THOSE GOOD PRIESTS ARE FULFILLING THEIR MINISTRY WORTHILY AND ARE DOING A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD

Posted on March 23, 2022 by franksantucci

The Oblates had taken responsibility for the ministry of the Marian shrine of Notre Dame de Lumières (Our Lady of the Lights) in 1837. As a shrine it was a center of permanent mission from which the Oblates went to the surorunding villages to preach parish missions.

You know that I acquired the former property of the Carmelites at N.D. de Lumières in order to station at the shrine some devoted priests who work and serve in the Avignon diocese. Each day I was more pleased to have made this sacrifice since everyone assures me – and you have told me the same thing yourself – that those good priests are fulfilling their ministry worthily and are doing a great deal of good at Lumières where they live, and  in the parishes to which they are invited.

The Mayor of the town was an anti-Catholic Freemason and was determined to cause difficulties for the missionaries. Eugene thus wrote to an influential Catholic of the area to ask him to intervene.

But now the Mayor of Goult is troubling me regarding the possession of my property by bringing up claims contrary to what I believe to be my rights. Here I have consulted distinguished legal advisers who recognized my titles to be legitimate and are sure that, if the Mayor persists in his claims, he would lose his suit. However, I must admit, my dear Marquis, that whatever my convictions might be on this matter, I feel I am extremely reluctant to stake the extreme measure of pleading my cause against the very commune where is located the residence of these kind priests who are peaceful by character as well as by vocation. Thus I confidently approach you to use your good standing with the Prefect and have him dissuade this troublesome Mayor from forcing me to defend my rights before the courts; to avoid this trouble, I would be on my part willing to make some sacrifices.

Letter to the Marquis de Cambis, 4 December 1844, EO XIII n 103

The good ministry of the Oblate community continues to this day in the shrine and surroundings.

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1 Response to THOSE GOOD PRIESTS ARE FULFILLING THEIR MINISTRY WORTHILY AND ARE DOING A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:
    March 23, 2022 at 10:29

    “Each day I was more pleased to have made this sacrifice…” Eugene might have been accused of spreading his Oblates too thin – sending some to the Canada, others to England and now some to Notre Dame de Lumières to establish a permanent mission from which the priests would go out to give missions from there as well as to be there to minister to the pilgrims who came to the shrine. In a time of anti-church sentiments, it took astuteness and prudence on Eugene’s part to be able to open a permanent mission, and set it up in such a way as it still exists today. “I would be on my part willing to make some sacrifices.” Calling on his friendship with the Marquis de Cambis to speak with the mayor he would not need to go before the courts to prove his rights, thus avoiding embarrassing and making an even bigger enemy of the mayor.

    Eugene reminds us that it is not just what we do, but how we do it as he maintained an awareness of the dignity of those he sent his men to serve as the one who was opposing him.

    A hallmark of Eugene de Mazenod in how he treated all who he met, be they members of the government in any capacity or his own sons in his letters about some of their behaviours. I am reminded of Jesus on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

    There was an inherent trust within Eugene’s heart that the Spirit would provide all that was needed and show him ways to carry that out. A trait that Eugene shared and passed on to each of the Oblates through the years. We saw it yesterday in the message from Fr. Pavlo Vyshovskyi, OMI from Kiev, Ukraine speaking to us live from his church in the middle of a war zone. He spoke from a centre of strength, courage, peace and love, sharing how in the midst of oppression and war they still served the Church and most importantly the people they were sent to care for. There was within him a sense of being pleased (if I can put it that way) to make the sacrifices…

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