Hilarion Bourrelier had shared his confusion and anguish with Eugene, while he was spending time in Laus, and had later written to express his doubts and confusion. Eugene responded:<\/p>\n
\nYou could not please me more, my dear Bourrelier, than by writing to me and laying before me the troubles that disturb you and which you have fashioned for yourself in such a bad way. What good is there in tormenting yourself as you do over trifles? Had I not sufficiently reassured you in the interview we had at Notre Dame du Laus and how is it that, after these explanations, you have allowed thoughts to enter your heart as criminal as those which you reveal to me? I will not dwell on the expressions in your letter, I have shed tears of sorrow over them. My friend, have you thought whereof you speak?<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
He had just been ordained a priest a few months before, and had gone into crisis about not being worthy to live up to what was expected of him. Eugene calls these \u201ccriminal\u201d thoughts that he has allowed to overcome him.<\/p>\n
\nCan a priest speak in this manner? You have not a remote idea then of what you have become through the priesthood? I still tremble because of what I have read, of what you can say in cold blood\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Eugene\u2019s evaluation is that Bourrelier was allowing himself to fall into temptation and the only way to resist was to remind himself of the spirit and importance of his vocation as a Christian, religious and priest.<\/p>\n
\nMy friend, my dear friend, how have you let yourself be seduced to this extent by the demon? Ah! I hasten to address to you the same words which were addressed in the Apocalypse [<\/strong>Rev. 2:4-5<\/em>] to a bishop who was not fulfilling his duty, see how heavily you have fallen and do penance. Yes, my dear, do penance because you have sinned greatly. Renew yourself without delay in the spirit of your vocation.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Hilarion Bourrelier, 27 August 1821, EO VI n 71<\/em><\/p>\n
\u00a0Our situation is different but how often do we allow ourselves to lose sight of the purpose of our life and to be overwhelmed by negative situations and doubts that engulf and threaten to drown us! Eugene\u2019s advice is still pertinent today: do penance, cut out the source of what is distracting and leading us into confusion. What a life-giving dignity we have thru our baptism and membership of the People of God and the state of life that we are called to live this by. We are constantly invited to focus on and renew ourselves in the spirit of our vocation.<\/p>\n
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“A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Ambrose Bierce<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hilarion Bourrelier had shared his confusion and anguish with Eugene, while he was spending time in Laus, and had later written to express his doubts and confusion. Eugene responded: You could not please me more, my dear Bourrelier, than by … Continue reading