Preventive Method

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To all the members of the Vocationist Family

Beloved,

May the Holy Spirit unite us always more with the Son to the Father.

In this year dedicated to the Vocationary, we continue to explore more and better the significance and worth of the Vocationary, discovering the secret of its forming and transforming force. Not only is every founder an educator and formator, but for the same fact that he founds a religious family and promotes its proper spirituality, he becomes the founder of a new school of spirituality and, therefore, of formation.

            “To educate” comes from the Latin educere:  to draw out from, to lead towards, in a word, to bring up, to feed and to rear. Are these not the two age-old tendencies, often in conflict between each other, of an education now preoccupied, first of all, to feed the child with knowledge and to bring him up so as to develop all the possibilities?

To educate is the art of qualifying a person to fulfill his mission, to carry out his proper tasks and to resolve possible problems in a determined way.

            For us, therefore, to educate or to teach does not signify to give or supply information or principles, but effectively to render the person capable of doing, acting, fulfilling and, therefore, education is equivalent to formation. What good would all the principles of this world be if we are unable to put them into practice? The young men entrusted to us are not vases to be filled but lamps to be switched on.

Every form or grade of education-formation in our method necessarily requires theory and practice.  In a letter to Fr. Joseph Di Fusco, Fr. Justin writes: The religious houses, I will repeat with the Superior of the Camaldoli, are governed on the knees. Less words and more facts. Less criticisms and more edification, less recreations and more reflections. Less of Di Fusco and more of Jesus Christ that is all!  You must do that which I did, as parish priest, as director of the Vocationary and of the school.  You can do it, and God wants it, and you yourself want it in God. I wish you success, because I have proof of your good will ( Opere, vol. 13, no. 467).

In another letter to the same Fr. Di Fusco, Fr. Justin did not hesitate to repeat and to insist that formation must first be seen in the life of the superiors and educators to be able to be understood in theory. In  the Ascension, in  the chapter on the  power of example, Fr. Justin, in a more practical manner, suggests : How stupid  it  is to imagine, as many pretend, that the pride  of the superior can generate humility in the subject: that the anger of the superior can inspire meekness in the subject: the weakness, laziness and sensuality of the superior,  can  give rise to laboriosity, austerity, purity in the subject  etc ( Ascension, no. 890).   It is only   in this way that the Vocationist parish and mission may truly become a school of saints and of sanctity! 

Of the Society of Divine Vocations, like every order and religious congregation, Fr. Justin writes: You are a supernatural lever with which the divine zeal has willed to lift up the world! You are a supernatural flame, with which the Holy Spirit wants to illuminate and inflame the world. I consecrate all myself as instrument of divine zeal for your divine formation and universal expansion, so that all the world may become one and great religious of God in the triumph of your prayer and action. (Devotional, p. 690, ).

Not having developed an educative method all his own, Fr. Justin has followed and enriched the method of St. John Bosco and S. Francis of Sales.   Like the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Preventive Method of St. John Bosco is like an outline that the saint had intended to develop, but which he could not later realize.  It was published for the first time in 1877 and in the same year it was inserted into the “Rule for the houses of the society of St. Francis of Sales”. For the benefit of all those who may be interested and to make it more easily visible how Fr. Justin followed and built on the Preventive Method, I transcribe here, in its entirety, the original text:

Preventive Method of St. John Bosco

“Many times you requested for me to express verbally or through writing some thoughts about the so-called preventive method that you want to use in our houses.  For lack of time I could not until now satisfy this desire. Currently wanting to publish the rule that up to now has always been used traditionally, I believe it is opportune to give here an outline of a little work that I am preparing, if God will give me life long enough to be able to finish it. It will be useful to the difficult art of youth education. Here, I will then say: What the preventive Method consists in, and why it may be preferred in itself: its practical application, and its advantages. 

In what consists the Preventive Method and why must it be preferred.  There are two methods used in the education of youth: Preventive and Repressive.

The Repressive method consists in making the subjects know the law, to thereafter be on the watch to discover the transgressors and inflict, where it may be the necessary, the proper punishment. In this system, the words and the appearance of the Superior must always be severe and rather threatening and he must avoid every familiarity with the subordinates.

The Director to increase the value of his authority must find himself rarely among his subjects, mostly to punish and to threaten. This system is easy, less tiring and  it is useful especially in the military and, in general, between adult and judicious persons who must be,  by themselves, in  a position to know and remember  what is according to the laws and to other regulations..

Diverse, and I would say, opposed to it is the Preventive Method. It consists in making known the regulations and rules of an Institute and then being vigilant, so that the students may always enjoy the watchful eye of the Director or of the assistants, who, as loving fathers, may speak, serve as guides at every event, give counsels and lovingly correct. That is to say:  to make it impossible for the students to make mistakes.

This system rests above all on reason, faith, and lovingness; for these reasons it excludes every violent punishment trying to prevent even light punishments. This method is preferable for the following reasons:

1) The student preventively informed does not remain humiliated for mistakes committed as they happen when they are reported to the Superior.  The student does not ever get angry for the correction made or for the threatened or inflicted punishment, because in it there is always a friendly and preventive notice to talk about and for the most part it succeeds in winning the heart over, so that the student knows the necessity of the  punishment and almost  desires it.

2) The most essential reason is youth instability, which, in a moment, may forget the disciplinary rules and the punishments which they entail.  Hence, often, a child renders himself guilty and deserving of a punishment, to which he has never paid attention. Usually one is totally oblivious at the moment of committing a fault, which he would have, certainly, avoided if a friendly voice had admonished him.

3) The Repressive Method can stop a disorder, but usually cannot convert the delinquents. Young people do not forget the punishments they received and, for the most part, they remain bitter and with the desire to grow independent and even to carry out vengeance. At times, it may seem that they do not mind, but those who care for these young people know how harmful the reminiscences of events of our young life are. While they easily forget the punishments of their parents, they will not easily forget those of their educators. There are some who, in old age, will avenge, in a bad way, certain punishments justly given at the time of their education. On the contrary, the preventive method makes the student a friend, who recognizes in the assistant a benefactor that informs him, wants to do him good, and liberates him from troubles, punishments and dishonor.

4) The Preventive Method informs the student in a way that the educator may still speak with the language of the heart both during and after the period of formation. The educator, having won over the heart of his protégé, can exercise a great influence over him, informing him, advising him and even correcting him later on in adult age or on their jobs in civilian offices and in business. For these and many other reasons, the preventive method must prevail over the repressive one.

The Application of the Preventive System

The  practice of this method is all built on the words of St. Paul who says: Charitas benigna est, patiens est; omnia suffert, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet - charity is kind and patient; suffers all, but hopes in all and sustains whatever inconvenience. For that reason only the Christian can, with success, apply the preventive system.  Faith and reason are the instruments which the educator must constantly make use of. To teach them, he himself must put them into practice if he wants to be obeyed and to obtain his aim. 

1. Therefore,  the  director  must be dedicated to his formants, never assuming  tasks    that  may keep him away from his duty, but one that may find him with his students all the time  so that  they  are not compulsorily bound  to some occupation, except when they may  be duly assisted  by others.
2. The teachers, the prefects, the assistants must be outstanding in their morality. They should endeavor to avoid every sort of particular affections and friendship with their formants, and they should be aware that the aberration of one person may compromise formation on an entire Institute. The formators should make sure that the formants are never alone. As much as it is possible, the assistants should precede them in the place where they will be gathered:  they should remain with them until someone else may take over the vigilance. Students should never be left unoccupied.
3. Formants should be given ample liberty to run, to make a din as much as one likes.  Gymnastics, music, recitation, theatre, walks, are very effective means to obtaining discipline, useful to morality and sanity. The superiors should make sure that entertainment, the people that participate, the discourses that take place, should not be blameworthy. Do all that you want, used to say the great friend of the youth, St. Philip Neri, to me it is enough that you do not commit sins.
4. Frequent confession, frequent communion and daily mass are the columns that must hold up an educational system that wants to avoid threats and whip. Students should never be forced to receive the holy Sacraments frequently, but they should be encouraged and given the opportunity to receive them. Concerning spiritual exercises, novenas, preaching, catechisms: the students should be helped to see and appreciate the beauty, the greatness and the holiness of our religion that makes available the holy sacraments; true, easy and useful means to civilian society, for the tranquility of the heart and for the salvation of the soul. In this way, the young ones remain spontaneously encouraged to these practices of piety, to receive the sacraments willingly with pleasure and to bear much fruit.
5. One should use maximum surveillance to prevent that in the Institute may be introduced companions, books or persons that use bad language. The choice of a good door keeper is a treasure for a house of education.
6. Every evening after community prayers, and before the  students go to  rest, the Director, or one delegated by him, may address some caring words in public giving some news, or advices about things to be done or avoided. These instructions, as far as it is possible, should stem from what happened in the day in the Institute or outside. These talks should not last more than two or three minutes. This is the key of morality, of good progress and success in education.
7. One should keep distant as plague, the opinion of some who wish to defer first communion to a much later age, when, for the most part, the demons would have taken possession of the heart of the youth doing incalculable damage to his innocence. According to the discipline of the primitive Church, children were given the consecrated hosts that remained of the paschal communion. This serves to make us know how much the Church loves that the children may be admitted very early to Holy Communion.  When a young man knows how to distinguish between one bread and the other, and is sufficiently prepared age becomes irrelevant,   the Heavenly Sovereign may come to reign in that blessed soul.
8. The catechisms recommend frequent communion. St. Philip Neri advocated it every eight days and even more often. The Council of Trent says clearly that it highly desires that every Christian faithful when he goes to Holy Mass he should also receive communion. This communion should not be only spiritual, but sacramental, so that one may obtain major fruit from this august and divine sacrifice. (Cf. Council of Trent, session XXII, chap. VI).

The Usefulness of the Preventive Method

 Some may say that this system is difficult to practice. I observe that for the students it is much easier, more satisfying, and more advantageous. For the educators, it contains some difficulties that are less burdensome, if the educator puts himself, with zeal, to his work. The educator is an individual  devoted to the good of his students, for that  reason,  he must be ready to face every trouble, every hardship  in order to achieve his goal,  which  is the civil, moral,  scientific education of his students.

Besides the advantages exposed above, one can still add here that:

1. The  student will always be full of respect  for the educator and will remember at all times, with pleasure, the guidelines he was given, considering even now as his fathers and brothers his teachers and other superiors. Wherever these students go, for the most part, they are the consolation of the family, useful citizens and good Christians.
2. Regardless of the character, nature and the moral state of a student at the time of his acceptance, the relatives can be certain, that their son cannot be worse, and that he will obtain always some betterment. Certain young men who, for most of the time, were the scourge of relatives, even refused by reformatory houses, cultivated according to these principles, changed their nature and character, became accomplished in life, and currently occupy honored offices in the society and became, in some way, the support of their family, and the pride of the countries in which they live.
3. The students, who for adventure entered an Institute with bad habits, cannot spoil their colleagues. The good young men may not receive any harm from these people, because there is no time, place, opportunity, since, the assistant, whom we suppose always present, would immediately remedy it.

A Word on Punishments

What are the rules to follow in inflicting punishments? Where it is possible, don’t ever make use of punishments; whenever necessity requires for some repression, one should endeavor to keep to the following:

1. The educator among the students should endeavor to make himself loved, if he wants to be feared. In this case, the withdrawal of benevolence is a punishment, but a punishment that arouses emulation, gives courage and never humiliates.

2. For the youth it is punishment what one dishes out as punishment. One has observed that an unfriendly look on some produces greater effect than a slap in the face. Praise when a thing is well done and blame, when there is negligence, is already a prize or a punishment.

3. Except in very rare cases, corrections and punishments are never given in public, but privately, away from colleagues, and with maximum prudence and patience so that the student may understand his fault with reason and with faith.

4. Beating in whatever way, forcing someone to kneeling down in a painful position, pulling one’s ears and other similar punishments must be absolutely avoided, because they are prohibited by civil laws. They greatly irritate the youth and humiliate the educator.

5. The director should make sure that everyone knows well the rules and the prizes and the punishments established by the law of discipline, so that the student may not excuse himself, saying:  He did not know what was commanded or prohibited.

If this Method is practiced in our houses, I believe that we can obtain great advantages coming neither to the whip, nor to other violent punishments. For about forty years I have been handling the youth.  I don’t remember having used punishments of any sort and, with the help of God, I have always obtained not only what was expected, but also  what was  simply desired, and  this,  from the very young men,  who had given no hope of any improvement” (Fr. John Bosco).

 Our starting point and our goal

            There is no educative power more efficacious than God. In repeating the saying of John Bosco “Either faith, or Stick”, I think to hear “either prevention, or repression”. The preventive method is founded on God and on faith. The repressive method is based on force, threat and punishments. While one lifts one up, the other discourages; while one ennobles, the other degrades.

St. John Bosco wanted to form honest citizens, good Christians and fortunate inhabitants of heaven. Fr. Justin wants to form priests and apostles, heroes and saints, cooperators of the Holy Spirit in the making of saints.

The starting point and point of arrival of our spirituality and of our formation are the creating words of God: “Let us make man in our own image and likeness” Man, masterpiece of creation, has an immense, intrinsic worth of dignity, esteem and amiability in the very fact of being imagine and likeness of God. In man, in a small way, we see and enjoy all the divine qualities and attributes.

An important point of Justinian anthropology is the belief that man is a gift of God to God. “but willing to go farther, with every reverence and adoration, we think that the Father, Son and  Holy Spirit for  that infinite love that a person has for the other, or better, for that infinite love that one person is for the other, (as if it were not enough to give all of oneself to the other), they wanted to make  one another a gift that was worthy of themselves  and expressed all that which the giver and the receiver esteem, love and hold most dear. Outside of God nothing can be better that the image of God; every divine person, besides the other two divine persons, cannot esteem and love anything other than their image…. One divine person makes man (his own image and likeness) in order to make of him a gift to the other divine person; and the soul was created” (Opere, vol.9, no.69).

Our growth, all the work of our human, ascetic, academic, vocational, intellective and volitional formation, consists in becoming an always more and always better image and likeness of God.

When can it be said that something has actually contributed to my formation? When what has been learned theoretically or as model becomes assimilated, becomes mine and I transform it into my action. In fact, the science of education insists on the educative-formative dynamics of the   ideal-I that confronts the real-I and   the clash that takes place between the two becomes optimal frustration that forms my ‘ I’, my being.

This continuous becoming always a more perfect, complete and adequate image and likeness of God Trinity opens to our formation a vision that extends to the infinite.  The more man comes closer to the divine exemplar, the more he actualizes and realizes himself, developing all his potential.

This vision of man brings us to see in every human being the possible saint and not to ever despair of the salvation and sanctification even of the most hardened sinner. The healthy and enlightened optimism, that the Vocationist must consciously and willingly exercise, finds its reason of being in this vision of man.

Our Lord gave us his living and true image and likeness, in which he wants to receive our esteem, honor and servitude: and it is our dear neighbor ( Opere,  vol.  1.  541).

 Esteem

From a simple paraphrase on the short chapter on the Canticle of Adoration emerges clearly this teaching of Fr. Justin:  God has placed two tendencies in human beings, esteem of self and the desire of the others’ esteem. These two legitimate tendencies are founded on the sentiment of native superiority of man and on the search for his pre-eminence over all the other inferior beings. They are destined to conserve and to elevate personal dignity, to establish and to perfect the human sociability.

An element of primary importance in our educative ad formative method is esteem. To esteem means to appreciate, to value an individual. When one does not know the worth of a thing this can easily be destroyed, ruined or alienated. When one knows the worth of an object (and to a greater reason of a person) this is treated, guarded with major attention, prudence and care. Fr. Justin, in his relationship with the Lord that later extends to his  fellow human being, says that he wants to spend all his life studying his beloved, because the more he knows  him and the more he loves him , the more he loves and the more he serves him (Works, vol.9, no. 9).

Every superior must nourish, for the confrere entrusted to him, a very special esteem, affection and care. He must inspire in all his dependents esteem, reverence, love and desire for their major superiors. The characteristic of our interpersonal relationship and our charity must be the external honor, sign of the internal esteem with which we surround the poor and the neighbor who needs help.(Cf. Opere, vol. 1, 829, 838 and 865).  The relationship of esteem and  mutual  charity that is indispensable between the superior and the student, must be strengthened, not  reduced even while imposing some sanctions, if  one  wants the true  common and private good.

The expectations of the master, when they are expressions of internal esteem, generate confidence and enthusiasm in the disciple and, therefore, they qualify him to correspond to his desires. Each of us has the duty to surround, internally, every soul, with high supernatural esteem and to believe that it is always capable of the greatest things for the Lord (Cf. Works, vol. 1, 894).

            In our language, we find often the expression “esteem and affection” because only esteem makes love possible and this cannot exist without esteem. One cannot love what one cannot appreciate. Fr. Justin teaches that man needs more esteem than love (Works, vol, Vol. 1, 542, 548 and vol. 8, p. 161) and then adds that esteem is the first level, the basis on which love is founded.

\Esteem generates confidence and strength in the person that feels esteemed; this explains why Fr. Justin makes it obligatory for us to surround the new arrivals, the tempted, the sick with esteem and affection. Esteem brings us to open the mind and heart to others, to their initiative and to all that which is beautiful and good.

The more we esteem a person, the more we receive  him with joy, with  promptness and the more  we enjoy  his presence and company; we don’t make  him  wait and we do all our best  to be at his service. Untidiness and negligence in our duties toward our neighbor are indications of our little esteem for him.

Let us read again, meditate and live out always the canticle of esteem:  As long as a soul does not sink in the depth of hell, it is always the object of esteem and love of God and, therefore,  it must  be worthy of it since  God  couldn’t  esteem and love an object unworthy of himself. Therefore, no error, no sin of the neighbor can and must stop, internally or externally, my esteeming and loving him in the Lord.

As all the abysmal profundity of the sea and all the sublimity of the highest peaks of all mountains cannot take away the sphericity of the earth, because its greatness is such that it surpasses them, so all the sins and errors of our neighbor cannot take away from us the esteem ability and amiability of his worth, in the supernatural world, because it is much greater than his wrong (Works, vol. 1, 542 and 543). 

Sweetness

Under the term “sweetness”, we intend to include such virtues as gentleness, meekness, moderation, prudence, amiability and good manners. Sweetness becomes part of the Preventive Method in inasmuch as, with its tone and way, it makes more easily acceptable, warnings, teachings or even corrections and disposes the recipient towards acceptance. In a letter to Fr. Saggiomo, Fr. Justin says: Sweetness is the nourishment of every virtue for us and for others. Sweetness feeds the other virtues making them practical, more easily acceptable and more pleasing,

Fr. Justin knew well the principles of St. Francis of Sales “one can catch more flies with a drop of honey than with a barrel of vinegar”. In the Ascension he dedicates an entire chapter to this virtue.

In the letter addressed to Fr. Joseph Di Fusco, but directed to all the first Vocationist students, Fr. Justin synthesizes the principal elements of our method, esteem, sweetness and optimism. I write you in the first vespers of St. Francis of Sales. Let convince ourselves of the necessity of softening always more our temperament, our moods, our words, and all our acts. We must pay great attention to the internal acts. If our internal world is too dark, it is so on account of the many shadows that we ourselves accumulate concerning our neighbor. These shadows hide from us the knowledge of ourselves and deprive us of enjoying the face and the smile of our Lord. Every non-benevolent thought every unfavorable appreciation, every less than friendly sentiment about the neighbor must be readily controlled, repressed, eliminated from our so–often-wounded poor heart. We will be images of the goodness of God, when we will be all sweetness for our neighbor; and then also we will enjoy the sweetness of the Lord. All compassion and sympathy, all esteem and admiration, all feast and love for our dear and poor neighbor (through Jesus in him!) (Works, vol. 13, 407).

Sweetness is indispensable. True sweetness is that which results from observance and brings to religious observance. True sweetness is that which surrounds, internally, every soul with high supernatural esteem, always believes it is capable of great things. This makes for encouragement, exhortation and enthusiasm. Sweetness is fervor of fire and blood that wants an ardor of fire and of  holy works and inspires sacred enthusiasm for the most perfect heroism and martyrdom. (Works, vol. 1., Ascension, p. 332- 333 passim)

In a letter of 1932 to Fr. Guerriero, Fr. Justin wrote: Urge Ciro to obedience to the undersigned, sweetness with the boys, and religious life.  

To Fr. Murdocca, he wrote: I thank you very much and always for the company that you offered to me with much fidelity and sweetness. I wish that you could continue it, until Paradise, and there is the way to do it spiritually.

            To Fr. Pacifico on 17\10\1932, he wrote: Br. Cota will give you a little of energy and you will give him a little calm, serenity, sweetness. Make the seminarians hunger and thirst for the Eucharist but without taking the place of the spiritual directors that you are not yet. Do your things with serenity and sweetness, so that you may prevent any other interruption that may lead to losing the scholastic year.

To Fr. Salvatore Polverino on June 3, 1930, he wrote: Remember that, just as for the students, so also for the novices, the summer months are of great physical weakness, consequently they need more sweetness.

One cannot confuse weakness with sweetness. True sweetness is always connected with firmness: Firmness and sweetness, sweetness and firmness. Fortiter et suaviter disponens omnia  (to Saggiomo, 18-8- 31). Still: The Imitation of Christ says that we must use sweetness with the tempted (19-12-1932).

Sweetness makes possible and facilitates interpersonal relations: Concerning Fr. Sepe,  for my part,  I would wish  that you two fraternalize as  much as it is needed to always remain content  with each other; and I think with a little spirit of Christian sweetness,  this aim will be actualized (Letter to Fr. Vivenzio, 24-5- 35).

Hence, maximum vigilance, maximum observance, maximum sweetness, maximum firmness. This is what is needed.(28- 3- 32 to Fr. Nicola and  Fr. Ciro).

 Fr Justin, as true teacher and master in the art of educating, gives some suggestions on how to give a fruitful and acceptable correction. “The correction must not be made while the soul is disturbed, by anger, jealousy, pride or other passion: I refer to both the soul of the superior and of the student.

The correction should be done always alone, in private, in particular. Before applying whatever sanction of punishment, there is need to charitably help the subject come to the conviction of his proper fault be it material or formal. This, most times, will be useful to demonstrate the benevolence of the superior for the formant. (Works, vol. 1, nos. 870-871).

Vigilance

Vigilance is one of the evangelical counsels and serves specifically to prevent possible problems or painful incidents. “Pay great attention to vigilance day and night, at studies, during recreation, everywhere; The formants should always be under the eyes of the superiors” ( to Fr. Guerriero).

This continuous vigilance does not imply spying in order to uncover the errors of the subject, but to stay near him with the heart of a father, brother and friend to support him in difficult moments and to prevent possible falls, or raise him after every fall.

The director and the prefect must be extremely vigilant; they should have a room only  for  rest at night; but in general their room is all the house; they must be present to all  and for all, to honor and to remind (them), in a certain way, of divine omnipresence in his immensity. Each one must feel their presence, as image of the divine presence, as a sign of divine presence (Works, vol. 1, 867).

The philosopher Seneca, to the disciple that asked him what to do in order not to commit things that he would regret or be ashamed of, replied: Imagine to be always in the presence of an important person and you will never sin!

In order that the vigilance may be beneficial to the maximum, it is necessary that it be benevolent, encouraging and supportive. The aim of vigilance is not that of apprehending the culprit in error, but to accompany, to support, to enlighten and to inspire the disciple to prevent any fall. The vigilance or friendly presence, demands the accessibility and availability of the superior or educator for his disciple.

The lack of vigilance on the part of those who have the duty to do so, (parents, superiors, teachers, supervisors etc) can constitute grave and punishable negligence both legally and morally.

To Fr. Fraraccio, Fr. Justin recommends “The penitence of assiduous vigilance”. To Fr. Basil Polverino on 22\6\1931, Fr. Justin wrote:  To the Father Prefect is entrusted the observance of the timetable and of the common exercises; the principal daily and night vigilance even over the minor offices - the control of epistolary correspondence, the religion classes in the house and the   schools of catechetics outside. .

Vigilance must be observed in the house and outside the house. This care of protecting the young ones makes it necessary not to permit anyone to go out alone, without a companion!

I strongly recommend you not to allow the students to go out, unless they are accompanied by a priest; I recommend that the priest who accompanies them should keep them all well united and under his eyes. Some may be accompanied by you, some by Fontana, some by Torromacco, some by Fr. John; in short, they may go out accompanied, otherwise they may remain on the terrace, always together and all at the same place, under vigilance.  Do this but without alarm and, without upsetting yourself or others; I do not say this for having heard on any faults or abuse. I urge you to do so   with ordinary prudence (Saggiomo, 27-7-1932).

 To entrust to one the task of vigilance means to have esteem and love for that person: When Jesus and his representatives entrust souls to us, they always give us an indisputable proof of love. For a young religious, this proof of love is having a duty of vigilance and of little spiritual paternity over his brothers. This care of souls, even at its very beginning, is the best sign of promise of divine union, according to your present state. It seems that, with personal sacrifice, you have been good in exercising it (Letter to Fr. Galasso, 29-12- 1932). In the same letter, this vigilance becomes an affectionate vigilance. Extend this thought and this affectionate vigilance to all; starting to make yourself all for all and in all in order to gain all for Jesus Christ.

To the lack of vigilance of the superior, Fr. Justin attributes the bad or non-heroic comportment of some students: And to the house of Anagni? Go often, and help, as you can,    that poor ship to the best of your ability. Please, don’t ask, nor permit that the Gorgans come to Gorga, not even for an hour. I find them all spoiled. I am certain it has been your indulgence, lack of vigilance and your lack of discipline (Letter to  Fr. V. Mazzocchi, 9-4-1942).

Vigilance demands necessary corrections without hesitations and without deferring it to better times. A correction made at the moment when one comes to know of a fault is much more efficacious than one made months or years after the fact!  “It is very bad to leave  the defects  of the professed brothers unobserved, admonish them at once,  at once  compel them to a complete  tonsure,  at once  cut off every friendship, immediately redouble your  vigilance,  encourage them to write the book of the soul,  persuade them to write to me  every week.  Otherwise it will be our fault” (Letter to Fr. Ciro, 9-6-42).

Conclusion

In the Vocationary, one embraces a life of prayer, of studies and of work, even manual, that makes it more similar to a religious novitiate than to an ordinary college. In the Vocationary, one studies for the priesthood and gets himself started on the journey of sanctity.

Students must discover in God-Trinity the model of their life, must develop their own talents and  realize all their potentiality, with great opening of mind and of heart, with  broadmindedness and moved by  the most sublime desires,  must aspire always to the supreme good.

 Students should be always treated with maximum esteem, respect and affection, as expected of true images of God. It is worth the pain to remember that the journey is very long, but it is very beautiful and all beautiful! No one should venture alone on this ascensional journey; to want to do the climbing alone, renders it very difficult.

Divine providence places at our service, companions and guides on the journey, parents, teachers, spiritual fathers, supervisors and other guides to render the journey faster and more secure. Who wants actually to grow and advance should be obedient, docile and faithful to holy inspirations.

All of us, Vocationist religious, are called to take the place of Joseph and Mary in the formation of the little Jesus and in the formation of the soul-spouse of the Trinity. Therefore, to the formants, as to Jesus in person, one must give every attention and every tenderness of love. Wherever obedience calls us to serve, we  must create and  keep open these schools of holiness, that are our Vocationaries.

We must be educators and formators in every field of work; we cannot and must not forget that we must form all souls to sanctity and not only those called to the priesthood. Esteem, sweetness and vigilance must shine and be alive not only in the Vocationaries and houses of formation, but,   also and, above all, in the parishes and in the missions.

Even in the Parishes and in the missions, we must accept, with  joy and sweetness, with punctuality and decorum, to accompany, with commitment, those who approach  us and to instruct  them  to sanctity, with the example of our  life and  with the ministry of the Word,  all the people of God.

In some parishes, I have seen some of our confreres who, with strong and arrogant manners, want to impose discipline that they do not practice, to demand that obedience that only they could practice, and so distance from God and from the Church those souls that they should   have brought to God. St. John Bosco reminds us that “the repressive method can stop a disorder, but it has never made anyone better” and, as priests, either we save ourselves with an immense multitude of souls, or we will bring many of them to hell with us. Quod Deus avertat!

Students of our Vocationaries, the young students in our houses of formation and the faithful in  the parishes and in the missions, are our true superiors, and we have the  grave  obligation  and supreme pleasure to form them to sanctity.

God continues to put into our hands rough  masses of stones  or stocky  pieces  of wood, so that liberating them from much scum and useless masses, we draw out  the masterpiece of the image enclosed in each of them.

The preventive method is useful and practical to introduce even in the family, schools and in every organization that works for didactic, religious, social and human promotion. As in the Vocationaries, so also in the parishes and in the missions, there is need for coherence between our teachings and our conduct. Besides practicing discipline, prayer and work, we must construct bridges, raise the fallen and sustain the weak. As in the Vocationaries, so also in the parishes and in the missions, we must have a personal room only for the night rest and must abandon ourselves to feed those who hunger and thirst for sanctity.

Can we have a tranquil sleep when our Vocationaries and student-houses are closing and our churches are emptying themselves out? The Lord himself has asked and still asks: Whom shall we send? Who will go for us? We respond together: Here I am, Lord, send me.

Immersed always more in our mystery of the most holy Trinity let us live our circuminsession ad extra with God and with our neighbors.  May our relationship with God enable us to a perfect interpersonal relationship with our neighbor.

May we be saints indeed for all the rest is zero.

         Your servant in the Lord                   

Fr. Louis Mary Caputo, SDV            
of the Most Holy Trinity.                                                                                   

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 Last Updated: June 15, 2009