Bishop Fortuné 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: “Fourth 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.” (Footnote to EO VI n 181)
Dear 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.
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.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 4 June 1825, EO VI n 181
A week later, he wrote to Tempier from Paris:
Here 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.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 13 June 1825, EO VI n 182
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.
Leflon concludes the narrative of the sojourn in Paris: “The 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, Fortuné set out with his nephew on their return journey to Marseilles, leaving Paris on July 22 and arriving in Marseilles on July 31.”
“It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.” Thomas Hobbes
I have struggled greatly with this writing today, there are many words that I am trying to understand and I seem be seeing a degree of scheming and some manipulation. I readily admit that I do not always understand, nor am I very good when it comes to power plays, politics or being political. I find myself getting caught up in things like who started the rumors that were circulating and how would this all be disastrous for the church?
It was only in reading Leflon’s paragraph that I have been able to reflect at all. I found a remarkable similarity to our church today as well as to some of our communities. I find in it some of what has happened or is happening with some of the Associates. As I write this I find myself returning to Eugene’s words “coupled with the prospect of having for a long time a title without a function”. Words alone are not enough – they must have substance, depth – they must be lived out.
I can remember years ago when I was still working that there were injustices happening with some of the people at work. I raised the topic several times during meetings and was finally told to let it go, to drop it because it would all get better eventually when the time was right, that it would work itself out. Indeed once management got all of it’s act together then there would be time to look at what was happening with many of the employees. Management would tell us how to do our jobs. Sadly we all knew how to do our jobs but it was not seen that way.
In this I see the truth in the statement “It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law.” Once authority has made the law then how can you fight it, speak out against it? The voice of wisdom does not always speak loudly and can often be ignored or even silenced. From whence comes its authority? There are no easy answers this morning, no certitudes. Simply a sense of trudging on. I find myself placing my hope only in God and searching for ways to consolidate the good in the foundations already begun.