Now that he was in Marseille, Eugene kept in regular contact with the superiors of the Oblate communities to ensure a unity of spirit. His letters are full of practical details referring to situations and people. In a particular way he maintained contact with Hippolyte Court\u00e8s, in Aix, who was responsible for the formation of the new members of the Missionaries.<\/p>\n
After Eugene\u2019s visit to Nice, the pastor of the cathedral of that city had referred a sub-deacon to be a candidate to join the Oblates<\/p>\n
\nI do not need to ask you to give a good welcome to those who present themselves but I ought to tell you that this one has no idea of how we do things. He was disposed to devote himself to the missions of Nice. M. Daurenson had spoken of us to him without knowing all that we demand in the way of perfection from those who wish to be enrolled in our militia which can only fight the demon and vanquish him with the arms of Faith in the manner of the Apostles. So you must, as soon as you will have perceived that this person can be suitable for us, make a decision so as not to lose time and money of which we have none to spare.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Hippolyte Court\u00e8s, 30 July 1824, EO VI n 149<\/em><\/p>\n
Here Eugene comes back to the heart of the Oblate vocation, using military vocabulary: it is not a matter of just doing good works, but of being: of having a quality of life built on faith and according to the model of the apostles. Only then will he be able to counteract the power of evil at work in the world. If candidates are not clear about the quality and necessity of \u2018being\u201d in order to \u201cdo\u201d, then they are not for us.<\/p>\n
Today in our Rule of Life:<\/p>\n
Candidates should give proof of maturity consistent with their age and have a satisfactory knowledge of Christian teaching. They should show signs of a constancy of faith and Christian life, of love for the poor and an aptitude for community living. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>CC&RR, Rule 54a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Now that he was in Marseille, Eugene kept in regular contact with the superiors of the Oblate communities to ensure a unity of spirit. His letters are full of practical details referring to situations and people. In a particular way … Continue reading