Pope John Paul II reflects on Saint
Eugene de Mazenod
Canonization
Celebration - December 3, 1995 - Rome, Italy
"We are living in the second Advent of the
world’s history. Eugene de Mazenod was a man of
Advent, a man of the Coming. He not only looked
forward to that Coming, he dedicated his whole
life to preparing for it, one of those apostles
who prepared the modern age, our age.
Eugene de Mazenod knew that Christ wanted to
unite the whole human race to himself. This is
why throughout his life he devoted particular
attention to the evangeli- ization of the poor,
wherever they were found.
By patiently working on himself, he learned to
discipline a difficult character and to govern
with enlightened wisdom and steadfast goodness..
His every action was inspired by a conviction he
expressed in these words: “To love Church is to
love Jesus Christ, and vice versa”. His
influence is not limited to the age in which he
lived. but continues its effect on our time.
His apostolate consisted in the transformation
of the world by the power of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. What Saint Eugene wanted to achieve was
that, in Christ, each individual could become a
fully complete person, an authentic Christian, a
credible saint.
The Church gives us this great Bishop and
Founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate as an
example of heroic faith, hope and charity."
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