“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A person who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” (Mark Twain)
Eugene describes the death of the 33 year-old Father Antoine-Marie Gibelli, who had spent over eight years as a gifted mission preacher in Corsica.
I saw him again the same evening and I found him in the most holy frame of mind. The illness worsened all the time. One should have been able to record the edifying words he spoke during the last days of his illness. He made me cry every time that I visited him. This was because of the love for God, because of the thankfulness for having called him to the congregation which he had wished to serve well, but for which, he said, he had done nothing…
After his death, Eugene reflected:
There are souls, and his was certainly in their number, who crossed over purgatory to fly directly to heaven into the bosom of God whom they have always loved and served with a faithfulness under every trial.
I wanted to officiate pontifically at his funeral, and during the office this same thought prevailed. I offered the Holy Sacrifice for him, but I did not cease to commend myself to him as though I had seen on the catafalque the body of a saint displayed for the veneration of the faithful.
Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 18 November 1846, EO XXI
How many people have we known whom we can call saints in our eyes?
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because God loves us.” (C.S. Lewis)
The four newly-professed Oblates had just completed their novitiate training. Now they had to continue their formation in order to become priests and become missionaries. Ongoing study and growth is essential for all of us in the way of discipleship, each according to their particular state of life. Oblates undergo a novitiate, Lay Associates participate in a program of formation before making a commitment to Mazenodian discipleship, all brnached of the Mazenodian Family have some form of initiation period. So, for all of us, that is not sufficient because ongoing formation is necessary to deepen our relationship with God and our discipleship and service to those most in need.
Eugene stressed this:
You have shown yourselves good, pious and edifying during the novitiate. That is what has made you fit to be admitted for profession. But, remember, my dear sons. that far from relaxing your efforts now that you are out of the novitiate, you are bound to strive towards a greater perfection. All that you have done hitherto is, so to say. only a preparation for the holy state you have embraced and which you possess now.
The novitiate was a period of trial to see if you are fit to fulfil the duties inherent in religious profession. Now the full weight of these duties rests on you, if it is at all proper to call the sweet and light yoke of the Lord a burden. It is nonetheless true that you are bound by your duty of state to walk in the way of the highest perfection…
All these things you must ponder and meditate during the entire period you will be in formation, so that when you are ordained priests and have acquired the necessary knowledge and are called to fulfil the tasks of the ministry proper to the sons of Mary Immaculate, you will be fit for the kind of service to which you will be assigned to produce in people the results they expect from you, to be a credit to your ministry, and a source of consolation to the Church and to the Congregation, your Mother, who has done so much to form you and who has every right to count on your cooperation.
These words apply to all of us as we fulfil our baptismal vocations.
Goodbye, my dear sons. I press you to my fatherly heart and bless you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Letter to “our very dear Brothers and sons in Jesus Christ, Brothers Bonnard, Martini, Cooke and Dunne”, 22 August, 1846, EO X n 910
“When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” Howard Schultz
Four young men had completed their novitiate and had made their perpetual oblation, their lifetime commitment as Missionary Oblates. Eugene, the father of the family, wrote:
My dear sons, I combine in one and the same letter, the reply that each one of you has the right to expect from me. The sentiments I have to express to you are the same: gratitude to God for the benefits he has granted you, congratulations on the occasion of your religious profession by which you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord and have committed yourselves to the service of the Church in the Congregation whose principal end is the conversion of souls, especially of the most abandoned souls.
I must also tell you my personal satisfaction in accepting as my sons men who are so well disposed as you are, full of good will to respond to the grace of your sublime vocation.
Letter to “our very dear Brothers and sons in Jesus Christ, Brothers Bonnard, Martini, Cooke and Dunne”, 22 August, 1846, EO X n 910
Even though Eugene wrote these words more than 170 years ago, they still apply to us today as members of his charism family. Members of each group express their commitment to the ideals of Saint Eugene in a different way according to their state of life, but all focus on how to express their baptismal consecration in service to the Church and to the most abandoned souls.
Our saint continues to express his satisfaction with us as he intercedes for us in heaven.
“When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” Howard Schultz
Four young men had completed their novitiate and had made their perpetual oblation, their lifetime commitment as Missionary Oblates. Eugene, the father of the family, wrote:
My dear sons, I combine in one and the same letter, the reply that each one of you has the right to expect from me. The sentiments I have to express to you are the same: gratitude to God for the benefits he has granted you, congratulations on the occasion of your religious profession by which you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord and have committed yourselves to the service of the Church in the Congregation whose principal end is the conversion of souls, especially of the most abandoned souls.
I must also tell you my personal satisfaction in accepting as my sons men who are so well disposed as you are, full of good will to respond to the grace of your sublime vocation.
Letter to “our very dear Brothers and sons in Jesus Christ, Brothers Bonnard, Martini, Cooke and Dunne”, 22 August, 1846, EO X n 910
Even though Eugene wrote these words more than 170 years ago, they still apply to us today as members of his charism family. Members of each group express their commitment to the ideals of Saint Eugene in a different way according to their state of life, but all focus on how to express their baptismal consecration in service to the Church and to the most abandoned souls.
Our saint continues to express his satisfaction with us as he intercedes for us in heaven.
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” (Sydney J. Harris)
I have at last been able to realize a project which I have much to heart and which should have happy consequences for the Congregation. It is to send all our young Fathers back to study. To this end I have not recoiled from almost emptying all our houses. I have brought them all together at Parménie under the immediate direction of Father Vincens who is appointed to direct their studies and make them work. They have been at it since the beginning of the month. If vocations are rare, let us at least train satisfactory members.
Letter to Eugene Guigues in Canada, 30 July 1846, EO I n 67
This decision had been made at a meeting of Superior General, Eugene de Mazenod and his General Council.
The following is the text of the minutes of the council on April 4, 1846:
“For a long time now, the need has been felt in the Congregation not to leave to their own resources the newly ordained fathers who are sent to the various houses to begin the exercise of the holy ministry. It is indispensable for them to receive some guidance not only in the difficult cases that arise in the confessional and in the administration of the other sacraments, but also in preaching, that is to say, in the way they compose and deliver their sermons.”
The need for study, reflection and renewal in our busy lives is essential. Without this, the danger is that our horizon becomes a comfortable introspective mirror, instead of being a window open to the whole world.
“Education is the movement from darkness to light.” (Allan Bloom)
On July 19, Eugene had written in his diary:
I do not at all want any smoking wicks in the Society, may they burn, may they burn, may they be rekindled, may they light the way or leave.
Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 19 July 1846, EO XXI
In order to rekindle the spiritual knowledge and missionary zeal of the young Oblates, the Founder took practical steps. Yvon Beaudoin explains:
Fr. Rey presents this text in this way: “The Founder did not lose sight of the formation of his missionaries. This year he instituted a course of high studies which he entrusted to the experience of Fr. Vincens. Several young Fathers were named to follow it for several months. Religious formation was not at all neglected. A superior, requesting indulgence in favor of a religious whose conduct left something to be desired, told the Founder that it was necessary not to extinguish the wick which still was smoking.” This superior was without doubt Fr. Vincens whom Bishop de Mazenod accused of being too condescending towards the less obedient and less fervent religious.
All of us, whatever our state of life, need ongoing formation in the way of discipleship. I am never too old to learn how to deepen my relationship with God. How much time and effort can I dedicate to this?
“Zeal is a volcano, the peak of which the grass of indecisiveness does not grow.” Khalil Gibran
Missionary zeal was the hallmark of Eugene’s personality and whole life. On his deathbed his final wish for the Oblates was for them to have undying zeal for the salvation of souls.
I do not at all want any smoking wicks in the society, may they burn, may they burn, may they be rekindled, may they light the way or leave.
Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 19 July 1846, EO XXI
Eugene spared no effort to rekindle the “smoldering wicks” in his missionary family. His letters are full of encouragement to those who needed to be rekindled so that they would become bright missionary lights. In the case when it became clear that the wick could not be saved from smoldering, it was time for the person to move on away from the Congregation and find a new direction in life.
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Francis of Assisi
“Léon de Saboulin was born in Aix-en-Provence on September 14, 1801… He made his secondary studies at the college of Aix and later on at the lyceum of Lyon. On May 29, 1814, he was admitted to the confraternity of the Youth of Aix which had been founded the year before by Abbé de Mazenod. Three of his brothers followed his example.
When he had finished his studies, Léon wanted to become a priest, but his fragile health and the assistance he had to provide for his mother prevented him from carrying out this project. He remained unmarried and, after the death of his brothers, took care of his mother until she died. He divided his time between study and charitable works.” Yvon Beaudoin ( https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/saboulin-leon-de/)
Eugene had kept in contact with this former member of his youth congregation, who now wanted to become a priest, but suffered poor health.
I have no hesitation in saying that if the health of Leon de Saboulin allows him to recite the Divine Office, he must not be turned away from becoming a priest, but we must allow him great latitude in doing his studies, so as not to exhaust him. He will be able to accomplish much good if only by saying Mass and giving an example of a holy priestly life.
Letter to Fr Hippolyte Courtès in Aix en Provence, 17 July 1846, EO X n 907
Léon de Saboulin “was to give the example of a holy priestly life” for twenty five years of Oblate ministry.
“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.” (Billy Graham)
From the earliest days of the Missionary Oblates, Eugene started the beautiful custom of handing on the Oblate Cross of a deceased Oblate to a new Oblate on the day of his life-commitment, the day of his perpetual oblation. It is an honor to receive the Cross of a missionary and to continue his dedicated service as a cooperator of the Savior.
Brother Pulicani is admitted to profession. Father Tempier will send to L’Osier the crucifix of our dear Father Moreau; it is to be given to this young Brother, so that it may be a powerful means leading him to every good undertaking.
Letter to Father Santoni, Master of Novices at N.-D. de L’Osier, 16 March 1846, EO X n 892
From our Constitutions and Rules: ” The Oblate cross which is received at perpetual profession is a constant reminder of the love of the Saviour who wishes to draw all hearts to himself and sends us out as his co-workers.” (C 63)
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but God did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” (Max Lucado)
Eugene’s charge to the Oblate novice master refers to the spirit of oblation, not only for the vowed Oblates, but for every lay person who embraces the spirituality given to us by Saint Eugene.
Do not fear these beginnings, even if they are a bit painful. What is essential is that they fully grasp the spirit of our Institute, which includes all that is needed for the formation of a religious man.
Keep repeating to the novices that by their consecration they give themselves to the Church without reservation, that they completely die to the world, to their families and to themselves;
Letter to Father Santoni, Master of Novices at N.-D. de L’Osier, 16 March 1846, EO X n 892
Our lay members of the Mazenodian Family obviously are not asked to ” die to the world, to their families” – but through the world and through their families to give themselves to the Savior, and his body, the Church. Dying to ourselves is the foundation of discipleship, so that we can say with John the Baptist: “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30)
Today’s Oblate Constitutions and Rules put it this way:
Novitiate formation ends with a free and faith-filled commitment in the Oblate Congregation. The novice, having experienced the Father’s love in Jesus, dedicates his life to making that love visible. He entrusts his fidelity to the one whose Cross he shares, whose promises are his hope. (C59)
Many lay Oblates make “a free and faith-filled commitment” to God and the poor through the Mazenodian spirituality and way of life – “having experienced the Father’s love in Jesus, they dedicate their lives to making that love visible. They entrust their fidelity to the one whose Cross they share, whose promises are their hope.”
