Salesian Literature

Vol. 2, CONFERENCE 4 : Conditions for the Admission of Candidates

 

Voting for the Admission of Candidates to the Novitiate and later to First Profession

It is quite a long time since some of you have asked me about the principles to be followed in voting for the admission of candidates to the Novitiate and later to Profession.  The question is an old one since it was asked long ago, and having escaped my attention I still owe you an answer.  My answer is that such voting should take two points into consideration.  Firstly, the person in question should really be called by God; secondly, the person should have the qualities needed for your way of life.

 

Well, I am giving this talk here because I feel it is more appropriate to deal with the subject in question by way of a conference and homely chat than by way of a sermon.  In this way the treatment of the subject can be more free and familiar.  The Novices will have their share in the first section of the talk, but they will have to have patience and wait till next year for the second section.  I shall repeat the talk next year, if it is needed.

 

First Section: How to Recognize Genuine Vocation

Let us begin with the first point that, to be received into Religious Life, a person has to be really called by God.  When I speak of this call and vocation, I do not speak of the universal call of Our Lord to everyone to embrace Christianity.  Nor do I refer to these fearful words of Our Lord: Many are called but few are chosen (Mt. 20:16; 22:14).  God calls all to be Christians because he wants to give eternal life to all (1 Tim. 2:4).  However, all do not come, even though all of them are invited: few are chosen. What it means is this: there are some who respond to God’s appeal, but comparatively few of those who are called are chosen because few come to Him.  This first point though quite general is nonetheless frightening.

 

Let us, however, speak more in particular about these calls.  No doubt, many are called by God to join the Religious Life.  But, nevertheless, there are just a few who preserve their vocation and persevere in it.  These people are certainly called, but even though they begin well, they do not continue remaining faithful to God’s grace and they do not make persevering efforts to sustain their vocation and make it solid and secure.

 

We have other people who were not really called.  Merely because they came, they were chosen and their vocation was rendered worthy and approved by God; and this is another point.  Others still, join through boredom and dissatisfaction with life.  Even though it seems that these are not true vocations, still, experience has proved that having joined the Religious Life, they have been called and chosen; and this again is another point.  We shall place all these points side by side and examine them thoroughly to see and find out which is the genuine vocation. There are still others who have been driven to join the Religious Life because of some disaster or misfortune they have had to face in the world; others because of lack of health, or physical beauty; despite the fact that these motives are not quite praiseworthy in themselves, yet these vocations often turn out to be excellent, for God makes use of these motives to call such people to join the Religious Life.  In the end we deal here with God’s unfathomable ways (Rom. 11:34).  It is such a wonderful thing, so lovely and so lovable, this variety of vocations and means which God uses to call His creatures to His service, and which we should honour and reverence.

 

You seem then, how important and how difficult it is to recognize a genuine vocation; and still, it is the first basic requirement, when giving one’s vote, to know whether this particular candidate is really called by God and has a true vocation.  Given the fact that there is such a great diversity of vocations issuing from such a variety of motivations, how is one to separate the good from the bad and how is one to avoid being mistaken?  It is true that this seems to be a matter of great difficulty, but it is not so.  We are not totally deprived of the means to discern a true vocation.  Among the several means I could propose, I would single out one as being the best of all.  A true vocation is nothing else but a firm and steadfast determination, of the person who is called, to want to serve God in the manner and in the place to which God calls.  This is the best sign one can have to recognize whether a vocation is genuine.

 

Remember that when I speak of the firm and steadfast determination to want to serve God, in the manner and in the place to which God calls, I do not mean to suggest that already from the outset the person should carry out al the demands of the Religious Life with so much firmness and perseverance so as to be free from all dislike, difficulty and distaste for things which are part of her vocation.  I certainly do not mean to say that, and still less that this firmness and perseverance be such as to keep her from committing any faults; nor so strong as never to let her stumble or hesitate in her resolve to make use of the means leading to perfection.  This is by no means what I intend to say; for all are at the mercy of some passion or other, subject to changes and to ups and downs.  A person will like one thing today and dislike it tomorrow; one day never resembles another.  A person will today be all in favour of humility, calling it a lovable virtue, the most beautiful and the most necessary of all.  In this mood he wants to use all his abilities to acquire it; but the next day he will give up in disgust or he will not rate and esteem it as highly as he did yesterday.  It will be said that humility is a great virtue, but even though it is great it will not be considered the most lovable of all because it is a pity that it costs so much to acquire it, and in the end little or none of it remains.

 

See how fickle we are, how subject to change.  We should not then judge from these varied movements and failings the firmness and steadfastness of the will to hold on to the good chosen once and for all.  What is to be discerned is whether, despite all these erratic changes and failings, the will holds on firmly and refuses to abandon the good it has embraced once and for all.  Even if it feels a certain distaste for humility or a cooling down of its love for humility, it does not for that matter abandon the use of the means known or proposed to acquire this virtue.  It is in this struggle that we see the perseverance of the will, so much so that to have a sure sign of a true vocation, we do not require a steadfastness which can be attained by the sense, but which is in the superior part of the spirit and is efficacious.

 

In order to know that we are called by God to be Religious, it is not necessary for God to speak physically to us, nor for Him to send us His Angel from heaven to announce His will to us; it is still less necessary for us to have special revelations concerning the matter.  It is also not required that ten or twelve professors of the Sorbonne[1] come together to consider whether the inspiration is good or bad or whether it should be followed or not.  What is important is that we should encourage and respond to the initial stirrings of this call; and we are not to worry if we experience feelings of distaste and discouragement in responding to this call.  If one tries to always keep one’s will very firm in wanting to seek the good which God has shown us, God on His part will not fail to see that everything turns out well for his glory.  Now, when I speak of these things I do not have only you n mind.  I think of all candidates who are still in the world.  We should have a special care and earnestness to help them to realize their good intentions.  When the first stirrings of grace are rather strong, nothing can hold them back; they feel that they can overcome all the difficulties.  But when they are disheartened by the ups and downs of life, and because of the lack of the feeling of fervour in the inferior part, they imagine that everything is lost and want to give up.  For then, one wants and one does not want. The pull of these first stirrings of grace is not strong enough to make them leave the world.

 

“I really am prepared to join,” they say, “but I am not sure if it is God’s will that I should become a Religious, especially because the inspiration I now have does not seem to me to be very strong.  It is true that I have felt it much more strongly in the past, but since this did not last, it makes me doubt that it was genuine.  Of course, I have heard my father and mother speaking about it and someone else, I don’t remember where, and I did feel an attraction then, but I passed off and this convinces me that it did not come from God.”  In short, they need a thousand examinations to know whether they should follow this inspiration.

 

Of course, when I come across such persons, I am not at all surprised at their feelings of distaste and lack of enthusiasm, and also I do not think that their vocation is less good.  All we are expected to do in this situation is to take care to help them, making them understand that it is normal to experience these changes and ups and downs, and encouraging them to stand firm in the midst of such things.

 

“Well,” you tell them, “all this is nothing.  Even if it is true that you have been influenced by your parents or anyone else to become a Religious, have you not yourself felt in your heart a certain inspiration, a stirring, to seek such a great good?”

 

“Yes,” they answer, “that is quite true, but it passed away immediately.”  “Yes, may be the intensity of the feeling passed away but not in such a way that you have no desire at all to embrace this life, since you say that you always feel something – I don not know what – attracting you to this life.  And what is troubling you, you say, is that this attraction does not seem to you strong enough for you take a decision.”

 

To such people my answer is this: Do not worry about these emotional feelings; do not give much attention to them; be satisfied with the determination of your will which in the midst of all these changes keeps you faithful to your initial choice and your desire for it.  Take care to sustain well and follow earnestly this initial stirring of your heart.

 

Do not be anxious to find out where it comes from, for God had many ways of calling men and women to His service.  He does not make use only of the way of preaching, which is like a divine seed cast into the ground of our hearts by the words of preachers.  God, of course, does not use only this one means to call His creatures to His service, even though it is one of the most important.  He uses it more than any other to convert the heretics and unbelievers, and not merely to make them Christians.  It is by means of preaching that God has touched the hearts of many people and called them to special vocations.  One such example is St. Nicholas Tolentino.  Listening to a sermon preached by a good Father on the martyrdom of St. Stephen, he was deeply touched when he heard that St. Stephen saw the heavens open and the Son of God sitting at the right hand of His Father (Acts. 7:56).  From that moment Nicholas Tolentino decided to leave the world and he had no rest till he became a Religious.  He made known his desire, was received and became such a good Religious that he lived and died like a saint.  The examples of people, who like him were called by God by means of preaching, are almost countless.

 

Others were touched by the reading of good books and still others after hearing the holy words of the Gospel being read.  For example, St. Francis and St. Antony heard the reading of these words: Go sell all that you have and give it to the poor; and follow me (Mt. 19:22) or If anyone wishes to be a follower of mine, he must leave self behind; he must take up his cross and follow me (Mt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23).  They left everything and with extraordinary courage did what Our Lord commanded them.  And many others did the same due to their reading.  You know the story of the two noblemen, who on reading the Life of St. Anthony were so touched by God that at that very moment they left the service of the Emperor for the service of God.  Among all the books, the well-known Guide for Sinners by Grenada had helped many people to take a firm decision to leave the world and become Religious.  Several of them have confirmed this to me personally.  It is in fact an outstanding book and in it you find wonderful flashes of insight and the most searching considerations.  You have read the life of Father Ignatius Loyola, Founder and first Superior of the Jesuits.  He was also touched by God through the reading of books.

 

There are others who were disturbed by the misfortunes, troubles and sufferings which befell them in the world.  This led them to despise the world and leave it.  Our Lord often used these means to call several people to His service whom He might not have got by some other way.  For, even though God is all powerful and can do anything He will, still He does not want to take away the freedom He has given us.  Whenever He calls us to His service, He wants us to come willingly and not out of force or compulsion.  Even if some people come to God’s service because they are disgusted with the world which has angered them or because they are troubled by some sorrows and afflictions, they can still give themselves to Him freely and willingly.  Certainly, many of these people have done well in their Religious Life and have become God’s devoted servants, and some of them have even become better Religious than those who have joined for very unselfish motives.

 

You probably have read the anecdote told by Plautus[2] about a nobleman distinguished in the ways of the world.  One day , he set out smartly dressed on a gaily decorated horse.  His one aim was to please the ladies whom he was courting.  As he showed off, his horse threw him down on the ground from where he got up all dirty and spattered with mud.  This young man was so ashamed and embarrassed by this accident that he decided, there and then, in the heat of his anger, to join the Religious Life.  This is what  he said: “You treacherous world!  You have made a fool of me but I shall make a fool of you.  You have played a trick on me but I shall play a trick on you.  Henceforth, I shall have nothing to do with you.  Form this moment, I commit myself definitely to become a Religious.”   In fact, he was received into a Religious Order, where he lived a very saintly life even though his vocation had its origin in a fit of disgust.

 

There are other examples where we find motive still worse than this.  A Capuchin spoke to me about an even that took place in our own times, that is why I feel quite free to tell you about it.  This good Father told me the story of a nobleman, distinguished in every sense of the word and hailing from a renowned place.  One day, this gentleman saw some Capuchin Fathers passing by and he said to the other young noblemen, his companions, who were with him: “I want to know how these barefooted friars live, and for this to go and live with them, not with intention of staying there all my life, but just for three weeks or one month.  I shall observe all that they do so that later I can have a good laugh and make fun of them in your company.”  He planned out his scheme and put it firmly and vigorously into execution.  He was soon received into the Order.  But divine Providence which had made use of this means to withdraw him from the world corrected and confirmed his vocation by changing his purpose and intention from evil to good.  His intention was certainly very bad: to join the Religious Life to see what was being done with the purpose of leaving to laugh and make fun about it afterwards with his companions.  His intention was evil but God changed it.  This young nobleman, while trying to get the better of the others, himself got caught.  After spending just a few days in the Monastery, he suddenly underwent a complete transformation of heart, persevered faithfully in his vocation, and since then became a most faithful servant of God.

 

Here is another example from our own times.  The reverend Father General of the Order of the Feuillants[3] was certainly a most devoted servant of God and a very holy man.  I knew him personally and have listened to his sermons.  However, he entered Religious Life from a motive that was not good.  It appears that it was more to seek honour and his own benefit and not because he was called by God.  He bought his Abbey, or rather his father bought it for him.  However, his vocation was so much purified and made wholesome by God, and he was able to transform his life in such a way that he became a model of virtues.  He reformed the members of his Order and put them back in their former perfection.

 

There are yet more examples, as I said just now, of those whose vocation is not of itself better than this.  I am speaking here of those who enter Religious Life because of some natural or physical handicap, for instance, the lame, the one-eyed, or the ugly, or those with similar defects.  What is still worse is that such persons are urged to enter Religious Life by their parents.  It so often happens that when parents have children with the defects I have just mentioned, or some other defects, they leave them in the corner by the fire and say: “They are unfit for the world.  We must out them in the Convent.  That will be one burden less on the family.”  And so they work hard to procure ecclesiastical benefices for them.  The children for their part, let themselves be led wherever they are taken, because it is the father who takes care of them, and they dream of living by the altar.  Other parents have a large number of children.  They say, “We have to lighten the burden on the house.  Let us send the younger children to the Convent, so that the older children have everything and come up in the world.  These youngsters will do well to serve the Church, they will live well at the corner of the altar.”  But very often God manifests the greatness of His mercy and compassion, by making use of these intentions and aims, which of themselves are not good at all, so as to uplift these person and make of them His devoted servants.  In this He shows how truly wonderful He is.

 

Moreover, the divine Craftsman delights in putting up magnificent buildings with badly twisted pieces of wood which are apparently fit for nothing.  Thus, someone who knows nothing about carpentry, on seeing a twisted piece of wood in the carpenter’s shop, would be surprised to hear that one could produce a beautiful masterpiece from it.  He would ask in wonder, “Of what you say is true, how many times you would have to plane that wood before you succeed in producing that piece of art!”  Similarly divine Providence often produces beautiful works of art from twisted pieces of wood.  God, in fact, brings the lame and the blind to His feast (Lk. 14:21) just to prove to us that it is of no use to have two eyes and two legs to go to Heaven; that it is much better to go to Heaven with one leg and one eye and one arm than to have two of them and be lost for ever (Mt. 18:8-9).  Oh, God!  all this is beyond compare, as the common proverb says.  In fact, this kind of persons often reaped abundant fruit upon entering the Religious Life, and persevered faithfully in their vocation.

 

There were others who though certainly called did not persevere; rather after spending some time in Religious Life, they abandoned everything and went back to the world.  We have the example of Judas, about whom we cannot doubt he was called.  Our Lord Himself chose him and called him to the apostolic ministry when He said: You have not chosen me but I have chosen you (Jn. 15:16) for no one can go to God if he is not called by God (Jn. 6:44, 66).

 

Draw me, says the Bible, and I will run after the fragrance of your perfumes (Song 1:3).  She wants to tell us by these words that one has first to be drawn in order to run.  In fact, when Our Lord tells His Apostles that he has chosen them, he makes no exception and he means Judas is called as much as the others.  Hence Judas was certainly called.  Our Lord could not make a mistake in choosing him, for He had the gift of the discernment of spirits.  How did it happen then, that being truly called, he did not persevere in his vocation?  You see, he misused his freedom and refused to make use of the means God gave him to persevere in his vocation.  Instead of accepting them and using them for his benefit, he did just the opposite; he misused them and rejected them, and at the same time he went astray.  We can be quite sure that whenever God calls someone to some particular vocation, He binds Himself as a result in His Providence and divine Wisdom to give that person all the necessary help to attain perfection in his vocation.  When He calls someone to embrace Christianity, he binds Himself to provide him with all that is needed to live as a good Christian.  In the same way, whenever He calls someone to be a priest or a Bishop, He also binds Himself to provide him with all the means required to fulfil his responsibility.  So also when He calls persons to become Religious, He promises at the same time to give them the means they would require to become perfect in their vocation.

 

Now, when I say that Our Lord binds Himself, we should not think that it is we who are forcing Him to do so by becoming Religious, for we cannot bind Our Lord to do anything, as we bind one another.  In fact, God binds Himself on His own, moved and urged by the tender compassion of His infinite mercy and kindness (Lk. 1:78), so much so, that when He makes me a Religious, Our Lord binds Himself to provide me with all that is necessary for me to live as a good Religious.  He does this not so much by obligation, but through His infinite mercy and divine Providence.  It is the same when a King conscripts troops for battle; he uses his prudence and foresight and makes sure that he provides them with arms.  If the King did not do this, he would be charged with great imprudence, in as much as the soldiers answered his call in the hope that he would provide them with all the necessary weapons to fulfil their duties.

 

Divine Providence, then, never fails in its care and foresight and in order to convince us about it, God binds Himself in such a way that we should not blame Him if we ourselves do not do well.  But remember that when I say that God has bound Himself to provide those He has called with all the necessary help in their particular vocation, I don not imply that He gives them only to those to whom He has promised them.  Oh no!  for I would be mistaken.  For God has often given and continues to give these helps even to those He has not promised and to those to whom He is not bound to give.  Take the example of a man who is not called by God to be a priest or Bishop.  But finding out tat there is a benefice or a vacant diocese the man goes in quest of this office and seeks the services of people having influence at the court to obtain the post for him from the King.  Finally, thanks to the favours of many, he is made Bishop.  Now God has not called him to be a Bishop and therefore He is in no way bound to provide him with the help required to be a good Bishop; and He does not always give it.   However, so great is God’s bounty that sometimes He does not withhold His help and gives it as though He were obliged to do so, as in the case of those He has called, to whom He never fails to give it.  What I say here concerning a Bishop is applicable to any vocation.

 

We have to take note of one other thing.  God is not bound to give all the necessary help immediately, nor to make people perfect in their vocation all at once.  We would be deceiving ourselves if we thought that.  If it were so, Religious Houses would not be called hospitals as they are called today.  I have spoken about this elsewhere and have mentioned that from all times Religious Houses have been called hospitals, and the Religious known by a Greek word meaning healers.  They live in these hospitals to heal one another, like the lepers of St. Bridget.  We should not think, then, that we will become perfect immediately upon entering Religious Life.  One enters Religious Life in order to seek perfection.  And this Congregation like any other Religious Institute, is not a gathering of perfect persons, but of persons who are aiming at and seeking perfection.  It is a school where one comes to learn about the means to be used to acquire perfection.  And to do this, it is necessary that one has a determined and steadfast purpose to make use of these means of perfection in conformity with our vocation and the Religious Institute to which we are called.

 

Now, those who are truly called are not necessarily the people who have sad faces, tearful eyes and constant sighs; nr those people who most kiss the crucifix, who do not want to move from the Church, who are always found visiting the hospitals; not even those who begin with a great fervour.  Do not look at the tears of those who weep, nor listen to the sighs of the sighers, nor stop at the faces and the external rituals to identify the people who are genuinely called to the Religious Life.  Rather, be on the lookout for people who have a firm and steadfast resolve to be cured of their infirmities and who for this reason work diligently to regain their spiritual health.

 

It is also not a sign of a true vocation to have great feelings of fervour which make one dissatisfied with one’s present vocation.  One wastes time with various desires, tat are usually empty and meaningless, regarding a higher degree of sanctity.  While wasting time in seeking what very often is not there, one does not do what could make one perfect in the way of life already chosen.  We have an example of this in a young man who was a priest of the Oratorian Fathers.  He was so fervent that it seemed to him that the life of the fathers of the Oratory was not perfect enough to satisfy his fervour.  For his reason he decided to leave the Oratorians and join a regular Religious Order.  Knowing about it, Fr. Philip Neri, who was his Superior, accompanied him personally and took him to the Religious House.  Fr. Philip knew by divine inspiration that the young man was not going to last there very long.  On seeing him enter the House with so ardent a fervour he burst into tears.  The other Fathers thought he was shedding tears of joy and they said to him: “Dear Father, the joy that you feel must be very great.  But you should control your tears and not let them flow so freely.”  But Philip Neri, filled as he was with a divine light, replied: “I am not crying from joy, but form the sorrow I feel for this young man who has left one way of life in order to embrace another, and upon seeing that he is entering her with so much fervour, for I know that he will not persevere.”  And what Fr. Philip had foretold came true.

 

Note then, how hidden and mysterious are God’s ways.  We have seen how some enter Religious Life through disgust or from contempt and yet persevere in it; whereas others who are called and who being with great fervour, end us disastrously and give up everything. It is a very difficult thing, therefore, to judge whether someone is really called by God when voting for that person’s admission.  For, even if I observe that today she is extremely fervent, it can well happen that she will not persevere.  That would be her misfortune.  But you should not refuse to vote for her admission if you find that she has the steadfast determination to undergo treatment and be healed.  If she is willing to accept the help Our Lord binds Himself to give her, she will persevere.  And even if He has not promised the help, not being bound to offer it to her in case He has not called her, she can yet make herself fit to receive it.  But if she does this only for a while, and does not persevere after some years, well, that is her fault.  You cannot do anything about it.  She is the cause of it, not you.

 

I come now to the end of the first section of my talk, and before we being the second, the Novices will take their leave and pray to God for us as we continue with the second section.

 

 

Second Section: Admission as Postulant, as Novices and to the First Profession

The second section will deal with things concerning the professed Sisters: about the conditions required, firstly of candidates joining as Postulants; secondly, of those to be admitted to the Novitiate; and thirdly of those who are to make their First Profession.

 

Admission of Postulants

Admission of Candidate to the Novitiate

The Admission of Novice to First Profession

 

Admission of Postulants

1.       Regarding the Admission of Postulants, I do not have much to say.  We are not in apposition to know well these youngsters who come to us looking so good.  Speak to them: they will do anything that is asked of them.  They are like St. John and St. James whom Our Lord asked if they were prepared to drink readily of the cup of His Passion and they answered yes boldly and frankly (Mt. 20:22).  In spite of that, they abandoned Him on the night of His Passion.  These youngsters act in a similar manner: they recite so many prayers, they make so many bows, they show so much goodwill that it is difficult to send them away.  Actually you should not pay too much attention to all these externals, so it seems to me.  I am not speaking to you just now like a preacher, I am just giving a homely talk by means of which a person voices his opinion.  That is why I am not saying that you should not do it.  I wish to draw your attention to the interior attitudes, for it is difficult to know about that at the first acquaintance, especially if the young people come from distant places.  All we can do is to find out who they are and observe their external demeanour and learn about their temporal affairs, and then welcome them and admit them to their first probation.  If the candidate comes from the locality, you could observe their manner of behaving, and through your speaking with them get a certain insight into their interior.  But I think it is rather difficult to do that, since these persons are always on their best behaviour.

 

It seems to me that when it is a question of physical health or physical infirmities, we should not give too much of importance to them, especially since in this Institute we can receive the weak and the sick just as much as the strong and the robust.  In fact, this Institute has been founded partly for them.  It is understood that these infirmities are not so serious as to render such candidates incapable of practising the Rules and living up to the normal demands of their vocation.  Except for this, I would never refuse to give them my vote, even if they had but one leg, were blind or with one hand. If, despite this, they had the other requirements of a genuine vocation, I would give my vote to them.

 

And do not allow purely human considerations to come and protest: “And if always only such people came and presented themselves, should we receive them?”  I say yes, provided, as I have said, they have the necessary spiritual ability required for this vocation.

 

“But if all those who joined were blind or sick, who would take care of them?”  Do not be anxious for it will never happen.  Leave it in the care of God, who will know how to provide and who will call strong persons to be at the service of these people.  If the sick come to us, let us praise God for it; if the strong come to us, that is wonderful!  The people in the world normally speak in these terms when they see so many people entering the Religious Life, as if disapproving their decision to join the Convent: “If all the men and women became Religious, what would happen to the world, who would take care of it?  We should soon see the end of it!”  And they go on to add: “Who would feed all these people in the Convents?”  Oh, human wisdom!  Do not worry about all these things, for these catastrophes will not take place.  There will always be too many people in the world.

 

I knew a blind girl who wanted to join the Monastery in Paris.  When I was there many people had recourse to me to make it possible for her to be received.  She was a very good girl and I myself was keen on giving her this joy.  Indeed, if she really did not have any impediments I would have given her my vote, in spite of the fact that she was blind.  In short, in our communities, illnesses which do not prevent the practice of the Rules should not be taken into consideration at all.  Here, then, is what I had to say concerning the admission of Postulants.

 

 

The Admission of Candidate to the Novitiate

2.  Let us now come to the second part, and this concerns the admission of a candidate to the Novitiate.  I do not see any great difficulties in the matter.  Nevertheless, we have to pay more attention to it than to the admission of Postulants.  We have far more possibilities to know the Postulants: their moods, behaviour and habits.

 

We can notice well whether they are hot-tempered or mild or subject to some other emotions.  However, all this should not prevent them from being admitted to the Novitiate not stop the Sisters from giving them their vote.  However, they should have the determination to correct themselves, to be submissive and to make use of the medicines and remedies suitable for their cure.  Even if they feel a great distaste for these medicines and take them with great difficulty, it does not matter.  The important thing is that they should not stop using them.  It is true that medicines always taste bitter and we cannot take them with delight as we would take them if they were tasty.  Whatever be the taste, the medicines never fail to produce their effect and they work better when they are unpleasant and troublesome.

 

It is the same with a candidate who has strong emotions and is hot-tempered.  Because of it she commits many faults.  She has fits of anger ten to twelve times a day.  In spite of all this, she really wants to be cured, and is ready to be corrected and mortified, which are the medicines she requires.  She takes these remedies with difficulty and even with some anger.  But you should not for that reason refuse to give her your vote.  In fact she not only has the determination to be cured of her malady, but she even takes the medicines given to her for this purpose.

 

There are other persons who have not been brought up properly, who have not received any training in good manners.  They are naturally rude and without manners.  There is absolutely no doubt that these people will find it harder and more difficulty than those who are gentle and docile.  And they will commit more faults than those who are well brought up.  But, if they too want to be cured and show a strong desire to make use of the remedies, whatever it may cost them, I would give them my vote, in spite of their failures.  In fact, such people after putting in much effort bear abundant fruit in Religious Life.  They become God’s outstanding servants and acquire strong and solid virtues.  Indeed, God’s grace makes up for what is naturally lacking, and there is no doubt that often where there is less of nature there is more of grace.

 

We should not, then, refuse to admit to the Novitiate candidates even though they have plenty of bad habits, and a harsh and impolite character which shows that they are very emotional.  (When afraid, they become pale; and when someone makes a remark which makes them angry, the blood rushes to their face and makes it red; or the anger brings tears to their eyes.)  All this should not stop us from casting our vote in the person’s favour, provided the candidate desires to be cured.  In brief, to admit a candidate to the Novitiate all we need to know is whether the person has the determination to live in humble submission, and is prepared to make use of the means provided to acquire perfection.  If I have that assurance, I would give the candidate my vote.  And this is the conclusion of the part dealing with the admission to the Novitiate.

 

 

The Admission of Novice to First Profession

3.  We now come to the third part which is of very great importance.  It is regarding the admission of a Novice to First Profession.  This requires a great deal of reflection.  It seems to me that we have to consider three points.

1. The first point is that the Novices who are recommended for the Profession should be healthy.  I do not mean healthy just physically, as I have already said.  (In fact, I would not give bodily health any consideration, unless it was regarding matters of real importance.)  What I mean is, that they should be healthy in mind and heart; that is, they should have a heart that is quite ready to live in a spirit of total flexibility and submission.

2. The second point is that they should have a good spirit.  In saying that I do not mean that they should have an exalted spirit, a state of mind which makes them vain and self-satisfied.  I do not certainly refer to people who were vanity shops in the world and now join the Religious Life, nor to become humble, but as if to become lecturers in Philosophy and Theology, wanting to direct and dominate everything.  We have to be extremely careful in dealing with such people.  I do not say that they should not be admitted at all.  Indeed, if you notice that they are capable of changing or desire to change and become humble, they could very well, with time and God’s grace, undergo this transformation.  From being vanity shops in the world, they could become humility shops in Religious Life.  This can certainly happen, if in fidelity they make use of the remedies given to them to bring about their cure.  We have the assurance that whoever is faithful in small things, God will place him over great things (Mt. 25:21, 23).  However, when I speak of a good spirit I mean an average intelligence, not too great and not too small.  When a candidate possesses this kind of spirit, it is a good sign.  Indeed, such people do much without even being aware of it.  They take pains to do things and devote themselves to the practice of solid virtues.  They are docile and one does not find any great difficulty in guiding them.  In fact, they easily understand that it is a good thing to receive guidance.

3. The third point we have to consider is whether a particular Novice has worked hard during the year of Novitiate.  Has the Novice accepted suffering and benefited form the remedies given whose purpose was to free her from her evil self?  In other words, has she made the most of the resolutions she has taken when she joined the Novitiate, that is, to change and correct her evil dispositions and inclinations?  In fact, the year of Novitiate is meant precisely for this.  Did you notice that she has preserved in her initial resolve faithfully and that she is fully determined to continue in this spirit?  Have you observed that she has worked hard in reforming herself and forming herself according to the Rules and Constitutions?  Does she still keep this determination alive in her, and is she bent on doing still better?  Indeed, this is a very good sign and a good reason to give one’s vote to admit the Novice to First Profession.

 

 

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[1] The Sorbonne was a College of the University of Paris.  Founded in 1257, its name became synonymous with orthodox theology.

[2] Plautus, a Jesuit from Milan (1547-1591), relates this story in his book on the Religious Life.

[3] Venerable Jean de la Barriere (1544-1600)

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