A month later, after intense prayer and consultations, Eugene came to a peaceful conclusion to stop worrying about the nomination of Fr Guigues to be the first bishop of Bytown, and to leave it all in God’s hands. Writing to Bishop of Bourget of Montreal, who had been the episcopal and spiritual mentor of the Oblates since their arrival in Canada
You know the confidence I have in the clarity of your views and how I have always counted on your fatherly goodness for the Congregation you have called into your diocese and adopted as a child of your predilection. For my part, I certainly wish only the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls. I founded our little Congregation only for this twofold end.
Bishop Bourget had been in Rome and had prayed at the tomb of St Peter about this issue:
You have considered all things before God. You have gone to seek inspiration at the same holy tomb on which I placed in 1825 the Rule of the new family which God inspired me to give to the Church. This obtained for me the miraculous protection of the Prince of the Apostles who spoke by his successor Leo in a manner as to astonish all those who were witnesses thereof.
I abandon myself therefore to you in this most delicate matter. What you shall do will be well done. With such good intentions, the good God will not abandon us.
Letter to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, 20 January 1847, EO I n 76
REFLECTION
This text shows how the words and example of Saint Francis de Sales played an important role in Eugene’s life and decision-making. St Francis wrote:
“There are many who say to the Lord, ‘I give myself wholly to You, without any reserve,’ but there are few who embrace the practice of this abandonment, which consists in receiving with a certain indifference every sort of event, as it happens in conformity with Divine Providence, as well afflictions as consolations, contempt and reproaches as honor and glory.”
In his concern for the welfare of his Oblates in North America and their fear of losing the highly effective leadership of Bruno Guigues, Eugene pleads with the Bishop of Montreal to reconsider the situation of requesting the Pope to nominate Guigues as Bishop of Bytown.
Place then this great affair at the foot of the Cross, weigh against it the destiny of the Congregation of which you are the second Father. Regard, if so you must, as non-existent the authorization I gave almost under duress. No longer can I be reassured in the face of so much insistence that I envisage the deadly consequences, the irreparable misfortunes which would follow in the wake of the action it is wished should be taken.
Once again, think it over once more before God and do not put your hand to the destruction of a great good which you have only obtained with much trouble and many cares.
Letter to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, 23 December 1846, EO I n 72
REFLECTION
“Place then this great affair at the foot of the Cross” was the immediate go-to reaction of Eugene ever since his conversion at the foot of the Cross some 40 years earlier. Seeing the world through the eyes of the Crucified Christ became his automatic view.
As we follow his charism and the spirituality he left us, may we always put our affairs at the foot of the Cross with the same confidence.
A few weeks later, a troubled Eugene wrote to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, revoking his permission to proceed with the application to the Vatican for Fr Guigues to be appointed bishop. It was the result of a letter from the Oblates in Canada:
I have just received from Father Allard a letter which plunges me into the greatest anguish. I fear, in consequence of the forebodings instilled in me by this Father’s letter, which is more strongly worded than the one I had previously received, that we may strike a fatal blow at all our establishments in Canada by the promotion of Father Guigues to the episcopate… I would wish to be still in time to withdraw it since the consequences of this nomination are to be so disastrous – such at least is the judgement of those upon the scene.
Eugene gives the reason for his concern for the good of the mission of the Oblates in North America:
You can judge, Monseigneur, what must be my anxiety. If such things are to be the result of the choice of Father Guigues, there is no room for hesitation. We must renounce it for I ought not to hide from you that I am absolutely unable to send from Europe anyone capable of replacing him in the functions with which I have entrusted him. No one is better able than you, Monseigneur, to appreciate the position of the Congregation in Canada. You know too well the trials and tribulations which preceded the arrival of Father Guigues in Canada since it took all your charity, all your paternal kindness to ward off all the difficulties.
Letter to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, 23 December 1846, EO I n 72
REFLECTION
The right thing to do and the hard thing to do are usually the same.”
Steve Maraboli
The news of the possible appointment of Bruno Guigues as the first Bishop of Bytown (today the city of Ottawa) caused a quandary for Eugene.
At first this news plunged me into great perplexity. If I saw on the one hand the advantage of the Church in Canada, I could not on the other overlook the grave disadvantages that could thereby result for our Congregation and evidently this second consideration should prevail over the first because our first duty is to maintain our Congregation in a state of capability for the accomplishment of the mission the Church has given to her and it would be easy to find amongst the clergy in Canada another person to fulfil worthily the episcopal functions at Bytown and it was impossible for me to replace you in America.
Wrestle with it as I might I could not find a way out of the dilemma. I thought of it constantly before God…
I am always happy that I had chosen you to represent me in the midst of this portion of the family and in a country where our first Fathers had perhaps caused some of the prejudices which had arisen on all sides. I have often blessed God for the change which was brought about by your facilitation.
Letter to Fr. Bruno Guigues in Canada, December 1846, EO I n 71
When Bishop Bourget arrived to speak with Eugene, he gave the assurance that as Bishop, Fr Guigues would still be able to continue his responsibilities as the one responsible for the expanding North American Oblate missions. Eugene thus gave his consent, as Superior General, for the good of the Church and the advantage of the Congregation.
REFLECTION
Corrie ten Boom’s words come to mind: “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
I have dealt at length with the adventures of Father Leonard on his recruitment campaign because it makes an interesting page of our Family history. The campaign concluded in March 1848 when Fr Tempier ran out of money to take care of around 100 new entries to the novitiates. Father Leonard was also anxious to return to Canada where Fr. Guigues has been appointed bishop of Bytown (Ottawa today). So, let’s look at the story of this appointment.
Born in 1805, he was the 15th Oblate to make vows. He was a man of many talents as can be seen in that while still a deacon, he was appointed professor of philosophy (1827-1828) and bursar (1827-1829) in the major seminary of Marseille. He was ordained a priest in 1828 and then had various positions of responsibility in Notre-Dame du Laus, Aix and in the shrine of Notre-Dame de l’Osier, while regularly preaching missions and retreats.
In 1844, when things in Canada did not work out exactly as Eugene had envisaged them, especially regarding interpersonal relationships among the first group of Oblates there, he sent Guigues out as Visitor (his representative), and then superior. Eugene had personally formed and moulded Guigues according to his spirit and he had been given positions of trust in France in which he had proved himself. Now Eugene was confidently able to say of Guigues that he was an alter ego, and to announce this to the Oblates in Canada:
“I have named Father Guigues as Visitor extraordinary with very wide powers… in a word, to do all that I would do myself were I on the scene.”
Letter to Fr Jean Baptiste Honorat in Canada, 8 June 1844, EO I n 39
In the years that followed he was successful in his task of organizing the Canadian missionaries and of opening up new missions in the center and west of Canada and the USA. The following letter to him from Eugene thus comes as no surprise:
The Bishop of Montreal had informed me, the moment he arrived in France, that he had a matter to discuss with me of the greatest interest to the Church in Canada. He told me that the bishops of this province had decided to solicit from the Holy See the erection of a new diocese at Bytown and that they were of the opinion that it was suitable to choose you to be the first Bishop of this church; that he would come to me soon and submit the reasons for their preference and obtain my consent.
Letter to Fr. Bruno Guigues in Canada, December 1846, EO I n 71
REFLECTION
‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:23)
An invitation to think of some of the hidden figures in our lives who have inspired us by sharing their many gifts in humble and quiet ways.
Father Yvon Beaudoin takes up the narration on Father Leonard’s recruiting successes:
“From 1841 to 1847 there were 115 men began the novitiate at Notre-Dame de l’Osier and a similar number in 1847 and 1848. Father Léonard’s preaching tour was a success. More than 100 seminarians entered the novitiate and about fifty made vows. Before 1847, the majority of the vocations came from dioceses in the South of France. After this date, vocations began to arrive from all of France and Belgium.
The Founder then began to speak of the “nightmare” and the “despair” of Father Tempier who is now out of money to supply the needs of the novices and the scholastic brothers. In October of 1847, at the insistence of Fathers Tempier and Vincens, the Founder asked Father Léonard to suspend his tour.” (https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/baveux-jean-claude-leonard/)
Less than 10 days later, however, Eugene reversed his decision! As a compromise he recommended that from now on only seminarians who had already completed their theological studies be accepted.
My dear Father Leonard, with new facts comes new advice. Considerations about our difficulties had determined me to write you to suspend your recruitment tour; but I have just learned that another recruiter as able as you are, is about to cover all the dioceses of France to call all the clerics of good will who may wish to associate themselves with the work for which he is preaching. There is no room for hesitation: it would be useless to follow him, it is important then to precede him.
So grease your boots my dear Father Leonard; or rather, take your crucifix in hand and march off to the conquest of those persons whom Providence marks out for us.
Letter to Father Leonard Bavaux, 8 November 1847, EO X n 954
Father Léonard stopped his tour in March of 1848 because Father Tempier had no more money and because he wanted to be back in Canada to attend the consecration of Father Guigues who had been appointed bishop of Bytown.
REFLECTION
“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” (W. Clement Stone)
As a result of our baptism we are all missionaries – at home, at work, on the bus, at the store… – sometimes just a smile and a word of gratitude works miracles.
Two months later, some of the Oblates began to put pressure on Eugene to curb Father Leonard’s recruitment campaign They were practical older Oblates who realized the impossibility of feeding, housing and educating a never-ending supply of new recruits. This opposition was beginning to weigh heavily on Eugene, who was trying to placate them by all possible means. Writing to Father Vincens, the Novice Master at L’Osier, Eugene attempted to appease and persuade him:
Yes, my dear Father Vincens, the enormous responsibilities weighing upon you are certainly enough to scare you. But who can dare to decide the measure of the Lord’s merciful plans? His will is too clearly manifest for us not to be obliged to go forward with blind confidence.
It is at this moment that the Lord calls our Congregation to extend its zeal to a great many countries, and who at the same time inspires a great number of men to offer themselves to accomplish his desires, and how could we refuse to accept their devotedness which enables us to obey the will of our Master! I cannot give in to this, no matter what human prudence seems to say.
So receive all those that the good Lord sends us.
Letter to Father Ambroise Vincens, 12 August 1847, EO X n 936
To Father Leonard, Eugene wrote:
I will tell you however that I have already written to Father Vincens that I do not share his opinion on the limit he wanted to put to your mission. No, I am not afraid of your miraculous catch of fish. Continue to cast out your nets. Let us remember the widow at the time of Elisha… and never to say: “That’s enough.” It is a moment of grace. We must take advantage of it. Who can say what may happen in three or four years!…
A great mission has been confided to you; you must fulfill it.
Letter to Fr Leonard Baveux, 15 August 1847, EO X n 938
REFLECTION
“If you have passion, there is no need for excuses because your enthusiasm will trump any negative reasoning you might come up with. Enthusiasm makes excuses a non-issue.”
Wayne Dyer
Excuses? Are we controlled by any in our lives?
Father Leonard’s vocational recruiting campaign was bringing in so many responses that a second novitiate eventually had to be opened in Nancy, with the possibility of a third in Belgium. As wonderful as all this was, it also led to discomfort among the more practical members of the Congregation who had to find the money and means to house, feed and educate this unexpected influx of men. Father Tempier, who was the General Treasurer, worried the most. Eugene thus wrote to Fr Leonard:
I have already told you that even if I had the mailing service at my disposal, it would be impossible to catch up with you. You go from conquest to conquest and we will have to enlarge on all sides the houses which are to receive your recruits.
I acknowledge that the discomfort caused by the success of your mission does not tempt me to shed tears. I am comforted by the anxiety of our good Father Tempier who continually tells me: “Please stop this braggart who places us in a desperate situation and will bring about our ruin.”
You know, I laugh in his face while he scratches his head and he himself ends up laughing, saying that you have taken him at his word.
… All joking aside, if the Lord sends them to us, we would be very foolish not to receive them.
Despite the practical opposition that Eugene was receiving, his missionary heart saw only the benefit of having so many generous persons ready to give their lives for the poor and most abandoned.
… I think, however, it would be turning away from the way of Providence if you were to stop halfway in a mission that is evidently inspired by God. Chosen by the Lord to accomplish what you are doing with so much success, with the Lord’s evident blessing, you will ever be the benemerente of the Congregation whose mouthpiece you have been to make it known and to spread it.
Letter to Fr Leonard Baveux, 10 June 1847, EO X n 930
REFLECTION
“Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string.” (Pele)
Once upon a time when we prayed for vocations it meant only for more priests, brothers and Sisters. Today our call is to work for and pray for vocations to all ministries in the Church – to “vibrate with enthusiasm” for the beauty of the Mazenodian charism, spirituality and mission.
After just a few months of his whirlwind tour to some of the diocesan seminaries, Father Leonard was already convincing several young men to sign up for religious life and the Oblate missions. Eugene wrote enthusiastically:
Dear Father Leonard, what a man you are! You break open all doors and take each place by storm. Nothing can resist you and if you come across a bishop who wants to save his men, he must forbid you to talk, as did the Archbishop of Chambery, whom I considered to be more generous. On the other hand, the Bishop of Annecy has paid for two… What! even the Missionaries are bringing you candidates! I can hardly believe it.
Now the challenge was to find place to accommodate these recruits for their formation and studies
Meanwhile, we have to find room at L’Osier in view of the arrival of all of these young men of good will who have announced their coming… You see I am right in wanting you to cover every diocese.
Letter to Fr Leonard Baveux, during his recruitment campaign, 2 April 1847, EO X n 925
REFLECTION
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
When we look at the gift and meaning of our faith today, we have so much to be enthusiastic about! This is the heart of our Mazenodian Family.
A few weeks after the arrival of Fr Leonard on his vocational recruitment drive in France, Eugene wrote to Fr Pierre Aubert in Oregon:
Father Leonard was sent to Europe simply to make recruits. Your America is expanding so much that there is no way of satisfying its needs, and yet we do not dare refuse to respond to the requests made to us from all sides. That is why Father Guigues has risked sending our Father Leonard across the seas so that he might use all his gift for speaking, accompanied by the grace of God, to persuade the young seminarians to embrace the religious state with the idea of devoting themselves to the missions to the unbelievers.
He has not yet let me know if he has obtained any results from his efforts. If he is successful, you must know, my dear friend, that we will reserve some for your mission, for you are constantly present in my mind and in my heart.
Letter to Fr. Pierre Aubert in Oregon, 3 February 1847, EO I n 81
The Oblate missionary successes in North America, the British Isles and France created new horizons and infinite possibilities, but progress was hampered by lack of personnel – hence the need for urgent vocational recruitment of young men.
REFLECTION
“The power of youth is the common wealth for the entire world. The faces of young people are the faces of our past, our present and our future. No segment in the society can match with the power, idealism, enthusiasm and courage of the young people.”
Kailash Satyarthi
May this continue to be true for all sectors of our Mazenodian Family today.
