Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us

We go back to 1822. In the midst of all his concerns for the survival of his newly-founded Missionary family, Eugene celebrated the feast of the Assumption. It was a day which was to leave a permanent impression on the history of our Mazenodian family. Achille Rey, who knew Eugene well, wrote in his biography:

Eugene continues the narrative of the last moments of the life of his friend, Charles de Forbin Janson.

I wanted to go to Aygalades to see the bishop; someone came to disturb me. And behold today it has been too late. At the time of departure for going to the side of the good bishop, Abbé Sibour arrived to tell me that he just had an infirmity which had frightened him and that he had believed himself duty-bound to inform me about it. I left immediately, but, in the interval, the bishop had rendered his soul to God. I found him dead. 

… It must be said that the poor bishop took very well what I said to him the day before yesterday and that he truly made the resolution to put order into his affairs, he even very warmly showed me his affection, when I was leaving him, in taking my hand and pressing it over his heart, which comes back to the expression which he used the day before while dictating to Abbé Janse these words which he addressed to me: “My best and old friend, I embrace you with all my heart, in which is concentrated the little strength that remains in me. Your old friend, Charles, bishop of Nancy.”(This was very likely his last signature, which I will keep in memory of our old friendship, which indeed goes back forty years.)

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 11 July 1844, EO XXI

Eugene’s friendship with Charles de Forbin Janson dated back to their days in the seminary together. They had formed a deep friendship and shared much together during their early years of priesthood. Together they responded to the request of the Pope to rebuild the ruined post-revolution Church in France by the preaching of parish missions. Eugene initially was going to join his friend but then discerned that God was calling him to concentrate on the poor of Provence, by preaching in their language. (See https://www.eugenedemazenod.net/?p=829)

The letters shared between them give many details of Eugene’s early ministry and the foundation of the Missionaries of Provence. Charles had always been an unpractical dreamer – even when he was appointed Bishop of the diocese of Nancy – and this continued right to his last days as Eugene’s diary entry shows:

The bishop of Nancy came to rest in my home after having consulted Doctor Cauvière. The good prelate is kept in a lamentable sense of security by this doctor who, after having physically examined him, assured him that he did not have any lesion in his chest. I was saddened to see my friend under this assurance. While waiting to speak frankly to him what I think about his condition, I tell him that physicians make a duty of lying.

I was astonished that the doctor had vouched for his chest while I see him habitually spitting blood. He answered me that this did not disturb him, that this was nothing and that, if his rheumatism in his insides passed, he would soon be out of the situation. Never a similar illusion! While telling me this, he was out of breath, was not able to breathe and he had no good place at all on his armchair. I had to help him up when he wanted to withdraw and to hold him under the shoulders as far as the carriage. He is a man beyond hope except for a miracle.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 28 June 1844, EO XXI

A week later:

I went to make a small visit of friendship with the bishop of Nancy. He is continuously becoming worse, but, deceived by everything that surrounds him…  he has no suspicions that he is so close to his end. I therefore took advantage of the opportunity when I was alone with him to frankly tell him the truth. At the astonishment which he displayed to me, I understood how useful was the ministry of friendship and of charity which I was fulfilling with him,

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 9 July 1844, EO XXI

For further details see: https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/forbin-janson-charles-de/

For further details see: https://sites.google.com/site/oblatestudies/course-catalog/the-historical-expansion-and-development-of-the-mission-of-the-oblate-congr

For further information: https://sites.google.com/site/oblatestudies/course-catalog/charisms-founders-and-their-expression-in-constitutions-and-rules

A month-by-month series of reflections compiled by Father David Muñoz OMI and members of the Mazenodian Family

Download the booklet at: https://omiusa.org/pdf/MazenodianFamilyBook.pdf

An entry from Eugene’s diary refers to the rivalry between the cities of Marseilles and Lyon as to which was the most important city. Lyon claimed to be the first French diocese, while Eugene differed and believed that Marseilles was.

Letter from Fr. De Bussy. He excuses himself from coming to give us the pastoral retreat this year. He offers himself for the following year. Letter to this Father to accept his offer even while complaining about having been forgotten this year.

Letter to Fr. Maillard to accept Fr. Guillermet, who will come to give the retreat in the place of Fr. De Bussy. I joke about the preference accorded to him in Lyon and, far from recognizing the proud motto of Prima Sedes Galliarum,[ed “First (episcopal) seat of the Gauls – The Bishop of Lyon was the Primate of France”]
I claim that all the rights of priority belong to me because, if our Phoenicians [ed. The Phoenicians, originating from modern-Greece, founded Marseille in the sixth century before Jesus Christ] had not been converted to the faith when Saint Pothin disembarked on our shores, it would have stopped here, but already the friend of Jesus, our great Saint Lazarus, sat in the midst of his people, etc.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 16 July 1844, EO XXI

Eugene was always convinced that Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, had arrived in Marseilles with his sisters and was the first Bishop of Marseilles. According to the legend, the Mary referred to was Mary Magdalene (and not the sister of Martha and Lazarus of the Gospel) and hence the great devotion to her in southern France. She is believed to have lived and died not far from Aix en Provence and Marseilles.

Eugene is sometimes accused by those who are not familiar with his writings of always being serious and not having a sense of humor. In fact, in his writings, we come across a very dry sense of humor.

He was frustrated with the community at Notre Dame des Lumières, because it appeared that each Oblate there had plans for enlarging a part of the building. Father Bellon had just arrived and had caught the building bug:

I gather that travel illness is as contagious an evil among us as is the horrible tobacco habit. You have scarcely arrived and already you propose to add more to the enormous expenses already incurred at Lumières.
I am sorry to go against you in regard to enlarging the organ loft. I have written about it to Father Ricard, because, without calumniating him, I believe that he had you promote this matter, not daring to speak to me about it himself after all that he has wrestled out of me.
Then in a moment of tongue-in-cheek humor he makes his point:
Won’t we have to build very soon over the sacristy to house all the sea shells that Father Chauvet gathered during his stay here. I believe that he has carried away at least eight thousand. That is quite excessive, but we have to please all tastes.

Letter to Father Charles Bellon, 10 July 1844, EO X n 846

Another glimpse into the busy life of Bishop Eugene.

A wonderful ordination of forty-three subjects. The ceremony was magnificent

There were eight new diocesan priests, among them one Oblate, Marie Cyr Chauvet.

Later, I went to the quarterly exercise of Saint-Rosaire-Vivant [the Holy Living Rosary],which this time took place in the church of Saint-Lazare.

The group (sodality) of le Rosaire-Vivant [the Living Rosary], owing to the initiative of Pauline Jaricot, foundress as well of the work of the Propagation of the Faith, counting in 1833 a million members. The goal was to recite a decade of the rosary each day and to work for the distribution of good books

I spent the entire day in this way in the church; in which better place could a person be? Concerning the ordination, I said to myself what has often been in my thoughts, that a person ought to be able to spend his life in fulfilling such grand duties. Could he not be happy to die in discharging them? It’s a truly heavenly joy! A person could pass from one paradise to another.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 30 June 1844, EO XXI

Father Moreau was Vicar General and superior of the Major Seminary in Ajaccio, Corsica. He had requested permission to make a pilgrimage to Rome.

My dear Father Moreau, taking advantage of the Bishop of Ajaccio’s passing through, I will answer your last letter concisely.

For that which concerns yourself, I gladly give my consent that you make the pilgrimage to Rome; but I warn you about catching fever there; the season in which you plan to go is very dangerous. Never get into an air draught when you have perspired, never go out into the night dew, etc.

Letter to Fr. Noel Moreau, 13 June 1844, EO X n 842

Nothing spiritual or theological about this entry, but I couldn’t resist sharing with you the smile it brought to my Italian blood to see that, during his nine years of exile, Eugene had picked up the Italian phobia for air draughts! (I grew up with the constant litany of “stai attento alla corrente” from my parents)