MY DWELLING, AS WELL AS THE HEARTS OF ALL OUR PEOPLE, WILL BE THROWN OPEN TO YOU
The aftermath of the 1848 Revolution had dramatic consequences for Pope Pius IX who was threatened by violent upheavals. Eugene wrote to him:
If I could only ease for an instant the burden of the Church’s sorrows which press so heavily upon Your august head!
He then made a concrete proposal to the Pope:
I make bold to recall that France has often been an asylum for persecuted pontiffs. Even as captives, in recent times, when impiety ruled the country, they were hailed triumphantly with every step they took. Today, perhaps more than ever, especially at Marseilles, the people would lavish the most touching proofs of veneration and love upon the vicar of Christ; they will feel that, by setting foot upon their shore he will reinforce the ground that has been shaken by revolution; he would be like a symbol of salvation to them, like an angel of peace and hope. They would feel that the Lord has, so to speak, appeared in person to protect them and fortify them against the wicked. I need not tell you that my dwelling, as well as the hearts of all our people, will be thrown open to you.
Bishop de Mazenod’s letter to Pope Pius IX, 3 July 1848, quoted in Leflon III p. 250-251.
Pope Pius was not in a position to accept this invitation. At the same time, Bishop Eugene wrote a pastoral letter to his diocese asking his people to be united with the Pope and to pray fervently for him.
REFLECTION
“The Pope is the visible Head of the Church, and fully represents Jesus Christ, whose Vicar he is, while the others, equally appointed by God, have their share, albeit in a lesser degree, in this sublime representation of the Sovereign Shepherd of souls. The same principle that obliges Christians to love their Divine Saviour in his Church, obliges them to a supernatural attachment to the Supreme Pontiff and to the other bishops who, being in communion with him, are both his sons and his brothers in the apostolate.”
Bishop Eugene’s Pastoral Letter to the Diocese of Marseilles, 16 February 1860.
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This morning as St. Eugene speaks with us, I find myself struggling with his words only because of some of the words our current Pope has spoken… and yet even as I write this I recall how Eugene himself suffered deeply the silence of the Church, the Pope and I guess some of the hierarchy in Rome following Eugene being named as the Bishop of Icosia.
I am reminded of how we collectively (not to lessen what I am a part but only because I too am very human) allow shameful and sinful treatment of any who are different in our lives, allowing biases to creep into our beings, take root in our souls, and allow fear to control our hearts. Trying to feel better about ourselves we allow lenses of hate to cover the eyes of our hearts, and in denying the rights of dignity and personhood of others we also lose the sense of dignity and personhood within ourselves. There is no comfort in saying this as I picture and think of the vision before me – of our crucified Saviour on the cross.
This is one of the ways that Eugene is a model for me and the Oblates share his charism with me, and with all of us who are called to be a part of this Family.
God have mercy on us.
St Eugene intercede for us.
Mary, our Mother, intercede for us.