Everything was not always rosy in community life. Father Honorat was the hard-working superior of the Calvaire community in Marseilles and seemed to be going through a rough patch – as a result of which his community suffered, and Eugene had to intervene.<\/p>\n
\nMy dear Father Honorat … once and for all I ask you in all seriousness to abate your rage every time someone does not go along with your way of thinking. Those gentlemen of ours who asked you yesterday on my behalf for the theology book that was needed for Father Telmon to prepare his class went away scandalized by your manner of refusal. You paid no regard to the fact that there was a novice amongst them. Today you went after Father Sicard because he asked you in my name for the items he needs. Do you really think that these Fathers are obliged to put up with your bad temper? I assure you that they were far from edified. Father Sicard told me that he was afraid you were going to strike him.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
I am appealing to you to exercise more control over yourself. These outbursts do more damage, and harm you more than you think.<\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Letter to Jean Baptiste Honorat, 1834, EO VIII n 499<\/em><\/p>\n
Father Honorat was a good and generous missionary and highly respected by Eugene, thus this reprimand needs to be seen in context, and as a reminder to all of us that we are not always aware of the consequences of some of our rash words, especially if we are tired and overworked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Everything was not always rosy in community life. Father Honorat was the hard-working superior of the Calvaire community in Marseilles and seemed to be going through a rough patch – as a result of which his community suffered, and Eugene … Continue reading