History of the Rule of life

The 1877 decree of approval concerned the Institute only and not the Rule. This had to be presented later on to obtain direct approval, in view of the changes demanded by the Holy See or those which the Congregation itself might judge useful to add. The usual time lapse was 12 years.

The General Chapter of 1887 specifically asked the Superior General and his Council “to request as soon as possible that the Sacred Congregation for Bishops and Regulars grant the canonical approval of our Constitutions”.

There were fewer requests for changes than in 1877. Part II, entitled Life Style was divided in two: one part consisted in a series of chapters dealing with the vows, and the second part dealing with the practice of the corresponding virtues.

The Chapter entitled “Particular devotions of the Institute” was reduced in size once more and the three sections reduced to eight articles:

1. The Institute is placed under the invocation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

2. All the members of the Congregation consider this divine Heart to be their special modal, their treasure and their heritage, the seal which they must imprint on their whole life.

3. For motto they will have his cry of devotion: Behold, here I come!  Let us go!

4. Every year in all the houses of the Institute the feast of the Sacred Heart will be celebrated with the greatest solemnity.

5. The birthplace of the Institute is the miraculous shrine of Our Lady at the foot of the hill known as Calvary, all members will have a special devotion to the Passion and death of our Saviour and for the sufferings of the Queen of Martyrs.

6. They will practise and spread devotion to the Stations of the Cross.

7. With great zeal they will establish the practice of the Rosary.

8. They will have great devotion for St Joseph, patron of the universal Church and protector of the Institute.

Approval for these Constitutions was given by Pope Leo XIII in the decree of 28 April 1890; this wasn’t the final approval but for a 10 year trial only.  “Our Constitutions have been approved but for a ten year trial period, as you know” said Fr Etchecopar to the 1890 Chapter.  Nearly all the modifications proposed by the General Chapters – they met every three years – have been approved by the Holy See.”

To complete the Constitutions a new Coutumier was composed to which he attached great importance.

Speaking in the same Chapter Fr Etchecopar said: “The Coutumier applies the Constitutions in all the details of our daily life; it stresses the scope, the range, the spirit and the character.

In view of such connections and the importance of the Coutumier for us in establishing the characteristics of our Fathers and to preserve, if I may say so, the primacy of the spirit of our early Fathers, we have made a collection of our habits and customs which I am placing in your hands.”

He had just published the little book “Pensees” and he made no secret of his joy at seeing the spirit of St Michael alive and thriving in the Congregation:

Fr Etchecopar continued: “In spite of the general influence of what our Founder used to call le mal du jour, I have noticed that a breath from on high is lifting us and carrying us along in the footsteps of our beloved Father Garicoits.  I am convinced that the better his spiritual doctrine becomes known it will enlighten us, his virtue will sanctify us and we shall bear abundant fruits of light and life, in the course of this century which is growing darker in its pride and is breaking up in its revolutions”.  (15 August 1890)

Pierrre Duvignau, scj

(to be continued)