“The vocation in the littlest ones”
Directory of Minor Seminaries, 4
The Lenten atmosphere of the current month is enlightened by celebrations that direct our attention toward the youngest members of our institute: the minor seminarians. For example, in a few days, on February 3rd, we will celebrate the beginning of the minor seminary experience in the Institute in 1986, with the entrance of the first two minor seminarians, today fathers Ricardo Clarey and Marcelo Cano. Likewise, on the 10th and 20th of this month we will celebrate Saint José Sánchez del Río and Saint Francisco Marto, patrons of our minor Seminaries in the United States and Ecuador respectively.
The vocational apostolate in the Institute is intrinsic to the goal of evangelization of the culture and to our proper charism.[1] Truly, we must thank God for the abundance of vocations that have characterized the congregation from her first years. At the moment, the Institute has 456 vocations in formation, of which 103 are minor seminarians, in the various minor Seminaries of the Institute around the world.[2]
However, “we must be aware that every vocation is a gratuitous gift from God for our Institute, and we think that the reasons God is pleased to give them are:
– The urgent need of the Church.
– Fidelity to our foundational charism.
– The testimony and joy of the priests and seminarians.
– The preaching of the Spiritual Exercises”[3].
It cannot be denied that, at the ecclesial level, the theme of vocations is currently of great relevance and urgency. There is great concern. This affects us directly because if the problem of vocations is not solved, the new evangelization will be very difficult. More and more is demanded of current missionaries; they cannot cover the mission posts as they should, and when these are no more, who will replace them?
Our proper law gathers many quotes of Saint John Paul II that highlight the fact that “the problem of vocations affects the very life of the Church.”[4] For example he says: “It should be said that the problem of priestly vocations in the ‘fundamental problem of the Church’[5], and ‘requires greater attention’[6], it is a ‘central problem’[7], ‘of the future’[8], ‘vital.’ [9]”[10] Further on it says: “The topic of vocations ‘affects the church in one of her fundamental marks, which is that of apostolicity’”.[11]
This is why in this letter it seemed opportune to highlight the relevance for ecclesial apostolate, and in particular for the evangelization of the culture, of the vocational apostolate with children and adolescents since it is a seedbed for priestly vocations. We would like to begin by sharing, although briefly, the beginnings of the first minor Seminary of the Institute, “Saint John the Apostle”. Afterward we will present the Thomistic doctrine on the vocation of children to religious life, and finally, point out the characteristic ‘imprint’ of our minor Seminaries.
1. The Beginnings
As we said at the start, the now fathers Ricardo Clarey and Marcelo Cano were the first ‘minor’ vocations in the Institute. Remember that the Institute was founded in San Rafael on March 25th, 1984, and for the first year its members lived in the diocesan Seminary on Tirasso street (San Rafael, Mendoza). This Seminary was begun by the Institute and the Institute was in charge of it, at the express request of Bishop León Kruk. It was the first work entrusted to us. On February 22nd, 1985, the feast of the Chair of Peter, the first Mass was celebrated in the new house that would be the seat of the Institute in San Rafael, la Finca “Nuestra Señora de Luján” (Our Lady of Lujan), on El Chañaral road. During those first two years there was not yet a minor Seminary in the Institute of the Incarnate Word.
Both vocations had already been together in a diocesan minor Seminary, which they had left. “During the winter vacation of July 1985,” relates Fr. Clarey – “I visited Fr. Buela in his house on the streets ‘Remedios de Escalada’ and ‘Nazca’, in Buenos Aires. On this occasion, he was with Marcelo Morsella, and they were also on vacation. I mentioned my desire to go to San Rafael […] Father told me he thought it would be good that I go to San Rafael, but he would have to speak first to Mons. Kruk and would let me know shortly.”[12] In the meantime, “during those months, I don’t remember exactly when,” continues the recount, “Marcelo Cano travelled to San Rafael to visit la Finca, and made known his desire to go to San Rafael as a minor seminarian.”[13] What is for sure is that, once they received the approval of the bishop of the place, he also went to San Rafael.
The simplicity of the account of that trip to ‘enter’ the minor Seminary that began with them allows us to read between the lines and discover the trust and simplicity of those who, as Saint Thomas says, give themselves to the service of God from their first youth: “I travelled to San Rafael in ‘Moby Dick’ (This was the nickname of the Mother House’s bus) from Buenos Aires together with some seminarians (Guillermo Costantini, Gaspar Farré, etc.) and after passing by San Luis we arrived at San Rafael and afterward at El Nihuil, on the third of February, 1986. I was 16 years old. We met up with Marcelo Cano, and a few others joined us as well (among them the now F. Gustavo Domenech and two others). In those first days in El Nihuil we saw Marcelo Morsella several times.”[14] Once they arrived, two seminarians were put in charge of them, as bedels, for the month of February. And thus began, simply and easily, the experience of the minor Seminary in the Institute 35 years ago, by the grace of God.
In March of that year, back at la Finca, the minor seminarians were already 10, since youth from San Rafael, Buenos Aires and Entre Rios had joined them. All of them lived in half of the Saint Paul house (the major seminarians were in the other half). Naturally all of these adolescent boys had to finish their high school courses. And so, at great sacrifice, four of them began to attend the Marist school, four the Polivalente school of arts, and two to the Normal school of San Rafael. At that time the Institute did not have its own school. Father Clarey relates: “Every morning we had to go by bus to the city, for school. We would return at midday and Brother Payo had lunch waiting for us (many times a mix of rice with fried eggs…) In the afternoon we had Mass in the chapel, usually celebrated by the young priest José Corbelle. Afterwards we had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with the major seminarians. On Saturdays we helped the major seminarians in the apostolate.”
After some time of the minor and major seminarians sharing the house, the latter were redistributed among the other houses of la Finca (Saint Andrew, Saint Peter, Saint James) and the minors remained in the Saint Paul house. Those who were seminarians at that time longingly remember the familiarity, the joy, and the no doubt formative experience entailed in the trips they made to Mount Sosneado or to El Nihuil with their superior, the founder of the Institute.
At the end of this first year, the minor seminarians Cano and Clarey had finished the minor Seminary and passed to the first year of philosophy, and so they were allowed to participate in the popular mission with the major seminarians in Matara (Santiago del Estero, Argentina) “where the people remembered Marcelo Morsella who had been on mission there the year before,”[15] recounts Father Clarey.
The next year, 1987, the minor seminarians moved to the parish of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and a few months after that, to the current house of formation “Saint John the Apostle” on Rawson street in San Rafael, after having bought the property thanks to the generosity of Juan Demianczuk and Juan Mazzeo. All of this marked the beginning and the formal establishment of the minor Seminary, which took place on December 27th of 1987, the memorial of Saint John the Apostle.
These beginnings of the Minor Seminary of the Institute allow us to glimpse in general terms certain traits that characterize the organization and formation currently provided in our minor Seminaries. To name a few:
- Participation of the minor seminarians in daily Mass: “As in all the houses of the Institute, the Holy Mass is the center of life; it is the sun that illuminates the interior life, the apostolate, work and every activity.”[16]
- Likewise, daily eucharistic adoration: “This should take place every day for half an hour”[17] in the minor seminaries.
- And although this was not explicit in the testimony cited, we know that, from the beginning, they were instilled with great devotion to the Virgin Mary, as our proper law states: “The minor Seminary must be a school of deep and filial love for the Blessed Virgin Mary.”[18]
- In the minor Seminary of the Institute the seminarians – usually at the age for high school studies”[19] – should receive a painstaking intellectual and spiritual formation that would be very difficult to provide in any other environment.[20] It is clear that in the beginnings we did not have our own school, nevertheless, efforts were made to send them to study at the best schools in the area. They sought and “we seek sufficient instruction to allow for higher studies. Therefore it is arranged that ‘the students complete their studies in accord with the official educational requirements, in such a way that they have the possibility of being accepted to higher studies or universities.’”[21] Our proper law points out in addition that in the measure possible the vocations to the minor seminary are offered a humanist formation,[22] although it also makes provision for the possibility that “if there is no center of humanist formation or another school of our own “the students will be sent to other institutions, making sure that they fulfill the spirit of the documents issued by the Congregation for Catholic Education.’[23]”[24]
“The outings to the mountain, the excursions to places of interest or recreation, etc., are very formative experiences because they allow them to experience other sports (such as mountain climbing, fishing, etc.), they can play other types of games, there are opportunities to practice virtues such as generosity, serviciality, good spirit, etc.”[25] And among many other advantages we could mention, we must say that these outings all together with the Rector and the bedels strengthen the community life and the spiritual life of the young man[26] and this is something that should never be lacking in any minor seminary of the Institute.
- The missionary imprint of our Institute is essential. That is why from the beginning of the minor seminary they sought “to form the youth in the apostolic spirit by carrying out pastoral activities appropriate to their age, and by participating in missions, with the accompaniment of the priestly formators and the parish priest or chaplains of the place. ”[27] That first mission at the end of the year in Santiago del Estero was the first of many that took place following what the proper law establishes when it says: “They will also have the mission at the end of the year, in which they will help the major seminarians especially in the apostolate with the young children. ”[28]
- The sacrifices of the first moments of the minor Seminary should not be foreign to the seminarians of today who, according to circumstances, should also know how to offer these, since they are a part of the Christian life. That is why our proper law says: “Community life, with all of its demands and gratifications, is the normal and ordinary means for the youth to grow in maturity.”[29] How necessary it is to teach the vocations of today to “offer as a mortification, patiently putting up with certain contrarieties without complaining, whether it be living together with other companions, or a bit of heat, or the cold.”[30]
- Of no little importance is the freedom with which the candidates discern and decide their vocation. “Man can become good only in freedom”[31] says the Magisterium. “Speaking positively, we must say that the minor Seminary is, fundamentally, a place in which there is an orientation. There is a priestly orientation, that far from pressuring the seminarian, shows him the beauty and greatness of the consecrated life.”[32] Therefore, “the young man, far from being ‘emprisoned’ in the religious vocation, acquires a freedom that he would not have had in the world. He can see things with greater objectivity and discern his vocation by the light of supernatural motives. The minor Seminary makes it possible that ‘concluding his studies…, the candidate having a clear awareness of the divine call, has acquired enough spiritual and human maturity to allow him to make the decision to respond to said call with sufficient responsibility and freedom. ‘[33]”[34]
- Likewise, all of those who were minor seminarians at that time stand out for the family spirit in which they lived and which impregnated all the activities, since everything unfolded in a climate of great trust, without impairing the life of discipline. They felt responsible for the running of the seminary and lived in constant joy. All of this family spirit is found explicitly described in numerous paragraphs of the Directory of Minor Seminaries and, to tell the truth, is found impregnated in the spirit of all of its legislation. In order to illustrate this, we here cite number 10 of said Directory: “It is proper to the minor Seminary to live in a warm family atmosphere. Another characteristic of this house should be youthful joy, and all of this in a relation of great trust with the superiors. All of these are key elements for true vocational discernment: ‘(discernment) requires that in the minor Seminary there really be familiar confidence with the superiors and fraternal friendship among the students, in such a way that all together they form one family, and with greater facility can conveniently and adequately develop their own nature, according to the dispositions of Divine Providence.’” [35]
- The help of the bedels who “are preferably seminarians in the Theology courses”[36], and help the Rector to maintain discipline, to organize some particular activities, etc., behaving like a big brother to the minor seminarians.
We could mention many more elements that were present from the beginnings of the experience of the minor Seminary in the Institute and that leave an imprint clearly distinguishing it, because the way of life and the way of carrying out this apostolate is inspired by our proper charism. Certainly over the years and with the different circumstances many things were improved, but the distinctive notes remain and have taken ever deeper root. Thus, what began in such a humble and small way 35 years ago has already extended to 8 more countries and has multiplied in vocations and blessings.
Concretely, the distinctive notes of a minor Seminary of the Institute are: [37]
– The spirituality centered in the mystery of the Incarnate Word.
– The specific goal of the Institute of inculturating the Gospel that especially marks the style of the spiritual, intellectual and cultural formation of the seminarians.
– The missionary impetus that is sought through concrete apostolic works, with the missionary intention given to the studies, prayer and the offering of works for the missions.
– The importance given to community life and fraternal charity.
Our minor Seminaries should be houses of elevated Christian formation, formation in virtue. They are not a mere catholic “school” or “boarding house”: they should explicitly propose Christ as the Model to imitate. They should be offered an intellectual, spiritual and cultural formation according to the charism of the Institute, with all that this implies, especially in order to have them establish an intimate relationship with Christ, with the Virgin Mary, with the saints, and to form in them a true ecclesial spirit. Our minor seminarians should learn from the first years to be apostles, to be interested in the missions and the missionaries, giving them – always according to the possibilities and in accordance with their age- the opportunity to experience zeal for souls and to do concrete things to help them. In a special way the minor seminarian should learn to do apostolate with his own seminary companions, living fraternal charity with the others: helping in service, consoling the sorrowing, trying to lavish joy and peace on all, etc. Thus they develop the priestly cast since to be a priest is nothing else than to give one’s life for the sheep, [38] for others.
2. The Thomistic doctrine on the vocation of children to the religious life
Progressively, by the grace of God, the number of minor seminarians has been increasing in recent years. To illustrate this we quote here the figures after the last General Chapter:
| 2016-2017 | 83 minor seminarians | 10% of the total members |
| 2017-2018 | 86 minor seminarians | 10% of the total members |
| 2018-2019 | 90 minor seminarians | 11% of the total members |
| 2019-2020 | 103 minor seminarians | 12% of the total members |
The grace of having minor Seminaries in the Institute has allowed us to experience up close the marvelous and mysterious reality of young vocations, of which there has been no lack of criticism and accusations of inauthenticity.
Therefore we think it could be useful to expound, at least briefly, the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas in this regard, which is furthermore, the traditional doctrine of the Church. We begin by affirming that our position – in full harmony with both – sustains that: “Aware that the call of God is free and that it depends on his most Free Will, we know that it can awaken at any time of life. There are adult vocations and late vocations, but also early vocations. ‘As wide experience demonstrates, the priestly vocation frequently manifests itself first in the preadolescent years or in the very first years of youth…even in many who decide to enter the seminary much later it is not rare to find that God’s call was present a lot earlier.’[39] ‘This vocation manifests itself in diverse periods of the life of man and with diverse motivations; it manifests itself during youth, at a mature age and in children, among whom it is not rare to find that it comes in the form of a certain “bourgeoning” united to a particular piety, an ardent love for God and one’s neighbor, and a penchant for apostolate.’[40] Pope Saint John Paul II affirmed that Christ’s follow me ‘‘usually makes itself heard in youth; sometimes it is even heard in childhood.”[41]
It is also the teaching of the saints. Thus, for example, Saint John Bosco, directing himself to the Salesians, said: “But what I most recommend to your attention are the good-natured youth, lovers of the practices of piety, and who awaken the hope that they will be called to the priestly state. Yes, take a lively interest in these who are the hope of the Church. Do as much as possible, and I would say even the impossible, to cultivate these tender hearts and to make the precious seed of the vocation germinate; direct them to a place where they can carry out their studies, and if they are poor help them also with the means that divine Providence has placed in your hands, and that your mercy and love for souls will suggest to you. How fortunate you will be if you are able to provide a priest for the Church in these times when sacred ministers are so scarce…’[42]”[43].
Here we see the great importance that should be given to pastoral work for the vocation of children, adolescents and youth. An importance that should translate into pastoral zeal, dedication, and the care and accompaniment of these vocations, in prayer for the increase of vocations to the minor seminary and in concrete works to cultivate – as Don Bosco says – the seed of the vocation in children.
Saint Thomas Aquinas in his work Contra Retrahentes defends every call to the religious life, every vocation, including that of children, showing that the vocation is something pious and noble and that ultimately to follow one’s vocation is to try to imitate Jesus Christ. He also makes it clear that it is principally the devil and carnal men who relentlessly oppose this call[44]:
“But Satan, in his jealousy of our salvation, has never, since the earliest ages, ceased from hindering men in the holy and salutary exercise of poverty. For this purpose, he has made use of carnal men, enemies of the Cross of Christ, and savouring of the things of this world.”[45]
What is certain is that even today, no few discourage children and youth who aspire to the religious life, including religious. They argue that they are not used to observing the commandments, and even think that it is something irrational. Of course, it is a fact, never denied, that the Church has permitted and permits parents to offer their children at a tender age,[46] to be educated in the observance of the counsels before they are able to practice the commandments. If this was irrational the Church could not approve it, nevertheless, not only does she in fact permit it, but she encourages it. The Aquinate uses as his authority a text of Saint Gregory. Beyond the particular case suggested, what is important and what the Angelic doctor wants to highlight is the lawfulness of allowing children to enter the regular observance. If the Church permits and even counsels this, it is a good thing. Saint Thomas holds that not only is entrance to the religious life not bad in itself, but it does not even have the appearance of evil. [47]
On the other hand, basing himself in Sacred Scripture, Saint Thomas states that one should not hinder the children from approaching Christ. On the contrary, there must be a concern to draw them to Christ. Children must be won over for Christ. Following a text attributed to Saint John Chrysostom, with great common sense, Saint Thomas Aquinas teaches that if children, the most innocent, are prevented from reaching Jesus, who can then approach Him? On the other hand, since man draws near to the Lord through the practice of the counsels, what is the reason for preventing children from approaching Christ through the observance of the counsels?
Then the Angelic Doctor proceeds to highlight the importance of this apostolate with children. On the one hand, it is a good to bring them closer to the Lord through the practice of the counsels, not impeding their entry[48]. But we must also make ourselves like children and lead them to Christ: “The Lord, on the other hand, exhorting his disciples, already mature men, to be condescending for the benefit of the children, tells them that, in order to become like children, for the children, to win over the children: the kingdom of heaven is for such as these… We have to keep this in mind, to avoid presuming to possess superior wisdom, boasting of greatness and despising the little ones of the Church, preventing the children from reaching Jesus.”[49]
It is interesting to note that in the doctrine of Saint Thomas we don’t find any room for doubt regarding the authenticity of child vocations. Children can have a true vocation to the religious life, as the testimony of so many religious throughout history demonstrates. Many of these are saints of the Church: Saint John XXIII, Saint John Bosco, and a long etcetera.
The religious vocation, in fact, is nothing other than a resolution to give oneself entirely to the Lord. A resolution that can only arise in the heart by an impulse of the Holy Spirit, even when it might appear to be the fruit of human suggestions or exhortations. This has always been a clear and firm affirmation of Saint Thomas. Therefore, it is beneficial to reaffirm oneself in the Thomistic doctrine supporting the apostolate of child vocations, since this frees one from false fears, that often abort incipient vocations.
Saint Thomas clarifies that the vocation of children is not negated by the fact that some, having entered young, later abandoned the religious life. The vocation, in fact, as has been said, is not a predestination, but a grace that can be lost, and is in fact lost especially in the first place, when one does not allow the entrance of children who feel called, leaving them in the world surrounded by dangers that end up suffocating the seed of the vocation, and even the Christian life. They can also be lost if in the minor Seminaries a propitious environment is not created for the development and strengthening of said vocation. Effectively, it is not rare for parents who resisted the vocation of their young children, to later lament the lack of Christian life they arrived at by remaining in the world.
If the holy proposition of desiring to be a religious arises in a child, we have before us a true and proper vocation. If there is a “twisted” resolution, not upright (as in the case of those who want to be religious because of other interests, such as economic, academic, etc.) this cannot be called a true vocation. In this case the Superiors will not delay in discerning one case from another, and if they are zealous in their apostolate or charge, they will send home those who are not called.
We should take the exhortation of our proper law to “know how to call, teach, direct, accompany and select vocations” as personally directed to us, and this includes the vocations of children and adolescents. Is it not proper to us to work on the key points of the culture, among which is listed that of seminaries?[50] Remember that also in the case of vocations to the minor seminary “vocational ministry should be active, constant, full of energy and vitality, committed and urged by the charity of Christ,[51] and definitely opposed to a mentality of ‘ordinary administration or bureaucratic slowness,’[52] which carelessly hopes that vocations knock upon its door. God “sows seeds of vocation to full hands by grace.[53]”[54]
3. Love creates familiarity
Finally I would like to point out one more characteristic of our minor Seminaries. We have just said that vocations can be lost if a propitious environment is not created in the minor seminaries for the development and strengthening of the vocation in question. What exactly is this environment? Our proper law states explicitly that “It will be proper to the minor Seminary to have them live a warm family environment.”[55] This is a very important characteristic of our minor Seminaries that distinguish themselves precisely by “the importance given to community life and fraternal charity.”[56]
In what does this family environment consist? This family environment or spirit is nothing other than the application of the preventative system to the community of the minor seminary (and what is said here of them can be applied to our schools, major seminaries, religious communities, etc.). In this family atmosphere love is the motor of all that is done or left undone, spoken or kept silent, taken up or left aside. Love makes the educator amiable and for that very reason, the heart of the youth yields to him. Thus it is important that the boys be convinced that one seeks the good of their souls. [57]
“This love brings one to be vigilant: not as one who imposes himself and ruthlessly demands discipline, but as a father who loves, and therefore, keeps watch over his children so that they don’t fall into danger. In such a way that the boys are always under the fatherly eye of the Superiors or of the bedels and assistants.”[58] It is important to “make it impossible for the boys to fail.”[59] “Therefore, those who want to work in the minor Seminary and want to fulfil their mission well, must be ready for a life of true sacrifice.”[60]
This love, moreover, is made manifest in sweetness: “All with sweetness, nothing by force; harshness spoils everything, exasperates hearts, engenders hatred.”[61] And this brings with it an element that we consider fundamental for the family spirit that should be lived in our minor seminaries, as in every religious house of the Institute: familiarity. Saint John Bosco said: “Familiarity with the boys, especially during recreation. Without familiarity one cannot demonstrate affection, and without this there cannot be trust.”[62] “For this, then, it is necessary to be with the boys: ‘Spend as much time as possible with them. This is the great secret that will make you the master of his heart.’[63]”[64]
With paternal accents our proper law makes note that the practice of charity and of virtue by the superiors is of profound educational value for the minor seminarians. To them it advises: “It should never be the case that a student should surpass you in virtue… And for us, what is the key to being such an example? The rules of our Congregation, and especially obedience… The educator should be the personification of the rule.”[65]
The fruit of this charity and the atmosphere of familiarity lived in the minor Seminary is the youthful joy that should distinguish the minor Seminaries of the Institute.
Keep far from us minor seminarians who are “cold youth, ‘educated’, ‘disciplined’ [exteriorly], without life, without passions, without love, incapable of giving their life for something, of being creative”[66]. That is why our proper law repeats insistently that the “minor Seminary should unfold in an affectionate and joyful family climate: the seminarian should learn to love his companions as true brothers and his Superiors as true fathers.”[67]
This family climate, properly understood, does not dispense from a life of discipline, but on the contrary, this is like the train tracks on which the life of the Seminary runs. Don Bosco affirmed and the Directory of Minor Seminaries repeats that, “in the home discipline is everything,”[68] “it educates the will, strengthens it and at the same time renders it docile and disposed to the good.”[69] “Discipline is the foundation of morality and study.”[70] But it must be remembered that discipline should not be an end in itself, but only a means to achieve the necessary measure of order. [71]
Keep in mind that what we desire in the minor Seminary is “formation in virtue because this is the best way to protect and discern the seeds of the vocation.”[72] This formation in our seminaries is an integral formation, which includes spiritual and liturgical formation, the formation of the intelligence and the will, an aesthetic and artistic formation. Our proper law abounds in descriptions of the various means at the educator’s disposal for achieving this formation, some of which we have already mentioned such as daily Mass, eucharistic adoration, outings, humanistic formation, etc. But it also mentions some ‘minor’ means, to put it one way, that also contribute to giving this formation and that give the education offered in our minor Seminaries a particular imprint: the ‘Good nights’, the monthly retreats or annual spiritual exercises (depending on the age),[73] tender and constant devotion to the Virgin Mary, the conviviums, the monthly presentations, the disputatio, the plays, learning to play musical instruments, sports, etc. All of these activities not only enrich the life of the seminarian humanly, but they also help to forge the princely spirit that should shine in all of them.
It is true that each of our minor Seminaries has its particularities, and consequently its challenges, nevertheless, it is to be hoped that all possible means will be used to offer the vocations that God sends us the best, the most careful, the most solid and Christian formation possible.
*****
Together with these lines goes our deeply felt affection and thanks to all of the priests and formators of the minor seminaries of the Institute for their praiseworthy effort and dedication in cultivating “the vocation of the littlest ones.”[74] Since we know well that the words of Saint John of Avila cited in the Constitutions speaking of spiritual fatherhood fit them very well: “Will he not consider remaining silent when necessary, so as to help his children even when they complain about every small thing? Will he not be careful to avoid arousing envy by loving one more than another, or of seeming to love one more than the other? He takes care to feed his children even when it means he must take the morsel from his mouth, or has to leave the presence of angelic choirs to lower himself and give his child food. He must always be temperate to avoid making the child feel he loves him less. And even though sometimes the father’s heart might be tormented with a thousand concerns, so that he needs, for his own tranquility, to give free rein to his sadness, and empty himself with tears, when his child comes, he still must play and laugh with him, as if the child was his sole focus. For, who can count all together the temptations, dryness, dangers, deceits, scruples, and other thousands of fantasies that come from everywhere? How the father needs to be vigilant so that his son will not follow them! How much wisdom he needs to bring the child back once he has fallen for these! Patience, so he does not get tired of hearing the same questions over and over again which he has heard and responded to a thousand times, and so that he can explain again what he has already said before! What constant and courageous praying he must do to God, begging that his child not die!”[75].
Therefore, during this month, in which we commemorate the 35th anniversary of the beginning of the experience of the minor Seminary in the Institute, we give thanks to God and the most Blessed Virgin Mary for all of the vocations with which they have blessed us over the course of all these years, for those that began it and those who followed them. We raise our prayers for the perseverance of all of these vocations and so that, if it pleases Our Lord, we may multiply many other minor seminaries where the seeds of priestly vocations can take root, for the glory of God and the service of the Church.
To the Blessed Virgin Mary, by whose tender hands all graces reach us, we give our most humble thanks.
[1] Cf. Directory of Vocations, 1.
[2] Minor Seminary “Saint John XXIII” (Italy), Minor Seminary “Saint John the Apostle” (Argentina), Minor Seminary “San Francisco Marto” (Ecuador), Minor Seminary “Saint José Sánchez del Río” (USA), Minor Seminary “San Luis Gonzaga” (Lithuania), Minor Seminary “Saint Tarcisius” (Brazil), Minor Seminary “Blessed Vasyl Velychkovskyy” (Ukraine), Minor Seminary “San Charbel Makhluf” (Egypt), Minor Seminary “Saint Andrés Tiang Quing” (Peru).
[3] Directory of Vocations, 1.
[4] Saint John Paul II, Message to the Latin American Vocations Congress (2/2/1994), cited en Directory of Vocations, 79.
[5] Saint John Paul II, Homily of the Good Shepherd in St. Peter’s Basilica (10/5/1981).
[6] Saint John Paul II, Dialogue of the Pope with the Bishops in Lima (15/5/1988).
[7] Ibidem.
[8] Ibidem.
[9] Saint John Paul II, Speech to the Bishops of Gabon on his ad limina apostolorum visiti (15/2/1993).
[10] Directory of Vocations, 79.
[11] Saint John Paul II, Sunday Meditation for the Regina Coeli (16/4/1989), 3; OR (23/4/1989), 1.
[12] Testimony of Fr. Ricardo Clarey, IVE.
[13] Ibidem.
[14] Testimony of Fr. Ricardo Clarey, IVE.
[15] Testimony of Fr. Ricardo Clarey, IVE.
[16] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 14.
[17] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 18.
[18] Conferencia Episcopal Argentina, La formación para el sacerdocio ministerial, 60. Cit. en Directory of Minor Seminaries, 27.
[19] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 142. F
[20] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 6.
[21] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 46; op. cit. Conferencia Episcopal Argentina, La formación para el sacerdocio ministerial, 51; cf. CIC, can. 806 § 2. [Free translation]
[22] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 47.
[23] Argentinian Episcopal conference, Formation for the Ministerial priesthood, 51. [Free translation]
[24] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 48.
[25] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 104.
[26] Ibidem.
[27] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 108; op. cit. Conferencia Episcopal Argentina, La formación para el sacerdocio ministerial, 61. [Free translation]
[28] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 10.
[29] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 94.
[30] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 92; op. cit. Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. II, 225-232. [Free translation]
[31] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 66.
[32] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 9.
[33] Renovationis Causam, 4.
[34] Constitutions, 232.
[35] Ratio Fundamentalis, 13.
[36] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 132.
[37] Tomados del Directory of Minor Seminaries, 11.
[38] Jn 10: 11.
[39] Pastores Dabo Vobis, 63.
[40] Ratio Fundamentalis, 7.
[41] Dilecti Amici, 8.
[42] Juan Bautista Lemoyne, Memorias biográficas, XIV, 133 (las citas de las MB están tomadas del libro de Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, Buenos Aires 1954; y las páginas corresponden a la edición italiana de las MB). [Free translation]
[43] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 2.
[44] Cf. Contra retrahentes, 1: «ab antiquis temporibus impedire non cesat».
[45] Contra retrahentes, 1. «If there have always been enemies of the consecrated life, even more in these times of raw atheism, of militant atheism, since vocations are one of the marvels of God»; IVE, Directory de Vocations, n. 20.
[46] Saint John Paul II, along with other saints, says that in many children the desire for the consecrated vocation is first felt when they receive their First Communion.
[47] Quodl., IV, 12, 1, ad. 13. [Free translation]
[48] En Quodl., IV, 12, 1, ad. 13. [Free translation]
[49] Comm. in Matth., tom. 15, nn. 7-8 (PG 13, 1273-76). [Free translation]
[50] Constitutions, 29.
[51] Cf. 2 Co 5: 14.
[52] Saint John Paul II, Message to priests and religious at the Cathedral of Siena (14/04/1980).
[53] Cf. Saint John Paul II, Message for the XXIX World day of prayer for vocations, 4.
[54] Cf. Directory of Spirituality, 290.
[55] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 10.
[56] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 11.
[57] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 144; 146.
[58] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 148.
[59] Saint John Bosco, Reglamento para las Casas, 88; en Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. I, 125. [Free translation]
[60] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 148.
[61] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 149.
[62] Ibidem.
[63] Juan Bautista Lemoyne, Memorias biográficas, X, 1043; cf. Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. I, 176. [Free translation]
[64] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 154.
[65] Juan Bautista Lemoyne, Memorias biográficas, X, 1037; cf. Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. I, 412. Cit. en Directory of Minor Seminaries, 158.
[66] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 65.
[67] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 5.
[68] Juan Bautista Lemoyne, Memorias biográficas, VIII, 77. [Free translation]
[69] Cf. Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. I, 222, nota 376. [Free translation]
[70] Juan Bautista Lemoyne, Memorias biográficas, X, 1101. [Free translation]
[71] Cf. Pedro Ricaldone, Don Bosco educador, t. I, 225. [Free translation]
[72] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 38.
[73] Cf. Directory of Minor Seminaries, 36.
[74] Directory of Minor Seminaries, 4.
[75] Cf. San Juan de Ávila, “Carta a Fray Luis de Granada”, en Obras completas, BAC, Madrid 1970, t. V, 20-21.
