must ask and dispose him not to refuse them. This prelate received me very well and promised me his assistance.

Roman Diary 7 December 1825, EO XVII

Some days later Eugene found out that the person responsible for making appointments with the Pope had forgotten all about him:

Before leaving the Vatican, I went up to the apartments of the Pope to learn if Bishop Barberini had asked for an audience for me; he had indeed forgotten. The occasion would have been splendid if I had only wished to see the Pope and kiss his feet; there was no one waiting to go in; I could have had myself presented, but I took care not to because, other than not foreseeing that I might go up to the papal apartments, I had not brought my petition, I did not presume that Cardinal de Gregorio would have seen him since he had promised to speak to him of me. So I preferred to wait, knowing how first impressions influence matters. For the rest, I do my best to leave it to God.

 I have resolved to say holy Mass every day of the octave of the Holy Virgin for the intention of the grace that we seek. I do not neglect on the other hand the human means that must be used. If after that I do not succeed, I will have nothing to reproach myself with.

Eugene’s letter to Henri Tempier in Marseilles, 9 December 1825, EO VII n. 211

During his time as a seminarian in Paris, Napoleon had imprisoned the Pope and had brought all the Cardinals to Paris. As Eugene was fluent in Italian, and the Cardinals did not know French, he served them as an interpreter and did errands for them at great personal risk to himself. Now, some 15 years later, he met several of them in Rome. Some of them made his task easier.

Cardinal De Gregorio treated me with exceptional kindness and cordiality. He recalled having seen me often at Paris during the time of the exile of the Roman prelates. I had actually seen him although he was not one of those to whom I rendered service, as were Cardinals Mattei, Ruffo, Archbishop of Naples, Gabrielli, Brancardoro, Canon Muzzarelli  and others.

Roman Diary 6 December 1825, EO XVII

A few days later he wrote:

The Cardinal Dean, Secretary of State, sent to inform me that he would receive me at nine o’clock. I was there at the Vatican on time and had the honour of offering him my respects. His Eminence received me very kindly with amiable politeness, but he had completely forgotten me and all that I had done for the cardinals at Paris during their exile. I had to remind him that I had often gone to his house, had sometimes even taken meals there, that I had presented him with the Vie de la vénérable Agnes (bound at my expense).

 At that time we were catechists at the Major Catechetical Program of Saint Sulpice. I served him when he came to say Mass at the German chapel. I was designated to find out from him, Cardinal Della Somaglia, the needs of the cardinals at the fatal moment of their disgrace. I recalled to him that he had replied that he would need nothing for two years but had pointed out those who would have need of help.

 So many things have happened since then that a person could easily have forgotten past events. The Cardinal was no less polite; but, on my part, I reflected that it would be very foolish to do good in order to gain a good reputation among men. God alone knows how to reward what we have done for him. So, we must do everything to please him.

Roman Diary 10 December 1825, EO XVII

Eugene describes his joy at finding the tomb of his former Venetian teacher and mentor, Father Bartolo Zinelli.

And have I not found the memory, the bust and even the body interred in the church of this holy priest, of whom you have heard me speak so often, of this great servant of God, Father Bartolo Zinelli, who was my teacher at Venice, who died in the odour of sanctity under this very roof which shelters me? The cause of his beatification would have been launched long ago if the Society of which he was a member had not been dissolved, because of the misconduct of its head, the famous Paccanari, who finished so badly after having made a good beginning.

But my dear teacher, this good friend who could only console himself at my departure, so he wrote me, by going up to the altar to pray for me, he only had virtues, and the Bishop of the place where he preached his last mission wished to proceed to authenticate by act a prophecy which be made in his diocese and which came true.

… It is a consolation for me to breathe the same air, to offer the holy sacrifice on the same altars, to be able to pray at his tomb.

Letter to Fr Hippolyte Courtès in Aix, 6 December 1825, EO VI n 210