Because, like it or not, it is true that clothes do not make the monk,
uniform, He always does the general. Confucius
I have not seen a man who loved virtue
much we like a nice appearance
Beginning in January 1962. I knocked timidly at the door of Brother Charles-Emile SC
His room-office, next to the apartments reserved for the Brother Provincial, overlooking the western corridor of the second floor leading to the chapel. Large windows lit the corridor from which access was gained to a large gallery overlooking the "Buissonnets" between the Chapel and Novitiate. It had snowed a lot yesterday and this morning, after breakfast, some young brothers had fun jump from the gallery in the snowbank accumulated by the wind between the two wings of Mount Sacred Heart.
few days ago, I had given him a text that I'd just lay in the excitement of experiencing a sudden uncontrollable need to say what he has on the heart. I wanted to publish it in The Voice , but not before he knew the opinion of Brother Charles-Émile on the subject.
He opened the door. He was holding the text that I had given him the day before. He had annotated in some places. Above all, he urged me to return it promptly to the brother Didier editor Voice , so it appears in the January issue. "If you scream, it will be screaming pathological" he prophesied in his hoarse voice, a wide smile and deep viola da gamba (2) hanging from his lips.
I had never written to be published. And the subject of my article might, I thought, to upset some of my brothers and raise a lot of comments.
The mandate of Cardinal
On June 27, 1961, Cardinal Leger, Archbishop of Montreal, had issued a warrant to for members of the clergy and religious non-priests in his archdiocese. He banned religious and priests to wear religious dress when they're out in public. The priests had to wear the black suit and Roman collar. With the habit black, "the lay religious (brothers), specified the command will have to wear the white shirt and black tie, not the Roman collar. " See Circular No. 323 p. 320 # 6. The cassock mythical
Within our community, this mandate had exploded like a bomb. We were surprised, disappointed, and we were wondering about the reasons that prompted the Cardinal to issue such a regulation. Since the novitiate we extolled the virtues of religious garb that made across the visible Church and the Good News of salvation close to all. Our dear cassock with his shoulder flying in the wind and his dummy cap that intrigued the children, she would become a scandal? Yet the brothers had all good news and " The Insolences brother Doe" had intensified the wave of sympathy that are fed to us. Why do we hide under the cowl of everyone? No one dared talk about it, we do not understand. We submit it was a mandate from the supreme authority whose reasons were hidden in the "inscrutable designs" of God himself.
The low chatter
interpretations of the intentions of the cardinal but circulated in secret, so we were sure. The most audacious even lent to the eminent prelate of petty motives. Rivalry in "ecclesiastical" with religious communities who enjoyed great prestige and a certain independence in Quebec (given their allegiance directly linking Rome), he wanted to make note of authority to submit and lower the chatter of brothers everywhere, especially in his archdiocese.
If this were the case it was successful. The brothers had a peg lower. Be considered "secular" being dressed in "secular" in a public place was like going to Mass on Sunday with work clothes, being forced to wear rags or sweater striped prisoners. Equivalent to lay bare in front of everyone. The mere idea skinned ego, made uncomfortable and ashamed.
Modernity, a new world to evangelize
Imbued theories and legal distinctions concerning the quality and functions of different cells of the Church, I thought otherwise. For several years now, with the Catholic Action mainly, it was promoting the laity in the Church. Moreover, the Christian life consisted of many more dimensions than the sacramental practice which seemed more than a century the only Reference to any Christian believer. The modern opened to the Lord's vineyard large fallow fields that the leaven of the Gospel could fertilize as much as he had turned the barbarians of the fifth century in living cells of the Kingdom of God. It lacked only the purveyors of this grain of mustard seed which the Gospel speaks. This new job was in the line of a marine expertise we have long in the education sector. Seized with fear, and above all, trapped in our habits sanctified, we dared wear the livery of the new country, learning their language, respect customs and traditions.
The clothes do not make the monk, but he often directs and portrays his identity. I had even come to believe that he was pleased that a new suit makes clear our "specialty " in the Church. The costume police officer may not sound like nothing so much as that of a magistrate. Our identity as religious-secular was distorted by the cassock that we fell into the category of church people in authority over the people of God. We ogled presqu'inconsciemment but visible to the pre priesthood. That put us in the door at odds both vis-à-vis the clergy and vis-à-vis this new generation of God's people. Instead of following the current revival that heralded the spring all around us, we fell back on our winter supplies.
Many of our commitments seemed as futile and even ridiculous, that the procession to St. Victor , we made around the Canada Cement in 1948 to occasion of Ember spring, so that seed (spread on the cement) produce fruit juicy and flavorful. We did not see him. We repeat our preferred habits, indulging on the podium of accomplishment. They were deaf to the wind that carried our cassocks. Rather than to listen to his guests, we sulked in protecting our values and museum mythicize times and customs that our gilded past.
Also in the works of humanization, which took a share of more and more important in our mission, we cataloged the costume. Doing Research in Science or try to find a solution to a problem Social-psychological-pedagogical with the flag of the Church authority hung in the back, there is something cool much ardor, to halt what the complex workings of a genuine collaboration. One can not both be the leaven in the dough and soar above the fray trailing banners of authority.
The text came out with a shot of my typewriter, like a banner that we held.
In this article, I was malaise that hung the word secular in our state religious (religious-secular) created in our collective ego. I said among other things:
" ... I saw many faces grimacing under the unpleasant impression that they believe a byproduct. The word "secular" hung like that "religious" seems to more than one, we have a wart legal in the face. Also, what efforts and aspirations to eradicate it. "op. cit., p. 185
And I did report the opinions of the most repeated concerning the consciousness of oneself as religious-secular.
Some spoke of a temporary state, it will soon accede to the priesthood. Others thought that we currently live in the catacombs and we would soon be the Light of the world. Further, to boost morale, collecting praise of the most eminent prelates voted against the brothers in a speech to the menu always community feasts. Some cleaning the term secular in legalese of Canon Law and suggested that we forget as much as possible, etc.. And I continued by stressing that This attitude of "minus habens" was quite widespread and was aided by a costume that we approached the clergy.
"And who among us can boast of never having lounging in a meadow priestly made available through an identical suit " op. cit., p. 186
After explaining the basics of semantics that I knew about the related terms (secular cleric, religious, secular, secular, etc.). I raised full sail the benefits that the word secular brought to our state life, especially by highlighting the features that valued our apostolic mission.
Lay connotes no idea who oppose secular to religious or sacred. Originally, the word "laos" (people) referred to the Hebrews, the people of God in opposition to the Gentiles considered profane.
"Lay not opposed to more religious as suggested by the Cambridge and current employment as abusive. The term "religious-secular" no paradox. Be and appear more secular does not mean being less religious. It is not by dint of not being secular you become more religious. "Op. cit., p. 182
I tried to show how, in everyday life, our vocation we was at the heart of the people (laos) on a line with all secular and religious educators. Our action does not involve the supernatural, but fundamentally human. Then, with the assurance of Nostradamus, I predict what would become current in less than ten years :
"Since several years, secular educators teach in our schools. It would not be so contrary to our character as religious as we taught in their own or simply that, under the pressure of historical conditions, this demarcation between "our schools" and "schools" come to disappear. " op. cit., p. 200
And I went further in my predictions:
"It's the same sense of God's people that drove our Founders to assist poor. ... We ask there tomorrow to sacrifice cherished institutions in favor of a more discreet influence but more efficient in all areas of Christian education? " op. cit., p. 201
And I concluded:
"This sense of God's people that we absolutely can not be detached from our vocation as religious because being religious-secular is a whole , is primarily an interior design absolutely possible with or without a tie. But it is not a bad sign outside reminds people, if traditional inclined to consider us half-cures, we are of them and not put us constantly of God's people. " op. cit., p. 201
I never received any oral comments nor any congratulations for this article. Neither of the parties to give, nor from any of my superiors. It seemed that my presence, we tried to avoid the subject.
Replicas
"If we are to believe the echoes come from everywhere, it seems that the article published in" The Voice "last January, entitled" IN THE BROTHERS TIE " was in many places a "sign of contradiction". Some, fearful and even a little panicked at the thought having more than "exploit their position of the laity in the Church " vehemently protested and refused to eat, what they called "a snake". Others, cons, have found this material to be jubilant and cause to defend. "Brother Albini, secular function ... Voice, April 1962, p. 388
Albini's brother marched to the defense of all those who felt, for my article, stripped of their religious life they had in high esteem. After giving us a well-structured courses on the Church, it stood a table comparing the secular state to the religious state. On his picture, God's people had more or less the appearance of a melee informed and ignorant of the things of God, a group of wanderers who walked very slowly on the path of salvation. Members of this group were convicted or resigned as to follow the path of least religious precepts while flying above the fray in the way of advice. (4)
" While the secular itself and even the priest (to a point), are free to choose how they want to live a life that is above the minimum level of compliance with the precepts of the religion, he, guided by the spirit of love Consulting falls within minimum and always chose the best ways: its three religious vows. " op. cit., April 1962, p. 390
hello The two-tier
For Albini's brother, the superiority of religious communities, a kind of nobility in the hierarchy Church, has the mandate received by the Church during the approval of the constitutions that specify the scope of the apostolate of the congregation .
" Yet, religion is the only one on earth to have undertaken to exercise it (secular function) maximum by selecting the best means " . op.cit. p. 392
He does not feel a great reverence for the tie or lay it to function ad. It proposes to accept it as a last resort because " the Cardinal Archbishop of Montreal, which certainly did not act lightly, we recommend to wear it in different circumstances. " op. cit., p. 392
Should the pin wonders he? You can guess his answer:
".. we do not overly enthusiastic for it and most importantly, we do not give it the powers and merits it may have. Claim, for example, as did the author, that is for us (religious-secular) insert in the people of God as his Eminence recommends wearing us, is, in my opinion, overstep the thought of the Cardinal. " op. cit., p. 392
came also as a result, three other articles on the same subject.
Brother Conrad SC (Philippines), in "THE BROTHERS, AND LAY THE TIE" published the same year The Voice in (May 1962), takes the same fight for traditional religious life as the brother Albini. It will provide important details from the Canon Law on the status of secular and religious in the Church.
With Gutierez, he likes to say " whatever duties that exist for the laity, they assume a life in the world which is the negation or absence of character Religious . " op. cit., p. 386
falls back on an old conception of religious life that makes a religious "segregatus, a aside, on the mountain to illustrate the Kingdom of God accomplished, then that at least since the founding of the Jesuits and more explicitly with the foundation of numerous religious congregations, the religion was a "mandatus" an envoy tasked with performing a specific mission in the world .
The attraction of the religious model was so strong that we had come to completely forget its core mission of "messenger", in both concepts in everyday reality. Must that given the urgency of the task and under the pressure of expectations, it was cut shorter and faster. There was carbon copied the tags from the formation of religion as "segregatus" and had been seen in practice that the engagement component (apostolic mission) was obvious.
When, at the age of seventeen-year-old, I found myself in front of a class with a maturity unsteady and a spirituality that does not fit at all with my daily commitment, I could say that it was the congregation's mission and that was it enough that I am obedient and available inside the monastery for the mission was accomplished. The "grace of state" and the strong guidance of the community have saved many furniture.
One can only rejoice at the results obtained with means so precarious. With the lay apostolate of the Brothers, a large proportion of the population of Quebec has seen the light of joy and lived in peace, hope and charity. Regardless of the ambivalence of the word "secular" and "religious" and the priority given to one or the other, in concepts and in fact, the brothers is a work of evangelization and humanization noticed and notable. That is not the issue.
To carry the same light in our age that emphasizes the individual rather than society, it seemed to me more and more obvious that we needed to change course and tools. Raising the quality of life of every human, is not that the ultimate goal of evangelism? Y work in a modern context requires a dynamic dialogue and collaboration between all agents of humanization. It is in the people, for the people and the people that can and should do. And to do that, we had to change much more than the costume. You do not change attitudes through preaching.
resistance that was to change his clothes did not look very reassuring to the profound changes that the Quiet Revolution and the Second Vatican Council would impose.
In 1971, I have said, "but I was right! . But why? Others were playing dice on the table already the fate of the world, that of Quebec, that of religious congregations and also of brethren who had remained inside their walls.
And you can now read without a smile on the argument of the mouth and the desire of the brother Conrad at the conclusion of his answer to "The Brothers tie"
"For now, anyway, the Brothers are the only tie. More danger they bask in a pre priestly made available through the ambiguity of an identical suit. Hopefully their new suit does not make them accessible, instead of near priestly grounds Golf the People of God. " op. cit., p. 387
In addition to my response to the brothers Conrad and Albini, Voice published two articles in response to this tie tack for a monk "segregatus" or "mandatus" defrocked.
An article by Brother Denis New England called for the unconditional acceptance the mandate of the Archbishop Leger. In a short article entitled "Roman collar and tie?" It was an overview of the various religious costumes, so different they were, did not prevent the monks perform a remarkable work. The recipe was simple enough to obey it.
"If our major superiors decide to wear blue cassock (Marian color), red belt (in honor of the Precious Blood), then the white cord crucifix, in honor of St. Joseph then ... we will submit to us but in the meantime, I would like our brother Reginald, Basutoland, who had a dream: "At the bell of alarm, I was proud to" my good old Centennial cassock and worn with pride. " op. cit. , Nov. 62, p. 87
And he concluded somewhat in the same tone as the others:
"The clothes do not make the monk, as noted by the Council of Trent. Similarly, consideration is not the stuff of which the religious dress. Thus, we recognize the man of God, regardless of the cervix Roman Tie adjusted or not, as well as the cassock. " op. cit. p. 87
" News of the" Contra Retrahentes "by brother Louis Regis SC
The secular masters "retrahentes" who were professors at the University of Paris opposed the "beggars" (religious who also teaches at the University of Paris) by attacking the religious life.
Without explicitly mentioning, brother Louis Regis had to see a link between this booklet and what was written in Voice on religious life. He titled his article "Update on the ' CONTRA RETRAHENTES' "
It is an article to read, absolutely delicious, even if only to breathe the atmosphere of universities and disputed questions in the thirteenth century, and especially to follow the rigorous logic of St. Thomas.
adjusting our tie by Brother Florian SC
"This land of our inability to understand religious spirituality and swallow anything that comes in the label of the lay apostolate, seems symptomatic of a divorce in depth and permanence between our religious life and apostolic dimension. " op. cit., p. 427
"Far from revoking the formula that offends the ears of Brother Conrad:" To be and appear more secular (as defined in the Apostolic Church) does not mean being less religious "(p. 386 ), I push it to its limit, saying there is for us to truly religious life in the lay apostolate as well as our religious life should express world "all the potentialities of single apostolic Christian laity. " op. cit., p. 429.
And a few key sentences:
" Openness to all the worlds as a familiarity not only with education data but also with the forces of civilization 's imposes. The religious teachers can not simply erect education circles that shone like enamels inaccessible ... op. cit., p. 440
"The dangerous world seems to have always more concerned with us to save the world. op. cit., p. 443
The brothers had to adjust their tie before the mirror in the morning silence that preceded the religious exercises daily since I have not heard and I have never seen in Voice other writings referred to the tie raised by the first winds of change issued by two tunnels later called the Second Vatican Council and the Quiet Revolution.
life continued its course precarious balance between the poles or poorly defined. By the middle of the decade, the cassock was more inclined either in public or in homes or schools. The black coat, without a shot being fired, was replaced by the coat "charcoal" black tie and took the edge a little later, replaced by a discreet lapel pin like those often used to mark membership in a club of some sort. And religious life continued, but she had in the space of ten years to make changes much more important than the cloth to tie.
Another wind was much more deleterious erode the very foundations of the religious life of congregations installed Quebec soil.
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1) Brother Charles-Emile died in 2003. His biography presents him as a "frank the Israelite in whom there never was a sham." Charles-Emile was a real man, simple, humble, unpretentious, a religious duty, without vain poetry, rooted in the everyday ordinary institute which he was proud and a mission he has received on the day the day.
(2) An old memory film "All the Mornings of the World!" where the gamba sounding serious velvet is everywhere. What relationship is there between the harmonics of the viola and the smile of Brother Charles-Emile? If you knew the brother Charles-Emile, boy, clip-cheek, deep voice of a father, maybe the image you she will smile! Then it won, you understand. And if you have not known, store the image in your quiver muses. It is unusual, perhaps one day you meet a nobody who should be the image. Then you smile. You also understand you but can not explain. The novel is broken and perhaps that " Evene en ." we will stay in his cabinets quotes!
(2) An old memory film "All the Mornings of the World!" where the gamba sounding serious velvet is everywhere. What relationship is there between the harmonics of the viola and the smile of Brother Charles-Emile? If you knew the brother Charles-Emile, boy, clip-cheek, deep voice of a father, maybe the image you she will smile! Then it won, you understand. And if you have not known, store the image in your quiver muses. It is unusual, perhaps one day you meet a nobody who should be the image. Then you smile. You also understand you but can not explain. The novel is broken and perhaps that " Evene en ." we will stay in his cabinets quotes!
3) Released in September 1960.
4) The comparison, very lame, we used to show the superiority of religious life on the life of a "layman" (as was said in time) showed the secular crossing a body of water (why not say the sea) to swim while the cleric was the same crossing mounted on a luxury liner.
(to ... follow)
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The chronicle of Jean-Claude
DIRECTORY 1961-1962
No. 56
The traditional apostolic community (schools) is transformed and a new School Act was enacted by the provincial government.
The brothers are a minority in school, wages are more interesting and personal more secular than before.
There edition textbooks of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.
There are 15 houses closed.
Sherbrooke Province opened a mission in the Belgian Congo.
The Brothers of the Sacred Heart get a new charter of incorporation for Community provinces of Quebec.
The decision to build scholasticates-normal inter-congregational schools is taken.
The brothers begin to set up camps in what was their vacation spot.
previous seven Canadian provinces:
1530 professed
- 89 novices
- 1329 juniors
+ + ++++++++++++++++++++++
Sherbrooke Province opened a mission in the Belgian Congo.
The Brothers of the Sacred Heart get a new charter of incorporation for Community provinces of Quebec.
The decision to build scholasticates-normal inter-congregational schools is taken.
The brothers begin to set up camps in what was their vacation spot.
previous seven Canadian provinces:
1530 professed
- 89 novices
- 1329 juniors
+ + ++++++++++++++++++++++
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