1822 was a busy year for Eugene and the Missionaries, with sixteen weeks of intensive mission preaching (at Signes -beginning of January to mid-February, at Lorgues -February 17 to March 31, and at Barcelonnette -April 20 to May 20). Before the third mission he had gone to Laus to work with the formation community, and returned there after the mission to continue this work. Henri Tempier was concerned about his health and had obliged him, under obedience, to take greater care of himself. Eugene obeyed and was able to write:<\/p>\n
\nI am well but I repeat that it is a miracle for which I give credit to obedience for it is certain that when I left, I was not in condition to take to the road… I rise only at six o\u2019clock and I will continue to give myself this care recognized as necessary in order to make up for the loss of sleep during the preceding missions.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 29 April 1822, EO VI n 82<\/em><\/p>\n
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Despite the personal cost, the dedication and hard work of the Missionaries was showing results, as he wrote from Barcelonnette:<\/p>\n
\nNo one will ever be able to exaggerate the importance and effect of this mission: it is in my eyes and in those of our colleagues the most essential of those we have done.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
We will be able to finish it only next year when, as we have announced, we will complete the entire valley; if the Bishop of Digne favours this idea, the good will be incalculable.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 20 May 1822, EO VI n 84<\/em><\/p>\n
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“The Church that does not evangelize will fossilize.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Oswald J. Smith<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1822 was a busy year for Eugene and the Missionaries, with sixteen weeks of intensive mission preaching (at Signes -beginning of January to mid-February, at Lorgues -February 17 to March 31, and at Barcelonnette -April 20 to May 20). Before … Continue reading