Jesuits -- Periodicals

Jesuits -- Periodicals

Monasticism and religious orders -- Periodicals

Gallen

City of Saint Louis (Mo.), http://www.geonames.org/4407084

http://cdm17321.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getthumbnail/collection/rfr/id/212

rks of education, schools, and care for the sick. In these avocati6ns religious may and must strive to’be as up-to- date as any of their contemporaries. That way, we may add, they will help to remove a pretext for depreciating religious life. The Pope himself formulates the guiding principle’ of this adap-tation: we must detect the spiritual resources, the secret desires, the true frame of mind of our contemporaries, and their good aspira-tions in order to encourage and develop them. What are these good aspirations? Th, ey are the three main characteristics of the modern ¯ mind: broadness of views, unity of organization, and promptness in execution. These qualities are good

they ought to be taken up and favored. They are, moreover, not only modern

they are as old as the gospel, dust read the New Testament: for broadness of view, (I Cor. 3:23)

for unity of organizat, ion, (I Cor., 15:28 and Mark, 12:28-34)

for promptness in execution, (Luke 9:62). And look at St. Paul: he is a modern man, as modern in spirit as any today. we religious follow these teachings of the gospel and the example of the Apostle, then we shall be adapted to our modern times. We ~hall feel that we are of our time and thus expel from our minds a secret pretext for not valuing as we should the better part for which we were chosen. We shall also answer, in deeds better than words, the modern grievance against the religious life. Conclusion In conclusion the Holy Father points out what ought to be the religious’s own contribution to the revaluation of the religious life. He tells them in substance: "Be what you are. Let your lives bear witness to the reality of the religious state." Then men, within and without the Church, will understand and esteem the state of perfec-tion. In the religious life both action and contemplation aim at Christian perfection and at the apostolate. For perfection, the most effective means will always be the three religious vows that aim at uprooting the threefold concupiscence

austerity of life will show that. For the apostolate, ever-active zeal, grounded in faith and charity, radiant in the union of charity among yourselves and with ¯ other laborers of the Lord’s vineyard, practically shown in ’justice and charity towards ’the poor, will preach to the world the right esteem for evangelical perfection. We should take to heart this warning of the Holy Father and strive as hard as we can that our lives may answer our name and that in re~ility and truth we may come up to what we profess. 41 ( ues ions and Answers ~l[--- Our constitutions state~ "Elections shall never take.place except in full council. Therefore, if one of the Councillors cannot be present, and the election cannot be postponed, the superior of the house shall take her place, or the council shall choose one of the Sisters in perpetual vows who has an active and a passive voice." No mention is made in the constitutions of supplying the absence of a councillor in meetings when there is no question of an election. In that event, must the substitute be chosen in the same way, or may the superior general appoint a Sister of her own choice to take the place of the absent councillor? " The general principle is that absentees are not to be supplied for meetings in which no elections are had, when the constitutions are silent about the point. Ali councillors are to be called: subsequently, in order that the council might act, the presence of only one councillor would suffice (except for the case of dismissal of a religious with per-petual vows in an exempt clerical institute according to canon 655, § 1, which requi~es the presence of at least four councillors). Whether justice would always be satisfied when on.ly one or two councillors are present in discussions of more important matters is a different question. Therefore, according to general principles the superior gen-eral is not to appoint another Sister to take the place of the absentee councillor nor is a substitute to be chosen by the council itself.’ However, since the particular constitutions mentioned in the ques-tion are following the precedent set by the Norrnae of 1901 for elec-tions, if those constitutions demand a full council for certain other matters, then it seems probable that absent councillors could be sup-plied in the following way. If one councillor is absent, call in the local superior as a substitute. If another councillor is absent, have the council choose some other Sister of the house who has perpetual vows. The superior gene~ral is not to make the choice. A religious of the community draws up the designs for a series of reli-gious greeting cards, while another religious composes the verses. The cards are printed by on outside press. To be perfectly frank, the main purpose of the project is profit for the community. Is this against canon 1427 The community owns and operates a small press. A lay brother does QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS the actual running of the press. Can ÷he community accept outside con-tracts in order to increase its profits? Again it must be admitted that profit is a major consideration. Canon 142 forbids clerics to engage in lucrative industrial or commercial trading, whether they do it personally or through others, whether for their own or someone else’s advantage. The following four elements must be present simultaneously before a given actiofi would fall under the classification of forbidden trading. (1) Some-thing must be bought, (2) for resale. (3) unchanged or changed by hired help, (4) at a profit. Now for the cases presented. "A religious or cleric is always al-lowed to print (or have printed) and sell at a profit whatever he has written himself" (REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS

, V [1946], 61). This applies also to designs and verses prepared for greeting cards. "If the religious run the press themselves and do all the work, they may print and sell not only books and writings of the members of their institute, but also books written by others who are not mem-bers. If the religious merely own and direct the press and the work " is done by hired help, they may print all works written "by members of their institute but nothing else unless they have a special indult from the Holy See

nor may they .engage in ordinary commercial printing" (Op. cir., p. 62). Hence, to answer the second question specifically, the community may accept outside contracts provided all the w6rk is done by m,embers of the community. If the work is done by hired help, permission must be obthined from the Holy See to ac-cept outside corltracts. 3 When the enactments of a general chapter fall to be promulgated within a reasonable period after the chapter, what obligation devolves upon the individual delegates in the matter of urging their promulcjatlon, and of mainta!n[ncj secrecy which shields such a failure? Enactments of a general chapter are to be promulgated according to the provisions of the constitutions of the particular institute (usually promulgated by the superior general). At times the consti-tutions require such enactments to be submitted to the Holy See (for pontifical institutes) or to the local Ordinary (for diocesan institutes) for confirmation prior to promulgation. This is always the case when there is question of any change in the constitutions themselves or in the interpretation of the constitutions. A general chapter has power as long as it remains in session

then 43 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Reuiew for Religious its power ceases. If the superior geneFal fails in his duty of promul-gating the enactments of the general chapter, the constitutions might possibly make some provision for such failure. If the constitutions say nothing, it seems that the matter should be taken up by the suc-ceeding general chapter, convened in ordinary or extraordinary ses-sion. Meantime if some point covered by an enactment became urgent, that matter could be referred for settlement or action to superiors, either internal or external, as the case would warrant, but without any reference being made to the chapter’s unpromulgated enactment. During the considerations that would follow, the negligence of the su’~erior general might become apparent

otherwise the succeeding general chapter could investigate the case and act. accordingly, in con-formity with the constitutions. In regard to secrecy, "the members of the chapter should remem- ¯ bet that they are bound by secrecy regarding the matters discussed in chapter until the promulgation of the results of the chapter are made by the superior general. Even after such promulgation they should observe secrecy as to details regarding names and matters discussed or voted upon in chapter:’ (REVIEW FOR RELIGIOUS, I [1942], 258). Delegates to a succeeding general chapter could be made familiar with the details of the case as far as necessary. That would seem to be the extent of the obligation devolving upon individual delegates of the preceding chapter. When a Sister, with permission, reads the Divine Office, or the Little Office, in private, may it be read in Encjlish, or must if always be read, as well as chanted, in Latin? Also, we are told that when sayincj the Office in private, we should not follow the rubrics. Does that include the lowering of the sleeves, as well as the prostrations, and the like? A distinction must be made between the Divine Office and the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. To take the latter first: unless the constitutions or custom require that the Little Office be recited in Latin when said privately,a Sister may recite it in the English. The Divine Office must always be said in Latin when it is of obligation. Should a religious who is not obliged to recite the Divine Office wish to do so out of devotion, it is obvious that this may be done in Eng- Following the rubrics, strictly speaking, refers to the directions originally given in red (rubrum) print in the liturgical books, such 44 danuaryo 1957. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS as the Missal and Breviary. Lowering of the sleeves, prostrations, and the like, rhay be called rubrics in a very wide sense. Hence if the rubrics, strictly so-called, are not to be followed in the private recita-tion of the Little Office, then a fortiori, such observances as lowering the sleeves and the like are to be omitted. Is ff permissible ÷o use a protective plastic cover over a cloth scapular (single or flve-fold) without losing the indulgences one gains from wearing it next to the skin? Also, is the cloth scapular preferred to the medal or are both given equal value in the eyes of the (~hurch? A protective plastic cover may be used over cloth scapulars with-out the wearer losing the indulgences. The scapular need not be worn next to the skin. (Decree of the Sacred Congregation for In-dulgences, March 12, 1855). In the decree of the Holy Office, December 16, 1910, allowing the use of the scapular medal, it is stated that the then reigning Holy Father, Plus X, while makin~ the conc~ssion, strongly desired the faithful to keep on using the type of scapular to which they were ac-customed, namely, the cloth scapular. However, it should be noted that one who does wear the medal instead of the cloth scapular could gain all the indulgences attached to the wearing of the scapular. A member of a Congregation of Religious Brothers wishes o enlist in the armed forces, and asks his major superior to obtain an indult of ex-claustration for him. May his major superior ask for such an indult? Canon 592 of the Code of Canon Law tells us that religious are bound by the obligations of clerics. And canon 141 states that clerics shall not voluntarily enter upon military service except it be for the purpose of being released from the obligation more quickly, and then only with the permission of his major superior. Hence in countries in which clerics and religious are exempt from military service, a re-ligious Brother would not be allowed to volunteer for military service, nor would an indult of exclaustration be given him for this purpose. OUR CONTRIBUTORS EDWARD J. CARNEY teaches.theology and is superior of the House of Studies of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Washington, D.C. JOSEPH F. GALLEN teaches Canon Law at Woodstock College, Woodstock, Maryland. P. DE LETTER is from St. Mary’s Theological College, Kurseong, India. FRANCIS N. KORTHand dEROME BREUNIG are on the faculty and EVERETT .J. MIBACH, a former mission-ary to China, is studying theology at St. Mary’s College, St. Marys, Kansas. 45 I a!:her Paul ot: Graymoor Jerome Breunig, S.J. 44~VfHY, you lazy monk: I wouldn’t give you a red cent." was Wthe answer an Anglican in Franciscan garb received when he asked a man to pay his subway fare. This "lazy monk," as an ’Anglican,. founded a threefold counterpart of the Franciscan order, instituted a Church Unity Octave, won acclaim as an outstanding preacher and journalist, and prayed and worked and co-operated with the striking graces he received to bring himself and his works into the fold of Peter. Ordained a Catholic priest, "the lazy monk" through crushing disappointment carried on his aposto-late with ever-growing success until his death in 1940. But, most of all, this monk left in his life about as literal a transcript of Christ’s Gospel as imperfect flesh-and-blood parchment could hold. His name in religion was Paul James Francis, S.A., and the story of’his seven-ty- eigbt, busy years is told by David Gannon, S.A., in a definitive biography entitled Father Paul of Gra~moor.1 In view of the coming octave, January 18-25, it might be well to review some highlights of Father Paul’s life as well as the history and salient features of the Chair of Unity Octave he founded. Atonement A single word sums up Father Paul’s life and work, At-One- Ment. This is the name he gave or rather was given for the.society he founded. In seeking a name he followed a practice be read about in an Anglican life of St. Francis of Assisi. After a prayer he opened the New Testament at random and read the text (King James ver-sion): "And not only so, we also joy in God, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Ro-mans 5:11). .In the word atonement he knew he bad the answer. Atonement, which the Catholic Encyclopedia notes as "almost the only theological term of English origin," well expressed the Society’s aim, "the At-One-Ment with God of all the redeemed through Unity. For the theological definition of the term atonement is ’the satisfaction of Christ, whereby God and the world are reconciled or made to be one’ " (p. 36). IThe book was published.by Macmillan in 1951 and sells for four dollars. It is recommended,for public and private reading, perhaps even re-reading. 46 PAUL OF GRAYMOOR Born in Eastern Maryland, 3anuary 16, 1863, the future Father Paul was christened Lewis Thomas Wattson. His father, the Rev. 3oseph Newton Wattson, who had been expelled f~om General Theological Seminary on the groundless suspicion of being "a 3esuit in disguise," led him to love all that was best in the High Church tradition. On one occasion the elder Wattson remarked with em-phasis, "What we need in the Episcopal Church is a preaching .order like the Paulists." The younger Wattson never forgot these words. Like his predecessor, 3obn Henry Newman, Lewis Wattson seemed a dedicated man from the start. After ordination as an Anglican presbyter he repeatedly turned aside the urging of his ves-trymen that he marry. He did not wish "’to degenerate" into a married priest and trundle a baby carriage." He was thirty years old before the never-dormant inspiration "to found an order" spurred him to seek actualization. .The answer seemed to be in Omaha where he was asked to be a superior for a group of unmarried clergymen. But it was not, as three years of "Mass, Matins, and Mush," and trying "to make monks out of mefi who did not want to be monks" proved. His three companions at this time later became Episcopal .bishops. A Franciscan Cast The answer came in a letter from Lurana Mary White, an Epis-copal Sister, who wished to be an Anglican Franciscan and had heard of the zealous presbyter’s desire to found an order. Father Paul found Sister Lurana’s devotedness to II Poverello contagious and a help to’crystallize the latent Franciscan’ cast of the Society of the Atonement. His exaggerated love of poverty is illustrated by his vownot to touch money

this explains why he asked a stranger to pay his subway fare. In actual poverty that at least rivals that of Clare and Francis of Assisi, Mother Lurana began the foundation of the Sisters of the Atonement in 1898 in a century-old farm cottage that had never seen a paint brush, and Father Paul, after a novitiate with the’ Order of the Holy Cross (Anglican), began a year later in an abandoned . paint shed which he weatherstripped with ra~s and old papers. A Third Order of the Atonement was also begun at this time. Their co-religionists welcomed the new Franciscan community in their midst at first and a number came to the "convent" and "mon’astery" that were being-built. Very few were hardy enough to remain. Besides, the talk about reunion with Rome began to dis- 47 ,JEROME BREUNIG Ret~iew [or Religious turb many. If others had any doubts about Father Paul’s mind in this matter, the doubts were explosively dispelled by his memorable .sermon at the opening of an Archdeaconry meeting. Beginning with the account from Acts of St. Peter"s cure of the lame man at the temple gate, Father Paul pointed out that the Anglican Church was the lame man and would only get b~ick on its feet with Peter’s help, that is, by corporate union with Rome. Open Pulpit Opens Eyes After this, though he was said to have had no equal as a preacher, he found pulpits closed to him. He took up the pen. "A born journalist,he knew the power of the printed word." "He lit The Lamp." The official High Church publication which dismissed the first issue as the effusion of an erratic priest soon found that "the sun never set on the readers," non-Catholic and Catholic, of The Lamp. The following magnificent words on Christian Unity appeared in the first edition of The Lamp, February, 1903: "Is then Christian Unity a visionary dream? Will the prayer of the Son of’God never be answered? Was He a lying Prophet when He foretold the time of its fulfilment, saying: ’Other Sheep I have which are not of this fold (the one Catholic and Apostolic Church), them also I must bring and there shall be. one fold and one Shep-herd.’ Let who will deride or shake their heads in doubt saying: ’Heresy and schism have gone too far

the seamless robe of Christ is, too much torn to tatters ever to be mended

the reunion of Christen-dom is utterly out of the question

Rome is too proud and un-bending

England is too self-satisfied

the East too orthodox

Prot-estantism too much enamoured of letting everybody do and think just as they please. They never can and they never will come to-gether. Christian Unity is hopeless!’ Our answer is, God’s Will is Omnipotent

the Fiat Of the Most High .must prevail

the prayer of Jesus Christ has got to be answered

the. Almighty Father would never refuse the dying request of His Only begotten Son

sooner or later every petiti6n of Christ will inevitably be granted. Were moun-tains of difficulty to be surmounted a thousand times higher and vaster than they are, God is able to cast them into the sea. Faith serenely rests her case with Him. "Yet even Faith must ’Tarry the Lord’s leisure’ for with God ’a thousand years are but as one day.’ Patience must be allowed plenty of time to do her work pdrfectly. She cannot and will not be bur- 48 PAUL OF: GRAYMOOR ried, the fabric is exceedingly delicate, the pattern most elaborate

the Robe of Unity she is weaving for the Son of God will be of match-less b+auty. And it is the work of many generations and Hope with smiling countenance kneels and prays, being quite happy and content to wait. And Love, standing between the two, looks over the shoulder of Patience and cheers her on, saying: ’Be of good courage, He, the desire of all nations, will come and will not tarry and b~hold His reward is with Him.’ " These words were written more than six years before his recep-tion into the Church. In the meantime he adopted in good faith an untenable position. He recognized ’the authority of the Pope but held out for a corporate reunion of the Anglicans with Rome, When the Episcopal Church in 1907 officially opened their pulpits to any ap-proved minister of another sect, his eyes were opened. He took steps to enter and to’transplant the threefold Society of the Atonement in the Catholic Church. The New York Times of November 14, 1909 told of the conversion of Graymoor under the headline: "The Con-vent That Changed its Faith." The sub-title read: "Convent of the Society of the Atonement, Formerly an Anglican Institution, Joins the Church of Rome~Why this Conversion is Unprecedented in Church Annals." The following year Father Paul received an un-questionable priesthood. Chair of Ur~itg Octave The conversion of Graymoor was slow in coming. It was the result of much atoning sacrifice and prayer. In particuIar, it seemed to be the "first fruits" of the Church Unity Octave which Father Paul inaugurated two years before his conversion. In his devotion to Peter and his own patron, Father Paul noted that an octave sepa-rated the feast of the Chair of Peter and that of the Conversion of St. Paul and he underlined this part of the sanctoral cycle for prayers for the intention nearest his heart, the reunion of Christendom. Anglican clergymen and Catholic priests and prelates welcomed the octave whose first observance was announced in The Lamp for 1908. The scope of the reunion was extended to include all man-kind as the intentions show~ They are: January 18--The return of the "other sheep" to the One Fold of Christ. January 19--The return of Oriental Separatists to Communion with the Apostolic See. January 20--The submission of Anglicans to the Authority of the 49 JEROME BREUNIG Re~ieto [or Religious Vicar of Christ. January 21---That the Lutherans and other Protestants of Conti-nental Europe may find their way back to Holy Church. January 22--That Christians in America may become One in Union with the Chair of St. Peter. January 23--Return to the Sacraments of lapsed Catholics. January 24--The Conversion of the Jews. January 25--The Missionary conquest of the World for Christ. After the conversion of the Society of the Atonement Arch-bishop Farley of New York and the Apostolic Delegate, Monsignor Falconio, approved the observance of the Octave under Catholic aus-pices. Pope Plus X gave it his blessing. In 1916, in the midst of World War I, Pope Benedict XV extended the devotion to the Uni-versal Church. The hierarchy of the United States in 1921 unani-mously approved a resolution that the Unity Octave be held in all dioceses throughout the country. To keep the purpose of the Octave from being confused with other ecumenical movements the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1927 gave it a sub-title--Chair of Unity Octave. "The octave is now known exclusively as The Chair of Uriity Octave. Pope Pius XII has confirmed and further enriched’the Oc-tave. The latest token of his approval was his designation of the Apostleship of Prayer intention for January, 1951, "that all be gathered into the true Church of Christ," making it coincide with the Octave intention. The observance of the Chair of Unity Octave continues to grow each year.[ Unitas.2 an international quarterly review promoting Church Unity, devoted twelve pages of its first 1951 issue to a description of the world-wide celebration of the Octa’~e last year. The most solemn celebration was in Rome where different Cardinals or eminent prelates presided on successive ’days of the Octave. The Vatican radio gave the daily announcement on all 26 different lan-guage broadcasts while L’Osseroatore Rornano gave a lengthy ac-count of each day’s intention and emphasized the Octave with an editorial. In the United States the outstanding celebrations took place at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. The Unitas article singled out special observances in Holland, France, Germany, as well ~Unitas is published in Rome by the Unitas Association. The English Language Edition, however, is published by the Graymoor Press, Peekskill, New York. Sub-scriptions are two dollars a year. 5O danuarg, 1957. PAUL OF GRAYMOOR as in Athens, Lebanon, Istanbul, Scandina~cia and .other cities and countries. It is safe to say that more things are wrought by the prayers of Chair of Unity Octave than this world dreams of. Some of the notable fruits are the following: the Society of the Atonement (1909)

the village of Jesu Raja, Tuticorin diocese, Indih

the An-glican Benedictines of Caldey (1912) : the Benedictine nuns of Mil-ford Haven (1913): and Archbishop Mar Ivanios and 80,000 Jacobites (1930-1943). When Father Paul wished to make the observance of the Octave obligatory, an English prelate who favored the Octave pointed out th-~t making it obligatory would be too much like depending on the calendar to promote its observance. Neither the calendar nor any obligation seem necessary to urge all men today to join Christ in His prayer that there may be one fold and one Shepherd, that all may be one. As a Father of the Atonement remarked, in substance, after ex-plaining to a large religious community the nature and purpose of the society Father Paul founded, "Our own inadequacy to fulfill our purpose, co-terminus with that of the Church, ’that all may be one," is apparent, but our confidence rests on the grace of God asked for by the united prayers of all, and especially by the prayers of priests and religious." A Dioine .Largesse Besides founding the Chair of Unity Octave and the Society of the Atonement, which after many lean years is now a growing Ben-jamin among the religious orders in the United States, Father Paul shared in more than one extensive apostolate. The~, too, are usually linked to the At-One-Ment cause. He was aco-founder of The Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and before he had men of his own to send to the missions, he sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to missionaries on every continent. He never touched money himself, but by ineans of The Lamp several million dollars passed through his hands. In the banner year of 1924,’$280,000 was given away. Beneficiaries of his charity, which reflected the divin~ largesse somewhat in the Mr..Blue manner included diocesan priests and mis-sionaries from countless religious institutes (p. 233). Closer home, on the Graymoor property, Father Paul gave homeless’ men whom he called Brothers Christopher, food and lodging. "He was an apostle of charity who could pierce through 51 JEROME BREUNIG dishonored humanity and see the human soul with the indelible charm of Divinity on it" (p. 5). He ~lso gave the initial permission and support, to the successful Aue Maria radio broadcast. He had just spoken on the program a few days before his death. Whenever he was told that he would have to submit his talk beforehand and then follow his text, he in-dignantly asked: "Who said so? Don’t the radio people know yet that God owns the air waves too?" Of these and many other achieve-ments and events of Father Paul’s life the author writes with a detail that is ample but never tedious.. Some retreat masters when speaking of our attitude towards the faults of others contrast the caricaturist and the artist. The former exaggerates the idiosyncrasies out of all prdportion. The artist takes in the whole man, ~nd the faults become merely the chiaroscuro shading that brings out the good features in the finished portr

Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus

none

Heartland Hub

English

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