From the beginning of the existence of the Missionaries, Eugene had insisted on the necessity of leading a balanced lifestyle. In his letter inviting Henri Tempier to join them he had written:<\/p>\n
\nOne part of the year will be devoted to the conversion of souls, the other to seclusion, study and our individual sanctification.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 9 October 1815 O.W. VI n 4<\/em><\/p>\n
In their vision statement the Missionaries\u00a0had written:<\/p>\n
\nThe end of this Society is not only to work for the salvation of others by dedicating itself to the ministry of preaching; its chief aim also includes providing its members with the means necessary to practice the virtues of religion\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Request to the Capitular Vicars of Aix, 25 January 1816, O.W. XIII n.2<\/em><\/p>\n
That this would not remain wishful thinking, we see how seriously Henri Tempier took\u00a0it at ND du Laus:<\/p>\n
\nI have also made a decision, whether we were always busy with people making novenas or not. At ten o’clock in the morning, I have them ring the community bell. That tells us that we are all to leave the confessional and go to our rooms; to read, write or do something else. In the evening, the bell rings only at four o’clock. By this means, we have an hour and a half in the morning and the same in the evening. It’s the only way to get something done without killing ourselves; Saturday evening and Sunday, it’s a different story, we have to be there the whole day.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter from Henri Tempier to Eugene de Mazenod, 19 June 1819,
\nOblate Writings II.2, n. 14<\/em><\/p>\nEugene continued to insist on this till the end. For example, in 1842 he wrote:<\/p>\n
\nDo not let yourselves be overwhelmed by the work which will soon surpass your strength. One must never want to do more than God permits. Plan all things wisely. Above all, always reserve time for study and for your personal sanctification in the interior of your house. That is indispensable.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Jean-Baptiste Honorat, 26 March 1842, in O.W. I n. 10.<\/em><\/p>\n
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“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Thomas Merton<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From the beginning of the existence of the Missionaries, Eugene had insisted on the necessity of leading a balanced lifestyle. In his letter inviting Henri Tempier to join them he had written: One part of the year will be devoted … Continue reading