WHAT A SIGHT MY DESK IS!

An insight into the daily life of Bishop de Mazenod, Bishop of the second-largest diocese in France, Superior General of a missionary Congregation in four continents. He writes to Fr Casimir Aubert, who had been his secretary for Oblate affairs but who had had to be sent to England to bring some order to the nascent Oblate province.

What a sight my desk is! At this moment, there are at least 150 letters, amongst which a great number are waiting for a reply… Has a Superior General ever been left alone who must correspond with the four quarters of the world and who for the ledger, monstrous as it is, is obliged to copy those of his letters of which he must keep a record. It is thus that I have compiled, since my return, twelve enormous pages of this immense register, the great in-folio that you know about, entirely written by my hand in small characters.

I want you to know, before stones are thrown at me, that last Friday I sat down at my desk at seven o’clock after coming down from the chapel and that I did not stir from it until six o’clock in the evening when they came to fetch me for dinner. I had not even left the place to take the cup of chocolate that they bring me at midday for my collation and it is a bishop who is almost a septuagenarian that is made to do this grind!

Letter to Fr. Casimir Aubert, Visitator in England, 24 November 1849, EO III n 33

REFLECTION

I am always amazed by the energy and amount of work that Eugene was able to do. The key to his ability is found in the focus given to him each day in his time of morning prayer of the breviary, meditation and Scripture reflection and his evening oraison (sometimes late at night). These he never missed.

“If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do.” (Lucille Ball)