Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

“Good friends find pleasure in one another’s company. Let us know pleasure in the company of our best Friend, a Friend who can do everything for us, a friend who loves us beyond measure. Here in the Blessed Sacrament we can talk to him straight from the heart.” (St Alphonsus de Liguori) 

Eugene’s great love for the Eucharist was one of the major sources of strength in his mission as Oblate Superior General and Bishop. We can thus appreciate his distress when he arrived in the Diocese of Marseilles and saw how disrespectful many of his priests were in the question of Eucharistic devotion. He set to work immediately to rectify the situation by establishing the Forty Hour Eucharistic devotion annually in each parish.

After 8 years of this practice, he rejoices at the fruits in his diary after a visit to one of the Churches in his city.

I must say that every gathering has inspired devotion. The altars where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed are magnificently prepared and the lighting is most brilliant; here is such a church wherein close to one hundred candles could be counted.

If this state of affairs is compared to that which took place when we came to Marseille, that’s something for which to bless the Lord a thousand times and to be delighted for having been able to contribute to such a striking change. At the time, it was a matter of placing our Lord on the altar with two miserable candles while six candlesticks burned weakly over the pews. No tapestries, no ornaments. It was pitiful. I admit that this universal change, so in keeping with the sentiments which our faith inspires in us, was one of the greatest consolations of my life.

Bishop Eugene made it a point of attending the opening and closing ceremonies in each parish, and to pay a visit in between when possible.

I also delighted in my visits during these four days, which for me are hours of good fortune. The spirit of the faithful improved so much on this very essential point that the step which I just took to adorn the doors of the churches where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed by placing a painting representing the image of the Blessed Eucharist on the upholstered door has been singularly appreciated and applauded by everyone. May God and our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, blessed and adored for it with more fervor. Amen.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 25 February 1846, EO XXI

What is Oraison?

“In the prolonged silent prayer we make each day, we let ourselves be molded by the Lord, and find in him the inspiration of our conduct” (OMI Rule of Life, 33).

The practice of Oraison was an important part of St. Eugene’s daily prayer during which he entered into communion with the members of his missionary family. While they were all in France it was easy for them to gather in prayer at approximately the same time. When Oblate missionaries started to be sent to different continents it was no longer possible to pray at the same time, yet each day there was a time when they stopped and prayed in union with one another – even though not at the same time.

This is a practice that Eugene wanted the members of his religious family to maintain.

Just choose a time for personal prayer wherever you like, and consciously unite yourself with all the members of the worldwide Mazenodian Family in praying for one another.

The choice of length and content of the prayer is for each one to decide.

The reflections this month are on the Sunday Gospel by two members of the Mazenodian family: Father Jim Brobst OMI (General Councilor for North America) and Ms. Lauretta Agolli (Oblate Partnership)

The text can be found at: https://omiusa.org/pdf/MazenodianFamilyBook.pdf

“Praying for them each day during my oraison before the Blessed Sacrament. I give them all a kind of rendezvous in the adorable Heart of our divine Saviour.” (Eugene de Mazenod 1856)

One of the joys of Eugene’s life as Founder was to communicate with his Oblate sons. As Bishop of Marseilles, however, he was frustrated because he never managed to find enough time to respond to their letters in his busy schedule. As a result he had a specific way of communing with the Oblates scattered all over France and the world. This letter to Father Etienne Semeria is an example of his paternal affection and communion.

I cannot explain even to myself, my very dear son, how it happens that I delayed so long in writing to you. Your letter gives me so much pleasure that it would be the least I could do to write you and thank you for the care you take to write to me so frequently, but what can you do? You will empathize with my position since you cannot doubt my feelings. I love you so affectionately that I cannot speak of you without happiness, and that happens often. I then plan to write to you, now I am disturbed for one reason, then for another, and fifty other letters take precedence over the one I would have had the greatest pleasure to write.

Today, for example, I had in no way to dry out my inkwell before coming to you, because I was very determined to write to you before night, and I can hardly see to trace these lines. At least, your letter already begun will stay on my desk and will be first in line when I find time to take up the pen again, because they will soon come to take it from my hands this evening.

He then deals with a few other matters and continues:

… (I can’t see any more, until tomorrow.) I now go to chapel, it is a good hour. We will find ourselves again at the feet of our Lord.

Letter to Fr. Etienne Semeria in Corsica, 20 November 1845, EO X n 886

” We will find ourselves again at the feet of our Lord” refers to the way in which Eugene united himself with each Oblate every evening in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Here, in prayer he could commune with each of his sons. This ongoing practice of uniting in the presence of Jesus, no matter in which part of the world we find ourselves, is referred to as “oraison.” (See: https://sites.google.com/view/mazenodianfamily/monthly-oraison)

“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” (Rollo May)

Eugene always regarded himself as being the father of his missionary family – and loved each of its members. He understood well that communication was the cement that keeps a family together, and thus Eugene placed major importance on this, especially once the Oblates began to go to places outside of France.

I have recommended that local superiors write me every three months. Apart from such regularity in correspondence being an exigency of good order, if you knew what pleasure I derive from the least details of what you are doing, you would not be so stingy in giving them.

Letter to Eugene Guigues in Canada, 19 November, EO I n 59

Communication is the cement that keeps our Mazenodian Family united and a powerful force of evangelization and hope in our needy world. Let all of us who honor St Eugene as a father make a greater effort to get to know the other members, the diverse vocational expressions and the many groups that form our widespread missionary family.

“People listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” Pope St Paul VI

Living in community is the first observable difference between the vocation of a diocesan priest and an Oblate. Eugene underlines this as he writes to Father Guigues, the Superior of the Oblates in Canada. He had been sent to Canada to help the Oblates to assess their missionary response to never-ending pastoral demands and to help them to focus on their vocation to respond and live as part of apostolic community and not as “lone rangers”.

The same applies to lay members of the Mazenodian Family: our call is to be family, to be part of a community brought about and sustained by the charism of St Eugene.

I strongly approve of your having established regularity in the little community you have formed of the three Fathers and two Brothers, as well as the Fathers working in the lumber camps. That is quite a worthwhile beginning and I do not doubt they will earn respect if they are faithful to your directions and those of the Rule.

In a city where priests have always lived alone, what a good influence will be produced by the fine conduct of a missionary corps devoted to the service of their neighbours and yet living under an exact and regular discipline! Keep this up as essential.

Letter to Eugene Guigues in Canada, 19 November, EO I n 59

Today, the same holds true: prospective Oblate vocations want to see what is distinctive about the Oblates being witnessed to in daily life and ministry. In the same way, Associates and others who serve the Mazenodian charism want to be part of a living and visible charism family.

“Missionary work has never been easy, and yet the joyful rewards cannot be equaled by any other experience.” (Gordon B. Hinckley)

The Missionary Society for the Propagation of the Faith relied on benefactors and annual collections in the parishes to collect money for the missions. An important part of their fund-raising was as the result of publishing accounts of the missions in their periodical, the Annals, so that benefactors could be involved in the works they were supporting. Eugene regularly sent reports to the Annals.

I recently received news from our missions in America. The Fathers chosen for Red River and Hudson Bay left Montreal at the beginning of July. Their journey will take 45 days and they will therefore reach their destination towards the middle of August. However, due to the infrequent communications between those wild zones and the rest of North America we have no positive news of them as yet.

With regard to the missionaries who evangelized the groups of people along the Canadian border this summer, they have returned from their apostolic tour and are preparing the report on their efforts, which will soon be sent to us. It will be a pleasure for me to send you the most interesting excerpts so you can publish them in the Annals and thus your readers, while finding therein material for their own edification, will also see all the good to which the Associates of the Propagation of the Faith can contribute.

Letter to the Central Council of Southern France for the Missionary Society of the Propagation of the Faith, 27 October 1845, EO V n 96

We have our own Mazenodian Annals in many provinces as well as our website that shares our missionary news from all over the world: https://www.omiworld.org/news/

“True charity is the desire to be useful to others with no thought of recompense.” (Emanuel Swedenborg)

As generous and zealous as the Oblates were, this was not sufficient for the success of their overseas evangelization. They needed money with which to finance their work among the poor and most abandoned. It is here that the Missionary Society for the Propagation of the Faith came in with generous subsidies. The letters that Eugene regularly wrote to them are full of gratitude as well as providing interesting details about the progress of the missions.

I wish to thank you as well, Gentlemen, for the kind reception reserved to our requests for assistance on behalf of our missions in America, and for including them in the annual distribution of subsidies by the Missionary Society whose executive administration is entrusted to your care. In my eyes, this represents further proof of the interest you harbor for the missions of our Congregation in foreign countries and your sincere wish to provide for their existence and contribute to their development.

Letter to the Central Council of Southern France for the Missionary Society of the Propagation of the Faith, 27 October 1845, EO V n 96

Today we continue to rely with gratitude on the generosity of our Mazenodian Family in the mission of evangelization

“To me, there are saints every day. They stand up and help others and live for others and do things for others.” (Theodore Melfi)

Father Dominique Albini had experienced the vocation to become an Oblate in 1823 after hearing the preaching of Eugene. (See https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/albini-charles-dominique/). During his years as an Oblate he was renowned for his holiness which he communicated in his preaching and teaching, especially among the Italian immigrants in Marseilles, missions to the people of Corsica in their volatile existence, in teaching theology to the seminarians among other ministries. Eugene was convinced of the sanctity of this Oblate and started the proceeding for his cause of beatification.

Eugene’s letter to Father Moreau in Ajaccio, Corsica, expresses this project:

I recommend to you a great concern, the introduction of the cause of our blessed Father Albini. If we do not apply ourselves with zeal and follow-up, we will obtain nothing; if we do, success is assured… Speak of this with the Bishop; make him understand just how glorious it would be for his Diocese to have acknowledged the holiness of a man who enjoyed his confidence and did so much good in the Church of Corsica and among its clergy.

Letter to Fr. Francois Moreau in Corsica, 9 October 1845, EO X n 884

A month later, in a letter to Father Semeria, Superior of the Corsica mission:

You have been informed about what I ought to do for the great Servant of God, our good Father Albini. I am distressed that I met with such a feeble echo at Ajaccio in a matter of such great importance and honor for that diocese and for our Congregation.

You know that it is my intention to name you postulator of this precious cause. You will take the matter to heart as becomes a brother and member of the Congregation, proud that we had such a great saint in our midst.

Meanwhile be careful to gather facts of a miraculous nature or approaching the miraculous. Do not let witnesses die without having verified the facts. Two events like the one you told me about the paralytic would be enough to assure his beatification. It is a very beautiful cause, the Avvocato dei Santi whom I consulted in Rome told me.

Letter to Fr. Etienne Semeria in Corsica, 20 November 1845, EO X n 886

Since then, every step of the canonical procedure has been followed – all that remains is a miracle brought about through his intercession.

How many ordinary people have you encountered in your life whose witness and words speak to you of God? You don’t have to have a halo or do out-of-the-ordinary things to be a saint – the mystic, St Theresa of Avila, found God amid the pots and pans in the kitchen. Do you find and love God in the “pots and pans” of your everyday life? That is true sanctity!

“If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on.” (Lance Armstrong)

As Superior General, Eugene’s responsibility was to accompany his missionaries in their ‘being” and their “doing.” He cared deeply for his missionary sons and for their well-being, encouraging them, and also correcting when necessary. He understood the debilitating effect of anxiety and worry in the missionaries.

Where would we be, my dear Father Bellon, if we allowed ourselves to be disheartened by the difficulties that our ministry brings us? This weakness is only too natural and certainly does not come from God; if we probe deeper into this feeling, we may perhaps discover something even more imperfect. And so I do not approve your worrying about it as you do. Why are you surprised to find the miseries of humanity in people? You must conquer evil with good, pray very much, always distrust yourself, but hope in God, who, precisely on this occasion, has shown you a great proof of his protection. But far from being discouraged, you ought to be full of gratitude to God, that he has enlightened us in time and put us on the track of a devilish scheme which I could luckily prevent. …

We have no idea what this “devilish scheme” was, but it threatened the well-being of Father Bellon, hence the strong words to encourage him to put things into a wider perspective.

We repair the evil, thank God for having discovered it, and continue to work with fresh zeal for the sanctification of souls, precisely because they are being attacked more violently by the enemy of every good. If we acted otherwise, we would be, I say, not only foolish but quite culpable as well.

Letter to Father Charles Bellon at N.D. de Lumières, 21 September 1845, EO X n 881

“Give all your cares to the Lord and He will give you strength. He will never let those who are right with Him be shaken”. (Psalm 55:22)

The “Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us” blog began in May 2010 and with it came a free service offered by Google to subscribe to an email version of the daily reflections. Several hundred people did this. Many have been contacting me to find out how to continue this. and hence this response.

Unfortunately Google has since discontinued this service and we are no longer able to avail ourselves of a provider to send out emails. There are commercial services available to do this at a high cost – but as there is no income attached to the blog there is no possibility of availing ourselves of these.

Each day it appears in English, French, Spanish and Polish on the relevant site.  I also publish it on Facebook and Twitter, and the OMIWORLD site carries it each day. In each case you have to go to the site to access it.

Despite the effort involved in accessing “St Eugene Speaks,” A BIG THANK YOU to the readers who do follow it regularly. A lot of work goes into each entry, and I hope that some find it as beneficial as I do.

I also would like to point out that Oblate Associate, Eleanor Rabnett, responds each day with a personal reflection that is always well worth reading. Some have said that they prefer Eleanor’s handling of the topic to mine! I am delighted that we can all participate in making St Eugene better known and loved so as to learn from him how to live our relationship with our Savior as his co-operators in bringing the Gospel to those who need it most.

Frank Santucci OMI