In Eugene\u2019s ministry we find him accompanying the dying and staying with them until the moment of death. He wanted to assure that the person have a peaceful death and not give in to temptations to despair and to turn away from God. We see this in the Rule for the Youth Congregation:<\/p>\n
\nArt 50. The prayers being finished at the church, the Director will go directly to the patient, leaving him only for very short intervals. It is in these decisive moments for the salvation of his beloved sons in Jesus Christ that he will protect them against the temptations of the treacherous enemy of their souls.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Statuts XIV, \u00a72 Envers les congr\u00e9ganistes malades<\/em><\/p>\n
Eugene\u2019s uncle, Fortun\u00e9 de Mazenod who lived with the Missionaries in Aix, attested to this with his own eyes regularly. He wrote to Eugene\u2019s father:<\/p>\n
\nYou know that he does not abandon for one moment the souls committed to his care when they are in danger of losing their lives.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter of Fortun\u00e9 de Mazenod to Eugene\u2019s father, 1 April 1819,
\nGeneral Archives, Rome APR FB V 1-7<\/em><\/p>\nThis concern for the welfare of the dying was written into the Rule of the Missionaries, who were committed to accompany to the guillotine those prisoners condemned to death :<\/p>\n
\nThey will accompany them right to the scaffold, which the Missionaries will not leave until they have received the last breath of those they are caring for, because they are responsible for defending them against all the snares of the devil, the fear of death and the danger of despair.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
1818 Rule Part 1, Chapter 3, \u00a74 Prisons<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In Eugene\u2019s ministry we find him accompanying the dying and staying with them until the moment of death. He wanted to assure that the person have a peaceful death and not give in to temptations to despair and to turn … Continue reading