Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Writing in his diary, Eugene reflected on the procession he had had the courage to organize:

General procession. This procession had been recommended as having to make up for those which were not able to take place at the time of Corpus Christi, because of the barricades and the disorder occasioned by the riot. I regarded this procession as necessary, either because I had announced that the processions of Corpus Christi were only delayed or because it was time for our city to give this homage to our Lord Jesus Christ. I thought that the day of the grand solemnity of the Blessed Virgin would be well chosen, because I would benefit from this circumstance in moving down the statue of Our Lady de la Garde, and because I would secure through this a double homage to our Blessed Mother and to her divine Son.

This determination being known, the good faithful experienced great joy therefrom; but certain considerations convinced my vicars general and some others to not approve it.

In the light of the recent unrest, Fr Tempier had approached Eugene to dissuade him from this very public show of faith, reminding him of how the mob had murdered the Archbishop of Paris.

I had all too well thought about the decision which I had to take in order to withdraw from my project. It’s necessary, moreover, to really acknowledge that the bishops have the grace of state for the government of their diocese. It was a matter here of fulfilling a promise, of satisfying a popular expectation, of rendering to our Savior Jesus Christ the public homage which he still had not received for this year… I, moreover, did not experience any anxiety; I had been convinced of the good effect that our wonderful feast would produce, and I felt myself so sure of success, in the midst of a population like ours, that I finally responded that, even though I would not be granted one soldier, I would nonetheless do the procession.

Eugene’s Diary, 15 August 1848, EO XXI

REFLECTION

“You come to me and unite Yourself intimately to me under the form of nourishment. Your Blood now runs in mine, Your Soul, Incarnate God, compenetrates mine, giving courage and support. What miracles! Who would have ever imagined such!” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)

Eugene had appointed Fr Joseph Burfin as superior of the community in Limoges. Their relationship was not always smooth and they had occasional disagreements. In responding to him Eugene used the Oblate Rule as his guide. The spirit of this Rule is also a source of inspiration to all the members of our Mazenodian Family.

 Letter to Fr. Burfin. I am giving him some rules of conduct. I note down some expressions from his letters. I reply with the text of our rules to what he said to me about the tediousness which was being experienced at Limoges.

Diary of Eugene de Mazenod, 5 July 1848, EO XX!

REFLECTION

“The Constitutions and Rules set out a privileged means for each Oblate to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. They are inspired by the charism lived by the Founder and his first companions; also, they have received the approval of the Church. Thus, they allow each Oblate to evaluate the quality of his response to his vocation and to become a saint.” (OMI Constitutions and Rules, Constitution 163)

It seemed that Eugene had been unable to find a new Novice Master and so changed his mind and appointed Fr Dassy, to whom he had previously written: “a Master of Novices who must be considered a saint in his own novitiate, but also a good father.”

I want to confide the novitiate to you. Take firm resolutions that, to the regularity that you must exact from each, you add a great degree of moderation, much goodness, and fatherly sentiments for those who, faithful to the voice of the Lord, leave their country and their family, and give up everything to consecrate themselves to the service of the Church in our Congregation.

They must find with us a true family, brothers and a father; we have the obligation to represent Divine Providence to them. Never deviate from these principles.

My dear son, I am a bit afraid of your natural temper, a certain severity of manner, reactions that are too quick and too cutting. The Master of Novices must in a way be unaffected, must always act reasonably. If, unhappily, he were only once perceived to be unjust, the confidence in him that must be retained always would disappear.

Letter to Fr. Toussaint Dassy at Nancy, July-August 1848, EO X n 983

REFLECTION

The Master of Novices has the particular responsibility of inspiring and accompanying the young men on their journey of becoming missionaries imbued with the spirit and charism of the Oblates. While not having the title of “master of novices” all leaders of communities and groups within the Mazenodian Family have this role: to create a true charismatic family.

” A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.” (Horace Mann)

Father Dassy was a talented missionary and also an intellectual scholar who liked to do research and and write – but had a difficult character. He had offered to take on the role of director of the formation of the novices in Nancy. Eugene, who had a great esteem for him, responded in an outright and honest way.

You may perhaps tell me that if I gave you a good assistant you could take on this task. I believe in your piety, regularity, zeal, but I fear your severity, your demands. Though gentle in appearance, you lack suppleness in your character, you hold on too much to your ideas, you do not know how to give way in certain small things that it is best often to ignore in order to obtain major matters more easily. I fear that your authority in your usual contacts with the novices might be difficult to endure. You might perhaps not be sufficiently on guard against certain prejudices. In a word, you would have much and perhaps too much of introspection to win the confidence of young men; the latter is of primary necessity in the functions of a Master of Novices who must be considered a saint in his own novitiate, but also a good father.

Letter to Fr. Toussaint Dassy at Nancy, 23 June 1848, EO X n 980

REFLECTION

“The constructive criticism that I take very seriously is from people I know and respect.” (C. Thile)

A month later, Eugene wrote again to Fr. Viala to support and encourage him in his important and delicate mission in Limoges.

There can be no question, my dear Father Viala, that the good you have accomplished since you have been at Limoges has gained you the confidence of the Bishop, the clergy and the faithful. They have seen you at work and they know what you can do. How could I excuse myself in their eyes were I to withdraw you from the community which serves the diocese and where the members were not supposed to have come there for the sake of appearance…

I beg you then, dear Father, take courage; a man’s temperament follows him anywhere. no one can say that you cannot recover your health as well at Limoges as elsewhere. I am convinced that what has caused you the most harm is the anxiety which you allowed yourself to fall prey to. Act according to the Lord’s view and all will go well. Father Ricard who was at death’s door when he was chosen to go and establish the mission of Oregon, placed all his confidence in the Lord, and now he writes that he has never been in better health, and bald though he is, he has not had a cold for a single day, even though throughout the long journey he never slept but on the ground and often in the mud.

… Ponder it well in the secret of your conscience with the help of the supernatural light of the Holy Spirit and your own natural common sense; however, I repeat, write to me and do not worry…

Goodbye. my dear Father Viala. I greet you affectionately.

Letter to Fr. Jean Viala at Limoges, 29 July 1848, EO X n 982

REFLECTION

“God has created me to do Him some definite service.  He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.  I have my mission.  I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next… I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.  If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.” (St. John Henry Newman)

Go to: https://sites.google.com/view/mazenodianfamily/monthly-oraison/what-is-oraison/march-2024?authuser=0 

Father Viala, who was complaining about his assignment, was reminded of his action of total self-giving to God through his oblation.

So, my dear Father, be patient, do not ask for the impossible, have confidence in our good Father for whose sake we have sacrificed everything on this earth, even our life. Do not doubt that he will come to your aid, that he will give you back your health and your peace of soul, on condition that you live in holy indifference, a quality which assures the happiness of a good religious… For now, attend to regaining your health and continue doing the good work you have begun to do so well. Try to overcome the little dislikes and vexations that all of us meet in our lives; be worthy of yourself and your vocation and believe me, it costs me very much to contradict you, but I appeal to your heart and to your piety.

Farewell. I greet you very affectionately.

Letter to Fr. Jean Viala at Limoges, 21 June 1848, EO X n 979

REFLECTION

Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures – I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul: I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father. (Charles de Foucald)

Father Viala was unhappy in Limoges and blamed it on the climate affecting his health. His presence, however, was necessary for the success of the new mission and thus Eugene encouraged him by telling him why it was important to remain there.

In God’s name, my dear Father, calm your state of mind with the help of supernatural thoughts. What should we seek on this earth? to do God’s will. The secret of our happiness lies in conforming our will with his; if our will is grudging, we risk losing the merit of our obedience; at least we deprive ourselves of the consolations that always accompany our submission.

Reflect that several of our brothers have given up everything and crossed the seas to obey this divine will which was expressed to them through the very superiors who are keeping you in your present placement. Those among them who sleep on snow, who drag themselves over ice, who have nothing but a little bread for their food, and on lucky days, a piece of fat to rub on it, do not complain about their lot, and they entrust their health – as all of us have done and all of us should do – to the Providence of God who governs us.

Letter to Fr. Jean Viala at Limoges, 21 June 1848, EO X n 979

REFLECTION

“Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will.  All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will.  Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.” (St Ignatius of Loyola)

We have seen how the Oblates had established a community of missionaries in Limoges. Fr Hippolyte Courtès, who knew the spirit of the Founder, had been sent temporarily to launch the project. A member of that community, Fr Jean Viala, had written to Eugene to express that he was unhappy in Limoges and that the climate did not agree with him. Eugene responded:

I was very consoled, my dear Father Viala, to learn from your letter all the good you have accomplished in the diocese of Limoges. How is it, then, that you are asking me to withdraw you from there? Is it because you are suffering, but where is that not the case?

… You’ve allowed yourself to get too preoccupied, and, by not reminding yourself that we ought to be where Providence has placed us, you have given in to feeling worn out, and that’s the problem. But, my dear friend, think about our position with the Bishop of  Limoges. He writes me letter after letter urging me not to delay a moment in fulfilling the obligations we have contracted, he needs at least six capable missionaries, and it’s just when Father Courtès has withdrawn…

In God’s name, my dear Father, calm your state of mind with the help of supernatural thoughts.

Letter to Fr. Jean Viala at Limoges, 21 June 1848, EO X n 979

REFLECTION

Serenity comes from being in a loving relationship with God’s providence and allowing this to fill our thoughts.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

The situation in Limoges was tricky. As Eugene tried to find the right Oblates to respond to these challenges he was faced by the reality of human weakness.

If the Bishop had been less urgent, less threatening, let us say, in his demands, I would not have abandoned adopting the project that you proposed as feasible to me, that is, to give this mission to the care of Father Viala. The Father does indeed lack some things to do the task well; but since we can get used to him, and he does succeed rather well, it could have been achieved by persuading him that he must be more faithful to the Rules which govern the family and that he himself is to observe well that which he is obliged to have others observe.

Our Constitutions and Rules are intended to guide us in living our mission in accordance with the God-given spirit given to our Founder. Genuine fidelity to them covers our human weaknesses and foibles and ensures that we be God’s instruments to the people entrusted to our care. This was also to apply to Fr. Burfin with his impetuous personality

But everything was settled, and unless Father Burfin was to be left where he was, it was no longer possible to come back on what had been said. He did not prove very courageous in the proposal he made to you, together with Father Nicolas, to leave the situation and go back. That is a bad beginning. How is he going to pilot this ship which needs a good cool-headed pilot, who does not at the first commotion take an extreme position that compromises the very existence of a newly established foundation, that has been so well directed up to now. Of course, we have no choice.

Letter to Fr Hippolyte Courtès, 5 May 1848, EO X n 975

REFLECTION

 “Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.” (Reed Markham)