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Solidarity and Integrity:
Libermann and the 21st century
by Fr. Bernard Kelly, CSSp
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Last July at the Enlarged Provincial Council of the US East
province, David Couturier, a Capuchin, spoke to us about
“repairing the church” in Franciscan fashion. In an aside
he mentioned that for Pope John Paul II the virtue of the 21st
century will be solidarity. The pope sees solidarity as the virtue
that undoes social sin.
“Solidarity” has established a place in the Spiritan
vocabulary over the past 20 years. Sometimes it refers principally to
solidarity within the congregation, to community living and
collaboration with lay Spiritans (Itaici 18, Maynooth 0.4.3). At
other times the perspective is outwards: “We are called to a
practical solidarity with the people amongst whom we live, especially
those who are most poor, vulnerable and excluded from society.”
(Maynooth 2.2). In our present climate of human dealings, I see
personal integrity as very much a virtue for the 21st century.[1] In
the midst of enormous corporate financial scandals, drug enhanced
athletic performances, misuse of funds and the subsequent massaging
of accounts, I hear people standing up and saying: “I have done
nothing wrong.”. And at least in some cases, they consider they
are telling the truth. Integrity, however, demands more that stating
honestly what one considers to be the case. It also involves being
whole. One approach to holiness is to see it as principally a
question of wholeness.
Our life struggle is one of becoming whole. A very human tendency is
to compartmentalise, to separate for example Eucharistic celebration
on Sunday and sharp practice during the week. We may behave
differently in the internet cocoon than in the real world. We
sympathise with the man who tries to reconcile the credit card
existence of his business life with the more modest living that he
can afford with his family. I once laughed at the mafia distinction
between what is “personal” and what is “business”
but the joke is wearing thin. It is heartbreaking when we hear of
priests who have been unable to integrate their priestly and sexual
lives. And ourselves? How many of us have integrated, for example,
the teaching of Vatican II into our lives? Have we forgiven injuries
done to us? Have we absorbed the pain or are we still transmitting it
to others? We all probably have some parts of our life’s
experience that we are still struggling to integrate.
To set the scene for this presentation, I will consider integrity as
the quality of journeying towards wholeness while remaining honest.
It allows us to progressively integrate our experience in an
authentic way. Solidarity will consist in crossing all sorts of
frontiers inside and outside the congregation. It will aim at undoing
social sin. It will involve fighting exclusion to include everyone in
God’s love of the world. Integrity and solidarity will be twin
paths for our travelling through the Libermann story in the hope of
discovering aspects of it that will be life-giving for us in the 21st
century. Rather than keeping them strictly separate, let us take, now
one, now another path and not be surprised if they sometimes converge.
Early days
In his youth, Jacob Libermann knew the life of the Jewish ghetto in
Saverne. It was a deprived situation but life was sustained by a
close Jewish solidarity. The prevailing atmosphere in society was
hostile. Family came to mean a lot to him. Family friendships would
be important to him all his life. The death of his mother when he was
11 increased the influence of his father, Lazarus. His elder brother
Samson was a continuing point of reference throughout his life. These
influences were at odds. Lazarus distrusted the enfranchisement and
freedom of movement granted the Jews by the French Revolution as mere
ploys to assimilate them. Samson embraced the new freedom with
enthusiasm, studied medicine and became a doctor.
When Jacob was 20 he went to the talmudic school at Metz to pursue
rabbinical studies. Away from home for the first time, his inherited
worldview developed cracks. Jewish solidarity was no longer as
supportive. Instead of being hostile, a Catholic was very helpful in
his language studies. He began to explore the literature of the
Enlightenment and to grow lax in his practice of religion and in his
study of the Talmud. Into the midst of an already difficult struggle
for personal integration, came the shattering news of Samson’s
conversion to Catholicism. Jacob’s reaction was revealing. He
criticised Samson for causing pain to his father, and sought advice
for his own confusion, which was influenced by his reading of
Rousseau. God does not intervene in the world, as if his creation was
in need of repair. It is unjust to suggest that God would choose a people.
Paris
It was thanks to the network of convert Jews that Jacob found a place
in Paris. Thanks to the influence of David Drach, he got a room at
College Stanislas, a Catholic institution. He felt torn between
loyalty to his father and a vague Christian momentum which was
developing. And he did a dangerous thing. He decided to pray again.
And he learned something which he would never forget. God does
intervene in the world. He answers prayers, he sheds light, he lays
down challenges. Jacob felt besieged. He could resist or surrender.
He surrendered and found peace. He became a Catholic called Francis
and entered the seminary of Saint-Sulpice.
None of us like confrontation, so when confrontation looms we put it
off, we push it to the edge of our consciousness and hope that it
might somehow go away. Francis dreaded the effect that news of his
conversion could have on his father. His father was old, maybe he
need never find out. But his father did find out and a letter of
malediction arrived that reduced Francis to tears. Sometimes the Lord
asks his chosen ones to go against those they love the most. “Our
Lord gave me the grace to stand up to my father, who wanted to tear
me away from the faith. I renounced him rather than the faith.
Whereupon the good Master came without warning to tear me from myself
and he held my faculties captive and absorbed for about five
years.”[2] The reward for integrating the painful aspects of our
experience can be great.
How does our integrity stand up in the face of misfortune? It is not
easy to accept serious illness. Suddenly everything is changed. What
do you do when you can’t do what you want to do? The onset of
epilepsy was a devastating blow for Francis as he saw his dream of
priesthood disappear. He now had to come to terms with insecurity in
a new way. He wrote to Samson in 1830 of his “beloved
illness” but he had difficult days and was even tempted to throw
himself into the Seine when crossing a bridge in Paris.
The authorities at Saint-Sulpice were somewhat taken aback at the
peaceful way in which Francis accepted his situation, but rose to the
occasion by offering him a place in their house at Issy without any
real hope that he would be cured and ordained. At Issy he organised
prayer groups for interested seminarians and was successful to such
an extent that in 1837 he was taken by the Eudists to serve as their
novice master in Rennes. This Sulpican solidarity was important at
the time and knowing some of the eventual bishops and clergy of
France was to prove invaluable later on for the Society of the Holy
Heart of Mary and its missionary endeavour. However it must be said
that the greatest treasure that Libermann took from Saint-Sulpice was
its spirituality. Identification with Christ in his mysteries became
his daily nourishment, turning to Mary for help became second nature.
This brought him peace in his deepening surrender to God’s
design for him, which was still far from clear.
Rennes
Failure is never easy to integrate. Our first reaction is outright
denial of responsibility. It was someone else’s fault. Then as
our excuses become less and less convincing even to ourselves, we
start to see the possibility of some good arising from the ashes. It
is important to fasten on to this moment of truth. In some of the
cases that are making today’s headlines, the cover-up is seen as
worse than the crime.
Libermann’s time at Rennes was marked by suffering. The brief
success at Issy seemed far away. One novice, who was a stalwart of
the prayer groups in Issy, behaved outrageously and left the
novitiate. The epilepsy raised its head again and within six months,
Francis had another grand mal seizure as he was about to give a
conference to the assembled community. He is haunted by the harm he
has done and is doing. He is horrified at the complacency that has
invaded his perspective. At the end of the first year he wrote to his
friend Paul Carron: “I don’t want to recall the past, lest
I seek to establish myself instead of establishing God alone, and for
fear that while seeming to accuse myself, I dissimulate the evil.
This is even one of my great faults of the past, namely, that I left
my servitude and acted too often as a master.”[3]
At the end of his second year the outlook is even darker. “I
have been given a great reputation, but the pure and simple truth is
that I am a useless vessel in the church of God. I am here like a
piece of rotten wood, which hardly catches fire at all and which
gives light and heat to no one. I feel only the deepest dejection and
a great inner frustration before God. I am like a paralytic who wants
to move but is unable.”[4]
L’Oeuvre des Noirs began in the hearts of two Creole seminarians
of Saint-Sulpice, Frederick LeVavasseur (Reunion) and Eugene
Tisserant (Haiti). It gained a slight foothold in the prayers of the
Archconfraternity of the Holy Heart of Mary at the church of Notre
Dame des Victoires in Paris. It came to Libermann in Rennes as an
unasked for challenge. However unsettled he was, he did not initially
feel he had a contribution to make to ministry to recently
emancipated slaves in far off lands. Only slowly did he integrate
this new and adventurous outreach of solidarity. An unconditional
surrender to God cannot be rushed. Once made it renews patience and
peace, and the courage to take risks. But like every great grace, it
changes everything and it changes nothing. Unshakable conviction and
determination do not dull any of the frustration, anxiety and fear
inherent to normal human living.[5]
Society of the Holy Heart of Mary
Libermann’s year in Rome was a lonely year of waiting, but also
a chance to take possession of himself in a new way. The rumours that
swirled about him, the opportunist seeking advancement by whatever
means, gradually subsided. The deepening conviction of God’s
call to become engaged in God’s work became the rock on which he
built his house. Mary beckoned from many churches in Rome and from
Loreto. Dedication of the work to her brought fluency in writing the
provisional rule. A pilgrimage to Loreto opened the door to ordination.
The young society established itself in Amiens and the first
missionaries went to Africa in September 1843. If Libermann had to
come to terms with failure in Rennes he now had to deal with
disaster. Of the seven priests that took part in the first missionary
expedition, six died within the first year. Libermann was heartenend
by the rush of volunteers to replace them even as he was assailed by
the Greek chorus with its familiar chant about sending Frenchmen to
their death. Libermann took counsel, went to see the papal nuncio
(Fornari), sent Schwindenhammer to Rome to discuss the situation in
West Africa and Haiti. He contemplated union with the Holy Spirit
congregation but shelved the idea when Fr Leguay became superior in
April (29th) 1845. In June the next team of missionaries (Frs. Briot,
Arragon and brother Peter) were ready to leave for Gorée
(Senegal). Libermann wrote to them on 8 June.
Don’t depend on your own powers, your own prudence and
your own activity. In God alone and in Mary you must place all your
confidence. When you have to undertake something that is important,
weigh and discuss the matter in the presence of God. Begin with
casting out all prejudices for or against the venture. Don’t
allow yourselves to be carried away by enthusiasm; never do things
hastily; weigh well what you ought to do in a spirit of faith, but at
the same time reason things. Maintain peace and harmony among
yourselves; do nothing without consulting one another. Let your
esprit de corps be evident to everyone in all circumstances.[6]
In our own lives it is possible that we don’t experience
failure or suffer disaster. But mistakes, we all make mistakes. How
did Libermann deal with his mistakes? Late in 1845 he received a
letter from Reunion, in which Levavasseur freely expressed his
dissatisfaction with how things were going. He was so upset that he
wanted to leave the society. A recent arrival, Fr Plessis, was
causing trouble to the extent that Levavasseur began to call the very
future of the society into question. Libermann replies at length on
28 January 1846:
I want to reply immediately to your letter in which you
speak about Father Plessis and your desire to send him back to us.
You have my approval to send him back. I was at fault when I admitted
him; so it is up to me to bear the embarrassment he causes. However,
you break my heart by your discouragement and the other unfortunate
feelings to which you have yielded. Your letter shows me that you are
deeply depressed and are worried to death about the condition of our society..[7]
It took another year before Levavasseur overcame the
“temptation” to join the Jesuits. In the exchanges
Libermann honestly admits his mistake and takes responsibility for
it. At the same time he firmly points out that Levavasseur is overreacting.
Libermann, the missionary
Here we pause for a few moments to examine what makes Libermann the
missionary tick. He is showing remarkable self confidence in the face
of the huge challenges assailing the young Society of the Holy Heart
of Mary. In the midst of disaster, he is calmly reminding everyone
that they are engaged in God’s work, that success will come but
in God’s time and in the way that God wants. What has happened
is that Libermann has succeeded in making an unconditional surrender
to God. He and the Work for the Blacks are now in God’s hands.
This changes everything. It brings new energy, keeps hope alive and
discouragement at bay. In another way it changes nothing. The mail
form Africa still takes months to arrive, dealing with the Ministry
of the Marine is just as complicated, collaboration with the Holy
Spirit congregation is no less difficult.
It is no surprise then that Libermann insists on holiness as
the heart of missionary activity. “The Africans do not need and
will not be converted by the efforts of clever and capable
missionaries. It is holiness and the sacrifice of their priests that
will be the instrument of their salvation”.[8] Any approach to
the Africans is to be governed by respect. In a letter to the
community of Dakar and Gabon of 19 November 1847, Libermann warns
against judging the Africans according to the traders who travel the
coast. Even if they have years of experience, they have a different
point of view. The missionary is guided by the love of God and the
zeal that the Spirit gives.
Do not judge by first impressions. Do not judge by what you have
seen in Europe, according to what you have been used to in Europe.
Rid yourself of Europe, of its customs and spirit. Become black with
the Blacks, and you will judge them appropriately; become black with
the Blacks, to form them appropriately, not in the European fashion,
but leaving them what belongs to them.[9]
Libermann wrote a separate letter to Mgr Truffet on 22 November, who
saw neither letter as he died on 23 November, the victim of a dietary
inculturation that wreaked havoc among the missionaries. In a
confidential letter to Levavasseur, Libermann admits that holiness
and inculturation do not dispense with the need for common sense,
born of experience.[10] He nevertheless holds on to the belief that
success in mission depends on the holiness of the missionary. Towards
the end of 1851, a few months before his death, he writes to Mgr
Kobes. If our missionaries desire to receive God’s blessing
upon their works, they must earnestly attend to the business of their
own sanctification. Only then will God bless us. If they are holy
religious, they will save souls. If they are not, they will
accomplish nothing. [11] Holiness remains essential, even if it
is not enough.
Behind each solidarity, another.
The Haitians have a proverb Dèyè mòn, gen
mòn. Behind each mountain another comes into view. For
Libermann solidarity with the Africans led to other solidarities,
whose existence had not previously come to his attention. For example
there was the relationship with the government ministries upon whom
the missionaries depended for transport to Africa as well as for a
living allowance while there. Maurice Briault CSSp writes of the
resources of the Society of the Holy Heart of Mary:
It could count only on the allocations of the Propagation of
the Faith, but these varied according to the political upheavals in
Europe. As long as the African missions were slow to take shape, only
subsidies were forthcoming and the failures led to these being
reluctantly and sparingly granted: only what is well established is
well supported. The big advantage, the only one that really counted,
was the assistance furnished by the Ministries of the Marine and of
the Colonies: upkeep of missionaries, free passage, daily food
allowance, hospital care. In possession of church goods confiscated
in 1790, the State returned to the Catholic religion a small part of
what it had taken from it.[12]
While Libermann warned his missionaries against an a priori
acceptance of the values of other Europeans in Africa, he also
advocated that they keep good relations with them. He himself in no
way relished dealing with government officials but he recognised the
importance of it and bravely suffered the martyrdom of government
application forms. We can imagine his reaction to news of the
following episode, described by Henry Koren.
In 1846 when he (Stanislas Arragon) was temporarily detained as
a hostage in the course of an exploratory trip in Senegal, the naval
commander at Goree, who felt responsible for the missionaries’
safety, sent out a rescue party. Later, he made a few polite remarks
about the dangers of such explorations and asked that he be notified
of their general direction. Furious about this
“interference” in Church affairs, Arragon wrote him an
insulting letter and severed relations with the navy.[13]
The Merger
It is usually referred to as the fusion. Henry Koren refers to it as
the merger. The categories of a takeover bid do not apply but they
are not altogether foreign. The discussion takes on a corporate
twist. But it is still interesting to be guided along the paths of
integrity and solidarity. Corporate integrity is to be safeguarded.
Hopefully corporate solidarity can be achieved.
First a few dates concerning the Spiritans, founded 1703.
Superiors:
During the 18th century the Spiritans, without becoming very
numerous, had earned a high reputation. They opposed Jansenism,
developed a missionary outreach and were also known for their
fidelity to Rome in a gathering climate of Gallicanism. The French
Revolution attempted to deal them a death blow and nearly succeeded.
Their property was confiscated and they were scattered. The superior,
Fr Duflos found lodging nearby to try to keep in touch but he died in
1805. His nephew, Fr Bertout fled to England in 1792. He returned in
1802 and for the next 30 years set himself to try and restore the
congregation. It was uphill all the way but he succeeded in sending
97 priests to the missions. The revolution of 1830 brought new
problems. In 1832 the government commandeered the building to serve
as a hospital during a cholera epidemic. That year Fr Bertout died disconsolate.
The congregation had two official members, Frs. Fourdinier and
Hardy. A dispensation to allow a third person to vote was required
and Fr Fourdinier, nephew of Fr Bertout, became superior. He
succeeded in recovering the building on rue Lhomond. Meanwhile the
process of the abolition of slavery was gathering strength. The
government conveyed urgent requests for priests for the colonies.
With insufficient funds, Fr Fourdinier tried to keep things going by
recruiting in the dioceses of France, themselves in the process of
reconstruction. The bishops allowed to leave those that they could
afford to let go. Some of these, maybe because of age, did not pass
through the colonial seminary. They were ill equipped to respond to
the challenges of mission work. In an address to parliament in 1845,
it was easy for M de Montalembert to speak of a crisis of the
colonial clergy. He exaggerated but there was room to criticise the
calibre of the clergy and the fact that they confined their attention
to the whites for the most part.
Fr Fourdinier died in 1845. Fr Warnet accepted to be an interim
superior. After three months Fr Leguay, vicar general of Perpignan,
took over. His only experience of the Spiritans was of being
previously their guest in Paris. From our vantage point today we can
see the benefits of the merger because it has been a success. To
restore perspective let us remember that when the idea first surfaced
in Rome in 1840, Libermann opposed it. He did not envisage those
involved in the Work for the Blacks as a society of parish priests,
albeit with a streak of adventure. Now his experience of mission made
him an ardent supporter of a union with the Spiritans. He had opened
negotiations with Fr Fourdinier without great success. These were
suspended when Fr Leguay arrived. Leguay regarded the initiatives of
the Holy Heart of Mary as an attempted hostile takeover and once
referred to Libermann as an “intriguing hypocrite”.[14]
continue...
Welcome
to the site of the TransCanada Province of the Spiritans. We are a
Roman Catholic Religious Congregation of over three thousand members,
founded in 1703. Our missions are spread worldwide. While we may be
found involved in many diverse ministries, we have dedicated
ourselves to working with the poor and in those situations where the
Church has difficulty in finding ministers. We hope you enjoy your
visit to our site and that while browsing you will keep us in your
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