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Request to the Dutch JOC movements

On 17 February, 1961, Cardijn wrote to the male and female JOC movements in the Netherlands urgently requesting them to send information about their work to the Prep Com on Lay Apostolate.

To the J.O.C. and J.O.C.F.

Of the Netherlands.

My dear Presidents,

Dear Fr Chaplain,

I have just returned from Rome where I attended the 2nd session of the Pontifical Commission for the Lay Apostolate in preparation for the next Ecumenical Council. I am happy to be able to bring you a special Blessing from the Holy Father.

I am writing to you urgently because the Pontifical Commission has asked for a report on the J.O.C. and on the other organizations of the lay apostolate as soon as possible, in order to be able to draw conclusions to present to the next Council on: Catholic Action and lay apostolate.

I therefore request you to send a report on your J.O.C.-J.O.C.F in duplicate as soon as possible to

Son Eminence the Cardinal Cento,

President of the Pontifical Commission

for the lay apostolate,

Chancellery Palace,

Chancellery Square, ROME. Italy.

The report does not need to be very long, but you can add as appendices facts, publications, achievements that explain your activity. This report should answer the questions indicated n the attached note.

I insist once again that the report, in duplicate, should reach Rome at the earliest opportunity and that you send me a copy in Brussels.

Thank you in advance and see you soon in Rio de Janeiro!

Cordially united in Christ.

If. Cardijn,

Chaplain General.

P.S. Monsignor Ramselaar has agreed to write a report on Catholic Action in Holland. You could contact him and send him a copy of your report.

SOURCE

JOCI Archives 6.4

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Aid for Africa and Latin America

Aide-Mémoire Samoré 07 02 1961

A day after his visit to Archbishop Dell’acqua, Cardijn had two more appointments.

Archbishop Sigismondi, Propaganda Fide

The first was with the Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Archbishop Pietro Sigismondi, previously a Vatican diplomat and originally from Bergamo, the home diocese of Pope John XXIII.

The focus of this visit was the work of the JOC in Africa. As well as reporting on his trips to Africa, Cardijn thus sought Vatican assistance in placing the JOC “missionaries,” later called “extension workers,” whose task was to assist the development of the movement in the host countries.

Cardijn also insisted on the importance of the African JOC movements participating in the forthcoming Rio de Janeiro international council and he sought a grant for this purpose.

Archbishop Antonio Samoré, Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs

Cardijn’s second visit was to Archbishop Antonio Samoré, secretary of the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, effectively the Vatican’s foreign affairs office responsible for relations with other countries.

With the international council in Rio now less than a year away, Cardijn’s focus here was on Latin America. He requested a letter of support to be addressed to the Latin American bishops conference, CELAM, as well as further letters to Holy See representative offices all over Latin America.

He noted that Brazilian Bishop Helder Camara had committed to funding all hosting expenses for the international council but that a special fund had been created to finance the travel of other Latin American delegates to Brazil.

And a handwritten addition in Cardijn’s handwriting calls for a “word to HE Sigismondi.” Presumably, Cardijn wanted Samoré to add his support to Cardijn’s requests for aid to Africa as well.

All in all, another advocacy masterclass from Cardijn, in effect seeking to make Samoré and Sigismondi (and hence the Holy See) stakeholders in the development of the JOC in Africa and Latin America.

SOURCES

Pietro Sigismondi (Wikipedia)

Archbishop Pietro Sigismondi (Catholic Hierarchy)

Antonio Samoré (Wikipedia)

Antonio Cardinal Samoré (Catholic Hierarchy)

French original

Joseph Cardijn, Aide-Mémoire – Mgr Sigismondi 07 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Joseph Cardijn, Aide-Mémoire – Mgr Samoré 07 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

English translation

Joseph Cardijn, Aide-Mémoire – Mgr Sigismondi 07 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Joseph Cardijn, Aide-Mémoire – Mgr Samoré 07 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

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Talking to students at the Gregorian

06 02 1961 Gregorian

As well as his visit to Archbishop Dell’Acqua on 6 February, Cardijn also addressed students and professors at the Pontifical Gregorian University – as he had done on so many previous visits to Rome since at least the early 1930s.

On this occasion, Australian seminarian, Richard (Dick) Buchhorn, appears to have assisted and collaborated with Cardijn, by typing up his notes for the talk in English as well as adding a few comments of his own about the audience, who would include “….Africans, Scotchmen, Irish” and no doubt others (unfortunately illegible on the copy of the document).

They may have had “contact with the Y.C.W.” but still have “superficial knowledge” or even “know practically nothing” about the movement.

“Most think about Y.C.W. as an optional Parish organisation (one among many), an extra, less important than student, family, professional, adult organisations,” Buchhorn warns, highlighting a growing trend to regard the YCW as just one of a range of options.

“They will think about Y.C.W. as a technique, recipe, blueprint, method which may or may not ‘work’ successfully in parish life.”

“Hence little or no idea of formation, of apostolate starting from concrete facts,” Buchhorn notes. “Most will not sense the need for the priest to know his people, to share their life, their culture. (This particularly for Asian and African priests, who, during their studies here in Europe, become very “western” in their thought, habits, etc.)”

He therefore suggests that the “predominant THEME should be THE PASTORAL CONCERN OF THE PRIEST for young workers” who feel “generally abandoned, ignored” and at a “crucial period of their life” yet are “full of latent generosity.”

Hence they “must be formed to live a fully Christian life.”

“This formation depends on the priest, who must

– know them “Cognosco oves meas” (Translation: “I know my sheep”)

– seek them “Oves perditas” (Translation: “Lost sheep”)

– form them “Pasce…” (Translation: “Feed”)

in and through their daily life, through action, doctrine, sacraments

through a true elite in and for the true masses

“This task falls to every priest, even if there were no Y.C.W.

It is of vital importance for – the priest

– working youth

– their milieu

– family

– factory

– places of leisure

– the Church

– the world.”

“In this way the challenge, the responsibility, is thrown on to the listeners in an immediate way,” Buchhorn concludes.

SOURCE

Richard Buchhorn, Note for Cardijn 06 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

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A visit to Archbishop Dell’Acqua

Aide-Mémoire Dell'Acqua 06 02 1961

With the PCLA plenary meeting now over, Cardijn maximises his trip to Rome with a visit on 6 February to Archbishop Angelo Dell’Acqua, who plays the role of Substitute at the Holy See.

As always, Cardijn is extremely well prepared with a list of topics he wishes to report on, difficulties he wants to discuss as well as a series of specific, concrete requests for aid.

Africa

So he begins by presenting a report of his recent trip to Africa for the Pan-African YCW meeting in Lomé, Togo from 18 December, I960 to 2 January, 1961. He notes the absence of delegates from Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), which implies perhaps a lack of cooperation from local Church authorities that he wishes to redress.

And he reports on his earlier trip to several African countries in mid-1960, which was interrupted by events in Rwanda.

He particularly notes the arrival of “jocist missionaries” in Africa, no doubt wishing to ensure that they are welcomed by local bishops and churches.

International Council, Rio de Janeiro

Secondly, Cardijn offers information on the forthcoming Second International Council of the YCW to be held in Rio de Janeiro in October 1961. Five continental preparatory meetings will take place in the lead up to the Council with representatives from 90 countries expected to attend, truly a phenomenal achievement.

And he requests a letter of encouragement from the Holy See addressed to himself and/or the IYCW president, Romeo Maione, in order to help in the promotion and fundraising for the event.

He also requests letters to the representatives of the Holy See in each country in an endeavour to gain their cooperation.

And finally he asks for “honorary distinctions for international leaders” who are about to end their service to the YCW.

Vatican II

Nor is Vatican II absent from his thoughts. Thus he emphasises the “importance of a declaration by the Council on the need for the apostolate of the laity” and its promotion and development.

Encyclical for the 70th Anniversary of Rerum Novarum

Cardijn also returns to his request to Pope John in 1960 for an encyclical to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical, Rerum Novarum, and to update its teaching. He cites the teaching of Pope Pius XI in Quadragesimo Anno in 1931:

“a / on the importance of the workers’ apostolate: “The first and immediate apostles of workers will be workers”

b / on the importance of the apostolate of young workers: ‘I can already see, to the great joy of my heart, the tight ranks of young workers going to conquer their young working brothers and sisters’.

c / great progress over recent years

d / and ardent hope that this progress will continue.”

World Council of Churches

He also draws attention to the forthcoming 3rd Ecumenical Assembly of Churches scheduled to take place in New Delhi, India, from 18 November – 6 December, 1961.

Finally, he requests a private audience with John XXIII although it’s not clear if he is hoping for this immediately or on his next trip to Rome.

It’s another Cardijn masterclass of advocacy.

SOURCES

Angelo Dell’Acqua (Wikipedia)

Angelo Cardinal Dell’Acqua (Catholic Hierarchy)

Aide-Mémoire Mgr Dell’Acqua 06 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Aide-Memoire Archbishop Angelo Dell’Acqua 06 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

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The PCLA launches an enquiry

Aide-Mémoire Dell'Acqua 06 02 1961

As the Rome meeting progresses, the Prep Com announces on 4 February that it wishes to launch an enquiry into the history and work of the lay movements and organisations around the world.

As Mgr Glorieux explains in a separate note, the Commission is looking to develop a better understanding of how “Catholic Action” movements operate in various countries.

In effect, it appears to be aiming to develop a typology of the various movements.

As usual, Cardijn sees this as a great opportunity to present the JOC and its methods.

SOURCE

French original

Commission pontificale préparatoire sur l’apostolat des laïcs 04 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

English translation

Preparatory Commission on Lay Apostolate 04 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

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Please send more copies!

Glorieux - Fiévez 01 02 1961

Cardijn is now in Rome and the latest meeting of the PCLA is already under way.

It appears that at least one of Cardijn’s preparatory notes has hit the mark with a request for more copies of Note 4, “Priests and lay people in the apostolate” to be sent to Rome.

Thus, on 1 February, PCLA secretary, Mgr Achille Glorieux writes on Cardijn’s behalf to Marguerite Fiévez.

“Mgr Cardijn, whom we are happy to have with us, has asked me to write to you,” Glorieux begins, “a few days ago we received the double document (I mean, with the part also translated into Latin) from Monsignor,”

“It would be useful for us to receive 45 (forty-five) copies, in order to give them to our Members and Consultors,” he asked.

Fiévez responded quickly, sending back the documents by express post on 6 February.

SOURCE

French original

Mgr Glorieux – Marguerite Fiévez 01 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Joseph Cardijn, Prêtres et laïcs dans l’apostolat (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

English translation

Mgr Glorieux – Marguerite Fiévez 01 02 1961 (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Joseph Cardijn, Priests and lay people in the apostolate (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)