Yvon Beaudoin gives us the background to Eugene\u2019s letter: \u201cThe Founder had seen the Pope again on October 2, and was to leave Rome on the 11th. He received however the letter dated September 28 in which Father Tempier sent him a letter from M. Barthe, Minister of Worship, in which he declared the Bishop of Icosia to be incapacitated from exercising any ecclesiastical function in the Kingdom and to be no longer vicar general of Marseilles. Father Tempier consequently put it to his superior that he should stay on in Rome so as not to expose himself to expulsion from France by the police.”<\/p>\n
\nI won\u2019t pretend that I wasn\u2019t upset at the last point you make, more because it delays my return to my family than from sorrow that obstacles have been placed to the exercise of my ministry. If it didn\u2019t damage the principles of the Catholic faith or the Church\u2019s discipline. I would on the contrary be delighted by this turn of events, it is the nicest thing that could happen to me and it would get me the peace and quiet I have been longing for for so long, but infinitely more since I\u2019ve seen how impotent one is to accomplish good works even by self-sacrifice\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n
I have received the fullness of the priesthood, and this is for myself and for the whole Church the best witness possible that I have served it well; it only remains for me now to make use for my own personal sanctification of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that I have received so abundantly and from which I have not yet derived as much profit as I would like.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
It would have been a reasonable expectation on people\u2019s part to think that I am still young enough to be able to do something for them. As God disposes differently, and allows wicked men their way. I will turn it to my profit, at least this is my hope in reliance on his mercy; whether in France or in Rome, it will be open to me to choose a place of retirement.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Henri Tempier, 8 October 1833, EO VIII n 465<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yvon Beaudoin gives us the background to Eugene\u2019s letter: \u201cThe Founder had seen the Pope again on October 2, and was to leave Rome on the 11th. He received however the letter dated September 28 in which Father Tempier sent … Continue reading