The scholastics (whom Eugene always referred to as “the Oblates”) were studying at the Marseilles Major Seminary, together with the diocesan seminarians. Father Tempier had been the Superior and Formation Director since 1827. At the same time he was also very busy as a Vicar General of the diocese and of the Oblate Congregation. He thus had to rely heavily on the members of his formation team in the seminary. Eugene had close contact with all the students and expressed his concern at some examples of insufficent piety. He wrote to Father Charlses Bellon, one of the formators:
I remind you, who are their director, that it is not a question of being satisfied with anything you can achieve, but that they are to put themselves heart and soul into acquiring the virtues that are proper to the state of perfection they have vowed
Letter to Father Charles Bellon, 30 August 1844, EO X n 853
Father Bellon was 30 years old, and as we will be encountering him frequently in Eugene’s correspondence, it is good to introduce him. (He was going to be Eugene’s first choice to be Vicar Apostolic of Natal in 1852)
“Father Bellon was called to the major seminary of Marseilles in the fall of 1843 to teach dogma there and be spiritual director for the scholastic brothers whose number was growing year by year. In this regard, Father Fabre wrote: “For their direction, it was necessary to choose a priest who possessed solid and profound learning along with a gentle, enlightened piety, a priest who could teach by his words as well as by his example. Among everyone else, Reverend Father Bellon was worthy of the choice our superiors made of him. During the five years this very difficult and important work was confided to him, he always showed himself equal to his sensitive task.
Never demanding of others what he would not do himself, his life was for the seminarians and for the Oblates a continuous teaching. In class, a conscientious and well-read professor, in chapel and the prayer room, a model of piety, fervour and regularity, in his room he was a good, prudent, enlightened director, without being too weak and without being too rigid, exteriorly of great equanimity, his face inspired confidence, while his words inspired a love of piety. Since he knew how to use his time wisely and having a pious appetite for study, he was able to acquire that depth of learning that would later make him sought after and held in high regard at the provincial council of Agen [in 1859] by the learned and pious clerics, while at the same time he was educating himself and perfecting his knowledge of Hebrew, Italian, German, English and Spanish. His day was marvellously well organized. He had found the means to do a lot of work and do it well, to blend a profound learning with a gentle, kindly piety…” (See https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/bellon-charles-barthelemy/)
He obviosuly taught by example, but Eugene felt that he needed to be more pro-active.
Eugene was always conscious that the Missionary Oblates were not his creation, but a gift of the Holy Spirit. For this reason he insisted on the importance of understanding and living by its spirit.
Father Temper was due to go for an official visit to the community where the novitiate was situated.
At L’Osier, you will have to recommend that more seriousness be required from the novices. They are all young, inclined therefore to be unrestrained and to childish pranks. I insist that this defect be corrected and I pray that some attention be given to what I recommend. That is in the order of things, there as everywhere else in the Congregation.
Another area which you will have to remedy is that we be not content merely to form good clerics, good religious if you will; but that we aim to form good members of our Congregation who absorb its spirit and adhere to it.
If my information is correct, nothing is being done to obtain this result; and we must return to this again and again to form that kind of second nature which will produce such good results.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 14 August 1844, EO X n 851
He was concerned that not sufficient time and effort was being spent on this task of self-understanding of our identity. Today we use the Biblical expression “charism” to talk about this spirit. As members of the Mazenodian Family we are urged to absorb the spirit of our charism and to let it be our daily guide.
Bishop Bourget had warmly welcomed the Oblates to his diocese three years earlier. We have seen, while reflecting on the earlier correspondence, that internal difficulties had arisen between the Oblates themselves. Despite this, their pastoral zeal had produced abundant fruit among the people.
How can I do otherwise than always begin by expressing to you my sentiments of liveliest gratitude and of tender friendship when you never cease giving me proofs of your paternal kindness for the children I have placed in your heart. I am filled with grief because, in spite of their goodwill, they may have often given you concern. Seek the cause of my mortification over this affair in a combination of circumstances which affected the first contingent.
Now, Eugene had sent Father Guigues to take matters in hand. Reflecting on this experience, Eugene saw the hand of God in all the events.
If there had been available to me then the person I have just sent to you, things would have been better but the good God did not grant this. He apparently willed that we pass through this humiliation and show that to Him alone, in spite of the imperfections of men, is due the success of an enterprise which is to procure His glory and the good of so many souls redeemed by the blood of his Divine Son. After God, to you, dear Monseigneur, goes all the merit of this great work.
Letter to Bishop Bourget of Montreal, 9 August 1844, EO I n 45
Here Eugene succinctly sums up the heart of our charism: the salvation of souls redeemed by the blood of the Savior. This is the reason for the existence of the Mazenodian Family: to bring the most abandoned to know the love and ongoing care of the Savior who gave everything for them on the Cross.” Evangelizare pauperibus misit me.” Each of us is called to share our experience of salvation in word and in actions – despite our imperfections and mistakes. God assures the success.
So, Monseigneur, if I am to tell you my whole mind with the frankness that is well suited to a bishop, I think you were well inspired to settle the Oblates in your diocese in order to confide to them the missions and other works of zeal embraced by their Institute. I dare to assure you of their devotedness and their constant cooperation in all kinds of good works that your pastoral solicitude will prompt them to undertake.
Letter to Bishop Phelan, Coadjutor Bishop of Kingston, 8 August 1844, EO I n 44
As our understanding and appreciation of the Mazenodian Family increases, so too does this question become more pertinent: to deepen our spirituality and mission in accordance with the God-given charism of St. Eugene that draws us all together.
In Canada the Oblates had arrived to begin their mission in Bytown (Ottawa today) and their bishop had written about this to Eugene. He was the second Canadian bishop to have welcomed the Oblates.
The letter that you have done me the honour of writing filled me with a holy joy. You also have adopted and placed under your pastoral mantle the sons of Mary Immaculate. They already had a father and a very good father in our dear and venerable friend, the bishop of Montreal and now Providence gives them a second father in your person whose kindnesses and powerful protection they have already experienced. Do not doubt, Monseigneur, that they have for you the same sentiments that they bear for him who first called them into his diocese and confided to them the worthy ministry that they have exercised for several years with blessings from God.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate are eminently men of the bishops, founded only to be instruments in their hands of their own ministry for the sanctification of their flocks. The bishops have no priests more submissive, more devoted than them. (See my comment on this expression in https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=4885).
While assuring the bishop of their pastoral cooperation, Eugene stresses ” the missions and other works of zeal embraced by their Institute” – Oblate pastoral cooperation always need to keep our distinctive characteristic and mission in mind. Whatever work we accept in a diocese has to be in keeping with our God-given charism.
Attendance at Vespers and at the sermon at the work of la Jeunesse [the Youth]. I gave the blessing.
Eugene then writes details of a very difficult situation that he had to handle in this institution, and concludes
This is one of the most delicate matters of my episcopate – through which I have had the good fortune, thanks to God, of bringing about good until the present.
There had been a serious problem with the behavior of the director of this work, who was blind to the mistakes he was making and stubbornly resisted correcting the situation.
It remains to be seen what I will have to decide later with regard to the director whom I was able to cover with my pastoral mantle, but who was not capable of obtaining my appreciation nor my affection by his evasive and very unacceptable conduct since I had exceeded all measures of mercy and of more than paternal kindness towards him. God will help me; it is him whom I invoke.
Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 28 July 1844, EO XXI
Whenever Eugene faced a difficulty. this was his immediate approach: ” God will help me; it is him whom I invoke.”
When asked “Is there such a thing as a Mazenodian spirituality?” the answer is YES! The Holy Spirit gave us a charism, through St Eugene, and the Holy Spirit gives us the means to apply this charism in our daily lives.
Every six years the Missionary Oblates have a gathering of representatives from the whole world, called the “General Chapter.” During this long meeting there is a review of all the ministries over the previous six years and an evaluation of how faithful we have been to the charism we have received from the Holy Spirit and how we are called to respond in the future to the needs of the most abandoned.
This Mazenodian identity is meant to be imparted in a deep way at the novitiate in a particular way.
And concerning the novices, neglected far too much is their exterior deportment; so is their training for serving at ceremonies with honor. They take on an awkwardness which is very difficult to correct. I have been able to verify this in the choir of the cathedral, at the altar, and elsewhere. They are excessively negligent in regard to their persons.
I have noticed that they are not required to memorize our Rules and those prayers particular to our Society.
It seems that they are not required to give an account of their meditations, a practice to which I always held as quite essential, especially for beginners. The practice of writing out a review of the week and some other useful practices which were formerly observed at the novitiate have also been lost.
Letter to Father Vincens, at N.-D. L’Osier, 23 July 1844, EO X n 849
Eugene’s concern about being familiar with the charism and spirituality does not only apply to Oblates, but to all members of the Mazenodian Family. It is the charism and spirituality that draws us together. How familiar are we with it? How important is it in our daily lives as a guiding light?
The novitiate year is the most important moment to concentrate on the formation of the specifically Oblate character of our life, charism and spirituality. This is done through the lived example of the Oblates, the courses taught and the accompaniment in developing a particularly Mazenodian spirituality.
What Eugene writes applies specifically to the Oblate brothers and priests, however, the spirit behind what he communicates is applicable to every member of the Mazenodian Family. It is a call to each of us to review the quality of our own devotional life.
Father Guigues, on his way to Canada, had written some observations to the Founder about some of those who had completed the novitiate. Eugene took action by writing to the Novice Master, Father Vincens, with some words of advice.
I must tell you for your guidance that Father Guigues, in the letter that he wrote me from Le Havre, feels obliged to remind me of certain things. He says that it would be very beneficial to instil in our Oblates the idea that they must never neglect, by their own fault, spiritual exercises, rosary, particular examen, mental prayer, all fiddle-faddle! from which I conclude that his companions did none of these things.
If things like this are not much appreciated before being a priest, it is to be feared that they will be neglected even more afterward.
I might add that the community will always lack the distinctive characteristic which marks the difference between religious communities and those which are simply ecclesiastical societies.
When novices are learning what should be done, and the Oblates (ed. scholastics) too, they are not edified by this take-it-or-leave-it approach in regard to activities that are prescribed.
Letter to Father Vincens, at N.-D. L’Osier, 23 July 1844, EO X n 849
As a person connected with the spirituality and charism of St Eugene de Mazenod, what “characteristic” of this spirituality do I hold in my relationship with God, my lifestyle and my dealings with others?
As the Oblate missions developed in France and outside, it was essential to ensure a supply of new missionaries to meet the demands of evangelizing the most abandoned. For this reason Eugene had established our first juniorate, at Notre Dame des Lumières, to complete the schooling of youth who were discerning a possible vocation. The government authorities accused him of running a school, in competition with the local schools and using their funding. Eugene responded.
My dear Rector, Thank you for kindly addressing yourself to me for information about the facts that were reported to you relative to the community of Lumières. I cannot understand without further information how anyone could tell the Inspector that there were 60 pupils there who were in no way different from educational boarding school students. The young men living there to prepare for preaching missions are eleven or twelve in number. There are none there who are preparing for a lay career. Everyone, once they are sufficiently prepared, is directed to the novitiate properly speaking…
I would not tolerate keeping anyone who does not have the intention of being a missionary for diocesan or foreign missions, and I am certain that the Director of the community keeps scrupulously within the limits of the goal I have mentioned. He knows very well that if he went beyond them he would diminish the spirit and purpose of an institution that I am not supporting in order to have pupils for school and that he would compromise a precious interest of the spiritual order for the good of souls.
The letter gives us the opportunity to see the whole picture of training for Oblate missionary life: postulants, novices and scholastics.
However, my dear Rector, I can explain how the number that they gave to the Inspector about the number of young people at Lumières is so much above what is there. They confused the students from the Major Seminary in Marseilles where they are studying theology, who went to spend their breaks at Lumières with the young men who live there on a regular basis. The first have already completed their novitiate and are there only for the holidays without being at all taken up with classical studies, and they are usually some 18. The others, much fewer in number, are as yet only postulants who are quite different from boarders in an educational institute, are far from being able to pay for any upkeep for the establishment for which I must find other sources. They do not belong to well-to-do families as you were told.
+ C.J. Eugene, Bishop of Marseilles.
Letter to the Rector of the Academy at Nimes, 22 July 1844, EO XIII n 102
The practice of having Oblate juniorates has generally been discontinued. This letter, however, reminds us of the ongoing need for an awareness of the need for vocations to all the branches of the Mazenodian Family and the importance of cultivating a missionary vision that inspires participation.
Eugene, aware of the pain experienced by the Oblate community in Corsica because of the behavior of Leopold Carles, (which we saw in a previous entry) wrote to its superior.
In this world, one must expect everything, my most dear Father Semeria. There is nothing more scandalous than the defection of the unfortunate Carles, but nothing less surprising in the light of the pitiable behavior he has always maintained. I am going to decide his case immediately, but I am writing to you beforehand to ease your pain. I am enclosing in this letter the one I am sending this unfortunate man; read it before giving it to him. I approved the conduct that you followed in regard to him. Independently of his bad dispositions, his disobedience merited this sentence…
Try to cover up the scandal as much as you can; treat him with charity, but do not let yourself be outdone. You have nothing to reproach yourself for, the evil dates from far back. It is a great misfortune that Masters of Novices are not informed enough and allow themselves to be fooled.
Letter to Father Etienne Semeria, 25 July 1844, EO X n 850
Eugene and the local community had done their best to help him, but to no avail. “Treat him with charity” was the advice to them in dealing with him in the remaining days he would be with them.
