Beginning in 1812, I had introduced to this seminary… the zealous association which I had known in the seminary in Paris.
Diary of 20 August 1838, E.O. XIX
On December 7, 1810 Eugene was admitted to its ranks in Paris. It was at a time of turmoil in the seminary with the harassment of the Sulpician formators by the Napoleonic government, and their eventual expulsion. The role of the Association was more necessary than ever in order to maintain a spirit of piety and fervor in the seminary. At the meeting of 21 October 1811 this concern was expressed in the decision “that the members would redouble their zeal and fervor to such an extent that their example of regularity would be powerful enough to maintain the spirit of piety and the most exact fidelity in observance of the rules, standing proof against all the breaches in discipline, ill-will or lukewarmness might open up.”
At the same meeting Eugene was entrusted with the task of reading through all the minutes of the previous meetings of the Association so as to draw up a list of decisions that had been made. Once he had done this a supplement to the rule was drawn up. Eugene was then elected Permanent Secretary of the Association – a group that continued to play an important role in the seminary once the Sulpicians had been removed and during the year that he and other newly ordained priests were the directors of the seminary.
Pielorz writes: “Once the decision was taken to revive the original thrust of the association, Eugene drew up a supplement to the general Rule. This supplement was nothing other than a synthesizing all the decisions taken by the Association from the time of its foundation until 1811 and an adapting of them to the requirements of the new circumstances. Our attention was drawn to the exercise of the coulpe, taken from the Rules of Saint Philip Neri, the obligatory monthly retreat, special prayers for the departed associates and the annual renewal of the consecration to the Sacred Heart, because these practices show a close resemblance to the very ones Abbé de Mazenod would prescribe in the Constitutions and Rules of the Missionaries of Provence” (PIELORZ, The Spiritual Life, p. 307).
“If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior.” William Glasser
When I come here each morning and get to learn more about St. Eugene I sometimes ask myself how did he know to do this, sometimes I wonder why, how some of it resonates within me. How can this be I ask for our worlds were so very different. I recognize the wisdom in what Eugene did, both in the Sulpician seminary and with his own young congregation, but I am not always too sure as to why.
When I joined AA a lifetime ago (although at times it is as fresh as last week) I learned that I had to change my behavior in order to ‘get better’. I had to stop drinking alcohol and using drugs. I had to stop associating with my old friends and doing certain things. I had to somehow let go of my way of thinking and being. But it worked, and I started to see things differently, my attitudes were altered, heck it was like the old ones were put aside and new ones born to me. One flowed from the other – not a nice gentle flow but one that had many rapids and cutbacks, violent rather than placid, but new depths were being forged. That too was the way it was with my conversion experience, my ‘Good Friday’ experience, not violent but radical and totally life altering.
A few years ago I made a decision and a commitment to come here to this place at the very beginning of each day. I committed myself to do it for a year because I had the idea that this would be good for me. It was inspired I think. Starting my day with a short reflection was Spirit driven (for I am not sure I could have thought of it on my own) and it changed how I start out my day, who I am today and it became a part of me. That small act of behavior changed how I greet each day, how my heart opens and sees what is before me. I never know before hand how I will either react or respond, how my reflection will lead me into a new way of thinking and being, how my attitude will colour my own dawn, my own daybreak. And I have learned from this experience that if I take the time to pray and reflect at intervals during my day my attitudes and my ways of being will be incredibly different, more open and loving, more joy-filled even in the midst of sorrow and struggle. My priorities and ways of looking at things are altered, transformed.
I give thanks for the Spirit of God guides me, through others and through inspiration. It has worked thus far, I dare to say the Spirit lives within. Which came first? This morning I have been thinking of “Be in order to Do in order to Be…”
These stories seem singularly appropriate for lay people working to extend the charism into new parts of society.