INSTRUCTION X
AUDIOVISUAL MEANS: USE AND MISUSE
Residence of the Superiors
We need to clarify some matters concerning the residence of Superiors.
1. According to article 335 the Superior General cannot transfer his abode, that is, his residence, to a house different from the General House. Were he to do so, he would automatically transfer the place of the General House. To do this he would require the permission of the Holy See.
He can visit the houses of the whole Congregation by way of ordinary canonical visitation, every three years, and, if he believes it opportune, by way of extraordinary visits.
The only thing therefore that the Superior General cannot do as regards his residence is to transfer the General House elsewhere.
2. According to article 404 the Provincial must reside in the Provincial House and, without the consent of the Superior General, he cannot change residence to a different house.
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Each year he must visit the houses of the Province; but he cannot go beyond its confines without the permission of the Superior General.
3. According to article 449 the obligation regarding residence for local superiors is even more strict, because they cannot leave their houses without the permission of their respective major superior.
In line with the rule laid down by the (1957) General Chapter,1 and which remains valid, Paulines resident abroad (outside of Europe) are able to return home for vacation, updating, and so on, every six years. It is advisable to have such a return coincide with the spiritual exercises or during the country's political elections.
We were asked: Is the death of one's parents sufficient reason for anticipating one's return? Other Institutes and superiors were consulted. The response was that it is not sufficient; it is a sacrifice linked to our renunciations.
The spirit that has guided our Congregation
The leges credendi, orandi et agendi2 are intertwined and form basically a single law; just as a human being, although he has three faculties (intellect, feeling, will), is a single person.
This is the spirit that has guided everything in setting up the Institute [the body corporate] of the Pious Society of Saint Paul: the Pauline Constitutions, Pauline prayer life, Pauline apostolate.
The canons and articles are as cold as marble. But they have been infused with spiritual life. The introductions to the acts of devotion in our prayer book - its
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spirit - are more important than the formulae. At the beginning there is a general Invitation; then, before the various practices (Confession, Communion, Mass, Meditation, Monthly Day of Recollection, Examen of Conscience, Visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and so on), there is a special introduction that explains how prayer breathes life into the rules and individual articles; it communicates the spirit that shapes the Pauline day and the apostolate. In this way everything is directed to the goal of glory to God and peace to men. Above all, there is the grace of the Holy Spirit, which is the soul of the soul. Through grace, we experience living in Jesus Christ: in him-Truth, the working of our intellect; in him-Way, the working of our will; in him-Life, the working of our heart, feelings.
From this point of view the introductions are more useful than the formulae themselves.
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Art. 55. The purpose of the year of Novitiate is that, under the guidance of the Master, the mind of the Novices be formed by the study of the Constitutions, by pious meditations and assiduous prayer, by instruction on those matters which pertain to the vows and the virtues, by suitable exercises conducive to the eradication of faulty habits, the control of the passions, and the acquisition of virtues.
Art. 56. The Disciple-Novices shall be diligently instructed in Christian doctrine and in other branches of learning proper to them. Therefore they should be given sufficient time for studying, besides the daily classes given to them.
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Art. 57. In order that the Novices may be able to read and meditate on the Constitutions and understand the explanation given by the Master, a complete copy shall be given to each one of them at the very beginning of the Novitiate.
Art. 58. Novices ought to have a special devotion in their hearts towards the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, whose examples and teachings they should earnestly strive to reproduce in themselves as much as they can. In addition they must foster, to the highest degree, a love for the Society, zeal for the works of the apostolate, faithful observance of the Constitutions, perfect obedience towards Superiors according to their authority, lively charity towards their confreres, as well as an utter self-denial in fulfilling their duties.
Art. 59. In the Novitiate year, Priest-Novices shall not be appointed to preach, or to hear confessions, or to attend to outside duties of the Society; nor shall they engage in extensive studies of literature, sciences, or the arts.
Art. 60. The Disciple-Novices may, within the house of Novitiate, attend to the particular duties proper to them - not, however, as Brothers in charge of departments - and only in so far as such work does not interfere with the exercises prescribed for them in the Novitiate.
Art. 61. During the time of Novitiate the Novices shall not be promoted to Orders.
Art. 62. During the time of Novitiate, under pain of invalidity, the Novices
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cannot renounce in any way their benefices or goods, or pledge the same.
Art. 63. The Novices enjoy all the privileges and spiritual favors granted to the Congregation, and if they die while Novices they have a right to the same suffrages prescribed for Professed members, even if they did not make the Profession at the point of death.
Use and misuse of audiovisual technology
The Pauline apostolate is defined and summed up in the second article of the Constitutions. It parallels the thinking of Pius XII in his Apostolic Letter3 (12/01/1951) in which he proclaimed Saint Gabriel the Archangel protector of all those inventions geared to communicate ideas, news, and whatever is useful to humanity; as well as protector of all those who work with such means in the conception, procedure and distribution stages.
At present, the press, motion pictures, radio, and television are the most pressing, rapid and effective means of Catholic apostolate. It may be that the future holds other, even better, means. But for the present it seems the heart of the apostle can desire no better means for giving God to people and people to God.
May it please the Divine Master, through the intercession of the Apostle Saint Paul, to raise up a host of generous people who will direct the whole of their activity - prayer, work, sacrifice and daring - to these and other similar noble forms of apostolate, setting as their one goal
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Redemption's program: Gloria Deo, pax hominibus.4
Speech, which God has given to humans, is a great gift. It enables them to communicate among themselves and with God. If it is used, then, to bring the gospel message of salvation and peace, the result is the apostolate of preaching: In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum et in fines terrae verba eorum.5
But today's technological means give speech a boost of immense value - scope, speed, and immeasurable power. Thus the Pope's words can be heard by the whole world; he can give catechetical (parish) instruction to all of humanity, which thus becomes his immense parish. He can pray with everyone. Pius XI used to say: This is tantamount to obeying and discharging completely God's mandate: Docete omnes gentes.6
Teaching of the Popes
… Just as these discoveries (telegraph, telephone, radio and television) can wreak great damage if they are not put to proper use, as befits them, so they can be very useful to foster and strengthen brotherhood among men, ennoble life, propagate the fine arts and the loftier realms of knowledge, as well as to communicate the teachings of religion, carry the voice of the Supreme Pastor from the Chair of Peter to the earth's boundaries, and raise public prayers to God's Majesty in a wonderful unity of minds and hearts from every part of the world. Therefore, Holy Mother Church has not only aided this progress of peoples but, as in the past, takes care to nourish, promote and, as far as possible, safeguard it; for any
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true and new thing which is arrived at through investigation is to be acknowledged as a vestige of the divine Mind and a sign of divine Power. For this reason We consider it most appropriate that these wonderful discoveries and their technical directors and employees should enjoy a special heavenly favor and a particular protection from on high… (Pius XII).
No less useful is the spread of the good press. However, We do not consider it necessary for Us to dwell at length on this argument, since everyone knows how great an influence papers and magazines have, both to fittingly uphold the light of truth and to inculcate Christian virtue in people, as well as to uncover error appearing under the guise of truth, as well as to confute anti-religious and antisocial principles. Therefore We warmly praise those bishops and pastors who are concerned to spread the good press as extensively as possible. Much has been done in this field, but there is still a great deal more to be done… (Pius XII).
…What seems to Us to be not only the gravest evil, but the root of all evil, is that quite often falsehood is exchanged for truth, which is then employed as a tool of conflict. Religion is neglected by many as something of little consequence, while elsewhere it is absolutely banned in the family and society as a remnant of former superstitions; private and public atheism is extolled so that, once God and his law are abolished, morals no longer have any foundation. The popular press all too often attacks religious beliefs, while
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not hesitating twice to spread the most base obscenities, stimulating the minds of young children and misguided youth, and leading them, with untold damage, into bad habits…
In school teaching, whether at junior or university level, and likewise in magazines and papers, either there is no effort to set out and defend the Church's teaching or it is so constrained and controlled by official censorship that the arbitrary claim that truth, freedom and religion must serve and be submissive only to civil authority, seems to acquire the status of a principle… (Pius XII).
Yours, gentlemen of the press, is an illustrious calling and one of vital importance for society. Living in accordance with its dignity and demands you are in a position to exert an influence (not fully appreciated by everyone) in resolving the world's complex and tragic problems (Pius XII).
When these means of progress are used for evangelization they receive a consecration, they are ennobled. The writer's office, the machine room, the book centre become church and pulpit.
Those who work there take on the dignity of an apostle.
Those who work there, innocens manibus et mundo corde,7 transmit a supernatural power to an ordinary means which, as a result of this divine stimulus, enlightens and stirs people to action.
Pulpits of error against the Divine Teacher
The misuse of such technical means (as the press, movies, radio and television) leads to countless social evils and
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the destruction of people's souls. Thus the publications' apostle must be inflamed with zeal.
People often use these technical means as a power base to oppose the heavenly Father who after having spoken in many ways through the fathers and the prophets, in these last days has spoken to us through his Son [cf. Heb. 1:1-2]; to oppose Jesus Christ who spent his time in this world to testify to the truth; to oppose the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of truth.
When these audio and visual means are misused they destroy the spiritual life of human beings; they sow discord and immorality.
They are premeditated sins: indeed they often demand long-time, sang-froid preparation.
Writers, technicians, distributors, organizers and the like who spend weeks and months, brains and money at the service of error and iniquity; Protestant bible societies, producers, magnificent halls… Behind all the secret causes are money-making, hate, ambition, and the like.
Moral theology holds responsible for grave scandal and public harm all those who, in one way or another, spread whatever contributes to wrongdoing, whether by means of the press, movies, radio or television, or as musicians, artists, and so on.
Sins that are easily multiplied. During the night thousands of massive and high-speed presses throughout the world are printing millions and millions of magazines and newspapers; every evening crowds of people swarm to cinema halls; almost the whole day radio and television channels air their programs...
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Who can say what percentage is good and what instead is dangerous?
Apostolic use: Combat press with press
The Church has intervened with solemn documents and instructions (Holy See, Episcopacy, Clergy, Teachers) challenging producers, readers, viewers and listeners to use these great means to promote the good of human beings; never to lead them astray. Too often, sad to say, young people themselves are the victims.
1. Study these audio and visual means. There are some which are used in every vocation house; but there needs to be an understanding of the others as well. Study and be familiar with the book Apostolato dell'Edizione; it is in Italian but it is being translated into other languages.
2. Combat press with press, radio with radio, movies with movies, television with television.
3. Put people of good faith on their guard with all the means available so that they will not cooperate in wrongdoing, or commit it directly.
4. Prayer and sacrifice:
a) Daily Mass and Holy Communion;
b) Private and public hours of adoration to the Blessed Sacrament;
c) Celebration of the first Sunday of the month in honor of the Divine Master, with a day of recollection, confession, communion of reparation, and meditation on God's word;
d) Daily reading of a passage from the Gospel;
e) Small sacrifices and voluntary self-denials;
f) Recitation of the Divine Praises during the morning and evening prayers, and after Mass;
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g) Daily recitation of the following prayer For those who thirst for souls as does Jesus.
Pauline Prayer and Offering
Lord, in union with all the priests who today celebrate the Eucharist, I offer myself, a small victim, with Jesus, the Victim:
1. In atonement for the untold blasphemies, errors, and offences which the radio and television, movies and press spread throughout the world.
2. To appeal to your mercy for the many people who, deceived and seduced, are snatched from your Fatherly heart by these modern means of evil.
3. For the conversion of those so many ministers of Satan who, taking advantage of radio and television, the movies and the press, have set up pulpits against the Divine Teacher, poisoning the mind, the heart and the activity of men and women.
4. That I may follow him alone whom you, Father, in your boundless love, have given to the world, proclaiming: 'This is my beloved Son, hear him'.
5. That I may grasp that Jesus alone is the perfect Teacher: the Truth which enlightens, the Way and the model of all holiness, the soul's true Life, sanctifying grace.
6. For an increase of priests, of men and women religious and lay apostles who will commit themselves to the spread of Christian doctrine and morals by means of prayer, and with the quickest and most effective means.
7. That writers, technical personnel, and promoters may be holy, wise and zealous for God's glory and the salvation of people's souls.
8. To ask you that all Catholic publications may
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flourish, go from strength to strength, and swamp the voice of error and evil;
9. That all of us be aware of our lack of knowledge and wor-thiness, of the need that we have to kneel humbly before your holy Tabernacle, O Lord, invoking light, compassion and mercy.
For the Dead. In our Prayer Book there is a section in the Chaplet for the Dead which refers to those who are in Purgatory through the misuse of audio and visual tech-nology. It says: I thank you, Jesus Divine Master; you came down from heaven to raise up human beings from their fallen state through your doctrine, holiness and death. I plead for the souls who are in Purgatory on account of the press, the movies, radio and television. I trust that these souls, once freed from their pains and admitted to eternal joy, will make supplicant prayer to you for today's world; so that the many goods you have endowed us with for the present life, may also be used for the apostolate and for eternal life.
Necessary cautions
Our specific vocation demands an especial care in the use of the audio and visual means. We need to understand them better, use them better, and have a greater fear of misusing them.
Misuse would be a more serious sin for those called to the publications' apostolate than for others. Such misuse would be:
a) reading dangerous or immoral papers, magazines or books; likewise for photos, cards, drawings or illustra-tions, and so on;
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b) films causing scandal because of their plot or outcome; those which are unbecoming or advised against because of age restriction, or are reserved to special groups of people;
c) radio and television broadcasts contrary to morals, Christian truths, or the decorum of Christian worship.
It is also a serious matter when it is a question of books, broadcasts or movies which are simply pointless. The end result is a waste of time, or damage to one's personality, leading to a sense of confused feelings.
This is why the Sacred Congregation of Religious has outlined wise measures which oblige in conscience:
After careful consideration, this Sacred Congregation establishes the following, and draws the attention of Superiors to see that all these matters are faithfully observed 'graviter onerata eorum conscientia.'8
1. There is no reason to justify the introduction of television sets into the communities of contemplative life, whether of men or of women; a radio set may be permitted for the sole purpose of allowing the Religious to listen to the words of the Holy Father who speaks to the whole world and to receive his Blessing, or for some other exceptional celebration of a religious nature.
2. For those engaged in the active life:
a) The use of private radios, not to mention television sets, operated indiscriminately and without the consent of the Superior, is never allowed;
b) Radio and television sets must always and exclusively be in one of the community rooms, clearly visible, and under the control of the Superior or a delegate of his;
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c) Superiors are to see that the time dedicated to television or radio programs does not interfere with the occupations and duties of one's state and the office entrusted to each one, the apostolate, prayer practices, the exercises of common life, the time set aside for rest, in accordance with the community timetable;
d) Superiors must forbid viewings or broadcasts which for reasons of morality or worldliness are not suitable for the religious life. Since, apart from daily newscasts or programs of an instructive or religious nature, all other viewing must or at least can be considered such vis-à-vis the religious life, they are therefore to be forbidden if they are simply for the relaxation of religious;
e) If the needs of the apostolate clearly demand reasonable exceptions for certain Religious and in determined cases, the judgement regarding such exceptions is always reserved to the Superior who, graviter onerata conscientia, will make sure that the danger is the most remote possible, having regard to choose suitable Religious, who have a solid religious spirit, a healthy experience of life and know very well how to distinguish, not only what could be dangerous to the said Religious, but also to those for whom the show is provided.
The right use of such means, on the other hand, is a contribution to culture, education, and to the life of the Christian and society.
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1 Cf. C. Dragone, “The First General Chapter of the Pious Society of Saint Paul” in Cooperatore Paolino, May-June 1957, pp. 10-15. In UPS reference is often made to this Chapter (cf. e.g., III, 54). The 1957 Chapter of the Pious Society of Saint Paul was its first. It was convoked for the month of April and held in the Albano Laziale (Rome) house, in via San Francesco di Assisi, 52. More formal than juridic the Chapter was personally convoked by Fr Alberione who oversaw all the work. There were 33 members present: those by right and those delegated. They met on the evening of 4 April 1957. The preachers of the spiritual exercises, held from 4 to 10 April, were Fr James Alberione, Bishop Antonio Bergamaschi of Pennabili, Pesaro and Urbino, and Fr Arcadio Larraona, secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Religious. Work sessions began on 11 April and on the same day Fr Alberione was reconfirmed Superior General. The following day the general Councillors and Officials were elected: Fr Luigi Zanoni, first councillor and vicar general; Fr Eugenio Pierino Marazza, Fr Carlo Tommaso Dragone and Fr Valentino Gambi, councillors; Fr Aldo Cipriano Poggi was appointed Procurator General for the Holy See; Fr Fedele Pasquero, Secretary General; Fr Torquato Armani, Bursar General. During the afternoon session of 15 April the Chapter came to a close with a talk by Fr Alberione. The day after, 16 April, Pius XII granted a special audience.
2 “The rules of believing, praying and acting.”
3 Cf. Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Year and Volume XXXXIV, n. 4, 30 March 1952, pp. 216-217.
4 “Glory to God, peace to men” (Lk 2:14).
5 “Yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Ps 19 [18]:4).
6 “Teach all peoples” (cf. Mt 28:19).
7 “He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Ps 24[23]:4).
8 “Weighing heavily on their conscience”, that is, under pain of serious offence.