Eugene de Mazenod

The major work of Eugène de Mazenod is the foundation, on January 25, 1816, in Aix-en-Provence, of a society of missionary priests initially called the Missionaries of Provence. Their goal was to re-evangelize the countryside and the working-class environments neglected after the Revolution, always prioritizing the most abandoned. The congregation received pontifical approval on February 17, 1826, from Pope Leo XII and took the name Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. From 1841, during the founder's lifetime, the Oblates spread outside of France and became a great missionary congregation, notably reaching Canada—where they contributed to the establishment of the Church in the Far North—the United States, Ceylon, Southern Africa, Ireland, and England. Having become Bishop of Marseille in 1837, Mazenod reorganized his diocese, multiplied parishes and works, oversaw the construction of the Major Cathedral and the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de la Garde, all while continuing to govern his congregation. His episcopal and missionary motto, taken from the Gospel, remains: 'to evangelize the poor'.

The holiness of Eugène de Mazenod is rooted in an interior experience of received mercy: the contemplation of the crucified Christ, who saved him, becomes the driving force of his entire apostolate. From this proceeds the principle he transmits to his Oblates: to love those whom Christ loved first, that is to say, the poor and sinners. His devotion to the Virgin Mary, whom he chose as the patroness of his congregation under the title of the Immaculate, structured his spiritual life long before the definition of the dogma of 1854. An indefatigable pastor, he was distinguished by his sense of the Church, his obedience to the Apostolic See, and a missionary zeal that drove him to send his sons to 'the most difficult missions.' Recognized during his lifetime for his charity toward the people of Marseille—he personally visited working-class neighborhoods, notably during cholera epidemics—he bequeathed to his disciples the exhortation to practice 'charity among yourselves, charity, charity, and outside, zeal for the salvation of souls.' The reputation for holiness that surrounded him after his death would support the opening of his cause.

The cause for the beatification of Eugène de Mazenod first led to the recognition of his heroic virtues by a decree of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on May 26, 1970, which conferred upon him the title of venerable. After the approval of the required miracles on December 4, 1974, Pope Paul VI beatified him in Rome on October 19, 1975. A new miracle attributed to his intercession was recognized by the Congregation on December 15, 1994, opening the way to canonization. Pope John Paul II proclaimed him a saint on December 3, 1995, the first Sunday of Advent, at Saint Peter's in Rome; in his homily and during the meeting with pilgrims the following day, he invited the Oblates to remain faithful to their motto, "evangelize the poor," and highlighted "an immense love for the poor" as the central trait of the founder's life. The liturgical feast of Saint Eugène de Mazenod is set for May 21, the anniversary of his death.

The most visible legacy of Eugène de Mazenod is the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, present today on every continent and counting among the principal missionary institutes of the Catholic Church. Many of his sons spread missionary work in the Canadian Far North, in Southern Africa, in Asia, and in Oceania, and his charism of evangelizing the poorest continues to inspire the Mazenodian family, which also includes women's congregations and associated laity. In Marseille, his episcopate remains linked to the construction of the Major Cathedral and the sanctuary of Notre-Dame de la Garde, which has become an emblem of the city. His remains are venerated in the Marseille Cathedral. Honored as the patron of the Archdiocese of Marseille and the tutelary figure of the Oblates, he is regularly presented as a model of apostolic zeal and preferential love for the poor. His memory is celebrated each May 21 in the Church and particularly within the Oblate family.