Opera Omnia

HEADING II
GENERAL NORMS FOR THE CLERGY
AS REGARDS THE CARE OF SOULS
I. Reconcile zeal with prudence. - By now, prudence has turned to be the excuse of all the inactive ones, while zeal has become the excuse of every imprudence, thus a priest was saying, though with a bit of exaggeration. He was not completely wrong, however. Often these phrases: by now we know the world... you can't do much good any more... well! That one is young, born yesterday... he wants to do something, but his enthusiasm shall soon die down, etc.: are statements that tend to cover an inveterate inertia, the spirit of comfort, the total absence of zeal for souls... On the other hand that criticizing with so much ease the old ones, or those who seem so calm, that throwing oneself to action without asking for advice or without having studied at length his own surroundings and his own energies, under the pretext that one must be active, that those who turn to sheep the wolf eats, etc., are acts of imprudence chosen to cover up zeal with reason.
One has to study, pray, seek advice: it is convenient to set aside an activity than to do it against the superior's will: it is convenient to find out if one can see it to the end: this is prudence. One must not be eternally undecided to always fear and to believe that every difficulty is a reason for

desisting, postponing, dropping: what is good comports irritations, disturbances, inconveniences: also to recite the breviary, the Mass, etc., and human activities, no matter how good they are, shall always be imperfect. One who expects to be most certain of the success of every venture shall end up not doing anything at all. If the Saints and Jesus Christ himself had waited that everyone approved their work, they would not have done the great good they did. It is a must that one examines himself before God: and when one thing is good in itself and as a whole: when the Superior approves, it is good to shake oneself up and with courage and constancy.
One must work: one must attend to the matters of ministry with every commitment: in our times, it is a duty not to neglect anything that can attract souls to heaven: this is zeal. This, however, does not mean that we are allowed to behave like teachers to Superiors; it does not mean that we are allowed to go ahead taking chances, without considering the circumstances, without observing some order.
On this regard, it is often repeated well: the old ones possess prudence; the young, the energy. Agreeing together, they can work wonders; divided, they shall both fall and destroy everything. However, let the young be humble and ask for advice; let the old listen to him, lead him, but let not the old paralyze all the energies of the young ones.

II. In the choice for doing what is good, it is well to prefer those not done by others. - There are some beneficial activities that enjoy everyone's approval, all support them with material and moral assistance. They then can prosper without having to add a new cooperator to those already there in the first place. - There are other activities, however, that often are more necessary but enjoy less support, either perhaps because they are more hidden, or perhaps because they demand greater sacrifice,

or because to accomplish them does not bring about honor, or that they are not understood. Well, it is in these that a Priest, coeteris paribus (all things being equal) shall give preference in his choice. One will have the advantage of doing good much more broadly: one would have greater merits before God: he shall not be led to pride.

III. Take note of means used, of defeats and victories. - The experience of others are beneficial, but even more so is one's own experience for becoming prudent. To acquire experience, it is not necessary that one lives very long: there are those who are so good at reflection that in a few years and at times in a few months they learn more than others who live very long lives: rather, they never learn. The events that happen more or less are similar, very often they are a repetition of other events. Reflection, however, is required for one to gather things, meditate on them and draw from them the rules. A very effective means for such purpose is as follows: take note of the principal means tried: the success they had had: the mistakes suffered. A parish priest who keeps a diary of his pastoral care would learn from his own experience much more of pastoral care in one year than perhaps in ten by studying from books.

IV. Proving oneself always reasonable in the ministry. - Let me explain: to show that everything we do is for the good of others, that religion is useful not only for the priest but to whomever practices it, that it does not have strange demands, but promotes and inculcates a morality that makes man happy and society, good, if it were practiced. Different applications: often it is duty-bound that a priest prohibits the reading of books and newspapers: at times he has to take the side of good against the side of evil, etc. In these cases, let him prove himself that he is not after his own interests, but is for the

good of the souls of others: for example, let him not say: I prohibit this book; but instead say: this reading is forbidden unless there is a serious need, inasmuch as it would diminish one's faith, lower his morality, etc., others have done so and they were harmed, etc.
Furthermore, he must show himself always a friend of real progress, also of material ones, by not opposing, but rather being moderately in favor of good initiatives: setting up of telephones, electricity, tram lines, etc. The world moves on in spite of the laudatores temporis anteacti... and the Priest who assumes a position opposing these novelties would lose the esteem and the affection of the people and of the more educated ones. - To show himself as well as friend of popular education and of science. It is a serious inconvenience that the Priest often speaks ill of lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc.: that he shows disgust for a new course, a new school, because people read, because today everyone knows, etc.: more so, if he uses as reason that all these draw away from religion. Is religion, then, an enemy of science? Is it therefore true that every learned man is against religion? No: it is rather that with the increase of dangers, it is a must that the good means are increased as well: it is beneficial to find means of making knowledge useful to religion: it is good to raise religious instruction. If the people read, then, good reading materials must be given them.
More: when preaching, exclude invectives, never seek to impose your will, nor pretend that the people would adopt immediately the practices that they ignored before, or that everyone should act in conformity to our words. It is convenient, instead, that one remains reasonable as regards to what is being taught: it is good to explain calmly the good that comes out of something: it is convenient that one

waits that the seed cast in hearts would develop and bear fruits: it is convenient to think that for us as well as for others to change ideas and habits takes long years.
Finally: show that religion is not empty and sentimental pieties, but it means living a good life; that it is not a complex of ceremonies, but of virtues; that it does not block, rather helps and ennobles everyone of one's duties; that prayer and the Most Blessed Sacrament are not ends in themselves; that where there is religion, domestic and social life prosper.

V. As much as possible, live with the Parish Priest. - This is a glory of the clergy especially of northern Italy: almost all the parish priests live with their vice-curates; rather, many, also with Priest teachers and beneficiaries. It is true that such a practice imports some sacrifice and, per accidens, some small inconveniences: but the advantages are immensely greater. - It favors unity of action which is the more powerful means of doing good; it impedes isolation of the clergy, the source of sadness, discouragement, and at times sins. It reduces living expenses and allows the application quod superest¹ in good works; it sees to it that material occupations are lesser and for this, one better attends to his sanctification and that of others.

VI. Give a modern direction to activities. - Religion, culture, morality, ascetics are unchanging: but they have undergone and still undergo a certain accidental progress inasmuch as they are better penetrated by men and they get adapted to the needs of the times and of social classes. - We must

always lead souls to heaven: but we must lead not those who lived ten centuries or more ago, but those who live today. We need to take the world and people as they are today, to do good today. It is true that someone may at times exaggerate in this to believe that the means used are no longer useful for anything: it is true that one truly exaggerates: it is true that to adapt to the world dogmas, morals, Catholic asceticism have been hidden or even denied; but the abuses, made to happen due to people's fault, are one thing, but they do not prove malice of the thing itself.
Let us go down to applications.
In the education in hospices, half-way houses, retreats, colleges, etc., we need to keep in mind the world wherein these boys and girls, whoever they may be, are destined to live. This complaint has been heard under every tone: The youth that go out of such houses, though these are directed by the religious or ecclesiastics, become worse than those educated elsewhere. The assertion is somehow exaggerated but it contains some truth in it, otherwise it has some important lessons for educators. Often they use force and do not lead to conviction; too often they do not warn against real dangers; too often they do not educate to life in the world, but to a life continued in community. We need to develop the sense of morality with the greatest freedom that could be reconciled with the needed order in the community: we need to develop the sense of morality by casting profoundly religious principles, the eternal truths: we need to develop moral sense with broad education, suitable to the future position of the person being educated. Even more: it is necessary

to train them to life in the world by showing it as divided into two camps ready for battle against each other; the Church that organizes the Priests and laity, Freemasonry that leads everyone into blocs of subversive parties. It is convenient to show the wily ways of the enemies, the traps set for the young, the flattery advanced, the calumnies against the Church: it is necessary to show the side of good, the city of God, ready against [that] of evil.
It is convenient to often tell them about the means for staying firm as regards good principles, for becoming proud and almost haughty of their religion, for working for a holy cause. It is useless to have illusions: the two fronts are more and more defined: it is beneficial to train the youth for battle, patiently and with every initiative.
In taking care of religious groups, such, for example as the Daughters of Mary,² the Luigini,³ the Third Order of St. Francis of Assisi⁴ through preaching and exhortations, etc., one has to insist on the needs and the dangers of today: to show in what manner the members can become saints in their own circumstances: to explain how they can be zealous today. A parish priest, explaining this thought, said: We need to expand the goals of old associations according to today's needs. He added: a Fraternity of Tertiaries could today take the charge of taking away bad publications and spreading the good, or else promote for the occasion signatures against the bill in favor of divorce, or against the abolition of catechism in schools: rather, there could be good catechists, of parents who oblige themselves to support the oratory, etc.
The applications of the principle should be as many as the initiatives of the priest: any priest shall be able to find them.

VII. Study the parish priest's program and support it. - The principal association established in the Church is the parish: the parish priest is its moderator by office, by right and out of duty. The other priests are more or less directly his cooperators, be they teachers, chaplains, beneficiaries, rectors of churches, spiritual directors of hospitals, hospices, correction houses, etc. They therefore have to consider themselves his arms, ask his advice, etc. Every parish priest has something of his own in the government of his parish; and in this, it is not he who has to adjust to his collaborators, but his collaborators with him. It is true that they, too, can reveal their own points of view and necessarily remain free as what concerns their particular duties, and the parish priest shall have to respect them and take them into due consideration; but it is equally true that they have to support him and follow him. A different direction or open disagreement would cause ills in souls, divisions among people, harm to the entire clergy.
At times the idea of someone inferior perhaps is better: in practice, however, union is always something better before God and the people. This, it is understood, is true in the ordinary cases of life.

VIII. Some beneficial initiatives.
1) Keep a record of the poor people: so to have a ready list in the distribution of aids.
2) Write in big letters the name of the last deceased parishioners and show at the back of the church: so the people may pray for them and have a healthy reminder.
3) Try to have in many places of the countryside holy pylons erected and on many walls of houses let there be sacred images: they will always stir some good thought.

4) Choose the opportune time for doing good and take advantage of the moment: for ex., while the poor man asks for help, give him some spiritual advice as well: when one is humiliated and afflicted, he is more disposed for good advices: when one is consoled by the Lord's graces, he is more receptive to corrections. When it means introducing some pious practice, choose the time when the person who might block him or her is absent, or when there is another good person who could be of support, when a public punishment has prepared souls, etc.

IX. Have different correctors. - How often does it happen that one hears: this priest preaches well, but he could take a better care of the youth! Another spiritually cultivates the population but does not take care of the church property; a third would want good relations with all, but does not give a single cent to the poor, etc. What remedies? There are a number of them: but one is more effective and it is that of having at least two correctors who will warn him about such mistakes. Surely, even only one would be very useful; but even more useful if there are a number of them: because they can observe him in all his undertakings and, correct him on one side and then on another, a greater possible number of defects would be corrected.
Only he who has tried it can know entirely the usefulness and effectiveness of this means: it requires humility, but humility is a very great wisdom.