footsteps

In the Footsteps of Our Founders
Tom Maguire CSSp (Spiritan Missionary News, Vol. 27, No. 3, August 2003)

Many years ago, a fellow Spiritan said something in conversation, which I have never forgotten. He had recently met a Spiritan from another country for the first time, and discovered an immediate rapport, often lacking when he was in the company of members of the local clergy with whom he was casually acquainted. I found his observation intriguing. Not that I had any chance of testing it for myself! In those days, Spiritans moved almost exclusively within their own circles, and collaboration was rare.

For eight days in May, I found myself part of a group of Spiritan pilgrims retracing the steps of our founders in France, a group not only from different countries but of different races, from diverse backgrounds and disparate cultures. There we were, walking the streets of Paris, traveling together on the coach to Rennes and Saverne, sharing meals, and trying to take in the story of our distant past. The obvious differences between us appeared to pass unnoticed, drawn together as we were by a common history and a shared spirituality. Being on pilgrimage seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

Saverne and Rennes
There is an old photograph of the Libermann family home in Saverne, but the building itself is no more. You can read a small plaque on a wall indicating where it once stood, even take a picture of it, but I found it a poor substitute for a chance, now gone forever, to walk through the rooms in which the young Jacob lived and studied. I felt a keen sense of regret at the absence of that personal link to the past.

At the Libermann Memorial in Saverne. Among the pilgrims are Canadian Spiritans Bernard Kelly,
Paul McAuley, Gerry Fitzgerald, Tom Maguire and Peter Fleming.

The childhood of Poullart des Places in Rennes is even further removed from our own time. Yet both Rennes and Saverne had their own fascination for me, and our pilgrimage would have been the poorer without our trips there. After all, they were the childhood settings for the early years of Claude and Jacob, and must have contributed in some way to their development and their later orientation. A place, and not just the people who inhabit that space, can shape the thoughts and ambitions of those who grow up there.

At Mary's feet
By contrast, there were two stops on our Paris itinerary which turned out to be particularly memorable for me. One was the morning our group had the privilege of celebrating Mass at the foot of the statue of the "Black Virgin", now in the care of the sisters of St. Thomas de Villeneuve. The other was our visit to the church of Our Lady of Victories. I was strangely moved by both experiences. Here were two tangible connections to the influences that shaped the lives of both Poullart des Places and Libermann, and how powerful those influences were is well documented by those who have written of the lives of our founders. I felt blessed to be there. In my own mind, I imagine them not only dedicating their apostolate to the Holy Heart of Mary, but also bringing their doubts and fears to the feet of the Virgin and receiving comfort and the courage to continue.

The Black Virgin and Our Lady of Victories in Paris.

Real fraternity
My most cherished memory of the pilgrimage is of an event which occurred - not anything dramatic or spectacular, just a visit and a meal shared. It happened at a place called Piré, a Spiritan community near Rennes whose members see their calling as one of hospitality. Our visit there was short, less than two hours if my memory serves me, but remarkable in many ways. These Spiritans were even waiting for us on the driveway as our coach pulled in, waving to us and smiling as we descended the steps, like a family welcoming home a son or daughter, a brother or sister. After a pleasant aperitif, we broke bread together, comfortable in the company of friends, even though we had never met before and would never meet again. For me it was a glimpse of something which is rare enough in this over-active world of ours, a genuine interest in the other and a spirit of caring. It was a practical lesson in the true meaning of fraternity, and a timely reminder that the essence of community involves something that goes beyond merely living under the same roof.

Of course, I wasn't thinking of Fr. Libermann as I enjoyed the fine food set before us, but reflecting on it afterwards, and knowing how much importance Fr. Libermann placed on fraternity and togetherness, I feel sure that he would have been very happy to be with us at Piré.