Through his writings, we invite you to discover Frederic Ozanam, co-founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and one of the most beloved members of the Vincentian Family (and about whom, perhaps, we may still know very little).

Frederic wrote much in his 40 plus years of life. These texts — which come to us from the not too distant past — are a reflection of the family, social and ecclesial reality lived by their author and which, in many aspects, bears similarities with what is currently lived, especially as regards the inequality and injustice suffered by millions of impoverished men and women in our world.

Commentary:

A few days before the collapse of the monarchy in July^[1], an article was published in the newspaper, Le Correspondant, entitled, “The dangers of Rome and its hopes”^[2]. In that article Ozanam drew a parallel between the attitude of the Church in times of the Lower Roman Empire and the invasion of the barbarians, and the attitude of Pius IX in light of the situation of the society in which he participated … a time when empires collapsed under fledgling democracies^[3]. The article ended with the phrase, let us pass over to the barbarians and follow Pius IX  …words that created a storm of protest among many Catholics, Montalembert, being one of them^[4],

In was in this context that a few days after the February Revolution, Ozanam wrote to his brother, Abbé Alphonse and stated: if more Christians […] had taken care of the workers during the past ten years, we would have reason to feel more certain about the future^[5].

Frederick began by exhorting all French Catholics to engage in dialogue and cooperation. Previously, he had reminded them that in the eighth century, thousands of French people went out to evangelize the barbarians of the north, to give them not only faith, but laws, cities and schools. May the modern pontificate also guide French Catholics along the path is now opening before them. He was well aware of the fact that many of his co-religionists harbored feelings or repugnancy and resentment towards democracy and towards the common people. Some influential Catholics longed for times gone by when the Church exerted great influence over an avowedly Catholic government. Ozanam knew that a return to former days was impossible and therefore, he called people to faith to view the present era as an opportunity to share the faith with those people who do not know us. In order to do this, Frederic pointed out that words, our preaching, is not enough. Rather people will recognize us true believers if they see that we make the gospel effective with our actions … the same that Vincent said and during the seventeenth century ” is not enough; rather, the people will recognize us as true believers if they see that in the midst of the current situation we make the Gospel effective with our works … thus imitating Saint Vincent de Paul who did the same during the seventeenth century^[6].

In another text, Ozanam defended almsgiving: immediate help to assist the poor is necessary and essential. But Frederic wanted people (and wants us) to do more … he wants us to help persons move beyond their current situation of misery and to do so through our effort to establish institutions that free them and enable them to live better lives.

Once again, the idea of systemic change appears in Frederic’s thought: of course, we must assist people urgent need, but we must also engage in the struggle to bring about changes in systems so that there are no more people who are in need. One of the ways to do that is to become part of those institutions that have the capacity [1] to humanize social and political institutions; [2] to give a direction to those institutions so that they become dedicated to the welfare of those who are most in need of their services.

Let us pass over to the barbarians is an expression of Ozanam that is filled with meaning:

• it is an invitation to live among people, to be a part of them and to be concerned about them. It is an invitation to be a church that reach out to others, a church of open doors;
• it is a criticism of the enormous gap between the upper class and the working class in Paris^[7];
• finally, it is an invitation to build the kingdom of God, a place where the humble will occupy the first positions.

Suggestions for personal reflection and group discussion:

1. What aspects of systemic change are we promoting and developing in our works and service? What more could we do?
2. In our country, are there Catholics, in the social-political arena, who would defend Frederic’s point of view?

Footnotes:

^[1]   The collapse of the monarchy began in 1830 with the July Revolution or the Three Glorious Days  (July 27, 28, 29) which placed Louis Philippe d’Orleans on the throne. This was one of the liberal or bourgeois revolutionary calls that concluded with the revolution of February 1848 (a popular insurrection that began in Paris [February 23-25]). King Louis Philippe was forced to abdicate  and the Second French Republic was established.

^[2]   «The dangers of Rome and its hopes» was published on February 10, 1848 fue publicado el 10 de febrero de 1848 with some touches … M. Lenormant suggested some changes in wording which were made [letter to Theophile Foisset, February 22, 1848]. This was a concern that Frederic presented soon after his arrival from Italy: Soon after his return from Italy he made a speech at the Cercle Catholique, in which he described what he had witnessed in the Eternal City, the attitude of the Pope, the effect, so far, of his liberal policy on the Roman population, and the hopes and fears it embodied for Rome and for all the world. The speech, which was an enthusiastic eulogy of the pacific revolution which the Papal policy was effecting, ended with the words, “Passons aux Barbares! Suivons Pie IX!”  The press caught up the expression with a hue and cry against Ozanam, and a hot controversy ensued between his party and the newspapers. He took no part in it, but contented himself with explaining privately to a few friends the real meaning of the contested sentence, which was, that he considered Pius IX was now accomplishing what the liberal party all over the world had been working and waiting for nearly a quarter of a century, and that it behooved Catholics to join in the movement, and follow the Pope, passing over with him to the barbarians (cf. O’Meara, chapter XXI)

^[3]   For more detailed information see A Church that is Poor and for the Poor.

^[4]   Charles Forbes René de Montalembert (1810–1870), was a French politician, journalist, historian and publicist, a prominent exponent of liberal Catholicism and defender of freedom of education. .

^[5]   Cf. Letter to  Alphonse Ozanam, March 15, 1848.

^[6] We can say that coming to evangelize the poor does not simply mean to teach them the mysteries necessary for their salvation, but also to do what was foretold and prefigured by the prophets to make the Gospel effective (CCD:XII:75).

^[7]   Marc Girardin (1801–1873), politician and man of letters; he wrote with contempt in the Journal des Débats of 1831 and stated: The barbarians who threaten society are not in the Caucasus, nor in the Tatar steppes. They are on the outskirts of our manufacturing cities.

Javier F. Chento
@javierchento
JavierChento