Bishop Fortun\u00e9 de Mazenod was an old man and he relied heavily on his nephew to put his decisions into practice with the priests and laity of the diocese. As Vicar General, Eugene was experiencing difficulty in bringing about the reforms needed in a diocese that was in a mess because it had been vacant for over 20 years. While Eugene and his uncle were in Paris, Henri Tempier wrote with a suggestion to rectify this that would give Eugene a greater measure of authority to consolidate what was already being achieved. Yvon Beaudoin explains: \u201cFourth letter written by Father Tempier while the Founder was at Paris. In this letter, no longer extant, Father Tempier counselled Father de Mazenod to become coadjutor of his uncle, if this position was proposed to him.\u201d (Footnote to EO VI n 181)<\/p>\n
\nDear friend, what counsel do you give me in your number 4? It will be impossible for me to do other than try to enter into dispositions of submission to the orders of Providence, were its manifest will to be that I shoulder the burden of which you speak.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
For the rest I shall not be put to this trial because the people meekly waiting in line are so numerous that one can scarcely please all, let alone those who remain out of sight so as not to be noticed. The idea of consolidating the good already achieved at Marseilles, executing the things that are planned, dashing the hopes of conspirators and schismatics, coupled with the prospect of having for a long time a title without a function, would make me envisage without extreme repugnance what you desire above all, but I do not think that it can be brought about.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 4 June 1825, EO VI n 181<\/em><\/p>\n
A week later, he wrote to Tempier from Paris:<\/p>\n
\nHere they are beginning to let the rumor run that the Bishop is asking that I be his coadjutor, which no doubt ought to disedify those who know that I do not resemble several of their acquaintances. However, my uncle has certainly not spoken to anyone of a project so disastrous for the Church.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 13 June 1825, EO VI n 182<\/em><\/p>\n
In fact, this was not to come about until seven years later when, in order to save the diocese against the persecution of the government, a similar plan was put into action and he was made Bishop of Icosia.<\/p>\n
Leflon concludes the narrative of the sojourn in Paris: \u201cThe Bishop of Marseilles and his chief vicar were forced to delay their departure three more weeks, chasing about the different ministries where certain matters of vital importance to the diocese had been left neglected in dossiers which had accumulated due to an extremely centralized system of government. Finally, after going alone to Saint Cloud on July 17, to pay his respects to the king, the dauphin and the dauphine, Fortun\u00e9 set out with his nephew on their return journey to Marseilles, leaving Paris on July 22 and arriving in Marseilles on July 31<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thomas Hobbes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bishop Fortun\u00e9 de Mazenod was an old man and he relied heavily on his nephew to put his decisions into practice with the priests and laity of the diocese. As Vicar General, Eugene was experiencing difficulty in bringing about the … Continue reading