Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Thirty-eighth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. I celebrated the feast, as is customary, in the inner chapel of the monastery of our holy Capuchin Sisters where I always receive the most touching testimony of the daughterly affection of these holy ladies. I spent the rest of the day in the Major Seminary with the retreatants who are preparing for ordination tomorrow. After the evening prayer, before taking leave of them, I spoke to them of my thoughts which were doubtless in keeping with the inspirations they have received from the Holy Spirit in these holy days.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 21 December 1849, EO XXII.

REFLECTION

“From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others.” (Saint John Paul II)

The Bishop of Dijon had written to me asking for some information about the association of the Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament which I approvedon June 30, 1848. I answered him saying that I had in fact authorised this association of the Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament because I could seenothing that was not edifying in the idea and that the promoters of this devotion were all very pious persons who rightly attached great value to thesuccess of their work.
 
I also said that at first I feared that this new association would infringe upon the older one which has been active for a long time in my diocese andwhich is the work of the institute of our Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament whose mother house is in Marseilles; but that in fact the one did not interfere with the other and that our divine Saviour was all the more honoured in the sacrament of his love.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 4 November 1849, EO XXII.

REFLECTION

To respond to the spiritual and material needs of his diocese, Bishop Eugene founded many associations of laity dedicated to specific aspects of his ministry. With his solid devotion to the Eucharist, one can understand why spreading this devotion was so close to his heart.

“The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time that you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in heaven, and will help bring about an everlasting peace on earth.” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

This Diary entry gives us a clear idea of the work capacity of Eugene. Superior General of Oblates in 4 continents, Bishop of the second-largest diocese of France, dealings with the Vatican offices, as well as his involvement in the political issues concerning the Pope who was an exile in Gaeta outside of Rome. He could no longer summarize all his letters in his diary.

I shall no longer quote my correspondence. It has increased too much and is really overwhelming. How is it possible, on my own, to keep up with all our houses in France, those in England and the missions in Canada, in the rest of America and in Algeria and Ceylon? So much for our own!And then there are the bishops, Rome, Gaeta and now Naples, and the affairs of my diocese!

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 21 October 1849, EO XXII.

REFLECTION

“Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we’re taking on too much, but because we’re taking on too little of what really strengthens us.” (M. Buckingham)

The secret of Eugene’s coping with overwhelming responsibilities was his existential and life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ.

The Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica, was unhappy that Eugene had sent 26 year-old Fr. Berne to be a professor of theology at the Major Seminary. Eugene wrote to reassure the young Oblate.

As for all the rest, don’t worry about it. There must be a beginning to everything, and when one has the solid basis of instruction that you do, the wisdom, modesty and reserve that no one will deny you, plus kindness and the other qualities that I know you have, we need not be uneasy about decisions we take, nor about assuming responsibility.

The proposal of the Bishop of Ajaccio is one of these incivilities we easily forgive a man whose education was not too brilliant. Before giving vent to his comment, it would have been better to get information about you as a person. I am obliged to tell him, even if you have to endure hearing it, that I wish he and all his equals would find men like you for directors of seminaries…

Give an answer, my dear son, to these presumptions of superficial men by being doubly faithful in your duties. Pray for me and receive my paternal blessing which I give you from a heart that overflows.

To Fr. Berne, at Ajaccio, 25 November 1849, EO X n 1027

REFLECTION

“Never despise small beginnings, and don’t belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing.” (C. Guillebeau)

While waiting to complete your community. I have written to Father Vincens to send you Father Chaine, who is very talented and preaches very well. This young Father is excellent, but accustomed to the paternal government of Father Vincens, he could not stand being treated as a schoolboy. Watch out for that. Superiors govern brothers not subjects. They are obliged to have much regard for the men who, even though placed under their governance, belong to the family, and even more for those who must cooperate with him in the good order and administration of the community…

Kindness is an indispensable quality for making obedience easy. In a word, reread the chapter that treats of the local superior and conform yourself to everything you find there.

Letter to Fr. Toussaint Dassy, 16 October 1849, EO X n. 1025

REFLECTION

Community leaders guide equals not subjects – kindness is an indispensable quality for making religious obedience and cooperation possible. Our vocation, in community and in ministry, is to be co-operators of the Savior who humbled himself to wash feet.

Fr. Dassy, community superior in Nancy, was highly talented but very severe and demanding with the members of his community.

To tell you the truth, my dear Father Dassy. I cannot open a letter coming from Nancy without trembling. Since I last visited that town. I have not received a single one that has not disturbed me more or less. But the one that I am now answering surpasses them all. What a horrible discovery!

Fr Dassy had written to tell Eugne about the serious misbehavior of one of the members of the community.

And in telling about such horrors, instead of doing your best to console me, you turn back into yourself once again to complain that I have reproached you for being too severe… You admit, you add, that you did not scold him enough. Yes, be sorry, my dear friend; it is much better to inspire confidence than to frighten people…

Letter to Fr. Toussaint Dassy, 16 October 1849, EO X n. 1025

REFLECTION

The Founder himself had a paternal love for each of the members of his religious family. He was severe when he had to be, but it was always within the context of his love for the person. We have several accounts of his exploding in anger at a situation, and then experiencing remorse when he realized he had hurt the person by being unduly harsh. A tearful hug always followed.

I also want to tell you that Father d’Herbomez has left with the Brothers Surel and Janin for Oregon where the need is urgent. The good Father will begin his mission on board ship where there will be about sixty passengers. The boat is well built and we have every reason to hope that it will make good port at San Francisco in California from where our travellers will go toward Oregon which is only some 150 leagues more. That is the way, my dear friend; all our men work for the glory of the Master to the common good of the whole family. Let us recommend to our good Mother all these generous and devoted men who have so much to suffer in accomplishing the sacred ministry for which they long with all the ardor of a zeal that we cannot help but admire. That which edifies me even more is the eagerness and joy with which our lay brothers undertake the labors of this mission, the difficulties of which, and unavoidable sacrifices it requires, we did not hide from them.

Letter to Fr Jean Viala, at N. D. de Bon Secours, 4 December 1849, EO X n 1030

REFLECTION

One cannot but admire these courageous missionaries setting out, on a long journey of many months, filled with joy to share with the most abandoned the treasures revealed in teaching them who Jesus Christ is, and the difference He makes in people’s lives.

For us, is this not an invitation to renew our gratitude for the gift of faith and to ask for courage and joy in sharing it with the most abandoned around us?

Before going to the cathedral for the office, I ordained Fr. d’Herbomez to the priesthood in my chapel. I had invited all the Oblates present in Marseilles to be present at this very touching ordination because I was doing it to prepare an apostle who was destined to evangelize the tribes of Oregon. More than one among our Oblates was jealous of the destiny awaiting our new priest, because I know that many would be no more afraid than he is of all the privations and all the sacrifices to be made in this difficult mission.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 14 October 1849, EO XXII

REFLECTION

“Our founder is Jesus Christ, and our first fathers are the apostles,” was Eugene’s understanding of the origins of the Missionary Oblates. Each Oblate was seen as a cooperator of Christ the Savior as an apostle in way of life and mission (cf. Mk 3:14). Today, every member of the Oblate Charismatic Family can claim the same identity – each according to their particular state of life. We are all contemporary apostles.

Today then, I did the ordination to the diaconate of Brother d’Herbomez with a great sadness in my heart. I left the altar of the ordination and went to the seminary to assist at the requiem Mass which was sung in the presence of the body of our dear Fr. Mounier. Seeing him laid out in his modest coffin, I could not but reflect on the virtues which adorned his soul, his characteristic goodness, his kindness, his humility, his customary deference towards his superiors, his profound veneration for the sacred character invested in his Superior General, his zeal for the sanctification and the perfection of the brothers for whom he was responsible; these were so many qualities which entitled him to glory, and I felt confident that he was in heaven while we were here praying for him on earth.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, October 1849, EO XXII

REFLECTION

How blessed we are to have our faith in the Resurrection and in the communion of saints. When someone close to us has passed, and was a person of faith, we are comforted by the assurance that the person continues to be close to us in the presence of our Risen Savior.

27 year-old Fr. Jean François Mounier had got typhoid fever and had died. He was a much-appreciated spiritual director, firstly as a deacon at the novitiate, and then as a newly-ordained priest at the seminary in Marseilles. Eugene loved and appreciated this young man and the quality of his life as is clear in his diary:

This has been a great loss for the Congregation. Independently of his religious virtues which he possessed to a very high degree, he had acquired experience in the direction of Oblates who visibly profited from his wise counsel and his example. If, at the age of twenty-seven he had won the esteem and trust of our young people what a future we might have hoped for him?

The good God planned otherwise; we must always bless his holy Name, all the more so since we had done all that we could not to release to him this dear father who was useful to us on this earth. I said numerous Masses for this intention and all our very fervent religious communities prayed fervently to God for this intention. When the Lord resists prayer in this way, we must acknowledge that his will has been proclaimed and that it is always for the good of his elect.

But what it has cost me to make this sacrifice!

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, October 1849, EO XXII

REFLECTION

How much the death of a young person hits us – especially if that person’s achievements were talented and promised much for the future in doing God’s work. With St. Eugene and with faith we have to have the courage to acknowledge that God’s ways are not our ways: ” The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).