Mother Marie Eugenie: Three Years a Saint!

Three years ago today, Mother Marie Eugenie was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI. Who can forget that day?

We reprint below the reflections of Sr. Nuala Cotter, RA on the first anniversary of the canonization. What she wrote then rings just as true today.

St. Marie Eugenie, pray for us!

ONE YEAR AGO ALREADY!

June 3, 2007. We've talked about it a lot both before and after the fact. The sanctity of our dear mother and foundress, Marie Eugenie Milleret was recognized by the Pope, and on Trinity Sunday a new saint was given to the whole Church. What a wonderful, joyful moment as the Holy Spirit rained down on us all, in every way possible!

And now it's a year later. Time to begin to ask: "What's new?"

What's new in your life or mine because of Saint Marie Eugenie? How have you or I taken up her call to recognize the earth as a place of glory for God? What have you or I done about it in these 365 days since last we were together in Saint Peter's Square, whether literally or spiritually?

On this first anniversary, let's not point to projects outside ourselves -- important and as meaningful as they may be. Let's not say: "See, we've started a new (fill in the blank here)." Rather, let's look inside. Can you or I say: "Look, I've changed this or that in my life?" Or: "Thanks to the renewed hope her canonization gave me, I'm looking up these days rather than down." Or: "I found myself turning more to Scripture or to prayer or to others in new ways thanks to this experience."

Can we say anything like that at all? Most likely the change is not huge and perhaps it's not even constant, but still, if there's been some little change, some small softening in the very small sphere that is the human heart, how beautiful that is and how helpful it could be to all the big projects. Imagine if all of her friends could look up today and say: "Dear saint, dear mother, dear friend you've helped me to become a little bit more who I'm called to be in this year. Thanks, and please stick with me in the year to come." What a wonderful Assumption movement that would be! So, take the first step today: ask yourself: "What's new?"

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If you would like to share your answer to the question: "What's new?" write to [email protected]