The argument about the validity of vows apart, the toll of this conflict was heavy on Eugene and on the Oblates. Their very existence was being threatened by the Bishops wanting their priests to leave the Missionaries and return to their dioceses of origin. The morale of all was shaken. Eugene gathered the whole community at Aix for the annual retreat and at the end performed a dramatic gesture. Customs and religious expressions have changed in the 200 years since this event occurred. Every Friday night it was the custom of the religious to \u201ctake the discipline\u201d \u2013i.e. during the recitation of Psalm 50, each one would physically mortify himself by whipping himself in the privacy of his room. In this case, Eugene made this a public act for himself in the presence of the community.<\/p>\n
Eugene combined this with the idea of the ceremony of expiation of sins done on each parish mission by the superior of the Missionaries [see above the entries of 31 January to 3 February 2011].<\/em> On the missions, the superior preached about Jesus taking on himself the sins of all, and then invited the people to place their sins on his shoulders as a symbolic reminder of the mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation of Jesus. In this case Eugene took upon himself the division and hurt caused by the situation they were living. Leflon narrates:<\/p>\n To make his arguments fully effective by discussing them personally with his missionaries, the Founder waited until after the October retreat at Aix had ended. He then went to the mother- house and ordered a day of strict fast on bread and water for the first Friday in November. In the evening, with the community assembled together in the oratory and after delivering a stirring conference dealing with the perils which were threatening the Society “born of my heart,” he offered himself as he had often done during the missions, as a “victim of appeasement to the anger of God”; then, after ordering all the lights to be extinguished, he scourged himself to the extent of blood, drawing tears and sobs from all the members. This scene, reminiscent of the most stirring incidents to be found in the lives of the holy founders of religious orders, re-strengthened any vocations that had been weakened by the defections of a few older members. Everyone felt a resurgence of affection for him, and to console him for the betrayal of his false brethren, they promised him their unbounded devotion. Fervor would make up for their lack of numbers.<\/em><\/p>\n Leflon II p. 248-249<\/p>\n In previous entries we have seen how the novice Guibert had gone through periodic vocational crises. Commenting on the\u00a0incident described above, his biographer states: This extraordinary scene produced on Brother Guibert a profound impression. \u201cAll his <\/p>\n “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 Jesse Owens<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The argument about the validity of vows apart, the toll of this conflict was heavy on Eugene and on the Oblates. Their very existence was being threatened by the Bishops wanting their priests to leave the Missionaries and return to … Continue reading
\nhesitations ceased for ever.\u201d\u00a0 PAGUELLE DE FOLLENAY (I, 89)<\/p>\n