The Pope and the authorities at the Vatican were steering a delicate political situation with the French government because they saw the larger picture of maintaining relations between Church and state. In the process they \u201csacrificed\u201d Eugene, who wrote to the Vatican:<\/p>\n
\n[…] So as not to cause the least distress to the Holy Father, I have instructed my advocate to abandon my action and withdraw my appeal\u2026<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Eugene feels misunderstood and abandoned by those in the Church whom he had served so faithfully:<\/p>\n
\nBishop Capaccini is happily undisturbed in the Quirinal, he pays no heed to the quality and immensity of the sacrifice made by a Bishop who abandons his rights and disarms in the face of an astute and powerful enemy, quite ready to abuse his victory and walk all over me as he likes.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Eugene had always been loyal to the Pope, in the face of fierce opposition as being \u201cultramontane.\u201d The extent of his sense of abandonment by the Vicar of Christ, leads him to write these bitter words:<\/p>\n
\nEnclosed is a copy of my letter to the Ministry of Worship. In it you will see I leave everything and abandon myself to Divine Providence. I wish I could add \u201cand to the benevolence of the Holy Father\u201d, but I hope for little from that quarter. The Holy Father, if I understand him correctly, has placed no value on either my character or my services, which gave me a right to his protection, nor on the affection accorded me by Leo XII and Pius VIII. If persecution drives me into exile from my country and to withdraw to Rome, I know I may not count on either grace or favour; my reward must come from God.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
We touch the fullness of his pain in this letter.<\/p>\n
\nI wish I had a less sensitive heart, I would love less, be less tied up in a host of things which affect me very deeply within and I would be happy.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Bishop Frezza, Secretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Affairs at the\u00a0 Vatican, 28 November 1834, EO XV n 175<\/em><\/p>\n
Beaudoin concludes the narrative:<\/p>\n
\u201cHe passes the winter of 1834-1835 at Marseilles, but in the spring he sees that his position is untenable\u2026 and leaves for L\u2019Osier and N.-D. du Laus. There he will stay until the end of October.\u201d\u00a0(EO 8 pages XXV-XXVI)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Pope and the authorities at the Vatican were steering a delicate political situation with the French government because they saw the larger picture of maintaining relations between Church and state. In the process they \u201csacrificed\u201d Eugene, who wrote to … Continue reading