Purpose of the Society

E II, 1050

“The first purpose of our Society is the sanctification of its members. Therefore each one on entering will strip himself of every other thought, every other concern. Let each one have this firmly etched on his mind and in his heart, beginning from the General Superior down to the least of the members. No one is essential to the Society. God alone is its head, its absolutely essential master.

Turin, 9 June 1867, Pentecost Sunday

Perhaps our Society will be definitively approved very soon and therefore I need to speak with my beloved sons more frequently. Since I cannot always do this in person I will try to do it at least through a letter. I will begin then by saying something about the general purpose of the Society and then we will move on to speaking once again of the particular observances of this same Society.

The first purpose of our Society is the sanctification of its members. Therefore each one on entering will strip himself of every other thought, every other concern. Whoever enters to enjoy a calm untroubled life, have comfort and pursue studies, be freed from his parents’ commands or be exempt from obedience to some superior, would have a twisted purpose and his would no longer be that Sequere me of the Saviour’s, since he would be following his own temporal interests and not the good of his soul.

The apostles were praised by the Saviour and were promised an eternal kingdom not because they abandoned the world, but because by abandoning it they showed themselves ready to follow him along the way of tribulation, as in fact happened, consuming their life with fatigue, penance and suffering, and eventually suffering martyrdom for the faith.

Nor is it a good reason for one to enter or remain in the Society believing he is essential to it. Let each one have this firmly etched on his mind and in his heart, beginning from the General Superior down to the least of the members. No one is essential to the Society. God alone is its head, its absolutely essential master. Therefore its members must turn to their head, their true master, the one who will reward them, to God, and let each one join the Society out of love for him. Out of love for him let him work, obey, abandon whatever he possesses in the world in order to be able to say at the end of our life to the Saviour whom we have chosen as our model: “ecce nos reliquimus [omnia] et secuti sumus te, quid ergo dabis nobis?”

So while we say that everyone ought to enter the Society led only by his desire to serve God with greater perfection and to do good for himself, that means doing what is truly good for himself, for his spiritual and eternal good. Whoever seeks an easy and comfortable life does not enter our Society for a good purpose. Our basis for this are the words of the Saviour who says: “Whoever wants to be my disciple, let him sell what he owns in the world, give it to the poor and follow me.” But where do we go, where do we follow him if he did not even have a place to lay his head? Whoever wishes to be my disciple, says the Lord, follows me in prayer, penance, and especially by denying himself, accepting the cross of daily tribulations and following me: “abneget semetipsum, tollat crucem suam quotidie, et sequatur me” [Lk 9:23]. But how far does he follow him? Until death, and if necessary, even death on a cross.

That is what someone does in our Society who wears himself out in sacred ministry, teaching or other priestly activity, until death, even a violent one in prison, in exile, by the sword, water, fire; until the point where having suffered or died with Jesus Christ on earth he can rejoice with him in Heaven.

This seems to me to be the meaning of those words of St Paul who tells all Christians: “Qui vult gaudere cum Christo oportet pati cum Christo.”

Once a member has entered with these good dispositions he must show that he is without pretence and accept with pleasure any task that might be entrusted to him. Teaching, study, work, preaching, confession, in church, outside church, the humblest tasks have to be taken up happily and willingly because God does not look at the task but at the intention of the one doing it. So all duties are equally noble because equally worthy of merit in God’s eyes.

My dear sons, put trust in your Superiors; they have to render a strict account to God for their works, therefore they study your abilities, your tendencies and they make arrangements that are compatible with your strength, but always in a way that can redound to the greater glory of God and the benefit of souls.

If only our confreres were to enter the Society with these dispositions our houses would certainly become a true earthly paradise! Peace and harmony would reign amongst individuals in every family and charity would be the everyday clothing of the one who commands; obedience and respect would precede the steps, works and even the thoughts of the Superiors. Yes, we would have a family of brothers gathered around their father to promote the glory of God on earth, to then go one day to love him and praise him in the immense glory of the blessed in Heaven.

May God reward all your efforts with blessings, and may the grace of the Lord sanctify your actions and help you to persevere in doing good. Amen.

Yours most affectionately in Jesus Christ

Fr John Bosco