The gentle direction of Mother de Chantal

Letters of Spiritual Direction

The Letters of Jane de Chantal

Discussion Group 2:
David Purdy, Taisali Leuluai, Tresphord Chisanga, Duoc Le

What struck you?

Jane de Chantal had a variety of diverse directees, and the advice that she gives seems general, but yet particular as needed.

The directees shared mainly “faults” and not sins

• Encouraging words
• Common sense approach, sprinkled with charity
• Her letters to Madame du Tertre are many: Jane had to write many letters to help Madame Tertre (p219)

Letter to the Bishop of Bourges (her brother, André Fremiot)

• Addressed him respectfully as “my lord”
• In the body of the letter spoke to him as brother, she starts giving gentle advice to him, “when you have committed some faults go to him humbly and say I’m sorry.” (p203)

The language and tone in the letters of Jane de Chantal

• Language is very assuring and affirming
• Tone is neutral, not emotional

She had a reputation of being a good advisor. It seems that her directees are comfortable enough with her that they share even the smallest aspects of their lives; they are open with her. Is this not the highest point of trust between a devotee and a director?

Jane attributes her spiritual life to St. Francis in her first letter

One difficulty in this collection of letters is the absence of letters from the directée. There are only letters from Jane published, which makes it difficult to put into context at times.

What is new for you?

• In a comparative way to other spiritual guides, her approach is gentle
• Compared to Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal did not use as many examples or imagery to make a point. Her language is very simple.
  

What is confirming for you?

• Jane is a good example of a “good neighbor”, loves God!
• Live Jesus!

Submitted by Duoc Van Le
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Visitation (St Paul, Minnesota): hands help and welcome

Humility, prudence and sincerity: keys to authority

Jane de Chantal as Spiritual Director

Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction, pp. 183 - 266
Group 1 – Seung Yong Yi, Joseph Pampackal and Jim Heuser
December 15, 2009

(1) What strikes us from the reading?

A general comment: Jane, through her letters, shows great skill at spiritual direction.  She manifests her love, humility and motherly concern as well as her effectiveness with soft and gentle persuasion.  The Salesian spirit is clearly the guiding motive force in her approach.  Like Francis de Sales, she promotes a spirituality that is not stressful, rigorous, impetuous and overeager.  These themes recur time and again in her letters to diverse correspondents.

In the Advice to the Countess de Toulonjon, Jane advises her daughter to do some spiritual reading every day for 15 to 30 minutes, to pray with aspirations throughout the day, and to close each day with an examen of conscience and prayer to God (pp. 218 – 219).  The emphasis seems to be on simplicity in prayer, yet daily faithfulness.  This strikes us as very akin to the advice of Don Bosco.

(2) How does this reading present something new?

It is remarkable to see the manner in which Jane dealt with Madame du Terte (Marie-Aimée de Morville), who troubled her and a Visitandine convent for 13 years.  Her letters (pp. 221 – 228) begin with the endearing address, “My very dear daughter.”  She displays her great fund of patience and her talent of persuasion in steering the woman round until she is converted and chose to be faithful to her Visitandine life.  It is truly remarkable patience with a Sister who appears to have been a veritable affliction for Jane and a convent.

Not having much acquaintance with the Visitation, some of the practical aspects of their structure were new for us.  For example, the welcoming of widows and/or women retreatants for a temporary time (p. 234) and the acceptance into the community of women with physical infirmities “unless they had a contagious disease” (p. 252).

(3) What was confirming for us in the reading?

While on the one hand there appears to be openness to receiving into the Visitation a wide array of women, on the other hand Jane is clear that good discernment, selection and testing of vocations is needed.  The letter to Mother Paule-Jéronyme de Monthoux p. 243 – 245) has some clear advice: “… let us learn from experience that we must test and know the vocation of young women before receiving them;”  “Before receiving young women, I would like you to have them examined by some good religious …;” “Before receiving a young women, you should discern if she has a firm, constant desire for the vocation;” “… do what I have suggested before allowing them to enter the novitiate or giving them the habit or professing them;” “… make good choices of candidates and do not hesitate in the least to send them away if they are not suitable.”  We find this wisdom very similar to that found in Don Bosco’s Dream of the Ten Diamonds.

In a letter entitled “To a Superior” Jane writes, “I do not choose the most capable or most virtuous Sisters to be superiors, but rather those who I see have the God-given talent of governing well” (p. 252).  She goes on to indicate that neither the intelligent nor attractive in the eyes of the world, neither the devout nor genuinely holy, are successful as superiors unless they really know how to govern.  She identifies the virtues of humility, prudence and sincerity as key to the good practice of authority.  Hers is quite a practical insight into leadership … and culled, clearly, from her own experience.  We think it holds true today as well.

A general comment:  Her letters to diverse superiors are filled with much practical wisdom as regards how to deal with the members of the community in an effective manner.  There is a definite stress on patience; on never correcting publicly; on remaining at peace when leadership is resisted; on not taking anything personally; on not striving to control; on governing with expansiveness of heart and absolute liberty of spirit.  As the foundress, along with Francis, Jane grasped best the Salesian spirit.  Yet it would take time and patient effort to have that spirit imbibed and absorbed by the others.

Submitted by Jim Heuser

God is the meeting place

Letters of Spiritual Direction

Letters of Francis de Sales

Discussion Group 2

David Purdy, Taisali Leuluai, Duoc Le

What struck you:

Francis uses a humanistic approach to woman.

“Francis directs the troubled young woman to a more realistic
appreciation of her own limitations and the imperfections of others,
and to greater trust in God’s providence.” (p. 95)

Have measurable goals, not far reaching goals (p. 96)

•   The virtue of patience that one must be patient with others, but
most importantly we must be patient with ourselves
•   Endure Patiently the imperfections, and not love or embrace our own
imperfections.
•   The richness of themes expressed in the letters (p123)

• Warm expression of personal caring and concern
• Friendships as a gift of God
• Nourishing and sustaining Friendships
• Recognition of maturity of relationship

It is important to know how to support others in times of Trials. Francis doesn’t give them an answer, but gives them a different perspective, challenging them to look at their current situation with
a new perspective

• A perspective of forgiving oneself
• Accepting one’s limitation
• And beginning again as needed with a touch humor
• Worry not, God will render the effort fruitful
• Learn to let go of issues out of your control
• Be at peace and be practical
  

Confirming:

•   For Francis, God is the meeting place for everyone (through prayer)
•   Francis’ approach to spiritual direction in his letters is calmness
and kindness
•   Francis often pulls in examples from the everyday life of the women
he writes to in order to effectively guide the women
•   Francis does not criticize upon hearing of a particular situation,
but rather he helps the directee be in context with the situation
•   Aside from the letters being a spiritual guide, it seems that the
Francis is also guiding the women on how to deal with their emotions.
•   A characteristic of a good Spiritual director is someone who is
always affirming and assuring to those he help (Page 130)

Submitted by Duoc Van Le
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Francis de Sales Writer, St Teresa Parish, Ljubljana (25 April 2006

Doing all with great humility and gentle patience

Letters of Spiritual Direction
Discussion Group

Brian Rebholtz
Tresphord Chisanga
Sung Han Lee

What’s New/What Struck Us?

The letters would be more interesting if we had St. Jane’s letters. St. Jane did the world a huge disfavor by burning her letters to St. Francis!

St. Francis has a very direct, forthright manner of addressing his directees. He also has an integrative spirituality that encompasses almost all aspects of human life in a comprehensive theological vision. This is impressive, but also very counter-cultural for 21st century post-modern North Americans, who tend to isolate and separate the different pieces of our life.

St. Francis’ imaginative spirituality has an Ignatian flavor, and yet his use of imagination is more free and less tied to scriptural imagery. His style of finding popular images to convey the Gospel could definitely transfer to contemporary preaching.

What’s Confirmed?

Sweet ways every day! St. Francis’ letters are full of gentle advice and simple remonstrations of Gospel living. His spirit is always intensely pastoral and practical.

A life of prayer – St. Francis did all things with great humility and patience. He even prayed over the letters he wrote! We all agreed that St. Francis’ prayerfulness is a virtue to be imitated in vocational life.

Submitted by Brian Rebholtz
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Sun Han Lee in class (22 October 2009)

Appealing to the whole person

Bond of Perfection

Discussion Group 

David Purdy, Taisali Leuluai, Duoc Le

Things that strike you:

The nature of Salesian Spirituality

• pastoral
• gentle
• feminine
• mercy not condemnation
• deep interest in all that is human, especially in affection
• openness to God, to others
• devout prayer life
• Relational
• Not structured, flexible
• More of the heart, then the head (Ignatian)

“Live Jesus!”

The Consistency that Christians should live, by always keeping in mind, heart and actions the Life Death & Resurrection of Christ

Salesian Spirituality begins from your own heart and not outside

Themes

• Page 54: Salesian Spirituality is not a desert experience in which the spiritual experience begins by calling one out of the world.
• Francis has vast expertise and charisma
  
• active bishop
• writer
• advocate of lay vocation
• preacher
• preacher to the code
• reformer

• Page 51:  “The great method of prayer is  to have no method at all”

What was new for us:

Francis and Jane (To become Christ for others)

• Take Jesus name
• Our actions should be His actions
• Former understanding that Salesian Spirituality was only from Francis, but that of both Francis and Jane

What confirmed what we already believed

Page 10: In order to follow Jesus Christ one must empty oneself

• This process in Christian life is called ascetic life
• Sacrament of Baptism
• Paul to Galatians, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
• To build a good relationship takes time

Page 59:  In the Salesian Direction, “the point is not to instruct but to appeal to the whole person”

• mind
• body
• emotion

Discussion of 1 December 2009
Submitted by Duoc Van Le
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Duoc’s birthday party

Emptying self to follow Jesus Christ

The Bond of Perfection

Group 2: Fr. Dave, Fr. Tres, Fr. Tai, Duoc

What struck you:

·      The nature of Salesian Spirituality

o      pastoral

o      gentle

o      feminine

o      mercy not condemnation

o      deep interest in all that is human, especially in affection

o      openness to God, to others

o      devout prayer life

o      Relational

o      Not structured, flexible

o      More of the heart, then the head (Ignatian)

·      “Live Jesus!”

·      The Consistency that Christians should live, by always keeping in mind, heart and actions the Life,  Death and Resurrection of Christ

·      Salesian Spirituality begins from your own heart and not outside

·      Themes

·      Salesian Spirituality is not a desert experience in which the spiritual experience begins by calling one out of the world (p. 54).

·      Francis has vast expertise and charism

• active bishop
• writer
• advocate of lay vocation
• preacher
• preacher to the code
• reformer

·      “The great method of prayer is to have no method at all” (p. 51)

What was new for you: Francis and Jane (To become Christ for others)

• Take Jesus name
• Our actions should be His actions
• Former understanding that Salesian Spirituality was only from Francis, but that of both Francis and Jane

What was confirmed for you:

In order to follow Jesus Christ one must empty oneself (page 10). This process in Christian life is called ascetic life

• Sacrament of Baptism
• Paul to Galatians, “ I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

Building a good relationship takes time. In the Salesian Direction, the point is not to instruct but to appeal to the whole person” (page 59):  

• mind 
• body 
• emotion

Submitted by Duoc Van Le
Photo by Joe Boenzi: Stain glass at Francis de Sales Retreat House, Umori Meghalia (29 July 2009)

Six themes of Salesian spirituality

Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction, Introduction

Discussions - Group 1

Seung Yong Yi, Joseph Pampackal and Jim Heuser

December 1, 2009

(1) What strikes us from the reading?

In general, the entire Introduction, and especially the presentation of six themes of Salesian spirituality, was appreciated very much by the members of our group.  At one and the same time it was both comprehensive – (1) appreciation of all that is human, (2) living between the two wills of God, (3) the spirituality of daily life, (4) absolute liberty of spirit, (5) the priority of the interior/the heart, and (6) the significance of little things – as well as insightful.  It would seem worth our while to personally return to these pages for reflection now and again.

The emphasis on beauty within Salesian spirituality was somewhat striking.  The historical part of the introduction highlighted that Francis de Sales encountered a philosophy of beauty that was current in Padua during his years of study there, a philosophy which impacted him decisively (p.22).  And then the reflection on the first theme (appreciation of all that is human) indicated how the appreciation of beauty, the contemplation of beauty, the love of beauty are central to the Christian humanism as espoused and lived by Francis (p.36).  We wonder if we today give this sufficient attention – and what it might mean if we did.

(2) How does this reading present something new?

The goal of the Christian life has always been living in the mystery of God through identification with – indeed, union with – Jesus.  In the words of Paul, “I live no longer but Christ lives in me.”  That in itself is not new.  But the succinct and evocative expression of it by Francis and Jane as “Live Jesus!” is both insightful and very appealing.  The phrase could be well used to sum up, in our preaching to and teaching of both adults and young people, our Christian identity as rooted in baptism.

In the discussion of the fifth theme (the priority of the interior/the heart), mention is made of Francis’ reflection on the two alternating movements of love: love of complacence and love of benevolence (p. 57) as found in the Treatise.  These designations were new for us.  Love of complacence appears to be a drawing in of God’s goodness and life while love of benevolence appears to be a breathing forth of that goodness and life on others and the world. 

(3) What was confirming for us in the reading?

“All director/directee relationships might be viewed as spiritual friendships” (p. 14).  Indeed, this has been the Salesian approach that we each have experienced as we grew up in Salesian contexts, whether in Korea, India or the United States.  The relationship is much more than a simply a “professional” relationship (as some other systems may describe spiritual direction), but rather a journeying together, with the potential of the radical transformation of both parties.  “In any long-term relationship of depth, two persons give birth to each other, creating each other anew in the interaction that transpires between them” (pp.11-12).  We note this in a particular way in Don Bosco’s relationship with young people: he transformed them, while they transformed him.

“[Francis de Sales] asserted that in preaching the Word one’s words must come out of the heart as well as the mouth. … ‘[H]eart speaks to heart, the tongue speaks but to the ears’” (p. 58).  It is a good reminder to us for our own preaching today, which perhaps can suffer from too much intellectualization on the one hand, or superficiality and triteness on the other.

Relationships can be vehicles to devotion

Francis de Sales & Jane de Chantal
Letters of Spiritual Direction - Introduction

Discussion Group:
Brian Rebholtz
Tresphord Chisanga
Sung Han Lee

What’s New

I did not realize that St. Francis de Sales’ Christian humanism influenced his own teaching on Christian perfection. For St. Francis Christian perfection was indeed possible, but unlike later holiness movements, he insisted that men and women cultivate indifference as to their own spiritual progress. For St. Francis, pursuing perfection actually removes the promise offered by spiritual perfection.

St. Jane de Chantal’s vision of herself as an uncarved block is fascinating. This suggests a deep relationality in Jane’s piety, even though she was committed to prayer without words and images.

What’s Challenging

The emphasis on liberty can be difficult to apply in the present. The insights of M. Montessori suggest that it is actually in earliest childhood that the capacities for spiritual and personal agency are firmly developed, and for those children who are abused, neglected and abandoned during those years, the development of capacities to know and think and love can be severely afflicted. To what extent does Christian humanism take into account that all people are NOT given equal opportunity to grow and flourish in this world?

What’s Confirming

St. Francis’ understanding that God refashions the human heart in the midst of the world as well as in the serenity of the cloister is always deeply refreshing for me. I am challenged and inspired by the notion that Christians can imagine relationships as the vehicles of devotion rather than obstacles to devotion (as St. Teresa of Avila would have it).

Likewise, I resonate deeply with the idea that devotion is nothing less than “making Jesus live.” In other words, true devotion is life lived within the radiant experience of a personal relationship with God that flows out into the world and onto others.

Submitted by Brian Rebholtz
Photo by Joe Boenzi:  Tresphord Chisanga in class (22 October 2009)