Saint Eugene de Mazenod, OMI
Saint Eugene was an impetuous Mediterranean, caught as a child in the
stormy upheavals of the French Revolution. He was born at
Aix-en-Provence on August 1st, 1782, the son of Marie-Rose Joannis and
Charles-Antoine De Mazenod. He inherited his father's native
intelligence, strength of character and integrity. From his mother, he
received insight and gentleness of heart.
Early Years
When he was only nine he was force to flee with his father from the fury
of the nobility bashers. Their lives were in constant turmoil. They
sought refuge successively in Nice, (an Italian territory at the time),
Turin, Venice, Naples, and finally, Palermo. In the midst of this
turmoil, young Eugene managed to learn Italian, an asset which would serve
him very handily in the years to come. At the end of all these
adjustments he had also become familiar with the German Language. In
whatever language he studied, this young man always rose to the top of
his class. He was not, however, beyond a deep personal religious and
moral crisis. When this troubled him in Venice, he sought out a saintly
priest, Don Bartolo Zinelli, who inspired in him early thoughts of the
priesthood.
His Vocation
At the age of 20 Eugene returned to France. The exile was over. It
didn't take him long to succumb once again to those same inane pleasures
of the aristocracy which had lead to his earlier crisis in Italy. But
God's Providence watched over this man who was destined to nurture a
violently troubled church. The shallowness of the high life wearied him
after a while, and two proddings by others towards a loveless marriage
didn't help. Attraction to prayer reappeared. On Good Friday, 1807, he
was touched by a special grace that drew him back to his previous
fervor. This time it was a radical conversion.
Once again thoughts of the priesthood began to materialize. Not even
his mother's fierce opposition could alter his decision. He was
ordained on December 21st, 1811, at the age of 29. From that time he
renounced the prestige and comforts that his mother could offer. Free
from wealth, he focused on ministry to the poor, beginning with youth,
prisoners, and refuges. This nobleman preached to the simple folks of
Aix in their own Provencal dialect.
A Few Dates
Father de Mazenod gathered a few priestly companions, and in 1816
founded the Society of the Missionaries of Provence. Their purpose was
to reintroduce the Gospel to the peasants. On February 17th, 1826, Pope
Leo XII approved their Constitution and Rules and gave them the title of
Oblates of Mary Immaculate. On October 14th, 1832, Eugene was ordained
bishop with the see of Icosia. ON December 24th, 1837, Pope Gregory XVI
appointed him Bishop of Marseille. In 1841 the new religious society
began to reach out beyond France. A first missionary was sent to
England. Soon after, six Oblates arrived in Montreal, on December 2nd,
1841. Bishop de Mazenod died in Marseille on May 21st, 1861, at the age
of 78.
On May 22nd, 1935, his writings, contained in 25 volumes, were formally
presented in Rome and approved. this was the first sign of hope for a
favorable outcome to a project that had been ongoing for many years. On
January 14th, 1936, Pope Pius XI signed the decree that introduced the
cause of Bishop de Mazenod in the Roman court. On December 12th, 1936,
75 years after his death, the body of Bishop de Mazenod was exhumed, and
found to be intact. In 1970, Pope Paul VI promulgated the decree of
heroic virtues. On October 19th, 1975, Blessed Eugene was beatified by
Pope Paul VI. On December 3rd, 1995, he was canonized by Pope John Paul
II, the first French bishop to be so recognized since 1588.
This short history has been extracted from a pamphlet by the
Eastern
and Northern US Provinces of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate
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