Eugene’s formal education had been controlled by the events surrounding him. At the age of 6 he started his education at the Royal Bourbon College in Aix until the political events of the revolution interrupted this two years later in 1791. At the age of 9 he was already in exile and sent to the College of Nobles in Turin as a boarder until 1794. Revolutionary events forced the family to flee to Venice in May 1794 in his 12th year. Here he received home-schooling in the Zinelli household. 1798 marked the end of the 16 year-old‘s formal education. From now on, he would continue to be an avid reader and educate himself. The pattern set during his early adulthood would continue after the seminary with time set aside each day for reading and study.
After I have been busy all the morning in the laborious and often wearisome study of some diabolical subject, I take up my light reading for a moment’s relaxation. And lo and behold I find I have tumbled into an endless, moral-economic dissertation, dry, abstract, sovereignly boring.
Extracts from reading notes, 1802, EO XIV n.2
Pielorz gives us an indication of Eugene’s study through reading. “The time he had left, Eugene dedicated to reading and study. At Aix, he studied French, Italian and Latin literature and history as well. His notes show that he read the entire sixteen volumes of Cours de Littérature [Course in Literature] of Laharpe as well as the Génie du Christianisme [Genius of Christianity]. In this latter work which he finished reading in 1805, Eugene found fault with the weakness of the proofs offered to establish religion’s claim to truth while at the same time praising the author’s intentions in his attempt to present the Catholic faith in its most attractive light for the unbelievers.
Entertainment, business affairs, reading, these are the activities of citizen Eugene de Mazenod. Under this aspect there is a remarkable resemblance between the Count of Palermo and the resident of Saint-Laurent. Such, then, was the milieu in which Eugene developed; such were the activities in which he engaged during his young years from 17 to 23.” (Pielorz. The Spiritual Life p. 97.)
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” Sydney J. Harris
[ADDITIONAL NOTE: I put this in as a postscript in case anyone is interested in the fuller picture. It does give us an indication of the range of interests of Eugene. Pielorz writes: “Due to the confused state of Eugene’s notes, it is often difficult to tell what he actually studied in Palermo and what took up his time in Aix. We give below the list of authors as we find them in his notes and correspondence (1799-1805): Greek, Latin and Italian authors: Cicero, Plutarch (extracts from his moral works as translated by Amyot), Phedra (construction and literal translation of the Fables) Tacitus, Sallust, Saint Augustine (Confessions), Dante (Divine Comedy), Petrarch, Tasso (Jerusalem Liberated), Ariosto (Roland in his Madness), Guicciardini, Della Casa (Galateo) French authors: Racine (all the tragedies); Corneille (tragedies); Molière (comedies); Lafontaine (Fables); Bossuet, Fénélon, Massillon, Bourdaloue, Fleury, Montesquieu, Madame de Sévigné (Letters); Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Chateaubriand (Genius of Christianity), Laharpe, Rollin (Ancient History), Crevier (History of the Emperors); Velly (History of France); Daniel (History of France); Lechevalier (Voyages); Young (The Nights); and a number of less famous authors.”
Eugene was well educated, of that there is no question. And as I sit here an old wound tries to rear it’s now feeble head, one that I thought I had banished for ever. Lack of formal education and formation which serves only to measure what I did not have rather than to point at all that I have received. I gently push it back into it’s place which is not of prominence but also not completely hidden for it is a part of who I am. There it is, a choice to gaze into the mirror or to pull back the curtain and look through the window which serves to open me to the world and all that is. There is a significance in all of this but I would be hard pressed to formulate a lot of words around it. For now much better and easier to say that acceptance which was on my plate yesterday is once again on the menu. And even that itself is a gift.
So I focus on all that I have and all that is still waiting for me to pick up and take in. And I look at how Eugene himself demanded and fostered education of his Oblates, of his sons and daughters, as well as fostering formation of all of his flock (who tended to be quite poor and who had not been able to take advantage of the type of learning experienced by Eugene himself).
And I look at the gift of this sacred place right here that I can come to daily and learn. Here through his writings and the gift of Franks sharing, explaining and developing – it is like having my own personal tutors who help to open that windows so as to enjoy all that is available to me outside of myself. Eugene in sharing himself and his experiences invites me to look at my own experiences in such a way that the windows and the doors are wide open.
Yesterday a very special person shared some of his experiences in acceptance and new ways of looking at the richness of life and it served to only to highlight all that God has given to me. New ways to thank God and share my own experience of Him who is my Beloved. Sharing in the spirit of Eugene which he communicates to us in so many ways – what better formation could any of us ask. I have so much to be grateful for.