4 February: Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus Grialou

February 4
BLESSED MARIE-EUGENE OF THE CHILD JESUS GRIALOU
Priest

Optional Memorial

Henri Grialou was born in Aubin, in Aveyron (France), on December 2, 1894. After his priestly ordination on February 4, 1922, he was captivated by the doctrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. John of the Cross and decided to join the Discalced Carmelites. After serving as superior in France, in 1937 he was elected to serve as a General Definitor of the Order in Rome. In 1948, he was appointed Apostolic Visitor of the Discalced Carmelite nuns in France and religious assistant to their federations. From 1955 he was able to devote himself full-time to the secular institute Notre Dame de Vie, which he started in 1932. He died in Venasque on March 27th, 1967, the feast day of the institute. He was beatified in 2016 by Pope Francis.

From the common of pastors or of holy men (religious)

Office of Readings

Second Reading
I Am A Daughter of the Church, Fides, Notre Dame Indiana 1955, 665-666

From the writings of Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, priest

The saint in the whole Christ

It is especially in their common work that the Holy Spirit glorifies the instruments He has chosen. The Holy Spirit makes Himself lowly with saints in order to glorify them. Inspirer of the work by His light, efficacious agent by His omnipotence, yet He hides Himself under the human traits of the apostle. Anyone wanting to analyze the character of the works could, in fact, find the raison d’être of each one of them in the personality of the saint. The manifold works and institutions in which the Spirit has put His leaven of immortality and in which the Church takes just pride, show forth admirably the gifts, the desires, the diverse genius of their founder. The Holy Spirit appears in this world under a thousand human faces that reflect the power and grace of His hidden presence. The Spirit never repeats Himself in the exterior forms He chooses. Is this not the reason why Saint John of the Cross asks us never to take a saint for our model? This would be to expose oneself to failure in suppleness, in fidelity to the movement of the Spirit, who manifests His power and perfection as Spirit in the variety of His works and the perfection of His incarnation in each one of His instruments.

The delicate charms of this loving collaboration of God and the soul, these playings of the love that unites them, in turn, brilliant and hidden, all these splendors of lowliness and of power are only beauties of here below, a reflection that reaches us from the beauty of the work the Holy Spirit is building. This work is the Spouse who comes up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved; this is the masterpiece of Divine Mercy, the whole Christ in whom God has brought together and orientated all things. For the beauty of the Church of God, Jesus gave His blood; and the Spirit continues to immolate His victims after filling them with the marvelous gifts of His grace. We are all dedicated to the consummation of this work. Our gaze must rest on it lovingly and there remain fixed.

The saint is such only because he has entered by transforming union in the whole Christ. Identified with Christ Jesus, he continues Christ’s priestly prayer for union. With the Spirit of Love, he groans within himself, “waiting for the adoption as sons”; and under Love’s captivation, works to consummate in unity all those whom God has “predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son.”

Responsory

R/. We have the first fruits of the Spirit; * as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
V/. For in this hope we were saved. * As we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. What you say of me does not come from yourselves; it is the Spirit of my Father speaking in you.

Prayer

God, rich in mercy,
you gave Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus
the grace and light to guide your people
along the paths of contemplative prayer
and missionary witness toward the fullness of Christ.
Grant us through his intercession
to grow in submission to the Holy Spirit
and to work, in faith, for the coming of your Kingdom.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Canticle of Mary

Ant. This is a faithful and wise steward: the Lord entrusted the care of his household to him, so that he might give them their portion of food at the proper season.

This is a provisional English translation of the proper office for the optional memorial of Blessed Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus Grialou, published by the Secular Institute Notre Dame de Vie pursuant to the Decree of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. N. 638/16) dated 14 January 2019, its effective date. This translation was submitted to the General Secretary for Information of the Discalced Carmelite Order.

#BlessedMarieEugeneOfTheChildJesus #HenriGrialou #Liturgy #NotreDameDeVie #optionalMemorial #priest

Blessed Marie-Eugene: Contemplation and Mission

Why are we in this world? The great reason is that God is love and that He has loved us. He created you out of love, He called you out of love, and this love remains alive. What He has loved, He still loves; what He has given, He will never take away. As St. Paul, who deeply understood God’s nature, reminds us: “The gifts of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29), and what He has begun, He will bring to completion!

God cannot let us go, He cannot abandon us, because He loves us. Our great hope is God; our great hope is eternity! He sees all things in truth and clarity, while we only see appearances. He sees us in our eternal reality. He longs to share His vision with us, to awaken our hope in this eternal reality.

Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus

Homily, 1 December 1963 (excerpt)

Blessed Marie Eugene of the Child Jesus dedicated his life to helping souls discover and respond to God’s love. Born Henri Grialou in 1894 in Le Gua, France, he discerned his call to Carmel while still a seminarian but was delayed by military service during World War I.

Ordained in 1922 for the Diocese of Rodez, he soon followed his call to the Discalced Carmelites, taking the name Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus. His life was marked by a deep trust in the Holy Spirit and an unwavering commitment to the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.

One of his greatest contributions was the foundation of the Secular Institute Notre Dame de Vie in 1932. He envisioned a path where secular laity and diocesan priests could integrate deep contemplative prayer with their daily lives in the world, living out Carmelite spirituality while remaining in their respective vocations.

As Vicar General of the Discalced Carmelites, he was also instrumental in restoring unity among the Discalced Carmelite nuns in France, fostering their collaboration and guiding them in implementing Pope Pius XII’s Sponsa Christi. His efforts laid the groundwork for the federations that continue to support Carmelite nuns today.

Discover more about Blessed Marie Eugene’s life and spiritual wisdom in our latest podcast episode, embedded below. Listen in as we reflect on his teachings and explore how his legacy continues to inspire us today.

https://youtu.be/pI4LVrSt5fM

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus is featured in this vault painting by Maltese artist Manuel Farrugia in the Church of St. Teresa, administered by the Discalced Carmelite friars in Cospicua, Malta. Image credit: Discalced Carmelites

#BlessedMarieEugeneOfTheChildJesus #DiscalcedCarmelites #eternity #founder #friar #God #hope #love #NotreDameDeVie #Podcast

4 February: Blessed Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus Grialou

February 4
BLESSED MARIE-EUGENE OF THE CHILD JESUS GRIALOU
Priest

Optional Memorial

Henri Grialou was born in Aubin, in Aveyron (France), on December 2, 1894. After his priestly ordination on February 4, 1922, he was captivated by the doctrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. John of the Cross and decided to join the Discalced Carmelites. After serving as superior in France, in 1937 he was elected to serve as a General Definitor of the Order in Rome. In 1948, he was appointed Apostolic Visitor of the Discalced Carmelite nuns in France and religious assistant to their federations. From 1955 he was able to devote himself full-time to the secular institute Notre Dame de Vie, which he started in 1932. He died in Venasque on March 27th, 1967, the feast day of the institute. He was beatified in 2016 by Pope Francis.

From the common of pastors or of holy men (religious)

Office of Readings

Second Reading
I Am A Daughter of the Church, Fides, Notre Dame Indiana 1955, 665-666

From the writings of Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, priest

The saint in the whole Christ

It is especially in their common work that the Holy Spirit glorifies the instruments He has chosen. The Holy Spirit makes Himself lowly with saints in order to glorify them. Inspirer of the work by His light, efficacious agent by His omnipotence, yet He hides Himself under the human traits of the apostle. Anyone wanting to analyze the character of the works could, in fact, find the raison d’être of each one of them in the personality of the saint. The manifold works and institutions in which the Spirit has put His leaven of immortality and in which the Church takes just pride, show forth admirably the gifts, the desires, the diverse genius of their founder. The Holy Spirit appears in this world under a thousand human faces that reflect the power and grace of His hidden presence. The Spirit never repeats Himself in the exterior forms He chooses. Is this not the reason why Saint John of the Cross asks us never to take a saint for our model? This would be to expose oneself to failure in suppleness, in fidelity to the movement of the Spirit, who manifests His power and perfection as Spirit in the variety of His works and the perfection of His incarnation in each one of His instruments.

The delicate charms of this loving collaboration of God and the soul, these playings of the love that unites them, in turn, brilliant and hidden, all these splendors of lowliness and of power are only beauties of here below, a reflection that reaches us from the beauty of the work the Holy Spirit is building. This work is the Spouse who comes up from the desert, flowing with delights, leaning upon her Beloved; this is the masterpiece of Divine Mercy, the whole Christ in whom God has brought together and orientated all things. For the beauty of the Church of God, Jesus gave His blood; and the Spirit continues to immolate His victims after filling them with the marvelous gifts of His grace. We are all dedicated to the consummation of this work. Our gaze must rest on it lovingly and there remain fixed.

The saint is such only because he has entered by transforming union in the whole Christ. Identified with Christ Jesus, he continues Christ’s priestly prayer for union. With the Spirit of Love, he groans within himself, “waiting for the adoption as sons”; and under Love’s captivation, works to consummate in unity all those whom God has “predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son.”

Responsory

R/. We have the first fruits of the Spirit; * as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
V/. For in this hope we were saved. * As we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Canticle of Zechariah

Ant. What you say of me does not come from yourselves; it is the Spirit of my Father speaking in you.

Prayer

God, rich in mercy,
you gave Blessed Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus
the grace and light to guide your people
along the paths of contemplative prayer
and missionary witness toward the fullness of Christ.
Grant us through his intercession
to grow in submission to the Holy Spirit
and to work, in faith, for the coming of your Kingdom.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Canticle of Mary

Ant. This is a faithful and wise steward: the Lord entrusted the care of his household to him, so that he might give them their portion of food at the proper season.

This is a provisional English translation of the proper office for the optional memorial of Blessed Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus Grialou, published by the Secular Institute Notre Dame de Vie pursuant to the Decree of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. N. 638/16) dated 14 January 2019, its effective date. This translation was submitted to the General Secretary for Information of the Discalced Carmelite Order.

#BlessedMarieEugeneOfTheChildJesus #HenriGrialou #Liturgy #NotreDameDeVie #optionalMemorial #priest

🙏🏾Pray with the Carmelites!
🙏🏾 Visit https://carmelitequotes.blog for the feastday prayers

#blessedmarieeugeneofthechildjesus #blessedmarieeugene #feastday #saintoftheday #catholic #carmelite #founder #notredamedevie