The Memoirs of Little Brother Sylvestre

The Memoirs of

Little Brother Sylvestre

I remember the impression he made on me with height and majesty, his air of goodness and seriousness at the same time. His face commanded respect, his cheeks sunken, his lips a little prominent which made him appear to be smiling, his eyes both piercing and searching, his voice strong and sonorous, his majesty, his air of goodness and seriousness at the same time. speech markedly articulate, without being terse or tedious, everything in proportion.

Brother Sylvestre on his arrival at l’Hermitage in 1831

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T HE M EMOIRS of

L ITTLE B ROTHER S YLVESTRE An edited compilation of the recollections and reflections of Brother Sylvestre (Jean-Felix Tamet), one of the first of St Marcellin Champagnat’s Little Brothers of Mary.

Edited by Michael Green FMS

Translated from the original French by Douglas Welsh FMS

MARIST BROTHERS

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T HE M EM OIRS

OF L ITTLE B ROTHER S YLVESTRE An edited compilation of the recollections and reflections of Brother Sylvestre (Jean-Felix Tamet), one of the first of St Marcellin Champagnat’s Little Brothers of Mary.

© Marist Publishing This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission of the publisher.

First published in English 2008. This edition 2015.

National Library of Australia ISBN 0 9586359 8 6 Published by: Marist Publishing PO Box 1247 Mascot NSW 1460 Sydney Australia

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Acknowledgements This edition of the writings of Brother Sylvestre was prompted by the work of the International Patrimony Commission of the Marist Brothers. This Commission and the General Council have seen the importance of developing a canon of early Marist documents available in the four official languages of the Institute. The work was supported, in particular, by Brother Peter Rodney during his time as a General Councillor.

Suggestions and assistance from a number of people have been generous and helpful. For advice on the critical introduction, the wisdom and encouragement of Conrad Mathias and Brother Aureliano Brambila have been most welcome. Detailed suggestions on the text have been offered by the members of the Patrimony Committee of the Province of Australia – Brothers Kevin Blyth, Brian Etherington, Desmond Murphy, Frederick McMahon, Brian Sweeney, Christopher Wade and Gerard Williams [RIP]. Brothers David Hall and Neville Solomon, have taken a close interest in progress and made a number of important interventions.

Deep appreciation must also be expressed to Brother Douglas Welsh for his readable and accurate translation, and to Brother Paul Sester for the French edition on which this publication has been sourced.

MCG

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Table of Contents Introductory commentary The author Historical context The original text This edition Getting to the heart of the book: its relevance for Marists today Author’s Note and Preface (to the first work) A Short Life of Father Champagnat Author’s note Preface Chapter I: Chapter II: The major seminary Chapter III: He renews his parish of Lavalla Chapter IV: Foundation of the Congregation and the first houses Chapter V: The Congregation threatened with extinction Chapter VI: Opposition Chapter VII: New setbacks involved in the construction of L’Hermitage Chapter VIII: Fr Champagnat suffers another setback Chapter IX: First vows Chapter X: Revolt of some Brothers concerning certain rules Chapter XI: Events of 1830. The serenity of Fr Champagnat Chapter XII: New attempts to obtain authorisation. Providence intervenes.

Chapter XIII: Congregation threatened by loss of its name and existence Chapter XIV: Printing of the Rule Chapter XV: Efforts of Fr Champagnat concerning the Society of Mary Chapter XVI: Final efforts to obtain authorisation of the Congregation Chapter XVII: He receives the Last Sacraments Chapter XVIII:His spiritual testament – his death Conclusion: An Overview of the Present State of the Congregation Appendix Preface Chapter I My relationship with Father Champagnat The beginning of my novitiate My taking the habit My return to l’Hermitage and Father Champagnat’s letter Chapter II – Virtues, Traits, Reflections Presence of God His belief and his horror of sin 7

His humility Prayer Mortification His generosity His faith His obedience to superiors His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament His respect for sacred space and holy things His confidence in God His devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Memorare in the Snow Chapter III - Particular Notes on Fr. Champagnat and some customs of the time Confession Communion Masses and Hymns Monthly retreat Discipline Penances given to the Brothers Recreation Competition: studies, memory exercises Conclusion: Spirit of faith Select bibliography Index

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Introductory Commentary This little gem of Marist heritage has not been readily available in English before now. Indeed some Marists may be surprised to learn that the impulsive young Brother Sylvestre, who makes an inglorious appearance with a wheelbarrow in Brother Jean-Baptiste’s official biography of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, did himself write a version of the Founder’s life. Its significance is in that simple fact.

What he has left us is certainly no scholarly work, no comprehensive or rigorously researched biography. Indeed, it is unashamedly hagiographical rather than biographical. The writing style is unpolished and the expression sometimes cumbersome. To a post-Vatican II reader, the theology is quaintly anachronistic, if not at times simply heretical. But there is a naïve charm to the work and, in that, an inherent attraction. Its interest for the modern Marist is that Sylvestre wrote it. That untamed, fun-loving, adolescent novice who unwittingly ambushed Marcellin by jumping on his shoulders one night, who scurried his vegetable-wheelbarrow through the house to the annoyance of some older Brothers, who spent nine years under the same roof as Marcellin but whom the Founder only ever allowed to take temporary vows, went on to live out his whole life as a Marist Brother. From what we can glean from the glimpses he and others give of his subsequent life, Sylvestre lost none of his enthusiasm, his lack of pretence, or his roguishness. This book, written with characteristic passion, in the last year of his life, is a reflection of its author as much as its subject. Because of that, it gives us another perspective of the founding period.

Father Champagnat claimed, with typical humility, that he himself was like one of the rough stones that builders used for filling in the foundations of a new building. Higher quality and more beautiful masonry would come later, he suggested. Whatever we might think of Marcellin’s assessment of himself, there can be little argument that Brother Sylvestre would easily fit the description. In that, he was like many of the unsophisticated country boys and young men who were attracted to join Marcellin’s band in the founding years. While they had ample resources of religious faith and of good will – which was all that Marcellin asked of them – they were an unlikely group to begin a teaching order. Yet these were the men who contributed so definitively to shape the Marist spirit. The charism of the Marist Brothers, which has proved to be perennially inspirational to successive generations, had its genesis in this founding generation of whom Sylvestre is a typical example. He was in and around l’Hermitage for much of the 1830s, a time when the Little Brothers of Mary in particular, and the Society of Mary more generally, developed both momentum and identity. A consideration of Sylvestre is a window into the lives of hundreds of relatively unknown Brothers who were part of these years, Brothers who were personally drawn to Marcellin and formed by him, and whose personal identity formation – because of the young age at which most of them joined – became indistinguishably meshed into the growing self-identity of the Institute. Without in any way diminishing the impact of the more significant authors of the story – Brothers such as François, Jean-Baptiste, Louis-Marie, and Avit – men like Sylvestre were the ones who wrote the first Marist chapters. It was they who carried much of the oral history of the founding time and passed it on, one to another.

Brother Sylvestre thus provides a useful counterpoint of reference for re-examining the official texts of this period, which were principally authored by Brother Jean-Baptiste and formally accepted by the General Chapters at the time. The similarities and differences are sometimes subtle, but nonetheless interesting. Sylvestre’s is a view from someone who battled in the trenches, rather than from general headquarters. His understanding both of Marcellin and of Marist life is one that comes after a lifetime of being a Marist Brother, and one spent in the classroom until just before his death. Although Sylvestre tries hard to present a picture that is sanitised and politically correct, he is not always

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successful in excluding a more human and fallible picture of things. In this context, the first part of the book is less interesting than the second. The former is mostly a redaction of the biography of the Founder written by Brother Jean-Baptiste. It is in the second section, where Sylvestre writes more independently on the virtues of Marcellin and his personal contact with him, that there is greater freshness in the portrait presented. A reader who is reasonably familiar with Jean-Baptiste’s account may wish to go straight to the latter part of Sylvestre’s book.

This is not a book for someone who seeks to be pedantic about either objectivity or accuracy. There are some errors of fact in Sylvestre’s recollections which were penned late in life, and well after the time he recounts. There are also peculiar emphases and interpretations, born of the time in which it was written and the personality of the author. These are memoirs, not critical history. They were real for Brother Sylvestre; that is how the text must be approached. Through his personal lens we gain insight into how one early Little Brother of Mary was affected by the charism of a man who continues to affect hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

On the day of his Golden Jubilee as a Brother, at St Genis-Laval1 in 1881, we are told that custom was broken by the senior Brothers having “something extra” at dinner. Apparently, jubilees had not been officially celebrated before that time. Brother Marie-Jubin, his Director, excused the “extra” by assuring the community that Brother Sylvestre promised not to do it again.2 It was typical of the effervescent Sylvestre that he be the one to introduce a touch of humanity to the occasion. In this book, we similarly have “something extra”, something unofficial, something a little more down-toearth, and something more imperfect.

The Author Born in 1819, just two years after Marcellin recruited the first two Brothers, Jean-Felix Tamet grew up in the orbit of the nascent Marist movement, in Valbenoîte, today a suburb of St-Etienne and only twenty kilometres from St-Chamond. The Little Brothers of Mary had taken over the school there in 1827. At this school, in preparing for his first Holy Communion as a ten-year old,3 Jean-Felix first came to know Father Champagnat when he visited his class. It was just another two years, in March 1831, before he came to l’Hermitage to seek admission as a novice. To modern sensibilities, this seems extraordinarily young for someone to be accepted to begin training as a religious brother. At the time, however, it was nothing unusual in society at large: if he were not following in his own father’s footsteps, a boy often enough would leave his family home at about that age to go to live in the house of a master tradesman or craftsman to begin an apprenticeship in the career of his choice. Basic schooling, undertaken during the winter months, would have been completed for most boys by then, when the rudiments of literacy and numeracy had been mastered; it was then time for them to turn to learning the skills and lifestyle of their future livelihoods.

Jean-Felix seems to have come to St-Chamond neither hesitantly nor reluctantly. He wanted to be a Brother and wanted it with boyish fervour. Marcellin, however, was an astute judge of adolescent impulsiveness and stages of maturity. It was some months before he allowed him to receive the 1

The General House of the Institute was moved from l’Hermitage to a larger and better situated complex at St-Genis-Laval in Lyon late in the generalate of Brother François (in 1858). It remained there until all religious were expelled from France in the anti-clerical laws of 1903. The General Administration returned for a time to St Genis after World War II and then moved to Rome.

2 From Brother Avit’s Annales, quoted by Brother Paul Sester in Volume 2 of Letters of Marcellin Champagnat, p.466.

3 The preparation for First Communion was seen as the principal catechetical task of town and village schools at that time.

Much of the religious curriculum was built around this event.

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religious habit, on the Feast of the Assumption 1831, giving him the religious name of “Frère Sylvestre”. On Our Lady’s birthday, 8th September 1832, he was allowed to profess his first temporary vows, but only for one month. He renewed them on 8th October, this time for three months, and in 1833 for six months. As time went on, he was allowed to take vows for longer periods of up to three years, but it was not until 1843, three years after Marcellin’s death, and when he was 24 years old, that he made perpetual profession.4 Small for his age, and destined never to be tall in physical stature, Sylvestre was, by his own admission, quite a sight in his specially tailored tiny soutane during his early years in community. His presence around l’Hermitage and in his first appointments drew more than its share of attention. He soon developed a reputation for mischief and cheekiness. His own memoirs admit his need for having to be recurringly reallocated on the household chores and duties because of his inconstant application. In his memoirs, he gives us but a taste of what he describes as his continual frivolity: his “tonsuring” of another novice as a joke when giving him a haircut; his spilling oil over Father Champagnat’s soutane; his tumbling helplessly down a hill with two cows after clumsily trying to tie them together.

Brother Sylvestre was well known to the Founder. In relating the story of the wheelbarrow prank, Brother Jean-Baptiste describes Marcellin’s lightly sarcastic reprimand to Sylvestre’s sanctimonious Brother Director this way: The good Father, who knew this young Brother5 thoroughly and esteemed him highly for his frankness and docility, defended him in these terms: ‘I am sorry that it was only to the [Brothers’] study that he took the wheelbarrow; if he had taken it up to the garret, I would have given him a holy-card. I prefer to see him enjoy himself in that way, rather than mope around bored. I can’t see what harm this barrow episode caused. You used to enjoy yourself when you were young. I believe the fault is all yours. Instead of joining the young Brother in some harmless game or diverting activities to help him pass the time, you leave him to himself; you are busy at study or talk over serious questions; are you surprised that he plays with the barrow? Please, don’t make a crime of it, still less abandon him to himself at the risk of souring his attitude to his work and his vocation.’6

The account is a telling revelation of the Founder’s intuitions about adolescence, education, formation, and religious life. It helps to explain why the Marist way has always been to have a soft spot for the “likeable rogue”. Of more significance to our concerns here, it is also instructive that Jean-Baptiste chooses this story to begin his initial chapter on the character of Marcellin Champagnat, and the start of the second part of his biography. Of all of Marcellin’s traits, the first one that Jean-Baptiste chooses to discuss is joy, and the anecdote that he cites is the one involving Sylvestre. He goes on to quote Marcellin’s instruction that cheerfulness, openness and friendliness are foundational for someone who seeks to do good: I don’t like Brothers whose presence frightens children; rather I value those whose cheerful character and gentle, affable manner bespeak a contented and virtuous heart. To edify children, to lead them to God, one must be truly pious and

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Contemporaries of Sylvestre were permitted to make perpetual profession in a considerably shorter time. A 12-year gap between reception of the habit and final vows was not the norm but neither was it unique. Such a delay provides a counterbalance with the tender age of entry and points to wisdom in the judgement of Champagnat and the superiors who followed him. One of the main reasons for the delay in admission of Sylvestre to perpetual vows seems to have been the doubts that Sylvestre himself had about his vocation, especially his consideration of priesthood. He alludes to this in his chapter on the death of Marcellin.

5 The year was 1833, when Sylvestre would have been 14 years of age, and on his first short-term assignment after the novitiate.

6 Furet, J-B, The Life of MJB Champagnat, pp.270-271.

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solidly virtuous, but that is not enough. In action, there must be something pleasing and captivating about one’s character and manner.7

We can be reasonably sure, from the picture of Sylvestre that emerges from his own writing, that he was no paragon of all these virtues. He was, nonetheless, a character well known and well liked in the early decades of the Marist story.

His first appointment was to Ampuis, as cook, in 1833 for two months. It was common to appoint a young Brother as cook to a community (usually a far-from-challenging role, given the simplicity and monotony of the cuisine) so that he could learn the craft of teaching by being associated part-time with the class of one of the more experienced Brothers, usually the Brother Director. It was in Ampuis that the infamous wheelbarrow incident occurred.

Other relatively brief postings followed in La Valla, Marhles, Vienne and La-Côte-St-André with intermittent spells back at l’Hermitage where he assisted with the training of the younger Brothers and in other tasks such as weaving. He was at La-Côte when Marcellin died, and also there (in 1839) where he qualified for his brevet. This teacher’s certificate of competence was important for Brothers since it not only gave them a professional qualification, but also excused them from national service.

During the mid-1840s, Brother Sylvestre seems to have become more involved in the scholasticate (the teaching training centre for newly professed Brothers) both at l’Hermitage and nearby La Grange-Payre in St-Chamond. Brother Avit, an early annalist of the Institute, recounts an interesting anecdote from 1848 which gives some insight into the character and style of Sylvestre: The boarding division in La Grange-Payre was closed and in its place there was set up a class called ‘for the brevet’.

Both young and old Brothers were in it8, spurred on by Brother Sylvestre. All of them came over to spend Sundays at l’Hermitage. To stimulate them, Brother Sylvestre placed a beautiful guilded frame in the parlour. Every Saturday, he displayed in it his students’ compositions. This really upset the older Brothers, whose work was the poorest. So they got together one Saturday night, smashed the frame and threw the pieces into the latrine. In the morning, their teacher informed Brother Louis-Marie.9 At Communion time, the Brother Assistant forbade those who had destroyed the frame to approach the Holy Table.10 Everyone from La Grange-Payre stayed in his place.

The whole affair created a great stir in the house. Enquiries were made, unsuccessfully. Brother Sylvestre moved heaven and earth. He could not eat, drink or sleep. But the older Brothers were worried. Brother Jean-Baptiste arrived three days later. He said that the old Brothers were the strong heads of the Institute. They didn’t grasp what he meant, so they were happy. They were sent back to the schools. News of what had happened leaked out. When he was asked about it, Brother Dominique answered, ‘That little bugger, that little brat, was making fun of the old men; they shook him up; good for them.’ Brother Dominique didn’t realise that Brother Jean-Baptiste did not approve of what the old Brothers had done, and that he had put them back in the schools because he thought they were too old to do serious studies.11

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Ibid., p.274.

“Young” and “old” are relative terms. The “old” Brothers may have been only in their thirties.

9 At the time, Brother Louis-Marie and Brother Jean-Baptiste were two Assistants General to Brother François, the Superior General.

10 Before the reforms of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, it was not the norm to receive Holy Communion every time a person attended Mass. In religious communities, the frequency of Communion was a matter for the permission of Superiors. Although the Brothers of this time would have attended Mass every day, they would not have been typically given permission to receive the Sacrament more than two or three times per week. They had to approach the Superior to ask this permission. Successive Popes (Pius IX, Leo XIII and Pius X) promoted more regular Communion, with Pius X explicitly promoting daily Holy Communion by all (in 1905).

11 Quoted from Brother Louis-Laurent (Pierre Zind) in Brother Paul Sester’s biographical sketch of Brother Sylvestre in Volume 2 of the Letters of Marcellin Champagnat, pp.465-66.

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An engaging character was our Sylvestre! Through his foibles and idiosyncrasies, however, his passion for teaching shines through. It was, according to Brother Avit, an enthusiasm not always matched by commensurate skill. It was, nevertheless, sufficient to earn him positions as Director12 in a number of establishments, including that of the main scholasticate at St-Genis-Laval in 1877-78 and 1885-86.

He loved his vocation as both teacher and Brother, especially the teaching of what was then usually called ‘catechism’. He was still in the classroom until his brief retirement in 1887.

In an ironic twist on his many protestations for the sanctity of the Rule and for frugality, Brother Sylvestre took up smoking in his adult years – not an uncommon pastime for a nineteenth century Frenchman, but not one that was readily permitted at the time for a Brother. In days when laundering of the heavy serge soutanes was done less frequently than would be acceptable today, Sylvestre apparently heralded his arrival by a stench of tobacco that could be detected from ten metres away.

Whether it was this habit or some other cause that hastened the end of his life, he died at St-GenisLaval on 16th December 1887 at the age of 68, having been a Brother for almost 57 years. In the last year of his life, despite his failing health, he filled twelve notebooks with the text that appears in this book.

Historical Context Brother Sylvestre’s life as a Brother spans both the early years of the Institute and also its rapid expansion and consolidation under Brother François and Brother Louis-Marie. The Hermitage to which he came in 1830 was already an impressively large building, and a centre of religious life that was growing in importance and significance. Although it was little over a decade since Marcellin began the Little Brothers of Mary, a good deal of the fragility and insecurity of the first years were being overtaken by confidence and expansion. Numbers of recruits were up, the reputation of the Brothers was spreading and requests for them were coming from many quarters. Father Champagnat was a man of 41 years, well-established as the leader of this growing branch of the Marist project, and at the height of his energy and stamina. Through the 1830s, it was Champagnat who remained the binding focus for all that the Little Brothers of Mary were becoming. These were Sylvestre’s teenage and early adult years, a time when a young man would be naturally disposed to seeking his heroes, being inspired, and giving his all. The impression that Marcellin made on him would have been inevitably huge.

Post-Champagnat, Sylvestre would have witnessed the number of Brothers grow from 251 in 1840 to over three thousand within a generation, and divided into different Provinces.13 Already having farewelled the first missionaries to Oceania in the late 1830s, he would have witnessed other expansion outside of France – to Great Britain, to Spain and Belgium, to South Africa, and to the Americas.

During the 1850s, he would have been among those who were consulted or who commented on the seminal texts of the Institute as they were being finalised: the Life of Champagnat by Brother JeanBaptiste, the Teachers Guide, the Common Rule, Biographies de Quelques Frères, Le Bon Supérieur, Avis Leçons Sentences, and others. He would have lived through the dissolution of the original vision of the Society of Mary as a single multi-branched tree to the Little Brothers of Mary as a stand-alone religious institute. And he would have reacted in some way to the name that the Church insisted on giving it: 12

The title of ‘Director’ in French male religious institutes, le frère Directeur, was given to the Brother who was simultaneously head of the Brothers’ community and head the school, there being no practical distinction between them at this time. In more recent decades, the term “Director” has been replaced by “Superior” in accordance with universal Church practice, and usually separated from the ministry or works associated with the Brothers’ community.

13 A ‘Province’ is the normal administrative unit of the Institute of the Marist Brothers, with each Province enjoying a significant level of local autonomy, under a Provincial Superior. At the time of Sylvestre, this autonomy was significantly less than it is today, and the Institute was much more centralised in its government.

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The Marist Brothers of the Schools. He not only outlived Champagnat, but also the next three Superiors General.

Any time during the last three hundred years of French history would have been an interesting one in which to find oneself. The years of Sylvestre’s life, from 1819 to 1887, were no exception. In both church and society, they were tumultuous times. Born into a country still recovering from the excesses and disillusionment of both Revolution and Empire, Jean-Felix would have experienced some of the optimism of the Restoration years: that with the throne once again occupied, there would be a lift in the fortunes of a Church which had been wounded first by its alignment with the ancient régime and then emasculated by both the revolutionaries and the Napoleonic ascendancy. Yet, Sylvestre had hardly arrived at l’Hermitage in 1830 before France was again caught up in revolution. Although a monarchy was once again installed, the relationship between society and church remained an ambivalent and even schizophrenic one. In the last decade of his life, he would have witnessed yet another surge in secularism in France, and seen the enacting of the laicisation of schools from 1881. Just over a decade after Sylvestre’s death, the Marist Brothers – along with other religious congregations – had been expelled from France, their property and assets confiscated, their schools completely secularised.

Jean-Felix Tamet’s earliest experiences would have been also coloured by the industrial revolution, of which St Etienne was something of a centre. He would have seen first-hand the drift of people to an urban environment, the poverty of factory workers, and the orphaning of children without extended familial support of village life. He would have caught one of the first trains in France, running the short distance between St Etienne and St Chamond. He lived not in any romantic time: the pace and the ugliness of change would have been a key part of his life.

Most significantly, he would have been caught up in a mood of extraordinary missionary zeal that gripped the French Church, nowhere more that in and around Lyon. There had long been a tradition of “inland missionaries” in France, what a modern reader might call “revivalists”. The founding Marists understood themselves within this line: they were called to revitalise the life of the Church in France, to go – like Mary – into the hill country. The first Marist Fathers, Brothers and Sisters did that quite literally: the “Bugey missions” of Father Jean-Claude Colin and his companions are central to the psyche of the Society of Mary to the present day, as much as the Lavalla experience is for the Little Brothers of Mary. Hundreds of new religious congregations were founded in nineteenth century France, a great many of them being explicitly Marian in their name or identity. In the prevailing religious mindset of the time, there was a great urgency about what had to be done. The fires of hell were real in people’s consciousness, and fear of eternal damnation into them spurred men and women to amazingly zealous lives devoted to bringing their fellow citizens back to practice of the faith. Parish work, missions, schools, orphanages, work houses, shelters, and hospitals mushroomed.

Although the extremes of Jansenism14 had been explicitly rejected by the founding Marists, it was an instinct that sat not too far beneath the surface in many people’s minds. Even for a man who, with his fellow Marist priests took his own first vows on the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, one of Champagnat’s favourite sermon topics was hell. There was a harshness about the way religious life was expected to be 14

Jansenism, a puritanical and punitive strand of European Catholicism, permeated the French Church in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, despite its official condemnation by Pope Innocent X back in 1653. Such thinking would have been promoted in the seminaries of Marcellin’s era. It was based on the 1640s writings of Flemish theologian Cornelius Jansen, who pondered the implications St Augustine’s teaching on predestination. This was also something that figured prominently in Calvinist Protestantism in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The influence of Jansenism on the founding Marists was associated more with its moralism rather than its dogmatism. This made for a certain moral rigourism in their instincts and preferences.

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led that a modern Christian may find uncomfortably exacting. In this, there is perhaps a causal link between, on the one hand, the fragility of earthy life that people of the time experienced and, on the other, the lack of surety they had about their eternal fate. Whatever the explanation, we can be sure that life was tough.

It was in this theological, ecclesiological and sociological milieu that Brother Sylvestre grew into his vocation as one of Champagnat’s Little Brothers of Mary, and through this prism that he described and evaluated the Founder.

The original work The work that Sylvestre was prompted to write in 1886-87 was something undertaken as an immediate response to the general invitation of the then Superior General, Brother Théophane. The cause of Marcellin’s canonisation was to be introduced in Rome, and there was a need for supporting evidence.

The Brother General invited all members of the Institute, and others who had known Marcellin, to write down their memories, and to send in any correspondence they may have had. Sylvestre seized the opportunity. His work is customarily seen as one of three major testimonies that were considered at the time to support the cause of canonisation, the other two being those of Brothers Jean-Baptiste and Avit.

In addition, many smaller testimonies were gathered from people who had direct experience with Marcellin.

It is important to appreciate, first, to whom Sylvestre understood that he was writing. His efforts were not intended for a general readership, and one can imagine that he would be embarrassed to learn that his writings have the currency they now enjoy.

With no undue modesty, he judged his own contribution not to be a definitive biography of the Founder. He was very familiar with Jean-Baptiste’s Life, and he begins by extolling this work for its accuracy and authority. And so it was. Although there have been a number of biographies of Marcellin Champagnat written over the decades, the original work remains peerless as the richest source of fact and spirit associated with Marcellin Champagnat.

Sylvestre’s memoirs were intended to be read by those people assessing Marcellin’s “heroic virtues”, the first step in the naming of a canonised saint of the Church.

Second, it is necessary to keep in mind why he was writing. As Sylvestre’s primary purpose was to extol the virtues of the Founder, his resulting portrait can seem a little too saintly to be real. It is important to be seen as hagiography rather than dispassionate history. Jean-Baptiste’s Life has been sometimes negatively criticised because it is of the same genre. The historiography of the nineteenth century was typically slanted this way, and such sanitised history is not always appealing to a modern reader. There is today a preference for a biography to be more of a “tell-all” exposé. The shelves of contemporary bookshops are plentiful with such works. In Sylvestre’s writing, we catch only glimpses of the fleshand-blood Champagnat. Ironically, because he does not possess the craftsmanship of a Jean-Baptiste, Sylvestre allows these glimpses to peep through with more frequency than he might have intended. He explains his aim as offering a “small appendix” to Jean-Baptiste’s book, with some comments especially on the personal traits of Champagnat, discussion on the spirit he bequeathed, and some accounts of his personal experience of the Founder.

Third, we turn to examine exactly what it was that Sylvestre wrote.15 Physically, it consists of twelve ordinary exercise-books, filled with about four hundred pages of hand-writing altogether. There are 15

Much of this description of the books is taken from Brother Paul Sester’s introduction to his 1991 French publication “Frère Sylvestre racontre Marcellin Champagnat”, pp.5-6, and Brother Alexandre Balko’s article “Les cahiers du frère Sylvestre”.

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numerous emendations, additions, and extra comments squeezed in between the lines and down the perimeters of the pages. It is certainly not a polished or a tidily finished product. It is worth commenting, as well, that Sylvestre’s original manuscripts are not extant: what we have are copies written by two other people and, in all probability, then corrected and emended by what Brother Alexandre Balko describes as the “thin, shakey hand” of Sylvestre. Balko points out that the copyists appear to “have little insight’, one of them making a large number of errors. In their defence, however, it can be noted that Sylvestre’s writing was not easy to decipher.

Numbered 1 to 12, the exercise books fall into three sections: the first seven are a continuous narrative containing a short life of the Founder, drawn heavily from Jean-Baptiste; numbers 8 to 11 are described as an “appendix”, with a pencilled-in explanation of three sub-sections – first, his relations with the Founder, second, his principal virtues, and third some particular comments; while number 12, a larger book of some 96 pages, stands alone. It seems that number 12 may have been written first, as it is explicitly entitled as the “small appendix” to Jean-Baptiste’s book, as mentioned above. Since much of number 12 is re-worked, or simply repeated, in the appendix that is contained in books 8-11, it may be reasonably concluded that Sylvestre made a second attempt to put down his thoughts. This can be seen from this list of chapter headings from the two sections: Exercise Book Number 12: Chpt I · Presence of God · Fear of sin His · Vigilance Virtues · Prayer · Mortification · His liberality · His faith · His devotion to the Superior General · His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament · His respect for sacred space and holy things · Some other virtues Chpt III Particular notes

· · · · · · ·

Confession Communion Hymns Monthly retreat Discipline Penances Emulation

Appendix in Books 8-11 Chapt II · Presence of God · His belief and his horror of sin Edifying · His humility things: · Prayer Virtues, · Mortification traits and · His generosity reflections · His faith · His obedience to the Superiors · His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament

· His respect for sacred space and holy things

· His confidence in God · His devotion to the Blessed · · Particular notes on the · Venerable Fr · Champagnat · · · · · · Chapt III

Virgin Confession Communion Mass and hymns Monthly retreat Discipline Tests for the Brothers Penances for the Brothers Recreation Emulation Conclusion: Spirit of faith

The parallels are self evident. Similarly, Chapter II in the book number 12 is essentially reworked as the conclusion of the life, contained in book number 7: Chpt II

· Prosperity of the

Conclusion:

17

· Fr Champagnat was chosen by

(in book 12)

· Reasons to hope for the success of the Cause

· · · ·

congregations in spite of poverty and obstacles The good that the Congregation has done The virtues of the Founder as revealed in the Life Other documented evidence of his sanctity Miraculous events due to his intercession A personal opinion on the duration of the Congregation.

(in book 7) The Present state of the congregation

· · · · ·

God to found the Congregation The aim of the Congregation The spirit of the Congregation The incredible development of the Congregation The good that the Congregation has achieved My personal opinion on the duration of the Congregation

This edition Previous editions of Brother Sylvestre’s memoirs have reproduced the contents of all twelve notebooks in their entirety. In the most recent publication, prepared in French by Brother Paul Sester in 1991, the twelfth book was put first, in order to be faithful to the most likely chronology of writing. In this edition, however, it has been decided not to include the contents of the twelfth notebook at all, other than the two pages of introduction written by Sylvestre and called by him “Avertissement” and “AvantPropos”. The rest of the material, it is suggested, was reworked by him and appears in the other books in one way or another. Although it is not exactly replicated, it can be reasonably concluded that the later writing reflects the author’s preferred opinions and emphases. For this reason, and in order to avoid unnecessary duplication, book number 12 has been omitted from this publication. Rather than diminishing the work, this can be seen to give it a more natural integrity and order. We must assume that, unfortunately, Brother Sylvestre died before he was able to complete a finished work. The order chosen for this edition of his writings is one that is a logical ordering of the material he has left us.

The structure, then, is first to include the introduction from the twelfth (and likely oldest) exercise book, then to follow this with the contents of books 1-7 as the biographical section, and the contents of books 8-11 which contain Sylvestre’s personal memories of Marcellin, his summation of the Founder’s character, and his musings on the past, present and future of Institute.16 This edition, being in English, is inevitably removed to some degree from the original French, and therefore from the author. The translation, mainly completed by Brother Douglas Welsh, is a translation not from the original notebooks but from Brother Paul Sester’s 1991 edition, the most comprehensive and considered redacting of the raw material that has occurred. In preparing his edition, Brother Paul had to make numerous editorial decisions on the text. Because of the number of crossings-out, corrections, added words and sentences, he needed to make judgements on what Sylvestre’s final intentions were for some pieces of writing. Brother Paul also made some corrections to Sylvestre’s spelling and grammar, not so relevant for the English translation, but worthy of mention in passing. Sylvestre’s style is at times cumbersome, with long and convoluted sentences. Although there was a preference in the nineteenth century for longer sentence structure, Sylvestre’s prose is no exemplar 16

The Marist Brothers belong to what is technically categorised as a ‘religious institute’ in canonical terminology, not a ‘religious congregation’ or a ‘religious order’. The word ‘congregation’ is, however, often used as a catch-all term for all three categories. It was often used in this way in Champagnat’s time, and Sylvestre uses the words ‘congregation’ and ‘institute’ interchangeably.

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of Dickensian balance and subtlety; it is just long. In translation, some of this has been further modified in the interests of readability. While fidelity to the original has been important, the reader is advised to keep in mind that the text is two steps removed from the idiosyncratic pen of its author.

All footnotes in the book, as well as the index, are part of the editing, and are extraneous to the original work by Brother Sylvestre.

Getting to the heart of the book: its relevance for today One the challenges facing the twenty-first century reader is the unshackling of the essence and spirit of this text from the fetters of its nineteenth century frameworks. A first step in doing that is to understand them. A second is to be slow to judge them, at least by present-day values and cultural norms. Most people drawn to read this book are likely to be contemporary Marists seeking to deepen their appreciation of the charismic spirituality that already gives meaning and identity to their lives and work. What can a reading of the memoirs of Brother Sylvestre reveal to them about the essential intuitions of their Marist way? What can it tell them of the essence of Marcellin Champagnat – the man and his spirituality? What can they learn of the founding time, when the distinctively Marist ways of seeing, judging and acting were being shaped and defined? What was it about Champagnat that fired the imaginations of that early band of Marists – young men such as Jean-Felix Tamet – to give their lives to his cause, and still be so passionately committed to him almost fifty years after the Founder’s death?

At first pass, there is much that can be off-putting for a modern reader, even embarrassing. “This is not the Marist way that I know,” may be a reaction. The language may sound pompously pietistic, some understandings and practices may seem almost superstitious, the life-style may seem to be quite selfabasing, the cultural and religious milieu may seem to come from another time and place altogether.

More than half a century after Vatican II’s reforms of religious life, Sylvestre’s descriptions of his way of living can seem almost medieval. To begin to get beyond these reservations, it may be helpful first to consider something of the general experience of the development of religious movements in the Church.

Like all of the great spiritualities of the Church, Marist spirituality is a living and evolving heritage.

Recurringly in the history of the Church, particular ways of understanding and responding to Jesus and his Gospel have found birth – inspired by the Holy Spirit – in ways that suit specific times, and meet the needs of those times. Sometimes they flower for a short period only, while in other cases, once they are introduced into the life and mission of the Church these spiritualities continue to grow and to find expression and adaptation in a variety of times and cultures. To take an extreme example, while today there are not too many Knights Templar defending holy places and running international finance, there are any number of groups of Franciscans – men and women, lay and clerical and in consecrated life, in a myriad of countries and cultures, all continuing to find inspiration in the lives of Francis and Clare, and drawing on Franciscan spiritualty to give wonderful colour and power to the work of evangelisation. Back in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, both were in important in the life of the Church. Today, one is little more than the stuff of romantic legend and source of an occasional novel, while the other continues to be vital and fruitful. One was tied to particular lifestyle and need, while the other could be, and still is, open to reinterpretation and re-imaging, faithful to the original intuitions but creatively so.

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The Marist way17 was introduced into the life of the Church in France at a time when similar apostolic societies and institutes were being founded in their hundreds, not only in France, but elsewhere in Europe, and also in parts of the new world. Prominent among them were groups of religious who were involved in education and health care, and who worked with disadvantaged youth. Most were very worthy foundations, established to serve pressing human and religious needs. The great majority of these groups did not, however, last beyond the nineteenth century; many did not spread far beyond a single diocese; a great number fizzled after their founder died. Of those which spread more widely, even outside their initial country and language, many had several decades of growth, followed by a period of decline. Especially, since the mid-twentieth century, and after the time of Vatican II, this decline has proved terminal, as the number of people becoming priests and religious has plummeted in western countries. A small minority continues in any significant way.

While there has been, of course, a range of factors and circumstances involved in the demise of these movements, there is one thing that each of the surviving and growing ones have in common. This is their inherent facility to be adapted to new times, different places, and a diversity of people. More pointedly, they have this facility because at their heart is a distinctive spirituality rather than an institutional lifestyle or time-anchored modus operandi. They are, therefore, able to transcend culture, language and even specific apostolic tasks. Think of the many ways that Ignatian spirituality has inspired not only Jesuits in different centuries and cultures, but other groups of religious and lay people who have adopted the Ignatian way, and continue to do so. Quite different is the Benedictine way; different again are the Passionist, or Salesian, or Lasallian, or Dominican. In the present age, a key trait of any spirituality that is continuing to flower in the Church is the readiness with which it can be embraced by both lay and consecrated people. All of those cited easily meet this criterion. So, too, do others of more recent origin, which have had a majority of lay faithful in them from their outset: groups such as Opus Dei, the Foccolare movement, the Sant’Egidio Community, and the many covenanted communities.

That Marist spirituality has been able to shake off so easily many of the cultural, theological and institutional trappings of its founding time without compromising its essential intuitions and inspiration, puts it in the same stream. That it is today being adopted so fruitfully and integrally not only by Brothers but by such a broad range of men and women as their intuitive and preferred way of the Gospel, tells us that there is something graced and essential about Marist spirituality which is deeper than the theological, ecclesial, social, cultural, pedagogical tides of the time, but can still be relevant for them. A work such as Sylvestre’s provides a valuable window into that graced essence, if we can see beyond the grime and scratches on the glass of his window.

Let us, then, consider several of the recurring themes of his book to see if we can get to the essence of some of the charismic intuitions at the heart of Marist spirituality in the Champagnat tradition. There are various ways in which these could be framed. The following discussion proposes six. This is not to suggest that such framework is either definitive or comprehensive: there would be other ways of approaching Sylvestre’s text and there are some aspects of Champagnat’s style and character in the narrative that are not discussed below. These six themes are proposed as one way of approaching one account of the founding times. They attempt to identify what it was that caught the imagination and 17

The terms ‘Marist’ and ‘Marist spirituality’ are being used here as short-hand for the distinctive strand of Marist spirituality that was inspired by St Marcellin and has evolved through the Marist Brothers and those who associate themselves with the Marist Brothers. Arguably, the various branches of the Marist family have nuanced the Marist way differentially, these qualitative differences being shaped most definitively by the founding generation of each branch. It is more accurate, therefore, to understand Marist spiritualities as a plural concept rather than a singular one. In this book, our concern is with the Champagnat strand of this family of spiritual traditions.

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passion of one relatively unheralded member of this period, and has done for many thousands of ordinary Marists in the almost two centuries since. The discussion is not an exhaustive treatment of Marist spirituality, nor do the themes represent the best way of naming the elements of this spirituality.

It is simply Brother Sylvestre’s way.

The affective and relational dimension A large proportion of the narrative, both in its language and its imagery, reflects a concern with the affective domain: emotions, personal relationships, human issues. There is relatively little of a philosophical or esoteric nature. There is no treatment of any weighty issues or intellectual topics.

Especially in the “Appendix”, where Sylvestre is more personal and subjective in his writing, his assessment of Champagnat is recurringly concerned with personal relationships and with his dealings with people, and also his relationship with Jesus and with Mary. This can be seen most strongly in Sylvestre’s description of his own relationship with Marcellin: the way the Founder dealt with the roguish adolescent, who was full of good resolutions but usually inconstant in his application of them.

He describes in much detail the way Marcellin related to the Brothers, to the members of his parish, to children, and to those in need. Prominent among the key virtues he describes are Marcellin’s generosity and selflessness, his concern for the sick, his humility – in short, his heart.

The “heart” emerges as a key image in the Marist spirituality of Marcellin. He used the word frequently in his letters – “I leave you in the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary” – and his teachings. Of the many images of the Divine he could have employed, Sylvestre tells us that Marcellin’s favourite was the “Sacred Heart”. Similarly, Marcellin’s favourite title for Mary – from the plethora that have been invented – was the simple “Our Good Mother”. Such an unpretentious and relational image reveals much of the place of Mary in his spirituality. Even the term “Ordinary Resource” can be seen as primarily affective in the emphasis that Marcellin gave it.

The nature of the spirituality that grows from this disposition towards the affective domain is a grounded and immanent one. The emphasis is on the heart and on relationship – concerning both God and other people. Closeness and simplicity are key features of such a spirituality. Sylvestre is obviously at ease with such an emphasis. One of the great attractions of Marist spirituality to young people, and perhaps one of the factors in its being so effective in the work of evangelisation, is this groundedness and its discomfort with excessive pietism. The Marist way to God is a Marial way, which Sylvestre tells us was to be like Mary of Nazareth – simple and humble. It is a way that is, therefore, instinctively uncluttered by too much religiosity or other trappings. It goes to the heart and is expressed in ordinary ways and ordinary language.

Humility No concept gets more explicit emphasis from Sylvestre than that of humility. He uses the words “humility” and “humble” over seventy times in the narrative, and unambiguously describes this trait as the single most distinctive characteristic both of Champagnat and of his intention for the spirit of Marist Brothers. He links humility with the other two traditional Marist virtues of simplicity and modesty, and he cites Marcellin’s use of the metaphor of the violet to explain their significance. To support his claim that two of the early Marist priests – Matricon and Besson – trained by Champagnat were indeed his “true sons”, Sylvestre pointed to their “humility, simplicity and family spirit”.

Opposed to humility, Sylvestre places the sin of pride, something he understands to be antithetical to religious life and at the root of all evil. This oppositional relationship is foundational for Sylvestre’s understanding of the Marist way. In extolling Marcellin’s humility, Sylvestre mentions the Founder’s 21

own battle with pride as a young seminarian at Verrières, and explains the self-denials in his lifestyle as his attempts to combat pride. The greatest sins and errors he cites in his narrative usually have to do with pride. He even explains the scandal involving Courveille in 1826 as primarily to do with pride.

In the language and dispositions of the nineteenth century, Sylvestre often expresses this humility in ways that a modern reader might see more as self-abasement. His descriptions of himself are typically negative and demeaning. When he moves into a consideration of the ways in which Champagnat practised “mortification” by denying himself food between meals, following a punishing personal regimen, and practising a frugality that dismissed wine and even coffee as extravagances, the reader may begin to feel a little uncomfortable, or even become dismissive of such attitudes. When Sylvestre then talks of Champagnat’s personal use of the “discipline” and the “cilice”, he may start to offend modern sensibilities, even be seen to border on the kinky. Here we run head-on into the perils of judging behaviours and attitudes of one time with the cultural norms and values of another. There would have been nothing particularly novel or unusual about the practices or feelings that Sylvestre describes. They would not have been questioned as effective ways to develop a disposition of openness to God. A modern reader, especially a typical Western one who has grown up on saturated diet of self-esteem and personal goal-setting, may find this difficult to appreciate. So, similarly, would a nineteenth century reader be quite bewildered by the mishmash of secularism, multiculturalism, value conflict, family dysfunction, and global uncertainty in which the twenty-first century Christian must live out his or her faith.

The key to an understanding of Sylvestre’s treatment of the humility/pride issue is to appreciate the goal he has in mind. Even if the means may at times seem strange to contemporary instincts, the desired end is what is essential. It is this essence that has survived into modern expressions of Marist spirituality which must be lived out in quite different cultural and social contexts. At the heart of this intuition is a disposition to allow the reign of God to take hold of one’s life. As with the first theme, we come back to Mary. In the woman of the Annunciation, we see an attitude that is fundamental to Marist spirituality, and a verse of Scripture that is a favourite among Marists: “Let it be done to me, as you have said.”18 The contemporary Marist may live this out in ways that are less corporally harsh but with an intentionality that is no less authentic. With St Paul, this person will recognise the signs of someone who has been captured by the reign of God: love, joy, peace, patience, humility, self-control, faith, authenticity, selflessness.19 It is in this light that we can also best understand another characteristic of the personality and spirituality that Sylvestre describes: his unbounded confidence and his calmness at times of threat and danger. How does he reconcile his portrait of a man whom he describes, on the one hand, as having such a poor opinion of himself, while on the other, having an almost unshakeable confidence that his work will succeed, and able to take on something as ambitious as the building of l’Hermitage? Again we turn to St Paul: “if a man wants to boast, let him boast in the Lord.”20 It is the attitude of someone who has, in his heart, aligned himself totally with the will and purpose of God. Zeal Champagnat’s disposition towards hard work and the tough physical demands he placed on himself are frequently mentioned by Sylvestre. It is clear that the Founder’s distaste for laziness or, more strongly, 18

Luke 1:38 Galatians 1:22-23; I Corinthians 13:4-6.

20 II Corinthians 10:17 19

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his abhorrence of “idleness”, were a strong part of the oral tradition that Sylvestre reports. It is important, however, to understand this not as a task-obsession or an inability to smell the roses. There is a fundamental difference between passion and what is sometimes called ‘workaholism’. The Marcellin that emerges from the pages of Sylvestre’s memoirs was a passionate man, even a driven man, but not someone dysfunctionally affected by what he was doing. Sylvestre paints it in heroic terms, and so it was.

For Sylvestre, as for Marcellin and the founding generation of Brothers, the stakes were high. The possibility of eternal damnation loomed large in the day-to-day psyche of these nineteenth century rural Frenchmen. Marcellin’s fear of sin (Sylvestre tells us he had no other fear) needs to be seen in these terms. Similarly, the apocalyptic imagery through which Sylvestre describes the Brothers’ work needs to be read with his appreciation of what was at stake. Today, we might be somewhat dismissive of a popular but heretical theology that promoted the idea that there was no salvation outside the Church, that certain souls were predestined for heaven (and by implication others were not), and that benighted heathen on the other side of the world were relying on European Catholic Christianity to rescue them from the damning fate of their paganism. We might have another understanding of sin than one that sees it as the active work of Satan, deluding and insidiously misleading us. We might have another reading of the Book of Revelation than the very literal one of Sylvestre who foresees the Marist Brothers at the phalanx of the army to battle the Anti-Christ at the end of time. And we probably do not expect Armageddon any time soon.

But let us not be patronising, either of these theological understandings or of the people who were motivated by them. Let us appreciate, rather, their faith response within the milieu in which they lived.

For Marcellin Champagnat, what he was about was a thing of the heart. He was not – and in Sylvestre’s description he is not depicted – as a kind of mercenary in the army of Christ. Sylvestre describes Marcellin’s and the first Brothers’ enthusiasm for the work of evangelisation as “burning”. It is a telling qualification. What drove them, and what is at the heart of an apostolic Marist spirituality, is a deep concern for people. It is a love-response rather than a duty-response that propels them into action. Their theology gave this work both importance and urgency, but it was essentially about people.

In passing, it is perhaps worth noting that Sylvestre’s readiness to accept the mythologising about Marcellin, that was seemingly well advanced by the 1880s, can be appreciated in this context. He relates, with no sense of fantasy, the apocryphal story of the burning flame that sat over Marcellin’s head at his birth. Later he suggests, with the apparent collusion of the simple Brother Stanislas21 who was actually there, that it was the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, who rescued Marcellin and Stanislas after the famous ‘Memorare in the Snow’, and that the next day the house miraculously disappeared. Shades of the House of Loreto! Of course, it was the Donnet family, and the ruins of the house can still be visited! In the apocalyptic context in which Sylvestre understood the Marist project to be being undertaken, however, reports of such supernatural signs and portents are hardly remarkable.

God-consciousness 21

Brother Sylvestre knew Brother Stanislas well. Stanislas, who was personally close to the Founder as a practical assistant and frequent companion, became one of the important custodians of the oral history of the Champagnat years. It was Stanislas who cared for Marcellin in his sickness. Sylvestre mentions this Brother almost forty times in his text, usually making reference to a report or opinion of Stanislas. He relies on him for validation and amplification of the oral tradition which was well established by the 1880s.

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Marcellin called it the “practice of the presence of God” – a term that he would have learnt in his seminary formation, if not previously from his aunt Louise. In any account of Marcellin’s life and his spirituality, it plays a most significant part, and so also for Sylvestre. This is a foundational element of Marist spirituality, and one that needs less unpacking from its nineteenth century boxing. Today’s Marist is likely to make easy sense of what Marcellin understood by this concept.

The frequent short visits to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, the ringing of the bell each hour for a short prayer to be said in the midst of other tasks, the wearing of a religious habit, the wearing of other symbols such as a scapula, the formal community prayers several times a day, even his special regard for the sacredness of the chapel as a holy place – all were ways of developing a sense of the presence of God in the rhythm and activities of each day. It is something that can provide more of a challenge for today’s Marists, particularly those living in countries and cultures which are overwhelmingly secular.

Balance and humanness Sylvestre’s portrait of Marcellin is recurringly qualified by glimpses of the humanity of the Founder.

This was probably not his purpose; his main aim was to advance the merits of Marcellin to be considered as a saint. These glimpses, however, help the reader to develop a more complete and balanced picture of the person and spirituality of Marcellin, and a better appreciation of why that spirituality has proved to be perennially attractive to people.

Marcellin is portrayed as having a sense of humour, and a natural capacity for spinning a good yarn.

Both qualities help to explain his abilities as a preacher and as a teacher. Humour is also a pointer to his having a healthy sense of perspective, and an indicator of a desire to engage people in ordinary and unaffected ways. The eschatological and the heroic imagery of other parts of Sylvestre’s narrative is counter-balanced by this more human picture of Marcellin the person – the ordinary Frenchman who liked to play boules with the Brothers and who was keen on backgammon, who was at the centre of the group when a humorous story was being told, who got tired, and sometimes bit off more than he could chew.

There is also, without Sylvestre’s drawing much attention to it or even perhaps being much aware of it, an inherent balance in the style of life he describes for Marcellin and the first Brothers. For example, recreation was important and always taken. The reading of books was banned during this time, and recreation was done in common. Similarly, the time for prayer was never compromised, nor the quality or sanctity of that time diminished in any way. The role of work, of course, was pivotal and has already been discussed. There was, therefore, an integrity about each element of the life and a balance among these elements. Prayer, community and mission – the three dimensions of the consecrated life in particular, and of the Christian life in general, are all present in this lifestyle. It is an integrated spirituality that has emerged. In this context, it is telling that he repeats Jean-Baptiste’s account of the reason for the dismissal of Marcellin’s first recruit, Jean-Marie Granjon, who had developed an unbalanced, over-zealous approach to prayer and mortification.

The Marian dimension There is both an explicit and an implicit presence of Mary in the spirituality that Sylvestre describes of Marcellin. The time of his writing was well into what his sometimes called the “Marian Century” – beginning in the first part of the nineteenth century, building momentum with a growing number of Marian devotions and Marian congregations, the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, some famous apparitions, and culminating in the 1950s, after Pius XII’s defining

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of the dogma of the Assumption. The cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary would have been well into its ascendancy at the time of Sylvestre’s writing and still on the rise. This cult was largely devotional in its emphases, nowhere more than in Catholic France. It is necessary to see his writing in this context. It helps explain the explicit place of honour afforded to Mary by Sylvestre, and also by Marcellin. It was, however, more than just a place of honour; there was a quite affective dimension to the relationship.

Sylvestre quotes Marcellin’s description of St John the Evangelist as “the first Marist”: the one, beloved of Jesus, who stood at the foot of the Cross and heard the words, “This is your mother. This is your son.” The explicit place of Mary, and her role as “First Superior” and “Ordinary Resource” for Marcellin, should be seen in this immanent way. Mary was not a remote or idyllic figure in the clouds, crushing dragon heads.

It is, then, a natural step for the Marist to understand the implicit place of Mary. Such a place was also important for Champagnat and the founding Marist generation. It sits easily within the Church’s present Marian emphases, and is arguably a more definitive understanding of what is essentially Marist about Marist spirituality. The Second Vatican Council deliberately rejected writing a separate document on Mary, and resisted moves to give her the title “Co-Redemptrix”. The Council Fathers preferred to situate Mary, both theologically and ecclesially, in their document on the Church. More than half a century later, the cult of the Blessed Virgin has diminished in the life of the Church, a development that has had mixed acceptance. For the Marist, however, it is a return to an understanding that sits easily in the practice of Marist spirituality from its beginning. If imitation is the highest form of praise, then the Marist’s devotion to Mary is quite elevated. Sylvestre points repeatedly to Marcellin’s wish for the Brothers to imitate the woman of Nazareth – in her humility, in her obedience to God, and her closeness to Jesus. In other writings of Marcellin not cited by Sylvestre – as also in the teaching of the other Marist founders Jean-Claude Colin and Jeanne-Marie Chavoin – this is taken a step further: each of these founders understood the Marist project to be a sharing in what they called the work of Mary. And what is the work of Mary? To bring Christ-life to birth.

At the end of his book, it is with Mary that Sylvestre leaves his reader, as Jesus left John. His final wish is that, to be living images of the Founder, the Brothers should strive to be genuine “Brothers of Mary”.

In this hope is the integrating intuition of the Marist spirituality of Marcellin Champagnat.

Michael Green FMS

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Frère Sylvestre

RECOUNTS THE LIFE OF MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT

His personal recollections What he has gathered from others His relations with the Founder Reflections on the Founder’s work

Author’s Note 22 22

This Avertissment and the Avant-Propos on the following page appear at the front of the 12th exercise book. As discussed in the Introductory Commentary, the rest of this book is not reproduced in this edition.

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What I recount in this document on Father Champagnat are not unexpected things, since they can be found in the two volumes of his Life or in its abridged version.23 There are small details which, considered only from an historical point of view may appear to be the same, but understood from the spirit of faith of that Father Champagnat did them, merit closer appraisal. There are small, precious pearls which you will not know to collect; or, if you like, individual ears of wheat reaped from the same field where the author of his Life has had a rich and abundant harvest. Moreover, we do not always achieve the best results by big jumps, but more often by a ladder whose rungs are little things done continually with faith, love and purity of intention.

To break the monotony of my account, I have allowed myself a few digressions, sometimes a little long. Pardon me, since they are linked to my subject, although less directly.

23

The definitive “Life of M. J. B. Champagnat� was written by Brother Jean-Baptiste Furet in 1853. An abridged version of this work was published in 1885 for use in schools.

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A.M.D.G.24

V.J.M.J.

Foreword My appreciation of the authenticity of the Life of Father Champagnat written by one of his first disciples I will say at the outset that I am wholly of the view that the Life of Father Champagnat written by one of his first disciples in two volumes – the first containing a full account of his life, and the second his spirit and virtues – is incontestably accurate, both in the deeds that are recounted, and in the instructions that are contained and, generally, literally recorded. In addition, I believe that the account which is made of his virtues, and the manner in which they are practised, are hardly exaggerated.

Moreover, there is a striking resemblance between what I saw with my own eyes, during the nine years that I was under the obedience of the good Father, and how the author describes the same period, so it would be wrong for me not to believe the whole content of the work.

My thoughts on the author And now, what can be said of its author? As for me, I can be sure, as can the very many who have known him, that it is neither inaccurate nor exaggerated to say that for him to write this Life in such an edifying way, his research was extensive and fastidious. Frequently he questioned not only the Brothers who lived at the time, but also people outside the Congregation who had some stories of this holy priest, making himself a detailed summary of all they saw or heard of the Venerable Father, and assuring himself of the veracity of their account by following processes of judgement for arriving at the complete truth. Above all, he wished to be candid and truthful, as was his character.

I must add also that, in order to plumb the spirit and virtues of the Venerable Father, the author examined all the writings he was able to locate, as well as his numerous letters, both the great number of personal and private ones he sent to the Brothers, and those to ecclesiastical, civil and other authorities.

Only after a long and judicious examination of all these data did he undertake this work, at all times ensuring that his account was scrupulously exact. Let us say that God blest him with a surprising memory, a sure and swift memory, a rare intelligence and, above all, a well tuned ability for disentangling the truth and essence of something from what may be secondary or embellished, so as to determine what is true and right.

The other works that he has published, above all those entitled “Avis et Sentences du Père Champagnat” and “Le Bon Supérieur” are beyond reproof. But, the one that best reveals his memory and his good judgement is, undeniably, his “Principes de Perfection”, in that he has condensed, with as much clarity as precision, all that the Fathers and the Doctors of the Church have said most strongly on religious asceticism and perfection.

24

“V.J.M.J.” (Live Jesus, Mary and Joseph) and “A.M.D.G” (Ad maiorem dei gloriam – for the greater glory of God) are traditional votives put on works as a dedication.

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Of all that we can say, we must conclude that the Life of Father Champagnat, to which we give a small appendix, reveals a character of incontestable exactness and about which we can, in conscience, attest the veracity under an oath of faith.

Reflections on the Life I have read The Life of Father Champagnat a number of times, and sought occasion to do so. It has always made a healthy impression on me. Never have I been moved so strongly to read it, and I am not the only one, than when it was decided by the Very Reverend Brother Superior General that each person, especially those who knew Father Champagnat, should make his own close reading of it in order that he would be able to give, in writing, his overall impression of the content to support the documents introducing the cause of our Venerable Founder in the heart of Rome. We know that when we read the Holy Scripture or the life of some canonised saint with piety and respect, such reading carries a special blessing.

Yes, Father Champagnat is a saint; his biography is an incontestable proof. All the Brothers who knew him proclaim it with a unanimous voice. Also, people young and old make it their most ardent wish that the cause introduced to the Holy See has a happy outcome and confirm surely that their Founder has practised theological and moral virtues to a heroic degree.

Yes, let us repeat with joy, Father Champagnat is a saint, but a saint who led a life hidden and unknown, like that of the Holy Virgin of Nazareth; he had a prize model, and, in his thought, he wished that her Congregation, retraced her simple, humble and modest life, and that it bore the blessed name of Mary with that of Little Brothers to remind everyone of this. They must have a filial devotion towards this Good Mother, and more, the mark that must distinguish them from other congregations is humility. We could say further that, if some masters of the spiritual life were to compare the various religious congregations to a bouquet of different flowers, and were to look on their beauty, their brightness, and their brilliant colours, the Congregation of the Little Brothers of Mary must be represented by the modest violet which attracts attention only by the beautiful fragrance it spreads around it.

This is the spirit of our Founder. Read his Life and you will see that work of his Congregation is the result of his profound humility.25

25

In the original, some further words are added to this sentence, possibly in the writing of another person: â€œâ€Ś, his great devotion to Mary, and his burning thirst for the salvation of souls.â€?

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A SHORT LIFE OF FATHER CHAMPAGNAT Part of the documents supporting the introduction of his cause

This Life contains as well, in its conclusion, an overview of the present state of the congregation, and a supplementary appendix.

1886-87 Saint-Genis-Laval

Author’s Note 30

In the course of editing this Life of Fr. Champagnat, I have omitted some texts because of their length or because I cannot reproduce them completely other than from memory.

I have confined myself to summarising the most important incidents. You might feel that the final moments of our Founder’s life and some other events are recounted with too much detail which does not fit in to our summary, but this is because I personally witnessed what is described, or spoke to witnesses who were there. It should also be understood that a biography written in this way would not attract the same interest, nor exhibit the same elegance of style to be found in textual quotations, detailed facts and more extensive reflections.

Apart from this, I think you will find in this document everything, which is edifying in the life of our Venerable Father.

Also, I have written in this style under obedience: I hope it will have this merit if nothing else. I would ask of those who read it that they pray for me to our Venerable Founder, who has, I have no doubt at all, a particular place close to the Holy Virgin, as he was one of her most devoted servants.

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FOREWORD Before I begin this brief life of Fr. Champagnat, please allow me to acknowledge the sources, which I have drawn from my memory, having lived for nine years under the obedience of Fr. Champagnat,26 from 1831 to 1840. · From conversations I held with Philippe Arnaud who was one of his nephews, a carpenter by trade, born in the parish of St. Saveur (Loire); he spent a number of years working at l’Hermitage, working in that lowly occupation under the eyes of Fr. Champagnat and where he was involved in many important matters. · In my frequent conversations with Brother Stanislas, to whom I was assistant for about a year, I learned that this good Brother, born Claude Fayoll in St. Medard (Loire) joined the Congregation in 1822, when there were only five or six members and until the death of Fr. Champagnat, his right hand man and great consolation. I know from him, in moments of intimate conversation, that Fr. Champagnat made him privy to many secrets concerning the family and others, especially relating to the Congregation, which were known only to him. · From the conversations of Brother Jean-Baptiste who joined the Congregation roughly one month after Brother Stanislas. I know that Fr. Champagnat often consulted with him because he recognised his good judgement, a rare talent for assessing character, and for running classes. For a number of years he was my Assistant and before this, I joined him at L’Hermitage, sent by Fr. Champagnat, to take classes for the student Brothers. · From Brother François, first Superior General and successor to Fr. Champagnat. The old Brothers know that Br. François, after his resignation, retired to l’Hermitage and for many years fulfilled the function of Director there. At the time when I was teaching, I well remember him speaking to us about Fr. Champagnat. · From Brother Louis-Marie, with whom I made my Novitiate. He was also my Director in La CôteSt-André for a number of years. Thanks to his religious piety he was approached by Fr. Champagnat to help in governing the Congregation, becoming the second Superior General. · Finally, in conversations with the older Brothers who had lived for a long time with Fr. Champagnat and of whom some forty are still alive today. I will quote them occasionally, in a general way, as I am unable to remember their names. · From others outside the Congregation. · From traditional sources.

Based on all of these, I am totally convinced of the truth contained in this document.

CHAPTER 1 26

The expression “under obedience” is an older way of expressing “living as a religious”. Obedience was seen as the primary vow: the total surrender of one’s will to the will of God, as realised in the will of one’s Superior.

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All those who knew Fr. Champagnat would be aware that he was born in Marlhes, a parish in the diocese of Lyon, in the village of Rosey, on 20th May 1789. When I was sent to this community by Fr. Champagnat himself in 1834 to take classes, I had the good fortune to see, not only the village of Rosey, but also to enter the family house of our Venerable Father, which even at that time, as far as I could see, belonged to some of his family.

I remember that people would say, talking about him, that he was the youngest of the Champagnat family and that they were very nice people, unassuming, pious and that they loved work. They worked the mill very well and I know that it still functions to this day.

It was on Ascension Day, he told us, that he had the good fortune to be baptised, making him a child of God and the Holy Mother Church, an expression, which he often used. Also, on that day, he always celebrated at l’Hermitage with the greatest possible ceremony, all the offices of that feast. I can still see him on this solemn occasion, radiant with joy and goodness, especially when he was celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Philippe Arnaud27 once told me, and Br. Stanislas repeated to me, that while little Marcellin Joseph Benoit (the names he received at baptism) was still in his cradle, his pious mother had seen several times coming from the breast of her son a sort of flame, which then circled his head. Then it arose, lighting up the whole room before vanishing, a precursor of the flame of zeal which, encircling his heart would make him later the head of a large religious family which through his example, zealous for the salvation of souls would carry the flame of faith to the most distant regions.

Br. Stanislas told me on a number of occasions that Fr. Champagnat often spoke to him of his holy mother, and of his virtuous aunt. Even on his deathbed he rejoiced to think that he would soon have the joy of seeing them again, as well as the good Brothers to whom God had granted the grace of perseverance in their vocation. On numerous occasions Fr. Champagnat had spoken of his aunt, an elderly nun expelled from her convent during the French Revolution, who had taught him his prayers, helped him recite the catechism and had inspired in him his great love of the Holy Virgin.

His mother and his aunt, seeing in him the happiest dispositions towards virtue, put especial zeal into protecting his innocence, inspiring in him the horror of evil and strengthening him in the practice of Christian life. I do not remember Br. Stanislas speaking to me of the intervention of young Marcellin’ father in his religious formation, but no doubt he was immersed in political affairs. I do know that he was very skilful and could turn his hand to anything. It was from him that Fr. Champagnat inherited his woodwork skills and the other manual skills, which would become so useful to him at a later date.

Also, I do not know how many times I have seen Fr. Champagnat at l’Hermitage, following the example of St. Joseph, his patron saint, plane in hand, repairing furniture and dressing wood but, above all building with all the skill of a workman.

Certainly, according to tradition, young Marcellin passed his early years in innocence and he made his First Holy Communion with such piety that he edified the whole parish of Marlhes. Although his 27

Philippe Arnaud was the son of Marcellin’s older sister. He worked on the building of l’Hermitage as a carpenter and was close to Marcellin. After the Founder’s death, Philippe continued to live nearby and kept in his house a number of Marcellin’s personal effects including, according to one oral tradition of the Arnaud family, the photograph that may have been taken of Fr Champagnat after the Founder’s death.

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mother and his aunt gave him some lessons in reading, they decided to send him to a proper schoolteacher, but being discouraged by this teacher’s cruel practices, he stopped going to school and dedicated himself to helping his parents in their different labours with no thought of following any other way of life.

Since at that time there was a great lack of priests in the diocese of Lyon, on account of the Revolution which had decimated and scattered a large number of priests, an order was given to the parish priests of the diocese to recruit from their respective parishes, choosing young men appropriate to this sublime vocation. At this time, M. Allirot, a very worthy priest,28 who founded our establishment and of whom they still spoke when I was in the community, served the parish of Marlhes. He was replaced by M. Duplay,29 superior in the Major Seminary, who was in turn replaced by M. Gardette, confessor of the faith during the Great Revolution. It was under this venerable priest that Fr. Champagnat studied his theology; afterwards he became his extraordinary confessor and close friend. Thanks to his advice and encouragement, Fr. Champagnat was able to overcome a serious problem, which I will mention later, a difficulty which threatened to destroy his burgeoning Congregation.

But let us return to the young Fr. Champagnat. One day a representative of the Major Seminary who came from Marlhes, was on holiday there and asked M. Allirot, on behalf of M. Courbon, the then Senior Vicar and a great friend of the parish priest, to ask him if there were any young men in the parish who might be able to learn Latin. To begin with, he replied no, but on thinking it over he told him ‘There is a family in the village of Rosey with several very quiet sons. Go and have a look…’ This he did and decided that the youngest, none other than little Marcellin of whom we have already spoken, could become a priest by virtue of his simplicity, candour and above all the sincerity, which had pleased him very much. Having taken this decision, which was irrevocable, the young Marcellin immediately set to work, although his parents were opposed to the idea, due to his lack of study.

Realising himself that he could neither read nor write well, he pleaded with his parents to place him with one of their in-laws, a teacher in St. Saveur, to learn Latin. And this is what they did. He, however, seeing the poor memory and the slow progress of his nephew, tried to put him off his chosen path. But Marcellin had reflected and was resolute in his vocation; from then onwards, nothing could put him off. He gave up his work in the fields, behaved in an even more edifying way and above all he redoubled his devotion to the Holy Virgin reciting the rosary every day. In 1805, having spent a year with his uncle, he entered the Minor Seminary of Verrières, not far from Montbrison.

I have heard many times that he did not enjoy any brilliant success and that they even thought of sending him home, as in their opinion he lacked the talents necessary for the goal that he had set himself. But the strong representations that he made to the Superior to keep him on were successful.

He thought he would have to leave the Seminary, but quite soon his hard work and steadfastness, joined to his fervent prayers, proved to his teachers that he did not lack aptitude, as in that year he was 28

The title ‘Father’ (in French, ‘Père’) was usually reserved at this time to priests who were members of religious orders.

Normal diocesan priests were called ‘Monsieur’ (abbreviation ‘M.’), the same as any other man, or more formally ‘Monsieur l’Abbé’. If they had the position of a parish priest or pastor, they were called ‘Curé’ or ‘Monsieur le Curé’, but this was not linked to their personal name. So, for example, Etienne Terraillon as parish priest of St Chamond would have been called ‘Monsieur Terraillon, le Curé de St Chamond’. When the priests of the Society of Mary made vows for the first time in 1836, they immediately started to use the title of ‘Père’; before this they were referred to as ‘Monsieur’. Sylvestre invariably refers to Champagnat as ‘Père’, usually abbreviated to ‘P.’ In this translation, ‘Père’ and ‘P.’ appear as ‘Father’ and ‘Fr.’, while ‘M.’ is left in its French form because the English word ‘Mister’ does not have exactly the same sense as ‘Monsieur’.

29 This is not correct. Claude Duplay was indeed curé of Marhles but it was his brother, Jean-Louis Duplay, mentor of Marcellin at Verrières, who became Rector of the Major Seminary.

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successful in his first two courses. It is worth noting that he completed his course in the Minor Seminary without the slightest difficulty and was admitted to the Major Seminary in October 1812. As for his conduct in Verrières during the time that he remained there, he became more and more edifying and exemplary due to the attention he paid to combating his defects and to acquiring the Christian virtues, which he strengthened through practical resolutions and secret acts of mortification when he felt the need. He made particular efforts to conquer, by the practice of profound humility, the pride that he had resolved to ‘extirpate from the root’ however long the fight would take. Thanks to his holiness, his regularity and his obedience he gained the esteem and confidence of his superiors who gave him tangible rewards by naming him as monitor of the dormitory.

We should add that through his cheerful, frank and open character, he gained the friendship of all his fellow students and the others who worked in the seminary.

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CHAPTER II The Major Seminary According to tradition, when Fr. Champagnat entered the Major Seminary he resolved above all to observe faithfully the Rule of the house as being the expression of the will of God, which he was anxious to accomplish, because as he often told us ‘Whoever lives according to the rule, lives according to God.’ In this he was, according to his Superior M. Gardette, a well-known model of regularity.

Many times I have heard it said that he was the embodiment of the Rule. Also Fr. Champagnat was greatly admired in the Seminary for his scrupulous observance. He also found the rule so wise that he adopted it as a model, which he later presented to the Congregation. Several people who came to the Novitiate at l’Hermitage via the Major Seminary remarked on the similarity of the exercises of piety and devotional practices and in Fr. Champagnat, the regularity of M. Gardette, their old Superior.

During the holidays it was not possible for him to follow the regulations of the Seminary, so he brought them into the bosom of his family, in order to control the freedom that he had enjoyed then, and we know that he accomplished this with the same care as in the Major Seminary. Through the writings (which we can believe) it can be seen that he had adapted the articles to the way of life led by his parents, especially at meal times, partaking of the normal daily food, without having anything special prepared for him. He never ate between meals and he was very scrupulous about drinking water, tasting fruit, and so on. Allow me to mention here something of which Br. François often reminded us. One day, as the good Father passed under a cherry tree, he picked a cherry to taste. But he had hardly bitten into it when he reproached himself for his lack of mortification and spat it out as though it were poison.

I myself have seen, on many occasions, Fr. Champagnat severely correct certain Brothers who needlessly sampled fruit or even grapes. He told them that they should go to confession as soon as possible before presenting themselves at the altar, as he considered this type of greed to be inappropriate in Religious.

But let us return to the Major Seminary. After the resolution he had taken to fully observe the Rule of the house, he again took on the task, begun in Verrières, of fighting against his pride, as he considered this to be his predominant passion. This had been the subject of his particular examen and he prayed fervently to heaven for the virtue of humility. But he understood the importance of practice and made energetic efforts to destroy his pride in all its forms, whenever it appeared. He added to these efforts acts of penance and mortification, which he rarely failed to complete, and when he did fail he would deprive himself of his dinner.

This approach, which he often recommended to us in order to correct our faults and to acquire the corresponding virtue, helped him to make rapid progress on the road to perfection. The Major Seminary was for him not only a period of theological study, but also a place where he acquired all sorts of virtues and corrected the conduct which in his eyes seemed to be imperfect – particularly in areas where he could cause pain to others, for as he said one day: ‘Without being aware of it, we can be a cross for others with whom we live.’ In this connection, he told us that in the Major Seminary he had had to suffer many upsets because of a room-mate: his way of walking, of sitting down, of blowing his nose, of opening the window etc. It really annoyed him and it even seemed ridiculous to him, but one day, having thought about it, he realised that this could be an opportunity for an ideal penance so he resolved to suffer these minor irritations with patience and he accomplished it because he added that he had never spoken about them.

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A characteristic virtue which he developed during his theological studies and whose symbol was revealed when he was still a baby was the flame of zeal for the salvation of souls. Already in Verrières he had decided that when the occasion presented itself, he would never fail to work with his followers in the practice of virtue, to correct them when necessary, especially when they allowed themselves complaints, often imaginary, about their teachers. He guided them towards their studies in spite of the difficulties involved. He did this in the major seminary, especially for those over whom he had some influence. But this was not all that he was able to do. He offered an example, which was as perfect as he could make it, of a young seminarian preparing himself for this sublime vocation.

His burning zeal for the salvation of souls was most evident during the holidays, where he had a wider field to put it into practice with his family, in the parish and especially among children. Indeed, tradition tells us that every day there took place within his family morning and evening prayers, spiritual reading. On Sundays and Feast Days everyone joined in the Rosary. He himself took charge of these exercises. He never missed an opportunity to instruct them in the truths of Christian doctrine, the various devotional practices of the Church giving them wise counsels and good advice. After his relatives, his main concern was for the children. He gathered them together to instruct them in the catechism and also taught them how to pray. His wise and fatherly words were principally aimed at inspiring in them the horror of sin and making them love the child Jesus. He was loved, respected and revered by all; just the thought of him, said one of them, was enough to stop me offending God. Among the seminarians, Fr. Champagnat was not the only one inspired with apostolic zeal. Many others were of a similar mind, and gathered together from time to time to look for the best ways to save as many souls as possible. One day they had the idea of establishing a society of priests whose object would be the missions30 and the education of youth. And, as they all professed a particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin, they all agreed that the society in the future would bear the name of Mary.

The leaders at these meetings were principally Fr. Colin and Fr. Champagnat. They shared their project with M. Cholleton,31 who was then Vicar of the Diocese. He not only approved of their idea, but also asked to be part of their meetings and supported them with some excellent advice.

Very often in these small, pious committees, Fr. Champagnat shared with the priests his desire to work with country children. As he constantly came back to this, they ended by telling him: ‘Right, you look after the Brothers, because it is your idea.’ Fr. Champagnat took this as a direct command from heaven and wanted to set things up as soon as he could. According to Brother Stanislas, who told this to others and myself, this was the origin of the Congregation personified by our Founder.

The idea of forming at a later date a Congregation of Brothers to teach the catechism was not the only thing preoccupying Fr. Champagnat. He was already anticipating the moment when he would be called to Holy Orders. Fully appreciating the sanctity of his vocation, he prepared himself with fervent prayers. Finally the moment arrived when the Master of Ceremonies announced that he would be called to participate in the next ordination. So, on 6th January 1814, the feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, he received the clerical tonsure, the four minor orders and the sub-diaconate, at the hands of his Eminence Cardinal Fesch, Archbishop of Lyon. He was already twenty-four and some months old.

This day was from then on a particularly special day. I remember that the commemorative feast of his entry to the priesthood was celebrated at l’Hermitage with unsurpassed ceremony, in order to recognise, 30

Presumably, the reference is to the inland or domestic missionary work of which there was a strong tradition in that part of France.

31 According to Brother Jean-Baptiste, Cholleton was a director at the seminary at this time.

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as he said, this great privilege. Wine was served on this occasion and true to custom, is still served to this day, to remind the whole community.32 In the following year he was made deacon, and on 22nd July 1816 he received the priestly unction, authorised by Cardinal Fesch, at the hands of Mgr. Dubourg, Bishop of Nouvelle-Orleans [New Orleans]. One can easily understand with what piety, what recollection and what love he celebrated his first Mass, after such careful preparation, surrendering his heart to the love of Our Lord. Most of his group were ordained with him and consequently they were beginning to look ahead to their separation. When they would go to the places where obedience sent them. They promised to write to each other with the intention of carrying out their project as soon as possible.

Although many seminarians worried about their placements after the ordination, Fr. Champagnat, who felt no concern, once told us at l’Hermitage that before he read the list of appointments, he knew that he would be sent to the last parish in the diocese, because he presumed that he deserved nothing else.

He accepted it in advance, as it was the will of God, and in this way he would not be disappointed.

And, indeed, that is what happened. After his ordination he was assigned as curate to the busy parish of La Valla,33 in the canton of St-Chamond.

Before he left Lyon, he visited the chapel in Fourvière and in this ancient sanctuary, where so many vows and prayers are addressed to Mary; he consecrated himself once more to our Good Mother and placed his ministry under her special protection. I am not exactly sure if it was then that he was authorised to celebrate High Mass in this chapel, but be that as it may, according to what I was told during my Novitiate, he celebrated it with such piety, such impressive gravity and with such an impressive tone of voice that those who took part, when they were leaving, asked themselves: ‘Who is that priest who is so dignified and so pious, who has just celebrated the Mass? He is a saint.’ Such was the impression he produced on the community every time he celebrated the holy sacrifice, as we will mention later.

32

Brother Paul Sester points out that there was tradition of drinking toasts on the 6th January, “La fête des Rois” (the Feast of Kings). The custom was for people in turn to take a figurine of the king from a special cake and to exclaim “Le roi boit” (the king drinks) before drinking. Here Br Sylvestre uses “le roiboit” as a noun, suggesting that this was the name of the toast or the special wine for this annual occasion.

33 In Champagnat’s time, the town’s name was usually written as one word, Lavalla. Before the Revolution it was called Le Thoil Saint Andéol de La Valla, “La Valla” being the patois word for “the valley”. In his Life Br Jean-Baptiste used the twoword expression La Valla (the name it adopted under Napoleon III), something for which he was apparently criticised by some old Brothers of the time. Sylvestre uses both, but mainly La Valla. Today it is known as La Valla en Gier 38

CHAPTER III He Renews the Parish of Lavalla As we shall see, under the protection of Mary, his overwhelming thirst for souls, which he had already demonstrated in Verrières and which had grown year after year, endowed with a naturally open, friendly character and at the same time warm and firm, Fr. Champagnat could not fail to see his ministry crowned with brilliant success. Also, as I have heard discussed by the older Brothers, he completely reformed this parish where, due to great ignorance, many vices prevailed, among them drinking, nightly dances, the reading of evil books,34 the Sacraments abandoned, the education and instruction of the children neglected, as there was no primary school.

Already, before his ordination, he had drawn up in advance a rule, which he had proposed to follow faithfully in the post to which he had been nominated, a rule, which was found among his papers after his death. He finished it at La Valla, when he was currently deciding what he should do. He fixed the hour of rising at four o’clock. Meditation and the Holy Mass then followed this first act of the day. He continued to do this at l’Hermitage during my Novitiate. Generally the celebration of the Holy Mass, prayer, study of theology, visiting the sick and the confessional occupied his day. He retired to bed at 9.00, at the latest 10.00.

Having prayed and reflected before God, the most appropriate way to root out the vices mentioned earlier, he constructed a plan of attack, passing it on to the parish priest, to whom he was always entirely obedient, without doing anything important before consulting him, following his opinion, his advice and his orders. I must point out in passing that this new superior did not resemble M. Gardette; many character defects, above all a great susceptibility which caused a great deal of suffering.35 In addition he had another obvious defect, which had lost him the respect, esteem and the affection of his parishioners, something which was bitterly deplored by Fr. Champagnat, but these did not stop him from having for his Parish Priest all possible consideration and deference.

Before putting into practice the strategy with which he had resolved to wage war on the vices of which we spoke earlier, realising that the villagers of La Valla were simple and obedient people, of good heart, but uneducated and full of prejudice towards their parish priest, he tried at first to win their affection through meeting them and understanding their simplicity and their rural practices. This was easy for him, given the excellent character with which nature had endowed him. Also, young and old people liked to meet with him because he always had a pleasant word for all. When time permitted, he was not afraid to talk for longer with this one and that one, discussing their work and their problems, but always on these occasions he attempted to lead the conversation to edifying topics, with the aim of encouraging them and making them aware of their behaviour, which certainly left something to be

34

“Dance”, in addition to its conventional meaning, was a term sometimes euphemistically used for socially unacceptable levels of immodest, even licentious, behaviour at gatherings of young people. Dances were customarily held in barns, and attracted condemnation from civic and religious leaders who were worried about threats to public morality. Marcellin’s approach appears to be less harsh than others of his contemporaries, for example Jean-Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars. Such cri “Evil books” more often than not referred to publications that the Church at that time had condemned for being critical of religion, of its moral precepts, or of its (usually anti-republican) political leanings.

35 The name of the cure of La Valla was Jean-Baptiste Rebod. Sylvestre refers here to Rebod’s problem with alcohol. He also suffered from a speech defect which made him reluctant to preach. He was 38 years old at the time of Marcellin’s arrival at La Valla, having been appointed there in 1812. In 1824 he was removed from the parish, and died in St Chamond the next year.

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desired. And in this way, with his affable manner, simplicity and dignity he put everyone at ease and won the hearts and friendship of his parishioners.

However, all of this was no more than a preliminary; this way he intended to attract them to his sermons, which were already becoming well known. In one of the articles of his rule he had resolved that he would never mount the pulpit without serious preparation and it so happened that in his first sermon he so pleased his listeners that, when they were leaving the Church they said in surprise: ‘We have never had such a preacher before.’ This reputation, in conjunction with the strategy mentioned, ended by attracting the whole population around the pulpit.

However, while captivating the listeners by the charm of his words, which were sweet, penetrating and full of fire, he had the talent, using the subject, to give to his voice a tone, which was firm, energetic and so terrible that he terrified the whole congregation. This is what happened when his subject revolved around the power of sin, judgement, hell and the vices that ruled in the parish. I have myself heard him treat these frightening and terrible subjects, and when I think on it, I am still stupefied, but in spite of this I would still like to hear him again. I am not surprised that he took such care to prepare himself when he had to preach and it does not surprise me that people still talk of the days when the church could hardly contain the congregation.

Apart from his moving sermons and warm exhortations, another method that he used to bring the parishioners back to a good life and which had marvellous results, was to take charge himself of catechism classes, something which the Parish Priest was very pleased to let him do. The particular concern which he had for the children and the love which he offered them, combined with his air of goodness and his rare talent for teaching the basics of the Christian doctrine gave the children whom he catechised a strong desire to go to catechism classes. They even braved the cold, the rain and the snow.

They came in great numbers, in spite of the long distances that separated them from the church, frequently several kilometres.

His method of explaining the catechism was simple, clear and methodical. First he got them to recite the text as well as possible – those who could learn – and he himself made those who could not read, repeat the lesson. Then by means of short, clear, precise examples, he made sure that the lesson was fully understood. If necessary, he explained the most used expressions with striking comparisons, which were simple, natural and even humorous.

Above all, he never forgot to add to each lesson some practical conclusions. Ordinarily he would finish his catechism lesson with an edifying little story or with a pious exhortation. Rewards rather than punishments and an enthusiasm of which only he knew the secret were the cause of great encouragement and strong discipline that characterised his catechism lessons. The care, which he took in preparing the children who would be admitted to their First Communion, was his principal concern and he did not rest until they were ready to make this great act of their life with all possible piety and fervour.

In order to get them to think well ahead, he attracted to the catechism classes, by his pious works, those who, even although they were very young, were not obliged to attend and he made them learn by heart the lesson of the day. Brother François assured us that he had attended catechism classes from an early age.

The parents seeing the eagerness of their children to go and listen to the zealous curate, and astonished when they described the beautiful incidents and stories that they heard during catechism, became quite 40

anxious to attend themselves. So it was not long before they began to hurry there, above all on Sundays, young people, women and even the elderly. Due to this, there was a slight change in the form of the catechism class, making possible the extraction of some practical reflections which went a long way towards correcting the bad habits of the parish, getting them to return to the sacraments when they had been away for so long. His catechism classes and talks, always well prepared and preceded by prayer (two important points which he never tired of recommending to us for our future work with our students) produced fruits in abundance. We will see later on how we learned the same means as he had employed to correct the principal vices infecting the majority of inhabitants in the locality.

The vice of drink was the one he fought against with all his strength and which caused him most difficulty to purge from the parish. His impressive sermons and the energy which he dedicated to this, reproving the behaviour of the culprits, threatening them with divine anger and, in many other ways, would have been enough, normally, to cut down the considerable number of taverns and drinkers. But sadly, an obstacle in the form of his own parish priest blocked his unceasing efforts.

Fr. Champagnat believed that drinking only water at his meals should satisfy him, and this is what he did. Finally, God blessed his truly heroic zeal. These haunts of intemperance diminished considerably and those, which remained, became virtual deserts, where people dared enter only in case of necessity.

He had such a strong aversion to this vice, that he never drank unadulterated wine. I have often heard him repeat this popular adage: ‘A man who drinks is nothing.’

The nightly dancing, that vile plague that corrupts all good customs was an object of his special attention. He resolved, after speaking strongly against this scandal from the pulpit, to employ a strategy that would abolish it. To do this, he secretly informed himself of the hamlets where the dance would take place, went there to give catechism lessons, braving even the rain, the snow and the roads which were full of mud. If the dance had already started, he would enter quietly and present himself with great seriousness. Immediately on his appearance, the people tried to escape as best they could through the door, or jumping out of the windows, such was the fear and respect inspired by his presence. Bit by bit, this evil disappeared entirely from the parish.

As for the evil books, on his visits to the houses he would generally ask if there were any books and if the reply were in the affirmative, he would ask to see them. Then, if he found anything untoward, he would persuade the owner to burn them, but usually he asked if he could take them away and then replaced them with others which were edifying and appropriate. He would not charge them. Thanks to his efforts, a library was introduced to give the families an opportunity to read good books. Fortunately, the number of books that were consigned to the flames was not significant, as the majority of the inhabitants did not know how to read. But there were enough to spread through the parish the subtle poisons, which are contained in these evil productions. According to what I have heard said, on one occasion he made such a collection that it took a whole day to burn them.

When he arrived in the parish he found that a good number of parishioners, especially the older people, did not even fulfil their Easter Duties.36 Moved by the sermons of Fr. Champagnat and the exhortations made during his catechism lessons, they did not take long to repent. Soon his confessional, especially on major feast days, became so overcrowded that he was obliged to spend a large part of the day there. In the opinion of his penitents, he had a particular gift for inspiring in them a lively sense of repentance of their sins; his touching advice made them shed abundant tears to which he added his own 36

‘Easter Duties’ refers to the requirement that Catholics should receive Holy Communion (and, therefore, also the Sacrament of Penance) around Easter time.

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to see God so offended and yet so merciful towards repentant sinners. When he came into contact with hardened sinners in the fields or elsewhere he spoke kindly to them, encouraging them with pleasant words then when he had captured their hearts he made them promise to come to confession, a promise which in general they honoured. It is a fact that, according to tradition, all the confirmed sinners he converted have nearly all persevered in the practice of good. What is evident is that thanks to this apostolic zeal, his talks, his catechism lessons, his good example, his fervent prayers his devotion to Mary whose month he had established from the beginning of his ministry, and to the frequent visits to Our Lord, he produced a veritable revolution from evil to good in all of the parish. Also, only a few years had gone by since his arrival before obvious changes took place in the religious spirit and the good he has done remains until the present day.

The frequent visits that he made to the sick and his eagerness to minister to them when their state was a cause of alarm, was such that he was able to say to a close friend after he had left the parish that thank God no sick person had died without his arriving on time to aid them spiritually. In these circumstances, he did not walk but flew!

Before undertaking this kind of visit and even before those he made to the parish he never failed, before leaving, to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and the same on his return, if it was at all possible. To understand how much this part of his ministry cost him, you must know that the parish of La Valla, and I can speak with some authority on this point, is situated in the gorges of the mountains neighbouring Mont Pilat. It is made up of a large number of large hamlets, separated by deep ravines; the roads which lead from one hamlet to another are for the most part rough, muddy, narrow and illkept. One can imagine the painful walks Fr. Champagnat had to undertake to accomplish his ministry, for as well as his visits to the sick, he had to combine the care of assisting the infirm to complete their Easter Duties, as well as dealing with his parish priest, taking over most of his work. Tradition tells us that neither the snow falling, sometimes in large flakes, nor the roads covered in ice or driving rain, nor even the darkness of night could stop him when he had to go to assist someone on the great journey to eternity. On how many occasions, he said to the Brothers accompanying him, had he seen his health visibly protected by the Blessed Virgin, to whom he always turned in the face of adversity. We notice once again that on his arrival he took nothing to eat and was content to heat himself if it was not a mealtime.

In the warm weather his fatigue was just as great, climbing up to the different hamlets and descending the steeply inclined slopes. I have travelled over some of them in the winter and in the summer and I can understand how much Fr. Champagnat suffered in the countless journeys that he made from one village to another. Finally, these comings and goings were not solely to visit the sick, but also to reestablish contact with the families, to reconcile their enemies, to help the poor, to console the afflicted and to bring back to their duties the people who had distanced themselves and who no longer spoke charitably of their priest. He had a natural gift for gaining confidence and correcting without ever hurting.

Finally, he said one day to one of his friends, going from l’Hermitage to La Valla: ‘If all the sweat I used up in travelling to these different villages was gathered, I think there would be enough to take a bath.’ I heard from Brother Stanislas and other Brothers just how much pain and fatigue the different journeys cost him.

Let us finish this chapter with another act of zeal, which had as its goal the sanctity of Sundays for the inhabitants of the market town. As it was the custom in the parish to sing Vespers immediately after High Mass, taking into consideration the distance separating the villages, he established the following 42

exercise: Compline was sung first, followed by evening prayer and then spiritual reading, on which Fr. Champagnat would give a commentary, often interspersing pious reflections. The eagerness with which he delivered this, made the number of dancers diminish considerably and it was exactly this that Fr. Champagnat had in mind when he established this practice. Finally, as he had no place in the parish for a teacher, he brought one in to begin the instruction and education of the children who had nothing.

He hoped that his Congregation, of which he had begun to lay the foundations, would continue and perfect this important task.

Everything I have mentioned in this chapter is taken from our traditions and cannot be doubted.

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CHAPTER IV Foundation of the Congregation and the First Houses While he worked without rest on the reform of the parish of La Valla, Fr. Champagnat was involved more than ever in the mission that had been entrusted to him by Providence. Tradition tells us that believing himself unworthy of such work, he prayed to God to remove this thought and sometimes he would say in all simplicity: ‘I am here, Lord, to do your will.’ This troubled him for a long time until Providence, as I heard from his own lips, stopped all his doubts. One day they came hurrying to tell him that a twelve-year-old boy was dying.37 As was his way, he dropped everything and left immediately. But before listening to the dying youngster’s confession, he wanted to find out just how much religious instruction he had. But sadly he found out that the child did not even know that there was a God. He sat beside him and in the course of the next two hours instructed him as best he could on the principal mysteries of religion and on the Sacrament of Penance. Then he heard his confession and left him to go and administer to another sick person, promising that he would return immediately afterwards. But sadly the child died before he returned. Although grief-stricken by this sudden death, he consoled himself in the belief that perhaps he had opened the doors of eternity for the child. Then he said to himself, ‘How many young people are there perhaps in the same situation and therefore run the risk of being lost forever?’ Greatly disturbed by this thought, he no longer hesitated in founding his Congregation and went in search of Granjon.

Jean-Marie Granjon was a pious young man. Since the start of his ministry in La Valla, Fr. Champagnat had had him in his sights as the first stone of the society he wished to found. One day, as Fr. Champagnat was going to visit the sick, he met Jean-Marie and spoke to him of the importance of salvation and discussed with him the vanity of worldly pleasures and the riches of this world. Seeing that Jean-Marie listened to him with great attention, he persuaded him to come from his hamlet to the village, promising to give him some reading lessons, to which Jean-Marie happily agreed, because he could neither read nor write. But it must be pointed out that in a short time, thanks to his excellent attitude he soon picked up these two essential pieces of knowledge. Fr. Champagnat also passed on to him such a love of piety that, joined to his edifying conduct; he became a model for the whole parish.

And as we have said, he spoke to him about what had happened and shared his project with him. Full of confidence in Fr. Champagnat and anxious to follow him, he fully agreed with Fr. Champagnat’s views and put himself at his disposal, being prepared to do everything asked of him. Fr. Champagnat encouraged him and assured him that he would not be long without companions.

This prophecy did not take long to be fulfilled. A young man from the market town, Jean-Baptiste Audras, was reading from Pensez-y bien was touched by grace and resolved to become a religious. Full of this idea, he set off one Sunday for St- Chamond for an interview with the Director of the Brothers of the Christian Schools to tell him of his plans. He agreed fully, but told him that he was too young to be received into their Institute. A little disappointed but not discouraged, he returned home and on the following Saturday he went to confession to Fr. Champagnat and explained what he had done. Fr. Champagnat recognising in his penitent a soul already clothed in the robe of innocence, encouraged him to follow his vocation. But an inspiration made him realise that this youth would be the first stone of his Congregation. And it was true, because sadly, Jean-Marie Granjon did not persevere. His pride made him lose his vocation. At that time, Fr. Champagnat said nothing to him, merely inviting him to come and live with Jean-Marie Granjon and offered to give him some instruction. The young Audras 37

Actually, Jean-Baptiste Montagne was 17 years of age.

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spoke to his parents and who did not object. Some time later, Fr. Champagnat explained his plans and asked him if he would like to be part of the Society, which he had decided to found. ‘I am in your hands,’ he told him. ‘The only thing that I want is to be a religious.’

Seeing the excellent dispositions of these two young men, Fr. Champagnat immediately purchased a house with some land and a small orchard. The total value came to one thousand, six hundred francs.

As he only had his modest salary as a curate, he had to borrow the money. To make the house habitable he had some repairs done and made the furniture himself. Then, in this humble place, which resembled the poor house of Nazareth, on 2nd January 1817, he received his first two followers. This was the cradle of the Institute, which I had the good fortune to visit several times. This was the grain of mustard sown by Fr. Champagnat. We will see what happened later.

In the manner of the ancient hermits, Fr. Champagnat established as a fundamental principle that prayer, study and manual work should occupy the day. Meanwhile he did not lose sight of his two pupils; he often saw them, communicating his plans to them, encouraging them, giving them instruction and even helping them to make nails, as this was their sole means of livelihood. They continued this way, on their own throughout the winter in peace and close union. In the spring they received a new companion, Antoine Couturier.38 Thanks to his piety and good character, this third companion was for them a great source of joy and edification.

A little time later, the elder brother of Jean-Baptiste Audras came to join them in a strange and providential way. One day he arrived, sent by his parents to look for his brother Jean-Baptiste to take him back home. But being strongly attached to his vocation, he sought out Fr. Champagnat and asked him not to consent to this. His brother was waiting, because he did not wish to return home alone.

Then Fr. Champagnat spoke cheerfully and kindly to him and convinced him to come and live with his brother, which he did a few days later. Soon, a fifth postulant called Barthélemy Badard, as simple as he was holy, came to augment the small community.

Finally a boy about ten years old arrived. His name was Gabriel Rivat and his features glowed with innocence. Under the name Brother François, he later replaced Fr. Champagnat as Superior General of the Congregation. We have already seen that from a very early age, he attended the catechism lessons given by Fr. Champagnat, who never lost sight of him. Also, having made his First Communion, he asked his parents to put him into the Brothers’ house and asked for lessons in Latin to which his parents had no objection, allowing him to take part in this new community if that was his wish. His mother, when she put him in the care of Fr. Champagnat told him that she had many times consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin and that consequently she put him entirely at his disposal.

To maintain the spirit of charity in the small community, Fr. Champagnat wanted them to call each other Brother. J.M. Granjon, A. Couturier and Barthélemy Badard retained their baptismal names. Out of devotion39 J.B. Audras took the name of Brother Louis; his older brother, Brother Laurent; and Gabriel Rivat, as we have already seen, Brother François. From the beginning of their religious life Fr. Champagnat instilled in them such a fear of sin that even a small lapse terrified them as can be seen from their biographies.

He also gave them as a model the Blessed Virgin’s quiet and hidden life in Nazareth. This was why he wanted humility, simplicity and modesty to be the distinctive features of the Congregation and that 38

According to Brother Laurent (Claude Audras), it was he who was the third and Brother Antoine Couturier the fourth to join. This seems more probable.

39 Devotion to St Louis of Gonzaga 45

they should bear the holy name of Mary with Little Brothers to remind all the members of the Institute that they should profess a special devotion to the Queen of Heaven and the sign which would distinguish them from other communities should be their profound humility.

They kept so closely to this name of Little that when some people wanted to suppress it as useless, they did not manage it. Also, for a long time the violet and the monogram40 have continued to be the emblems of the Congregation.

The practice of these virtues, so zealously employed by Fr. Champagnat in forming his first disciples shone with great brightness. Brother Louis was distinguished for his great love of Our Lord. Brother Laurent for his great zeal for the catechism; Brother Antoine for his great modesty; Brother Barthélemy for his frank and open simplicity. As for Brother François, he was a perfect model of regularity, silence and recollection and I can speak with authority, having been under his direction when he retired from his position as General.

With the exception of Brother Jean-Marie I was well acquainted with all the other Brothers and I can testify, in praise of Fr. Champagnat, that until the end of their lives they were always, for me, accomplished models of all the solid virtues which Fr. Champagnat taught them, more by example than words. Also, their deaths had all the characteristics of the predestination, which makes saints, and my ambition is to imitate them.

We have already said, and will continue to say, that Fr. Champagnat was essentially a man to follow rules. Realising that without rules he would never manage to form good religious, nor good teachers, he gave himself the task of training his first disciples in the rules which would only be modified if circumstances dictated. But although he had authority over everyone and everything, it was his wish that his little community should have a special Director to preside at the exercises of piety, to direct the Brothers in their exterior conduct and to take care of all the other details in the house. They would elect him in a secret ballot. Brother Jean-Marie having received the majority of the votes was therefore elected to this important position. Through the very fact of his nomination he became responsible to Fr. Champagnat for the observance of the rule and was obliged to advise, to correct when necessary those who were at fault, even accidentally. When this was arranged Fr. Champagnat prescribed the exercises of piety that would be practised in the Community and the times when they would take place.

These exercises, besides the prayers of any good Christian, comprised the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, meditation, and assistance at Mass, spiritual reading, particular examen and the culpe (the accusation of faults). He ruled that silence should be observed at all times, except during recreation which would always be conducted in community, except in the case of real necessity and again only in a low voice, above all after evening prayer until meditation the following morning. This is what is called the Great Silence. Manual work was the main occupation because this was the only source of income for the house. There were, however, periods of study and class; catechism was always one of the most important lessons. On the other hand, Fr. Champagnat gave lessons in reading and writing etc., according to each one’s need. Basically the rule was virtually the same as that in use in Novitiates and in the Mother House. They got up at five o’clock – later he made it four o’clock and the General Chapter of 185641 made it four thirty. Fr. Champagnat himself gave the signal for this first public act by the use of a bell, placed in front of the Brothers’ bedrooms, which he rang by means of a wire running from the presbytery to the house. Bedtime was at nine o’clock, a practice that still obtains today.

40 41

The monogram of the intertwined letters ‘A’ and ‘M’, signifying ‘Ave Maria’.

In fact, this General Chapter was held in three sessions: 1852, 1853 and 1854.

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The food was of the most frugal kind, mostly bread. But, goodness me! What bread! Coarse, badly kneaded and badly cooked flour. In a word, bread made by Brothers who had no previous experience.

Then soup, some vegetables and water to drink. The bed was made of a straw mattress and a pillow stuffed with leaves, sheets of coarse cloth and two blankets of very poor quality. The frame of the bed consisted of some basic planks fitted together by Fr. Champagnat himself. And yet, in spite of these scant resources, poor food and poverty and lack of comfort, I know that these early Brothers were contented, cheerful and happy, because Fr. Champagnat tempered these sacrifices with encouraging words, sometimes finely ironic but always paternal. On the other hand, he always gave them an excellent example of patience, humility, and conformity to the will of God and all the religious virtues.

It was at this same time that he gave them, following the example of corporations, a semi-religious habit. I have seen a Brother cook who still wears it.42 It consisted of a pale blue frock coat, reaching to mid-leg, black trousers and a round hat, hence the name of Blue Brothers given to them by the people, a name which is still used in St-Chamond. It is well known that the colour blue is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and that is why Fr. Champagnat originally adopted it as a distinctive sign of his Congregation, since he regarded the Blessed Virgin as our First Superior.

The little community was already constituted and formed a genuine society; all that was needed now was to make it follow its goal of educating youth. We have already pointed out that Fr. Champagnat, aware of the complete neglect of instruction and education for the young people, had brought in a teacher, hoping that the Brothers themselves could then take over the school. This teacher, influenced by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, knew their teaching methods perfectly, which pleased Fr. Champagnat very much. He was admitted to the community and, in his free time he gave lessons to the Brothers, teaching them how to direct and keep discipline in class and showing them how to instruct the children in the different branches of education.

Formed in this way, the Brothers were very soon capable of taking over the school in La Valla and asked Fr. Champagnat if they could do so. First and foremost, wishing them to practise humility, he proposed that they try using their talents by giving classes in the larger hamlets of the village, which they accepted willingly and, thank God, fulfilled this function to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants and the great delight of Fr. Champagnat.

At that time, Fr. Champagnat who then entrusted his class to Brother Jean-Marie dismissed the teacher whose conduct was not very exemplary. Up until then, the inhabitants had not had many dealings with the Brothers, but when they saw their school was so well disciplined and saw the rapid progress of their children, they began to open their eyes and understand that the Brothers of Fr. Champagnat were not just pious ‘nail makers’,43 but rather good religious teachers. Also, the number of pupils grew considerably. Many parents, who lived in faraway villages, wishing their children to take advantage of the teaching given by the Brothers, began to house them in the town. Unfortunately these children were not sufficiently supervised after classes and disturbed the other children. To sort out this situation Fr. Champagnat added some extensions to the house and took them in as boarders. More poor children appeared and Fr. Champagnat, counting on Providence, took them in and took responsibility not only for their education, but also for their food, contenting himself, when people complained, because it was

42

While Br Jean-Baptiste agrees that it was Champagnat who gave the Brothers a blue coat in 1818, it is almost certain that the original coat was a black frock coat, and that it was Courveille who changed it to blue for a short time in 1824-26.

43 As suggested at the beginning of the chapter, nail making (or recycling) was one of the local cottage industries that the new community adopted as a source of income.

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well known that he had few resources, by saying: Charity does not make one poor, just as the Mass does not make one late.’ And he continued the good work without worrying about the gossips.

For a long time, he felt that his continuous presence in the community was necessary to form the Brothers in religious virtues, complete their instruction and to follow them closely in the exercise of their duties, with a view to correcting them if necessary. Therefore, in spite of the reasons the parish priest had for opposing his plans, principally concerning the poor diet, the manner in which he went about funding and other personal issues; he shared the poverty of the Brothers and their work when he had time.

It is certain that he had to suffer a great deal due to this new lifestyle, but he had, a long time earlier, taken the resolution to sacrifice everything and endure everything in order to follow, till his last breath, the work entrusted to him by Providence. It is necessary to add once again, that, though the Brothers loved him very much, they did not, probably because they did not think of it, offer him the care and attention due to a Superior. So he made his own bed, tidied his own room, cleaned his own shoes etc., without the slightest fuss.44 I mention his room, but goodness, what a room! I have had the good fortune to see it and it still exists today, situated on the ground floor. It is, low, narrow and unhealthy.

On the walls you can still see many quotations from the sacred scriptures, each of which leads to deep reflection. As to his food, it was very much the same as that of the little community and it was only out of convenience that his table was separate in the refectory that is to say he ate alone.

God wished to mitigate a little his acts of mortification, which he endured without complaint. On 18th February 1822 a postulant arrived who was twenty-one years old. He was destined to be his support, the confidant of his projects, consolation in his troubles and the visible salvation of the Society. This was Brother Stanislas (Claude Fayole), born as I have already said, in St-MÊdard. At first sight it seemed that he lacked manners and respect for the ideals of Fr. Champagnat. With Fr. Champagnat’s permission, which he did not immediately give, Brother Stanislas made his bed, cleaned his room, took care of the housework and made himself the servant of all the Brothers, but especially of Fr. Champagnat. He looked after him almost single-handedly during his first and last illness and submitted to him all the duties of filial piety that the most caring of children pay to their parents. Like the other Brothers of whom we have already spoken, he excelled in the virtues of humility, simplicity and modesty. But he stood out particularly for the great attachment to his vocation and for his zeal and affirmation of the younger Brothers. His death was greatly regretted. It was from him that tradition was passed on and I learned from his own mouth many of the edifying things about Fr. Champagnat.

Here then, we finally have Fr. Champagnat with his Brothers. He continued, however, to fulfil his priestly functions with the same zeal that did not prevent him from carrying on with the formation of the young Brothers. Above all, from the earliest days he helped them learn methods of teaching the catechism to children and he demanded that it be done every day in class, because with the increase in the number of pupils he was obliged to repeat everything in the parish. He made a point of going to listen to the Brothers without being seen, then during recreation he would point out any inaccuracies or other faults, which he had observed in the course of the lesson.

44

The involvement of a priest in menial tasks and manual work was, at the time, generally regarded as demeaning of the dignity of the clerical state. It was customary for priests to wear laced cuffs to signify this. In this view, which Champagnat clearly rejects, the hands that held the Blessed Sacrament at Mass should not be soiled. Sylvestre assumes his readers would be aware of this.

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To make sure they did not lose sight of the goal proposed at the beginning of the Congregation, the religious instruction of country children, he sent them out on certain days to the hamlets of the parish, as he himself had done before entrusting them to the school in La Valla, not to teach but only to do catechism.

When they arrived at the hamlet to which they were assigned, the Brothers gathered, in the most convenient place, as many people as they could, men, women, young people and children; then, after getting them to sing, they would question the young people about some points regarding the catechism, which they would then explain to the best of their ability, not forgetting each time to add some practical conclusions. They usually finished the session with an edifying story.

As these catechism sessions were well prepared and the catechists put into practice what they taught, they produced a real benefit and attracted practically all of the inhabitants of the hamlets they visited.

Fr. Champagnat sometimes went unannounced to listen to them and, following his custom, during recreation he would mention what he had seen that needed correction.

Le Bessat, a large village situated some two hours from La Valla45 and where the snow abounds during the harsh winter season, was the place where Brother Laurent displayed his zeal. At that time, this hamlet, called a parish, had no priest and consequently its inhabitants were sunk in the depths of religious ignorance. Brother Laurent requested the favour of being sent there to teach catechism, a favour, which was granted to him as recompense. He went up every week from La Valla, carrying a sack of provisions to last him, usually bread, potatoes and cheese. He lived in the house of a friend where he himself prepared food, which was the same as that used by the people in the fields and probably worse.

One day, he told me about this, his face shining with joy. ‘When I reached Bessat’ he told me, ‘I went all over the village morning and evening ringing a hand bell to bring the children together. Once they had gathered round, I taught them their prayers, the catechism and how to read, because there was no school in the village. On Sundays, all of the villagers assembled in the chapel. I began by getting them to sing a hymn and recite the rosary, followed by evening prayers. After that I did my best to teach all of them the catechism. Oh! How much I enjoyed those days. Neither the bad weather nor fatigue meant anything to me, in spite of many feet of snow.’ This excellent Brother was loved and respected by all of the inhabitants of the hamlet, who always stopped to speak to him. It is easy to see the great good he did for Bessat, and how pleased Fr. Champagnat was with him. Here is proof. One day Fr. Champagnat went up to Bessat with our zealous catechist and told him that he was doing very difficult work. Brother Laurent replied that, on the contrary, that he enjoyed it and would not change for the entire world. Greatly impressed by his disciple’s attitude, Fr. Champagnat’s eyes filled with tears.

The reputation of the school at La Valla, which thanks to Fr. Champagnat’s advice was directed so successfully by Brother Jean-Marie, caused other parish priests to ask for Brothers. We should begin by mentioning M. Allirot, parish priest of Marlhes. Fr. Champagnat, acceding to his request, sent him two Brothers. Brother Louis was appointed Director of the establishment. Having been formed by Fr. Champagnat, Brother Louis, finding in the children a complete lack of knowledge, was so zealous and devoted to their formation that by the end of the year a good number were able to read, write and count. God had visibly blessed his school and there is nothing surprising in that. Brother Louis was so religious and spiritual that he conducted his classes not just as an excellent teacher, but also as a zealous apostle. His favourite lesson was the catechism; every day he made them recite it and explained it so clearly that his pupils could not fail to understand it. On Saturdays he never failed to include the Blessed Virgin for whom he had a very special devotion, a devotion, which he passed on to his pupils.

45

That is, two hours on foot, and up a steep climb. Le Bessat was actually part of the parish of La Valla.

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A paternal discipline reigned in his class and the pupils who attended became the joy and consolation of their parents, when without informing the parish priest, Fr. Champagnat, needing him for the novitiate, moved him just when his classes were at their best. The parish priest believing that no other Brother could replace him became so annoyed that he tried by all sorts of arguments to persuade him to remain in spite of the formal order given by Fr. Champagnat sending him elsewhere. But the obedient Brother Louis countered these arguments with the following sublime words:’ When my Superior commands, it is my duty to obey.’ God blessed his act of obedience and devotion, because the school, contrary to what the parish priest feared, continued to flourish under his successor.

Time and time again, Fr. Champagnat had asked the parish priest to have urgent repairs done to the building. As he seemed in no hurry to do this, whether from lack of funds or because Brother Louis had been moved, Fr. Champagnat visited the school one day and sought out the parish priest to warn him that he would withdraw the Brothers which he effectively did. This establishment, closed in 1819, was re-opened in 1833 by M.Duplay, who succeeded M. Allirot. In 1834 or 1835 I was on a Retreat run in this parish by that venerable and dignified pastor. He had some repairs made to the house, but only those that were most necessary and I was not at all surprised when Fr. Champagnat removed the Brothers.

It was at about this time that the foundation of the building in Tarentaise, the village bordering Bessat, took place. Brother Laurent was given the headmastership of the school. He still managed to find time to continue his catechism lessons in Bessat. Once the school at Marlhes was functioning again M. Gaston46, mayor of the parish of St-Saveur, who had a property where he resided with his family during the summer, seeing the piety of the Brothers, their discipline in school and the excellent behaviour of the children, especially in church, decided to provide his parish with a similar establishment. He spoke to Fr. Champagnat who did not hesitate to agree to his request and with God’s help, that school attained the same success as that of Marlhes. Soon afterwards, M. de Pleyné, mayor of Bourg-Argental, a little distance from the parish of St. Saveur, heard people praising the Brothers and spoke to M. Colomb who gave him all the necessary information about them. Later he decided to give the village school to the religious teachers. Therefore he was delighted to find those of Fr. Champagnat, who did not charge too much. This had been the only drawback to his carrying out his plan. He had then approached Fr. Champagnat who gave him the Brothers with a certain amount of hesitation, as he had founded the Congregation to look after country children. The Brothers opened the school on 1st January 1822. Brother Jean-Marie was appointed as headmaster of the school and Brother Louis replaced him in La Valla. Fr. Champagnat was obliged to make this change due to Brother JeanMarie’s pride and lack of obedience, as he was afraid that he would communicate this spirit to the young Brothers and to the Novices.

Before the Brothers left for Bourg-Argental, Fr. Champagnat brought them together to tell them that they should never forget that the Institute had been founded to teach the catechism to country children and made it clear to them that in towns their obligation to teach and explain it was more important, as the parents, due to their work, did not attach much importance to the religious education of their children. And he added if the authorities asked them to engage in primary teaching then God was calling them yet again to protect the innocence of the children and to prepare them to make a good First Communion, in a word, make them good Christians and honest citizens. He urged them solemnly that on their arrival, they should make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, the parish priest and his curates

46

This is not quite correct. His name was M. Colomb de Gasate, sometimes shortened to Colomb.

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and finally the mayor. He concluded his advice and exhortations by recommending that in the parish they should be models of holiness and of all the virtues demanded by their holy vocation.

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CHAPTER V The Congregation threatened with extinction through lack of vocations Following the foundation of the establishments already mentioned, Fr. Champagnat had no Brothers left for new foundations and there were no new novices which greatly saddened him since he could see in the near future the Congregation, like a brilliant lamp would be extinguished for lack of the oil to replenish it. But he was not discouraged; knowing that God gives vocations, he prayed fervently, increased his novenas, doubled his mortifications and above all, appealed to Mary, convinced that she would help him in this time of pressing need. And, indeed, she came to his help in an almost miraculous way.

During Lent of 1822, about a month before the entry of Brother Stanislas into the community, a young man from the Haute-Loire department asked if he could enter the Novitiate. Fr. Champagnat after observing him and questioning him judged him unsuitable for the Congregation, especially when he found out that he had been a member of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

However, in order to observe him more closely he allowed him to stay for a few days in the house; but his conduct during this time did not satisfy Fr. Champagnat who suggested that he leave. As our postulant insisted that he be allowed to stay with a view to being accepted, he asked Fr. Champagnat to accept him if he brought some postulants from his region. Fr. Champagnat agreed to this and he set out, armed with a letter of obedience of no great worth given to him by Fr. Champagnat.

When he arrived at his region, about fifteen leagues from La Valla, he convinced eight young men destined for the Brothers of the Christian Schools to follow him telling them that he was also going there.

They agreed willingly because it was well known in the town that he was part of this Congregation and they were not aware that he had left it. After a few days of preparation the little band set off on the road. The sun set twice before they arrived near La Valla, where they saw the steeple. Then their guide lying to them told them that they would have to spend some time in this poor parish because the Brothers of the Christian Schools had a novitiate there, and that later he would take them to Lyon, which is where, from the start they had thought they were headed.

The arrival of this group of applicants whose leader Fr. Champagnat recognised immediately came as a great surprise. He immediately introduced himself to them all, surveyed them from head to toe asked what had made them come and even put on a sad face as though he had no intention of allowing them to stay which worried them, as could be seen from their expressions. Seeing this, Fr. Champagnat changed his mind and told them they could stay until morning, while he decided whether or not to accept them. He did not know where he was going to house them, so they slept on the straw in the barn. The following morning, Fr. Champagnat, who had already taken to them, gave each one of them a rosary and spoke to them in such a touching manner about the Blessed Virgin, that from then on one of them told me they were so determined to stay with Fr. Champagnat that nothing in the world could change their mind.

Following this little chat, Fr. Champagnat told them that, because there were so many of them, he could not accept them without consulting the older Brothers, but they could stay in the meantime. So he ordered the principal Brothers who were in posts to return to La Valla during holy week. When he

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had them altogether and consulted with them he told them that his own inclination was to accept the whole group, including the one who had brought them. Since they were all in agreement he did not delay in receiving them but in order to prove their vocation, he subjected them to very basic tasks and did not exempt them from public penances. After a few days, which were certainly very hard and long for them he brought them together and still doubting the vocation of the youngest ones he told them that he intended lending them to some good members of the parish to look after their livestock, and then, turning to the youngest, he asked him if he agreed. ‘Yes’, he said ‘if you will accept me afterwards.’ Fr. Champagnat astonished by their steadfastness and seeing that they were prepared to do anything he asked announced that he would accept them all. As for their leader, he was dismissed some time afterwards for immorality. We should say, in passing, that it was for this same reason that the Brothers of the Christian Schools had expelled him.

Nevertheless, the friends of Fr. Champagnat reproached him for adding to the task of feeding so many when the resources were not available, but he did not see this increase in personnel as anything but the visible protection of the Blessed Virgin, convinced that they had been sent to him by Our Lady of Le Puy (they all came from the Haute-Loire) and he had no difficulty in dealing with their recriminations.

Even he regarded the event as the beginning of consistency and prosperity for the Congregation.

Indeed, a Brother was given the job of visiting the young men’s place of origin to investigate the financial position of their families and a modest charge was made for their lodging. The Congregation hitherto unknown except in the diocese of Lyon now became more widely known. Also, when the new postulants wrote to their parents saying how happy they were in La Valla, they attracted others like them and after six months there were already twenty from that area in the Novitiate.

This increase of candidates meant that all the rooms were inadequate, especially the dormitory; also they had to sleep two to a bed and Fr. Champagnat who had constructed the beds had not expected them to have to serve two. Seeing that a new venue was absolutely essential, he did not hesitate in spite of lack of funds to undertake it; we could even say that he did it all with his own hands although all the Brothers helped he himself carried out all the masonry work. He had no difficulty in presenting himself to visitors with his trowel in his hand, his soutane covered in mud, but always in affable and cheerful mood. When some of the clergy reproached him about this, he told them with the utmost simplicity that he was doing it not for pleasure but from necessity.

Nothing could be more edifying than seeing this little community at work during most of the day.

They observed a profound silence, which was only interrupted by some encouraging remarks from Fr. Champagnat or by spiritual readings.

He was always the first to start work and was involved in the hardest tasks, never once allowing himself to complain not even about the ineptitude of a number of Brothers who were not accustomed to such hard labour. Once the house was completed he himself did all the carpentry work.

On Sundays, he gave the Brothers some singing lessons, taught them how to serve Mass, teach catechism, mental prayer and the means to acquire the virtues of their holy state. His exhortations were short, but as was his custom, full of fire, especially when he talked about the Blessed Virgin Mary striving to the best of his ability to inspire in them a solid piety towards their Good Mother, a devotion to which he always gave them great example.

All of these external distractions and the heavy work demanded by the construction in no way harmed the Brothers. On the contrary, it strengthened their vocation and led them to the practice of virtue.

Charity reigned among them in an admirable way and they were happy to help each other on every 53

possible occasion. The rule was kept with great care. According to a Brother who was there at the time no one stayed in bed after the signal to rise. If someone managed to forget it was not necessary to remind him, as he himself would ask for a public penance, on his knees. Some asked permission to spend recreation time, or at least part of it, making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, to say the rosary, or even to do some extra manual work.

The same kind of dedication, the same piety, fervour and charity could be found in the establishments.

Since as yet the rules were not established for the running of the Congregation, some Brothers, apart from teaching, dedicated themselves to corporal works of mercy; they visited the sick, making their beds and looking after their needs. Others asked if they could help the children of the parish, in their homes to prepare for their First Communion. They also managed to offer assistance to a great number of poor people. In La Valla, every evening during winter, the Brothers gave catechism lessons independently of their own classes. These classes usually lasted for about an hour and a half and the children and young people came in large numbers. This extra work gave the Brothers the opportunity to get closer in spirit to the parents of these children and to persuade them to make their Easter duties, which many of them had neglected. A number of priests, seeing the good work done by the Brothers, approached Fr. Champagnat for their services. Following these requests, three establishments were founded between 1822 and 1823: Symphorien-le-Ch창teau, Boulieu and Vanosc.

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CHAPTER VI Opposition I am now going to reveal some instances of the opposition encountered by Fr. Champagnat in connection with the founding of the Institute from 1817 till 1830. I am basing these on tradition in the Congregation, existing documents and the words of many older Brothers especially those of Brother Stanislas. It seems to me that this is enough to guarantee the truth of what is contained in this chapter.

1st Opposition: The Congregation is threatened with dissolution.

The Congregation, like all of God’s work, grew in the shadow of the cross and in Fr. Champagnat’s sensitive heart where it had been planted from the foundation. We have already seen that from the beginning the parish priest of La Valla had been totally opposed to Fr. Champagnat moving in with the Brothers. At the same time he was criticised and censured by other members of the clergy. Even his friends were quick to accuse him of being imprudent, ambitious, proud and so on. They attributed some very bizarre ideas to him. Many people even criticised his new community, the rule, the habit, the way of life etc. Finally the opposition reached such proportions that the diocesan authority felt it had to take it seriously.

M. Bochard, the Vicar General, was given the responsibility of investigating directly. He called on Fr. Champagnat and told him everything that had been said about him. Fr. Champagnat replied with great simplicity that indeed he had gathered eight youths from La Valla with the intention of giving classes in the parish, since he did not have a teacher, and that to tell the truth, the idea had come to him to form a group of teachers for the country children, but at present he was directing the young people without being their superior. M. Bochard, knowing that he had founded a similar institution in Lyon, suggested that Fr. Champagnat send them there. But Fr. Champagnat, without promising anything, adroitly took his leave.

As he left M. Bochard’s house, Fr. Champagnat went to visit M. Courbon, the First Vicar General, and like him, a native of the parish of Marlhes. At that time the archiepiscopal See of Lyon was vacant. M. Courbon encouraged him to continue with his work, so he immediately presented himself at the house of M. Gardette who, as I have already said, was his extraordinary confessor and counsellor. He was of the same opinion as M. Courbon and went further, saying that the coalition proposed by M. Bochard did not seem feasible to him and that in any case this opposition should not discourage him but rather affirm him in his work.

However, some time later, M. Bochard realised that Fr. Champagnat was not following his wishes and threatened to close the house and remove him from La Valla. Fr. Champagnat returned from Lyon feeling very sad and greatly afflicted; however, according to his custom, he did not share the Vicar’s intentions with the Brothers. Finding himself in such a painful situation, he turned to his favourite weapons of defence, prayer, mortification and recourse to Mary, his Ordinary Resource, an expression he often used, especially when he wanted to obtain a particular favour. I have heard him repeat this hundreds of times. And with this in mind, he often went to celebrate Mass in a little chapel near La Valla, which was known as Notre Dame de Pitié, asking her to take his work under her protection. He went even further, getting the Brothers to say special prayers in the community and to fast on bread and

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water. He himself made a pilgrimage to Louvesc to visit the tomb of St. Francis of Regis, one of his special protectors.

But the ordeal was not yet over. For a third time M. Bochard returned to the fray, and after Mass, addressing Fr. Champagnat in harsh and even offensive words, told him that he was to be evicted from the house. M. Dervieux, the parish priest in the canton of St-Chamond, which supplied the parish of La Valla, probably pushed by M. Bochard, spoke to him in more or less the same terms. The worst thing about this affair was that M. Bochard’s opposition to Fr. Champagnat’s work, as well as his disrespectful attitude, became public knowledge, causing all sorts of abuse to be hurled at him. The parish priest of La Valla, who had never stopped criticising his enterprise and had made him the object of many accusations in front of the whole Congregation, continued to denigrate him in the presence of M. Bochard. Even Fr. Champagnat’s confessor turned against him and openly refused him direction.

(How his heart must have shrunk at this new test, seeing himself abandoned by his only support until then.) But what am I saying? There was more to come and I will talk about it soon. In the midst of all of these setbacks, Fr. Champagnat did not become discouraged, although the thought did cross his mind to go to America to work in the missions. When he shared this idea with his Brothers, they told him unanimously that they would follow him to the end of the world. At this time Fr. Champagnat did not know what would become of his work. At any moment he expected to see the arrival of the gendarmes from St-Chamond with the order to close down the house, because M. Dervieux, having listened to more reports, summoned him and spoke to him formally. He was not prepared to give any explanation and closed the door on him. But this particular ordeal was almost over, although there were more to come, because the life of a saint is a succession of tests. Fr. Champagnat’s heart, so filled with regrets and ignominy, was finally to find consolation. His fervent prayers, his great mortification, his complete confidence in Mary, were going to be fully answered.

Fr. Champagnat was in this terrible dilemma when he found out that Mgr. de Pins had been named as the administrator of the diocese of Lyon. This meant that he had to deal with him rather than the Vicar Generals. After a fervent prayer, and moved by divine inspiration, he sent a letter to the Monseigneur, informing him of his work and its current state, submitting in advance to his decision to continue or not. He also wrote to M. Gardette, his close friend who had not abandoned him in the midst of his tribulations that had been so debilitating asking him to correct his letter if he felt it necessary so that he could finalise it and submit it to the Monseigneur. M. Gardette did this with great pleasure and when he communicated with the Monseigneur there is no doubt that he praised Fr. Champagnat and the exclusively religious aims of his work. The Archbishop, having listened with great interest to M. Gardette, suggested that he write to Fr. Champagnat, because he wished to speak with him and assure him of his good will. As soon as he received the letter, Fr. Champagnat went to Lyon to meet with M. Gardette who personally presented him to the Monseigneur. In his presence, Fr. Champagnat in all humility fell to his knees and asked his Excellency for his blessing. The Archbishop bestowed an affectionate blessing both on him and on his community. After a long interview with Fr. Champagnat he willingly gave him permission to continue his work, gave him permission to give his Brothers a habit, and allow them to take vows and promised him help in building a more spacious house. Filled with the utmost gratitude, Fr. Champagnat immediately left for Fourvière to thank his august protector with all his heart, and once again consecrated himself to her service. M. Gardette and Monseigneur, as can be seen, helped to avoid the destruction of the Congregation and justifiably deserve, on the part of the Brothers, eternal gratitude. When he reached La Valla, Fr. Champagnat shared with his Brothers the favours that had been bestowed by heaven and he invited them to thank the Blessed Virgin who had demonstrated her protection in such a clear manner. But a new test of a different kind soon came to disturb his happiness. During Fr. Champagnat’s absence from La Valla, which had lasted some days a priest had been invited by the parish priest to help celebrate Easter. The parish priest got it into his 56

head to replace his curate. With this in mind, he began to scheme among the parishioners with such insistence that he persuaded them to petition for a change. Fr. Champagnat, who had more than sufficient reason to ask for a change openly criticised them for getting involved and told the priest that he had no intention of having anything to do with him. When the petition was accomplished it was not that curate who was named, but M. Bedouin, a venerable priest who enjoyed the confidence, respect and obedience of Fr. Champagnat. Monseigneur had offered the curacy to Fr. Champagnat, but he did not feel he could accept, and in this way he was able to devote himself exclusively to his Brothers. He also put in a request to be discharged from his duties as curate. This took effect from All Saints Day 1824. The inhabitants of La Valla united their prayers and supplications to ask him to stay. They even made him some advantageous offers, but he had made up his mind and it would have taken a formal order from Monseigneur to make him yield to their pleas. He now found himself completely dedicated to his work; let us see what was to come.

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CHAPTER VII New setbacks involved in the construction of l’Hermitage Just as he had been advised by the Cardinal47 that he should build a bigger house, as the one in La Valla could no longer accommodate the Brothers and every day new postulants were arriving and in spite of the fact that he foresaw that many tongues would wag and counting even more on providence and on the protection of the Blessed Virgin who up until then had looked after him so well at that precise moment he considered it his duty to follow the Monseigneur’s advice.

He already had in mind the idea, which had been confirmed by the highest authority in the diocese, but as yet he had not decided on a venue. He did not want the building to be in the parish of La Valla as it was too far away from appropriate communications. He was also conscious of the fact that he could be a nuisance to the curate who had replaced him. He had already noticed, going from La Valla to StChamond, a solitary valley crossed by the river Gier coming down from Pilat. This area, which was called Les Gaux,48 and was subsequently called l’Hermitage, seemed to him to be the most appropriate place to build the second cradle of the Institute. At a little distance from St-Chamond it had everything that could be desired for a religious house, not too populated and very favourable for studies. His choice was all but made, but he still wanted to visit with the principal Brothers to see if there was anything better. But l’Hermitage took precedence. So he opted to establish his little group there.

He set out to acquire the land, which cost him twelve thousand francs, a sum he could never pay without the aid of a providence, which had never failed him. When the public heard about his project, a storm of jeers and criticism rained down on him, in spite of his priestly character and the approval of the Monseigneur. He was accused of being rash, stubborn and even unhinged, but we must remember that these insults were once aimed at our blessed Lord. Fr. Champagnat was aware of all of this but did not feel offended because God was always his guide even in the least of his enterprises. Therefore he got down to work and constructed this new building, which was intended to house one hundred and fifty people, with the addition of an adjacent chapel to accommodate this number. The estimate including the purchase expenses reached a total of sixty thousand francs and it was well known that he did not have anything like that amount of money.

To keep the expenditure low, Fr. Champagnat made use of the talents of all the Brothers during the holidays of 1824, each according to his abilities because they wanted to contribute something to a house that was dedicated to Our Good Mother and which would produce apostles to spread the good news to Christian children. However, only professional bricklayers were involved in building the house and the Brothers’ task was to prepare the necessary materials for them. This new house and the chapel were so quickly finished that the Brothers were able to move into the premises in 1825 and on 15th August of the same year the chapel was consecrated. It was M. Dervieux, the parish priest of StChamond, whose attitude to Fr. Champagnat had completely changed, who was delegated by the Monseigneur to lead the ceremony. The date of 1824, which can be seen above the door of the holy place, indicates, not the consecration of the chapel, but the laying of the foundation stone; M. Cholleton, the Vicar General, did this in early May 1824.

47

Presumably, he means Archbishop de Pins Brother Paul Sester renders “Les Gaux” as “Les Goths”, although the former is what Sylvestre actually wrote. (The pronunciation of each would be similar in French.) He suggests that the name may come from the invasions of the fifth century, given that there is a spring and the ruins of a Roman aqueduct very close to l’Hermitage.

48

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To accommodate everyone during the construction of the house, Fr. Champagnat rented a shanty on the other side of the Gier, making the best of what they had. The poverty in the community was such that, on the occasion of the laying of the first stone, they could not find enough food to give a meal to the Vicar General. Fr. Champagnat was obliged to take him to the house of one of his friends. The food was not unlike that of La Valla, bread, soup, some vegetables, cheese and, as a treat, some bacon and that was all. The water from the Gier, so famous for its qualities, its purity and clarity, was the only drink, but still, it was water. Fr. Champagnat lived in the same way as the Brothers, and when he could not find in this poor house, which I visited many times, even a single corner to put his bed – he always chose the worst for himself – he placed it under a sort of balcony, which was only protected only by the eaves. When you see this poor location, it is easy to understand how much Fr. Champagnat as well as his Brothers had to suffer during the period of construction.

However, during all of this time, the rule was observed with the same care as in La Valla. At four o’clock Fr. Champagnat gave the signal for rising, silence was observed during work and every hour, to remind everyone of the presence of God. – a favourite practice of Fr. Champagnat – they prayed with great recollection the Gloria Patri, Ave Maria and the invocation: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, have pity on us. A little oratory dedicated to Mary had been built by Fr. Champagnat in the wood. He offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day, but there was so little room that the celebrant, the servers and the older Brothers took up all the space. As for the others, they moved around in religious silence.

Meditation took place in the morning before Holy Mass, at midday a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and in the evening they recited the Rosary. I have seen the location of this little oratory and looking at it, I wondered how surprised would be the passers-by on their way to La Valla when they heard, rising from the woods the expressive voices of the Brothers who from time to time sang pious hymns or some of our beautiful liturgical chants. Tradition also tells us that they respected and acknowledged the little improvised chapel.

After morning Mass, they went quickly to work, Fr. Champagnat always in the lead. During a large part of the day he could be seen, trowel in hand, competing with great ability and dexterity, according to the bricklayers, one of the best at this work. In the evening, he recited the Breviary, worked on his accounts and prepared the tasks for the following day. After all of this, one wonders how much sleep he managed. Only God knows.

From certain events that took place during the construction, it was very clear that the Blessed Virgin watched over Fr. Champagnat and her children. This is what I have heard from several Brothers who were working there. One day a workman fell from such a height that normally he would have broken all his bones on the enormous rocks below. Luckily he managed to hold on to a branch, which saved him, and he escaped with just bad fright. Another workman, walking across the third floor level, stood on a rotten beam, which split in two, and he ended up hanging from the scaffold with one hand. He offered a prayer to the Blessed Virgin and hung in this position until a brave workman, at the risk of falling, managed to save him from certain death. A third, climbing a ladder with an enormous rock on his shoulder had just reached the last rung when unable to hold on to it let it fall. A Brother who was standing at the bottom of the ladder would almost certainly have been crushed but luckily a slight movement of his head saved him; his death seemed so inevitable that Fr. Champagnat gave him absolution. The scare given to this Brother almost drove him mad. Without any hesitation Fr. Champagnat gave thanks to God for such a signal favour and on the following morning he celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for such obvious protection from the Blessed Virgin.

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To what can we attribute all of these extraordinary signs of protection, if not to the prayers of Fr. Champagnat so frequently addressed to Mary, to keep everyone safe from unfortunate accidents? As for himself, in spite of so much work, which exposed him to great dangers, he was never injured in any way.

Although he spent part of the day working with his Brothers on construction, he never neglected their religious instruction. He knew how to find time during the evenings and especially on Sundays, explaining to them what they must do to prepare for their future mission. His advice, exhortations and instructions revolved around the practical steps to acquire the religious virtues, to correct their faults, to receive the sacraments worthily to attend the Holy Mass, to foster the charity which should exist among them, to practise fraternal correction which he called the daughter of charity, but mainly he directed his efforts towards instilling in them a solid devotion to the Blessed Virgin, his model, whose virtues they should constantly strive to imitate, among others her deep humility. He also attempted to cultivate in them a great zeal for the salvation of the children and he returned to this with great frequency.49 Finally, to remind them of these many topics which he had discussed with them, during the building of the house he gave them a written summary that can be seen to this day. It should be pointed out to the credit of the Brothers that they made great use of the advice and counsels of Fr. Champagnat. Indeed, during the entire time of the construction they served as models for the workmen who never ceased to admire them. Indeed, they imitated them, joining them in their silence, modesty and love for each other.

The school year of 1824 was just coming to an end and the time came for the Brothers who had been employed during the holidays in the building of the house to return to their posts. Before their departure, Fr. Champagnat conducted an eight-day Retreat for them. He suggested some resolutions, which would help to make their year a successful one. The most important resolution was the habitual practice of the presence of God that according to him is one of the most effective ways of arriving at great perfection. The building was completed and there only remained the interior work, which could be carried out during the cold season. Fr. Champagnat completed a large share of the work and thanks to his active supervision of the joiners, plasterers and other workmen, he cut down considerably on expenses and above all he continued to give them the example of hard work.50

49

At this point in the original text, there is a long paragraph crossed out. It goes into details about the kind of education and good example that the Brothers should be giving the children.

50 Another long, crossed-out paragraph appears here in the original. It describes the establishment of two foundations, at Charlieu and Chavannay, and the welcome success that was enjoyed in each place.

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CHAPTER VIII Fr. Champagnat suffers a setback concerning a chaplain who attempts to become the true Superior of the Congregation Among the priests who were involved in the Major Seminary two came to join Fr. Champagnat, M. Courveille, the curate of Epercieux and M. Terraillon, chaplain of the Ursuline Sisters at Montbrison.

After so many setbacks, sufferings and the work connected to l’Hermitage, Fr. Champagnat thought that at last he could enjoy some rest and take some time with his Brothers. But in this he was mistaken, as God had different ways of giving him his hundredfold as promised in the Gospel for privileged souls, by that I mean saints practising the heroic virtues. This hundredfold consists of many tribulations, sorrows, worries and sufferings which increase their cross one hundredfold while increasing one hundredfold their merits on earth and sharing their happiness in heaven. So, yet more crosses for Fr. Champagnat.

M. Courveille wanted the credit of being the first in the seminary to have the idea of founding the Society of Marists. He decided that the Marist Fathers and even more, the Brothers should be under his obedience as Superior General. Fr. Champagnat who felt himself unworthy of being head of the Brothers did nothing about this and agreed with M. Courveille. But the Brothers expected Fr. Champagnat to be their leader, since he was their founder. They paid very little attention to this new superior, who was unknown to them, and they continued to go to Fr. Champagnat. M. Courveille soon saw that his title as Superior did not give him any significant power over the Brothers and resolved to make them recognise him as their superior and be governed by him by having himself officially elected by them. To reach his goal more easily, during the holidays of 1825 he employed every means possible to attract them and to gain their confidence, showing all sorts of tolerance and benevolent behaviour.

As he believed that the Brothers were well disposed towards him, he assembled them and explained to them that the Society of Mary, to which they belonged, was destined to be dedicated to diverse apostolates. Similarly to himself Fr. Champagnat and Fr. Terraillon could be called away at any time to perform other functions and consequently it would be essential to chose, given that the three of them were available, who would direct them as their sole superior. Then, following a few explanatory words on the subject he told them to write on a piece of paper the name of the Father of their choice and left the room. He returned after a suitable time and collected the papers, ‘Fr. Champagnat’ ... ‘Fr. Champagnat’ … all of them ‘Fr. Champagnat’, except for two or three different names. A little annoyed, he turned to Fr. Champagnat and said to him with some emotion, ‘It seems as though they have all agreed to nominate you.’ Fr. Champagnat, without being offended by these ironic words, asked him to annul the vote. M. Courveille readily agreed. Then Fr. Champagnat spoke up, believing that they had voted for him just because he had always been with them, tried to make them understand that since he was always involved in manual work, he was not the most suitable to guide them on the road to perfection which was demanded by their vocation. M. Courveille and M. Terraillon would better achieve this, being seriously involved in these matters and having a greater knowledge of these things than he did. He recommended that they turn for guidance to the Holy Spirit and to the Blessed Virgin and proposed a second vote. But this round produced the same result. ‘Well then,’ said M. Courveille, ‘since they want you as their superior, so be it.’ In fact, the Brothers did not want anyone other than Fr. Champagnat and had never seriously considered M. Courveille. But in spite of the decisive vote, which showed how close the Brothers were to their Founder, M. Courveille did not give up hope. But before we talk about the other tricks he employed to get his own way, I will explain the circumstances.

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In that year, 1825, coming up to the feast of All Saints, the establishment of Ampuis was founded. M. HĂŠrard a former missionary to America defrayed all the expenses. Following this foundation, Fr. Champagnat gave himself the task of visiting the ten establishments belonging to the Congregation.

Allow me at this moment to reveal the spirit of mortification that Fr. Champagnat observed in these different visits.

I must begin by mentioning that the torrential rains made the roads impassable, but he travelled on foot from a spirit of mortification. He took little food, normally consisting of soup and some fruit unless he ate in a presbytery. He did not drink wine when he was travelling and contented himself, when he became thirsty, by asking for some water. In fact, he did not worry about himself and did not seem to concern himself with his body. I have this testimony of some Brothers who accompanied him on his journeys and also M. Arnaud. And I seem to remember that he told me one day that having accompanied Fr. Champagnat on a long journey, he had felt the urge to give up and go into an inn.

But let us return to M. Courveille. During the absence of Fr. Champagnat, which was quite long, M. Courveille did not give up and attempted by indirect methods to seize once again the title of Superior that he had lost. He wrote during this time bitter letters to some of the Brothers in various houses because they had not supported him and he showed his annoyance to everyone in the Mother House.

When Fr. Champagnat returned he took the opportunity to censure him for the way he directed the Brothers spiritually and temporarily. He removed him from the administration of the house and took charge himself of the moneybox whose contents often indicated that he was more qualified in emptying it than filling it. And who was blamed for this? Always Fr. Champagnat.

Meanwhile, a combination of exhausting trips and the unpleasantness on the part of M. Courveille precipitated a serious illness for Fr. Champagnat. He realised this but would not stop working until on the morning after Christmas Day having made every effort to celebrate it with all solemnity, he was forced to take to his bed. The illness made such rapid progress that everyone worried about how long he would last. M. Courveille in this instance, we are not very sure why, showed himself to be completely devoted to Fr. Champagnat. He had prayers said in the Mother House and in all of the houses, asking for his recovery and did not stint for anything which was needed.

Unfortunately a rumour spread around that his illness would carry him to his grave. Several creditors who could not be paid immediately threatened to seize the house and the furnishings and were preparing to proceed when Brother Stanislas, more than ever devoted to Fr. Champagnat and the Congregation, went to St-Chamond and with tears in his eyes begged M. Dervieux to help with the house which was under threat from the creditors. M. Dervieux calmed him down and promised to pay the debts and indeed a few days later he cleared debts to the value of six thousand francs.

But the most painful thing for Fr. Champagnat was the depression that descended on the Brothers and the Novices as they saw their dear Father move closer to the grave because in these exasperating and unhappy circumstances M. Courveille instead of consoling and comforting them directed at them the most offensive reproaches and ended by telling them that he was going to request a transfer from the Archbishop. These words produced such a disastrous effect that from then on they began to question their future and thought of abandoning the house where they no longer experienced the peace that they had found at the beginning.

Then Brother Stanislas seeing that the Brothers had decided to abandon their vocation spoke with some of them and pleading with them convinced them to go back on their decision. He even dared to 62

reproach M. Courveille for his harsh governance but he was only worried about the debts and responded that he was not responsible and that if Fr. Champagnat died he would retire and that would be that. As for how he directed the Brothers, he had no consideration for them at all.

This excellent Brother did not leave Fr. Champagnat either by day or night. Afraid of tiring him, he avoided speaking to him about the harshness with which M. Courveille treated the Brothers and of the intention they all had of leaving. But when his health improved he told him everything. He passed on to the Brothers the good news of his recovery comforting them a little and giving them hope that Fr. Champagnat would once more be their leader. When Fr. Champagnat heard of these alarming events, which touched his heart, he begged M. Courveille to treat the Brothers more gently and in a fatherly way, but he did not succeed. Just then Fr. Champagnat learned that a Brother was to be severely reprimanded at a community meeting. He asked Brother Stanislas to take his arm (because he could barely stand) and assist him to go to the meeting. Hardly had he appeared when he was greeted with loud applause. All the faces radiated with happiness and joy demonstrating visible affection for Fr. Champagnat. M. Courveille was unable to endure this show of affection and quietly slipped out of the room. Then Fr. Champagnat addressed them encouraging them to forget their fears and reaffirming them more than ever in their vocation.

When M. Dervieux saw that Fr. Champagnat’s health was continuing to improve, he took him to his house and lavished every care on him. This good pastor had changed his mind about Fr. Champagnat and had finally recognised that everything that he had heard was pure calumny. As time went on he appreciated more and more his merits and virtue.

During this time M. Courveille who had not succeeded in taking the Brothers away from Fr. Champagnat’s guidance changed his tactics and we can say in all honesty that he tried to have Fr. Champagnat’s title as superior removed by the Monseigneur himself. So he wrote to him and accused Fr. Champagnat of various things that seemed to have some foundation, but which were not accurate. The two principal accusations were that Fr. Champagnat accepted novices who did not have a vocation and that he did not properly form the Brothers in the secular sciences and that he did not provide them with enough religious formation. Without giving too much credence to these reports Monseigneur believed, however, that he should send M. Cattet, the Vicar General, to visit the house. Fr. Champagnat was still convalescing at the home of M. Dervieux but when he heard of this he went immediately to l’Hermitage intending to present his respects to the Vicar General who received him quite coldly. He asked him some questions, examined the house with great thoroughness and ended by examining the Brothers and Novices on the catechism and other educational areas. Not finding a number of them sufficiently educated, as some of them had not been there long and could neither read nor write. and added to this, the construction of the house had also hindered serious study. He made no effort to hide his dissatisfaction and forbade Fr. Champagnat to continue building.

M. Courveille, seeing his intrigues crowned with success, boasted about it, probably thinking that finally he had reached his goal. But matters were not yet settled. His punishment was not far away and it was a punishment normally inflicted on the proud. Soon his misdeed was reported to the Archbishop and one can imagine what was made of the unjust denunciations and of the exterior appearance of regular observance. To silence the remorse felt by his conscience he escaped to the Trappe d’Aiguebelle, but incredibly even this did not cure him of his pride. Believing that his misdeed was not known, he wrote from this sacred monastery saying that he would not return to l’Hermitage unless the Brothers accepted him as their Superior. But everything was now out in the open. Following the advice of the Monseigneur both Fr. Champagnat and M. Terraillon wrote to him telling him to stay where he was and never to set foot at l’Hermitage. From all of this I understand that men have methods of carrying 63

out their ambitions, but in the end God always has the last word and clearly shows that the words of the Gospel will always be carried out. ‘He who exults himself will be humbled and the humble will be exalted.’

But another very painful test for Fr. Champagnat at that period was the need to dismiss his first disciple. Brother Jean-Marie found that the Rule was not sufficiently severe to provide him with the means to perfection. Pride forced him to secretly abandon his class in Bourg-Argental to join the Trappists, without bothering about a replacement. But very quickly disappointed he returned and flung himself at the feet of Fr. Champagnat and asked pardon for his fault. Fr. Champagnat welcomed him with kindness and re-admitted him, believing he had come to his senses. But this was not the case. The germ remained inside him. Wanting at all costs to be as holy as St. Louis Gonzaga, he put himself through all sorts of austere practices that unfortunately softened his brain. Fr. Champagnat was forced to dismiss him as he was disturbing the whole community with all sorts of extravagant behaviour.

Another, called Brother Roumesy, was greatly devoted to Fr. Champagnat and had a remarkable talent for class and for administration. Fr. Champagnat chose him as administrator of the Mother House. He was not very happy about this as he expected something more important. He left the community without informing Fr. Champagnat, thinking he could do better elsewhere. But not only was he unsuccessful, but died abandoned and in misery, another victim of pride and disobedience.

It was very different in the case of Brother Louis. The devil was jealous of this good Brother’s perseverance. This true son of Fr. Champagnat was tempted to abandon his vocation in order to study Latin and he would probably have succumbed had he not been so humble and obedient. He communicated his idea to Fr. Champagnat and realising that he would always be obsessed in spite of everything he could say Fr. Champagnat formally forbade him from continuing and being an obedient religious he obeyed conscientiously and the temptation vanished.

As we look at these three cases, we see clearly how pride and disobedience transformed Brothers JeanMarie and Roumesy into apostates while the humility and obedience of Brother Louis kept him in his vocation and assured his perseverance because he died in that saintly state with all the appearance of being rewarded for his obedience and openness to Fr. Champagnat.

I will end this chapter by saying that Monseigneur d’Amasie,51 Archbishop of Lyon, M. Gardette, superior of the Major Seminary and our excellent Brother Stanislas had all made a major contribution to the settling of the Institute while M. Bochard, undoubtedly with the best intentions in the world, the parish priest of La Valla and M. Courveille, probably deceived by the devil, were on the brink of destroying it. Our gratitude goes out to the first three and God will judge the other three.

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This is Mgr Gaston de Pins, Titular Archbishop of d’Amise, who was Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Lyon.

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CHAPTER IX First Vows The departure of the two Brothers already mentioned, in addition to the temptations of Brother Louis, made Fr. Champagnat join the Brothers to their holy state by means of their religious vows. This was done to keep them in their vocation in spite of the difficulties, sorrows and hardships that could discourage them and force them to return to the world. Already from the beginning of the Congregation they had consecrated themselves by means of lay promises, but not vows, to teach the catechism to the country children, including other elementary knowledge such as reading, arithmetic etc. They also promised to obey their superiors, to practise chastity and own nothing personally. As can be seen, these were the three basic vows of religion but realising that a simple promise was not sufficient to guarantee their perseverance in the Institute and wishing to follow the advice of Monseigneur who had encouraged him to allow the Brothers to make the simple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, he finally decided to take this step which really constitutes the religious state.

The first vows were professed at the Retreat of 1826. There were two types of vows, temporary and perpetual. The former were usually taken for three years, after which they could renew them for a second time. They could also be taken for a shorter period. I remember the first time I was permitted to take them it was only for one month. Later, after the death of Fr. Champagnat, Father Colin, Superior General of the Society of the Marist Fathers, to whom Fr. Champagnat had delegated all his powers, finding that vows of poverty and chastity could in certain circumstances cause a certain amount of inconvenience, decided that the temporary vows should be incorporated in the vow of obedience until the time of perpetual profession.

In the early days these vows were made without any ceremony but later they were given the solemnity that they have today but without the addition of any new obligations. As for the vow of stability I never heard Fr. Champagnat speak of it although at the General Chapter of 185652 each capitulant was shown a document written by Fr. Champagnat which said: ‘The Brothers of this Institute will make the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and the vow of stability.’53 There was no explanation attached. I myself saw the text and it was definitely in his handwriting. The different letters, which he had written to me, leave me in no doubt.

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The General Chapter of 1852-54 This comes from a notebook of Champagnat where, in his handwriting, is this sentence: “The Brothers of Mary will make the simple vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, [and] of stability in the Society.”

53

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CHAPTER X Other domestic problems caused by the revolt of some of the Brothers concerning certain rules.

In spite of the defections of which I have spoken, other candidates continued to arrive providentially replacing those lost through pride and disobedience. The vows were an excellent means of keeping the Brothers in their vocation. The Society was on the road to prosperity; new demands were being made for establishments. Two were founded at that time, St-Paul-en-Jarret and Neuville-sur-Saône. But before dealing with the events in this chapter I will permit myself a few words on this latter establishment because of the great affection Fr. Champagnat had for it, judging from the frequent visits he made there. It will also serve as an introduction to my topic.

Two people particularly attracted him, the parish priest and M. Tripier. The latter had founded the establishment and had defrayed the expenses. This venerable old man was a strong Christian and a man of faith. He often encouraged the director of the school to go to him when he needed help, as he had decided to use his fortune, which was considerable, for good works and in helping the poor that he did until his death. Fr. Champagnat held him in great esteem on account of all of this. M. Durand, the parish priest was to Fr. Champagnat both counsellor and friend. All of his confreres in the diocese recognised in him a great knowledge of theology, profound judgement and great piety. Fr. Champagnat kept him up to date with all of the important events concerning the Institute. The Brothers who worked in this post have mentioned his words which are full of wisdom: ‘If you do not observe your Rule, even if you work miracles, you will always be a bad religious.’ And these others: ‘Whoever abandons the Rule, abandons the Habit.’ He had a low opinion of Brothers who left the cloister without a very good reason. One day he met a Brother who was walking on his own and he spoke these frightening words: ‘Brother, I would rather meet a wolf than see you alone.’

And he was right. In spite of the Founder’s vigilance, some abuses in this respect were beginning to be introduced into the houses. Some Directors went into the world a bit too often and became imbued with its spirit. Others made too many visits to their confreres. This soon led to sins against poverty and major breaches of the Rule. Fr. Champagnat heard about these abuses and wrote to the culprits in a fatherly way, calling them to order and to the observance of the Rule. As some did not pay attention to his admonishments when it came to the holidays he ordered them to make the Chapter of Faults in front of everyone and severely reprimanded them. Most acknowledged their guilt and accepted the correction but two or three of the most culpable, exasperated by this humiliation, began complaining, calling Fr. Champagnat a tyrant. One of them who had been a religious for a long time treated Fr. Champagnat very rudely and abandoned his vocation. ‘I am leaving,’ he said in a dreadful voice to one of his confreres who criticised him, ‘I am returning to the world. God has abandoned me.’

Before speaking of the consequences of this diabolical spirit that took possession of those who reacted so badly to correction, I must tell you about the Brothers’ Habit, as this was the sole cause of the rebellion.

I will mention what Brother Stanislas told me in the minutest detail but will take the liberty of condensing the story to avoid being tedious. As we have said before, the Monsigneur allowed Fr. Champagnat to give his Brothers a religious habit, and not the semi-religious one as worn in La Valla.

The new habit consisted of a black soutane similar to that worn by priests and a little cloak made of rough cotton fastened at the front with buttons of the same material, a triangular hat, a white rabat, knitted socks and shoes provided by the house. I should add that after the profession of perpetual vows

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Fr. Champagnat completed the outfit with a pectoral cross and a cord. However those in temporary vows simply took the cord, just as is the case today.

Several important reasons that were approved by respectable people, who had been consulted, made him decide to make some changes in the habit. The buttons would be substituted by clips (inappropriately called hooks) as far as the waist and the rest would be sewn. The cloak would not have hooks except at the neck. The knitted socks would be replaced by simply sewn cloth.

Here are the principal reasons for these important changes. The buttons as they aged would make the soutane look ugly as they would wear out very quickly and the frequent fastening and unfastening was inconvenient. As for the stockings, the Mother House could provide them, there would be more uniformity in the habit and it would be easier for the Brothers to repair them without having to ask the women, which was quite inconvenient. For the time being the knitted stockings were allowed but they were told not to take others unless they were made of cloth, before approaching the altar. As for the soutane he made it clear that from then on the new ones would have hooks and not buttons and these would be removed from the cloak.

Finally, he changed the method of reading, banning the old method of spelling and pronunciation of consonants. In other words, he gave them the reading method that is followed today in the Congregation and elsewhere. He assured them that the changes would double the rate of progress of the children if it were applied seriously and completely. But during the following holidays several Brothers rebelled against the new method and strongly criticised it. Fr. Champagnat, seeing them so agitated tried to make them understand that not being accustomed to the method or having misused it during the year they could not talk about it knowledgeably and that those who rejected it did so without knowing enough about it. On the other hand those who had taken it seriously said that Fr. Champagnat was correct because it helped the progress of the pupils, all of whom attained a good grade. They did not complain so much about the soutane because the Brothers of the Christian Schools also wore hooks and that was sufficient reason to silence those who still wanted to wear it with buttons.

However, incredible as it may seem, the question of the stockings caused such a revolt in the whole community that it became necessary to ensure that they were adopted in the same way as the soutane with hooks and the new reading method. This took all of Fr. Champagnat’s firmness but he had prayed, consulted and had reached his decision. Consequently nobody could make him change his mind.

As the soutane with hooks and the new reading method had initially caused some dissatisfaction, those who were most annoyed, prompted by the devil of insubordination, thought that the new type of stockings which most disgusted them, would be an excellent opportunity to form a strong group to protest about Fr. Champagnat’s reforms that were so logical and religious. To achieve their goal they prepared a speech condemning the cloth stockings that according to them caused all sorts of inconvenience, which they enumerated with all their force and skill. But Fr. Champagnat forcefully refuted their arguments, which were often contradictory by showing them the advantages the cloth stockings had over the knitted ones. They were at a loss how to reply, especially when he said that they wanted to wear the knitted stockings because they were worldlier and that the cloth stockings were not only simpler and more suited to religious, but were more comfortable. He himself had used them on his journeys. Finally he finished with these words that the Little Brothers of Mary considered to be sacred: ‘I am therefore determined to completely adopt the cloth stockings.’ The great majority adhered to this positive order without complaint.

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However, some hot heads whose religious spirit was beginning to falter hatched a plot to force Fr. Champagnat to go back on his reforms. To do this they persuaded some young Brothers and then some older ones and even recruited one of the chaplains to their cause. During the breaks for recreation nothing was talked about except the soutane with hooks, the reading method and above all the cloth stockings. The really difficult thing was to persuade Fr. Champagnat to change his mind on these three topics.

Just when they were most preoccupied with these matters, it was announced that the Vicars General were in St-Chamond and were proposing to visit l’Hermitage. The rebels were keen to formulate a petition asking for the preservation of the old habit and the chaplain was there to support their cause.

Some signed the petition, but not a majority. Since the signatures were scattered, one of the leaders went into the classroom and without being seen by the teachers, went to each one forcing them to retract their signature without giving them the opportunity to read what they were signing and returned rejoicing at their ingenuity.

An older Brother whose name I can’t remember on seeing this act of rebellion against authority gathered together the most pious Brothers as quickly as he could and urged them to protest against this infamous action. They should all meet with Fr. Champagnat to tell him what was happening and to tell him that they would willingly adopt the soutane with the hook, the new method of reading and the cloth stockings and they would sign a counter-petition.

Fr. Champagnat was greatly edified by this show of solidarity and obedience and showed how pleased he was with them. He told them to invoke the Holy Spirit and to request the help of the Blessed Virgin. He on the other hand would examine the matter before God and would then speak to them.

Meanwhile the Brother who led the deputation spoke to saintly old Brother who had been persuaded to sign the petition. This Brother admonished him so severely and his heart was so moved at the thought of the pain Fr. Champagnat had suffered because of his insubordination that he assured him that he had lost his appetite and could not sleep (which was true), and immediately went to find Fr. Champagnat. He fell on his knees and humbly asked forgiveness for his fault and went further by renewing his act of repentance before the whole community in the refectory. Several Brothers, moved by this example, did the same thing, but the rebels ridiculed these humble apologies.

Let us now see how our Good Mother came to Fr. Champagnat’s rescue. Our rebels were very pleased with themselves thinking that things were going very well for them but it then turned out that the Vicar Generals had been called to Lyon to deal with matters of great urgency and did not after all come to l’Hermitage. You can judge for yourself the disappointment of our shameless rebels.

However, and in this we must admire the spirit of God with which Fr. Champagnat was imbued, after having prayed and meditated during the day, Fr. Champagnat summoned the Brothers who had protested against the petition and made it clear to them that he would not change his mind and that he was willing to say goodbye to all of those who did not want to accept the three adopted articles. Then he secretly ordered an altar to the Blessed Virgin with her statue to be put into the chapel at the middle of the wall. It was well adorned and many candles were placed on it. The only people who knew about this were the Brothers who drafted the counter-petition. And in the evening when the Brothers entered as usual for their visit before going to bed they were amazed and astonished to see the statue of Mary on the altar resplendent in light. At the end of the visit, he read them the counter-petition, the adoption of the soutane with hooks, the new reading method and the cloth stockings. Then he took that forceful tone that sometimes terrified listeners. ‘Well,’ he said, pointing at the altar of the Blessed Virgin, ‘those who are the true children of Mary stand here beside our Divine Mother.’ At once, and without a 68

moment’s hesitation most of them got up and stood beside the altar. Some, who were a bit afraid, and who had not properly understood stayed in their place still as statues. ‘The place for the children of Mary is there beside the altar and the place for the rebels is at the wall opposite.’ This time everyone understood and only the two leaders remained seated. The others all stood around the Good Mother’s altar. Fr. Champagnat, speaking once again, asked the two leaders if they wanted to remain where they were. A ‘Yes’, cold as ice, was their only reply.

The following day as he had promised Fr. Champagnat said goodbye to them and that same day all of those who had been swept along by the rebels gave witness to their regret publicly asking pardon of all the community for their actions, whose consequences and gravity many had not realised. I heard from Brother Jean-Baptiste that among those who signed the petition only two died in the Institute.

If we think about it, the numerous setbacks suffered by Fr. Champagnat from the foundation of the Institute until now were a cause for sadness, but also we see with astonishment and admiration how the Blessed Virgin came to affirm him and consolidate him at the time when everything seemed to be about to perish. Such has always been the mark of the saints who like Fr. Champagnat have been given the mission of presenting the church with the most beautiful jewels in its crown.

I will conclude this chapter by mentioning the new establishments that were founded at the beginning of the school year of 1827. St-Symphorien d’Ozon and Valbenoîte, and I will add something about this last one, not only because I saw the Brothers arriving there, but mainly because of Fr. Champagnat. M. Rouchon, the parish priest was a worthy and venerable priest who at the same time as Fr. Champagnat tried to found a similar congregation. When he encountered a shortage of candidates, and his numbers were going down rather than up he decided to join Fr. Champagnat. So he came to La Valla with the whole of his community made up I believe of ten members with the intention of making this merger.

But when M. Rouchon’s Brothers saw the poverty of the house and the food provided for the followers of Fr. Champagnat that contrasted so much with their bourgeois way of life and studied manners and having looked around they left without any explanation. Some time later the divisions among themselves caused them to break up and consequently their Congregation disappeared forever. It was then that M. Rouchon approached Fr. Champagnat and asked for Brothers to replace his and offering to pay all the expenses of the establishment. Four Brothers were allocated to this parish. I can still see them entering the church, making a deep genuflection and edifying all the parishioners with their piety, their modesty and recollection and showing themselves in every way and everywhere to be worthy sons of Fr. Champagnat.

Permit me to point out a small incident that took place on this occasion. When they came to discuss the stipend of the Brothers, Fr. Champagnat as usual requested 400 francs as remuneration for each Brother. ‘But, Fr. Champagnat,’ M. Rouchon said with great simplicity ‘400 francs is too much especially for a cook. I believe that 300 is enough for him.’ Fr. Champagnat, who did not judge his Brothers by their knowledge or ability, but for their merit before God, gave him to understand that he could not regard his Brothers from this point of view. He always requested the same amount for all. I heard this from Fr. Champagnat himself or from M. Rouchon and I can vouch for it.

But the small grain of mustard continued to mature. In 1829 two new houses were founded: Millery in the department of the Rhône, and Feurs in the department of the Loire. Then seeing the prosperity of the schools in the latter the General Council of the department assigned to Fr. Champagnat without his asking the annual sum of 1500 francs to support the Novitiate at l’Hermitage. It was this act of generosity that gave Fr. Champagnat the idea of having the Congregation approved by the government.

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The new regulations of 1828 made this absolutely necessary if the Brothers were to be excused military service.

When he had drafted his petition and prepared all the other documents that he had to present to the Royal Council of Public Instruction in order to obtain their approval, he took everything to M. de Pins who, due to his exalted position as a Pair de France to which he had been elevated, could easily sort things out. Indeed, he was completely successful. The petition was on the point of being signed by King Charles X when sadly the revolution started in 1830. Everything happened so quickly that the king was forced into exile before he could sign the petition. So here was yet another cross, which was very heavy and protracted for Fr. Champagnat, for it would continue until his death and be a contributing factor towards it. But God supported his work by other means so that in spite of everything it continued to prosper as will be seen in the next chapter.

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CHAPTER XI Events of 1830. The Serenity of Fr. Champagnat.

The Revolution of 1830 that replaced the Orleans government with the Bourbons rendered null the unsigned act of authorisation presented to Charles X. Fr. Champagnat waiting for a more favourable opportunity to make new approaches, took every opportunity to keep up the spirits of the Brothers who were greatly disturbed by the revolution especially when they saw the crosses being demolished, the ministers of God being insulted and their establishments facing closure. Indeed, some of them, tired of hearing the obscenities screamed at them by enemies of the soutane asked Fr. Champagnat to buy them suits which they could wear when necessary. Far from consenting to this he made them realise that this change of clothing would no more save them than would a spiders web and that their confidence should be greater than ever in her who, according to Holy Scripture, is like an army in battle array. As for him, he worried so very little about the schemes against the Congregation that, much to the surprise of Monseigneur and the Vicars General, he requested a new taking of the habit. Indeed, this took place on August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption.

One Sunday they came to tell him to be careful because in the afternoon a group of workers were coming to l’Hermitage to demolish the cross on the steeple. He worried so little about this that he made no changes to his routine and following the custom of the house, they went to sing Vespers at half past two.

As the holidays approached, several people advised him not to call the Brothers to the Retreat but to allow them to make it in their respective establishments and spend the holidays there. But he believed that the Retreat was more necessary than ever to affirm them in their vocation, so he decided to ignore these warnings and the Retreat took place as usual. This was a good decision as the Brothers were not disturbed in any way. At the end of the holidays each one returned peacefully to his house, in spite of some harassment caused through the malice of the authorities in some areas. The schools continued to prosper as in the past.

However, in the establishment at Feurs a Brother who had transgressed the rule prohibiting familiarity with children was slandered. The mayor, a declared enemy of the Brothers after harassing them in a thousand different ways, made so many unreasonable demands that Fr. Champagnat with great sadness, had to close the house. It was the first one to be closed since the founding of the Congregation because as we have seen the establishment of Marlhes had only been suspended. It was at this time that I had the joy of entering the Novitiate in March 1831.

I would now like to speak of the relationship I had with Fr. Champagnat during the nine years that I passed under his direction (and certainly they did not lack interest) as well as the virtues I have seen him practise during that time. But I will only mention this in passing, as later on I will devote a chapter to this in the appendix. Meanwhile I would like to believe that what I am about to relate can be verified by tradition.

To compensate Fr. Champagnat for the loss of the establishment of Feurs, providence provided him with another that would enrich the Congregation with numerous vocations and several important establishments. This was the Côte-St-André. M. Douillet the venerable ecclesiastical superior of the minor seminary in the village and a model of regularity like M. Gardette had tried to found a

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Congregation with the same aims as Fr. Champagnat. He had already gathered a number of youths to give classes in the village school. Believing himself to be unworthy of such work and also being harassed by the government, he offered his little community to Fr. Champagnat who went to Côte-St-André to see if there was enough scope for a foundation. He recognised the will of God in this and accepted M. Douillet’s offer. A few days later he arrived with his little group of six or seven. I can still picture those young men entering the courtyard of l’Hermitage and Fr. Champagnat welcoming them with such warmth that they immediately felt at home. Fr. Champagnat sent Brothers to replace them and thanks to the good direction given by M. Douillet and the excellent delivery of the Brothers, this establishment grew so quickly and gained such a good reputation in the department of Isère that Fr. Champagnat was convinced that heaven was looking after it, due to the great number of applicants he received from this department and from the establishments that continued to be founded every year.

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Chapter XII New attempts to obtain authorisation for the Institute.

The required result not being obtained, Providence takes charge in a singular and unexpected way.

As can be seen, the Congregation was growing, the Novitiate was being filled with good aspirants and therefore exemption from military service was becoming more pressing. A new law in 1833 only exempted from service teachers with a brevet54 that was not easily obtained. Fr. Champagnat resolved to renew his efforts to gain legal recognition of the Congregation by the government. So, having reviewed the statutes and made them consistent with the new law, he asked a deputy who was sympathetic to the Institute to present them to the minister and at the same time requested prayers for the success of this important matter. But, although the University Council approved the request made by Fr. Champagnat, the king refused to sanction it, out of spite.

What could be done? He raised his eyes to the holy mountains and help arrived in the following way.

Fr. Champagnat totally by chance made the acquaintance of M. Mazelier, founder of a community whose aims were similar to his own, the education of youth. Situated in St-Paul-Trois-Chateaux (Drôme), the Dauphin had approved it and as a result M. Mazelier was able to exempt his Brothers and his novices from the recruiting laws. The Brothers, having obtained the certificate of exemption, could remain or not in the Congregation, as they were not bound by any special vow. Since the two founders, having only good and the glory of God in mind, understood each other and came to an agreement. Fr. Champagnat would send to St-Paul-Trois-Chateaux the Brothers affected by the law until they gained their diploma and then they would return to l’Hermitage where they would be given a post. In this way the Congregation could continue as though it had been authorised.

But surprisingly the law of 1835 that was passed to take away the teaching of the young from the religious congregations or at the very least to hinder them as far as possible only made them develop more. The State was obliged to create Normal Schools to train teachers and this unfortunately formed a hive of irreligious teachers to plague the parishes and bring desolation to the parish priests and they did not fulfil their functions, as they were only interested in money. Because of this parish priests and mayors arrived from all over to ask Fr. Champagnat for Brothers. They asked for whatever he could give as long as they would improve the Christian education that they could give to their children.

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Certificate of competence.

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CHAPTER XIII The Congregation is threatened by the loss of its name and existence.

As we know, God does not leave his saints for long without trials and this is the way he usually recompenses them. So at the time when the most flattering compliments were coming to encourage Fr. Champagnat in his work, the avenging angel came along to destroy it. M.Pompallier, chaplain to l’Hermitage, seeing the congregation grow day by day believed that it was becoming decadent and that Fr. Champagnat’s way of governing would end up by sapping its vitality and lead to its ruin. Becoming more and more obsessed by this idea, which became a very strong conviction he believed it his duty to discuss it with the Monseigneur. He did this and among the accusations he brought against Fr. Champagnat who he said was truly a model of piety and showed the most edifying virtues but had no aptitude for administration or the formation of religious teachers. He said that the reasons for this were quite clear, as he devoted himself almost entirely to manual work. The good chaplain did not realise that the prayers of Fr. Champagnat brought to the Congregation the blessings of heaven, the real cause of its prosperity. Finally he concluded in his discussion with the Monseigneur that he believed the community of Fr. Champagnat should be joined to the Clercs de St-Viateur whose Novitiate was in Vourles, his native village. It is important to know that this community while dedicated to teaching exercised some ecclesiastical functions and had rules and a habit very different from the Little Brothers of Mary.

Monseigneur, seeing the good faith with which M. Pompallier spoke, and which I believe was sincere, as I had known him as a worthy cleric in the novitiate, gave him the task of discussing this affair with M. Querbes the founder of this community and also the parish priest. Monseigneur summoned Fr. Champagnat to tell him of his wish to join the Little Brothers of Mary with the Querbistes or Clercs de St-Viateur. But he did not explain the reasons that he had been given by M. Pompallier and the only reason that he gave was the non-authorisation of the Congregation, while that of M. Querbes was legally recognised. Fr. Champagnat, aghast at having heard nothing of this before, agreed, but allowed himself justifiably to demonstrate to Monseigneur the difficulties inherent in this union which could lead to the loss of both communities, seeing that the rules, the habit, the way of life and even the aims of the Brothers of St-Viateur and the Little Brothers of Mary were completely different. As to the exemption from military service, he explained how Providence had led him to a means of exemption through the understanding that he had with M. Mazelier, superior of the Brothers in St-Paul-TroisChateaux. In spite of these arguments, which carried a lot of weight, Monseigneur told him to reflect on this important issue. At this time a Vicar General pressed him to consent to Monseigneur’s wishes, but in vain. Finally the Archbishop receiving clearer information realised that Fr. Champagnat was right.

When he met him at the Archbishop’s office he brought him in for a meal and kindly told him that he had shown good judgement in opposing the projected merger and added that someone had provided him with the wrong information about it. Later, seeing the Congregation develop so rapidly he said that he would be greatly annoyed if things were not preserved just as Fr. Champagnat had founded it.

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CHAPTER XIV Printing of the Rule.

Since a printed rule would serve as a sort of emblem distinguishing communities from one another, Fr. Champagnat probably realised that taking into consideration all that had gone before it would create a serious obstacle to the unusual coalition proposed by M. Pompallier. However the reason he gave for this printing was that the houses were becoming more and more numerous in the Institute and it was more and more difficult to maintain the accuracy of the documents, but above all it was the best way to maintain perfect uniformity in the whole of the Congregation. Once he had come to a decision in the matter, he thought it best not to print just the rules, which were confirmed through usage and experience. He could later modify and complete them depending on need and circumstances.

Although the rules that he wanted to submit to the printer were not very detailed or long, before revising them he wanted to consult with the Brothers either in public as he usually did during the holidays or to ask the principal Brothers in particular what their thoughts were concerning the adoption or rejection of such and such an article. He went further. In the course of six months he gathered together the most qualified Brothers and spent several hours a day discussing each separate article. He would even postpone a decision when it was considered to be very important. Meanwhile, he meditated, prayed, mortified himself and fasted in order to discern if the article under discussion was really the expression of the will of God. Once the whole rule had been carefully discussed he entrusted the manuscript to an expert in law and people skilled in this type of work. But everything had been so well prepared that the experts found nothing wrong except that there was not enough detail overall. Fr. Champagnat had intentionally done it this way. His idea was that the minor details could be put in later from experience.

There is very little in this version of the rule dealing with the government of the Institute, the obligation of the vows, the best way to educate children etc. However this did not worry him. The proof of this lies in the fact that during his lifetime he was loath to edit them and left them on his deathbed in the care of Brother François and his Council. When he sent this Rule to the Brothers he recommended that they observe it exactly as being an expression of the will of God and the path that would lead them to heaven. Nevertheless he declared that he had no intention of obliging the members of the community to accomplish under pain of sin each particular article, always saying that the voluntary violation of one single article is always harmful for religious perfection.

CHAPTER XV The efforts of Fr. Champagnat concerning the Society of Marist Fathers.

The printing of the Rules was one of Fr. Champagnat’s most ardent wishes realised, but in that precise moment two ideas especially preoccupied him; the definitive authorisation of the Congregation by the government and the approval of the Marist Fathers by the Holy See. I will dedicate a chapter to these two important factors beginning with the second.

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According to tradition and according to what I have seen or heard of what Fr. Champagnat did for the Congregation of Marist Fathers, I have no hesitation in giving him the title of co-founder of the Society. To demonstrate this let us go back some twenty years. We saw in the second chapter that when they were in the Major Seminary they conceived the idea of a Society of Missionaries that would take the name of Mary, the leaders being M. Colin and Fr. Champagnat. We have also seen that those pious seminarians in order to reach their objectives as soon as possible, had promised to write to each other from the different posts to which obedience had assigned them.

In 1823 the bishopric of Belley, which had been part of Lyon, was re-established with the result that the members of the group found themselves in two separate dioceses, as did their leaders. Father Champagnat was at l’Hermitage (diocese of Lyon) and Fr. Colin, superior in the Minor Seminary was in the diocese of Belley. We can understand how the members of the group in the diocese of Lyon gathered round Fr. Champagnat and those in the diocese of Belley around Fr. Colin. But they still had the intention of meeting one day as a community.

Fr. Champagnat, for no other reason than his humility, recognised Fr. Colin as his superior. He followed his advice and tried at the same time to gather round him all of those who were in the diocese of Lyon. Fr. Colin did the same for those living in the diocese of Belley. It was from the meeting of these two groups that the society of the Marist Fathers was formed. Let us see what Fr. Champagnat did to reach this point. It is very well known that he did most of the work, as I will demonstrate, to justify the title of co-founder that in my opinion belongs to him.

As we have seen, after the construction of l’Hermitage two members of the group had joined Fr. Champagnat, M. Courveille and M. Terraillon. We have already mentioned the sad story of M. Courveille. As for M. Terraillon, he was not happy at l’Hermitage. He left and was appointed as curé of N.D. de St-Chamond. This meant that after the holidays of 1826 Fr. Champagnat found himself on his own. The work in the diocese of Lyon was greatly compromised by the departure of these two. So much so that it was rumoured, wrongly, that Fr. Champagnat had been the cause of their removal, and who would replace them?

Trusting as always in providence Fr. Champagnat was not discouraged. Having prayed and meditated a great deal he decided to write to the Monseigneur to ask for an assistant. But before contacting him he went to consult with M. Gardette and explain his unfortunate position and asking him to support his request to the Monseigneur.

At the same time he wrote to M. Barou the Vicar General with whom he had a good relationship. He wrote various letters concerning the Fathers (the texts can be found in the archives.) I will mention only the most important. To M. Barou he communicated the pain he felt at the departure of his two assistants. He went on to explain to him that being already responsible for sixteen establishments he had difficulty in visiting them, as he had to cover many important areas such as the regular observance, dealing with the authorities and, at l’Hermitage itself, the spiritual and material matters occupied all of his time. He ended by requesting the help of M. Séon, a teacher in the St-Chamond school who was particularly attached to the house and the Brothers.

Fr. Champagnat, having involved M. Gardette and the Vicar General, wrote to Monseigneur. In his letter, he speaks with sadness of the situation of the Marist Fathers in the diocese. He trusts in his kindness since he has always protected this work that Satan seeks to destroy. Once again he tells him that he is not discouraged and has put all his trust in Jesus and Mary. In short, he concluded in the hope that his Eminence will be moved by his situation as explained by M. Gardette and M. Barou. In 76

his keen desire to get M. Séon he visits M. Barou in person and tells him that if God wishes to grant the prosperity of the Congregation, he is convinced that the same applies to the Marist Fathers and he insists on M. Séon in the belief that it is the will of God that he come to l’Hermitage. They both knelt down and prayed with great fervour. The Vicar General, illumined by a great light, as he revealed later to Fr. Champagnat, ‘You will have M. Séon. I will speak of it with Monseigneur today.

M. Séon, then, became assistant to Fr. Champagnat. M. Séon was a compassionate and devoted priest with good judgement. He helped Fr. Champagnat with important matters, such as directing the Brothers and in the administration of the house. Soon afterwards, M. Bourdin, a deacon with a great future, M. Pompallier a priest of whom we have already spoken and M. Chanut, who was also a deacon, came to join Fr. Champagnat while others joined Fr. Colin. It was still impossible to merge the two groups or decide on a common centre. Fr. Champagnat suggested that they work privately, but Fr. Colin did not agree. As the greatest problem seemed to be in the diocese of Lyon, Fr. Colin proposed that Fr. Champagnat should take over the responsibility.

Fr. Champagnat accepted and set to work immediately. He began writing letter after letter, making one journey after another to persuade the Archbishop of Lyon to join the Marist Fathers at l’Hermitage with those of Belley under a mutually agreed superior. In one of his letters to M. Cattet the Vicar General, after thanking him for all the interest he had shown in the Congregation of the Brothers and saying that it was only a branch of the Marist Fathers, which was the one, really considered as the Society of Mary.

He told him that for the fifteen years he had belonged to it he had never doubted that it was the work of God. Next he begged him to send, as promised, all the candidates he could, as long as they had a vocation.

Once M. Cattet communicated the contents of the letter to the Monseigneur and informed him of the prosperity of the branch of the Brothers, His Eminence consented to the Fathers merging with those of Belley to elect a superior. At the same time he put M. Cholleton in charge of the meetings in the Major Seminary and of managing the affairs of the new Congregation, replacing M. Cattet. From this moment onwards the unified centre, which had been so hoped for, and the events of 1830, which made it more necessary than ever, did not encounter any difficulties.

Having obtained the much-desired unification Fr. Champagnat agreed that the Fathers at l’Hermitage should go to Belley to elect a superior. After eight days of Retreat they elected Fr. Colin, regarded by everyone in the Major Seminary as their director and not as their superior, given that the Bishop of the respective dioceses was their one legitimate superior.

But as I have just mentioned, it can be seen that Fr. Champagnat was the principal driving force in bringing the two groups together. This marked the beginning of the Congregation of the Marist Fathers. And such had been the zeal of Fr. Champagnat to get it, that Fr. Colin being calmer had tried to get him to be more moderate.

And this was so well known that some Brothers were annoyed by this excessive dedication to the work of the Fathers. When one Brother remarked that Providence had chosen him only for the work of the Brothers and that God did not expect more of him, he replied that he was prepared to give his blood and his life for the Brothers, but it seemed more necessary for the Fathers and he was completely willing to use up his last breath for their success. When the Brother replied that the Brothers, aware of is predilection for the Congregation of Fathers would be jealous, he answered that they had no reason to be, because God wanted both and would bless them equally. Then he added that all his work until he died would be dedicated to both of them.

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After the election of Fr. Colin, the Fathers from l’Hermitage returned to Fr. Champagnat and were now ready to dedicate themselves to directing the Brothers preaching in the parishes and giving missions in the diocese.

A pious young lady gifted a property called Grange-Payre to Fr. Champagnat. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to establish a community of Fathers there, realising that their rule could not be adapted to that of the Brothers, being so different in its ministry. Monseigneur and M. Colin very much liked this idea and were putting the project into practice when M. Rouchon, the parish priest of Valbenoîte acquired the Benedictine Monastery and its dependencies. He offered to give it to Fr. Champagnat if they agreed to become involved in parish work. This was accepted and Fr. Séon was made superior of the community in Valbenoîte. Frs. Bourdin and Chanut were appointed as teachers in the Minor Seminary of Belley and replaced at l’Hermitage by Frs. Matricon and Besson. These two stayed with Fr. Champagnat until his death, lending him excellent support. I knew them and I can assure you that they were true sons of Fr. Champagnat through their humility, simplicity and family spirit, a spirit that Fr. Champagnat inspired in them and that has become the distinguishing feature of the Society of Marist Fathers and of the Little Brothers of Mary.

While Fr. Champagnat toiled with so much zeal and devotion in the development of the work of the Fathers, Fr. Colin the Superior General worked from the time of his election with great joy but from another point of view, and more importantly, the object of Fr. Champagnat’s most fervent prayers was the approval of the Society of Marist Fathers by the Holy See, hoping to do as much for the Brothers when the two branches became completely separated, which happened after the death of Fr. Champagnat. At this time he believed that the authorisation of the Fathers was sufficient since in theory at least he wanted the Brothers to regard Fr. Colin as their Superior General. Therefore Fr. Colin provided with all the necessary documents, set out for Rome to request the approval that was absolutely necessary for a society of Catholic missionary priests. The petition, with all the accompanying documents were subjected, according to custom, to a long and serious examination by the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars.

During this time everyone and especially Fr. Champagnat who made us pray a great deal for this intention, waited impatiently for the results of Fr. Colin’s canvassing, when on March 11 1836, his Holiness Gregory XVI sent the Brief of Authorisation, assigning the Society to the missions in Polynesia. I must say in passing that Fr. Champagnat was so happy when he heard this great news that he at once communicated it to us with extraordinary emotion. He wrote immediately to Fr. Colin, requesting permission to take his religious vows.

Fr. Colin replied that although the Brief authorised the Fathers to elect a Superior General, he did not regard his earlier55 election as sufficient for the Brief and consequently he would postpone the reception of the vows. He assured Fr. Champagnat in his reply that he was greatly edified by his disposition and he hoped all the other Fathers were the same.

Certainly Fr. Colin, once elected, would do everything in his power to accede to Fr. Champagnat’s request. But his humility made him believe that the power to receive the vows required a canonical election and because he wanted the Fathers who had gone to Belley for the Retreat to proceed according to the Brief regarding the election of a Superior General, from that moment he presented his resignation. At the end of the Retreat the election took place according to the Apostolic Brief. The 55

Sylvestre actually writes “postérieure” (later) rather than “antérieur” (earlier), but this seems to be an inadvertent error.

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result confirmed him unanimously in the position. Some wished to nominate Fr. Champagnat but in the end everyone realised that the work of the Brothers he had founded occupied him sufficiently without being in charge of the Fathers as well. On the other hand, it was understood that his humility and his obedience would be in conflict through this election and they did not wish to embarrass him and they did not want to cause him any sorrow. However, to show how much they appreciated the devotion that he had shown in the development of the Society of the Marist Fathers, he was elected as Assistant to Fr. Colin. Then, following the wish that he had earlier expressed, he made his vows with indescribable joy and the other Fathers followed his example.

So now the Society of Marist Fathers was constituted and approved by the Holy See but I wonder what led to this good result? Obviously Fr. Champagnat and Fr. Colin. So if the latter is considered as the Founder, after all that I have said, should we not consider Fr. Champagnat as the co-founder?

Following the election of Fr. Colin, Fr. Champagnat returned to l’Hermitage to prepare the annual Retreat and to welcome the Brothers from the houses. In that year I remember that he had never seemed so moving in his conferences, advice and exhortations.

When the Holy See entrusted the mission of Polynesia to the Society of Mary, Fr. Champagnat contributed three Brothers to accompany the Fathers as co-workers.56 M. Pompallier was at the same time named Bishop and superior of the mission. It was a long time since his prejudices regarding Fr. Champagnat had dissipated and now more than ever he appreciated the excellent direction Fr. Champagnat gave to the Congregation.

Of the four missionaries who embarked with Monseigneur Pompallier, it is important to point out that three owed their formation to Fr. Champagnat – Monseigneur, Fr. Servant and Fr. Forest. Others who had equally been under his direction, whom he had recruited and kept at l’Hermitage, were Frs. Séon, Bourdin, Chanut, Matricon, Besson and Terraillon. Terraillon had rejoined Fr. Champagnat after he had left him, following his advice to give up his position as parish priest of St-Chamond. The nine gave him the consolation of completely dedicating themselves to the Society of Mary by taking the three perpetual vows of Religion. Fr. Champagnat, seeing the first workers sent by the Society of Mary to evangelise the people of Polynesia, felt a great urge to follow them. He shared this with Fr. Colin who admired his zeal but told him that among other things it was not his mission to convert the infidel, but to form apostles to this end.

From then on Fr. Champagnat no longer insisted, believing from this refusal that he was not worthy of this favour. He replied in all humility: ‘Nothing is asked of me because I am good for nothing.’ He made up for this by preparing good Brothers for this mission, praying very hard for their success.

Speaking to us at a conference he told us that we should give thanks to God for granting the Society of Mary the favour of evangelising the infidel because this work of mercy would be a source of blessing for the Institute. He even assured us that there would be martyrs, while sharing with us his burning desire to be among them. He also considered it his duty to pray especially for the conversion of infidels in Polynesia, because he had commended their conversion to the Society of Mary.

I would like to conclude this chapter by adding that before the departure of our missionaries, M. Pompallier, during the Retreat of 1836, blessed the new chapel that Fr. Champagnat had just finished 56

The three Brothers were: (a) Br Marie-Nizier (J-B Delorme), the companion of Fr Pierre Chanel who joined at 16 years of age, and died in 1874 in London while returning from Sydney; (b) Br Joseph-Xavier (J-M Luzy) who joined at 30 years of age, and died in 1873 at Villa Maria in New Zealand; and (c) Br Michel (Antoine Colombon) who joined at 19 years of age, but did not continue as a Brother.

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building while completing the construction that he had added to the old buildings and in which he took a very active part, especially the chapel. He dedicated himself to this work at every opportunity.

And on completing these buildings he must have had a presentiment of his death when he said: ‘This is my last construction.’ As I was present at the blessing of the chapel I am sure I heard him pronounce these words. His prophecy came true, because he died eight months later.57

57

This seems to be a confusion in the memory of Br Sylvestre, given that Fr Champagat died in 1840 – three and a half years, not eight months, after the completion of the Chapel. Br Jean-Baptiste also records Fr Champagnat using these words at the opening of the chapel in 1836.

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CHAPTER XVI Final efforts to obtain the authorisation of the Congregation.

We have already said that, after the printing of the Rule, the two ideas which preoccupied Fr. Champagnat were the definitive authorisation of the Society of Mary and the Congregation by the Holy See. I have already mentioned everything he had done in this respect. Let us now look at the other obstacles he had to overcome to obtain our legal recognition although his success did not correspond to the suffering and difficulties he had had to endure to reach his goal. Tradition, the extant writings and my own testimony should serve to confirm the content of this chapter.

In 1836 the law affected a certain number of Brothers and novices. It was essential to find a way of exempting them from military service. The current solution, which involved sending them to St-PaulTrois Châteaux, was very inconvenient, as can be imagined. They were there, if you will forgive the expression, as students. As at this time the government showed itself to be less unfavourable to the teaching congregations, Fr. Champagnat judged it to be an appropriate time to renew the efforts he had made between 1820 and 1834. With this in mind on 19th August 1836, having prayed for this intention, he returned to the capital. But unfortunately on his arrival he discovered that M. Sauzet, who was now Minister of Public Education and on whom he was counting, no longer had the power as the Ministry had just been changed. And so he had to return to l’Hermitage.

In 1838, armed with letters of recommendation, he returned to Paris, hoping this time for greater success. M. de Salvandy, then Minister of Public Instruction, who had no intention of granting the authorisation, did not immediately refuse, as M. Guizot had done in 1834 but dragged out the negotiations as long as he could, creating even more difficulties for Fr Champagnat in order to wear him down. Fr. Champagnat wrote to l’Hermitage on 23rd January 1838, that things were going very slowly but he was determined to see it through, that he was continuing to work on it and that since he had come to Paris he had not stopped visiting the people involved. He also said that he frequently went to see the Secretary, but that he, for some reason, was never available. He added that, having finally obtained an audience the Secretary had informed him that the documents he had presented were not sufficient, that he needed others. When the necessary pieces were submitted the Minister informed Fr. Champagnat that his application, together with the new documents, should be taken to the Council of Public Education or to the University. Imagine Fr. Champagnat’s amazement, as he had never heard of such a Council. Although he was given assurance that everything would be concluded within three weeks, he did not believe it because he was well aware of the hostility of the Secretary to his petition.

Next time he wrote to l’Hermitage about this he said that in spite of all his efforts his health, thank God, remained good but what disturbed him most was the tardiness of the minister in coming to a decision. But why this great perplexity? Once again he repeated it in his letter. It was because the law affected four Brothers and as he had hoped to obtain the authorisation he had not thought it necessary to send them to St-Paul-Trois-Châteaux.

At last Fr. Champagnat’s petition was submitted to the Council of the University and he found the time to see all of the members of this Council. The majority finally pronounced in favour of the ordinance. So it was thought that everything was now settled. Even M. Lachèze, the deputy of the Loire, who had worked very hard for its success, told Fr. Champagnat that he would bet him ten to one on a favourable outcome. Indeed, the minister had only to formulate the ordinance and take it to the king for his signature. But as we have said, he had no intention of granting it, as became clear later,

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when in 1840, after the death of Fr. Champagnat, new applications were made that were completely successful and that confirmed his words spoken on his deathbed to the Brothers surrounding him, expressing his regret at dying without the consolation of seeing his Congregation authorised: ‘Be sure that you will not be long without the authorisation and it will be granted to you when absolutely necessary.’

Therefore in spite of the optimistic words of M. Lachèze, Fr. Champagnat was not at all confident and he even wrote to l’Hermitage that in spite of all the promises that had been made to him, many even telling him that he could leave and the ordinance would follow, he had no confidence in them and more than ever he could say: ‘Nisi Dominus aedeficaverit domum.’58 He finished this letter by confiding everything to the will of God and recommending the Brothers to do the same.

M. de Salvandy, knowing no other way to block Fr. Champagnat’s application since he had found no opposition in Paris, changed tactics and told him that before he could formalise the ordinance he would have to consult the prefects of the Rhône and Loire and obtain their consent. Two months later the documents from the two prefects approving Fr. Champagnat’s application arrived at the Ministry at the same time. There was no possibility of misinterpretation. So the Secretary resorted to cunning and told Fr. Champagnat that now he would like the advice of the Superior of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, saying that he was afraid that the requested authorisation could cause harm to their Congregation. Fr. Champagnat himself asked for this and oddly enough, this was quite similar to the Minister’s view. But he was unable to continue with his refusal. So here at last, the Minister was beaten.

What would be his next move? Let us examine his shrewdness. Knowing that Fr. Champagnat regarded the statutes of the Congregation as essential, he suggested that if he adopted those of another authorised Congregation, it would be much easier to approve his request. When Fr. Champagnat reminded him that the Council of Public Education approved his statutes, he was unaware of this approval and did not know how to respond.

However, he still had one effective weapon, which he kept to the last. He told Fr. Champagnat that the favourable reports from the prefects of the Rhône and Loire were not sufficient and that he wanted to consult again with the General Council of these two departments. And why? The reason is easy to understand, as he had influence over both councils he counted on their agreement. But, contrary to his expectations the Loire Council voted in favour of the authorisation. But the Rhône Council being of a different opinion the minister refused the authorisation. Such was the last act of the comedy as acted out by M. Salvandy and Fr. Champagnat. It was M. Salvandy who was responsible for forcing him to suffer the pain of walking the streets of the capital since in a spirit of poverty he normally went on foot.

So much deception, harassment and privation adversely affected his robust temperament and led to the illness that led to his early death.

Before leaving Paris he wrote to l’Hermitage. The letter has been preserved and in it he says that, as was expected, his petition had been rejected, but he was not discouraged and the authorisation would arrive in time, that is to say, when it became absolutely necessary. We have seen before that he repeated these words on his deathbed and they were finally justified in 1850.59 We will now look at Fr. Champagnat’s way of life, apart from his painful walks, when he was in Paris.

This is what we hear from tradition, corroborated by the testimony of a Brother who had accompanied 58

This is the opening verse to Psalm 127 – ‘Unless the Lord builds the house [the builders work in vain]. It is customarily regarded as one of the Founder’s favourite prayers.

59 Actually, the final Government approval was granted on 20 June 1851.

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him on this trip.60 He stayed in the seminary of the Foreign Missions because of the regularity and good spirit of this establishment. As Fr. Champagnat said, it was a great source of edification for him in every way. But we also know that he himself was for those worthy and good clerics a model of piety, regularity, charity, humility, modesty and mortification. When he had some free time he prayed, read or visited some churches especially those dedicated to Our Lady. The secular monuments and hundred other marvels, which exist in the capital, were of no interest to him. In one of his talks he told us how he was able to recollect himself in the streets of Paris as well as he did in the forests of l’Hermitage.

For relaxation he went to the school for Deaf-Mutes to learn their method of teaching so that he could pass on the skill to the Brothers. M. Dubois, the Superior of the Seminary, praising Fr. Champagnat said among other things: ‘Fr. Champagnat is the most virtuous man that I know. I have never seen such humility, mortification, and resignation to the will of God equal to his. His piety charmed and edified all our young priests who vied with each other for the joy of assisting him at Mass.’

When he left Paris Fr. Champagnat returned to St-Paul-en-Artois to found an establishment at the request of M. de Salvandy at the precise moment that he denied him the authorisation. Fr. Champagnat, to show the Minister that he was wrong, accepted, so proving that his Congregation could in no way harm the Brothers of the Christian Schools who had told the authorities that they were unable give them Brothers for ten years.

Following the foundation of this establishment, Fr. Champagnat returned to l’Hermitage drained by fatigue, because his first illness in 1825 had left him with a pain in his side, which made walking very painful. And besides this illness he had acute gastritis, which resulted in his taking very little food, even on his journeys and he often went for long periods without eating. Fr. Colin, seeing his health going from bad to worse thought of providing him with a successor because from the beginning he had, in his wisdom seen that given their different aims, the Fathers and the Brothers could not follow the same rule. On the other hand the position would be too onerous for one single superior, since the governance of the Brothers needed a Superior familiar with the Rule, their customs and their way of life, that is to say, a Brother rather than a Father. Fr. Colin was also convinced that each branch should have its own rules and government and consequently a superior should be elected for each branch. But Fr. Champagnat had different ideas. He already had a vision of one Society of Fathers and Brothers. This idea continued until his death. Fr. Colin had tried to convince him and had often told him quite clearly not to count on the Fathers continuing with his work. He had even advised him that when God called him to Himself, to put things in the hands of Monseigneur beforehand. But Fr. Champagnat had never wanted to agree to this, because it would confine his work to one single diocese and this had never been his intention. So Fr. Champagnat wanted the Brothers to have the same Superior General as the Fathers and if this was not possible he wanted the Brothers to govern themselves in the same way as the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

When Fr. Colin saw that his health was worsening, and since he did not accept the idea of one Superior for both branches, he went to the Archbishop and informed Monseigneur of the unhappy state of Fr. Champagnat’s health and begged to be given the necessary powers to elect a superior for the Brothers.

Monseigneur agreed, putting him in charge of the election. Fr. Colin returned to l’Hermitage for the 1839 Retreat and informed Fr. Champagnat of the absolute necessity of electing a Brother as Superior General of the Brothers. Fr. Champagnat agreed and together they decided that the election should take place following the Retreat.

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Brother Marie-Jubin Mérigay, who died on 1 January 1897 83

The election did indeed take place after the Retreat in the presence of Fr. Champagnat. Fr. Colin arranged the ceremony with his cooperation. I will not describe it here, as it is in the archives of the Congregation. I will just say that after the scrutiny was made the election was held from the three who had gained the most votes, one as Superior General and two as Assistants. After the election had taken place, Fr. Colin returned to the room and proclaimed to the great delight of the Brothers, Brother François as Superior General of the branch of the Marist Brothers and as Assistants, Brother LouisMarie and Jean-Baptiste. Fr. Champagnat showed himself to be satisfied with the election because he saw in Brother François the person who had consistently helped him in the government of the Institute.

He had also had dealings with Brother Louis-Marie who later would be greatly appreciated by his Eminence, Cardinal de Bonald. Brother Jean-Baptiste, who was at that time director of St-Paul-enArtois recently founded by Fr. Champagnat was a Brother of wide vision, highly versed in ascetic sciences and Fr. Champagnat’s main consultant concerning the direction of classes and of the three, the most loved by the Brothers. Also, Fr. Champagnat, having no worries about the future of his work, which was so well directed now that the First Superior had been established, experienced in spite of his illness emotions of holy joy and lively gratitude.

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CHAPTER XVII Last Illness of Fr. Champagnat Seeing himself, through the election of Fr. François partly relieved of his administrative work for the Congregation, Fr. Champagnat should naturally have taken some rest given his state of health. But that was not his way. After the holidays of 1839 until the start of classes I was astonished to see him arrive at our house in the company of another Father. And why had he come here? Why, in spite of his extreme debility, to give a retreat to the eighty pupils in our Boarding School. He was so exhausted and suffered so much that it was painful to see him. And it was not surprising that he was so thin, because he could only eat certain foods and that in small quantities. One day he found himself in the Brothers’ study and had a bad case of vomiting. Then he spoke these disturbing words: ‘I can still digest the prunes and for every two or three that I eat, I am forced to return them. Oh, I understand…’ and said no more.

However, in spite of his emaciated face, the pupils could not stop looking at him and admiring him because there was something within them that attracted them. Many chose him as their confessor. I remember that, among others, one of my class who had spoken with him, told me: ‘Honestly, he has done everything for me…. I am so happy.’ Generally the pupils whispered among themselves: ‘This man is a saint. M.Douillet, the director of the house, a priest of great piety and knowledgeable about many things often repeated: ‘Fr. Champagnat is a saint.’

It was about then that Mgr. Benigne-du-Trousset-d’Hericourt making the decision to found a Novitiate for Teaching Brothers in his diocese, bought the Chateau of Vauban hoping to entrust the running of this Novitiate to the Marist Brothers. With this in mind, he approached Fr. Champagnat.

After the Retreat in Côte-St-André he went to Autun to talk to Monseigneur about this important matter. When I was teaching in this establishment I was told that the Monseigneur was so edified and moved by the humility and modesty of Fr. Champagnat that after signing the agreement he embraced Fr. Champagnat, exclaiming with all his heart, ‘Thanks be to God, I am a true Marist!’ Sadly, this foundation was Fr. Champagnat’s last. When he compared the château with the poor house of La Valla, he was shocked by the difference. But to make the best of it, he removed everything that appeared to be contrary to the vow of poverty. I myself during my time there saw many luxurious objects, especially the magnificent mirrors which decorated several rooms.

Just as in his final travels Fr. Champagnat took hardly any solid nourishment, on his return to l’Hermitage he could only manage broths and milk and often could not keep them down. In spite of the sharp attacks of gastritis, he continued to attend the community exercises. He even went to the refectory but only to be present there, because as often as not he did not eat anything. But it was a true joy for him to be with his Brothers as much as possible.

One day, in spite of his great weakness and moved by his love of work, he tried to quarry stone with the workers but this time he had to admit defeat, because he kept dropping the tools. Those people who witnessed this could not keep back their tears. Then someone caught him by the arm and helped him to his room. This was his last day of manual work. Added to this loss of strength he experienced just at the beginning of Lent violent pains in his kidneys and swellings in his legs. But in spite of that, he continued to follow the rules of the house when he could.

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During the month of March, which is dedicated to St. Joseph he recited the sacred litanies of this great saint with great fervour to obtain the grace of a happy death. He even found the strength to give the blessing on the sacred patriarch’s feast, realising that he would never have another opportunity to do so.

From this moment on he had the profound conviction that his end was approaching and this made him impose upon himself the duty of ordering his affairs both spiritual and temporal. In connection with these, he arranged for a notary and consulted the Brothers along with others who were able to advise him. Having taken all the necessary advice, he drew up his testament in accordance with legal norms leaving everything to the Brothers without including relatives.

As for his spiritual affairs, Fr. Maîtrepierre, coming to visit him as a confrere and close friend, heard his general confession which according to what I heard was accompanied by strong sentiments of compunction and penitence, which was not unusual for him because even the possibility of offending God moved him in such a way that his eyes filled with tears. It sometimes happened that the fear of God’s judgements made him tremble in the same way as happened to other great saints but his complete trust in Jesus and Mary soon calmed his fears and restlessness.

On Holy Thursday, in spite of his great weakness, he rode over to Grange-Payre to celebrate Holy Mass. This house in which he had founded a boarding school was one he loved to visit often, as it was only two kilometres from l’Hermitage. After giving thanks he presented a little homily to the boarders.

He made them realise just how great was God’s favour in giving them teachers who showed them the path to Heaven as much by their example as their words. Once more he spoke to them about the great horror they should have for sin, which was the worst thing of all. He spoke to them about devotion to Our Lady, assuring them that if they recited the Memorare every day she would protect them from the misfortune of offending God and would give them the grace of salvation. When he arrived at l’Hermitage he mentioned how satisfied he was with the visit adding that he would never see that house again.

It was the beginning of the month of May. He wanted in spite of his sufferings to give the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It was his last. As he went into his room he was heard to utter these sad words: ‘It is all over for me. I can feel myself going.’ At that moment Brother Stanislas arrived full of happiness. When Fr. Champagnat asked him why he said: ‘Your recovery which the Brothers hope to obtain during this month.’ ‘You are mistaken, my dear Brother, I will experience greater sufferings before the end.’ And this was absolutely true, as we will soon see.

In the early days of this month which he preferred above all others because it was dedicated to Mary, an old Brother came to see him, concerned about the consequences of his death. But Fr. Champagnat told him not to worry about it because he should know that Providence looked after the Institute and as for himself he was nothing more than the instrument used to found the Institute and God would continue to bless it after his death and he had no doubt that his successor would do better than he had. ‘Poor Brother,’ he said to Brother Stanislas who complained and wept ‘do you really think that the Congregation depends on me? When I am gone it will flourish even more, you will see it with your own eyes and then you will be convinced that God does everything for us’. He was so convinced of the intervention of Providence in his work that he said to those who came to see him and complained of the vacuum that there would be among the Brothers that he was more harmful than useful to the Congregation. He was convinced that he hindered its progress and that he was an obstacle to its prosperity. Certainly his prayers would be more effective after his death than during his life. It was his great humility that caused him to speak this way.

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CHAPTER XVIII He Receives the Last Sacraments On 3rd May, the Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross, after celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass, he said that this would be the last time he would come before the altar. Indeed, his pains increased considerably. The Brothers were completely sunk in a kind of stupor that brought them to tears, believing that they were soon to lose him. They also wept not just on account of his great sufferings but much more on seeing the effect on the Brothers who came to visit him or those who looked after him. They were deeply affected because he had hidden from them the certainty of his death.

The moment arrived when, following the precepts of the Holy Church, he would receive the sacraments, which would sustain him in his fight with death. He himself asked for them and told Brother Stanislas to prepare in the Room of Exercises all that was needed for this ceremony, a consolation for the one who had never loved anyone but God during his life and worked for his greater glory through all manner of combats and persecutions. He could no longer wait for the crown of justice that is promised to God’s faithful servants. Everything was prepared at five o’clock. The Brothers, Novices and postulants were placed round the room. Soon Fr. Champagnat appeared in surplice and stole. When they saw him they were profoundly moved by his serene air, which contrasted with his pale face, marked by the imprint of his suffering, they could not contain their tears. Among these signs of tenderness and sincere affection, Fr. Champagnat sat down on the armchair, recollected himself profoundly and then gave the signal for the ceremony to begin. Firstly he received Extreme Unction and then he himself removed his socks for the Unction of the feet, not allowing anyone to help him.

With the first Sacrament administered he received the Holy Viaticum with such profound humility and love that those present could hardly breathe. Fr. Champagnat was seen to be totally absorbed in the presence of God, which his living faith made present, as though he could see him with his own eyes. He seemed neither to see nor hear anything in the room and stayed completely motionless. After some minutes he opened his eyes and looked around the assembly in tears and addressed to them in a weak but touching voice, an exhortation of which this is the substance.

Starting with these words of the Holy Bible: Remember your last ends and you will never sin, he told them that it is only in the last moments that it is possible to understand that these words are the most efficacious way to prevent us from sinning, because when you are about to appear before God, you not only feel a mortal pain for having offended Him but also for having done so little to save your soul.

Speaking next these words of the psalm, How beautiful sweet and pleasant it is to live as one, together as Brothers, he recommended them to love each other, remembering that they are Brothers, that Mary is our common Mother and so they should help each other and make life as agreeable as possible, caring for each other following the precepts of charity. He wanted obedience to be always accompanied by charity, not that he had any complaint on that score, only that he hoped that his successor could say the same about them, since obedience was the great road to paradise.

At this time, overflowing with happiness to be dying in the Society of Mary, he let escape this exclamation: Oh, how beautiful it is to die in the Society of Mary!61 It is today I assure you my greatest consolation. With these thoughts he encouraged them all to persevere in their vocation, assuring them 61

Although Sylvestre writes ‘qu’il fait beau …’, the accepted tradition is ‘qu’il fait bon …’, that is, ‘how good it is …’

Sylvestre was not a physical witness to this event.

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of eternal salvation if they had the happiness of dying in it. With these words and feeling his voice weaken, he finished the homily of which this is a very short summary, by asking everyone forgiveness for any bad example that he might have given. ‘Although’ he said, I do not remember voluntarily giving any pain to anyone.’ On hearing these words the Brothers, on their knees broke into sobs. ‘It is we who should be asking forgiveness of the good Father’ one of the chaplains exclaimed. But overcome by an emotion that absorbed the whole body and soul, the Brothers did not hear him. Fr. Champagnat deeply affected and being unable in spite of his strong spirit to control his heartfelt emotions, retired to his room to continue giving his thanks. This painful and touching scene took place on Monday 11th May 1840. I heard this from someone who was there, who could not hold back his tears as he spoke to me about it.

On that same day a novena to St. Philomena, to whom he had a special devotion, was started. By the end of it there was a feeling of hope for a cure because the pains in his kidneys and the swellings in his hands and legs had almost disappeared. He could even leave the room and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. As he left the chapel he saw a new credence table, which, as Brother Stanislas said, he would never use.

I will finish this chapter by mentioning some concerns that he still felt after he had received Extreme Unction. He reproached himself in the first place for not having demanded enough work and for having been too indulgent with the lazy ones. But this was absolute nonsense, considering the horror he had of idleness and I know something about this. He could not abide idleness nor to see laziness, to such an extent that one day he saw an old Brother, whom I knew, idly throwing stones. He sent a Brother out to give him a pillow, suggesting that he sit down as well. As you can imagine, the lesson was very effective.

He also experienced feelings of fear of not having done everything that God expected of him. Brother François dealt with these fears by making him see above all the great grace that God had granted him in founding the Congregation that was called to play such a great part in the Holy Church and for which he had used up all his strength, piety and health. Then his heart opened up to faith and calm.

Tranquillity re-entered his soul.

That was not all. He reproached himself for not having founded an agricultural society for the orphan children, fearing that God would call him to account, especially as he had been well provided with the means. Then Brother François made him understand that such a work being totally different from that of the Congregation, he could not be involved with one without harming the other. The care of the Brothers absorbed all his time and he should leave that to those whom God had given the idea. (Today this project is run by the Brothers of Nouméa.62) Fr. Champagnat, satisfied with this explanation, did not refer to it again.

Finally, although it may seem incredible, Fr. Champagnat who had such a great interest in the sick, who constantly looked out to see that they lacked for nothing that would alleviate their sufferings and help to cure them, who worried like a mother about her child, was suffering the reproach of not having helped them enough. This was a real scruple, but is it not characteristic of saints to believe that they never do enough to help their fellow men? Because the more they grow in the love of God, the stronger their charity towards their neighbour.

62

This seems to refer to the boarding school at Néméara in New Caledonia announced in a Brothers’ circular at the beginning of 1887, the year in which Sylvestre wrote this narrative.

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CHAPTER XIX His Spiritual Testament – His Death The improvement that had been noticed after the Novena to St Philomena made by the Brothers requesting a cure, did not last for long; soon the renal infection which had started on Ash Wednesday, intensified. His hands and legs swelled again and he began to have almost continuous vomiting. This however did not prevent him from continuing with his exercises of piety, uttering frequent ejaculations and staying in the presence of God. He even read the Breviary until he could no longer hold the book in his hands.

Then, seeing his end rapidly approaching he summoned Brother François and Brother Louis-Marie to tell them that he wished to make his Spiritual Testament. Brother François told him that it would be too tiring for him. Fr. Champagnat disagreed and turning to Brother Louis-Marie he asked him to put it in writing. After he had explained his thoughts and Brother Louis-Marie had prepared the document, he read him the contents, with which he was in complete agreement. He then asked them to gather the Brothers in his room and read them the testament before the indulgence in articulo mortis. This meeting, which would be the last one, took place after evening prayers. (I will not transcribe the Testament, since the text can be found in the Common Rules. I would like to point out that the fifth section of this Spiritual Testament, which is in the files, has been omitted because it refers to the obedience that the Little Brothers of Mary owe to the Superior General of the Marist Fathers. The reason for this is that before the impression of the Common Rules, Fr. Colin, in the first General Chapter after the death of Fr. Champagnat surrendered in favour of Brother François all the rights that he could have over the Brothers and whatever else had been bequeathed to him by Fr. Champagnat.

From then on this paragraph was no longer appropriate to the Brothers.

All of the Brothers, greatly recollected, listened to this reading with great attention. When it was finished they fell on their knees asking his pardon and pleading that he should never forget them. At these words, Fr. Champagnat seemed to revive and greatly moved in a voice full of paternal love said: ‘Me, forget you? But that is impossible!’ Then Brother François asked his blessing, not only for the Brothers present, but also for those who were absent and for all those who would in the future become part of the Congregation. When he heard this request, Fr. Champagnat joined his hands, very distinctly pronounced the liturgical formula and made the sign of the Cross over them.

Meantime, prayers were offered everywhere requesting the cure of Fr. Champagnat. All of the surrounding communities added to these prayers. In the house they avoided any noise that could tire him and even though carpets were laid in the passages near his room the Brothers who had to pass by had to take the precaution of removing their shoes. M.Bélier, an old missionary of the diocese of Valence, could not but admire such solicitude and encouraged them to continue their efforts. However, Fr. Champagnat was not difficult to look after. He was full of gratitude for all the attention he received and tried to let them have as much sleep as possible even at the risk of his suffering a little. During the most violent crises he often repeated, when the pains were less intense, these words: ‘My God, let your will be done.’ In spite of his continual illness he welcomed the Brothers who looked after him and always spoke kindly to them about their position and their particular needs.

In a private conversation with Brother François he sympathised with him on the heavy burden he had left him. But he encouraged him, pointing out that his spirit of zeal and prayer, accompanied by his great trust in God helped him to cope. Confidentially he also told Brother Louis-Marie to do 89

everything in his power to support Brother François and not to be discouraged in spite of the obstacles that the enemy of good would raise against him in his capacity as Assistant General because she who is the Ordinary Resource of the community would assist him in overcoming him. After having shared with Brother Stanislas, in a moment when they were alone, his consciousness of all the pain he had caused him, he asked him to encourage as much as he possibly could the novices and the newcomers to persevere, especially if he saw them to be discouraged and tempted to abandon their vocation.

Meantime his illness advanced very rapidly and had reached the stage where he was unable to take any sort of food. An interior flame that made his body reject even such liquids as broth, cream and so on devoured him. To comfort himself in the middle of his intolerable sufferings he ardently desired to receive the Holy Viaticum, but his continued vomiting made this impossible. What did he do? He spoke with complete confidence to his Guardian Angel, whose statue he had brought to him. He was answered. The vomiting ceased and he was once again able to receive Our Lord. But then the illness followed its course. It was after this communion that he recommended the practice of silence as being absolutely necessary to help maintain the religious spirit of recollection and prayer. And once again he recommended they avoid laziness as he regretted at the hour of his death the times he had spent inactive.

In the evening of that same day he received a visit from Fr. Colin and on the following day from M. Mazelier to whom as I have said he had confided his Brothers affected by the recruiting laws. Fr. Champagnat was greatly consoled by these visits. He spoke for a long time with Fr. Colin. At the end of their conversation he asked pardon for all the inconvenience he had caused and commended the Brothers to him. Fr. Colin, greatly edified by his humility spoke to him in a most encouraging way and showed great affection towards him. He also had a conversation with M. Mazelier concerning the Brothers whom he had sent him every year to avoid military service, asking him to look after them.

Before leaving him, M. Mazelier asked him to keep him in his prayers when he went to heaven.

I believe it was after these two visits that through humility and a spirit of poverty, he asked to be taken to the Infirmary in order to cause less inconvenience for the infirmarians. Brother François thought that this might embarrass those who were already there. ‘Fine, then put me in an iron bed.’ They did this and it was in this very bed that we would see him breathe his last.

Just as he had predicted to Brother Stanislas, his sufferings at the end of the month became excessive and unbearable. In spite of that he did not stop his prayers, his acts of contrition and confidence, his resignation to the will of God. He could be seen directing his gaze at the images attached to the curtains around his bed of the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and his patron saints. Most often he would grasp his Profession Cross, kiss it with love, taking his hands from beneath the covers to find it, as though he were afraid to lose it.

On Monday 1st June M. Dutreuil, parish priest of St-Pierre-de-St-Chamond came to visit him.

Something then happened which showed how little regard he had for his body. As the parish priest bent over to embrace him he cried: ‘Oh M. le Curé I am too dirty for you to embrace me.’ M. Dutreuil was greatly edified by this spontaneous and heartfelt expression and encouraged him to the best of his ability.

Above all it gave him consolation that he could speak as the bouts of vomiting were intermittent. Before he left M. Dutreuil asked for his blessing. Fr. Champagnat refused, saying that it was he who should give the blessing. A friendly argument followed but the humility of Fr. Champagnat prevailed. M. Dutreuil gave him his blessing, asking if he could share the merits of his suffering. Then he left.

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The final days of Fr. Champagnat were a succession of ejaculatory prayers, aspirations, sweet invocations to Jesus and Mary. Two thoughts especially consoled and encouraged him, dying a holy death and going to heaven. Already he seemed to see the Brothers who had preceded him. This reinforced his deep conviction that those members who died in the Congregation would find salvation and that for his part when he saw our Good Mother, he would ask her to ensure their salvation.

Since he considered the privilege of dying as a Marist to be one of the most certain signs of predestination he never tired of offering thanks and already seemed to be enjoying the happiness of heaven.

On 4th June the vomiting lessened a little, a favour that he attributed to St. Joseph and he asked to receive the Holy Viaticum. They hurried to satisfy his wish, realising that this might be his last opportunity. His faith and fervent piety made him perform clear acts of love towards Our Lord. On Friday 5th June his sufferings reached their critical stage and it is hard to describe it, although I was there. Before I continue I would like to explain why I was there at his deathbed. My gratitude to Fr. Champagnat obliges me to mention this.

Towards the last hours of his illness I had been overcome by a terrible temptation, similar to that of Brother Louis, of whom I spoke earlier.63 Someone who rightfully should have had my complete trust advised me and I was on the point of leaving the Congregation. Not wishing to take such a serious step without the approval of Fr. Champagnat, I wrote to him, not being aware of the seriousness of his condition. I believe though that he was able to read my letter but was unable to reply, as he was now bedridden. What solicitude! Soon afterwards he sent for Brother Louis-Marie and told him to write inviting me to l’Hermitage. He told him what to reply on his behalf in case God called him before my arrival. I left for l’Hermitage as soon as I received the letter and arrived on 5th June around midday.

There was nothing more urgent for me than my meeting with Fr. Champagnat but sadly he was in one of those crises, which are precursors of death in illnesses like his. I entered the room in tears falling on my knees at the head of his bed. He made a gesture for me to stand and pressed my arm affectionately without being able to speak. I went back down on my knees and continued crying. I remained like that, desolated, until he made a sign for me to leave. I was supposed to return the same day and was just preparing for my departure. It was then that Brother Louis-Marie, taking me aside, told me: ‘Our Father Superior, on his death bed has commanded me to tell you that he has complete confidence in your vocation.’ When I returned to my community I meditated on these words which for me were sacred, but not serious enough because the temptation, returning more strongly than before and believing that Fr. Champagnat had not fully understood me, I decided to follow my first idea. But to ease my conscience I wrote to Fr. Colin, because Fr. Champagnat’s words kept coming into my mind.

He simply advised me to write to Brother François and abide by his decision. This I did and his response was a repetition of Fr. Champagnat’s words, that is to say, that he also believed totally in my vocation, adding that he would be responsible for this before God. After that I no longer hesitated and made my profession during the holidays. I am extremely grateful to Fr. Champagnat for having helped me in this, as I believe it will be my salvation.

I mentioned that when I left him Fr. Champagnat was suffering atrocious pain but I remember that in this paroxysm he looked very calm. His sunken eyes were filled with kindness; his lips tight and pinched; yet he managed to maintain that air of kindness that won all our hearts. I heard that after my departure, he was unable to pronounce the names of Jesus and Mary, but was able to hold up his hand in greeting. On that same day, Friday, towards evening it was obvious that he was close to the end.

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That is, to be a priest.

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Many of the Brothers wished to spend the night close to him to receive his last blessing. But it was not thought appropriate. They went to bed and only two older Brothers watched over him during the night. At about half-past two he told them that the lamp was fading, but they told him it was burning brightly. He asked them to bring it closer but he could no longer see it. Then in a moribund voice he said: ‘I think it is my sight that is failing’ and immediately entered into his death agony, which looked like a gentle sleep. The whole community gathered in the chapel for the Salve Regina, a practice he had instituted during the events of 1830. The litany of the Blessed Virgin was recited immediately prior to the hymn and before they finished his soul, purified by so much suffering, flew we hope, to the bosom of our Good Lord for whom his heart had always burned with love. And also towards her whom he had so often invoked with angelic fervour and whom he regarded as the Superior of his Community. This happy death, following his ardent wish, happened on a Saturday, 6th June, the eve of Pentecost, at 4.30. It was at the precise moment in which, had he been there, he would have been intoning the Salve Regina.

What grief for the whole Congregation! Grief however which was greatly assuaged by the universal belief that his sacred death had opened for him the gates of heaven. He had lived as a saint and died as a saint because as the proverb puts it: ‘As you live, so will you die.’ The transition from this world to the other, far from deforming him, had left him those features of dignity and that air of kindness that had been characteristic during his life. Because of this it was pleasant to look at him and stay by his deathbed. Either singly or in groups, people came to pay their respects and to show their veneration by kissing his feet affectionately, joining in prayer, reciting the Office of the Dead.

The funeral took place on Monday 8th June. On the previous Sunday afternoon he had been laid in a lead coffin, which in turn was put into another made of oak. He was buried in his priestly robes and strangely his body had retained its suppleness without the least rigidity. In the presence of Fr. Matricon, Brothers Jean-Marie, Louis and Stanislas there was added a metal heart on which was inscribed ‘Ossa Champagnat 1840’. The body was carried to the cemetery by the professed Brothers, accompanied by most of the priests of the canton, the dignitaries of the village of St-Chamond and naturally, by the whole Community. Several people cried and through their piety and reverence gave witness as they accompanied a great servant of God to his last resting place. A simple and modest monument was erected on his tomb. Below the inscription with his name and title, the day of his death was an epitaph with these words: ‘Pretiosa Domini mors sanctorum ejus.’

It would be interesting to know what become of the work of Fr. Champagnat. To deal with this I intend giving, under the title of ‘conclusion’, a general outline of the entire Congregation, so that we can appreciate Fr. Champagnat more than ever.

A.M.D.G.

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Conclusion An overview of the current state of the Congregation 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Fr. Champagnat was chosen by God to found the Society of the Little Brothers of Mary The aim of this Congregation Its spirit according to the name it bears Its extraordinary development The good work accomplished A personal opinion on its duration

Fr. Champagnat has been clearly chosen by God to found the Congregation of the Little Brothers of Mary.

We have already seen in the second chapter that in the Major Seminary he had the idea of founding a congregation of teaching Brothers especially dedicated to country children to bring them the Christian Doctrine. It was also pointed out in the same chapter that he had a natural propensity for gathering the children around himself in order to explain the catechism during the holidays. Evidently, this was one of the many signs that God had special plans for him and was calling him to work for the salvation of the young. But he had such a low opinion of himself that he did not feel capable of such a mission and needed some kind of encouragement to do it. We have already mentioned that in the meetings in the Major Seminary he often repeated the words: ‘We need Brothers, we need Brothers to teach catechism etc.’ Then one day we know that when he continued to insist on this he was told by common consent: ‘Well, you take charge of the Brothers since it is your idea.’ It was at this time that the inner voice became more insistent, pushing him towards his goal. He saw in these words a formal command from the Divine Will. As we know, he resolved to undertake this work and to spare neither pain nor sacrifice, not even his life, to accomplish it as soon as he possibly could. He was convinced that God wanted this of him, although in his deep humility he considered himself to be an unworthy instrument to carry it out. From then on, until his death he employed all his time in the foundation of the Congregation.

But the clearest proof that his choice to found our Society comes from God is its success without human help and especially its approval by the apostolic see.

Aim of the Congregation As God had chosen Fr. Champagnat as Founder of the Congregation, obviously he had to inspire in him a particular goal as well as the general aims of all congregations, which is the sanctification of their members. But what is this goal? It has already been mentioned. The Christian education of youth and especially of country people. This is the essential goal of his work because the teaching of sciences which is the function of primary instruction according to Fr. Champagnat is no more than a means to equip the children in our schools in order to give them a Christian education and in particular to prepare them for a good First Communion.

We should realise that this goal is a singular one and in no way diversified. Also he did not want the Brothers to become involved in other activities, even if the activities were worthy ones, such as the care of sacristies, of sick people in hospital and so on. Nor did he want the teaching of the Brothers to go 93

outside the scope of human sciences, to things that were the responsibility of secondary schools, such as the teaching of Latin etc. It followed from this that his aim was unique and that in the whole of the Congregation it would result in good Teaching Brothers.

We have seen that he had in mind another goal that of forming workers for other occupations, but Brother François when he was consulted about this, dissuaded him, as it would be harmful to the Congregation which he was governing at this time so he did not pursue the matter. However the idea of running orphanages was always on his mind. This can be seen in the way that he sent Brothers to the orphanage in Lyon. This was more a case of giving them primary education especially in religion rather than preparing them for an occupation.

The spirit of the Congregation in connection with its name and consequently the spirit of the Founder.

What is the significance of the word, ‘little’ which precedes the name given to our Congregation?

Before I answer this question, it is necessary to point out that all the congregations besides having virtues in common and which form the spirit of their way of life, are distinguished by a special virtue, which gives them their distinctive character. For some it is charity, for others it is obedience, others devote themselves particularly to mortification, some to contemplation and so on, so that all the particular virtues, each one practised to a high degree of perfection, represent in the Church this shining vestment of which the kingly prophet speaks, adorned with diverse flowers radiant with gold and precious stones.

The virtue chosen by Fr. Champagnat, as the distinctive stamp of his Congregation is, as we have already said, the virtue of humility with its inseparable companions modesty and simplicity. And the model he gave to his Brothers to accomplish this ideal was the life of humility, simplicity and modesty of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the humble house of Nazareth. So he wanted the members of the Congregation to do their utmost within their vocation, quietly and without ostentation and as the expression goes, without blowing their own trumpet, remaining always self-effacing.

Now as we were just saying, Fr. Champagnat had been chosen by God to found our Institute and it is quite natural that by directing him towards this goal he also inspired him with the spirit and endowed him with the virtue of humility, which was so strong that he was able to give his disciples the perfect prototype. Also in this summary of his life, if one looks carefully it can be seen that this virtue eclipses all the others. And what has he not done to acquire it and to destroy the last vestiges of pride? We have seen how he fought it in both the Minor Seminary and his triumph during his ministry in La Valla and in the foundation of his Congregation.

Also God who loves his saints and guides them to sainthood in many different ways favoured the practice of this virtue in Fr. Champagnat by not allowing him to do wonderful and extraordinary things during his life. Nonetheless, it is true that he practised under the veil of humility the theological virtues to a heroic degree as we can gather from tradition, proven facts and numerous documents. And it does not say in the gospel that the humble Virgin of Nazareth did any wonderful things during her life and yet the Holy Fathers have assured us that with one turn of her spindle she has merited more than all the angels and saints together. The word ‘little’ then shows that the virtue of humility should be inherent to the Little Brothers of Mary because according to the Founder’s idea, the word ‘little’ is taken in the sense of ‘humble’ and that ‘Little Brothers of Mary’ and ‘Humble Brothers of Mary’ are synonymous expressions.

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As the word ‘Brothers’, which follows ‘Little’ shows, all the members of the Congregation should live in the closest brotherhood as children of one single family of which the Blessed Virgin is the mother. And consequently they should be loved, supported, helped and they should make life pleasant for each other and be able to forget the happiness and pleasures of their natural home. For this reason, as much in the branch of the Fathers as that of the Brothers the Marist spirit that should contain all the characteristics of the family through its simplicity should lead to tolerance and cordial co-existence. ‘It is necessary’ said Fr. Champagnat in his Spiritual Testament ‘that they can say of them as of the first Christians: See how they love one another.’

The word ‘Mary’ which is the last word in the title of the Congregation indicates according to Fr. Champagnat a spirit of total filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin which makes us turn to her with the simplicity of a child for all our spiritual and material needs and each member of the Congregation should spread her name to make it loved honoured and respected by all, particularly the children under their care. And for the members of the Congregation this devotion should not stop there. They should also, said Fr. Champagnat make every effort to imitate her virtues especially her humility, which should be the visible sign of the Congregation. But to find out more about the devotion of Fr. Champagnat to his Good Mother and that of the Little Brothers of Mary, I would refer the reader to the second part of the Common Rules, which deals with this devotion. In this solid, rich and magnificent chapter can be seen how this devotion worked in Fr. Champagnat for as he said he himself practised it and I, with many others can testify to this.

The incredible development of the Congregation Similar to the Holy Church the Congregation of Fr. Champagnat had for its first disciples five or six young men who were poor, illiterate, not even knowing the first principles of religious life. But very quickly formed by Fr. Champagnat, or better by the Holy Spirit of whom he was the obedient instrument, they soon found themselves capable of teaching catechism to the children in the parish of La Valla and even older people. It is good to see these early disciples of Fr. Champagnat, humble, simple and modest as they were, going from village to village, joyfully climbing, in spite of the cold, the rain and the snow, the narrow paths which were rocky and muddy, leading them to the barns where they gathered the young people and shared with them the bread of religious belief for which their souls had such great hunger and teaching them elementary knowledge of which they were in need.

However Fr. Champagnat could see the time coming when his work would fail due to lack of numbers.

So what could he do? He turned to prayer, to mortification, he pleaded fervently to the one he called his ‘Ordinary Resource’, the Blessed Virgin Mary. And almost immediately eight young men turned up at the Novitiate. Sadly they lacked resources and knowledge. No matter, he was not discouraged. Soon his zeal and devotion, his wisdom and his piety transformed them into new apostles to carry out his work with great success. Then, shortly afterwards others arrived to follow them and were formed in the same way and in a very short time the house of La Valla became too small for the burgeoning community. It had become necessary to build on a larger scale.

The solitary house of l’Hermitage, with its picturesque site, was to become the second cradle of the Institute, as the one in La Valla was the first. But unfortunately it was at the start of this great prosperity of which Fr. Champagnat was the soul and support that death came to take him away from his beloved Congregation. There were those when this mortal blow fell who believed that this could be the end of his work when the dawn had presaged such a happy future and they thought that once it had vegetated for a while it would finally vanish altogether. This is an example of human thinking, but God had not yet said his last word. And so it was at this time that it broke the bonds, which seemed to be

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smothering it. In the Centre, the Midi and the North of France there grew up as if by magic a number of establishments with more in preparation. Fr. Champagnat had said during his life and repeated on his deathbed.’ The Congregation is the work of God and not mine. I have no doubt at all that after my death it will make more progress than during my life.’ His prophecy was true. Under his immediate successor vocations became more numerous, the foundations multiplied to such an extent that l’Hermitage, this great reliquary of Fr. Champagnat as Br. François the first Superior General called it, was no longer spacious enough or convenient enough to be the centre of the Institute.

It became necessary to build a much bigger place near a large town both to accommodate the community and above all to facilitate the numerous and important pieces of business which grew every day in connection with the civil and ecclesiastical authorities. St-Genis-Laval, a canton some kilometres from Lyon was designated as the place that would become the new Mother House of the Congregation.

L’Hermitage became a branch only but is precious to all concerned.

And so things continued to expand, develop and be based on solid foundations, which seem to suggest permanence. However, at l’Hermitage the Rules had been drafted by Fr. Champagnat, and were then reviewed and sanctioned by the First General Chapter under his eyes, as that was where his remains were. A short time after his death the legal recognition of the Institute on which he had expended all his strength was granted under the best possible conditions. And it was during the time of his successor Brother François that the approbation of the Congregation by the Holy See arrived giving the facility to canonically elect a Superior General and to make the simple vows of religion.

Following this great favour the Institute flourished. From various novitiates in France and England the Little Brothers of Mary set out to carry the Good News as far as the islands of Oceania. Later Africa with its burning climate welcomed the disciples of Fr. Champagnat and later they established themselves in Canada. Is it not clear that God blessed and continues to bless the work of Fr. Champagnat, and that consequently he was the perfect person to found the work?

But you might think there is nothing wonderful in the development of this work and that it is the result of powerful methods used to attain such rapid results. And if that is so, there is nothing out of the ordinary and it only goes to show that Fr. Champagnat was a talented and knowledgeable man. Do we not see every day intelligent manufacturers making in a short space of time a success of great enterprises without much money because they know how to profit from certain circumstances through their astuteness to build up their trade? This is true but it was not the way with Fr. Champagnat’s work and here is where the marvel is to be found where a veritable miracle attests to the heroism of the virtues of Fr. Champagnat.

From everything we have said in this summary of his life about the foundation of his Congregation it is not at all surprising to see the prosperous state of the Congregation today in spite of its early poverty due to Fr. Champagnat’s lack of resources and above all in spite of the continual persecutions which had beset him from all sides to hinder his success. Then, like the Curé d’Ars he had only moderate educational talents as we saw at the start of his studies. On the other hand as he himself said his fortune was Providence and Providence alone. But what were his means of success? Prayer, mortification, a profound humility and above all his recourse to Mary. Add to these the crosses, the setbacks, the humiliations, the insults the mockeries etc. On whose part? His enemies, without a doubt. Even more than that we dare say on the part of his closest friends and those who should have given him their cooperation.

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Short of financial resources at the beginning of his work, he sacrificed his modest income as a curate.

With his own hands he built with the help of his first disciples the humble house, which would serve as the first cradle of the Congregation, initiating them in the principles of religious life and in the elements of knowledge, which they would soon be teaching. And please note that it is in that time dedicated to work that hardly served to furnish the necessary discipline that he had to steal at times to instruct them.

At l’Hermitage the same poverty. He had to borrow not only to buy the site for the house but also to do the construction because what funds had he in the bank? Some modest amounts earned by the sweat of the brow of five or six Brothers who, for one reason or another unable to take classes took on work from people on the outside or the little economies made by the Directors of the Houses, results of deprivations which their filial piety made them courageously support in order to come to the aid of Fr. Champagnat. But in the midst of these pressing difficulties Fr. Champagnat never abandoned his work. On the contrary, his confidence seemed to grow in proportion to his distress. And when he was reproached for lack of prudence and for his temerity in continuing with a project that was beyond his capabilities he basically had no other response than that of the crusaders: ‘God wishes it and that is enough for me.’ He was even able to say, and these are his own words, ‘Never has my community lacked anything be it food, clothing or accommodation, even when we were needy.’

When the government, due to unforeseen laws, caused him all sorts of difficulties that seemed about to ruin his work, he was not greatly disturbed. It had flourished before and would do so again. Through prayer, mortification, recourse to Mary, his weapons of defence, he overcame everything. The difficulties vanished, his affairs improved and help always-appeared on time. And his work, similar to a little stream, became little by little a great river, which, always growing would carry to all parts the healing and beneficent waters of our religion to the vast field of the Holy Church and in spite of the efforts made by Satan to block the source and to stop the flow. Is that not a wonderful miracle?

The Good effected by the Congregation within the Holy Church But what good did the Congregation do in the wide field of the Holy Church? Well, in the century in which we live it is incalculable. Thousands of children who attend the schools belonging to the disciples of Fr. Champagnat receive, besides all the human knowledge demanded by the state and their condition the most important of all. I mean of course religion in all its purity. That is to say, as taught by the apostles, the Councils and the decisions made by the Sovereign Pontiffs. Also, they are formed with the greatest care in the practice of the Catholic faith and above all they are prepared with special attention to that solemn act of life, that is to say the First Communion, that happy day which one always recalls with tenderness and which the famous exile of Ste-Hélène called the happiest day of his life. But it is not only religious knowledge and humanities that the young people are fortunate enough to receive in the schools that are run by the Little Brothers of Mary. It should be known that Fr. Champagnat enjoined them through the Rules and in a very formal manner to give their pupils a Christian education, illuminating their spirits with the light of faith and especially to form their hearts in virtue.

This would be achieved by their example and words, correcting their faults and teaching them to master their burgeoning passions, making them good Christians and honest citizens. To reach this goal they should, by following the rules of Fr. Champagnat, sacrifice everything, their time, their health, their very life, for as he often repeated: ‘God has above all founded this Congregation to make saints and on the great day of judgement each one will have to appear before his pupils and will answer with his soul if any of them are lost through his fault … And I, my Brothers, will pass in front of you to give an account of the salvation or loss of all the members of the Congregation.’

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Oh, what great good can a Brother do when he is driven by this thought and is filled with ardent zeal to make known, loved and served God, Jesus Christ and his Holy Mother! What a great number of sins he can help to avoid! What number of prey can he snatch from hell and with how many souls can he people heaven!

Allow me to make a reflection. Could it not be said that God in his mercy had inspired Fr. Champagnat to the foundation of the Congregation particularly for the times in which we live? For, never before had the young people been exposed to such great danger to their salvation. Because what are the godless schools64 that are appearing everywhere, but training grounds for the most unbridled libertinism, shameless insubordination and the most wicked crimes.

Since man carries by the very fact of his origin the seed of all the vices what will become of the young people imbued with all sorts of evil doctrines drawn to sin by the worst possible example, excited by the most shameful concupiscence? What will become of them when they leave these atheistic schools, where they are taught, it is true, a certain ‘morality’ under the name of civics but which is at bottom, disguised immorality and completely pagan? Who will support these unfortunate young people in the battles they are going to wage against themselves to practise this so-called moral civics? If they do not have the gospel truth to guide them, nor the grace to conquer them above all when a perverse world presents them with this enchanted cup of pleasures that contain the most deadly of poisons? Sadly the public pamphlets already give us too much information on the vanguard of this ignoble and fierce generation, which prepares our public schools for a government that has banned God from its teachings and brutally snatched from the youth the Cross, that sacred sign which has civilised the most barbarous people. This is what the Congregation of Fr. Champagnat is called to fight. The task is a difficult one but his disciples are not put off. Continually at the breach, they can be seen everywhere they are called, armed by the example of Fr. Champagnat, by prayer, zeal and recourse to Mary, to combat like valiant soldiers the audacious opposition, supported by almost ridiculous salaries from the authorities who are impious and voltairian, to free from imminent dangers the multitude of children who frequent their schools. Evidently the work of Fr. Champagnat achieves an immense good in the Church, preserving everything that is sacred, the childhood which the good Master cherished with his favoured love and who called to himself the little children with these tender and fatherly words: ‘Let the little children come to me, do not prevent them, because the Kingdom of Heaven is for those like them.’

But this is not only the good, which the Congregation does for 80,820 children who today (1886) have the benefit of a Christian education given by the zeal and devotion of the Little Brothers of Mary. It is a benefit of the most superior order which is a result of the work of Fr. Champagnat who saved from the world 4007 young men, 3172 Brothers, 209 postulants and 626 Juniors who for the most part would have drowned but are prepared to fight against Satan and his supporters and they worked effectively using the surest means to obtain their salvation. Oh! What a great spectacle to see 3172 Brothers dressed in the habit of Mary, fighting with heroic courage a war of attrition against the low instincts of corrupting nature, attending the sacraments several times a week, following a Rule which determines the programme of the day, voluntarily fixing the time for sleep, of their meals whether as to quantity or quality and submitting themselves to being led by their superiors like little children sacrificing their liberty in this way relinquishing the joys of the family. And all of this is true. Their aim was their own salvation and also to fill heaven with predestined souls teaching about 90,000 children by their example and their words the road to true happiness, which the godless schools were unable to do. And this large 64

The law introducing the secularisation of schools was enacted in 1881, just five or six years before the description of these schools that Sylvestre makes here.

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number of religious educators and their pupils whose number would be greater if the persecution by vicious men did not continually obstruct, in every possible way, the progress of the admirable work of Fr. Champagnat.

And these postulants who arrived from the world where they had been threatened by imminent danger to their salvation and whose souls were perhaps in danger of the most severe damage, is it not a great consolation and a joy for the Holy Church to see them directed by skilled teachers to suppress their passions, correct their character defects, overcome their worst habits, to become, after having been put into the crucible which was called the Novitiate, true apostles of Jesus Christ!

What an edifying sight to see these young future novices who, having received the Eucharist for the first time, leaving their families at the very time when they were most cherished consecrating themselves to the Lord by commencing Religious Life through the Novitiate, to where, most often they were led by Providence. Oh, how edifying to see them every fortnight approach the divine banquet with a piety and modesty, which was angelic! How many times my eyes were wet with tears on hearing them sing, with voices, which were both moving and harmonious, their hymns of thanksgiving! And then, what submission to their teachers, what affability in their manner. How different from the companions they had left in the world. And to think that the majority of them had been on wicked paths. This is the early nursery for the applicants that guarantees a rich future for the Congregation and rejoices the heart of the Church.

It is in the work of the Juniorates that we see the clear promise that Fr. Champagnat made several times during his life and repeated at the hour of his death that the Congregation was the work of God and when the time came that it would be threatened, there would be abundant resources. I have no doubt that is was he who inspired his successors in the Juniorates that he had already established during his lifetime. I know that he accepted on probation young people who were still children.

Oh, how magnificent will be the threefold crown of Fr. Champagnat: children, juniors and Brothers who throughout all eternity will rejoice to have been part of the Congregation and especially when they wore the white robe of their innocence. So much for the good that Fr. Champagnat’s Congregation did for the Church. And yet, I ask, can it not be supposed that this man who founded it is close to the heart of God, that is to say, a saint whose virtues have remained hidden under the veil of deepest humility.

My personal opinion on the duration of the Congregation.

In my personal opinion I believe that our Institute will see the end of time and that it is destined to combat the Anti-Christ. My reasons are as follows: the end of the world according to some wise Doctors and even more texts from the Holy Books does not seem very far away. And in these latter times do we not see the dawn of these early days of the persecutions? It also seems that God pours the last treasures of his mercy on the world, that is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Virgin and the cult of St. Joseph.

I believe that the Society of Mary, which is only at the beginning, is the army chosen by God to fight against the Anti-Christ by means of these three devotions given that our Institute has a particular devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Conception and to St. Joseph.

Apart from this, here is fact that has confirmed me in this opinion and I believe that I am the only person who knows it. One day a chaplain at l’Hermitage inflamed by the salvation of the infidel, a great

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devotee of the Blessed Virgin and who later became a Bishop, Monseigneur Pompallier, one day as I said, did not appear in the refectory at dinnertime. Fr. Champagnat sent Brother Stanislas to see if he felt indisposed. Brother Stanislas knocked on the door of his room. The key was on the outside and there was no answer. He knocked more loudly, the same silence. Then without more ado, he opened the door and saw the Father on his knees in front of a statue of the Holy Virgin and a Crucifix. He had, this Brother told me, a radiant and passionate face and he seemed to be submerged in deep meditation.

Brother Stanislas watched him in this state of ecstasy when suddenly the pious chaplain got up and addressed him in a strong voice: ‘My dear Brother, let us pray that the Society of Mary be the one to combat the anti-Christ.’ And without saying more, seeing that he had given himself away, he went down to the refectory, asking Brother Stanislas to keep his secret. Considering this prediction to be true, how glorious it is that Fr. Champagnat was chosen by Heaven to be the founder of one of the elite armies that the Immaculate Virgin would use to completely crush the head of the infernal serpent, personified by the man of sin, the Anti-Christ.

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APPENDIX Three chapters dealing with: 1. M y relationship with Fr. Champagnat 2. Some of his principal virtues 3. Personal notes.

Foreword In chapter 11 I promised to let you know under the appendices, the dealings I had with Fr. Champagnat during the nine years in which I had the good fortune to be under him, especially during my Novitiate because while I remained in the establishments I did not have the same relationships with Fr. Champagnat as most Brothers had when they were in these posts. I do not intend to detail his virtues and all that he was capable of doing. It would take too long. So I will only speak of what I saw with my own eyes concerning what was edifying in his conduct or what I have heard from eyewitnesses.

Chapter 1 – My dealings with Fr. Champagnat.

Entering l’Hermitage L’Hermitage! What a blessed name! How many happy memories spring to mind! What warm emotions I feel when I think of this holy house where I had the good fortune above all others to enter as a novice on the third Sunday of Lent in March 1831. It was a Saturday and I have always regarded it as a great grace to be admitted there on the day consecrated to Mary our Good Mother. God willing, I might also die on a Saturday!

I can still see myself arriving with a postulant from my part of the country65 and the Brother who accompanied us to Fr. Champagnat’s modest little room and I remember the impression he made on me with his height and majesty, his air of goodness and seriousness at the same time. His face commanded respect, his cheeks sunken, his lips a little prominent which made him appear to be smiling, his eyes both piercing and searching, his voice strong and sonorous, his speech markedly articulate, without being terse or tedious, everything in proportion. In short he presented by his whole aspect one of these models of sanctity, which are to be seen in the portraits of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Francis of Assisi, the Curé d’Ars etc.

After asking us to sit down, very courteously and without affectation, he put to my companion and me several questions as to why we wished to join the religious life, had we really left our will at the door of the monastery, did we love the Blessed Virgin, and many other questions that I cannot recall.

Afterwards he took both of us in, although I was too young, being only 12 years and 3 months old.

However as we had been presented by M. Rouchon, the parish priest of Valbenoîte with whom he had a very good relationship, he ignored the question of age and height (I was relatively small for my age).

Then, taking a thick notebook from his desk, he wrote in it our last names and our Christian names etc.

He also made a note of our very modest belongings. He made no mention of our upkeep, as M. 65

The postulant was Joseph Roux who became Brother Martin. They came from Valbenoîte.

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Rouchon was taking responsibility for it. When this had been done and after offering us some words of encouragement he put us in the hands of Brother François who at the time was regarded as Master of Novices. He was the only one Fr. Champagnat gave permission for communion and he was the only one who could give direction during the retreat either in confession or outside of the confessional.

Before I continue I must beg the reader to pay great attention, in the course of the following paragraphs to what Fr. Champagnat did to correct my defects and preserve me in my vocation. You will see instances of incomparable patience accompanied by such fatherly concern together with constant firmness that succeeded in shaping my weak and restless character, seemingly not very suited for religious life. I will keep the details to a minimum to avoid passing the limits imposed on me in this summary of his life.

Beginning of my Novitiate.

Note: This chapter should be placed at the end of the appendix and not at the beginning; I leave it to the reader to decide.

Born with a lively, light and naturally restless temperament, at the beginning of the Novitiate I allowed myself to indulge in infantile practices and silliness, which brought from Fr. Champagnat warnings, threats, corrections and even penances, which I certainly completed without hesitation. But they did not correct me at all and Fr. Champagnat should have returned me to my family and he had even threatened to do so. However, seeing that I was serious and thoughtful about religious matters he used all of his patience, taking time to make sure that I was called to religious life and to what extent I was attached to my vocation. He continued to reflect on it, until a totally providential circumstance occurred to dispel his doubts in this respect. A cartwright from my home came to do some repairs at l’Hermitage and secretly passed me a letter from my parents asking for a quick reply. Not knowing what else to do because I felt scrupulous about opening it I took it to Fr. Champagnat explaining to him how I had acquired it. ‘Well done, my dear friend’ he told me and I left him. Next day he told me that the letter was nothing more than a trap set by the devil to send me back to the world. What is certain is that by following this article of the Rule of which at that time I was unaware I convinced Fr. Champagnat of my vocation and from then on he employed all sorts of means to keep me. What a deep knowledge of the human heart to have seen in this act that seemed so insignificant, a sure sign of vocation!

From then on, although on many occasions I still tested his patience thanks to my childish behaviour, he never again threatened to send me home. His kindness towards me continued in a paternal way.

Here is an example. One day following evening prayers the community had retired from the prayer room and were going on to the chapel, which was reached by means of a staircase with about forty steps, I allowed myself a rather curious idiocy. As it was quite dark and thinking that a Brother, on whom I occasionally played jokes, was behind me I began to block his way by swaying in front of him making it difficult for him to go up the stairs and he repeatedly emitted deep sighs. On arriving at the door of the chapel I turned around to see his face. What a shock! It was Fr. Champagnat himself….

Naturally I expected a penance that would set an example. But he did nothing. When I went to see him on the Saturday to ask for various permissions he spoke about it in an ironic but pleasant manner but suggested that I be a little more serious and he never again mentioned the incident.

In an effort to curb my restlessness, Fr. Champagnat allotted me many different tasks, in the kitchen, in the forge, in the bakery, in the lamp store etc., but everywhere I caused more trouble and was unable to stay for more than a few days in one employment before the patient Fr. Champagnat was forced to

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move me again. An example of this was when I worked in the lamp store. Fr. Champagnat came to see how I was coping and wanting to demonstrate my ability I managed to drop a pitcher of oil at his feet staining his soutane. I certainly deserved a penance, as it was obviously a lack of care on my part. But he contented himself by telling me to pay attention to what I was doing and even in spite of that he left me working there. However, he had to move me some days afterwards in an effort to give me a fixed post in the weaver’s shop under the supervision of an old Brother who was kind, pleasant and patient, while being circumspect, serious and of outstanding piety. Nevertheless before sending me there he entrusted me with the care of two of his animals that were a veritable symbol of capriciousness. He had purchased them after talking to a doctor to provide milk for the Brothers who suffered from consumption. Never having kept livestock I found it difficult to control these two horned beasts. To accomplish this, I happened to tie them together with a long rope which I held by the middle and led them almost to the top of the rocks about one hundred metres high. When we got that far, they became irritated to find themselves tied up and started struggling, pulling me from left to right. They managed to entangle me and started pulling at me from each side, dragging me to the ground, at the same time falling themselves. So the three of us just like a ball rolled just like a ball from rock to rock all the way down.

Fr. Champagnat was not far away and seeing us thought I had broken my bones. Luckily nothing happened. The three of us, quite stunned, got up without a single scratch. Fr. Champagnat had prayed. When he told this story during recreation he began to smile, adding some amusing comments.

Then becoming serious he told me: ‘It is no less true, by dear friend, that I saw you in such grave danger that I thought I would have to give you absolution. Thank God that you suffered no great harm.’ Is there any doubt that his prayers saved me from immediate danger?

Taking the Habit Starting from this incident and especially since I was in the weaver’s shop, I had become a little more reasonable. Then I asked Fr. Champagnat time and time again to be allowed to take the holy Habit and in spite of some minor mischief on my part, he agreed to grant me this great favour. You can imagine my joy and happiness on hearing this good news! So much so that when the tailor tried to fit my soutane I jumped and danced around to the annoyance of my companions. When a chaplain saw me frolic in this way he gave me a severe reprimand which made me tremble at the thought of a postponement. But thank God nothing happened, as on the following day, the Feast of the Assumption 1831 with four others I was admitted to the taking of the Habit, which was presided over by Fr. Champagnat in person. Had he heard about my adventure the day before? I don’t know, but his patience had made him overlook my most frequent little adventures and I think he did not wish to spoil my happiness and joy.

Everyone has a weak point, which always returns according to La Fontaine, and this is never truer than when one does not fight it or does so weakly. And that is what happened to me. So, in the first months following my taking of the habit, everything went fairly well but not being sufficiently vigilant and forgetting my good resolutions and the promises made to Fr. Champagnat, I began to fall little by little into my early faults and naturally back came the warnings, the corrections, the public penances. Finally Fr. Champagnat who showed me the most lively affection, seeing that I did not change and that some older Brothers appeared to be unhappy with me in spite of their great patience, returned to his first idea, that is to say, to send me away from the Congregation for a time. But before that he wanted to set me another difficult test so that he could make a definite decision about what to do with me and also to find out if I really had a vocation, which he was beginning to doubt. But before submitting me to the test he waited till I did something a little notable to merit it. Sadly, a lot of time did not pass.

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In the shop where I worked there was a young Brother, younger than I, who asked me to cut his hair.

While appearing to do him this service I gave him a tonsure, which was quite artistic for a first attempt.

Fr. Champagnat was informed of this and when the young Brother made the chapter of faults, asked him who had done it. The Brother, faltering, gave him my name. Then Fr. Champagnat called me out to the middle of the room, and after giving me a correction which terrified me, he added, glancing furiously at me: ‘Remove that sacred habit; I will see when you deserve to wear it again. Go and put an end to this nonsense of yours, because things could go further.’ And I had no choice but to obey his order immediately.’

I did my best to correct myself as quickly as possible and on several occasions I asked for my little soutane. Some of the other Brothers, especially Brother Stanislas who had a lot of influence with Fr. Champagnat, spoke in my favour, but without success. To them, as to me, he directed those exasperating words: ‘We will see later.’ But the test was not yet over. In the course of these events it was announced that M. Cattet, the Vicar General was coming to visit the house. After the customary reception he entered the prayer room where the community was gathered and he addressed us with some edifying words. Then, seeing that there were some young Brothers there he took the opportunity to question them on the catechism. During this, Fr. Champagnat approached me and said to me in a low voice, but so that it could be heard by our closest neighbours: ‘My dear friend, if you want to recover your soutane, you must get down on your knees in the centre of the room, do your chapter of faults for the Vicar General, not forgetting to accuse yourself of the fault that made you lose it. And then you will ask him humbly to return it to you.’ For an instant I hesitated but the soutane won. I stood up decisively and knelt in the middle of the room doing exactly what Fr. Champagnat had advised and at the same time weeping copiously. The Vicar General, saw my fault as no more than a childish prank without malice. I found out later that Fr. Champagnat was of the same opinion, but his aim was to correct me and to ensure my respect for sacred things. ‘Go immediately to find your soutane. I want to see you wearing it before I go.’ I went at once after thanking him with all my heart and very soon I presented myself dressed in soutane before him. He once again gave me some words of encouragement and left after saying farewell to the community. The transformation that took place in me following the terrible correction and the clear sign of my love for my vocation won for me for all time, Fr. Champagnat’s total affection. He had not only thought of saying goodbye, but also had in mind sending me to an establishment, although I was only fourteen.

It is certain that if God had not given me the grace to endure this humiliation, that would have been the end of my vocation because I found out later that I was due to be dismissed the following day. I must add that from then on Fr. Champagnat never referred to my childish behaviour or to that dramatic scene which almost completely cured me.

My first post It was high time to stop annoying Fr. Champagnat whose tolerance I had sorely tested for almost a year and a half. (You can judge how easily he forgot faults when they were sincerely corrected and what a good heart he had.) Some days after the events I have just mentioned, he called me in and said: ‘My dear friend, I am going to send you to Ampuis to work in the kitchen and to help the Brother Director with his classes. According to all reports it is one of my best establishments. As soon as you are familiar with the work I will be able to move the Brother whom you are going to replace. So go and collect your belongings and we will go together. But as it is a long road, at least 30 kilometres I will take the horse and the journey will be less tiring. But be quick. I have to return by this afternoon. Don’t forget to go to the kitchen and have a good meal.’ My preparations were soon made and within half an hour I was back in Fr. Champagnat’s room taking my few possessions in a bag. Imagine his thoughtfulness! He

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made me check everything to see if I needed anything and afterwards as he had to deal with some urgent business, which would take about an hour, he told me to go ahead and explained the route I should take. Then, after making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and commending myself to the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and my Guardian Angel I set out. But I had not paid sufficient attention to his directions and soon strayed, so much so that I had hardly travelled two kilometres when he, on horseback, found me. Astonished to see me so near l’Hermitage but without reproaching me he got down from the horse, put me in his place, adjusted the stirrups, gave me the bridle and showed me how to use it recommending that I should follow the road exactly and wait for him in the Croix-de-MontVieux. He would take a shortcut to meet up with me as soon as he could. And saying that, he set the horse in motion, holding the bridle for me and then he left me. Could it not be said, witnessing this that the Superior disappears and is replaced by the Father looking after his son?

Imagine how childish I was! I truly believed that there really existed a cross called ‘Croix-de-MontVieux’ on the side of the road.66 But it was the name of a small village some ten kilometres from where we had separated. Seeing all the crosses even on all the posts I continued on without finding the signpost. I rode through a village that I found out later was called Pélussin and was about to go into a second village when I asked its name. ‘This is Chavany.’ I was told. Knowing there were Brothers nearby I went to the house beside the school. My small stature caused great hilarity among the pupils there, because unknowingly I had entered an adult class. The Brother Director dismissed the pupils who were greatly amused, got me to tether the horse to a ring and took me to the kitchen to talk to me, wondering why I was there. But at that very moment there was a knock on the door and who should it be but Fr. Champagnat. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked me in surprise, but without anger. ‘Is this the Croix-de-Mont-Vieux?’

‘Well,’ he added, speaking to the Brother Director, ‘this morning I put on a new pair of boots expecting to travel part of the route on horseback, and here we have the young Brother, without meaning to, making me skin my feet. Truly I do not understand how he can have been so distracted as to miss Croix-de-Mont-Vieux without noticing it.’ Greatly saddened I replied: ‘Father, I can assure you that I noticed all the crosses and also the posts and did not see any that read Croix-de-Mont-Vieux. Then all the Brothers burst into laughter and Fr. Champagnat joined in. ‘What a boy you are!’ he said to me.

‘Croix-de-Mont-Vieux’ is not a cross. It is the name of a village that you passed before you reached Pélussin.’ Later on he said to the Brother Director, ‘as I have to be at l’Hermitage by this evening, please accompany this young Brother to Ampuis. And you, my dear friend, be wise and serve in the kitchen. And after chatting with the Brothers, he left.

My return to l’Hermitage When I arrived at the establishment of Ampuis after some strange incidents, which do not belong in this account, I got down to work. But the Brother Director who did not like people of small stature, after two months of trial decided to get rid of me, alleging that I was a poor cook. But instead of saying this openly he used a trick. Pretending that he needed a hat he sent me to find one at l’Hermitage.

Falling into the trap I left in good spirits not on horseback but on foot. Alas! Without knowing it I was the bearer of a letter that contained my downfall. I arrived, thanks be to God, safe and sound and having made my visit to the Blessed Sacrament I went in search of Fr. Champagnat who made me very welcome. Then I gave him the letter, which I had brought. I saw that as he read it his expression 66

It was a common practice that, at the conclusion of a parish mission, the members of the parish would process to a prominent place and erect a large cross or crucifix to solemnise their resolutions made during the mission and to remind them of them when the mission priest had gone. Some of these were quite substantial. They are still a common feature of rural French landscape in this part of the country.

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became more and more serious. When he had finished reading he spoke to me in a rather dry tone. ‘It seems, my dear friend, that your Director is not very happy with you, because he wants me to give you a change.’ And he proceeded to explain the reasons. I apologised as best I could for the problems of which I was accused, but also told Fr. Champagnat that the main reason the Brother Director had asked for my change was not stated in his letter, that is to say, my small stature. I gave as an example the fact that the Brother Director did not wish me to accompany him to the church for fear of being mocked by the public. Fr. Champagnat understood this and when I had finished explaining he told me kindly: ‘Fine, my dear friend, go back to the workshop and wait there until I call for you.’ And I returned immediately. I must add that this false charge did not cause me any annoyance because I loved the Mother House with all my heart and the absence of two months made me even more attached to it.

If in the first paragraphs of this chapter we have been able to admire the goodness, the patience and the firmness of Fr. Champagnat, is there not also a place to admire his solicitude for the young Brothers, extending even to the smallest details, as well as his fairness in dealing with them. Because he was far from pleased by the trick played on me by my Brother Director, he did not in any way reproach me but after leaving me in the weaver’s shop for a few days he showed great confidence in me by allowing me to give lessons to the student Brothers. After some time he sent me to take classes in Marlhes, his native village, then finally to La Côte-St-André. These were two of the most important establishments at that time. As has already been seen, I was in this latter when he died. I had sent him some letters from here and in all of his replies what affection he showed me! How effective were his words! I wanted to show some of his replies here, but unfortunately they have either been mislaid or I have lost them. Only one has survived and I will take the liberty of reproducing it word for word as a conclusion to this chapter.

J.M.J.

Notre D. de l’Hermitage 25 nvbre 1837

My very dear Brother S, I truly wish, my dear friend, that Jesus and Mary bless your good dispositions. Your work will be blessed and you will win the victory. Be of good heart. But always be careful to inform your Superiors and Directors of your plans. We received a letter from our missionaries who are on their way to Oceania; we will let you know all about it in a few days. Father Bret died on the journey to Valparaiso but the others are all well. They are very happy in their vocation and are really looking forward to reaching their destination. The zeal for salvation of these islanders interests them in a very special way. Let us pray, dear Brother, let us pray for their salvation and the salvation of those they are looking after. The soul of the French is as much prized by God as that of the idolaters. Please tell dear Brother Louis-Marie (the Director) that his determination will certainly be blessed. We do not forget any of you. We are making our preparations for Paris. Commend this matter most intensely to our good God that what happens be his will and no one else’s. Without the will of God we work in vain. Goodbye my dear friend. I leave you in the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary.

I have the honour to be, Your very devoted Father in Jesus and M. Champagnat, sup. Des ff.M. Can it not be seen in this reply all the goodness of Fr. Champagnat, his great spirit of faith, his zeal for the salvation of souls and his talent for encouraging the young Brothers to preserve them in their vocation? I could recount many other personal recollections and will do so in the following chapter as the occasion presents itself much as in the abridged version of his life.

Chapter II Edifying cases, virtues, traits, reflections

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The frequent remembrance of the presence of God has always been Fr. Champagnat’s favourite practice. We could say that it was the soul of his soul. Seeing his air of calm, gravity and recollection one could well believe that he was always conscious of the presence of God. I remember that when he was leading the meditation he always began with the words of psalm 138: ‘Quo ibo a spiritu tuo?’67 He pronounced it in such a tone of voice, emphatic and solemn that it produced an inexpressible impression and such a sense of recollection that you were afraid to breathe. How often have these words served me as a defence against sin and as a remote preparation for prayer? In good times and bad times he reminded us that this practice could above all others help us take great steps on the road to perfection. He told us that we should not forget Him from whom we received life, movement and being and we should think of him when the bell rings and we should remember that God sees all our actions.

However, we must not think that because of his grave and reverential exterior, fruit of this holy presence, which could at times inspire respect and sometimes even instil fear that he could not laugh.

When circumstances or necessity demanded it he could be cheerful and pleasant. So, during the recreations he sometimes played with us in order to start the games off, but he was like the apostle, ‘in the Lord who makes him rejoice’ because he always kept his distance as superior and his dignity as minister of Jesus Christ. Indeed, I do not remember having heard him say a single uncharitable word or defy the conventions in any way. I have never seen him permit the slightest familiarity with anybody and, in this respect he conducted himself with such reserve that he would never take anyone by the hand or caress them; he would not even touch their clothes without good reason. Indeed if any Brothers in fun did anything similar he reminded them of the saying that games involving handling were games of the villainous. In a word, it was noticed in everything and everywhere that he worked under the gaze of God whom he seemed to see through the eyes of faith as though through the eyes of the body.

Judge, after that, how he must have made great advances in the path of perfection following the words of God to Abraham: ‘Walk in my presence and you will be perfect. ‘ And did the Blessed Virgin of Nazareth have any other way?

His fear and horror of sin (he had no other fear.)

It can be easily understood that the almost habitual recollection of the presence of God to which Fr. Champagnat aspired, gave him a lively horror of sin. For that reason his instructions frequently dealt with this which he called the greatest of all evils. He spoke of the fateful consequences and filled us all with terror when he described its characteristics to us. We felt something in our souls that made us shiver. On seeing God offended he felt such a great sadness that his eyes became moist with tears. This happened especially when he spoke of sins against the sixth commandment.68 The energetic tone of his voice with all its intensity terrified his audience and filled them with a salutary fear, which produced a most marked estrangement to this bad habit whose infection he could not tolerate.

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In the numbering of the Psalms usually accepted today, this is Psalm 139. Sylvestre quotes the last of these opening lines of the Psalm: O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.

My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar.

Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all.

Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.

Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?

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The sixth Commandment – ‘You shall not commit adultery’ – is often used in Catholic teaching as a source of instruction against any sin or transgression of a sexual nature. In the case of religious life, this bears particularly on the vow of chastity.

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Here is a story of something that happened in La Valla during the construction of l’Hermitage. I mention it because I knew the individual who was the principal actor in the terrible scene, which I will relate briefly.

During the construction in La Valla the young man in question who was then a postulant behaved indecently with one of the boarders who had been admitted to build up the resources of the community, which was very poor. Fr. Champagnat, being informed of this, went up to La Valla immediately and found out that this sin, to his great regret had been discussed among the Brothers and the boarders. At once, he gathered everyone in the house together in one room and then entered himself. He put on his surplice and stole, summoned the culprit and threw a large crucifix at his feet. In a terrifying voice he invited him to tramp on it at the same time giving him a terrifying reprimand telling him, among other things: ‘Since you are a monster tramp on the image of our God. Such a profanation can be no worse than what you have done.’ The culprit was so stunned and so terrified that he was unable to find the door although it was open in front of him. Fr. Champagnat pushed him outside asked for holy water and sprinkled the whole house repeating with sadness those words: ‘Asperges me…’69 When he finished he went down on his knees and offered a fervent prayer asking for the virtue of purity. This terrible scene impressed those present in such a way that they did not dare say a single word during the recreation that followed. Perhaps someone might find the punishment that we have spoken about too severe and exaggerated. But Fr. Champagnat remembering the words of Jesus Christ concerning anyone who scandalised a child. wanted to inspire in his pupils all the horror that he himself had and which they should have towards this type of sin.

These energetic procedures were not always used by Fr. Champagnat to correct the faults of those who, without being directly guilty of these sorts of sins, did not take enough care to avoid the dangerous occasions that could lead to them. He sometimes used a more roundabout method. Here is an example of this. But before mentioning it I have to point out that Fr. Champagnat always confronted the Brother Directors who, contrary to the rule, had inappropriate contacts with lay people, children and especially with those of the opposite sex. Once a certain Brother Director who found himself in a similar case to the last one having been warned on many occasions by Fr. Champagnat to watch himself regarding this important matter, continued in spite of this to break the rule. When Fr. Champagnat realised that the Brother was making no effort to change and that his conduct was known to some other Directors, and even to outsiders, he wanted at any price to deal with this violator of one of the principles of regular observance. And this is the method he employed. One day during the holidays he was surrounded by a number of Brother Directors (not an unusual occurrence). He invited them to sit on a bench nearby. I should point out that the Brother in question was among the group. Fr. Champagnat who was keeping an eye on him sat down beside him as if by accident. Then according to his custom he began to tell a story to amuse the group. But hardly had he started when he stood up suddenly and taking out a handkerchief he held it to his nose as though suffocating from a disagreeable odour saying: ‘Oh, what a smell!’ and went to sit with the others. Then, putting his handkerchief back in his pocket he continued his story. The directors who were present most of whom were aware of the conduct of their confrere readily understood and finally the culprit understood the reason for Fr. Champagnat’s abrupt move. Happily the lesson was a good one because the culprit corrected himself entirely.

Apart from his fear of sin, as we have said, Fr. Champagnat was afraid of nothing else. That is why he was not intimidated by the persecutions of evil persons, or by the schemes against himself and the 69

These words, taken from Psalm 51, are used in the traditional prayer involving sprinkling with holy water.

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Congregation. The following fact confirms this. One day, some months after I entered the Novitiate, while I was contentedly making bobbins in the weaver’s shop I saw through the window some gendarmes walking by and almost immediately the doorbell rang. The Brother in charge of the workshop, Brother Jean-Joseph, who was also the doorkeeper, went quickly to open it. And who was it?

The Royal Procurator accompanied by a brigade of gendarmes. Without identifying himself, he said to the simple and good Brother: ‘Don’t you have a Marquis here?’ And the good Brother replied: ‘Sir, I don’t know what a Marquis is, but Fr. Superior will be able to tell you if we have one. Please wait a moment and I will go and look for him.’ But instead of waiting in the parlour he followed the Brother to the garden where Fr. Champagnat was. He said to Fr. Champagnat ‘There is a gentleman here asking for a Marquis.’ And suddenly our visitor announced that he was the Royal Procurator. ‘This is a great honour for us,’ said Fr. Champagnat and as he caught sight of the gendarmes he added in a firm and assured tone: ‘Ah, I see you have come to make a house visit. We must do this by the book.’ I should point out that there were rumours going around the public that the house was full of weapons hidden in the basement and that the Brothers trained with them at night and also that there was a Marquis concealed there. Because of that Fr. Champagnat added: ‘You have obviously been informed that we have basements in the house; so let’s start there.’ And what basements were these? A sort of vault running the length of the building to protect it from the waters of the Gier. It also contained a laundry and stream and the rest of it was unoccupied and covered in mud. This was the first place Fr. Champagnat took the Procurator, accompanied by two gendarmes saying ironically: ‘There are our basements, gentlemen. Have a good look for anything that could worry the government.’ The Procurator realised that what had been said about the house was pure slander. I feel that I can still see our Procurator and his two gendarmes, totally sheepish, with their shoes covered in mud, and Fr. Champagnat, with an air of contentment accompanying them resolutely without appearing to be in the least put out.

The Procurator was quite embarrassed and wanted to end the visit there and then but Fr. Champagnat insisted on showing him the whole house. The Procurator told the gendarmes to continue while he retired to the parlour. When they came to the refectory the gendarmes struck the floor with their staffs but only produced a dull sound. Moving on they reached the weaver’s shop which was on the same level. As they no longer tapped on the floors Fr. Champagnat who noticed this said to them: ‘We have a secret cellar here. We will show it to you. He gestured to us to move the weaving machine that hid the entrance and the trapdoor appeared. Fr. Champagnat lifted it and invited them to go down to the cellar, which had never been used. When the gendarmes refused he insisted that they should see what it contained. Then one of the gendarmes began to climb down but had hardly gone halfway down the stairs when he slipped and fell to the floor, fortunately with no serious damage because the cellar was quite deep. All he had to do was clean his uniform, which was badly stained. Being by now quite discouraged our two gendarmes did not wish to continue. But Fr. Champagnat made them climb to the first floor and they followed him with a certain amount of reluctance. When they came to the door of Fr. Pompallier’s room (one of the chaplains of the house who was away at the time) Fr. Champagnat saw that it was locked. Immediately he called for the key but as it could not be found the gendarmes told him that they had seen enough. ‘No, no, gentlemen, he said ‘we must enter, otherwise people could say that there are weapons and a Marquis inside.’ He sent for an axe and opened the door by smashing the lock with one blow. So the gendarmes entered the room only to find one or two chairs a simple bed and a small table. We can see that in this way the visit was soon over. When it was finished he invited them all to have a drink, which they accepted gratefully apologising for the inconvenience they had caused.

Afterwards, the Procurator told Fr. Champagnat to have no worries, promising that this visit would be advantageous to the house. He even encouraged him to continue work on the building, which he had 109

been unable to complete due to lack of funds. To this Fr. Champagnat replied that he was not greatly inclined to do so, seeing the destruction of the crosses. When he took his leave the Procurator repeated that his visit, far from being harmful to the house, would turn out to be useful. Indeed a few days later the Procurator put an article in the papers. One of the chaplains read it to us during recreation. Apart from the result of the visit there was magnificent praise for the house, the simplicity, poverty and modesty of those who lived there and above all if I remember correctly, great praise for the head of the house. Oh, it is true that Fr. Champagnat feared nothing but sin because he was seen to guide the gendarmes here and there with all the authority of a general commanding soldiers.

His humility It is very difficult to explain how humble Fr. Champagnat was. Only God knows. Indeed, if one reads with great attention what we write in this summary of his life it will be proven how he constantly practised this virtue. Oh, what a low opinion he had of himself and how often he considered himself unworthy of founding his Congregation, believing that the Congregation would prosper more after his death than during his life! He was profoundly convinced that he did nothing but hinder its progress.

He had such high esteem for the practice of this virtue that he wanted it to be the mark of his Institute.

It is also enough to read the chapter in the Common Rules which deals with humility to understand how he wanted all the Little Brothers of Mary to practise this virtue and that it is truly the way that he himself practised it. So that I do not have to repeat all the features that show the grade of perfection of his humility, just let me mention something that I myself witnessed. One day, accompanying him and three Brothers in a carriage going to Côte-Saint-André, a priest sat next to Fr. Champagnat. This priest was very impressed by the seriousness and recollection of the Brothers and not knowing Fr. Champagnat, asked in a whisper, who were those Brothers whom he was seeing for the first time. ‘They are Brothers devoted to the education of young people.’ The priest naturally asked him who was their founder. ‘I don’t know very much about it,’ replied Fr. Champagnat. ‘It is a society that was formed little by little by a priest who began by gathering some young men who were then joined by others.’

The priest noticed us all looking at Fr. Champagnat and understanding the vagueness of Fr. Champagnat’s reply said: ‘Come, come, do not let us hurt modesty.’ Then seeing the embarrassment, which the question caused Fr. Champagnat he changed the subject. It is well known from tradition and from what I myself have been able to observe, that Fr. Champagnat had a marked aversion to commendations, praise and flattery of any sort. And I have no doubt that sometimes this has caused him to practise some acts of humility so that he could uproot even the smallest growth of self pride.

What had he not done to get rid of this bad habit when he saw that it dominated some members of the Congregation? He had no hesitation in placing in the humblest employments outstanding people or men who had risen to important positions as soon as he noticed in them the beginnings of ambition or boastfulness. The youngest did not escape strong correction when they showed early signs of growing dominance and pride. I remember that there was by chance an armchair in the Prayer Room. A young Brother went to sit on it, conducting himself like a man of importance by his gestures. Fr. Champagnat walked in at that moment and caught him in that posture. He reprimanded him appropriately and then tipped him ignominiously out of the armchair. This made such a great impression on me that even today I feel certain repugnance for sitting on that type of chair, unless it would be impolite to refuse.

He so feared that the Brothers be influenced by praise and flattery that he frequently moved from schools Brothers who were being most applauded when they showed that they took great pleasure in the praise directed at them, commendations which he ridiculed by calling them toys. He forbade the Brothers to allow their students to make them objects of compliments or giving them birthday presents.

In short, as I have said elsewhere, on speaking of M. Gardette, it was said of him, as he was so regular

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that he was the rule incarnate. One could, I think, say also in a certain way that Fr. Champagnat was humility incarnate as his acts of humility were completely natural.

Prayer If one who habitually walks in the presence of God must naturally be humble, one can also say without fear of contradiction that he is a prayerful man. This was, without fear of contradiction, Fr. Champagnat. So in spite of his numerous occupations he would always be found with us in the prayer room. Let us say in passing that in this room there were no benches, no seats, no couches, no heating in winter. His faith, his piety, his fervour, his poise and lively words often stimulated the devotion of the most lukewarm and kept awake those who were tempted to sleep. When he prayed aloud his tone was moving and he pronounced with such clarity, not only the words, but also every single syllable, that not one detail was lost. He did not go too quickly or too slowly, he made the pauses demanded by the context, highlighting commas and full stops without being too affected. In a word he did not read the sentence but rather recited it with fervour, energy and intelligence. In this way it could be noted that his heartfelt feelings translated to words and one felt drawn even unintentionally to his piety and devotion.

He took great care that the spoken prayers were properly conducted and punished those who rushed or mumbled. I think I heard him say that one should pray with attention, respect and expression as would be suitable when addressing a compliment to a great personage. One day as far as I can remember a priest who attended prayers, I can’t remember whether morning or evening, was so edified by the piety, the gravity and the feeling shown by those with whom he prayed, that I heard him say that he would remember it for the rest of his life.

Mortification A religious given to prayer, that is to say, one who prays a lot and well, is rarely without mortification.

Also, the virtue of mortification is one of those in which Fr. Champagnat gave the most example. His maxim concerning this was that one should not take too much care of one’s body. In accordance with this principle he refused everything that pandered to his nature going as far as depriving himself of necessities. I can remember that in the refectory he was usually the first to finish. And what did he do while waiting for the rest of the community to finish? He would ask the young Brothers and sometimes the older ones about the reading and should the need arise he would explain it. I must say at this point that the works he ordered to be read were always very instructive, edifying and interesting. During Lent, especially the last two weeks, the readings were from the Sufferings of Christ by Fr. Alleaume, a work that he particularly appreciated.

But let us return to his acts of mortification. He never ate between meals except in cases of absolute necessity. Apart from that, we have seen throughout his life his frugality in the course of his travels. He forbade the Brothers from removing fruit or sweets from the refectory, and he did not allow them to receive Holy Communion unless they confessed their sins to him or to the Brother Director. He hated the lack of mortification because usually it denoted in a religious the tendency to the cardinal sin of greed, a bad habit diametrically opposed to religious perfection. I know a Brother who having heard Fr. Champagnat speak severely of this habit, would not dare even now to pluck fruit from a tree or a plant to taste it without permission, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Not only were Fr. Champagnat’s meals short but also he did not want the dishes that were served to him to be too succulent or overly seasoned. Once I saw Brother Stanislas in spite of the esteem in which Fr. Champagnat held him put on his knees in the refectory because he had left some butter at the bottom of a plate.

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Unadulterated wine, coffee and liqueurs were I believe almost unknown to him. At least I do not remember ever seeing him take them and although on major feasts he tolerated some unadulterated wine being served at dinner, he always preferred to add at least a spoonful of water. During very warm weather, if the work was very difficult, he allowed the Brothers to drink water with a little vinegar added. But he practised self-denial and I never saw him take any.

With regard to food, according to several Brother cooks, one could never guess what he liked or what he did not like although he seemed to have a preference for plain meals. According to tradition he had often praised a Brother Director for the goodness of his white cheeses, because his establishment was so poor that during a time that Fr. Champagnat had to stay there hardly any other dishes were served.

But the mortification that perhaps cost him most was the habit of getting up at the first sound of the bell. He admitted to a Brother with whom he was travelling (this Brother told me about it) that is was always a great sacrifice for him to cut short his sleep and he had never grown accustomed to it. And it is well known that he made this sacrifice every day of his life until illness forced him to remain in bed.

Doesn’t this constitute a heroic act of self-restraint, if not in itself certainly for the length of time and the readiness with which he did it, since the second ring of the bell never found him in the same position, just as was said about St. Vincent de Paul?

Although Fr. Champagnat made use of the cilice and the discipline,70 objects which I had the good fortune to see and to touch after his death one can say that the mortification in which he most excelled and which he recommended to us as being the most pleasing to God was the mortification of the senses, of the passions, especially those inherent to our way of life. And in this way he placed above all mortification and all corporal penance, the exact observance of the Rule. He told us that this observance should replace even the most meritorious of penances. He insisted above all in the article on silence and punctuality in attending exercises of piety. He punished unceremoniously all those who spoke nonsense or were slow in doing what they were called to do through obedience. On the other hand, he was the first to give example in these matters.

Considering that teaching was difficult enough for himself especially when it was practised with enthusiasm and devotion as prescribed by our holy rules, he hardly gave the Brothers any corporal mortification apart from the Saturday fast, a fast which he never allowed to be broken. The most effective mortifications being those hidden under the veil of humility, that is to say, only known to God, I still believe that he practised a large number of these since they were the ones practised by the Blessed Virgin in the house of Nazareth and, naturally, those which a Little Brother of Mary ought to prefer above all others.

His Generosity As much as Fr. Champagnat was hard on himself, he was correspondingly generous, liberal and understanding of others, especially with regard to dress, food and money, preferring to be generous rather than not when obedience caused them to travel. I remember one Brother telling me that when he was leaving on a fairly short journey, Fr. Champagnat wanted to give him some money for the road.

The Brother refused saying that he had no need of anything. ‘Take it anyway,’ he told him ‘because you don’t know what might happen in the course of your journey.’ And on saying that he took from his 70

These were traditional means of exercising self-discipline by self-administering some physical discomfort. The “cilice” was a band with small spikes worn around the upper thigh for shorts periods of time; the “discipline” was a leather lash. They have fallen out of favour in the present day, and other less invasive means of developing and exercising self-discipline are preferred.

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drawer a franc I believe it was, which he handed over although he had only 2 francs left in the cash box.

But it was above all for the sick, the infirm and the elderly that he was full of care and attention. I remember that at l’Hermitage where wine was very rare because of the poverty in the house, he ordered that two fairly elderly Brothers should have some unadulterated wine in their drawer.71 In the same way the Brother baker, due to his exhausting occupation, had, when he made the bread, a litre of wine each day. Generally when there was difficult work to be done, when one was leaving on a journey, when one arrived tired etc., he took care to give each one what he needed.

There is another feature that demonstrates clearly that he wanted the Brothers in the houses to have reasonable food, just as in the Mother House. Brother Louis-Marie, after taking the habit and being sent to La-Côte-St-André, realised that the Brothers had insufficient food considering the work they were being forced to carry out to develop the boarding school given by M. Douillet to Fr. Champagnat.

Indeed the Brother Director was famous for being a little frugal. Food, especially meat, was very sparse.

Brother Louis-Marie believed in all conscience that he was obliged without complaining personally, to inform Fr. Champagnat, who visited the place and ordered the Brother Director, in the presence of Brother Louis-Marie, to buy two kilos of meat for each person per week. I must say in passing that from then on this quantity of meat was ordered not only for La-Côte-St-André but also for all the houses according to their circumstances. The Brother Director, regarding this order as a piece of advice only continued with the same food except for a few extras on feast days. When Fr. Champagnat found out during the holidays that the Brother had not followed his orders, he removed him at once and put Brother Louis-Marie in his place.

Some Brothers, a small number admittedly, made the mistake of thinking that Fr. Champagnat was, as the saying goes, a little tight. This was not true. He was quite simply wise and prudent financially and nothing gave him more pain than to see things destroyed through negligence. But basically he was very reasonable with regard to purchases, expenditure and particular needs. Let us say that his heart not only overflowed with love for his Brothers, but for everyone.

In connection with this, I well remember that in the establishments where there were poor children he distributed after the holidays some clothes that he himself washed and mended so that they could be worn without embarrassment. He even supported through charity and at the house’s expense four or five sick old men whom he treated with truly paternal kindness wishing the Brothers to work with them in the same way. I remember being reprimanded and punished for allowing myself, without any malice, to play some jokes on them. The house took care of them until they died. And there was one who was insane. He stayed with the Brothers for more than forty years although his ailments were very disgusting.

His Faith I do not wish to refer here to the practical aspects of Fr. Champagnat’s faith as I will speak of this later; but only as a theological virtue. Never, according to tradition, was he found to be mistaken whether in his sermons or in his writings. The Holy Church, which he loved with all his heart and to which he professed the most profound submission firmed his beliefs not only concerning dogmatic truths already defined as articles of faith but also those which did not exist at that time such as papal infallibility, the

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Monastic custom was for each monk to have an allocated place at table, and a drawer in the table containing his cutlery, plate and perhaps a serviette. This custom was practised among the Little Brothers of Mary in Champagnat’s time. The first table he made at La Valla has drawers such as these.

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Immaculate Conception etc.72 As for those matters on which the Church had not expressed opinions he stayed with the theologians best known for their knowledge and sanctity such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Liguori, and St. Francis de Sales, whom he often quoted in his talks.

And what can we say about his respect, his attachment and his submission to the Sovereign Pontiff?

Whenever he received an encyclical he showed his respect by asking us to stand while he read it no matter how long it was. Not only did he believe in Papal infallibility but wished all members of the Congregation to teach it to the children. He adhered fundamentally to the liturgical prayers approved by the Church and did not approve of anyone making even the smallest change. Here is an example.

Fr. Champagnat wanted to move Brother Louis-Marie from the establishment at La Côte-St-André where he had been very successful, to help in governing the Institute. But fearing that this new position might discourage him, he proposed during the holidays to introduce into the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, already in use throughout the Congregation, some feasts and memorials to supplement the Breviary, which from the start he did not intend presenting to the Brothers. With this in mind he told Brother Louis-Marie that no one was more suitable than he to do this, since he understood Latin perfectly and also the rites of Holy Mother Church. This obedient Brother, falling into the trap, accepted the suggestion with good grace remaining there and being replaced at La Côte-St-André. We worked on this with great enthusiasm (because I had been assigned to him as copyist) and in fact when it was almost finished Fr. Champagnat came into our office showing great interest in checking the work. When he had examined it thoroughly he thought for a few moments then speaking in a serious manner said to Brother Louis-Marie: ‘Well done, my good friend; this is incredible. Do you realise that we have hardly emerged from our shell and already we want to adapt to our own way an office drafted and approved by the Council of Trent for the whole of Catholicism? Let us leave this aside and think no more about it.’ And the Office went no further but what Fr. Champagnat sought he had achieved because another Brother was already permanently installed as Director of La Côte-St-André and in passing he gave the erudite Brother a lesson in respect for the liturgical prayers of the Roman Church keeping in mind that the Little Office at that time in the breviary of Lyon did not totally agree with that of the Council of Trent, the only one adopted by the Congregation. For that same reason, he scrupulously observed the rubrics that were for him something sacred. He also wanted the Brothers to help in the Church taking part in all the ceremonies. Also, to further the practice he established on Sundays a class specifically dedicated to learning how to conduct themselves with complete dignity.

As to his belief in the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Virgin, he always regarded it as a dogma and he explicitly said so. Indeed, the Feast of December 8 was observed with the utmost solemnity atl’Hermitage. The invocation ‘Oh, Mary conceived without sin…’ was one of his most frequent prayers and he exhorted us to repeat it frequently, mainly in temptations against purity, also recommending us to instruct the children appropriately on Mary’s privilege to encourage them to invoke her frequently and to say the prayers ‘By your most holy virginity and your Immaculate Conception…’

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The dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and of Papal Infallibility were defined, respectively, in 1854 and at the First Vatican Council in 1870. Their definition, especially the latter dogma, generated considerable debate, no more so than in France. At the time of Sylvestre’s writing, these debates would still have been current. Sylvestre is using Champagnat’s anticipation of each of these dogmas to demonstrate his being a loyal son of the Church. The second point of context for Sylvestre’s remarks is the traditional independence of the French Church, and its sometimes ambivalent relationship to the authority and position of the Pope. (The concept of ‘ultramontanism’ is well discussed by Brother Stephen Farrell in Achievement from the Depths). Given that this work of Sylvestre is a testimony to be submitted to Rome to support Marcellin’s canonisation, it suits his purposes to emphasise Marcellin’s distance from these strands of French ecclesial thought.

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His obedience to his Superiors. His respect and deference for the Hierarchy If the submission respect and attachment of Fr. Champagnat for the Sovereign Pontiff were so strong, they were no less strong for his other superiors whom his strong faith helped him to see as representatives of Jesus Christ and the repositories of his authority. As I have already mentioned a few examples before this, I will just mention here that when Fr. Colin whom Fr. Champagnat regarded as the Superior General of the Marist Fathers and Brothers (even although he himself was in reality and by right the Superior of the Brothers) came to visit him at l’Hermitage Fr. Champagnat received him with great distinction. Everyone on that day was expected to receive him as if it were a Sunday or Feast Day. On those occasions he would put on the most beautiful and richest chasuble for the celebration of the holy Mass. The organ was even played! In short, it was a day of great happiness for the whole community. Fr. Champagnat appeared radiant with happiness and contentment. All the Brothers could see that he welcomed this visitor not just as an ordinary confrere or close friend, but also as the representative of Jesus Christ. And as we have previously seen, he made no important decisions without consulting him and hearing his views. This would seem to be an appropriate place to speak of his respect and deference towards the bishops in general and especially towards those with whom he had to deal. But as this would take too long and as I have spoken of it elsewhere I will content myself with recounting one incident (I was an eye witness) dealing with this subject. Before I go on I must point out that Fr. Champagnat did not like competition in the same town among congregations dedicated to teaching, even rejecting important establishments for the simple reason that the De La Salle Brothers had used them earlier.73 Later still, he removed the Brothers if they, the De La Salle Brothers, decided to settle in the same town. This is precisely what happened in Vienne an establishment founded by Fr. Champagnat at the request of M. Michon, parish priest of St-André-le-Bas. The school prospered for four years in spite of lack of funds and poor payments. Then the parish priest of St. Maurice or of the cathedral (because in earlier times this parish had been the residence of the Archbishop) annoyed no doubt because he had not invited the Brothers, waited for a favourable occasion to rectify this. When M. Michon was transferred the parish priest of St. Maurice using rather disloyal methods of which we will say nothing, invited the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Four of them arrived. Before getting down to work they announced that not only would their classes be completely free of charge but also that they would take all the children who presented themselves to them. It is easy to see that from then on many of our paying pupils and even the non-paying ones abandoned us although that did not stop us fulfilling our task with great enthusiasm. But Fr. Champagnat who hated this kind of competition contacted the Brother Director and told him to close the establishment. This Brother heard that the new parish priest of St-André-le-Bas had announced from the pulpit that the Marist Brothers would continue giving classes to children whose parents did not wish to send their children to the Brothers of the Christian Schools. But Fr. Champagnat not wishing to offend the new parish priest or to deny what he had said, before making a definite decision determined to consult the Bishop of the diocese and follow his advice. He wrote then to Mgr. De Brouillard74 then Bishop of Grenoble. He opted for the Marist Brothers leaving, so Fr. Champagnat kept them back after the holidays of 1836 and left the way clear for the Christian Brothers. However, let us note in passing that Fr. Champagnat was able, quite legitimately to maintain this establishment, which experienced a great increase in pupils and was a starting point for all the establishments of l’Isère. In this way the humility of Fr. Champagnat and his deference to Mgr. the Bishop of Grenoble whom he could have avoided consulting was the only cause of the loss of this important establishment. Before we left he allowed us to assist more than 80 feepaying children. As for me, I greatly missed this establishment and particularly my charming students.

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In this translation, as in Sylvestre’s own text, the terms ‘De La Salle Brothers’, ‘Brothers of the Christian Schools’ and ‘Christian Brothers’ are used interchangeably to describe the one religious institute founded by St Jean-Baptiste de la Salle.

74 The correct spelling is: De Bruillard, who was Bishop of Grenoble from 1826 to 1853.

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His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament If Fr. Champagnat had great respect for the representatives of Jesus Christ how much would he have had for Jesus Christ himself? He showed this principally when he was offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It has been said that he saw Our Lord in person and spoke to him through his serious and recollected behaviour, his expressive and sometimes smiling face, seeming also to hear him. Many times I had the happiness of serving his Mass and although I was a little overwhelmed I felt the greatest respect on seeing his piety, his attention to even the smallest rubrics and the penetrating tone with which he pronounced the words of the sacred liturgy. He pronounced with such an air of humility the words: ‘Domine, non sum dignus ...’75 that anyone who heard him for the first time was amazed and overwhelmed.

What religious impression was experienced in the Blessed Sacrament processions when he used all the pomp allowed by the poverty of l’Hermitage. He was seen to receive the Blessed Sacrament with such deep recollection that he could be compared to the Blessed Virgin visiting her holy cousin Elizabeth a living sacrarium which she took into her chaste breast, the same God found in the Eucharist. He often invited us to make frequent visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. He had even established that three should be made in community, in the morning at rising at noon and at night before going to bed. As for him he made them much more often. According to tradition, he went before the altar to look for solutions to his problems, the necessary inspiration to direct the Congregation well, and to attract the blessings of heaven and there is no doubt that we should see his extraordinary love for Our Lord as the fruit of his frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament.

His respect for sacred place and holy things Fr. Champagnat was uncommonly severe on faults committed in the chapel and rarely let them pass without reprehending the culprit. One day during the exercises of the month of Mary,76 which were made, as today, in the chapel a thoughtless young Brother who was not particularly pious annoyed his neighbour by acting in a very childish and irreverent way. Fr. Champagnat remembering without doubt these words of the sacred scripture: ‘The zeal of your house devours me’ and imitating our Lord who punished the profaners of the Temple of Jerusalem approached this silly young man and gave him an almighty slap which terrified the whole community. This being done the reading continued without any apparent change and as you can imagine the culprit took great care to never repeat his actions. He had also the greatest respect for all the objects that were used in the divine worship. He kept careful watch that they were treated with great reverence. To spit on the floor of the chapel or even in a handkerchief or cough during the canon of the Mass was for him so out of place that he could not tolerate it. Here is something that happened during my Novitiate in relation to the profanation of objects directly connected to the sacred mysteries. A young Brother who helped in the sacristy happened through silliness or gluttony to drink a considerable amount of wine from the chalice.

Surprising him in this flagrant crime Fr. Champagnat had him locked in a room for three days and then dismissed him. This misdemeanour, which was not slight, was an indication of a superficial character and it caused so much loathing in Fr. Champagnat that he almost lost his appetite. Imagine the horror he would feel at sacrilegious communions! When he spoke about this topic he was terrifying and infused in our souls such a feeling of fear that it was impossible to commit sacrilege. From this came his principle of not approaching the altar if one had doubts, without going to confession or without 75

‘Lord, I am not worthy …’ – the words of the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:8) which are used at Mass before the distribution of Holy Communion.

76 That is, the month of May. 116

clearing his conscience with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ so as to avoid making a bad communion. He also had a great respect for anything which reminded him of sanctity, in this way he would pick up pieces of religious habit, prints, pamphlets and any other object of piety which could be stood upon and he removed the names of Jesus, the saints and Mary when he saw that the paper on which they were printed could have profanities written on them.

His trust in God I would dwell on this virtue because as has been observed we find constant tests in our life. He knew from experience that Providence never abandons those who put their trust in her. How many times have I heard him say: ‘Providence has done everything for us.’

We have already seen in his life how he responded to those who criticised him because he was always building and furnishing houses without having sufficient resources. ‘I have never stopped work even when I was in absolute need. Providence is my strongbox. That is where I find the money.’ And it is well known that this generous Providence always came to his aid and did wonderful things for him.

Here is what he said one day to Brother Jerome who was at the time baker at l’Hermitage: ‘I cannot really understand how it is that my flour after such a long time hardly seems to diminish because by my reckoning the amount we bought is clearly insufficient to supply bread for the entire house and this is so obvious to me that I am convinced that something extraordinary is happening.’ But Fr. Champagnat prayed and when he did not have the money to buy flour either the money appeared or still more wonderful, the flour increased.

His devotion to the Blessed Virgin The devotion of Fr. Champagnat for the Blessed Virgin was born in him and we might say he had suckled it with his mother’s milk. According to tradition his virtuous mother and pious aunt made every effort to inspire this devotion within him. From the moment he was able to mumble some words they taught him to pronounce the holy names of Jesus and Mary. And when he reached the age of reason they made it their duty to inspire in him the feelings of respect, trust and love which they had for the Blessed Mother. Then let us say it, the Blessed Virgin who knew him to be elected by God to found a society which would carry her name and spread her devotion throughout the whole world, especially among the Christian youth, felt obliged to give Fr. Champagnat this devotion to an eminent degree so that he could pass it on to the religious family which he would found. But so as not to extend this subject too much I will only say that in the Common Rule the chapter on the devotion to the Blessed Virgin could undoubtedly be entitled ‘How Fr. Champagnat practised devotion to the Blessed Virgin.’ As we know, he called her his Ordinary Resource and established her as first Superior of the Congregation, considering himself to be her humble vicar.

Oh, how he aroused our admiration and our love when he spoke to us about the greatness, the kindness, the power and the virtues of Our Good Mother! His heart overflowed with beautiful feelings and he never ceased speaking about them. I remember him in confession taking my arm and repeating time and time again ‘Let us love Mary, my dear friend. Let us love her well, love her warmly’ and other similar expressions. But these were not only words; they were fiery sparks that escaped from a heart burning with love for her.

When he visited classes he never ceased speaking to the children of this devotion and when he made them recite the morning and evening prayers to make sure they knew them he usually asked them what prayers they said in honour of the Blessed Virgin. He particularly invited them to recite the Memorare.

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Here is a little personal point regarding this. One day when he visited our class (I was about ten years old at the time) he distributed beautiful holy pictures to all of those who had satisfied him with their answers. As he was leaving the classroom he saw me in a rather dark corner. Turning to me he said ‘Let us see if this little child whom I have not asked, can recite the Memorare for me. And when I recited it in a firm voice clearly and with no mistakes he said to me: ‘Well done my little friend,’ adding ‘I would like to give you a little reward but I have given everything I had. But let us see if we can find something.’ And saying this he began to search in is pockets. What luck! He found a beautiful booklet containing a number of prayers and beautiful pictures. He gave it to me with a look that went straight to my heart. Did it belong to him? I do not know, but I certainly miss it a lot because I brought it with me to the Novitiate meaning to keep it as a souvenir of Fr. Champagnat and I have no idea what happened to it. Who knows if when he gave it to me he asked the Blessed Virgin to give me a call to religious life? The fact is that two years later I entered l’Hermitage as a postulant not sure of my future as I was still very young. But Fr. Champagnat was sure of it and firmly believed that I was called to be a Little Brother of Mary. Because of this, as we have already seen, he worked very hard to preserve me in my vocation.

I have heard so often from Fr. Champagnat that those who die as members of the Congregation will be saved, that I can honestly say that this promise has kept me in my vocation until now and has helped me conquer many temptations. It has also raised my morale and helped me to work hard. Could he have predicted this? I am certainly inclined to believe so.

He always justified this opinion, which was for him a certainty: · Among the Brothers who died in the Institute he did not know any who did not leave this world without almost certain signs of predestination. · Concerning the words of Jesus Christ himself, who in the holy Gospel promised heaven to those who left everything to follow him and who assured us that all those who persevered till the end would find salvation. · Concerning the particular devotion, which the Little Brothers of Mary professed for the Blessed Virgin who is according to some great doctors of the Church a certain sign of predestination. · Concerning the promise made to St. Simon Stock telling him that those who died wearing the scapular would not suffer the fires of hell and all the Brothers wear it. · Concerning the fact that the Brothers only wear the little habit, which would cover them completely as a clear sign that they belong to her family.

I am going to mention a feature that I witnessed demonstrating how much Fr. Champagnat wanted to see not only the Brothers but even the postulants dressed in this sacred livery. A postulant who greatly wished to take the habit but who was unable to do so because of his infirmities fell gravely ill. Fr. Champagnat was aware of his great desire to become a Brother and did not wish him to carry this regret to his grave. So, after administering the last sacraments he sent for a Brother’s habit, blessed it and laying it on the dying man’s bed said to him: ‘My dear friend, I receive you at this moment as a member of the Congregation and as a sign of this admission I present you with this habit which you have so ardently desired.’ You can imagine the happiness of this postulant and how much he thanked Fr. Champagnat for granting him this signal favour.

From this example of Fr. Champagnat (and this memory comes to me as I write) we can conclude that we might establish among our pupils a Third Order of Little Brothers of Mary and in this way provide a great number of vocations. It would be a good way to extend the spirit of the Congregation, that is to say, a special devotion to the humble Virgin of Nazareth through the practice of humility simplicity

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modesty and family spirit. Where did I get this idea? I don’t really know. Perhaps from Fr. Champagnat himself. My wish would be to see it carried out some day.

I would like to finish this section on his devotion to the Blessed Virgin with a trait recounted to me by Brother Stanislas and which I heard from some other Brothers later. One day the paternal solicitude of Fr. Champagnat compelled him to accompany Brother Stanislas to Bourg-Argental to visit a Brother who was dying. After consoling him as best he could he wanted to return the same evening. They suggested that he stay the night because it was already late and the weather was deteriorating. But in vain. What happened? After walking for two hours they got lost, getting off the beaten track without knowing if they were going forwards or backwards as a violent blizzard from the north threw thick snow on their faces. They were convinced that there was no human hope of being saved. Even Brother Stanislas exhausted and suffocated by the storm seemed to lose spirit and Fr. Champagnat himself felt faint. What could they do faced with this imminent danger? Fr. Champagnat well knew what to do. He went down on his knees and recited the Memorare with great fervour. Then taking Brother Stanislas by the arm he helped him to walk. Oh Providence! They had hardly taken a few steps when they saw the light. They went towards it and came to a house, both of them completely frozen and Brother Stanislas half dead. They spent the night there and set off on the following morning. Fr. Champagnat himself assured us that if help had not come on time that place would have been their grave, because their deaths seemed inevitable. I heard from a Brother, because Brother Stanislas never spoke to me about this, (perhaps Fr. Champagnat forbade him from revealing the secret) that in the house lived a man a woman and a boy and in the morning after they had left the house disappeared without their realising it. Brother Stanislas never told me, naturally, how they were received in this house, how they had spent the night etc. These circumstances omitted from the Brother’s story make me think that St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin and the Child Jesus themselves had extended them their hospitality.

Now, without taking too long, I would like to speak about his exceptional devotion to St. Joseph whom he had established as first patron of the Society and in whom he had absolute confidence. And of his devotion to our Guardian Angels, to the souls in purgatory, to St. Francis Regis, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, and St. John the Evangelist, whom he called the first Marist, to St. Priscillien whose body brought from Rome reposed in a funeral casket at l’Hermitage, to St. Philomena whose beautiful statue was placed in the chapel and to whom he often prayed for the gift of purity, reminding him of the Blessed Virgin.

To finish this chapter here is a miracle worked by this saint, in my time and one in which Fr. Champagnat played his part. A Brother whom I knew well saw his life draining away little by little because he was affected by very advanced tuberculosis of the lung. When the doctor declared that there was no longer any hope of a cure and that only a miracle could save his life Fr. Champagnat and the entire community began a novena in honour of the saint requesting her intercession in the Brother’s cure. Their prayers did not take long to be answered, because I believe that before the end of the Novena the Brother was cured without any trace being left of his illness. It will be said that this cure should be attributed to St. Philomena and not to Fr. Champagnat. But it is certain that when the Curé d’Ars worked wonderful things and amazing conversions, according to him it was the young saint who was responsible but did not the public attribute them to the venerable parish priest?

Finally I will not at this time speak of Fr. Champagnat’s other virtues nor of the facts that would confirm them because as I have said I want only to talk in the Appendix of what I personally witnessed or heard from eyewitnesses. But according to what I have reported of Fr. Champagnat until now according to his writings, according to tradition and according to what I will say later, one will see if one pays serious attention that he practised the theological and cardinal virtues with excellence that is to

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say, all the virtues that make saints but which he practised through the example of the Blessed Virgin under the veil of humility, a virtue which Fr. Champagnat used to wrap all the others.

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Chapter III Particular Notes on Fr. Champagnat accompanied by Some Features and Customs of the Time Confession Fr. Champagnat normally maintained weekly confession. When I was at l’Hermitage we would have felt scrupulous about confessing every fortnight. So much so that I myself have seen Fr. Champagnat even when he was very busy hear the confessions of the older Brothers after Mass when they had received Holy Communion so that they did not exceed the eight days without receiving the Sacrament of Penance. Because he said, to this sacrament there is united a particular grace which does not only avoid grave sins but even the anthill of little faults which prevent the religious from attaining perfection. He even encouraged certain young Brothers and postulants who were greatly tempted or inclined to bad habits to go to confession twice a week.

Fr. Champagnat had a special gift for knowing those who lacked sincerity in the Chapter of Faults77 or who through ignorance or lack of expression declared all the circumstances of the fault, but not the fault itself. Did this gift come to him through some supernatural force? That I do not know. But here is an example that makes me inclined to believe it, as I know it from a close friend. One day he told me the following in confidence. ‘Having had the misfortune of knowing that one of my fellow pupils had done wrong in an educational establishment where supervision was very lax I went to talk about it with Fr. Champagnat; he did not take long to realise that there was something suspect in my accusation. As he knew that I could be frank he questioned me in a number of ways, no doubt to clarify things and to calm me down. But he was so wise that he realised that my answers only half convinced him. One day I noticed that after the questions and answers stopped, he sighed and began to pray but there and then reflecting on the last thing I had said to him he replied with an expression I had never seen before and which cleared up the whole mystery. ‘I understand’ he said as though a great weight had been removed from his shoulders. Then he explained to me the gravity of my sin, asked me how many times I had done it and how many times I had been to communion since; he ended by telling me that if I did not correct myself the Blessed Virgin would not keep me in her house. But realising that my only fault was ignorance he forgave me as he always did. Then, as I valued my vocation so highly, the last words he said to me made me weep copiously and they weighed on me. Not being able to bear it I went to find him in his room. At that moment he was busy writing. Turning to me he looked at me fixedly and asked me why I was so sad. I replied that his words had affected me and I repeated them exactly. Then in a tone of surprise he replied firmly: ‘My dear friend, what are you talking about? I told you nothing.’

And he went on writing. Greatly astonished by his attitude I went away feeling even more unhappy. A short while later I reflected on this unusual conduct on the part of Fr. Champagnat towards me and I tried to find an explanation. And then I remembered something I had been told about the secrecy of the confessional. Now I understood his prudence and delicacy with regard to this secret.’ My friend added: ‘Never would Fr. Champagnat refer to this matter; and even when I once again went to confession he ignored everything but the current accusation. But what a good turn he had done me!

Although I was not totally at peace until I could pay my debt I do not remember ever making a bad communion voluntarily.’ But as the proverb says, good comes from evil, and that is what happened to 77

This was a penitential ritual, practised in most monastic and religious communities, wherein members were invited to name ways in which they had offended against the Rule or against community and to ask for a penance to be imposed by the Superior. It fell out of common practice during the 20th century.

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this Brother. Working later in a boarding school he said that he would never have understood the importance of supervision or the terrible responsibility of the Brother who neglects it if he had not had the good fortune to confess to Fr. Champagnat.

To end this paragraph I will add that Fr. Champagnat reminded us from time to time that we should not forget the prayer of thanksgiving after confession and if it were not possible to do so immediately it should be offered as soon as possible and that we should not neglect the penance given by the confessor, keeping in mind that it is an integral part of the sacrament so that to omit it voluntarily or to do it badly or to forget it through negligence would constitute a sin which would have to be declared in the next confession.

Communion If Fr. Champagnat insisted so strongly on weekly confession he was even more insistent that without good reason no one should miss communion on Sundays, Thursdays and Feast Days of the Congregation. One day I know that a young Brother who quite often offended against this part of the Rule went to Fr. Champagnat for permission to do something special: ‘Ah, my dear friend,’ he told him with a sigh that showed his deep feeling, ‘I would rather you asked for a different permission and I would grant it.’ At that time, as today, every eight days those who wanted Holy Communion asked permission, which explains his earlier words. I will say in passing that Fr. Champagnat openly refused communion to all those who had money without permission or who had knowingly stolen or exchanged clothes belonging to the house or to other Brothers without having seen his confessor beforehand, especially if it was a serious theft and the sin had not been declared to a superior or to the Brother Director. He also demanded that communion not be received outside the days prescribed by the Rule unless permission were requested on the advice of the spiritual director.

Fr. Champagnat regarded preparation for communion to be of the utmost importance and made sure that before each communion there was as far as possible a day’s interval except for Saturday and Sunday, the former serving as preparation for the latter.

He never allowed anyone to receive communion on four consecutive days through respect for the august sacrament and for other reasons that I can’t recall. If this involved major feasts he would normally postpone them. However I remember that he had allowed a very holy Brother to take daily communion except on Wednesday as that was when he made his weekly confession from which he was not excused. It should be noted that this excellent Brother whom I knew well, was in an establishment and not in the Novitiate because Fr. Champagnat was not in favour of exceptions in the Community.

He wanted those who did not have the joy of going to Holy Communion to join in thanksgiving with those who did. They should make up for their loss by means of spiritual communion. In his heartfelt exhortations on the Holy Eucharist he invited us to approach the altar as often as possible and to behave in such a way as to never miss the communions laid down by the Rule seeing them as obligatory for religious as the Easter duties were for the ordinary Christian.

Mass and Hymns The holy Mass was according to Fr. Champagnat the greatest of all devotional practices. He never missed celebrating the Holy Sacrifice daily unless it was morally or physically impossible.

I have seen him arrive from a journey after eleven o’clock at night completely exhausted without eating a single thing because he did not wish to miss offering the holy victim to God. And tradition tells us 122

that he did the same thing when he visited the houses, fasting until the morning so as to be able to say Mass in some Church and sometimes not being able to satisfy this need until 11.30, as he was completely exhausted.78 He was harsh with those Brothers who using as an excuse pressure of work or an urgent journey easily exempted themselves. He even introduced an article into the Rule, which obliged the Brothers to accompany their pupils every day of class and with even more reason, on Sunday.

As he was very fond of hymns he encouraged them at l’Hermitage (provided the rubrics allowed) during Holy Mass on Wednesday and Friday at the preface and after the final oblations. He also allowed singing on the days of communion prescribed by the Rule when most had received communion and sometimes on a Saturday in honour of the Blessed Virgin at the beginning of Mass. There was also singing after solemn Benediction every day during the month of Mary and a few verses before catechism classes.

On the days when singing did not take place his well-known wish was that the prayers of the Mass be said alongside the priest. There was even a time when the whole Community answered with the altar server. I remember that on the major feasts hymns were not sung during Mass. Everyone followed the Office in their books. As far as I can remember, I never heard liturgical songs, hymns or not, in the low Masses although Fr. Champagnat would have approved since this is the spirit of the Church although the new custom did not exist in the Community.

Fr. Champagnat wanted the hymns in the church or elsewhere to be ad hoc, that is to say, connected to the time, the mystery, the feast day being celebrated, the prayer topic etc.

He himself told us that when he travelled he rested by singing some songs, hymns or other Latin prayers of the Holy Church, for example, Salve Regina, Ave Maris Stella and so on. He especially liked to repeat the verses Maria mater gratiae and Monstra te esse matrem.

The monthly retreat Fr. Champagnat had established, I don’t know when, a Retreat on the first Sunday of every month as a preparation for death and renewal of the good resolutions of the annual Retreat. This Retreat did not take place only at l’Hermitage but in all of the houses. I remember on that day at l’Hermitage the Retreat lasted until the Solemn Mass and recreation was replaced by a talk on the last things. This also happened after Vespers. Fr. Champagnat himself gave these meditations, or the maxims of Liguori were read concerning the Last Things a work that Fr. Champagnat loved and esteemed in a very special way. Each one had to keep silence during the whole day. He also devoted some time to reviewing the resolutions and should the need arise suggesting new ones. He also invited all the Brothers to make the act of preparation for death and to recite the litany of the dying. In a word, that day was one of renewal of fervour, prayer and observance of the Rule.

Discipline

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The requirement of the time was that any potential communicant needed to fast from midnight. Because a priest received Holy Communion at any Mass which he celebrated, the priest was not permitted to consume solid food until after this time.

The custom developed, therefore, that Mass was usually celebrated in the morning.

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We have seen in the Life of Fr. Champagnat that order, work and discipline came naturally to him. He recommended this last one especially to the Brothers dedicated to teaching as a basis for instruction and education. He did all in his power to make it reign at l’Hermitage, particularly enforcing the observation of rigorous silence, which he called the soul of discipline. To tell the truth this house presented something of a religious retreat and the odour of sanctity one feels when visiting a Trappist Monastery or Chartreuse. Obviously the breaking of silence bothered him greatly and one caught doing so was punished and even made to kneel in the refectory during meals.

The Great Silence, as now, began after evening prayer and lasted until after meditation the following morning. It was kept so rigorously that I do no remember anyone openly breaking it. Regarding this, Brother Jerome once told me that a very sick young Brother who was very holy suddenly saw during the night that his bed was on fire due to a brick which had been put in to warm his feet. Instead of screaming for help and afraid of breaking the Great Silence he pulled his feet away little by little as the flames advanced and things would have gone very badly for him if Brother Jerome who saw what was happening had not managed to save him. This fact told to me by a Brother whom I would believe impressed me so much that on the occasion of taking the habit I asked to be given the name of this faithful observer of the silence, a favour that Fr. Champagnat happily granted me when I explained why I had chosen it.

The order in the house was no less strict than the silence. Fr. Champagnat did not wish us to run in the house or leave work without sufficient reason and without permission. All those in charge of the workshops and others were obliged to remit to Fr. Champagnat at the end of every week a notebook where they logged the names of those who broke the silence or did not put enough effort into their work. Also, every week or fortnight he gathered those in charge of the workshops and asked them what needed to be changed and how they would go about it. At the same time he showed each one what could be improved (because he was aware of all that happened) and the savings that could be made in the work. As for those not employed in a particular workshop, the Brother in charge of the works would speak to them the evening before, usually during the after dinner recreation, giving them their task for the following day and in this way after Mass everyone went straight to work without wasting time wandering here and there, something which Fr. Champagnat really detested.

I cannot say how he corrected those who allowed themselves to read a newspaper because in the whole of my time in the Novitiate I did not see anyone reading a newspaper except the chaplain occasionally.

As for Fr. Champagnat since those newspapers did not have the importance they have today from the point of view of the administration of the Congregation, there are reasons to believe that this type of reading was not allowed. It was even prohibited for the Brothers, through an article in the Rule to read them without permission.

It always pained him to see people enter the kitchen without good reason or the infirmary unless they were going to visit the sick, something he himself did very often either to offer them consolation or to find out if they were in need of anything. He wanted them to be very well looked after considering them to be a source of blessing for the Institute. Apart from these charitable visits he could not bear to see someone leave even for a short time his work for trifling reasons and even less out of curiosity for example to seek out news of others’ coming and goings. Here is an example, which I witnessed and which will show his vigilance and severity with regard to this.

One day the students of the school in St-Chamond were out for a walk in the vicinity of l’Hermitage and without previous warning to Fr. Champagnat were allowed to sit by the entrance and play their 124

musical instruments, which disturbed the silence and recollection of the house. The Brothers who were not accustomed to hearing more than the monotonous murmur of the waters of the Gier left their work especially the younger ones and moved towards the door, whispering so as not to be heard. Fr. Champagnat, who saw this, contented himself for the moment by noting their names. With their curiosity satisfied they left one after another not realising that Fr. Champagnat had seen them, and returned happily to their work. This irregularity had taken place some time after dinner. But in the evening after the grace before supper, Fr. Champagnat summoned our onlookers, about ten of them approximately and ordered them to take their meal on their knees in the middle of the refectory as well as seasoning this penance with a severe reprimand which included some of the older Brothers who had joined the younger ones.

Tests In order to preserve the vocation of the postulants, Fr. Champagnat subjected them to rigorous tests, the main one being manual work that almost always consisted of quarrying stone, work that lasted a considerable part of the day because the time dedicated to class and studies was very short. However it did not worry him that he gave them plenty to do as long as it was supervised and suitable work. Apart from this the work was always consistent with the age strength health and education of each individual.

If he received a postulant who showed aptitude in knowledge, talents and other qualities it did not hinder him from setting them more difficult tasks than he would give to average applicants. Here is an example. Brother Louis-Marie, Second Superior General of the Institute after having studied two years of theology in the Major Seminary of Lyon and distinguished by his brilliant results left the seminary for reasons I do not know and wrote to Fr. Champagnat asking to be accepted into the Institute. Fr. Champagnat sent him a simple letter, which I know about, full of affection and paternal exhortations inviting him to come as soon as possible, which he did in 1831.

You would think that this would be a fairly difficult test for our postulant, finding himself in a very different environment, manual work, and elementary lessons in basic knowledge, short periods of leisure, frugal food, occupying what time was left in exercises of piety which were almost the same as in the Major Seminary. As for the community it was composed of about twenty young Brothers mostly employed in various workshops or in other parts and a dozen young Brothers or novices who were given for two hours each lessons in reading, spelling, mathematics, calligraphy and catechism. It can be easily understood that this would not be pleasant for a theology student who had already completed his course in Mathematics. But in spite of this Fr. Champagnat believed that he should undergo other tests to form him in the practice of humility, therefore on a very cold and damp day he sent him to pull up the weeds in the leek garden and clear away the snails which he wanted destroyed. Fr. Champagnat placed himself so that he could watch him without being seen, to see how our postulant would react to such unpleasant work and how well he would do it keeping in mind the cold. Putting a brave face on it as the saying goes, the postulant went straight to work much to the satisfaction of Fr. Champagnat who next sent him to the tailor’s so that he could learn to sew. But what caused him most difficulty was I have no doubt finding himself in class seated between two young Brothers who were boisterous and noisy and who tried (I tell the truth) to distract and annoy him. For example when he was practising his writing which was new to him they jostled his elbow to spoil the letters but he, instead of getting them punished as they deserved contented himself by humbly telling the writing teacher that the young Brothers on each side of him due to their restlessness made his pen shake. Was this test set by Fr. Champagnat? I could not say.

Let us say though that due to his clever tactics Fr. Champagnat had secretly given Brother Stanislas orders to look after him and should the need arise raise his morale, encouraging him in view of the good

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he would do later in the Congregation, and showing the esteem in which he held him. Brother Stanislas did this admirably. And so two months later Fr. Champagnat having assessed his virtue, his merit and his obedience gave him the holy habit and sent him immediately to teach in the boarding school at La Côte-St-André, which M.Douillet had founded and then given to Fr. Champagnat.

There is another anecdote that did not end so happily. A postulant who was excessively keen to acquire knowledge and always had a book in his hand even during manual work came to the attention of Fr. Champagnat who saw in this Brother too much attachment to his own will. To correct this, he removed him from class and sent him to the weaver’s shop with orders to the Brother in charge to keep him away from books. Fr. Champagnat saw that the young man did not accept this prohibition and that secretly he continued with this reading. So, although he had a certain culture and was not short of talent Fr. Champagnat dismissed him because he was convinced that for the postulants and in general the Brothers humility and obedience were more important than knowledge and ability.

Penance Fr. Champagnat wanting mainly to form humble, simple and modest religious and to give his Congregation the visible sign of the practice of these virtues, was not afraid to impose public penances or assign lowly tasks to encourage humility, sometimes for quite minor faults. Added to this, the Brothers particularly the older ones did acts of penance to deepen their humility. I have seen Brother François and Brother Louis-Marie ask forgiveness on their knees in the refectory for faults they had committed against the regular observance or against charity.

I won’t mention the penances Fr. Champagnat imposed because they are already mentioned in the Common Rules. In general for greater faults he made them kneel during the whole meal or just part of it or perhaps just during grace.

He had also established occasional penances, for example if someone broke or destroyed something he would be put on his knees in the refectory with fragments of the broken or damaged object if this were possible and to remain in this posture until Fr. Champagnat allowed him to move. If someone, during the Office upset the choir for whatever reason he had to kiss the floor in the middle of the room or at least do it in his place at table. He has even dismissed from the Congregation those whose fault was public and scandalous even if it was not specifically serious.

One day strolling with Brother François in the infirmary garden I saw a large fire in the avenue above the garden during recreation time. I called this to the attention of Brother François and we tried to find out what had happened. And who would believe it! We saw some Brothers jumping over the fire, shouting with glee like mandarins dancing. Fr. Champagnat was absent for two or three days. So why the fire and the din? Because some careless Brothers directed by one of their most exalted leaders got it into their heads to celebrate a carnival, like the country people who in these disordered times light bonfires to dance and leap around. Brother François, astonished and stupefied by such irregularity, went immediately to the scene. As he got closer they quickly extinguished the fire and everything returned to normal. Brother François directed a severe reprimand mainly at the instigators of the disturbance and told them that he would inform Fr. Champagnat. Indeed on his return the following day Fr. Champagnat was informed of what had happened the previous afternoon. He gathered the whole community together, summoned the ringleader and admonished him severely as well as his followers and he ordered him in spite of his aptitude to leave the Congregation which he did the following morning. We can understand how much Fr. Champagnat was affected by this disturbance, which had been witnessed from the main road. This could be seen in the paleness of his face and in the

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energetic words that he used to reprove this type of pastime, which was reminiscent of the ignoble parties of the pagan world because as I realised this happened at Mardi Gras.79 To conclude this paragraph on penance I have to say that, although penances were quite frequently given, they did not irritate those who received them nor did they cause bad spirit in the community.

There was nothing like that because they were done in a spirit of virtue. What was most annoying was the pain caused to Fr. Champagnat by the fault. Apart from this these penances were so opportune and given with so much charity and justice that no one ever had a bad word to say about the matter.

Observing justice in his punishments, as in everything else Fr. Champagnat demanded the same from all the Brothers in charge of the workshops with regard to their subordinates.

One final story on this topic. One day during spiritual reading I made a noise while moving a statue on my desk. The Master of Novices80 somewhat annoyed by my carelessness in the past gave me not less than 1200 lines. I believed this penance to be completely unjust and went to ask Fr. Champagnat to let me off with it. When I got to his room I told him in tears and in great detail why I had come to see him. After carefully listening to me he took a sheet of paper from his desk, dripped sealing wax on it and applied his seal. Then he wrote a single line on it, signed the sheet and gave it to me, telling me to be more careful. What did that line contain? Here it is word for word: ‘Payment of 1200 lines’. I thanked him as best I could and took the sheet to the Master of Novices. The good Brother seeing Fr. Champagnat’s signature accepted the payment with great respect and that was the end of that. We can see that such fairness which came naturally to Fr. Champagnat guaranteed his impartiality and won him the hearts, affection and trust of all his Brothers and of all who came into contact with him.

Recreation I will not dwell on Fr. Champagnat’s conduct during recreation because the anecdote mentioned in the previous paragraph demonstrates that he did not wish recreation to resemble that of the people in the outside world as we saw the same attitude in the first paragraph of the second chapter of this appendix.

Apart from this, if you would like to have an idea of the religious way in which recreations were conducted you only have to read the chapter of the Common Rules dealing with this topic, because that is what he himself practised. I will limit myself to saying that he did not approve of noisy recreations, immoderate laughter, childish behaviour, physical contact or any great restlessness. We know from tradition that when he noted these defects among his first followers he corrected them gently, which was normally sufficient. He told us that people of the world looked for endless pleasure making a lot of noise and a great din because not having a peaceful conscience and to silence their remorse they looked to have a good time with loud screams and all sorts of excesses. But the religious did not need this noise because they found happiness in the Lord and in the holy presence of God. It did not please him to see people seated during recreation unless there was a serious reason. He liked to see the Brothers strolling in threes or fours together but rarely two together and not distanced from each other. But what he really liked and was visibly pleased to see were the Brothers playing innocent

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The day before the commencement of Lent, and the indulgent celebrations that sometimes mark the day, are known by different names in different countries and cultures: Carnivale (literally: ‘farewell to meat’), Mardi Gras (‘Fat Tuesday’), Pancake Tuesday or, more religiously, Shrove Tuesday. Such celebrations continue to this day in many countries, but now extend over a number of days or weekends before Ash Wednesday. Often the connection with the religious season has been forgotten altogether.

80 Presumably, this was Brother François 127

games, especially the game of boule.81 Also to please him young and older Brothers always tried to get him to take part whenever possible. To encourage them Fr. Champagnat made a rule that those who lost would take the sack to him whether climbing or coming down from the walk which was about 300 metres from the house. So when Brother François or any of the principal Brothers lost, we young ones rushed to retrieve the sack which he willingly gave us.

Books were strictly forbidden during recreation and I do not remember anyone breaking this rule.

Instead of studying when we could not play boule or barre etc. we played dominoes or similar games.

Usually Fr. Champagnat played backgammon with the chaplains. During winter we gathered the nuts, in which case Fr. Champagnat always took part because, as the house was poor he had calculated that there was more profit in harvesting them himself. When he carried out this work during recreation mortification was so strictly observed that I have seen many nuts fall under the table but don’t remember seeing any eaten.

Emulation We have seen the importance that Fr. Champagnat attached to the study and preparation of the catechism. Also, he regarded as very serious the fault of a Brother who did not teach catechism in his class or taught it carelessly, failing to make it interesting. At l’Hermitage in order to encourage our competitiveness in this point of the Rule he had determined that as soon as possible pupils who were capable would teach the catechism, each taking a turn, not in any subject other than the chapter of the day. They were always told in advance so that they could be well prepared.

In this way a number of catechism lessons were prepared and were made available to those who would be carrying out this noble task. Fr. Champagnat sometimes came to listen unobserved in order to correct later if necessary the catechists or to congratulate them if they deserved it, mentioning especially the interest they had shown and their choice of short, well-chosen and specific questions. In general the Brother Predicators did not have his approval however well qualified they were. He did not like them to get too excited or to use too high a tone of voice. Once, when I forgot about this he hurried into my classroom and corrected me but in a manner so subtle that he strengthened my authority in front of the students.

On Sundays and Feast Days we were all made to learn the gospel and if possible the epistle. Sometimes he himself came to hear the recitation and then he would give us an explanation, which could be so interesting that we never tired of listening to him. It was a true pleasure for him that as well as the gospel we also recited the epistle. But his satisfaction was greater still when on Palm Sunday a large group recited the Passion. The reason why this religious drama was prepared several days in advance was that all those involved were rewarded with a beautiful holy picture with Fr. Champagnat’s stamp. I know something of this!

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The French game of boules, or pétanque , has long been popular in France, especially in the south. Close to the Italian bocce and similar in concept to British lawn bowls, it is typically played with metallic balls on a dirt surface beneath plane trees. The local boulodrome is a social focal point in the suburbs and villages of southern France to this day, especially among middle-aged and older men. The object of the game is for a player to throw a ball — usually with somewhat of an arched back-spin — so that it lands closer to the small object ball (cochonnet ) than those of his opponent, or strikes and drives the object ball toward the player’s other balls and away from his opponents’.

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As he noticed that no one had answered the Benedicite or said the grace before or after meals especially on certain feast days, from time to time he had some of them written up so that they could be read in the refectory as already was the case for the reading, writing, spelling etc. He constantly battled against faulty pronunciation mainly the omission of ‘e’ mute especially at the end of words, poor articulation of consonants, vowels, monosyllables, lack of punctuation, everything which adversely affected reading. As for himself, it was a pleasure to hear him read and speak. He never omitted a syllable even when he whispered, so clear and unhurried was his speech. I will say in passing that today when reading is not so popular one does not hear many good readers or people who recite prayers well.

I have seen him on many occasions spend part of the meal correcting the pronunciation of certain Brothers who had problems on account of their regional accent, as this could make them appear ridiculous and could harm the reading of their students. I remember that a good Brother had the habit of pronouncing ‘on’ instead of ‘an’; for example he said ‘onges’ instead of ‘anges’. It is impossible to say how much work Fr. Champagnat put into correcting this strange pronunciation.

The reading of Latin was also an object of his attention. He said that young Brothers forced to recite the Office and other prayers in a language they did not understand were naturally exposed, in reading and singing, to making gross errors and their students would also make them. From that he concluded that the Brothers should know how to read Latin perfectly so as not to disfigure a language understood by ecclesiastics and by others who would not fail to be offended. He added that if one applied oneself to this type of reading that Latin, being the language of the Sacred Liturgy should be respected even in the minutest detail, keeping in mind that it is partly composed of the words of the Holy Scripture.

Although Fr. Champagnat attached so much importance to the catechism and to reading, he did not worry any less about the other branches of primary education, especially writing, which, at that time was most important in our classes after catechism and reading. He had even established prizes for writing in the establishments, which he distributed during the holidays, so much was his regard for writing.

Conclusion I believe that the whole life of Fr. Champagnat of which I have given a brief account can be summarised in these words: ‘Spirit of Faith’, because no matter how superficially it is read it can be seen that this spirit of faith was behind all of his actions and led to that high perfection which the Church recognises in the servants of God. They are presented to us for our veneration, elevating them to the altar. Indeed, the spirit of faith which they practise while teaching us confers on them a vitality which makes them as perfect as possible. Among the truths that faith teaches us there are three, which particularly guided Fr. Champagnat during his life: God Omnipresent, Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist and finally the truth recognised by all theologians: that after God and Jesus Christ the Blessed Virgin Mary is the greatest, the most exalted, the most glorious, the most powerful of all creatures and she has never allowed any of her devoted servants to perish.

From these strongly held beliefs in the spirit of Fr. Champagnat there blossomed the deepest humility, an extreme horror of sin, mortification of his physical senses and all the faculties of his soul and his great trust in divine providence.

From there, his ardent love of Our Lord, his submission to His representatives, his respect for everything concerning religion, his indefatigable zeal for the salvation of souls and that incomparable charity which led him to practise so many spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

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And finally, his filial piety for the Blessed Virgin, this unbounded trust in her protection and his notable zeal in honouring her, and spreading his Catholic faith throughout the world, by means of the Congregation of which he was the Founder and which bears the name of this Blessed Virgin for all time. The Brothers of Mary can be seen in everything, everywhere and always as living, speaking images of our Founder (and not colourless like me). Amen.82

A.M.D.G.

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Although most of the contents of the exercise books are written by a copyist, this last sentence is written in Sylvestre’s own hand.

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Select Bibliography

The publications below are a selection of English-language studies of Marcellin Champagnat and the founding time.

Balko, A (1992) Father Champagnat and the Formation of the Brothers, Marist Notebooks. No.3, pp.25-76.

Balko, A. (1994) The Spiritual Testament of Father Champagnat, Marist Notebooks. No.6, pp.61-70 Balko, A. (1994) Father Champagnat and Confidence. Marist Notebooks. No.5, pp22-38.

Balko, A. (undated) Reflections on Our Origins, an anthology of selected articles, published and unpublished. Notre Dame de l’Hermitage: Marist Brothers.

Bergeret, M (2000) The Marist Teaching Tradition. Champagnat, A Marist Journal of Education. Vol.3, No.1, pp1-21.

Brambila, A. (1998) Champagnat’s ideas on the education of children. Marist Notebooks. No.13, pp. 5-38.

Bourtot, B. (1999) Marcellin Champagnat, Marist Father. Marist Notebooks. No 15, pp.5-14.

Dennis, N. (1994) A Short Life of Marcellin Champagnat Sydney: Marist Brothers.

Farrell, K.B. (1984) Achievement from the Depths, A critical historical survey of the life of Marcellin Champagnat 1789-1840. Sydney: Marist Brothers.

Forissier, A. (1992) For a Marian Church, Marist Founders and Foundresses. Rome: St Paul Publications Furet, J-B (1856; 1989) Life of Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat 1789-1840, Marist Priest, Founder of the Congregation of the Little Brothers of Mary. (Bicentenary edition) Rome: Marist Brothers.

Gibson, R (1971) Father Champagnat, The Man and his Spirituality. Rome: Marist Brothers.

Green, M. (2005) Marcellin’s Marist Spirituality. Champagnat, A Marist Journal of Education. Vol.7, No.2, pp.36-54.

Hosie, S.W. (1967) Anonymous Apostle: The Life of Jean-Claude Colin, Marist. Morrow.

Kerr, D. (2000) Jean-Claude Colin, Marist: Founder in an age of revolution and restoration. Dublin: Columba Press.

Lanfrey, A (1994) A Critical Introduction to the Life of Marcellin Champagnat. Marist Notebooks. No.6, pp3362.

Lanfrey, A. (1998) The hidden instructions of Father Champagnat, A small guide to reading the Life of the Founder. Marist Notebooks. No. 14:11-38.

Lanfrey, A. (2003) The Origins of Marist Spirituality. Marist Notebooks, No.19, pp.19-51.

Larkin, C. (1995) A Certain Way, An exploration of Marist Spirituality. Rome: Centre for Marist Studies.

McMahon, F. (1984) Travellers in Hope, The story of Blessed Marcellin Champagnat and his fellow Founders of the Society of Mary. Rome: Marist Brothers McMahon, F., (1988) Strong Mind, Gentle Heart, A Life of Blessed Marcellin Champagnat 1789-1840. Sydney: Marist Brothers.

McMahon, F, (2005) As others see us. Marist Notebooks, No.21, pp.9-71.

Mulago, J.P. (1996) Father Champagnat, Co-Founder of the Society of Mary. Marist Notebooks. No.8, pp.4959.

Niland, M. (2001) Hidden Fruitfulness, The life and spirituality of Jeanne-Marie Chavoin, Foundress of the Congregation of Marist Sisters, 1786-1858. Dublin: The Columba Press.

Sammon, S.D. (1999) Saint Marcellin Champagnay, his life and mission. Marist Brothers: Rome.

Sester. P. (ed) (1991) The Letters of Marcellin Champagnat (Vol. 1). Trans. L. Voegtle. Rome: Marist Brothers.

Sester. P. & Borne, R. (eds) (1991) The Letters of Marcellin Champagnat (Vol. 2). Trans. L. Voegtle. Rome: Marist Brothers.

Sester, P. (1996) Mary in the life of Marcellin Champagnat. Marist Notebooks. No.8, pp.29-48.

Sester, P. (1997) Our Models in Religion. Marist Notebooks. No.10, pp.31-41.

Sester, P. (1998) Education according to Marcellin Champagnat in Avis, Leçons, Sestences. Marist Notebooks, No. 13, pp. 181-189.

Sester, P. (1998) Marcellin Champagnat, A Saint. Marist Notebooks. No.14, pp.89-109.

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Sester, P. (1999) The apostolic spirituality of Father Champagnat. Marist Notebooks. No.15, pp;15-30.

Sester, P. (2000) Marcellin Champagnat, Educator. Marist Notebooks. No.16, pp5-18.

Sester, P. (2003) Marcellin Champagnat, his spirit, his personality. Marist Notebooks. No.19, pp.53-71 Voegtle, L. (trans.) (1997) Opinions, Conferences, Sayings and Instructions of Marcellin Champagnat. Rome: Marist Brothers.

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Index Affectivity (in Marist spirituality) Africa Aiguebelle (Trappist monastery) Aim of the Institute Allirot Aloysius Gonzaga, St Amasie, Mgr D’ America Ampuis Antichrist Antoine, Brother Approval of the Institute Authorisation of Society of Mary Arnaud, P Audras, J-B, see Louis Audras, J-C, see Laurent Aunt (of Marcellin) Autun Avit, Brother Badard, Brother Balance (in Marcellin’s spirituality) Barou Bedouin Bélier Belley Bessat, Le Besson Blessed Sacrament Blue Brothers, the Bochard Bonald, Cardinal De Books (unacceptable) Boules Boulieu Bourdin Bourg-Argental Brevet Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers) Bruillard, Mgr De Canada Catechism Cattet Chamonf, StChanut Chapter of Faults Charles X Charlieu Chavanay Chavoin, Jeanne-Marie Cheerfulness (of Marcellin) Cholleton Church Clerks of St Viator Cloth stockings 133

Colin, J-C Colomb de Gsate Competition Conduite (of Marcellin Champagnat) Confession Confidence Correction Costume of the Brothers Côte-St-André, La Courbon Courveille, J-C Couturier, see Antoine Creux Cure of Lavalla) Curé of Ars Cushions (the affair of the) Dancing Death (of Marcellin) De La Salle Brothers (see Brothers of the Christian Schools) Denuzière Dervieux Development Devotion to Douillet Drinking of alcohol Dubois Dubourg, Mgr Dubreuil Duplay Durand Election (of the Superior General) End of the word England Evil books Extreme Unction Faith (of Marcelllin) Faith (spirit of) Father (of Marcellin) Fayolle, see Stanislas Fear (of sin) Fesch, Cardinal Feurs Forest Fourvière Francis de Sales, St François, Brother Funeral (of Marcellin) Gardette Gaucher Gendarmes (visit of in 1830) Generosity (of Marcellin) Genis-Laval, StGoats Good Christians and Honest Citizens (concept of) Grande-Chatreuse Grange-Payre, La Granjon, see Jean-Marie Gregory XVI, Pope Guizot 134

Habits (affair concerning the style of) Halo (at birth) Hérard Hermitage Hermitage, N-D de l’ Chapel Construction Purchase of Holidays (of Marcellin) Holy Communion Holy places Holy Spirit Humility Hymn singing Idleness Illnesses (of Marcellin) Instruction (of the young) Insubordination (of some Brothers) Jansenism Jean-Baptiste, Brother Jean-Marie (Bonnet), Brother Jean-Marie (Granjon), Brother Jérôme, Brother John the Evangelist, St Joseph, St Juniorate Justice (of Marcellin) Kindness (of Marcellin) Lachèze Laurent, Brother Lavalla Law (of 1833) Letters of Marcellin Life, The (Jean-Baptiste’s biography) Ligouri, St Alphonsus Little (the concept of) Little Brothers of Mary Foundation Aim of Development Spirit of Lodgings (of Marcellin) Louis-Marie, Brother Louvesc, La Lyon Maîtrepierre Mardi Gras (“Carnaval”) Marhles Marian century Marie-Jubin, Brother Marist Brothers (see Little Brothers of Mary) Marist spirituality Marquis Mary Annunciation Good Mother Immaculate Conception Ordinary Resource Our Lady of Pity chapel 135

Name of Protection of General Mass Matricon Mazelier Médard, StMemorare in the Snow Michon Millery Mischief (of Br Sylvestre) Montagne Montbrison Mont-Vieux, Croix de Mortification (of Marcellin) Mother (of Marcellin) Nail making Napoléon Nazareth (spirit of) Neuville-sur-Saône Newspapers Noumea Novices Obedience Oceania Office (Little Office of BVM) Ordination (of Marcellin) Paris Paul-en-Artois, StPaul-en-Jarret, StPaul-Trois-Châteaux, StPenances Philomena, Saint Piety Pilat, Le Pins, Mgr Pleyné, De Polynesia Pompallier Pope Postulants Poverty Prayer Preaching (Marcellin’s talent for) Predestination Presence (of God) Providence Prudence (of Marcellin) Puy, Le Querbes Reading (method of teaching) Rebod, (Curé of Lavalla) Recreation Retreats, monthly Revolution Rivat, see François Rome Rosey, Le Rouchon 136

Roumesy, Brother Rule, the Sacred Heart Salvandy Sauzet Saveur-en-Rue, StScapula Séon Sermons (of Marcellin) Servant Sester, Brother Paul Seychelles Sick, the Visits to Sickness of Marcellin Silence Sin (Marcellin’s fear of) Singing Society of Mary Spiritual Testament Stanisalus, Brother Stockings (affair of the) Symphorien-le-Château, StTarentaise Teacher’s Guide, The Temperance (of Marcellin) Terraillon Tests (for the Brothers) Théophane, Brother Thomas Aquinas, St Tonsure (of a Brother) Tripier Trousset d’Hericourt, Mgr Du Valbenoite Vanosc Vatican Council, II Vauban, Château de Verrières Vienne Vigilance Violets (The Three) Vocation (of Marcellin) Vourles Vows Weaving Wheelbarrow (incident with the) Work, manual Zeal

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