Earlier, Eugene had announced his travel plans on completing his business with M. Favre in Chambery.
My plan is to return via Grenoble, and to arrive at Gap where I will see the Bishop and will visit afterwards our house of Laus.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 30 May 1826, EO VII n 246
I burn with desire to return into the bosom of the family; one day’s delay weighs on me to the extent that, may God pardon me, I contemplated about not going to Annecy; but I will surely not go up to the great Chartreuse, although this trip ought not to take more than a day. God grant I may find a carriage for tomorrow; I am undecided because they ask me 12 francs, while on Monday, I would get one for 4 francs. The spirit of poverty fights against all my other inclinations. How the journey is going to seem long to me, if I put it off until Monday!
Adieu, dear Father and tender friend, I embrace you and all our Fathers and all the family.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 10 June 1826, EO VII n 248
His plans were cut short as Yvon Beaudoin tells us in a footnote to this letter: “On his return from Chambéry, the Founder received a letter from Fr. Tempier which informed him of the illness of Fr. Suzanne, who was prey to violent fits of spitting blood. Fr. de Mazenod “struck with dark forebodings” renounced his intended journey to Annecy and returned immediately to Aix, without stopping at Gap or at Notre Dame du Laus. Cf.: REY, I, 394”
Thus ends the narrative of this important journey of Eugene to Rome.
“As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca
It might well have felt like ‘forever’ to Eugene on his travels, but in truth it was not quite eight months. Considering why Eugene left the ‘bosom’ of his family things moved very fast (due in no little part to Eugene petitioning the Pope to lessen the number who would review his Rule to three). I imagine that he would take quite awhile after his return to Marseilles to realise the extent of the gifts he received while away in Rome. I say that only because it is thus with me and the many experiences I have had. It just now occurred to me that as the time draws near to being able to make my commitment as an Oblate Associate of the OMI Lacombe Canada Province I would wish for the time to be shorter rather than longer. But even now as I look back on all that God has given to me, all that I have learned on my journey to this point I am amazed at the goodness of God. In spite of struggles, questions, doubts etc I have received much and God has blessed me extravagantly with the grace to forgive, accept and love – myself and others. Life has been like Eugene’s trips, so incredibly long in some ways but the actual trip of it has brought about so much wonder and love and joy and goodness (some of which lies hidden for awhile from us even in our searching and introspection). So I will try not to be in too much of a hurry, but there comes before my mind’s eye the image of a small girl clapping her hands with anticipated joy as she runs forward and around on the tips of her toes.