| che CORD Sar || A MONTHLY FRANCISCAN REVIEW OF SPIRITUAL DOCTRINE Boron — Fe. Augustine McDevitt; O.F.M. Assisrant Eprror — ManaaiNa EprroR — Fe, Jobin Forest Foddish, OFM, Fe, Eemin Klose, OFM, PhD CONTENTS EDITORIAL Ses 2 POVERTY IS TO LOVE 4 Fr. Brace Ignatowski, OFM. Cap.,S.T-E- NO OTHER NAME u Fr. Stephen Clare Doyle, OFM. FRANCISCANS AND CHRISTIAN UNITY a Fr. Roger Matzerath, S.A. ‘THE TRIAD OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 26 Fr. Augustine McDevitt, O.F.M. Eaitoral Office Business Office: Subscription Rates: $2.00 a year" ($2.50 fordign) 20 a Spy[b00 MORNING, GOOD PEOPLE the unchanging principle, the spirit of THE CORD, which we reaffirm rand to which we here pledge adherence. Good Morning, Good People! May the Lord give you peace! Our loving Father in heaven has fashioned the Church of Jesus Christ. As Eve was endowed with Adam's nature in o the might be “a helper like himself", so in somewhat the Holy Mother Church participates to a degree in the two nat Christ her Head: she possesses elements of both the divine and Divinely founded and vivitied, she can neither change nor be « from her Spouse in heaven isummaui n ship she adapts hereelf to the needs of marvelous embodiment of permanency and change. In our age of self-evaluation, the Church has manifested awarences of this singular duality. Clearly in evidence in the tho Of the Supreme Pontiff for the past twenty years is the epirit of ren ‘an ideal which imports both an adherence to the old and to the new. ‘At the call of our present Holy Father, Pope John XXII, the ciliar Fathers of Vatican II have rallied to the aggiornamento—an v date re-presentation of the unchanging ‘springs of the Church’s dectrine, government ‘The same epirit was applicd to a particular segment of th by his predecessor, Pope Pius XII, who urged those in religious lif devote themselves to the renovatio accomodata—a revitalization of the spirit of their founders in accordance with modern times. ‘At the risk of sounding pretentious, the new editorial staff of CORD would like to state that it approaches its tark in this same sj Every Franciscan in As Fr, Philotheus Bochner, O.F.M., whose seraphic charity and veal brought THE CORD into existence in 1951; we are grateful also to his and their successors, whose efforts have carried on his work. In the first number of the review, Fr. Philotheus stated that, primary purpoee of THE CORD is to sid i Enowledge and more ardent love of the Francisean way of life: aseage of only twelve years does not demand, certainly, a grea the manner of presenting an original ideal. For this reason, ‘our adaptation of old to new will be quite modest. There are, however three points which we should like to note in this regard. In the first place, in keeping with what hopefully appears to be » resurgence of serious study in our day, we intend to emphasize in of THE CORD a doctrinal, rather than a simply devotional or cal, presentation of Franciscanism. Secondly, since our review is to promoting the knowledge and love of the Franciscan way we shall try to Limit our subject matter to spirituality, thereby of strictly Franciscan subjects, and to include considerations of general rian perfection in #0 far as they are relevant to Franciscans; ow scope, then, will be to present a Franciscan view of spirituality rather than a view of Franciscan spirituality. In fine, we envisage THE CORD as A Mont is ew of Ba wameaiee! thly Franciscan Review o| Since assuming our editorial dutics about four months ago, we have been deeply edified and encouraged by the interest and cooperation ‘which our Franciscan brothers and sisters have manifested in regard to THE CORD. We hope that we shall be able to match your charity by ing to you in our pages something of value. We are grateful for ce of having come part, however small, in the development o! huoliness. May God bless our efforts.MONTHLY CONFERENCE Poverty Is To Love Fr. Bruce Ignatowski, O.F.M. Cap. S.I'L. POVERTY IS TO LOVE virtues.” Truly then, to love is poverty. gospel is the spirit of poverty? Se dipitan, the giset Blshog. OY Nerew oF of Hippo and Doctor of the Church, has the following to say on this point: “We are more firmly The fountain an ha Sepleaie power of the ssints in the life of poverty, the vow and poverty, and the highlighting few apt quotations from the of our Lord and our hol Francis, would be of v hhad great wealth? For it is one r 4 : eepecial love for poverty thing not to wish to lay hold of | as, Penal ove ay fs radical departare from the tn bedded notions of his time, “Be lem to fore the coming of Christ into thi .” _seorld, poverty was Tooked upon a ‘The conchnsion drawn by the : Angelic Doctor is that “voluntary {HC €reatest vil: The poor were poverty is the first foundation in ent of the perfection of Theological Basis for Poverty they would like to see accomplish- ed by the Second Vatican Council According to St_ Thomas A: ines, “The principal end e archenemy of charity is ‘wealth; which entices and distracts the mind. Our Lord was emphatic tremendous was his love that he fon this fact: “A rich man shall voiced his affection on many oc- hardly eater ino the Kingdom of i ." In the words of St. “By preventing the good from entering the heart, » destroy life at its very out- must be the root of all g¢ cause it destroys covetousness laxation of poverty in certain quarters is not the scope of this ed the value of a man according to his wealth, if the words "good’ and ‘rich’, ‘bad’ and ‘poor’ were almost synonymous, the divine Master made detachment from to the perishable ie CORD, Ferber writer prose, poe'y. orld." Ta it any wonder, ond music. 7.POVERTY I$ TO 1 povenrY § TOLOVE the goods of this world the pillar, could this be otherwise, since a it were, of the new order he had kingdom of heaven is his? come to set up. And justly so, for Bernard says that “the Day of Judgment they fore the not promised; for already in world it is given to it.” Furthermore, Jesus Chriat promised promotion to the poor aly in the next it also in this, and that the ax to self-love and to love of this world. And from poverty there arise many fruits. In the conversation between Se ome Christ and the rich young man, — fyeaven as there are we have the enunciation of the evangelical Counsels. By his ex- ample, he gave confirmation and authorization to these Counsels. In the words of Father Faber, “He chose it when He came among us the Virtue to the opinion of Cyprian, Basil, and Jerome, pronounced a solemn blessing upon the poor forever. He has made poverty the easiest road to about earthly possessions and their The French have a proverb: “As happy at @ poor man.” How the severity of their Punishment indicated that they ‘were under a vow. Binding oneself to the observ. ance of the evangelical Counscls by means of vows is an essential presupposes a continual mn of striving for per- After all, the very word The practice of the vows is not enough, however. The vows must be impregnated spective virtue. While the vow divests one of all exterior and temporal goods, the virtue of poverty goes further, by forbidding all undue love of temporal goods. It is the virtue of poverty which Jesus extolled s0 singularly in hia Sermon on the Mount. The virtue of poverty has certain degrees. There are six in the opinion of some ters. The firet is the of earthly goods for i. without necessary things. The fifth is the bearing in a joyful manner, of all the consequences of poverty.POVERTY 18 TO LOVE | geyznrvié TO LOVE answered, ‘Poverty, Know that poverty way to salvation, for ‘ood of humility, and the perfection, the fruit of ‘The sixth and highest degree, the mother in virtue of having been crown of all the others, s attained espoused by Jesus Christ. How is when rs privations willing- poverty a mother? We were Iy, oven in sickness. “Holy poverty, then, removes the greatest obstacle to perfection, but in order to reach the summit, one must not ‘only avoid vice, but also practice virtue. Seraphic poverty fosters virtues in her followers in the li most marvellous way. Our holy Father himself attests to this when he says, speaking of most high poverty: ‘Tt has made you poor in poverty of the Crucified. The One Great Passion of St, Francis Pope Tanocent II) by St. Francis was introduced to: Tr wan the keen delight of the saints to Tack even the bare ncc- casities of life, Tenderly they re- called the moving words of the lently to share in Christ's . They had the right of poverty. Indeed, they spoke in raptares of it, But none yy his day the brothers asked him by one obsession? Because it was hie what virtue we become Looking Ahead St. Francis revolutionized the concept of the religious life as well ‘es his society. This spiritual and social revolution is actually stil {in progress, and will go on as long as there are followers of the Poverello. For the message of St Francis is valid for all ages. In the prayer for the success of the Second Vatican Couneil we pray for a kind of new Pentecost, For Franciscans this can mean nothing but « reappraisal of the utter importance of poverty, and a revitalized earnestness in its ob- servance for the love of Jesus Christ. We have our Rule and Con- stitutions; we have heard many j talks on poverty; we have read much on St. Francis and the other saints of the Order. If we have grown tired in doing good, we must allow the strength of Christ within us to refresh us. If we have not, ‘we must double our efforts in order to «pread the fire of Christ through- out the world, It is enough to Know that God wills it, “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and what will I but that it be ex kindled” (Lk. 12:49). For today’s world the fire must be fanned— fanned anew, igniting all, sweeping the world in spirittransforming canquest for the crucified King. ‘The kindling wood of this fire is poverty. A poverty that is love at its best.No Other Name Fr. Stephen Clare Doyle, O.F-M name. God, in his reply, did no strictly give his name. God replied, “Lam who I am.” Then he added Franciscan Message to the World (st. & is ashe). London Burnt Oss 6 Wasboutee, (3347p 25, now saored name for the God of Israel So sacred did it become to the Jews that it was never pronounced. ‘They know that they could not say much about God, least of all his name. They also knew that they were his people. He had bent low to them, and so they must say something about him. From their Canaanite neighbors they borrow- ed the words for gods and lords and applied these plural terms to the one true God, to indicate that is more powerful than all of their false gods. Elohim and * Adonai were substi sacred name which would pronounce, They had to God a mame, for he is compl “other.” Only he could know name, because only he could know ‘himself intimately When the Hebrew Scriptures ‘were translated into Greek for the Jews spread throughout the world, the scholars rendered Elohim and Adonai, the titles that the Jews had given God as circumlocutions, as Kyrios, which comes into English mission band. The two preachers used to display the symbol, painted vividly om a large wooden tablet, so that their congregations, remind- cd of the glory of the Holy Name, 1 might be persuaded more effective-“"is like. 1015 ‘2 presence of the papal court. He did it so well that the pope com missioned him to preach the Holy tad for the pe ‘von of the God'man, ‘ch frtvborn of every creature. As ‘with love for Christ, ould not help singing out joyfully with the © King’s Mother: HE WHO IS MIGHTY HAS ' DONE GREAT THINGS TO ME AND HOLY Is HIS NAME! : ef Feanicon Herald end. Forum eb. Messiah,” St. Bernard tells us that, je devotion in the 1987, 5.63, Tike Isaia, we may say many things about Christ, but we have said them all when we say JESUS. He isthe child that is born to us, the of son that is given to us, Dominion ests upon his shoulder. His name Gs called Wonder-Counsclor, God-Franciscans and Christian Unity Fr, Roger Matzerath, S.A. The Hidden Life T admonish you frequently, my will send forth his « dearest brethren, to refrain from evil deeds and to avoid the defile- ments of thie world. However, I am moved by today's reading of the holy Gospel to tell you that you should exercise great eaution even in the good works which you ii perform, lest you seek human praise or applause for the things that you do correctly—that is to say, Tea the desire of even centuries, a longing and striving and praying evaluate fully for reunion of a totally new power and intensity.” is a powerful, pulsating, for the future. however, is already idence. The Catholic loyal sons and daughters of ‘the Church to work and pray for ing to our Redeemer's there were ten virgins. though all of them indeed are said to have beon virgins, yet not vis all of them were admitted inside however, gives a special impetus to il hear and to respond. In considering the reasons, then, in Christian Unity we have a twofold set. The first arc those incentives of a general nature which exist in our day, and which are at the foundation for the unity of Christ and foolish. For, seeing that ae Kingdom of heaven is changeless precisely because not one of the efforts. The two sets are, of course, not mutually exclusive. Rather, they reinforce each other. The motives that stimulate lay Cath- lic, for example, to some act of devotion should all the more move the Religious. So, too, the special bby abstinence, yet on the basis that very abstinence, long for in Sacred Scripture Church of the present time, For example, Our Lord says some- where else that, “The Son of Man8 FRANCISCANS AND CHRISTIAN (N( PAReISCANs AND CHRISTIAN UNITY 19 have the strength of a united Christendom. Then it will be possible to say, “See, here is the , Church of Christ”, and the very fact of its inelusion of all Chri ians will be a singular motive of credibility. Another tremendous problem of the day is the threat of Commun- ism and militant atheism. The Church has always had paganis characteristics of Franciscans are all the more reason why the wo general reasons for Christian Unity should appeal to and find an adequate response from Francis the more general reasons behind our work for Christian Unity to- the religion of Communism is a rious oppon- |, ent of the Church today. The Com- Gospels, to the humanity of Christ, to the Euchar- to the Church. Whatever may the eseential or most character- je note of Franciscanism, St. ‘supremacy. Communism will never ‘overcome the Chureh. We have the certitude of faith for that. But Communism can—as it most cer tainly ~has—weaken in this or that part and hinder the Chureh appointed tasks. The help of a united Christendom in fighting the Red menace would surely make the battle more successful. Under needs of the day may also be included those matters could be accomplished by Catholic Church alone, but whi |- could more casily and certainly be If Christianity’ is to pact on the that we must mew peoples with particular gifts God. To everyone who to restrain him or question special objectives may be, t. Francis declared without to show the way of love entation? "lam the herald of the Great King.” The goal he set for hi renewal of C single-minded purpose was arily to live himself of his great-souled love, tino derived to open up to all the nected withthe primacy of20 FRANCISCANS AND CHRISTI) usTiAN UNITY 1" to match some particular needs of through an understa the Church would undoubtedly point.”” Christocentricity natur. ally became the characteristic note Regard for the Bible: In recent years the movement among Cath. ‘lics both on scholarly and popular plished, and that the will of Christ find fulfillment in fact. In the United States alone it ix estimated that from 250 to 350 different Protestant denominations exist, In any largo city it is easy to see one church next to another: their duty, Partially it will come Methodist, Lutheran, Protestantsf \D CHNISTIAN UNIT b devotion to the obedience of priest and people || known. The dream alike. ‘What is the purpose of Vatican l- Gospel of St. John 10:16, “There shall be jone fold and one shep- herd”, he declared: Tob fond hogs, cmpetod wei pe make pode” Ose ie ways, How necessary it is to end these divisions! \ to Protestantism, the Bible does Dew: not indicate at all that God uses any other means to communicate Over and over again the Pope with men except directly through hhas emphasized his strong desire Christ. The Church as an inter- and the great need for Christian mediary between God and man is Unity. Yet, everyone agrees that alien to the Gospels in the thought , the direct purpose of the Council of Protestants. 1e Mysti not to negotiate such unity ‘The Catholic view on all these this time, Cardinal Bea, head“ FRANCISCANS AND CHRISTIAN UN of the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, said in an article written before the Council opened: “The immediate aim of the forth- ‘coming Second Vatican Council is not the union of the\ Christian ‘world, or even reunion with parti- cular’ religious groups." The general purpose of the Council is rather the renewal of the Church, ‘Through this renewal, and through the representation of the Church to the world, joped that all non-Catholic Christians will heed the invitation to come home. ‘All of these aspects of the Cou cil are 40 many additional reasons why Franciscans should be inter- ested in the work of Christian’ Unity. They fit in perfectly with the Franciscan approach to life ‘through Christ, through charity, | through prayer and penance. A pastoral iseued by the Dutch in this way. We may words in even greater cxt dear ignorance. ’s Son Manifested To Men 5 ‘Today's Gospel is brimful with the glory of Christ. As the Son humbled himself, so does the Father exalt him, thus:—He who claim the same glory in Jerusalem; the oracles of the Prophets pro- claim it in the midst of the it, warning the Magi in a dream. St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Sermon on the Epiphany (Omnia Opera, X, 195)Ue reiAD OF CNAISTIAN PERFECTION ” bbe acquired? One of the note- worthy characteristics of the Haerent Animo ia its outstanding practicality. The Holy Father has not presented his priests here with @ mere rhetorical incitement to tanctity; the quondam parish Priest points out for his readers some very concrete practices designed to nourish the holiness consonant with their priestly vo- On the occasion of his own golden jubilee in the sacred priest- hood, Pope St. Pius X addressed to the priests of the world an exhortation entitled Heerent Animo: Although the burden of the Supreme Pontiff’ message is the holiness to which priests chould cation. The manner in which he treats of these ps ends to his teaching a significance which extends beyond the priesthood it- ‘elf to all those who would strive for Christian perfection. For, while the Pope urges the cultivation of several virtues which pertain more Particularly to the sacerdotal vo- ation, he lays unmistakable emphasis on three followers particular state accordance with freer gamtel to him by Cod, in familar with the obliged to become holy. There is environment in. wl incumbent upon every member of Taking God into In working toward the attain. ment of the dual disposition which t wort of natural union with God” soul the union with God which we spoke of above. wt azoin a member of Hoty "Ih is ooh jens ie Ey Spica! Peclogy’et Holy Nome College, Se ae S06 . Father recommends the practice Werhington D.C Y ion of spiritual reading: “It is very important that to the daily con- 26 Ve Heat prayer toTAN PERFECTION » Say oped” (op. cit, p. 569). Thirdly, the Pontiff counsels the practice of examination of con- ously to carry out in his life the things about which he has read and meditated” (op. city p. 571). As we have pointed out, the three particular practices which suit of that union, then he must ‘use these three means. The reason for this is that these three exercises are precisely alligned with, and ordered to the supernatural de- ‘yelopment of, the three principal faculties of human conduet—in- St Bonaventure tells us that theology provides man with pa ‘of theology, then, is to relate a to conform myself to the Model, my spiritual reading will be in- fluenced by this choice. I should do well to direct a part of my reading reading program which embraces the speculative, practical, and devotional aspects of a particular virtue would be quite beneficial. ‘This study of the virtue in itself may be supplemented very profit: ably by reading about it perti thia virtue has to the spirit of my institate, Approaching the matter more closely, I should concentrate, as St. Pius mggests (op. cit. p- 569), on Sacred Scripture. The entire canon of inspired writings is re- dolent/of Jesus, who is their very essence. The Bible reveals the history which St. John has dis stilled:into his Prologue: prepar- ation for the incarnation of the Word/ the Word himself, and the ‘effects of his dwelling amongst us. Since the lines of the plan of salvation history are not always ‘obviously perceptible, I shall pro- fit, especially at the beginning, from consulting a commentary on Sacred Scripture, or reading an ccaant of the life of Christ. ‘Nore specifically pertinent to my general purpose of conforming urself to Jesus, I should study the Gespels, which are the very heartTHE TRIAD OF CHRISTIAN PERF EC “pyab OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 31 of Sacred Scripture. Here I shall Trinity, Our Lord, his Vj become acquainted with the Gal- Mother Mary, the saints: to ilean himself{—with the Son of sider, for example, not the Man as he revealed himsclf to of poverty, but rather the To read the gospel narrative in the light of a single virtue is a thrill- “? ing and rewarding experience. Meditation few moments » day to consider whéther I have practiced this in- dividual virtue, and to plan what I shall do in the immediate future. ‘My effort should be a positive one. ion im to avoid a particular fault, but to perform a positive act of this virme, My planning should also te practical: I shall be more kind may'consist for somte days or weeks in a simple acknowledgement that to persons—to the Most Bleued MeRiterapring to achieve and stall have begun to aoquire the