Eugene de Mazenod as a young priest On December 21, Eugene was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of
Amiens near Paris. He refused to be ordained by the Archbishop of Paris or the acting bishop of Aix as they were loyal to the Napoleon and they didn’t have Pope’s approval. In order to get out of the situation it was decided that a bishop who was a friend of his family would ordain him.
In October 1812 Eugene returns to his hometown. First he goes to the home of Bishops of Aix to clarify his assignment. Aix at that time doesn’t have a bishop and is run by two priests who have been but in charge. At the conversation with them he presents his desire to commit himself to reaching out to the poor people of Aix and the Provence. Strangely he gets their permission and now is free to start following the desire that began in his heart on that Good Friday a few years ago.
Amiens near Paris. He refused to be ordained by the Archbishop of Paris or the acting bishop of Aix as they were loyal to the Napoleon and they didn’t have Pope’s approval. In order to get out of the situation it was decided that a bishop who was a friend of his family would ordain him.
In October 1812 Eugene returns to his hometown. First he goes to the home of Bishops of Aix to clarify his assignment. Aix at that time doesn’t have a bishop and is run by two priests who have been but in charge. At the conversation with them he presents his desire to commit himself to reaching out to the poor people of Aix and the Provence. Strangely he gets their permission and now is free to start following the desire that began in his heart on that Good Friday a few years ago.
The former House of Bishops of Aix. Here Eugene discussed his future assignment in the Diocese
To be free of any politics he decides to live at his mother’s house. It seems to be easier as his mother lives there now alone. Eugene begins his ministry. I would like to touch three aspects of this period from 1812 to 1815. It was the time of developing some idea that took Eugene where he didn’t expect to end up.
As a young priest Eugene returns to his mother's house. It will be his base for the ministry
The first ministry he put a lot of his heart into was “Youth Congregation.” The young priest had no doubts that laying solid foundations at outset of one’s life is most crucial. Personally I believe that he implemented his own experience from Venice where as a boy he met a good priest Father Bartolo Zinelli who gave Eugene such a solid formation. Remembering how much good happened to him because of that encounter with Fr Zinelli Fr Eugene most probably was planning to offer the youth of his own town a similar training in mature faith. The movement was started with a small number of 7 people but slowly was growing and attracting more teenagers and young adolescences. It was written that after 5 years the group had 300 active members. Something very specific to the group, apart from solid formation, was mixture of the poor and rich. The biggest problem was finding a locum for the community. They tried various private houses and convents but it created some tension. Eventually in 1815 Eugene purchased a falling apart chapel of the old Carmelite convent on Cours Mirabeau. It is located only a few steps up the street from his childhood home. The space that became permanent home to the Youth Congregation was to play a crucial role in another project that was rising on the horizon.
The former Carmelite Chapel purchased by Eugene to accommodate the growing "Youth Congregation"
The second ministry Eugene committed himself to, was visiting the Aix prison. It was another novelty at that time. The common approach was that the prisoners didn’t deserve the sacraments and that’s why they were not only locked up but also abandoned by their priests. Eugene strongly disagreed with that and reserved Sundays to minister to those behind the bars. Every Sunday when he was coming in Christ was being brought to those poor souls too.
Main entrance to Aix Jail
Aix Prison
The third ministry he threw himself into was serving the Austrian war prisoners. As they were considered enemies of France most of people simply avoided them. Eugene, however, saw in them his fellow Christians. And using his limited German he was giving them the Gospel of Jesus. It is from the Austrians he contracted typhus that nearly killed him. His condition was so bad that he was given the Last Rites was he was believed to be dying. During that time his young friends stormed heaven for their priest. Their prayers were heard and Eugene was slowly recovering. To help the recovery he was told to take it easy and was send to “The Enclosure” his mother’s country house at the outskirts of Aix to convalesce. There having time to pray and meditate the thought of forming a community of priest was taking shape in his mind.
The building where the Austrians were kept and where Eugene got sick have been demolished. The only reminder is the arch preserved in front of a modern building
The Enclosure, Eugene's family's country house. Here he was recovering from typhus and forming the idea of a community of priests.
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