Eugene accepted to be made a bishop, after consultation with the Oblates, for the welfare of the Congregation. He remained 100 percent Oblate.<\/p>\n
\n… you will readily understand that this high dignity, this great character that has been bestowed upon me, does not relax a single one of the bonds that bind me to our Congregation, since, rather, the overriding reason for the submission of my will has been the consciousness of the good that would flow from it for the Congregation\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
He then explains how useful it would be for the Missionary Oblates to be represented by someone who had an acknowledged presence in the hierarchy of the Church.<\/p>\n
\nConfined as we are, and still little known, it is my opinion, and those other Oblates whom I was bound to consult thought the same, that it would be very advantageous if we could when need arose indicate that the representative of this small and unknown family, but newly-born, and which has had to begin its growth in the midst of thorns, is a bishop, and a bishop chosen, elected by the Supreme Head of the Church, consecrated under his eyes and at his command, in the capital of the Christian world, by a Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and Regular Clergy, who represented him in this sublime function.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
To the Oblate community in Billens, 24 October 1832, EO VIII n 439<\/em><\/p>\n
Being a bishop \u201cdoes not relax a single one of the bonds that bind me to our Congregation,\u201d he wrote. In fact, the next 29 years of his life were to prove that all that he did and achieved was seen through the Oblate eyes and acted upon with the Oblate heart that had guided him since our foundation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eugene accepted to be made a bishop, after consultation with the Oblates, for the welfare of the Congregation. He remained 100 percent Oblate. … you will readily understand that this high dignity, this great character that has been bestowed upon … Continue reading