Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

Eugene wrote in his diary:

Yesterday, the bishop of Algiers unexpectedly entered my office. The bishop extraordinarily urged me to accompany him to Algiers on his return from Pavia, where he is going to take a notable relic of Saint Augustine.

Before becoming Bishop of Marseilles, Eugene had been given the title of Bishop of Icosia, a former diocese in Algeria.

My position as the last bishop of Icosia, the desire to give more splendor to the ceremony, etc. inspired in him this thought of inviting me to go there. He would like me to consecrate a church under the title of Saint Charles and to bless the foundation stone of another to be built in honor of Saint Eugène. The prelate used every manner of charm, and I admit that I was tempted to give in to his invitation; it is a matter only of an absence of fifteen days.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 4 October 1842, EO XXI

Father Tempier accompanied him on this visit, which included bringing the relic to the site of the ancient city of Hippo, where Augustine had been bishop.

The detailed narrative of this journey can be found in the Diary of 1842 (https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?page_id=2362 in the entries from October 22 onwards)

Eugene quoted part of a letter that he had received. In it Father Courtès made a very important statement about the “spirit” of the missionary family that had come into existence through Eugene de Mazenod who was always regarded as “our founder and our father.”

October 21: [Extract from a letter from Fr. Courtès]: It is desirable that you have the novitiate close to you, because, however excellent the director may be, it is permissible to think that the locality is not immaterial to the spirit which may animate the family which one is raising. And the good spirit, the principal spirit, is that which we receive from you who lead us to serve the Church, such as it now is, with modesty and with benefit, aiding one another like brothers, without distinction as to country and as to province, and drawing our strength of wisdom and leadership from the one who is our founder and our father.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 21 October 1842, EO XXI

The reason for the importance of this passage is that it highlights that Eugene de Mazenod founded us as a result of an inspiration by the Holy Spirit. We recognize this as a charism, a gift of the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church. Today we are privileged to participate in this charism and to have the guidance of Saint Eugene, our founder and father, through the communion of the saints.

Anniversary of the death of my father.

Requiem Mass in spite of my confidence that our Lord had long since granted him entry into his holy Paradise. This commemoration is a duty, which does not mean that I wait for this anniversary day to discharge myself of the duty of prayer for my father.

Every day at Mass I do this for him and for all those who have a right to my remembrance and to my gratitude.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 10 October 1842, EO XXI

In 1842-1843, the ten scholastics who were theology students and had been living at the Seminary of Marseilles until then, were sent to N.-D. de L’Osier. Father Guigues, the community superior was very unhappy because he needed more Oblates to help him to care for the influx of students. Eugene responded:

You are wrong in troubling yourself so much about what will happen as a result of my decision concerning your house. Your conscience should be perfectly at ease after what I told you. You are only repeating to me what I knew as well as you did, I don’t have to change my decision. I don’t have the time nor the will to disprove your reasons. Let it suffice you to know that it cannot be otherwise.

The commitments of the Oblates in France, Canada and England did not permit Eugene to send more personnel to help Fr Guigues.

Once and for all know how to accept your lot with a good grace and not aggravate my anxieties through demands which you should understand that I am unable to grant… I beg each one of you to stop complaining and murmuring. Your duty is to suppress this disorder which occasions so much evil. Do what is laid down for you without so much groaning which is heard in the house and outside. Make a virtue out of necessity and God will help you.

Eugene, with his typical dry sense of humor, exasperatedly adds that he does not have the power to create people out of nothing:

As for myself. I recognize my powerlessness to create and I remain at peace.

Letter to Fr Eugene Guigues, 27 September 1842, EO IX n 777

Eugene’s confidence in God despite opposition:

You are right in being resigned to what God will decide for you. He will never ask of us anything beyond what we can do. People are more demanding than God, but it is not people whom we are to please.

If we do God’s will, we shall succeed against peoples’ expectations and in spite of them

Letter to Fr Eugene Guigues, 27 September 1842, EO IX n 777

Father Daly was an optimist whose sense of judgement was to lead the Oblates into some trouble later on. It did, however, encourage the Oblates to invest themselves in this part of the world and to begin a highly successful missionary province.

“Father Daly,” as we read in Chroniques de la province d’Angleterre, “was endowed with a prismatic imagination which embellished everything and made every prospect appear in its most brilliant side. ”No doubt carried away by Father Daly’s enthusiasm and encouraged by the warm reception received at Dublin, Father Aubert soon entertained great dreams. His letters to Bishop de Mazenod have now disappeared, as well as the one he wrote to Father Honorat at Longueuil (Canada), however this Father gave a resume of it when he wrote to Bishop de Mazenod on November 23: “Reverend Father Aubert wrote to us from Dublin to give us very consoling news which even will yield an influence here in Canada among our friends and enemies. He even promised us a man for next spring. It’s encouraging to have a house with a novitiate in England and one in Ireland. Numerous candidates are expected for the novitiate. Surely God is interested in us and our dear Mother is protecting us.”

When he arrived at Dublin on August 8, Father Aubert was cordially received by the Archbishop and the city’s mayor, Daniel O’Connell. The latter showed interest in the spirit of the Oblates and promised to protect an Oblate foundation. On their part, the Bishops allowed recruiting.

Eugene wrote in his Diary:

There is not anyone up to the great O’Connell who does not wish to contribute towards it. He wants to be the first subscriber and he authorized Fr. Aubert to use his name in the prospectus for sending to him the offerings that will be made to us. He wanted to be affiliated with our society and he received the scapular from it.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 20 September 1842, EO XXI

To Father Aubert himself, Eugene wrote:

I want to use the remaining blank space to congratulate you on your conquest. What you tell me about the excellent O’Connell keenly interests me. He is a valuable patron…

Later, we will be able to do more than give him the scapular. When he really will have benefited you, I can give him a canonical share in the works and merits of the Congregation, as I have just done for the benefactors in Canada.

It remains for me to urge you to write more often, at least once a month.

Letter to Fr Casimir Aubert, 26 September 1842, EO III n 2

In recent entries we have focused on the Canadian mission, but the missionary thrust was taking place in England and Ireland simultaneously. (See the entries starting from https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=4584).

Father Yvon Beaudoin fills in the details for us:

In all of the historical sources relative to the Anglo-Irish province, Father Casimir Aubert is always referred to as the founder of this Oblate apostolic field.

In 1837-1838 at the novitiate, he had received a young Irishman, William Daly, who followed the theology course along with the scholastics at the seminary in Marseilles and was ordained to the priesthood on May 2, 1841.

During May, a few months before the decision to accept missions in Canada, an opportunity arose to send Father Daly to England to examine at first hand the possibility of a foundation. “The purpose of this trip,” Bishop de Mazenod explained in his diary on July 15 and 16, 1841, “is to examine on the spot how a foundation of missionaries of our Congregation could be made …”

Eugene’s dream was to recruit English-speaking vocations to be able to end as missionaries to Canada and other countries where English was spoken.

If he had already determined a vast apostolic program from the future establishment, the Founder hoped to obtain vocations in Ireland. Father Daly must have received precise orders in this sense. He preached in several London churches, at Oscott seminary near Birmingham, then set out for Ireland where he met the bishops gathered together at the Maynooth seminary. He received permission to recruit and at the end of 1841 he sent to Marseilles seven postulants entrusted for the time being to Father Aubert; he expressed hope that a foundation would not present any problems.

Bishop de Mazenod understood that he had to profit from this moment of grace and send, as soon as possible, a trusted man who knew English well. The choice was easy to make since Father Aubert alone fulfilled these conditions … He left Marseilles in mid-July 1842.

Father Aubert was thinking of opening a formation house there but was soon disillusioned on that score. The bishops would not permit it. Nevertheless, he found a teaching position at St. Mary’s College of Youghal, an institution destined to supply personnel for the missions.

https://www.omiworld.org/wp-content/uploads/II-05-Father-Casimir-Aubert-O.M.I.pdf

As Superior General, Eugene had to deal with the weaknesses and foibles of his Oblates. He always regarded himself as their father and was hurt when they did not realize this.

Letter from Fr. Bermond. My letter has provoked a reply which proves to me that he falls short of being the type of man to send to Canada.

It is not at all a question whether he is a brave child, but he takes things too personally, he misinterprets the conduct of superiors towards him, takes offence at it, retains a memory of it. He nurses the thought that I am prejudiced against him because of the reports that have been made to me against him.

It’s in this way that all those who have some reproaches to make close their hearts while distrusting my sentiments, which is a very fatal error for them. They do not want to understand how much I am a father. More than some imperfections and some miseries are necessary in order to change the sentiments that God has given me for all those who have vowed themselves to him in the Congregation. And Bermond in particular renders me little justice if he writes that the affection that I have for him has been weakened by the difficulties of Laus. [ed The Oblates had been forced to leave the shrine of Notre Dame du Laus, causing suffering to Eugene]

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 4 October 1842, EO XXI

Father Bermond and Eugene were to have a stormy relationship in the coming years. Despite his shortcomings, Fr Bermond did a lot of good missionary work in Canada. God certainly uses us all – warts and all!

When Eugene wrote in his diary at the end of the day, he recorded not only the happenings, but also his personal reactions. The Diary reveals a wry sense of humor in the way in which he expresses himself privately. The Diary was not intended for others to read.

In this entry he comments about one of the Oblates who had a clique of somewhat disturbed nuns around him with whom he conducted correspondence on esoteric spiritual topics. Eugene had no time for this.

Here are some religious, some men who claim to alone have the secret of perfection, who perform high spirituality with some bigots whom they call earthly angels and who are only fanatics who mimic in the most ridiculous manner the souls of the elite, whose language they do not even understand which they take into their heads to use, to even exaggerate in their farcical correspondence. What a pity!

Eugene wanted to send this “spiritual” Oblate to Corsica as a missionary.

It is unimaginable to what degree this good Father deludes himself. His letter inspires pity. He claims that his mother would die if he were to go to Corsica, that he is compelled under pain of sin to not kill his mother, therefore, he is not able in conscience to comply with my obedience to go to this country. There are some proud religious!

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 1 October 1842, EO XXI

Despite being the cause of this outburst, the Oblate in question proved himself to be a dedicated and successful missionary for the succeeding 30 years.