Ozanam Quotes

I have often thought, during these conferences, about the comment that Maurice Maignan, one of the first companions of Ozanam, made after a retreat: "One thought strikes me. All the means of sanctification which the preacher proposes and develops require a strong soul...I will not profit from exercises designed for strong souls. O my God, show me the exercises designed for feeble souls. Would the saints have forgotten or disdained them? Yet even if the saints did not think of these poor souls, who are nevertheless most numerous, You, Lord, my mercy, have not abandoned them. You Yourself, Good Master, have burdened Yourself with them. I know that better than anyone. I am one of those souls, and I bless You for having revealed to the weak and the little ones what You do not always accord to the valiant and the strong.

Hunger is just an illusion that cannot be shared with an enemy.

Medical historians have cited many observations which they regarded as indicating the ancient existence of syphilis; but most of these, on close scrutiny, turn out to be unconvincing […] Ozanam quotes two sonnets from a Florentine poet—one entitled ‘De Matrona,’ the other 'Ad Priapum'—which he accepts as definite proof that syphilis existed in 1480, when the poems were written. Careful translation of these sonnets, with particular scrutiny of the expressions in them which are diagnostically significant, leads to the conclusion that they are merely very nasty poems, with no precise reference to the disease.

Pope John Paul I spoke of the greatness of matrimony to a group of newlyweds. He told them the following story: Last century there was in France a great professor, Frederick Ozanam. He taught at the Sorbonne, and was so eloquent, so capable! His friend Lacordaire said: ‘He is so gifted, he is so good, he will become a priest; he will become a great bishop, this fellow!’ But no! He met a nice girl and they got married. Lacordaire was disappointed and said: ‘Poor Ozanam! He too has fallen into the trap!’ But two years later, Lacordaire came to Rome and was received by Pius IX. ‘Come, come, Father,’ the Pope said, ‘I have always heard that Jesus established seven sacraments. Now you come along and change everything. You tell me that He established six sacraments, and a trap! No, Father, marriage is not a trap – it is a great sacrament!’[425

I don’t want you to be sad, Temujin. Being able to give back the physical body that sheltered you during your life on earth so that it continues to serve the earth is a great privilege.