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Cardijn asks Palémon Glorieux to comment on his manuscript

On 17 October 1962, Cardijn wrote to French theologian, Palémon Glorieux, who was accompanying Cardinal Liénart at the Council as his personal advisor, asking him to comment on the manuscript of his book.

Brussels, 17 October, 1962

Reverend Monsignor P. Glorieux,
Procurator of S. Sulpizio,
113, via Quattro Fontane,
Roma, Italy

Dear Monsignor,

Would you mind if I bother you? I tried to reach you at Lille; and Monsieur Dewitte gave me your address in Rome, encouraging me to contact you.

For three or four years, I have been asked to compile several articles that I have published on the apostolate of the laity and Catholic Action since 1935. Alas! my travels around the world never allowed me to complete the tasking of compilation and “aggiornamento”. Now we are about to celebrate my 80th birthday; the Council is about to speak, and the publishers insist that I no longer postpone the matter.

I had a search made for the articles which seemed to me the most characteristic. Mademoiselle Fiévez has linked them by a thin historical thread and the text, which is being mimeographed at the moment, and will be finished next Monday.

This is only a draft publication. Would you have the time and the courage to read it and could you give me your opinion confidentially? Can we publish it? Are there not serious omissions, too flagrant theological errors? Will it not seem like “figs after Easter”?

Before risking its publication, I would like to obtain the opinion of a very sincere and very sure friend. This opinion will decide on its immediate publication or its postponement till later in a more careful and better researched publication. Dear Monsignor, if you could promise to give me your personal opinion after reading the mimeographed text, by the first half of November, I will send you this text on Monday.

Please excuse my impertinence, and accept, dear Monsignor, with my prayers for the work with which you are so closely associated at this moment in Rome, my most affectionate thanks and the assurance of all my attachment.

Jos. Cardijn,
Chaplain general of the YCW

90, rue des Palais,
Brussels 3

SOURCE

Archives Cardijn 1777

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A strategic plan for the Council

In an undated document that seems to be from just before the opening of the First Session of Vatican II, Cardijn sets out a strategic plan for influencing its work.

I. THE YCW AND THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

1. Before, during the first session, during the preparation for the second session: attention, intentions, prayer, sacrifices, all the YCW action

2. Expectation in the YCW and among young workers

3. Attention to the problem of young workers in the world

  • its growing importance, one might even say decisive importance for young workers and the working class
  • for the Church and for humanity
    number of young workers
    problems of young workers
    solidarity of young workers

4. Faith in the solution

a/ by young workers themselves (formation – action – representation)

b/ concrete problems: preparation – unemployment – leisure – climate

c/ necessary collaborations

5. The YCW and the problem of young workers

And is the movement of young workers

an apostolic and missionary movement

a holistic movement

6. The Church and the problem of young workers

The problem of YCW

Formation and collaboration of the clergy of all members of the Church

THE YCW in, with working youth, the world of today and tomorrow

The YCW and the apostolate of the laity, specialised and coordinated Catholic Action.

II. THE YCW IN ROME

1. Communicate our intentions

2. Prepare the participation of Bishops from all regions, continents, races

Latin, Greek, Malabar Church

JOC in Europe, North America, Australia
in Asia
in Africa
in Latin America

4. Signal discussions on JOC-MIJARC as much as possible

JOC-JEC

JOC-Christian Trade Unions

5. As the meeting cannot last more than two hours, would it not be better to begin immediately with the problem of working youth in the world?

Then, testimonies of bishops from different continents

Then, general questions for bishops to ask

6. Announce special meetings: Asia

Africa

Latin America

North America

Australia

SOURCE

Original French

Joseph Cardijn, La JOC et le Concile (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)

Joseph Cardijn, The YCW and the Council (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)