Lettres de Marcellin

THROUGH THE LETTERS :

A MAN …

LETTER FROM MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT

• to Br. Cassien;

• Sorbiers, Loire; 1834;

• PS 042 Copy: AFM 132.1, pp. 30-31,

GEOGRAPHY

Sorbiers (1900)

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY• SORBIERS: A rural town with a

population of 1780 (around 1885), in the department of the Loire, the arrondissement of St-Etienne and the district of St-Héand, is situated “on the summit of a little hill, surrounded by a fertile and pleasant countryside” (T. Ogier, La France par cantons, cited in AFA, 213.75, p.

• 2). The town center is 8 km west of St-Chamond, separated from La Talaudière by the river Onzon. “Winding silk keeps the girls and women busy. The men work at mining, which with nail-making and farming, constitutes the employment of the inhabitants who are very hard-working and religious”

DATE OF THE LETTER

• 01/02/1817 Foundation of the Institute (Granjon, 23 years old; Audras, 14 years old)

• 1822 The resource to Mary in face of the shortage of vocations

• 1823 The “Souvenez-vous” in the snow. (House Donnet)

• 1824 Builds Our Lady of Hermitage • 1828 Problem of the habit, stockings and

method of reading28/02/1834 :Approval of the Statuts by the

Educational Board

1834

POLITICAL EVENTS • Law Guizot 1832

• Brevet requirement for all the teachersFrom the name of the Minister of Education, the law of Guizot 1833 lays the foundation for primary education broader and more accessible, especially through the requirement that municipalities to open a school and departments to maintain a Normal school. It also sets lasting content to primary education

• Who is Brother Cassien ? Birth:1788,SORBIERS

• First profession :1832

• Death:1858

• Chomat Louis, who became Brother Cassien, born (2/9/1788,) at Sorbiers. He does not know his mother and loses his father at ten years. It is the time of Terror and the priest of Sorbiers was sworn to the Constitution of civil clergy. The guardian of the young Louis is a christian devout who hides a refractory priest in his house. The child is catechised by this priest who taught him at the same time how to read and write. He also prepare him for his first Communion

• Louis became a bad boy for a while, but thanks to some advice of a virtuous aunt who advised him to devote himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary .She puts him into contact a wise confessor, Mr. Dervieux, priest of St-Pierre de St-Chamond. A jesuit, Fr Marion, receives him in the Brotherhood of the Scapular. Louis is under the protection of Our Lady.

• »

For eight years, from 1812- 1820, Louis Chomat is accompanied by Mr. Dervieux. It was on his advice that he opens Sorbiers school, in 1815. He had thought of joining the Brothers of the Christian Schools, but he missed the occasion for health reasons.

• After two years of frequent relations with Mr. Rouchon, parish priest of Valbenoîte, St-Etienne, who wants to found a congregation of Brothers. Louis Chomat is preparing to move to join him. The inhabitants of Sorbiers require him not to do it .

Unable to steer his large single class, he accepted the offer of Césaire Fayol to share his task. (BQF, p.154) For almost twenty years, they are common fellows and live together.

•

During this time , Father Champagnat laid the foundations of his congregation. Louis made a visit to Lavalla… Often, since they came to see the venerable Father for confession…, (BQF, p.155

•Louis wrote, from time to time to Father Champagnat, for having opinion and advice. Marcellin , directs him for over ten years,..Louis became a brother . Father Champagnat tells him: "Since Providence calls you in the congregation, we will continue your work."

About Brother Denis .Marcellin Changed him from Sorbiers on the advice of Cassien

• Birth in 1812 • Arrival in NDH:26/8/1832• Religious habit :7/10/1832• Temporary profession :8/12/1832• Private perpetual vows:15/8/1834• 1834 he go to the school in Sorbiers with B.Cassien who

is very quickly dissatisfied of him(subjectives and objectives reasons )

• Champagnat removed him from there.• Ater many places and the success for an exam

(certificate of competence ,we find him again in Sorbiers in november 1843,but he stayed there only briefly

• He left the institute in the end of 1843• He became guardian of a shrine in the department of the

Var where he died not long after.

Situations revealed by the letter

• Vocational crisis of B.Cassien

• Pain of Marcellin • Cassien is dissatisfied with

the conduct of young brothers (relational conflict )

• Cassien requires a time of discernment

Attitudes of Champagnat :comprehension and dialogue

• Who come along to disturb the peace ?

• Did I not go along with you ?( past of Cassien and his idea of the religious life)

Attitude of a shepherd

• M..search the true happines for his brother • He shows him Mary as the model of holiness : • « Look at her who can be the model of the

perfect and imperfect !» • He shows Mary as the mother who loves us

because we are sinners • : « it’s especially for the sake that MARY was

raised to the sublime dignity of Mother of God »

Compassion

• He has for Cassien a heart of a father ,an in the same time a heart of friend

My dear brother !

I do’nt believe dear friend I have failed…

…have made other arrangements ..

..dear Cassien !… »

Spiritual guide

• the attitudes of a good spiritual guide :• Listening .• Questions .• Presentation of the word of Lord .(Ex 16)• Takes time:  »do not rush into anything! »• Sends his brother towards other guides to

make a free choice : »if you have no use for my advice goto see….

• Accepts the mediation. ( superior of the society returned from Rome )..or another

Mentality of Marcellin on some matters

– Dialogue is important : « I simply cannot undestand it »

– Positive attitude for all: « perfect and imperfects . »

– Realism:limitations in community: « Denis’s negative attitude »

• Mary is the model: « Look at her! «

– Return in the past is a bad way : « Why dear brother ,must you return into Egypt »

Biblical allusions The Lord is my shepherd !(Ps 23)

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.(John 10-14)

Here in the desert the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "Would that we had died at the LORD'S hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!« (Ex 16)

Oh,that today you would hear his voice :Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert (Ps 95)

Influence in our present documents

• Community Life and Asceticism

• constitutions • 59. As Marist Brothers, we practise tolerance, courtesy,

mutual support, and the other "little virtues" (1) recommended by the Founder to maintain union in the community.

• In living out the demands of the vows and of our daily duties, in serving the Brothers, and in enduring the painful aspects of life together, - inevitably present because of our limitations, - each of us will find many opportunities to renounce himself and carry his cross in the footsteps of Jesus.

Constitutions 53

• The Members of the Community

• 53. Following the example and teaching of Father Champagnat, the community sees the young Brother as a gift from God and a sign of Mary's care for us (1). He brings to us ….

A Grace which is constantly offered us

• C 63. Community is a grace of the Holy Spirit (1). Brought together without having chosen our companions, we welcome one another as gifts of the Lord……

• …. Therefore, we pray that, despite the difficulties encountered, we may remain united in the name of the Lord Jesus (3).

A place to grow

• C51. We accept one another, different in many ways, yet complementary. ……

• , we accept with simplicity a Brother's admonition (2). We know how to ask pardon and to give it, trying to free our hearts from any resentment (3).

Constitutions 6

• Family Spirit

• 6. In calling ourselves BROTHERS, we proclaim that we belong to a family united in Christ's love (1).

• The home at Nazareth is the model for our family spirit, ….

Devotion to Mary

• Devotion to Mary

• C 74. Our devotion to Mary, like that of the Church (1), is expressed in love, confidence, and admiration, and by trying to make our own Mary's attitude towards God and people (2).

• Like Father Champagnat, we go to Mary as a child to its mother (3).

Discernment

• C 13 Full of wonder and gratitude, we accept in all freedom and faith the call of the Lord: "Come, follow me."(2) We allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in the footsteps of Christ, chaste, poor, and obedient. As our superiors walk with us and discern with us, our response of love becomes more and more all-embracing.

• The Obedience of the Community

• 43…search to know God's will. It is not always easy to be sure of what He asks of us,…..

• This discernment in the Holy Spirit calls for a spirit of faith, attentiveness to the word of God, fidelity to the charism of the Institute, an accurate reading of the signs of the times (2),

Discernment

C115… The difficulties and temptations that arise in the course of life are not in

themselves a reason to doubt our vocation. The Brother who faces up to them with faith

and generosity, and who makes use of suitable means to overcome them, can find in them a way of strengthening his vocation and

of renewing his fidelity…..

Water on the rock chapter 2Accompaniment

85. Many of us choose to share our journey of faith with a spiritual companion. This practice is helpful in that it assists us to better discern the presence of the Lord in our day to day life.

51. Mary is surprised by the forceful entry of God into her life. She is afraid. Then she comes to be at peace because of her intuition of the presence and love of God for her.

Mary! • 25. The relationship of Marcellin to

Mary was deeply marked by an affective and total trust in her, as the “Good Mother,’’* because it was her work that he undertook. He wrote once: Without Mary we are nothing and with Mary we have everything, because Mary always has her adorable Son within her arms or in her heart.

• ALL THE CHAPTER TWO IS A WAY OF FAITH THAT WE MAKE IN COMPANY OF MARY

PHRASES FOR ME …• I will not hide from you the pain your

attitude causes me !

• What have you got to be upset about ?

(tenderness and strength,exigence !!!)

Look at her !!!

( the only way for us little brother of Mary )

Personnal reflections !•  The first impression is that for the first

time I entered a story between a deeply religious man, Cassian and Marcellin who has accompanied him many years and who is surprised and saddened by the disarray . I sometimes had the impression of entering in a secret. A human and spiritual relation !!!

• In the same time I discovered a reflect of the heart of Champagnat .Through the letter ,a man ,a spiritual guide,a father ,a brother.

• The second reflection is about the method of discernment .I don’t know if Champagnat has received a jesuit formation ,but his accompanment is truly perfect . This letter is a masterpiece of discernement.It’s a call for the formation of those who have the responsability of our young brothers .I pray Marcellin to give me the same attitude of respect and of love.

• It also gives me the real discovery of Marcellin's attitude toward his brothers. A warm accompanment with common sense, realism, but always for the greater good for everyone.The title of « the good Father » is tangible here.

• But the most important for me is this place of Mary in his life and in the spiritual direction of his brothers .She is not a simple devotion for him .He chose her as a model for all he does .A sister in faith ,a mother in confidence ,a companion for every day life .The recourse to Mary is not for me a devotion but a way of life : Look at her !!!