Saturday 21 April 2012
THE PROVINCIAL OF AFRICA
LES ASSOMPTIONNISTES
Les Augustins de l'Assomption (a.a.) constituent une congrégation de religieux catholiques (prêtres et frères) fondée à Nîmes par le père Emmanuel d'Alzon en 1845, approuvée par Rome en 1857 (décret de louange), en 1864 (décret d'approbation) et 1923 (décret d'approbation définitive des Constitutions).
La règle de la congrégation est inspirée de celle de saint Augustin d'Hippone.
Le fondateur
La congrégation
a été fondée par le P. Emmanuel
d'Alzon (1810-1880),
vicaire général de Nîmes dans la nuit de Noël 1845 à Nîmes. Ce prêtre, né à Le Vigan le 30 août 1810, a été formé au séminaire de
Montpellier (1832-1833), puis a complété sa formation en autodidacte à Rome.
Lié à Lamennais, il se démarqua de son ancien maître, mais en retint
quelques leçons de vie. Apôtre généreux et fécond, il lança de nombreuses
initiatives pastorales dans le diocèse de Nîmes sous ses évêques
successifs : Mgr de Chaffoy (1822-1835), Cart (1837-1855),
Plantier (1855-1875) et Besson (1875-1888). Il démissionna de sa charge de
vicaire général en 1878.
Il fonda deux
congrégations-sœurs, Augustins de l'Assomption et Oblates de
l'Assomption et leur assigna des buts apostoliques ambitieux :
missions lointaines (Australie, mission d'Orient), éducation, presse et
pèlerinages avec la collaboration fervente de ses premiers disciples.
Il mourut à
Nîmes le 21 novembre 1880 et fut déclaré vénérable par le pape Jean-Paul II en décembre
1991.
Supérieurs généraux
1845-1880 : Emmanuel d'Alzon1880-1903 : François Picard
1903-1917 : Emmanuel Bailly
1917-1923 : Joseph Maubon, vicaire général
1923-1952 : Gervais Quenard
1952-1969 : Wilfrid Dufault
1969-1975 : Paul Charpentier
1975-1987 : Hervé Stéphan
1987-1999 : Claude Maréchal
1999-2011 : Richard Lamoureux
depuis 2011 : Benoît Grière
Au chapitre général de 2005, le P. Richard Lamoureux, réélu a obtenu trois assistants : André Brombart, Emmanuel Kahindo Kihugho et Julio Navarro Roman. Ont été élus officiers sans être assistants, Jean-Daniel Gullung économe général et Lucas Chuffart, secrétaire général.
D'après l'Annuaire pontifical de 2005, les Augustins de l'Assomption comptent 921 religieux dont 600 prêtres et 123 communautés.
La spiritualité assomptionniste
La spiritualité des Augustins de l'Assomption est centrée autour du Royaume de Dieu, elle se traduit par la devise que lui a donné le P. d’Alzon, "Adveniat Regnum Tuum". En y ajoutant ensuite le "triple amour", amour du Christ, amour de la Vierge Marie et amour de l’Église, la fondateur y voyait l’expression la plus abrégée de l’esprit de l’Assomption1. Ce triple amour implique donc une spiritualité christocentrique, une place faite à Marie, un service de l’Église.Champ sans frontière, l’amour du Royaume de Dieu est décliné autour de trois axes : l’unité, la vérité et la charité. Il ne se restreint donc pas à une activité précise mais a vocation à orienter l’existence de ceux qui vivent de ce charisme.
Se voulant "hommes de foi et hommes de leur temps", les Assomptionnistes sont appelés à se porter "là où Dieu est menacé dans l’homme et l’homme menacé comme image de Dieu"2. Le P. d’Alzon disait qu’un bon Assomptionniste devait être "hardi, généreux, désintéressé".
La congrégation est également marquée par l’esprit de saint Augustin dont elle suit la règle. À la source de celle-ci, l’unité de la communauté orientée vers Dieu : "Avant tout, vivez unanimes, ayant une seule âme tournée vers Dieu."
Les activités de la congrégation
Le but de la
congrégation est d’œuvrer "à l’avènement du Règne de Dieu, en nous et
autour de nous"3. Très large,
il ne peut donc se réduire à une œuvre précise. Le Chapitre Général de 2005
propose une reformulation du charisme apostolique : "Etre des
hommes de communion, qui proposent la foi, solidaires des pauvres".
C’est une réexpression des trois dimensions d’unité, de vérité, de charité.
Souvent, ce
sont les circonstances historiques qui ont amené à lancer ou à prendre une
activité précise. Citons notamment :
- la pastorale des jeunes avec plusieurs communautés d’accueil d’étudiants
- une auberge de jeunesse chrétienne nommée Adveniat située à Paris
- des collèges (Espagne, États-Unis, Belgique, Congo, Madagascar)
- le groupe de presse Bayard, connu pour ses titres La Croix, Le Pèlerin, Prions en Église mais aussi pour sa presse jeunes (Pomme d'Api, Astrapi, Okapi, J'aime lire...)
- le Pèlerinage National à Lourdes, tous les ans autour du 15 août, organisé depuis 1873
- l’animation de sanctuaires (Chili, Argentine, Canada)
- des centres d’accueil pour entreprises (Valpré près de Lyon et St Lambert-des-Bois près de St Quentin-en-Yvelines)
- présence dans les pays d’Europe Orientale à majorité orthodoxe (Russie, Roumanie, Bulgarie, Grèce)
- des paroisses (Europe, Afrique, Amérique, Océanie)
- une péniche accueillant des ‘exclus’, sans-papiers, migrants (Conflans-Sainte-Honorine)
- aumôneries (scolaires, hospitalières, pénitentiaires, de mouvements…)
La famille assomptionniste
Aux quatre coins du monde, au souffle large de l'EspritLes treize familles religieuses qui, à un titre ou à un autre, sont nées soit directement de l'inspiration des trois figures fondatrices tutélaires de l'Assomption (l'abbé Théodore Combalot 1797-1873, sainte Marie-Eugénie de Jésus (Marie-Eugenie Milleret de Brou - 1817-1898) et le père Emmanuel d'Alzon 1810-1880), soit indirectement de celle de leurs disciples, sont aujourd'hui à l’œuvre dans une soixantaine de pays. Réalité encore modeste si on compare ces implantations par rapport aux quelque 210 pays ou entités nationales recensées par l'ONU en 2005, mais chemin d'espérance vers une internationalité toujours plus visible et plus affirmée en ce troisième millénaire de l'histoire du christianisme.
Cette 'dispersion mondialiste' correspond en tout cas parfaitement à l'ambition spirituelle et apostolique du Père d'Alzon, resté pourtant sinon très français, du moins très nîmois : « Il faut élargir les intelligences et les cœurs dans la grande question de la cause de Dieu, il faut ouvrir des horizons pour les myopes, il faut allumer des brasiers pour des gens qui ne réclament que leur chauffe-pieds et ont peur qu’on leur donne un rhume en leur donnant trop de chaleur. Heureux les supérieurs qui embrassent le monde entier dans leur ambition, parce qu'ils sont ambitieux de faire régner Jésus-Christ partout ».
Les six premières familles historiques de l'Assomption : géographie spirituelle
Les six premières congrégations de l'Assomption, dont cinq sont issues de la France et dont une seule forme le rameau masculin (proportion habituelle dans les familles religieuses), présentent à l'évidence des traits de famille, de caractère, d'apostolat communs fortement marqués. Toutes d'ailleurs portent dans leur nom et leurs gênes le dénominateur officiel d'Assomption, même s'il existe en leur temps et même avant elles d'autres familles religieuses de l'Assomption tout à fait indépendantes de leur esprit et de leur fondation.
Nous les donnons dans l'ordre chronologique de leurs origines :- Les Religieuses de l'Assomption (RA), fondées à Paris (Seine), rue Férou, en 1839. Maison mère au 'château d'Auteuil, la Tuilerie' depuis 1857, transfert au Val Notre-Dame en Belgique en 1900, retour à Auteuil en 1953.
- Les Augustins de l'Assomption, dits Assomptionnistes (AA)
- Les Sœurs missionnaires de l'Assomption (MSA), fondées en 1852 au Cap (Afrique du Sud), par scission d'avec les Religieuses de Paris. Maison mère à Grahamstown, puis transfert de la maison généralice à Johannesburg.
- Les Oblates de l'Assomption, religieuses missionnaires (OA), fondées à Rochebelle-du-Vigan (Gard) en mai 1865. Maison généralice à Nîmes rue Séguier en 1873, puis à Paris, rue Lecourbe en 1926.
- Les Petites Sœurs de l'Assomption (P.S.A.), fondées à Paris (Seine) en juillet 1865, rue Vanneau, puis rue Saint-Dominique. Implantation de la maison mère et généralice à Paris rue Violet en 1870.
- Les Orantes de l'Assomption(OR.A) ont été fondées à Paris le 8 décembre 1896 au 14 rue Berton chez les Oblates de l'Assomption, les Orantes y habiteront presque 5 ans. Après plusieurs déménagements successifs rue Desbordes-Valmore 75016, elles habitent à Sceaux (Hauts-de-Seine)en 1920, à Bonnelles en 1970 (Yvelines), la maison généralice s'installe à Cachan puis à Créteil en 2009, (Val-de-Marne). Aux origines des Orantes, le P. François Picard, AA (1831-1903) et mère Isabelle Marie de Gethsémani (1849-1921), née Isabelle de Clermont-Tonnerre, épouse Henri d'Ursel en 1873. Branche contemplative de l'Assomption, Congrégation de droit diocésain internationale, restée de taille modeste, elle a absorbé en 1941 celle des Sacramentines de Marseille, fondées en 1639 par le P. Antoine Le Quien O.P.
Les fondations du XXe siècle
Les autres fondations de la famille sont du XXe siècle et ne portent pas toutes le nom "Assomption", même si elles doivent leur origine à un religieux assomptionniste :- Les Sœurs de Sainte Jeanne d'Arc, (SJA), fondées en 1914 à Worcester (USA), maison généralice en 1917 à Sillery (Québec)
- Les Servas Obreras Catequistas, fondées en Argentine par le P. Moreau, en 1934.
- Les Sœurs de la Croix, fondées en 1939 à Athènes. Maison généralice rue Ipirou, Agia Paraskevi.
- Les Frères de l'Assomption, fondés en 1951 à Béni au Congo R.D. ; maison généralice à Butembo.Les Frères de l'Assomption sont un Institut religieux diocésain laïc (frères) dû à l'initiative de Mgr Henri Piérard A.A. (1893-1975), forment aujourd'hui une petite congrégation diocésaine au service de Béni-Butembo.
- Les Petites Sœurs de la Présentation de Notre-Dame, fondées en 1948 ou 1952 à Béni à cofirmer au Congo R.D. ; maison généralice actuelle à Butembo. Autre Congrégation diocésaine fondée par le même Mgr Piérard, s'est développée dans la province du Kivu (Congo RD).
- Les Petites Missionnaires de la Croix, fondées en 1955 en Colombie, sont devenues de nos jours un Institut séculier, sans lien particulier avec l'Assomption).
- Les Sœurs de la Charité de l'Assomption, (S.C.A.), fondées en 1993 à Rome dans la mouvance de Comunione e liberazione.
Cette simple liste atteste la vitalité religieuse et apostolique de l'Assomption durant deux siècles, mais nous savons aussi que seule l'Église a reçu les promesses de la vie éternelle (cf. Raymond Hostie, Vie et mort des Ordres religieux). Dans les pays de vieille chrétienté, les congrégations religieuses souffrent aujourd'hui d'un certain dépérissement : vieillissement, baisse des effectifs, repli identitaire, que ne compense pas toujours leur expansion internationale. Par contre, dans l'hémisphère sud (Afrique, Asie), une vitalité vocationnelle est à l'œuvre, porteuse de promesses à vérifier dans la durée.
Amis de l’Assomption, Afrique centrale
Chers soeurs et Amis de l’Assomption, ce document comporte les rapports que j’ai reçus des différents groupes des Amis de l’Assomption de notre région jusqu’ici. Rappelez-vous qu’il a été décidé à Abidjan l’année passée lors de la formation des représentants provinciaux et nationaux qu’en vue de favoriser une communication fluide entre les groupes dans une province, un rapport d’activités de chaque groupe doit être envoyé au représentant provincial par trimestre. Ceci lui permettra de communiquer lesdits rapports aux différents groupes de la province pour partage d’expériences. J’ai reçu les rapports des groupes de Baham, et des Jeunes de Bafoussam. Je leur adresse mes félicitations et mes encouragements. Vous qui ne m’avez pas encore envoyé votre rapport, ne vous culpabilisez pas, faites-le sans tarder et je les transmettrai aux autres.J’ai préféré vous envoyer ces rapports tels que je les ai reçu, sans synthétiser. Je propose aux différents groupes de condenser les prochains rapports, pour ne donner que les informations essentielles. Toutefois si le groupe a mené une action qu’il juge fondamentale, il pourra nous la décrire avec tous les détails possibles, question de partager en profondeurs son expérience et sa méthode avec les autres.
Chers sœurs et Amis de l’Assomption, je vous prie de bien vouloir agréer mes salutations les plus sincères, et que Sainte Marie Eugénie soit pour nous toujours une référence dans notre combat quotidien pour un monde meilleur.
MOT DU PROVINCIAL, PERE VINCENT KAMBERE A LA COMMUNAUTE EMMANUEL HOUSE/ NAIROBI
La Province d’Afrique au moment difficile sur le plan financier.
Trois points sont à retenir :
1. L’inopportunité de Dieu
2. La capitalisation inexistante de nos relations
3. L’inexistence de rémunération des nos religieux
Face à cette situation de crise au monde, dans la congrégation et plus particulièrement en Province d’ Afrique, faut-il plier bagage et abandonner notre devoir de hâter le Règne de Dieu au monde ? Comment annoncerons-nous le Règne alors que nous sommes dépourvus du minimum nécessaire ?
Le Provincial nous invite à prendre des moyens de bords :
· Vivre une vie simple par des moyens simple
· Espérer contre toute espérance (en espérant nous montrons Dieu comme terme de nos efforts)
· Faire montre d’amour du travail
· Bien gérer notre temps (le temps est plus que de l’argent)
· S’engager avec plus de détermination
Des chapitres paratonnerres pour la Province d’Afrique
A ce point le Père Provincial fait l’éloge de nos deux Chapitres (General et Provincial) pour exprimer son optimisme. Il ne faut pas croire que les contrariétés de la vie sont fatales, a-t-il dit. Il nous faut défier la crise par un esprit d’audace, concevoir des nouvelles façons de proposer la foi à nos contemporains. Renforcer notre solidarité au rendez-vous plus que jamais. Comprendre le paradoxe évangélique et croire que l’on s'enrichie en partageant avec les nécessiteux.
Wednesday 18 April 2012
OUR NEW REGIONAL SUPERIOR
Monday 16 April 2012
ORIENTATIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL CHAPTER 2011
ORIENTATIONS OF THE PROVINCIAL
CHAPTER 2011
A.
FUNDAMENTALS
MAN OF FAITH
1.
Rehabilitation and construction of oratories or chapels
in communities where they do not exist.
It is important to frequent them according to a well established
schedule, posted in each room, to keep them clean (care and beauty) and to
equip them. Bells should reappear in our communities to in order to remind the
beginning of community activities 10 minutes before their beginning.
2.
Local Superiors should strongly interpellate all latecomers
and recidivist religious
3.
Necessity to promote and deepen chaplaincy services for
schools, prisons, hospitals, catholic movements, without forgetting
pilgrimages. Our chaplains and couriers (guides of pilgrimages) constitute a
work and animation team which regularly meets.
4.
Evangelization and formation through Radio Moto de
Butembo and Radio Moto d’Oicha must be taken into consideration.
5.
Oremus (A leaf for Sunday homilies), a
page for evangelization and faith promotion, should be rehabilitated in collaboration
with Radio Moto for 100 copies for the time being. Frs. Jean Baptiste
Kataheruka, Linalyogha Oswald, and Kambere Vincent should collaborate with Fr.
Mayani Adelard, its editor. Oremus team will consult, in view of ecumenism,
pastors from other confessions for commentaries of Sunday biblical texts.
Oremus will search for its partners. Its publication resumes at the beginning
of the New Liturgical Year.
6.
The obligation to pray in our communities for our
benefactors, those who are still alive, and those who are dead.
MAN OF
COMMUNION
1.
Call to rediscover the meaning of religious obedience
and the meaning of authority.
2.
The leaders of the province, especially the Provincial
Superior and the Provincial Secretary master French and English. The official
texts of the province will be published in the two languages.
3.
Formation communities organize language workshops
and/or laboratories (cassettes, dictionaries, DVD, etc) for self-formation
4.
All the communities of the province should have in the
two languages of the province the texts of the Divine Office, prayer of the
congregation, , and the Order of the Mass. The chapter calls for personal and
community efforts for Language Days according to the two languages of the
congregation.
IN SOLIDARITY
WITH THE POOR AND THE LITTLE ONES
1.
Necessity to form religious in management in the domain
of common weal, of elaboration, management, and evaluation of projects.
2.
The appointment of bursars should take into
consideration the obligations of that responsibility: a term of at least 3
years in order to allow one to plan and project the local community or province
economic life, and a sense of initiative in order to help the members to be
more sensitive to economic stakes.
3.
Take into consideration benefactors and national funds
in search for help for local development projects.
4.
To reinforce the Justice and Peace Commission for the
defense of the poor. An office will be open at the Provincial Bursary but
always in collaboration with diocesan Commissions.
5.
The sensibilization of our confreres on the topic of
cleanness in the domain of ecology. The community will be rigorous about it.
Each year a certain amount will be kept, from the community funds, at the
Provincial Bursary in view of life framework preservation.
6.
The question of
help to the families of religious is left to each community’s discernment in
link with the provincial authority.
B. COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION
1.
To continue deeply with the collaboration with
Madagascar towards an intense communion: in new foundations (West Africa, Goma
– Rwanda, Kampala), in different formation places (Nairobi, Sokodé, Kinshasa,
Butembo, Antananarivo, Fianaratsoa, Toliara), by intensifying workshops in
common (formation policy, self-reliance, on going formation, etc).
2.
Creation of the Western D. R. Congo Region:
a.
Creation of the Western D. R. Congo Region on the East
African Region model
b.
Elaboration of the Erection Statutes of that Region by
September 20, 2011 in
view of their study by the Plenary Provincial Council in October 2011, their probation
by the General Plenary Council in December 2011. Fr. David Milonde, in
collaboration with two other religious, will do it.
c.
This Region will be opened on September 1, 2012.
3.
Creation of the Eastern D. R. Congo Region
a.
Elaboration of the Erection Statutes of this Region not
later than September 20, 2011
in view of their study by the Plenary Provincial Council
in October 2011, their probation by the General Plenary Council in December
2011. Fr. Thierry Kahongya, in collaboration with two other religious, will do
it.
b.
This Region will be opened on September 1, 2012.
c.
The Regional House will function at Beni, at the
Communauté du Centenaire, the Provincialate being maintained at Butembo, Maison
Quenard.
4.
Collaboration with West Africa: The province will
continue to participate actively in formation by sending formators. The
exchange of students could start within two or three years. The possibility of
commitment to the pastoral of faith proclamation is open
C. OUR
APOSTOLIC CHOICES
MOBILIZING WORK
The province of Africa will
collaborate in ISEAB and in all the other mobilizing works targeted by the
Congregation, within the limits of its means, especially in human resources.
YOUNG AND
VOCATIONS
-
All Responsibles for vocation awareness and recruitment
in our parishes should be committed Assumptionists, parish priests in order of
preference. Chaplains should also work on it.
-
Young people who desire to join our Congregation should
be in contact with the Region which is nearer to their place of origin.
-
The Education Commission will deepen the question of
twinning between our schools and those in the Western world.
-
All our educative institutions are places where we can
welcome volunteers. The very first thing to do is to make our African Province
known in the whole scope of the Congregation insertion.
-
To invite volunteers to visit the province in order to
experience African realities during
vacations (Computer sciences, ADL, PALMBA, Kambali High School, Radio Moto,
languages, etc) by exploiting the web site of the province. Fr. Adelard, in
collaboration with Brs. Musangania, W. Kibanda, François Nzanzu, and Wilson
Waweru…) will lounge the advertisement of our works of the web site to be
created as soon as possible.
ON GOING
FORMATION
-
Given the fact that it is a real need, the Provincial
with the consent of his Council will establish, without waiting, a commission
for on going formation. Suggested names: Frs. Kombi, Kalekene, Katabu,
Zacharie, Kighoma, Sitone, Br. Charles Muvunga...
-
To encourage the experience of organized and oriented
sabbatical years.
ALLIANCE LAY
– RELIGIOUS
-
Whenever possible, we will organize the formation of
religious and lay together, in view of mutual enrichment, respecting our
respective vocations.
-
We will collaborate with the Lay, according to their
expertise and competence, in formation in our schools, in the animation of
workshops, recollections, retreats, workshops, language teaching, etc.
POSTULATION
-
To study the possibility of holding workshops like
those held during the Bicentenary Year.
-
To foresee times to pray in union with our Bulgarians
Martyrs, Very Reverend Frs. Picard and Pernet.
-
To have radio programmes, Echo of the Assumption,
broadcasted by our two radios and an Alzonian thought in the Oremus.
-
Faithfulness to the prayer for the beatification of our
Founder, Fr. Emmanuel d’Alzon
OUR GOODS –
RESOURCES – MANAGEMENT
-
In parishes: application of the pastoral guidelines of
the directory for Assumptionist parishes
-
To appoint Assumptionists to head our self-reliance
projects
-
A monthly Balance sheet to each religious from
September 1.
-
A lot of animation to be done and transparency in
finances
-
Regular meetings of superiors, bursars, parish priests
to be held at the level of each Region, three times a year.
-
Rational and rentable exploitation of our properties
-
The province will collect all the surplus of our
self-reliance works at the end of the fiscal year.
Thursday 12 April 2012
THE RULE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE: A way toward being Lovers of Spiritual Beauty. By Bernard MUSONDOLI aa
THE RULE OF SAINT AUGUSTINE: A way toward being Lovers of Spiritual Beauty. By Bernard MUSONDOLI aa
0. Introduction
May the Lord grant you that you observe all these things as
“Lovers of Spiritual Beauty”
Reading the Rule of Saint Augustine one can see that my understanding seems to go backward. It is clear that the title I have given to this exercise is from the end of Augustine's Rule of life. Our holy Father Augustine might have experienced how people in the first years enter with enthusiasm in religious life with real generosity but soon become careless in their duties. He admonishes us to be faithful to his precepts, and he shows us the spirit in which we should obey the rule: As lovers of Spiritual Beauty. This idea of the spirit in which we should obey the rule attracted and helped me a lot to understand Saint Augustine in his Rule of life.
I. The spiritual Beauty[1]
When you bring Augustine's Rule to its elementary structure you find that he starts with a brief Chapter putting the Love of God and of the neighbor at the beginning. This is followed by chapters of precepts. Towards the end, he exposes in a form of prayer what should be the spirit of these precepts. May the Lord grant you that you observe all these things as “Lovers of Spiritual Beauty”, giving forth the good odor of Christ in the holiness of your conduct, not as slaves under the law, but as free man firmly established in grace.[2]
Finding the idea of Love at the beginning and at the end of Augustine's Rule there is a need to ask why this idea of Love and Beauty. Why didn't he say “as lovers of Supreme Good” or “Divine Truth” or “Absolute Being” but he said “Spiritual Beauty”? What is true is that this is from the notion of Beauty for Augustine. When you read his De musica you find that for him the Transcendental beauty is source of harmony of things, of order in the universe, and in God the elected will contemplate the Supreme Harmony of the Trinity in its pax unitatis.[3]
It seems to me that with this idea all the precepts of Augustine's Rule are totally interconnected to the extent that one can easily take the first and the last precepts as the core of Augustine's Rule of life : “Live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God... as lovers of Spiritual Beauty”. Here we find the summary of the Rule of Saint Augustine.
II. Unanimity of mind and heart
Augustine is convinced that religious life is not reserved to souls already perfect. It is for the Christian decided to look for perfection using the means given by Christ himself. At the outset Saint Augustine places this sentence: The first purpose for which you have come together is to live in harmony in the house of the Lord, and to be of one mind and one heart in God ( R.L. I, 2). In this sentence St Augustine uses variation in Latin of the word “one” four times: unum, unanimes, una unum if you read it in Latin. The purpose of this repetition is not hard to see. He wishes to emphasize the importance of developing unity of heart. It is a whole program of Augustine for the community life to present an entirely God-centered community. The religious community is not founded on material good, but rather has its root in God. How did Augustine come up with this idea? We should remember the controversy with the donatists on baptism. Augustine reflected deeply on the theology of baptism and understood that through baptism we are incorporated in Christ, we form one body with Christ. If we are one body, it is evident that we are one soul and one heart[4].
Deeply, this idea means that community life must mean more than only a means for reaching perfection. In the community man meets God. He says: “Whoever will live in the same roof with me, has God as his possession for I am convinced that God dwells there”.[5] Here is the unique and specific quality of the Augustinian; the community is not simply a means, but an end for the lovers of the Spiritual Beauty. To be of one mind and one heart is for Augustine's sons the primum propter quod, the primary purpose of coming together in religious life. He takes Paul's teaching on the mysterious love of Christ. The religious community should be so intimate with Christ to the extent that our life and the lives of our confreres are no longer separate, but only one life in Christ. Love will lead us to the union of the Trinity if we, though many have one mind and one heart in God.
III. Prayer and asceticism
Saint Augustine was a great man of prayer though his Rule has little to say about it. This is seen mostly in his writings and sermons. His injunctions are contained in two short sentences which includes the essential of Augustine's prayer. He always says: “Let us live together in harmony and love”. In this prayer he presupposes harmony as a condition for good prayer. Daily, common liturgical prayer is the bond which attaches the soul more and more securely in a holy community with God. He is convinced of the community-forming power of the liturgy. He wrote: “Men can be really united to a religious community, only if they are joined to one another through common participation in visible signs or sacraments”.[6]
With all their care and esteem for community prayer, Augustine's monasteries never neglected private prayer. Remember that before his time it was customary to follow the example of the Eastern monasteries in which one and the same room was used both for work and prayer. But Augustine prescribed: “In the Oratory let no one do anything except that for which it was ordained, from which also it has its name”. The reason is very important. “If any of the confreres, even outside the hours appointed for prayer wish to pray there during their free time, they should not be disturbed by others who think they have something else to do there”(R.L. II, 11-13).
Augustine knew how difficult prayer is. He says When you pray to God in psalms and hymns, ponder in your hearts what your lips are saying; Sing what is to be sung because the chants incites the soul to piety and inflames the heart with divine love. But we must be on our guard against singing with a loud voice, while the heart remains silent”.[7] In his commentary on Psalm 140 he says that, if you are conversing with me, and suddenly you turn to your servant and leave me there should I not take this as an insult? That is what you do to God every day because very poor is the manner in which we pray. Our father Augustine wants us to collect our thought before prayer, “you must close your door”, in other words, you must control your senses and your imagination if you wish to pray (Mat 6, 6).
There is a spiritual relationship between prayer and asceticism in Augustine's thought. The religious life can develop freely only when bodily desires are kept in proper check. What is the purpose of asceticism as prescribed by the Rule? To subdue the flesh. This means not to kill the inclinations and passions of human nature, but restrain them. It is to treat the body, not as enemy but to bring it under sound discipline. It is to bring all powers of passions into good order and thereby make this nature capable of, and disposed toward, good (R.L. III, 14).
IV. Safeguarding celibacy
St. Augustine's warning about not paying too much attention to external appearances is only an introductory thought to his treatment of chastity. He loved the virtue of continence since he had violated it in his early years. For him, the beauty of celibacy consists, not in sexual continence as such, but in the total consecration to God which it makes possible. He certainly knew the danger facing the pursuit of this high ideal. From his own experience he knew human weaknesses. He says: Let no one say that he has no temptation to fear. Whoever promises himself peace, lays himself open to attack.[8] In his Rule he gives us valuable advice to protect purity of heart. In your walk, in your posture, in your attire, in all your actions, let there be nothing which may appear offensive to others, but only what benefit your holy vocation (R.L. IV, 20-21). The Saint gives a strong reason for this prescription: We are religious because we have consecrated ourselves to God; we are therefore more closely observed by men, and can give offense to others by small transgressions.
Moreover, we will be able to protect purity of heart only if we keep our senses in check especially the eye. In his Rule Augustine takes the words of Sirach: It is not forbidden to see women. But our gaze must not rest on them with lust or desire. The unchaste eye is a sign of an unchaste soul (R.L. IV, 22). Convinced that the consciousness of being observed or seen by others is a great help in our struggle against temptation, Augustine prescribes that when you leave the monastery, go together; when you have reached your destination remain together (R.L. IV, 20).
V. Self-detachment
In the first part of the Rule, Augustine proposed as our model the words of the Acts of the Apostles, “they had all in common... and distribution was made according as any one had need” (Acts 4:32). Here for Augustine it is the spirit which counts. Peace and contentment must be the soul of our community life. There must be no murmurings in which someone complains that he has received worse clothing, or that it is beneath his dignity to be less dressed than some other confreres (R.L. V, 30). The Saint clearly shows how such discontentment is the sign of great imperfection because the person is troubled about the dress of the body and is not concerned about the garment of grace which make the soul beautiful not only to men but also of God.
Augustine demands of us, not only community of possessions. We must freely and generously place our talents and abilities at the disposal of the community. No one shall do anything for himself alone, but all your work shall be for the community, done with more constant diligence than if each one worked for his own profit (R.L. V, 31). We must learn to feel more and more with the community asking ourselves “of what use can I be for the community?” not “what use is the community for me?”. For Augustine, the more you care for the interests of the community before your own interests the more you may know that you have made a progress in becoming a lover of the Spiritual Beauty.
VI. Forgiving offenses
To be of one mind and one heart in God as lovers of Spiritual Beauty is the high ideal proposed to us by Saint Augustine. He knew weaknesses of human nature; he knew the tensions and strong emotions to which even a community of men consecrated to God can be exposed. At the outset of his sermon he says: “Either do not have quarrels, or if they begin, put an end to them at one” (R.L. VI, 41). Augustine's message is not only that there must be reconciliation, but that it must take place as soon as possible. He might have read the words of the Apostle of the gentles: “Let not the sun go down upon your anger” (Eph 4:26).
Augustine insists on prompt and sincere reconciliation for two reasons: if anger delays in the soul it turns into hatred. And an uncharitable heart, or a heart filled with hatred robs our prayers of all worth and renders them useless before God. For him, anyone who wishes to say, 'forgive me my sins' must first honestly say, ' as I forgive my trespassers'.[9] Because anyone who is angry with his brother may indeed praise God with his lips, but in his heart he is a liar.[10]
Closing this chapter on reconciliation he says: “Be sparing, therefore, in the use of harsh words. If they have escaped your lips, let those same lips be prompt to heal the wound they have made” (R.L. VI, 42). This will create in the community a spiritual milieu proper to lovers of Spiritual Beauty.
VII. Obedience and authority
“Obey your superiors as a father.” Here we see Augustine's distinctive feature of obedience. He conceives the religious community as a spiritual family where the superiors take the place of father and mother. Their authority is grounded in the authority of God, as he says in the commentary on psalm 70, ' to obey one's father is to obey God.' he is convinced that one can hear God's voice even in the words of unworthy or bad superiors because God's operation is like a ray of light. Even when it passes through a dirty glass, it is not soiled.
With great love Saint Augustine describes the relationship of mutual responsibility between superiors and subjects. He says: let your superior not deem himself happy in using his authority, but in serving you with love. Let him seek to be loved by you more than feared. Let him give you good examples (R.L. VII, 46).
VIII. The conclusion
Saint Augustine specifically recommends the Rule as a mirror of religious virtues. When you find that you have observed what is written, give thanks to God. But if anyone sees that he has failed in anything, let him be sorry and be on his guard for the future (R.L. VII, 49).
To end, Unity of ideals and hopes, life lived in common, respect for the needs and dignity of the human person: these are the “colors” which characterize an Augustinian spirituality and community. Longing to experience and reflect the love and communion that exists within the Holy Trinity, Augustinian community seeks to become, on earth, even if imperfectly, a vision of the heavenly city. In his Homily on Ps. 4:10 and in his Sermon Denis 11, 7 Augustine says: “Let us live alone and simply, which means separated from the multiplicity of the worldly things which die. Let us love only the Eternity and the Unity, if we want to be united to our Lord and God. Let us live in prayer that God may deliver us from human agitations”[11].
In an Augustinian community “obedience” becomes collaboration to a common vision and mutual support. Poverty becomes sharing. Chastity becomes a means of expanding the human heart to love fully in the context of fraternity. Embracing these evangelical counsels enables the believer to see that the "burdens" of a common life are outweighed by the beauty of friendship. Christ, who is present in the community, not only enforces the person’s unique personality, but increases true freedom of the individual to become lover of Spiritual Beauty.[12]
[1] “Vers la beauté Spirituelle” (Par les Praecepta uiuendi à la spritualis pulchritude. “Pythagores”, Le De Ordine de Saint Augustin et sa Règle), Augustiiana XXII (1972), pp. 469-510.
[2] Adolar ZUMKELLER, The Rule of Saint Augustine with a commentary (De Pere Wisconsin: St. Norbert Abbey, 1961), p.59.
[3] Luc VERHEIJEN, Nouvelle approach de la règle de Saint Augustin (Abbayie de Bellefontaine, 1980),pp.201-2o2.
[4] Athanase SAGE, La vie religieuse selon Saint Augustin (Paris: La vie Augustinienne, 1972), p. 46.
[10] Augustinian studies II (1971), pp. 17-36.
[11] Athanase SAGE, Idem, p. 61.
[12] Paul HENDY, La vision d’Ostie. Sa place dans la vie et l’oeuvre de Saint Augustin (Paris:plotin et l’Occident,1938), p.44.
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