Jacob's Well: Mary, Our Good Mother and the Virgin of the Vow
We are all familiar with the constant reference of Mary, Our Good Mother, in our Marist tradition. While Mary seems to acquire a title for just about everything, this unique designation for Mary traces itself back to Marcellin’s own lips and spirituality, to Mary, Notre Bonne Mère. One of my favourite things about history, is that there is no effect or consequence without a cause. Or, in other words, everything is connected. Am I sounding a little like Br Graham?! I hope so.
So, I would like to share some excepts from an article from Br André Lanfrey about the connections between the images of Mary, Our Good Mother, and its mysterious predecessors, the Virgin of the Vow. The full article is available in the Marist Notebooks (or the link here:https://www.champagnat.org/e_maristas/Cuadernos/30_EN.pdf). I think it is an interesting addition to our rich Marist history.
“The Good Mother” and the Virgin of the Vow: Reflections on an iconographic tradition
In several recent publications, Brother Agustin Carazo, former postulator general, has been working on the Marial statues of the Institute especially on that of “the Good Mother” (“la Bonne Mère”), a statuette moulded in plaster of virgin and child, about 75cm high, carefully restored and today preserved in Rome. In these texts, he reminds us that this statue probably figured at the Hermitage from 1824 in the “chapel in the woods” and even before, at La Valla, in the room of Fr Champagnat. Replaced subsequently by larger statues, probably more in keeping with the taste of the period, it seems to have been somewhat forgotten, although Brother François mentions its presence at St Genis-Laval in the room which had been occupiedby Brother Jean-Baptiste. It figures again in 1882 in a portrait of Champagnat writing at his work, painted by Brother Wulmer, a Belgian Brother. The statue then took part in the displacements of the Mother House: in 1903 to Grugliasco, in 1939 to Saint Genis-Laval and finally to Rome in 1961. It was there that, in the archives, Brother Agustin Carazo, looking for documents, found it by chance in a bag in February 1982. He then relates the story of the “resurrection” of this statue, which is given the name of “Good Mother” and which photographic reproductions make popular among the Marist Brothers. A Brazilian Brother, Francisco das Chagas Costa Ribeiro, author of a thesis on Mariology in Rome in 1988, indicates that the model of this plaster statue is located in the cathedral of Rouen, under the name of the Virgin of the Vow (La Vierge du Vœu).
From a second statue of “the Good Mother”, crudely painted, and still at the Hermitage, a Brother of the province of Castille (Estebàn Martin) made a mould, and so statues of plaster, wood, terracotta and other materials, of various sizes, have multiplied, especially in Latin America. Nevertheless, this representation does not seem to have gone far beyond the world of the Marist Brothers.
Two original statues of “the Good Mother”?
Brother Agustin has given us a very solid history of the statue of « The Good Mother » among the Marist Brothers which has allowed for a sort of resurrection of this important piece of our early spiritual patrimony. I think, however, that he underestimates the importance of the statue still present at the Hermitage which, in his opinion, is much smaller than the Rome one and of a later date. So he comes up with the hypothesis that it would have been acquired after 1860 by Brother François when he returned to the Hermitage.
In my opinion, this statue is about the same age as the one in Rome. But since my basic proposal is to complete the historical work of Brother Agustin Carazo, I will present the discussion on this particular point at the end of my article.
The Virgin of Lecomte (1777)
The Virgin of the Vow in Rouen is a marble statue of normal height (about 1 m 60) placed today in the chapel of Sainte Marguerite, one of the many side chapels of the nave of the cathedral of Rouen in Normandy. It rests on a stone cube set on the altar in place of the tabernacle, on which is inscribed the formula “Nostra clemens, accipe vota” (Our clemency accept our vows). This inscription confirms the traditional name given to the statue, “the Virgin of the vow”.
Sculpted by Félix Lecomte, it was offered to the Rouen cathedral about 1775 by the Cardinal-Archbishop Mgr. de la Rochefoucauld. It is characterized by one original trait: the baby Jesus is sucking his forefinger. But it should be noted that this statue is not isolated: the altar front bears a bas relief by the same sculptor shows a dead Jesus wept over by Mary and the holy women.
According to the Dictionnaire des artistes de l’Ecole française au XIX° siècle Félix Lecomte was born in Paris in 1737 and died in 1817. In 1764 he won the grand prize of sculpture, and in 1771 was accepted as a member of the former Academy of Painting and Sculpture. He was as well professor of the Academy and member of the Academy of the Fine Arts. His statue of the Virgin and the bas relief of Rouen are considered among his master works.
The medieval rood screen and the first Virgin of the Vow
This altar of the Virgin of the Vow is not the first one erected under this title and it is not in its original position. In fact, there existed in Rouen, as in most of the medieval cathedrals, a rood screen separating the choir from the nave. About this one, certainly in the Gothic style, Jean-François Pommeraye gives, at the end of the seventeenth century, the following details:
“The rood screen which closes off the choir has been enriched with two magnificent altars of very rich sculpture, crucifixes and other ornaments of woodwork all gilt […]. The altar of the vow was made from the contributions of the factory. I understand, from the memoirs of an individual who wrote about what he had seen, that this altar of the Virgin was completed at the end of March 1639 […] that on 26 April […] this altar was consecrated by M. François de Harlay the elder who placed in it the relics of St Paul apostle and Nicaise. It was called the vow because of a great plague which afflicted the city of Rouen for a long time; this had obliged them to have recourse to God’s mercy”.
The author adds, “The principal ornament of this altar is the image of Our Lady made of alabaster which was donated about 1357 by a canon named François Le Tourneur” […] “The altar of Saint Cecilia, which is next to the one of the vow is celebrated because of the confraternity of this saint where the musicians gather every year to solemnize her feast”. […] “I learned from several memoirs that on 23 April 1642 this altar was finished and the two images set in place”. To commemorate the event, a procession took place on 20 September and a lamp burns in front of the Virgin’s altar.
Thus, a medieval Virgin, probably already present in the cathedral, is set up in 1643 as the « Virgin of the vow » on the medieval rood screen, in company with St Cecilia who certainly figured there already.
IN CONCLUSION
As always happens, research resolves a certain number of questions and raises new ones. We can say that the Institute possesses two old but quite different statues of “the Good Mother”. The authenticity and age of the one in Rome are not in doubt. As for the Hermitage one, although not well documented, it seems to merit being considered a rare piece dating from the time of Fr Champagnat and attesting to the Marian devotion of the Brothers, perhaps linked to the practice of the Month of Mary.
In the wider context, it seems that quite soon after the Revolution a statue moulding workshop was set up, supplying the religious art shops with smaller statues on the Lecomte model. Moreover, circumstances lent themselves to it: after a phase of iconoclasm which destroyed or dispersed the furnishings and fittings of parishes and convents, this plant allowed the restoration of an important element rapidly and inexpensively, while situating itself in continuity with the aesthetic preferences of the eighteenth century which was still close.
Nevertheless, the small size of these statues, their weakness in evoking a theological message, as well as the rise of a preference for the neo-Gothic, the devotion to the miraculous medal and the emergence of a Saint-Sulpician statue industry, must have progressively marginalized this type. But we have seen that a model of this statue appeared worthy of interest for a Saint-Sulpician art enterprise in the middle of the nineteenth century.
We are left with the question of an iconographic tradition of Virgin and Child current from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, based on Christ as a baby, and without an obvious theological message. I proposed one interpretation earlier and Brother Agustin Carazo proposes Psalm 130 (131): “ …enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet like a child in its mother’s arms”. But, although interesting, this interpretation appears no more founded on certain sources than mine. It may be precisely because it allows for a great diversity of interpretations, from the most theological to the most sentimental, that this tradition of Virgin with Child sucking its finger holds an attraction through very different periods and despite copies of very unequal artistic value.
Jacob's Well: Marist Patrimony (Edition 11)
There is a plethora of sayings that link knowledge of one’s future with knowledge on one’s past. For Marists, we are blessed with a rich recording of our history, and the values that underlie this foundation, in documents and stories that fill libraries across the world. Many of you are familiar with some of our foundational documents:Water from the Rock, In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat, A Heart That Knows No Bounds. Others that you may not be as familiar with, but are still important, includes Evangelizers in The Midst of Youth, Gathered around the Same Table, or even The Constitutions of the Marist Brothers. I will talk more about these in future editions of Jacob’s Well, but today, I would like to introduce (or revisit for those who know) a set of documents that contain some hidden treasures of our Patrimony. Marist Notebooks
Marist Notebooks are a collection of articles, produced since 1990, written by some of the greatest Marist historians of the Institute. Now, I know you might say, how are these articles relevant to me? Like I said, the future is shaped by the past. Why is Montagne an important symbol for the Marist family? Because his story was researched and presented by one of the writers in Marist Notebooks. How do we know so much about the personal spirituality of Marcellin Champagnat? You guessed it: it is covered in these books. The Notebooks even contain the ongoing controversy about the boy who died twice: is Jean-Baptiste Montagne the dying boy who inspired Marcellin? Ask Br Michael Green about that one or read about in Edition 35!
The best place for the resources for this is on the International Marist Brothers website. Here is the link: https://champagnat.org/en/library/marist-notebooks/
I will highlight a couple of really good articles in the coming weeks as well.
Finally, not directly related to this, but related to our times, I would like to share a poem from one of my favourite poets of the 20th Centuries: Maya Angelou. This poem, written in 1995, is beautiful and stark and fills me with hope. May it help to take your next step, in these times of hesitancy.
A Brave and Startling Truth
We, this people, on a small and lonely planet
Traveling through casual space
Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns
To a destination where all signs tell us
It is possible and imperative that we learn
A brave and startling truth
And when we come to it
To the day of peacemaking
When we release our fingers
From fists of hostility
And allow the pure air to cool our palms
When we come to it
When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate
And faces sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean
When battlefields and coliseum
No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters
Up with the bruised and bloody grass
To lie in identical plots in foreign soil
When the rapacious storming of the churches
The screaming racket in the temples have ceased
When the pennants are waving gaily
When the banners of the world tremble
Stoutly in the good, clean breeze
When we come to it
When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders
And children dress their dolls in flags of truce
When land mines of death have been removed
And the aged can walk into evenings of peace
When religious ritual is not perfumed
By the incense of burning flesh
And childhood dreams are not kicked awake
By nightmares of abuse
When we come to it
Then we will confess that not the Pyramids
With their stones set in mysterious perfection
Nor the Gardens of Babylon
Hanging as eternal beauty
In our collective memory
Not the Grand Canyon
Kindled into delicious color
By Western sunsets
Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe
Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji
Stretching to the Rising Sun
Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi who, without favor,
Nurture all creatures in the depths and on the shores
These are not the only wonders of the world
When we come to it
We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe
Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger
Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace
We, this people on this mote of matter
In whose mouths abide cankerous words
Which challenge our very existence
Yet out of those same mouths
Come songs of such exquisite sweetness
That the heart falters in its labor
And the body is quieted into awe
We, this people, on this small and drifting planet
Whose hands can strike with such abandon
That in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living
Yet those same hands can touch with such healing, irresistible tenderness
That the haughty neck is happy to bow
And the proud back is glad to bend
Out of such chaos, of such contradiction
We learn that we are neither devils nor divines
When we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body
Created on this earth, of this earth
Have the power to fashion for this earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
Without crippling fear
When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.
Maya Angelou
Jacob's Well: The Kingdom of God
Today marks the recognition of the one’s of the biggest concepts in popular culture: a history of Galactic Republics, Civils Wars, cruel, authoritarian Empires and the practitioners of a religion that explores the light and darkness of the universe. It is an epic story.
For me, it raises the question in our epic story of faith: What are we about? I would like to return to exploring the central ideas of our Christian faith. The Kingdom of God can be an inaccessible and confusing term. It sounds very heavy: what exact relevant can the image of the Kingdom (and God as King) offer to us, living a democracy that has a complicated relationship with faith, a society that values the economy as the marker of success and a community navigating its way through issues of trust and apprehension with the Church?
The Kingdom of God, referred also as the Kingdom of Heaven and the Reign of God, is a central concept of Christianity, and one that Jesus himself used and articulated extensively in his ministry. In a nutshell, Jesus was all about proclaiming this radical vision of a life transformed by God, individually and collectively. We see this in the Gospel of Luke, where the words that Jesus speaks at the beginning of this ministry completely summarises his purpose. It is like his inaugural speech, his introduction at the beginning of assembly when the new teacher is starting at a new school: Jesus wants to tell people, right from the beginning, what he is about.
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (Luke 4:16-20)
Let me give you two brief explanations to help you out.
The first is from Oxford Biblical Studies, a foundational theological resource.
The central theme of Jesus' preaching according to the synoptic gospels, and a major subject of scholarly investigation for more than a century.
The term does not occur in the OT; it is mentioned in the book of Wisdom (10: 10) about 50 BCE and in the targum of Isaiah (c. 100 BCE) and was current, though not common, in the time of Jesus. Matthew usually prefers the term ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, which is not to be understood as the realm of the departed hereafter; ‘heaven’ simply reflects Jewish reluctance to utter the divine name.
The primary meaning of ‘kingdom’ is ‘rule’ or ‘sovereignty’ or ‘kingship’, and Jews could not believe that the existing state of the nation, subject to Roman rule, was compatible with the justice of God and the covenant with his chosen people. God their king was bound to intervene. The proclamation of Jesus was that this kingship of God was indeed to break in on the world. Albert Schweitzer wrote the classical exposition of the view that for Jesus the Kingdom lay in the near future. In the Beatitudes, the Kingdom is promised as a future reward. In the Lord's Prayer, the disciples are to pray that the Kingdom will come. Schweitzer maintained that Jesus regarded himself as the Messiah to come and that he went up to Jerusalem to take upon himself the ‘Messianic woes’, the period of suffering sometimes expected by Jews before the coming of the Kingdom, and thus force the hand of God. He was willing to die because God would be obliged to vindicate him. Jesus did not tell the public about his role, and imposed a seal of secrecy on the lips of the disciples, though Judas betrayed this secret to the leaders.
An alternative reading of the synoptic evidence is that Jesus preached that the Kingdom was actually present in his own ministry, as demonstrated by the exorcisms (Luke 11: 20). The main thrust of the parables is that of the mysterious arrival of the Kingdom—e.g. the Hidden Treasure, the Costly Pearl. A greater than Solomon was there! It is these sayings, of the presence of the Kingdom, that make it difficult to accept Schweitzer's theory that Jesus regarded the Kingdom only as God's future intervention. For the Kingdom will not come with apocalyptic signs to be observed but could be discerned already—it is ‘among them’ or ‘within their grasp’ in their own society (Luke 17: 20–21)—if only they would recognize it. The present-ness of the Kingdom is obscure and expressed in the parables in which the seed is hidden in the ground or so small that it is almost invisible. Jesus did not encourage expectations that there would soon be a dramatic manifestation of God's rule. He did not foretell an eschatological battle or the intervention of a host of angels, as in the OT book of Daniel, or in the War Scroll at Qumran, or in the Assumption of Moses (a Jewish work
probably written during the lifetime of Jesus). Evil, in his view, was to be eliminated by suffering and refusing to retaliate (Matt. 5: 38–48).
The Kingdom is still future in the sense that the Rule of God is not yet fully operative in the world. Like the mustard seed, the rule of God will continue to grow and this is how it will be to the end of time (Mark 4: 26–9). So disciples are to act ‘as if’ they were already members of the Kingdom, ‘as if’ the new Age was already here. Absolute obedience in our human conditions may not be possible, but Jesus by his words and deeds laid down the guidelines which should be our aim, which is to live as though the Rule of God is already in our midst and yet preparing for its ultimate fullness when ethics will be irrelevant.
Modern scholarship has made it plain that in the gospels the Kingdom cannot be identified with the Church, as it has often been since the time of St Augustine, nor can it be envisaged in terms of human virtue or social righteousness, ‘building the Kingdom’. Nevertheless both these interpretations have relevance: the rule of God implies a realm in which rule can be exercised, and the Church is the society which aims to keep alive the incentive and the attraction of the Kingdom. And although the kingdom of God is not to be equated with a human Utopia, there are important ethical and social consequences of embracing or entering the Kingdom, the coming of which is to be sought (Matt. 6: 10). Social hierarchies and class discriminations are irrelevant (Matt. 22: 9–10) and evidently Jesus himself lived out these principles (Luke 7: 33–4). The Rich Young Ruler was asked to give away everything; there must be unquestioning trust in God and selfless love of others; Peter was told to forgive seventy times seven; the Samaritan of the parable did help a wounded Jew. And there could be an allusion to the concept of the Lord enthroned as king in the Holy of Holies in the Temple.
The second comes from the Centre for Action and Contemplation’s faculty member Cynthia Bourgeault.
Throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus uses one particular phrase repeatedly: “the Kingdom of Heaven.” The words stand out everywhere. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like this,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is like that,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Whatever this Kingdom of Heaven is, it’s of foundational importance to what Jesus is trying to teach.
So, what is the Kingdom of Heaven? Biblical scholars have debated this question for almost as long as there have been biblical scholars. Many Christians, particularly those of a more evangelical persuasion, assume that the Kingdom of Heaven means the place you go when you die—if you’ve been “saved.” But the problem with this interpretation is that Jesus himself specifically contradicts it when he says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you” (that is, here) and “at hand” (that is, now). It’s not later, but lighter—some more subtle quality or dimension of experience accessible to you right in the moment. You don’t die into it; you awaken into it.
Others have equated the Kingdom of Heaven with an earthly utopia. The Kingdom of Heaven would be a realm of peace and justice, where human beings lived together in harmony and fair distribution of economic assets. For thousands of years, prophets and visionaries have laboured to bring into being their respective versions of this kind of Kingdom of Heaven, but somehow these earthly utopias never seem to stay put for very long. Jesus specifically rejected this meaning. When his followers wanted to proclaim him the Messiah, the divinely anointed king of Israel who would inaugurate the reign of God’s justice upon the earth, Jesus shrank from all that and said, strongly and unequivocally, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
Where is it, then? Author Jim Marion’s wonderfully insightful and contemporary suggestion is that the Kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place.
Marion suggests specifically that the Kingdom of Heaven is Jesus’ way of describing a state we would nowadays call “nondual consciousness” or “unitive consciousness.” The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation—not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans. These are indeed Jesus’ two core teachings, underlying everything he says and does.
The Kingdom is here, and not yet here. It may take a lifetime to understand it, and yet also, you living a life of love, faithfulness and hope is exactly the Kingdom in its reality.
Jacob's Well: Chocolate and Ministry (Edition 9)
This is my first requested topic, and nothing could make me happier! Chocolate. For me, it is certainly one of the most visible signs of God’s love in the world: something this pure and joyful and wonderful can only come from an unconditionally loving divine being! Now, I know you may be thinking: how are you going to integrate the topic of chocolate into a program of faith formation and resource development?
The starting point for this answer lies in the origins of chocolate itself! The history of chocolate can be traced to the ancient Mayans, and even earlier to the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico. The Aztecs took chocolate admiration to another level. They believed cacao was given to them by their gods. Etymologists trace the origin of the word "chocolate" to the Aztec word "xocoatl," which referred to a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "food of the gods." Food of the Gods! Right from its earliest beginnings, the connection between divinity and chocolate is well established.
So, what makes chocolate so delicious? Science.
The secret of chocolate making lies in understanding the six stages of crystallization of cocoa butter. Cocoa butter, the “fat” in chocolate, can crystallize in any one of 6 different forms (polymorphs, as they are called). Unfortunately, only one of these, the beta crystal (or Form V), hardens into the firm, shiny chocolate that we want. Form VI is also a stable hard crystal, but only small amounts of it form from the good beta (Form V) crystals upon lengthy standing. When you buy commercial chocolate, it is in the form of beta crystals.
When you melt chocolate and get it above 34°C, you melt these much-desired beta crystals and other types of crystals can set up. If you simply let melted chocolate cool, it will set up in a dull, soft, splotchy, disgusting-looking form. Even the taste is different. Fine chocolate has a snap when you break it and a totally different mouthfeel from the other cocoa butter forms.
How can we get chocolate to set up in these hard, shiny beta crystals? The process of melting and then cooling the melted chocolate so that it will form beta crystals is called tempering. Tempering is necessary only for real chocolate which contains cocoa butter, not for compound chocolate or summer coating which contains fats other than cocoa butter.
Cocoa butter can crystallize into six polymorphic forms designated as I–VI according to their stability and different physical characteristics such as gloss, hardness, and melting point. The chemical composition is identical in all forms; only the arrangement of the lipid molecules varies.
The diverse polymorphs are formed under different crystallization conditions. The thermodynamically most stable form, VI, has a dull surface and soft texture; only form V shows the hardness and glossy surface appreciated by the consumer. Gourmets only accept chocolate in its crystal form V, as it is this form that has the noble surface sheen, crisp hardness and the pleasant melting sensation in the mouth.
SO, what are the implications for ministry? This answer lies in one of the greatest writing achievements of the modern age: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. As some of you may remember, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Harry and a number of students were confronted with Dementors, the epitome of despair and hopelessness, on the Hogwarts Express, Professor Lupin provides much needed presence in his ministry to young people. Let’s take a look….
"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else.
"One of the dementors of Azkaban." Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.
"Eat,” he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me...”
…Professor Lupin had come back.
He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile,
"I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know...." Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes.
He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.
[In the Hospital Wing later in the chapter]
"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.
"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."
"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"
Finally, why does chocolate taste so good? It is a gift from God. And who am I to ignore the will of God, in providing chocolate to others (and myself) as part of my ministerial responsibility? So, go and enjoy that delicious block of chocolate. Jesus wants you to.
Jacob's Well: Marcellin and Resilience
I have been reflecting recently on a question posed to me last week, in the context of the usual discussions of our time. A person asked me, “What did Marcellin do, when faced with difficult circumstances that were imposed on him?” I provided something of a rote answer, but this question lingered in my heart and mind in the days that passed.
So, my mind fell on one of my favourite stories about Marcellin and I thought I would share it this week. It is recorded in Chapter Seventeen (Part One) of the Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat by Brother John-Baptist Furet. It comes during 1830, when France saw itself in the midst of a time of fear, rising violence, social tensions and increasing anti-religious sentiment in many parts of the country. For me, it is a story of Marcellin’s deep trust in God, but also a story of his practical wisdom of facing life with honesty, openness and courage.
However, at the same time that Father Champagnat was preparing to give his postulants the religious habit, there was considerable agitation in the country. Bands of idle workmen roamed the streets of the neighbouring towns, singing impious and revolutionary songs, while insulting and threatening respectable people. Several times, they prepared to go up to the Hermitage to knock down the cross from the spire and to do away with other religious emblems adorning the house. One Sunday afternoon, some people ran in haste to warn that such an attack was imminent. The advice of one of the chaplains was that Father Champagnat should send the Brothers out of the house so that they would not witness the scandal the assailants might cause. "If you like", he volunteered, "1 shall take them for a stroll in the woods until evening."
"Why should you take them for a walk?" replied Marcellin. "What have they to fear here? We shall sing Vespers and commend ourselves to the Lord; let men do their worst; they can do us no harm without the permission of God." The Brothers, in fact, chanted Vespers peacefully and were not in the least disturbed.
However, alarming stories were doing the rounds among the public and these were of a type to compromise the community.
It was said that the house was an arsenal, with cellars full of arms. The assertion was even made that the Brothers had been seen doing military drill, at night in the dormitories and in the courtyards. The rumour also went abroad that a certain marquis was hidden in the house and that he was the inspiration behind the Brothers' plans for a counter-revolution; and that it was he who taught them how to use arms.
These calumnious stories came to the knowledge of the Government and a house search was immediately ordered. This was carried out by the Public Prosecutor, with the assistance of a troupe of police. When the door was opened, the Prosecutor asked: "Isn't it true that you have a marquis here?" The Brother porter, who was a good simple soul, replied: "I don't know what a marquis is, but the Father Superior will tell you whether there is one; please wait a moment while I call him." "Yes, yes", insisted the Prosecutor, "you are hiding a marquis here", and instead of waiting in the parlour, he set out after the Brother who came upon Father Champagnat in the garden, and announced: "There is a man here, Father, asking for a marquis." The Prosecutor butted in to declare: "Your Reverence, I am the Public Prosecutor!" “A great honour certainly for us", answered the priest. Then, noticing the police surrounding the house, he added in a firm and deliberate voice: "You are not alone, I see, sir. I know what you want. Well, you must make a thorough search to find out whether we are harbouring nobles, suspected persons and arms. You have probably heard that we have cellars; let us begin with those!"
He led the Prosecutor and two police straightway to the washing-house and a small cellar with a well that supplied water for the whole house. "Have a good look at our cellars, gentlemen", he invited, "and see if there is anything here to alarm the Government." The Prosecutor gathered from the words, and the tone in which they were delivered, that the reports about the house were pure inventions. He therefore wanted to cut short the visit, but Father Champagnat insisted: "No, sir, you must see everything! Otherwise, the rumours will persist that we are out of order."
At this juncture, the Public Prosecutor said to the police: "Follow the priest and continue the investigation!" For his part, he returned to the parlour. Father Champagnat took the police to every corner of the house. Each time they entered a room, he would say: "Have a good look to see if there are any weapons!"
Reaching a locked bedroom, he asked for the key, which was not available because its occupant, the chaplain, was away. The gendarmes wanted to call a halt. Father Champagnat was adamant, remarking, as he sent for an axe to break open the door: "If we don't inspect this room, they will say that it is the one concealing the weapons and the marquis." The door was soon opened, revealing nothing but a poor bed, a small table and a chair.
The investigation being completed, Father Champagnat graciously offered the Prosecutor and the police some refreshments which they gladly accepted, apologizing profusely for the unpleasant duty they had just carried out. The Prosecutor assured Father Champagnat: "Have no fear, your Reverence: I promise you that this visit will prove advantageous to you." And noticing, as he left, an unfinished building, he exhorted him to complete it. "There is not much encouragement to finish off such works", retorted the priest, "when we see the crosses stripped from them." The Prosecutor withdrew, with renewed assurances that his visit, instead of harming the house, would help it to flourish. In fact, a few days later, he wrote an article on his visit, in the Saint-Etienne newspaper, contradicting all the vexatious reports which had been circulating. The article sounded the praises of the house and of its Religious.
Jacob's Well: Youth Ministry Podcasts (Edition 7)
Thank God for technology. In our current COVID-19 cocoons, our computers and phones are cementing themselves as essential workers in our own lives and bedrooms. While we could debate the healthy or unhealthy status of this perspective, I thought for this week’s Jacob’s week, I would offer a few Podcasts that you might have some time to listen to and embrace. They have a common theme: Youth Ministry.
The first three Podcasts, all produced in the United States of America, offer three different perspectives and insights into Christian Youth Ministry. A couple of disclaimers: the USA have different contexts across a broad spectrum of Christian viewpoints and theologies, and a much bigger industry of Youth Ministry that encompass Catholic and Protestant ministries. It is always important to listen to information with openness, coupled with a critical and discerning heart. One of my favourite lines I often hear in media broadcasts is, “Opinions stated by various contributors are not to be considered as endorsed. Visitors are urged to use their own discernment to draw their own conclusions.” Each Podcast, though, offers some significant practices and professional learning that are very helpful in our work as Christian Youth Ministers. Programs are often self-contained and vary in length, with some only 15 minutes long, and others close to an hour, so they offer a variety of listening experiences for you to choose.
The last Podcast is a series of programs reflecting on being a teenager in the modern world. It is especially interesting with engaging on topics that affect the age demographics in our schools, to whom we minister.
I have provided the synopsis that each Podcast have written for themselves. I hope these Podcasts are helpful!
Youth Ministry Answers/ Student Ministry Podcast
A podcast from Stuff You Can Use, hosted by Kenny and Elle Campbell. Every episode of Youth Ministry Answers features a question about student ministry submitted by youth workers, youth pastors, and volunteers just like you! You ask the questions, we search for the answers. Submit your questions at ymanswers.com and check out stuffyoucanuse.org for more ministry resources.
The Student Ministry Podcast
The Student Ministry Podcast is designed to be a Gospel-centred resource for any adult leader serving the next generation of future leaders.
The information covered in our episodes is for youth pastors, small group leaders, Young Life leaders, parents, campus ministry directors, Sunday school teachers, college pastors, young adult ministers, and educators who just want to learn more about ministering to youth and young adults.
This show gives quick, simple, and practical ideas to help leaders address some of the tough scenarios that they might be facing as they serve in youth ministry, family counselling, or college ministry.
Youth Ministry Booster Podcast
Welcome to the Youth Ministry Booster podcast. The most honest podcast in student ministry. Hosted by Zac Workun, Chad Higgins, and Kristen Lascola Enjoy weekly episodes as the team asks the toughest questions related to student ministry and youth pastor health, success, and expectations. We hope that this weekly dose of honesty and humor boosts youth workers and youth pastor. Find out more @ http://www.youthministrybooster.com
Today’s Teenager
For more than 20 years Roy Petitfils, LPC has worked with teenagers as an educator, youth minister and today as a counsellor in private practice specializing in adolescent and family therapy. He offers insight to help you understand today's teens with practical tips, tools and strategies to help you communicate with, discipline and positively influence the teens in your life.
Jacob's Well: Saint Marcellin (Edition 6)
Let’s continue the theme of getting to know our central spiritual figures, and the next one on the list is one who is familiar to us all. It is our very own Marcy or Marcie or Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat.
I want to introduce you all to the three main sources of information about Marcellin. Each text really forms the basis of what we know about Marcellin, his life, the early Brothers and the Marist Project.
Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat
Our first text is quite a rare commodity: a biography from the 19th Century written just after Marcellin died, and by one of the first brothers of the community. Written by Br John Baptist Furet, titled “Life of Joseph Benedict Marcellin Champagnat”, or commonly known as the Blue Book, it is the first biography written, and an excellent primary source of information. It has its own limitations and biases (John Baptist wanted Marcellin to be recognised as a saint, and so take some liberties with truth in pursuing this direction), but it provides the foundations for many of the stories we use in the Marist tradition.
One of the stories that illustrates this, and makes me smile, goes like this, ”Although she loved all her children dearly, little Marcellin’s mother felt a particular affection for him. This was not due to his being the youngest, it was because of a presentiment of what the future held for him. His intuition was fully confirmed by a sign which could not be other than supernatural and which presaged God’s plans for the child, as well as the benefits God wished to bestow on the Church through him. Several times, on approaching the cradle where baby Marcellin was lying, she noticed a king of luminous flame which seemed to issue from the child’s chest. When it hovered around the child’s head, the flame rose and spread through the room. Such an extraordinary occurrence filled her with a fear in which surprise and admiration. She was now convinced that Heaven had merciful designs in that child.” Marcellin was lit! Wow, I’m sorry, I regretted that as I typed it.
Achievement from the Depths
Another key text is “Achievement from the Depths,” by an Australian Brother Stephen Farrell. This one is a little more academic but has a stack of information and is well researched. It is definitely dense. However, the book does have really good photographs and pictures of people and places, so I found it much easier to read! Reading it in sections, or just using the indexes to refer to specific stories, events and people is easily navigable.
A Heart that Knew No Bounds
The final text is probably familiar to you: “A Heart that Knew No Bounds” by former Superior General of the Marist Brothers, Br Sean Sammon. Deliberately written as a summary of Marcellin’s life, it is a short read but a good one. It covers the broad strokes of Marcellin’s life, in a manner that really captures the spirit of Marcellin, and the invitation to keep living the Marist Mission today.
The books written by Brothers John Baptist Furet and Sean Sammon are available on www.champagnat.org
Jacob's Well: Mary, The Met Collection (Edition 5)
I find that drawing on the rich history and significant people within our Christian tradition can inspire me to keep going. So, over the weekend, as I reflected on Jacob’s Well for this week, I thought that continuing the Marian theme seemed fitting!
A few years ago, I was fortunate to have two years of my formation as a Brother living in the United States of America. I lived in a Mittagong-style retreat centre that the Brothers operated, about an hour and a half outside of New York City (sorry to place-drop!). On weekends, I would jump on the train and spend time in the City. One of my favourite places was the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest and most spectacular art museums in the world. In another life, I would like to be incarnated as an artist, but alas I lack the talent, smarts and bravery to be one in this life. However, on one occasion, with some of the other Brothers, I was asked to compile a little guide of the Marian art in the Museum.
Hence, attached is an amateur’s guide to some of the Marian art in the Museum, with some notes to introduce you to the constructions of Mary in art.
It does not cover all the art in the Museum, or the complete art history of Mary, but I hope it is a good start. During this time, the MET is closed to the public, but its website, www.metmuseum.org is one of the most informative and interactive websites going around. Maybe we could do an online tour together and have a look at the art? It is worth an exploration during these days!
As always, please let each other know about any complementary resources about Mary in Art. What is your favourite image of Mary?
Jacob's Well: Our Spiritual Songs (Edition 4)
Our lives continue to change daily, and while that was always the case, the acute nature of the current change is part of the newness of this time. So, I was going to offer another topic today, but I think this is where my heart lies at the moment.
Music has always been multifunctional: it stirs us to courage, attaches itself to memory and story, brings tears to our eyes, and bring all the boys to the yard. For me, it is also a source of faith, hope and love in times of joy and difficulty. So, this week, I thought I would offer songs that connect me to God, and to others. These are some of my Songs of the Spiritual. Please share and add your own: we might even be able to comply a playlist that warms our hearts in the coming weeks.
I’ll start with one of my most recent additions:
“Psalm 136 (Your Mercy Endures)” by Greg LaFollette ft. Leslie Jordan.
Drawing on one of the Psalms that describes the creative spirit and deep love of our God, it always brings my heart to a place of thanksgiving and mercy.
“Abide with Me”, sung by Emeli Sandé.
Next is a familiar hymn, There are so many versions of this traditional hymn around, but I have always returned to this version. Sung at the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony, it is raw, paced and heartfelt. The song and accompanying dance were a tribute to the victims of the 7/7 terror attacks in London that claimed 52 victims, days after the 2012 Summer Olympic hosts were named. It’s also been suggested the performance was a memorial to the war dead. The dance is also worth a view or two.
“There is a Balm in Gilead”, sung by the Adventist Vocal Ensemble,
This next song has a revealing disclosure attached. One Sunday morning, with my cup of tea in hand, I switched to the ABC for the BBC’s Songs of Praise program. Yes, ok, I admit it: there is a part of me that loves British-nanna nostalgia. This song is one of the gentlest applications of wound care you can find.
Finally, I know that there are several musical fans amongst us, and they contain some of the most beautiful songs ever written. I can listen to musicals all day!
“No One is Alone”, from “Into the Woods”,
There is one that is so apt for our current social isolation context. It reminds me of the complex nature of life: that our search for easy answers will not bring us peace. It is by embracing the tensions, mysteries and complicated nature of our reality that our burdens somehow become manageable, always resting in the spirit of trust with God, who understands all.
I hope these songs bring you joy, and peace. Time to share yours: what are your go-to Spiritual Songs?
Additional submissions from our team
New Wine - Hillsong United
I have been listening to this just about every day. It challenges me to consider how I am being Jesus to others (especially in this turbulent world where I feel like I am being challenged all the time).
Next to Me - Imagine Dragons
Not actually a worship song but it still highlights something about faith for me. The song is actually a love song about having love in your life in challenging times. I usually reflect on how God is always there for me when I listen to it.
So Will I (100 Billion X)- Hillsong United/Hillsong Worship
It’s a really beautiful and powerful song that reminds me of the beauty of God & his creation even in difficult times.
An Additional Playlist
As a national team, we all really connected with this subject, and as such we’ve created a “MYM Corona Comforts” Spotify playlist that is full of tunes that our team has added that help us connect with God and relax in this turbulent time.
MYM Corona Comforts: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nvlMNqv8D0zr7sO1hqrrE?si=8oNLDTgxTxKL4kj_pAj7zg
Jacob's Well: Jesus, Some Portraits (Edition 3)
As I was thinking about this week’s dip in the well, something kept nagging in the back of my mind. It wasn’t the usual voices of “How about some more chocolate, eh?” and “Maybe I already have COV-19 and just don’t know it?” No, actually, it was Jesus. Well, not the actual voice of Jesus (I am still waiting on that one), but rather, this thought: If I was to offer a beginning’s guide to Jesus, where would I start?
Well, the starting point is the Gospels, of course, and I feel like that it is a bit obvious to offer as a resource (although, check them out if you haven’t before, they do cover a lot about Jesus!). Here is some more that might be helpful for your personal and professional relationship with the big JC.
Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was (Gerhard Lohfink):
I was given this book, and reluctantly started to read it. I was transformed. It really captured my heart and imagination, written in an engaging and fresh way about Jesus. Thought provoking and gentle, I think it is one of the best books around about Jesus.
Blurb: Who was Jesus? A prophet? There have been many of those. A miracle-worker? A radical revolutionary? A wise teacher? There have been many of these, too. In his latest book, renowned Scripture scholar Gerhard Lohfink asks, what is unique about Jesus of Nazareth, and what did he really want?
Lohfink engages the perceptions of the first witnesses of his life and ministry and those who handed on their testimony. His approach is altogether historical and critical, but he agrees with Karl Barth's statement that "historical criticism has to be more critical."
Lohfink takes seriously the fact that Jesus was a Jew and lived entirely in and out of Israel's faith experiences but at the same time brought those experiences to their goal and fulfillment. The result is a convincing and profound picture of Jesus.
Jesus: A Pilgrimage (Fr James Martin):
This tome is a little longer but structured in a way that is accessible. Fr James, an American, is writing for an audience completely unfamiliar with Jesus. He breaks things down really well, as well as offer some reflections, prayers and questions that allow you to slowly engage with the material, or even use it in small groups and discussion forums.
Blurb: James Martin, SJ, gifted storyteller, editor at large of America magazine, popular media commentator, and New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, brings the Gospels to life in Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and invites believers and seekers alike to experience Jesus through Scripture, prayer and travel.
Combining the fascinating insights of historical Jesus studies with profound spiritual insights about the Christ of faith, Father Martin recreates the world of first-century Galilee and Judea to usher you into Jesus's life and times and show readers how Jesus speaks to us today. Martin also brings together the most up-to-date Scripture scholarship, wise spiritual reflections, and light-hearted stories about traveling through the Holy Land with a fellow (and funny) Jesuit, visiting important sites in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The person at the heart of the Gospels can seem impossibly distant. Stories about his astonishing life and ministry—clever parables that upended everyone's expectations, incredible healings that convinced even sceptics, nature miracles that dazzled the dumbstruck disciples—can seem far removed from our own daily lives, hard to understand, and at times irrelevant. But in Jesus you will come to know him as Father Martin knows him: Messiah and Saviour, as well as friend and brother.
Jesus 120:
Now I realise that you may not have time to read a book, or your Audible account was too expensive this month, but hey, you’re an Aural learner, so how are you considering me, Br James? Here’s a podcast that might help. Produced in the USA, Jesus 120 takes a story from the Gospels about Jesus, reads it, and has some interesting discussions. It is part of a broader Christian perspective, so it offers some different viewpoints, all to be taken with a discerning ear and heart. They ran out of stories recently, so the Podcasters broaden their materials to Scripture passages in the Old Testament, and other sections of the New Testament. Worth a listen, with episodes around 15 minutes.
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/jesus-120/id1047304549
Jacob's Well: Prayer Apps (Edition 2)
Pray As You Go (PAYG)
Designed by Jesuit Ministries in the UK, it is a daily prayer app that draws on Scripture for personal prayer and reflection. It is great for a way to start your day, or to put on as morning prayer in a retreat/reflection day. It is well produced, and each prayer is no more than 15 minutes. Here is the information they give about it:
Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, but particularly whilst travelling to and from work, study, etc. A new prayer session is produced every day of the working week and one session for the weekend. It is not a ‘Thought for the Day’, a sermon or a bible-study, but rather a framework for your own prayer. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection. Our aim is to help you to: become more aware of God’s presence in your life; listen to and reflect on God’s word; grow in your relationship with God. The style of prayer is based on Ignatian Spirituality. It is produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives, with material written by a number of Jesuits, both in Britain and further afield, and other experts in the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola. Although the content is different every day, it keeps to the same basic format.
Insight Timer
This is a library of libraries for a whole range of music, meditations, reflections, courses and resources. Whether you can’t sleep at night, need some quiet reflective music for retreats and prayer, searching for a guided meditation across a number of faith and non-faith setting, or a talk on mindfulness, it is a huge collection of resources for personal and communal uses. And the great thing: the free version is full of so much great stuff! There are so many more features: an online community to connect with, or a premium version with many things (but who pays for apps, especially when it’s so good for free!).
Taizé Music
We all love Taizé, I know, so here’s one of the official apps that the Taizé community produce. It is focussed on providing simple text and music notation for the songs, as well as a guide to preparing the prayer. Not a lot of diverse content, but definitely a helpful resource for preparing Taizé prayer, and as a last minute reference!
Additional submissions from our team
Marist Daily Prayer App
This app is by the Marist Association which features prayer intentions (based on our local Marist communities and schools!), Gospel of the day, breaking open the word and beautiful prayers.
Laudate
This app offers the Readings of the Day, Divine Office, scripture reflections, bios of the Saints, more traditional and formal prayers, the order of the Mass, Confession prep, official Church documents – so basically, lots.
FUEL (from Ignite Youth)
Another app with the Readings of the Day. I often read the daily scripture reflection, which is written by a rotation of youth leaders and young people, for a grounded perspective on the scriptures. There’s also video content of speakers from various Ignite events.
Click to Pray
This is the Pope’s official prayer app. The app gives you the Pope’s prayer intention for the month, as well as prayers at different times of the day you can pray with the Pope. The app also includes a prayer network, where you can post your own prayer intentions, or pray the intentions of others. Plus, every time you pray you can click a button and satisfy all your instant gratification urges!
Jacob's Well: Useful Youtube Channels (Edition 1)
Breaking in the Habit (Channel Link)
Casey Cole OFM is a rising star among Christian YouTubers (yeah, did you know there was such a thing!?!) He is a Franciscan priest in his 20s or 30s (I don’t know: he is ageless!) who delivers online content on a range of faith and personal issues.
His channel is called Breaking in the Habit (with accompanying website: https://breakinginthehabit.org/) and is the author of the books Let Go: Seven Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship and Called: What Happens After Saying Yes to God. So, he’s a priest, author, digital native, YouTuber, theologian, conference speaker, blogger, podcaster, Influencer and model. He does everything.
His description: Offering personal reflections and explanations from a Catholic and Franciscan perspective for Christians who want to become a better disciples of Jesus Christ and discern their vocation.
BibleProject (Channel Link)
A lot of teachers in our schools stumble across this and love it. The animation and content of Biblical stories and themes is one of the best available. Very useful for presentations, or for your own knowledge.
Their description: BibleProject is a nonprofit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos. Our videos and all of our other resources are available for free to help people everywhere experience the unified story of the Bible.
Cut (Channel Link)
Ok, this one is definitely left-field. Mostly videos about social relationships, dating, alcohol-related games and dares, it offers content on the reality of the human experience, particularly from a Millennial perspective. One of its gems is its Religion section. It can offer some interesting videos.