FIRST WEEK
The first volume (First Week) was printed in the Pauline Novitiate of Albano Laziale in November 1960, with the Imprimatur of Bishop Antonio Bergamaschi of San Marino-Montefeltro, dated 25 October 1960.
INTRODUCTION1
OBJECT OF THE COURSE
Last April's gathering for the special longer spiritual exercises in the Divine Master House at Ariccia, had, thanks be to God, a successful outcome. Present were 125 Paulines - Religious who have already done a great deal in the Institute - representing 21 nations and 48 houses. Everything was carried out following the pre-arranged program: 54 meditations (Fr Roatta, Fr Giovanni Costa, Fr Marazza, Fr Lamera, Fr Paganini), 54 instructions of the Founder, three [weekly] conclusions by the Vicar General; as well as some 18 very productive conferences on what was to be done.
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I had previously been to receive the Pope's blessing, accompanied by the Vicar General and the Councillor General, Fr Gambi. The [month] concluded with an extraordinary audience on 30 April for everyone. All of us were quite moved by the Holy Father's goodness and familiarity.
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Humanly speaking it could not have gone better; as regards the spirit, it was something divine: updating of our life to the Constitutions; updating of the Institute to the Pauline Family; programs for recruitment and training of vocations; re-examination of the four parts (or wheels): piety, study, apostolate, economy (human); link-up of same-language countries in view of press and film apostolate production; updating on many points which led to such expressions as: This is progress!, A real eye-opener, This has cleared up many things.
Most of all there was the great joy to meet one another again, to pray and live together; to give mutual encouragement; to reaffirm and renew our offering to the Lord of our Pauline-religious life and our ever more intense and pastoral apostolate.
During the first three weeks in particular our life was rooted in Jesus Christ, Way, Truth and Life, to the point where we could say: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
All those taking part stressed, in one way or another, the utmost value of this spiritual gathering.
Among the things we became better acquainted with, and which can be a good guideline, is what Sedes Sapientiae2 lays down as regards final probation, known also in other Institutes as: second
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novitiate, apostolic novitiate, year of perfection, schola affectus, tertianship. This training takes place at about thirty years of age, when a person has gained experience but feels the need of further light and grace in order to take a more definitive step into life, ministry and the apostolate.
TASK: a) By means of prayer and with the guidance of a prudent Director to re-examine the state of one's attitude and one's personal formation.
b) Consolidate one's moral formation and the practice of religious and priestly virtues by means of prayer and instruction.
c) Strengthen one's apostolic spirit, preparing oneself for the rest of one's life.
d) A more thorough knowledge of the Institute to be sure of being in tune with it.
PROCEDURE: the thinking in our Congregation was to achieve these results with the requiescite pusillum.3 There were, however, many difficulties. Meanwhile, the Apostolic Constitution Sedes Sapientiae was published. Among the ways of effecting this final probation, or second novitiate, it suggests that five years after Ordination longer spiritual exercises be held and suitable instructions be given… (art. 53).
Here then are these longer Spiritual Exercises which include the requiescite pusillum as well.
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* * *These longer exercises will be for everyone. And so the Spiritual Exercises for
the 1962
and 1964 groups have already been announced.
The date will be made known in due course. FR. J. ALBERIONE
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1 Cf. San Paolo, April-May 1960 (CISP 197-198).
2 Cf. The Apostolic Constitution Sedes Sapientiae and The General Statutes annexed to it on the religious, clerical and apostolic training to be imparted to clerics in the states of perfection, The Catholic University of America Press, Washington 1957. The Sedes Sapientiae was published on 31 May 1956 (AAS 48 [1956], 354-365). Part III concerns the Religious, Clerical and Apostolic Training considered singly, and is subdivided as follows: The Religious Training - The Clerical Training in General - The Individual Stages of Clerical Training - The Apostolic Training - The Final Perfection of Training. In UPS, Fr Alberione mentions the Sedes Sapientiae explicitly in I:9, 145, 149, 416f., 496; II:231, 233, 237; III:102, and in IV:204 as a title of Our Lady.
3 “Rest a while” (Mk 6:31).
NB. At the bottom of page 10 of Volume I was the following note in bold type:
In accord with the desire expressed by the members taking part that the sermons and conferences be printed, this volume marks the publication of the first week's sessions.