The 14 year-old Léon-Jules Saboulin, member of Eugene’s Youth Congregation, had written to Eugene, in September 1815, from where he had been spending the long summer away from Aix. The extract of the letter is interesting because it shows the awareness given to him by the activities of the Youth Congregation. (Léon Saboulin became an Oblate in later life)
“Monsieur, I do not think I can better begin my letter than by giving praise to Him to whom all praise is due. I was thinking yesterday, as I gazed at the stars, the beauty and immensity of the heavens, what must be the power of their creator, for whom a single word sufficed to create them!…
I cannot help but feel sad when I think I am so far from a director and a congregation so beneficial to me. How long my exile is! I think, Monsieur, you can rightly call the congregation, where I have begun to taste true happiness, my native land not of the flesh but of the spirit!…”
Eugene’s reply shows the warmth of his relationship with the congregants, and his concern to form them through the advice he gives:
…Take advantage of the little time you have to spend in the countryside to recreate yourself and build up your body, so that it can give you good service in the works you will soon be undertaking with fresh energy. Do not study during the holidays except by way of recreation. There is a time for everything. Now you must slacken the bow so it will carry the farther when you need to use it. The advice I am giving is not difficult to follow, but even if you find it hard to follow, I think you should make the effort.
Goodbye, very dear friend, affectionate greetings to you and your brothers, for I really love you all.
Our congregants send their thanks for the remembrance; they send their greetings. Everything is going well as usual, thanks to God who protects us. Pray for us as we pray for you and come back soon safe and holy. You know that I am your best friend for life.
Letter to Léon-Jules de Saboulin, 9 September 1815, O.W. XV n. 133