A Carmelite monk, who laid the cornerstone in the 1960s of what is known today as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Broadway, Quezon City, was beatified on November 19 in Avignon, France. Venerable Fr. Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus, OCD, a French national, visited the Philippines twice in his capacity as Vicar General of the Discalced Carmelites and even tried crossing the treacherous Lamon Bay in Infanta, Quezon, to visit the Carmelite mission on Polillo Island in Quezon.
For a time, the Prelature of Infanta was under the Carmelite bishops, notably Bishops Patrick Harmon Shanley, OCD, from February 17, 1953, until his resignation in June 23, 1961; Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, from July 26, 1966, until he retired on June 28, 2003; and the assumption of Bishop Rolando Octavus Joven Tria Tirona, OCD, from June 28, 2003, until his appointment as Archbishop of Caceres on September 8, 2013.
Beatification is a step toward canonization, permitting public veneration.
The boy who dreamt to be a priest
Fr. Marie-Eugene was born on December 2, 1894, in a mining town in southwestern France. Baptized Henri Grialou, he dreamed of becoming a priest even as a child.
The family had meager resources. His father Auguste Grialou died unexpectedly and his mother Marie Miral was left to take care of their five children.
The young Grialou, barely 11 years old, accepted a scholarship that brought him to a seminary run by a religious congregation in Italy. His separation from his mother was painful for both of them, and after a few years, Grialou returned to his family, now determined to work and save enough money to pursue his religious studies.
His mother took on odd jobs to support his studies in the seminary. As a seminarian, Grialou discovered the life of then-Sister Therese of the Child Jesus, who is now a saint.
World War I disrupted his studies at the seminary and by the end of the war, he held the rank of lieutenant and prospects of a brilliant military career beckoned to the young officer. He declined, went back to the seminary, and was ordained priest on February 4, 1922.
Despite his mother’s objections, Fr. Grialou entered the Carmelite novitiate. He then changed his name to Fr. Marie-Eugene of the Child Jesus upon donning the Carmelite habit.
Founder of Notre Dame de Vie
At the start of his ministry, Fr. Marie-Eugene began spreading the teachings of Carmelite saints and wrote books with special emphasis on the integration of prayer and action in daily life. He wrote the book titled Je Veux Voir Dieu, which is known in its two-volume English translation as I Want to See God and I am a Daughter of the Church. The French text has since been translated into six other languages.
Fr. Marie-Eugene was convinced that Carmelite spirituality can be lived by all Christians whatever their profession or status in life. So he founded the Notre Dame de Vie Secular Institute in 1932 together with Marie Pila.
Initially, it was a secular institute for women. Today it consists of laypersons, priests and married couples working in five continents. The priests are mostly diocesan while the laypersons work in various professions. Filipino members work in Bulacan, Zambales, Manila, Quezon, Laguna, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Davao. Some are also in Taiwan, Canada, Mexico and Benin.
At the time of his death in 1967, Fr. Marie-Eugene was the Provincial of the Carmelite monasteries of Avignon-Aquitaine in Southern France.
Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed him Venerable in 2011 and earlier this year, Pope Francis approved the inexplicable healing of a child attributed to his intercession.
PH delegation at beatification
The Philippines was represented during the beatification rites of Blessed Fr. Marie-Eugene at the Parc de Expositions in Avignon, France.
Infanta Bishop Bernardino Cortes led the delegation together with Daet Bishop Emeritus Benjamin Almoneda. Fr. Aldrin Lopez. The Ladies Branch superior Juliet Garan led the Notre Dame de Vie Institute congregation.
Representing Pope Francis, Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided over the beatification rites.
Infanta, Quezon, was one of the places Blessed Fr. Marie-Eugene visited in the Philippines. Established in 1950, the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Infanta was headed by three Carmelite bishops in succession. Cortes was once Auxiliary Bishop of Manila prior to his appointment as the first non-Carmelite Ordinary of Infanta.
Melo M. Acuña/CBCPNews
