To all missionaries, present and future,

of the Saint Francis Xavier Foreign Mission Society

 

 1.         The Supreme Authority of the Church granted final approval to the Constitutions of our Society on January 6th this year as you know. I am sending you a copy of the updated edition which contains the minor changes introduced by the Roman Congregations. We have reason to celebrate and give thanks to the Lord on this occasion. This approval attests to the holiness and timeliness of the Society to which we have given our name. As a result of this recognition, we assume significant and solemn obligations before God and the Church. The importance of this event is not to pass unobserved. Hence we should strive to attain the lofty goals proposed by our Society by working more zealously to make the gospel known among non-believers. In this way we may contribute something toward the realization of Christ's prophetic vision, the creation of a single christian family which embraces all peoples. Furthermore, we ought to be firmly convinced that the vocation we received could not have been greater or more exalted. It calls us to be close to Christ, the source and purpose of our faith, and to the apostles, whom we regard as preeminent teachers and who unconditionally left all to follow Him completely. Indeed, the Lord could not have been more generous with us! 

2.         The apostolic life coupled with religious vows constitutes that which is regarded as more perfect, according to gospel standards. By profession we die to earthly things in order to live a life hidden with Christ in God. St. Paul wrote the early christians: "You have died, your life is hidden now with Christ in God" (Col. 3,3). Religious vows are sacred bonds which constantly push us toward divine service. They are a complete liberation from the world, the flesh and the devil. They continually yearn for ever better things. Vowed life is a type of martyrdom. Whatever it lacks in intensity of suffering, is made up for by its lifelong duration. The vows enhance the merit of our deeds. The church Fathers teach that what is realized under vow is doubly meritorious in the eyes of God. St. Anselm writes: "a good deed accomplished by a person without vows is similar to the offering of the fruit of a tree, while an action performed by a vowed person is similar to offering the fruit along with the tree as well." St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that religious profession is comparable to a second baptism, since it is the beginning of a new life.

 3.         It is precisely because the apostolic life coupled with religious vows enjoys a singular excellence that the evil one leaves nothing untried in his effort to dishearten those who live it, and dissuade those who would enter. He sows the mind with doubts, fills the heart with misgivings, clouds the imagination with false apprehension, numbs the will with discouragement. He accentuates the difficulties of vowed life and attempts to portray it as impossible, unfortunately he often succeeds. This should come as no surprise. The Holy Spirit admonishes that those entering the Lord's service must prepare to encounter such trials. In times of temptation, we are to turn to the Lord in prayer, persist in our resolve, increase our fidelity to our commitments. We remember the words of the apostle and are reassured: "everyone should remain in the state in which he was called."(1 Cor. 7,20). If we remain faithful to the society to which we gave our name, follow its constitutions, work there under the direction of its superiors, we will acquire much merit, save many souls, and obtain the reward reserved for those who put their hand to the plow and do not look back, viz. the hundredfold which Christ promised to his apostles. It may happen that some may be seduced by the evil one, believe that they can do better elsewhere, and leave our Society. This choice will not necessarily make them happier at the moment of death. For they will experience bitter disillusions during their lifetime. God cannot abundantly pour forth his gifts on those who, are found wanting in their fidelity and, abandon the higher state to which they were called. Let us ever highly prize the vowed life. Let us remember that by the profession of vows we resemble Christ, the prototype of the predestined.

 4.         Let us love poverty, which is the first renunciation which Christ requires of those who seek perfection and would follow him more closely. He wants to reign alone in their hearts, and he wishes them to be detached, affectively and effectively, from things of this world. How often did he repeat: "unless you renounce all that you possess, you cannot be my disciple." He instructed his apostles to have but one tunic, keep no money in their pocket, be not concerned about the future, and assured them that those who abandoned all to follow him would want for nothing. I recall the words of Paul: "if we have food and clothing we have all that we need" (1 Tim 6,8), may they apply to us as well. Everything else is contrary to the spirit of evangelical poverty. This spirit enables us to live joyfully out of love for Christ, even though it may also cause us embarrassment, privation and even hardship. An affluent poverty, which lacks none of life's comforts, cannot be pleasing to the Lord, nor does it measure up to the poverty of the apostles and apostolic men. Whether in the missions or one of our houses, each of us should be satisfied with whatever food and clothing is provided, seek nothing more, nor possess anything as our own. This is the poverty we have freely pledged: this poverty frees us from earthly ties, and provides a sense of security which enables us to seek the kingdom of heaven expressly promised to the poor in spirit. Even though our constitutions follow canonical prescriptions and allow for legal ownership title and use of property in law, no one can administer or dispose of property on his own, without the consent of his superiors. Anything less would prove detrimental to those who voluntarily pledged to deprive themselves of all.

 5.         Let us carefully value and cultivate that virtue which makes us similar to the angels and pleasing to God, and worthy of the admiration and respect of all who cannot but appreciate its appeal. How sad it would be if we were unable to preserve this precious gem and shamefully cast it aside. If this were to happen we would lose favor before God and the angels, our inclination for good would be diminished, our esteem for virtue and  holiness placed in jeopardy. Lest this occur, it is well to remember that we hold this priceless treasure in a fragile vessel of clay. We ought to use every necessary means to preserve chastity. In this sinful and enticing world our weak human nature is ever rebelling against the spirit. Idleness, dangerous occasions, undue intimacy with women are to be avoided, inappropriate signs of affection and risky particular friendships are to be curbed.  We need be in control of our senses, especially the eyes; moderate in eating and drinking. Furthermore, we are to practice christian mortification and discipline ourselves by following Christ's teaching and the example of the saints. Remember, humility is the best safeguard of chastity. There is no better application for the wisdom of Sirach than here: "he who wastes the little he has will be stripped bare." (Sir. 19,1) In time of temptation we should turn first to prayer. Without a special help of God, which is always granted to those who seek it, we are unable to preserve the virtue of purity. This is confirmed by the experience of the wisest of men. If the practice of this virtue demands sacrifice, the effort expended will be repaid with interest by the Lord through serenity, heartfelt joy, peace of mind, and abundant graces bestowed on the pure of heart whose actions are ever blessed from above.  

6.         Let us also carefully treasure the sacrifice of our will which we make to God through the vow of obedience.  Obedience is far more acceptable an offering than victims. Through obedience we offer to God the greatest gift which he has granted us in the natural order, our free will. The greatest Doctor of the Church tells us that the sum total of all other virtues is to be found in true obedience. And St. Bonaventure doesn't hesitate to state that all religious perfection consists in the suppression of one's will, through the practice of obedience. After we have pledged obedience to God by vow, we are to consider ourselves as instruments in the hands of the superiors for the glory of God and the salvation of our brothers. We should be totally indifferent regarding roles or assignments, destination to this or that mission, to remain and serve a house within the society framework or to work in a mission field to which we have been assigned. We are ever ready to tackle easy things as well as tasks more difficult, what we like and what we dislike. Even though we are enabled to inform superiors about our feelings regarding new assignments and tasks allotted us by obedience, we ought not be upset when superiors do not deem our remarks worthy of consideration. No one should claim exemptions or privileges because of service offered or positions held in the congregation. All such privileges are seriously detrimental to religious discipline. Even if someone may have held the supreme direction of the society to the satisfaction and benefit of all for long years, he should repeat the words of the gospel: "we are useless servants" and consider himself, nonetheless, the least of the confreres, subject to the regular observance. All those who are called to positions of authority within the congregation should energetically repress every unsavory desire for reform which may appear, check every sign of division or group factions. These are the fatal foes of all religious communities, the reason why some have disintegrated and disappeared. Every house of the society and every mission has an immediate superior. Everyone is to obey the superior, not so much because of his person but for the authority invested in him. Let no one try to get his own way nor persuade the superior to grant his own wishes. Whoever acts in this fashion does not seek God's will but his own, and cannot rely on the graces and helps which the Lord bestows on those who seek his pleasure and surrender themselves to him in filial trust. Ultimately the life, strength, prosperity of the Society will depend on this spirit of obedience. The Society must be a compact well-ordered militant force obedient to the directives of the Vicar of Christ, for whom it will ever foster profound respect and constant fidelity. Appropriate consideration is ever to be shown toward Pastors of the Church, the successors of the apostles. If this spirit of obedience wanes, the Society will soon be headed toward decadence and disintegration. I cannot but here recall what St. Alphonse Liguori wrote to his Redemptorists: "Remember, I am not grieved to hear that a confrere has been called to the other life. I feel the loss because I am human. I am consoled that he died in the congregation, therefore, I believe that he is saved. I am not displeased that some leave the congregation because of faults. I am grateful since the Society has been freed of an infected sheep capable of infecting others. I am not upset by persecutions; these encourage me because I am convinced that the Lord never abandons us when we do our best. That which does disturb me is to hear that someone in our midst does not obey and pays little respect to the rules." This was the concern of the holy Doctor, it is mine as well. Were such a condition to be verified among us, I would consider this as an initial symptom of the gradual breakdown, sooner or later, of our humble congregation.

 7.         That this may never happen, let us ever live that life of faith which leads us to seek and desire God's pleasure and not our own. This life of faith should exemplify the life of every just man, and be reflective in the priest and apostle in a special way. We will live in this way if we make faith the absolute norm for our conduct and enable it to permeate our thoughts, motives, feelings, words and deeds.  We will experience this life if we keep our focus on Christ in all of life's moments.  Thus, He will accompany us everywhere, when we pray, at the altar, in study, various moments of pastoral ministry, when we meet other people, in times of distress, sorrow and temptation. We will find inspiration in Him always in a way that our exterior actions become the manifestation of the interior life of Christ in us.  This intimate life of faith will protect us from the dangers of ministry, augment our strength and merits, perfect our intentions more, engender happiness and uncommon serenity which lightens the burden of the apostolate.

 8.         We should constantly nurture this spiritual life through the use of the practices prescribed in our Constitutions and suggested by the circumstances of the moment. We should never omit daily meditation, spiritual reading, the visit to the blessed sacrament, confession possibly each week, the recitation of the rosary, the general and particular examination of conscience, the annual retreat, monthly days of recollection or at least the prayer for a good death. Let Jesus, the Eucharistic Lord, ever be the focus of our contemplation and affection, we are his apostles and priests. We can discover, each day before the Tabernacle, the means to restore our energy to meet ever new challenges. We should also cultivate a tender devotion for the Immaculate Virgin, queen of the missions; her chaste spouse St. Joseph, patron of the universal church; for the apostles, and for St. Francis Xavier, our protector. As we work for the salvation of others, may it never happen that we neglect our own. However, this will certainly occur if we do not daily bolster our spirit by employing these potent means of holiness.  Experience teaches that indifference to spiritual means, a diminished interest in things above, less concern for the good, feeble resistance to temptation are all aspects of one and the same thing. St. Alphonse Liguori used to say: "I love Jesus Christ, and I ardently wish to bring Him many souls, first my own and then numberless others." Here we have a good rule to follow.

 9.         We are, indeed, to love God above everything else, within our hearts we are to also nurture a love for self, our brothers, especially for all who are members of our religious family and share our common life, like struggles, merits, direction, and all else in the hope that one day we may eventually partake of the same heavenly reward. There is no room for doubt about this important commandment to love. "This commandment was given by God, says the beloved disciple, that the one who loves God love his brother as well." Despite my unworthiness I pray to the Lord. May that oneness of mind and heart, which the divine Master left the apostles, as his final remembrance and treasured legacy, ever reign among those assigned to the houses of the Society and entrusted to prepare others for the apostolate. May they ever be united among themselves and reflect an unreserved and unconditioned respect for the directives of the General Direction. Should any disagreement, division, difference, be evidenced among them, this would be truly detrimental to the fraternal peace and edification.  Any contrast which might become manifest among them could prove detrimental to fraternal peace and encouragement. "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity"! says the psalmist. May the Lord grant that our members may always reflect a like comforting image. This will indeed happen if the love of Christ - so well described by the Apostle of the gentiles - governs  relationships and patterns the members into a single family where all are of one mind and one soul. Let each one carefully conserve the links of this sacred unity diligently and avoid whatever might weaken its hold. Furthermore let each curb his own egoism, criticism, complaints, contrariness, conspicuous behavior, and desire for praise. All these things should be sacrificed on the altar of fraternal love so common life becomes more pleasant, enriched and our communities may thrive.

 10.  These are some of the thoughts I wished to share with you, dear brothers, as I send you the new book of the Constitutions. I do so because I am concerned about your spiritual welfare and the good of our humble religious Society. In bringing these reflections to a close, allow me to summarize what I have expressed above in a desire. It is my wish that the distinguishing characteristic of present and future members of the society be the resultant of certain coefficients. The first is that spirit of living faith which enables us to see God, seek God, love God in all and sharpens our eagerness to propagate his kingdom everywhere. Then there is that spirit of ready, selfless, constant obedience  - in everything without counting the cost - which carries off the victories which the Lord promised to those who are obedient. Finally, there is that spirit of intense love for our religious family, which is like a mother to us, and of complete respect for the members who constitute it.  This is my wish, accept it as a father's final desire. I entrust this request to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the prayer that His grace may enable it to be realized. Even though we are workers of the last hour and we offer only what we can to help bring this about, nonetheless we are able to make our own meager contribution to build up the mystical body of Christ, and we will receive the reward similar to that granted to the workers of the first hour.

 11.  At this moment I can feel the compassion of Christ's love which is more forceful than any human bond of affection. And I am fascinated by the greatness of the cause which unites us as a single family. Hence, with heartfelt affection I embrace - as if here present - all those who have given their name to our society or will join it in the future. Unworthy though I am, I ask the Lord to bestow on all the spirit of the Apostles and the gift of final perseverance. Since we have been members of the same family on earth, I bless you and conclude with the wish that one day we may meet again in heaven, our blessed homeland.

The Motherhouse, Parma,

July 2, 1921

Affectionately in the Heart of Jesus,

+Guido M. Archbishop - Bishop

Superior General

St. Francis Xavier Foreign Mission Society