Calendar

June 1900

01 Jun - 01 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, I, 109, 1835.

How should one take one’s holiday? Very happily I would say you have to take a walk, have fun, but do all with decency and gravity, and by taking care…

01 Jun - 01 Jun

Maynooth 2, 11-19

From the beginning, our mission has favoured the poor. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to the poor. As for Justice and Peace, the members of the Chapter noted that an…

02 Jun - 02 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, II, 282, 1839.

Essentially, do not to be surprised for the love of yourself, from now on, the affection of your heart must not be for you but for Jesus, your sovereign and…

02 Jun - 02 Jun

Poullart des Places, quoted by Pierre Thomas in his "Mémoire sur la...

I felt God's blessings visibly in my eagerness to approach the Blessed Sacrament. Although I was fortunate enough to receive communion frequently, I did not yet receive it as often…

03 Jun - 03 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, I, 662, 1839.

For the mission, we need men devoted to the glory of God, men determined to give up everything for him, men who have already got the better of their principal…

03 Jun - 03 Jun

EGC Dakar, 1995, 4.2.3

Sometimes we become almost drugged by our work, to the detriment of our openness, our relationships with others and our prayer life. We become so attached to our job that…

04 Jun - 04 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 687, 1851.

Be like a poor victim offered by Jesus Christ to his Father, for the salvation of souls and the divine mercy will be your lot.

04 Jun - 04 Jun

Jacques Laval to Libermann, 1844. N.D.VI, 515-517

This is the fruit of three years work: about 250 instructed and baptised, both Madagascans and Mozambicans, around 350 first communions, nearly all old people. Nearly all have persevered, apart…

05 Jun - 05 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, II, 282, 1839.

May Jesus transform every sentiment in you into pure, chaste and holy love of which he himself is filled with, or rather that he himself be your love and your…

05 Jun - 05 Jun

Libermann, to the Director of a Seminary. 01.01.1839. L.S.II, p. 392-393

Stay quiet and allow God to do what he wants. Never seek to advance further than he wishes you to do. Be content to aim at a total self denial…

06 Jun - 06 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, I, 662, 1839.

I know you will not find many like that, who are already capable of suffering pains and humiliations, but they must at least have the ardent and sincere desire to…

06 Jun - 06 Jun

Libermann, to the Director of a Seminary. 01.01.1839. L.S.II, p. 392-393

Tell Jesus something like this: 'Dear Jesus, you know very well that I'm nothing, that I'm worth nothing and that I can do nothing. But here I am, a poor…

07 Jun - 07 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, I, 662, 1839.

It is essential that all those who wish to embark on this holy work have a docile pliable spirit, be disposed to submit to whosoever is given to them as…

07 Jun - 07 Jun

Pope Paul VI: Evangelii Nuntiandi, 21

Above all, the Gospel must be proclaimed by witness. Take a Christian or a handful of Christians who, in the midst of their own community, show their capacity for understanding…

December 8, 1975

08 Jun - 08 Jun

Cf. Notes et Documents, I, 662, 1839.

I do not feel drawn to look for all these human supports, besides, I am not capable of obtaining them. I have presented my project, if God wants it to…

08 Jun - 08 Jun

Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, nº42

Preaching is always indispensable. We are well aware that modern man is sated by talk. The fatigue produced these days by so much empty talk and the relevance of many…

December 8, 1975

09 Jun - 09 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, II, 160, 1852.

When obstacles appear, we must go forward, forward all the time, stay at the foot of the wall, wait until it falls, and then pass over it and move on.

09 Jun - 09 Jun

Charles Besnard: Vie de Grignon de Montfort

They (the products of the Seminaire du Saint-Esprit) consecrate themselves preferably to missionary activity both foreign and domestic, offering to go and stay in the poorest and most abandoned places…

10 Jun - 10 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, I, 484, 1838.

A priest should have nothing of a human way of life about him; he ought to act and behave no more as a human being, but the spirit of Jesus…

10 Jun - 10 Jun

Le Vavasseur to M. Galais, June 1939

For missionaries to succeed in such an admirable mission, they have to adopt a life-style that is poorer and more mortified than the local people to whom they are sent;…

11 Jun - 11 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, I, 484, 1838.

A priest is something great! He is a man who must possess all the perfections of our Lord, for the greatest quality Jesus was clothed with was his divine priesthood.…

11 Jun - 11 Jun

Libermann to M. Telles L.S.II, p. 260

It fills me with joy to hear of all the wonders that the Heart of Mary is doing in Paris and in the Seminary. Our poor little Congregation rejoices over…

12 Jun - 12 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, X, 24, 1848.

My heart is for the Africans, wholly for the Africans. I am Jesus’ servant. He wants me to love everyone as he loves everyone; but he inspires me with a…

12 Jun - 12 Jun

Bishop Barron to Libermann, 08.04.1845. N.D.5, p. 78

I am very annoyed that you are not in charge of the mission in Senegal. I am very anxious to hear that a seminary will be established by your congregation…

13 Jun - 13 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, II, 472, 1841.

It is impossible to sanctify yourself without working with all your strength for the salvation of the souls entrusted to you. And it is scarcely possible to sanctify these souls…

13 Jun - 13 Jun

EGC Dakar, 1995. 4.4.4

At the Itaici Chapter, it was said that 'our mission is a spirituality before it is a strategy, that we are being evangelised at the same time as we evangelise'.…

14 Jun - 14 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, II, 472, 1841.

Priests often think of their own sanctification alone and souls are somewhat neglected. They have more zeal for recollection and other virtues which tend to their own sanctification than for…

14 Jun - 14 Jun

Paul VI: "Populorum Progressio

Excessive economic, social and cultural inequalities among peoples arouse tensions and conflicts, and are a danger to peace. As we said to the Fathers of the Council when we returned…

15 Jun - 15 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, VIII, 113, 1844.

Be master, then, of your own soul and you will be master of the whole world.

15 Jun - 15 Jun

Claude Poullart des Places: "Reflections of the Truths of Religion"

You always deal kindly with me as if you were in need of me. It is as if you glory in subjugating a heart as insensitive as mine. You seem…

16 Jun - 16 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, VII, 92, 1846.

All the works undertaken and carried out in the Church have encountered the same difficulties and often even much greater ones, and yet, these difficulties have not frightened the apostolic…

16 Jun - 16 Jun

Memoire of Eugène Tisserant

In the summer of 1837, M. Libermann left Saint-Sulpice for Rennes where he joined M. Louis, the superior of the Eudistes, hoping to do some good in that congregation for…

17 Jun - 17 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, IV, 293, 1843.

About being superior, a general rule which much cover everything is that one has not come to be served, but to serve,. You are the first servant of your community.

17 Jun - 17 Jun

Paul VI: "Evangelii Nuntiandi", nº46

In the long run, is there any other way of handing on the Gospel than by transmitting to another person one's personal experience of faith? It must not happen that…

December 8, 1975

18 Jun - 18 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, IV, 293, 1843.

Our Master said “I have not come to be served but serve and to lay down my life”. These word contain all the duties of superiorship, it is to the…

18 Jun - 18 Jun

Confessions of St. Patrick

And if ever I have done any good for my God whom I love, I beg him to grant me that I may shed my blood with those exiles and…

19 Jun - 19 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, VIII, 113, 1844.

Be quite sure that nothing is ever accomplished in this line by force, contradiction, resistance, but also, on the contrary, that everything is accomplished and obtained by support, tolerance, gentleness…

19 Jun - 19 Jun

Libermann to Leray, 24.07.1834. L.S.1, p. 51-52

I must not miss this opportunity to say a couple of words about the immense love that Jesus has for us. You can see it clearly in the Blessed Sacrament.…

20 Jun - 20 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letter les, IV, 458, 1847.

Be full of affection, gentleness and openness with the superiors in order to make their burden easier to carry.

20 Jun - 20 Jun

Libermann to Leray, 24.07.1834. L.S.1, p.51-52

Jesus took steps to ensure that we could always be in perfect union with him by giving us the Holy Spirit who is the consummator of all sanctity. But in…

21 Jun - 21 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, VIII, 113, 1844.

What is the most powerful means that I employ for guiding people? It is to tolerate in each one the faults that I foresee that I can do nothing about,…

21 Jun - 21 Jun

John Paul II: "Redemptoris Missio", no. 88

The mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption is thus described as a total self-emptying which leads Christ to experience fully the human condition and to accept totally the Father's plan.…

22 Jun - 22 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, IV, 293, 1843.

How can one be a servant and for the authority of Jesus Christ to be respected? By living as He did. Let your conduct be holy, modest, serious, peaceful, even,…

22 Jun - 22 Jun

Jean Paul II, at the Mosque of Omeyyades at Damascus, 06.05.2001

It is important that Muslims and Christians continue to explore philosophical and theological questions together, in order to come to a more objective and comprehensive knowledge of each other's religious…

23 Jun - 23 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, VIII, 113, 1844.

Leave each one then in his condition and way of living. God made them as they are. They are disposed to do everything for the best. You must encourage them…

23 Jun - 23 Jun

Jean Gay: Libermann - quoting Le Vavasseur, p. 112

Abandonment is the perfection of patience. When one has reached this state, the person rests in God, gives himself up completely and no longer wants to act of himself. He…

24 Jun - 24 Jun

Cf. Notes and Documents, II, 290, 1840.

Apostolic life is nothing other than the life of holiness which the Son of God led on earth to save and sanctify souls, and by which he sanctify himself to…

24 Jun - 24 Jun

John Paul II: "Redemptoris Missio", no. 45

The supreme test is the giving of one's life, to the point of accepting death in order to bear witness to one's faith in Jesus Christ. Throughout Christian history, martyrs,…

25 Jun - 25 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 458, 1847.

Avoid rigidity in your judgement, in your words, in your desires, in your conduct. Nothing good can ever come out from rigidity.

25 Jun - 25 Jun

General Chapter, Maynooth 7.2.2

Some Provinces are becoming increasingly weak and lack the personnel to continue their commitments. They need the help of the Congregation. They could get this from the other older Provinces…

26 Jun - 26 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 458, 1847.

Live together in union and in the most perfect peace of charity, support one another mutually, put up with your faults, ease your mutual troubles, comfort your confreres, do not…

26 Jun - 26 Jun

General Chapter, Maynooth 7.2.2

The older Provinces are realising that Spiritan mission is also in their own back yard, so, for example, they are taking on commitments in the service of immigrants, refugees and…

27 Jun - 27 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 458, 1847.

When you happen not to be of the same opinion as your confreres, lose your judgement in the general opinion. Avoid inflexibility in your judgement, in your words, in your…

27 Jun - 27 Jun

Our mission is always that of the Congregation, recognised as such through a process of discernment and accepted in obedience in accord with the Rule of Life... Whatever may be…

28 Jun - 28 Jun

Cf. Commentary from the Provisional Rule, 125, 1845.

The union which should reign among us must be a union of mind and heart. Not to wish to subject others to our own ideas, especially not to become annoyed…

28 Jun - 28 Jun

Libermann to Le Vavasseur, commenting on his plans. 08.03.1839. NDI, p.639-640

For the good of your proposed work for the black people, I think it is almost indispensable that it be undertaken by a religious congregation. If it were something isolated…

29 Jun - 29 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 458, 1847.

If you know how to be patient now, you are sure of success, of a solid and stable success. Be rest assured that everything that is carried out by onslaught…

29 Jun - 29 Jun

Bishop Joseph Shanahan, 01.10.1938; his farewell message to the Holy Rosary Sisters....

Eighteen years ago I first came in contact with you. I had been in Africa for eighteen years before that, and now, at the close of my life I am…

30 Jun - 30 Jun

Cf. Spiritual Letters, IV, 458, 1847.

The climates in which you live act strongly on the sensitivity and imagination. You will be more inclined to be agitated, to become embittered, to be more irritated than before.…

30 Jun - 30 Jun

Pierre Thomas: Memoire sur la Vie de Poullart des Places

Before his conversion, M. des Places found it impossible to live on the allowance he was given; after his conversion, he found it was enough not just for his own…