Evaluaci´on

This is why Father Alberione willed to have a family greatly articulate, capable of embracing all the multiple demands of the new times, and why he placed it under the protection of St. Paul, the apostle of all peoples. “A flourishing tree...one sole root and many branches.”—thus

has Pope Paul VI defined the Pauline Family. “Behold it spreading itself before our gaze and our admiration, like a great tree outlined against the sky.”

The Pauline priests are the first Congregation of the great Family which Father Alberione considers to be St. Paul’s work, not his own: “From St. Paul it was born, by him it was nourished and raised; from him the Congregation took its spirit.”

The seed sown in Alba, in August, 1914, as the “little Workers Typographical School,” grew marvelously, and the time came to buy an extensive piece of property on which to build the first House of the Congregation, so as to accommodate the many boys who had already entered.

On October 5, 1921, the Bishop of Alba, His excellency, Francis Re, blessed the various rooms of the House. Father Alberione, together with thirteen Pauline priests, pronounced their perpetual vows of religious profession in the hands of the Bishop. Fifteen other young men made their temporary vows.

Furthermore, the profession had a simple, private character because the Congregation still lacked canonical approbation, but this did not keep Father Alberione from having printed on the remembrance holy card, together with the names of the professed, the words: “Institution

of the Pious Society of St. Paul and religious profession.”

Thus came into existence the first-born Congregation of the great Family.

From Alba, the foundation, composed of priests and lay brothers called “Disciples of the Divine Master,” then extended itself to Rome in January, 1926. Ten years later, the Founder himself went to Rome, establishing there the General House.

“Rome, the teacher of the world, holds he doors open to humanity. From Rome go forth those who are ‘sent’ in every direction....” This is in accord with the

motto of St. Paul: “The Word of God is not bound,” but must “run and diffuse itself.”

The first duty of a Pauline priest is to be an apostle, a writer. With what spirit we hear this from Father Alberione himself: “O priest-writers, let us write after celebrating Holy Mass. Let us make ourselves channels through which the Blood of Jesus, flowing from His Heart, fills ours and, due to an overabundance, spills over into the hearts of the readers....

“O priest-writer, the effectiveness of your work depends more on your knees than on your pen! It depends more on your Mass than on your technique, more on your examination of conscience than on your knowledge.

“The lay writer is a reflector of light. You must also indicate the way and communicate life. Cry out, do not cease, as St. John the Baptist, as St. Paul! Call back from sin, point out virtue to everyone, communicate the power of example and of the Holy Spirit.”

The mission of the Pauline priest is so clearly expressed in these words that any addition or comment would be superfluous.

The Disciples of the Divine Master are associated with the priest. They are religious brothers who fully share the religious ideal with the priests. They assume in a particular way the technical and distribution stages the apostolate of the editions.

Born in the thought of the Founder from the earliest years, the brothers, Disciples of the Divine Master, were constituted in 1928. “Why... not associate them with the apostolate?… Why not give the lay brother an intimate share in the mission and zeal of the priest?” “They are dearest to us, because although constituted last, they were the very first in the intention....” “The priest writes; the technical work is done by the brother, who becomes a multiplier and diffuser: these are the Disciples.”

They are further entrusted with the particular mission of making reparation for the sins committed through the evil press and through the other means of social communication. This is accomplished through their mortified and holy life, with the practice of the hidden virtues, and through the dedication of their energies in the field of the apostolate of the editions.

To achieve an ever more fundamental relationship between ideals and works produced, in passing to the practical problems of diffusion with admirable coherence, Father Alberione used to recommend: “Do not do business, but carry on spiritual transactions—no industry but industriousness for the salvation of souls...not for money, but for eternal treasures.”

This was one of the major preoccupations: not commerce, but apostolate. Father Alberione knew that criticism was not lacking and never would be lacking, even because the means chosen could easily give rise to apprehensions or misunderstandings.

“We do not want to work for personal satisfaction, nor for the sake of honor, nor for gain, nor do we want the press for its own sake. Rather, we seek God by means of the press....”

“In addition to the orally preached word, the word preached with technical means is also needed. We are in the Church to give the written word. Our apostolate is the continuation of the apostolate of the Divine Master: ‘Go and preach the Gospel to every creature.’” Nothing else.

For this reason, the Founder suffered when at times his sons were considered businessmen or even more, when one of them acted in such a way as to give the impression of doing business, of undertaking any ordinary occupation. “Our book centers are centers of apostolate; not of business affairs, but of the Gospel; they are not for money, but for souls.”

This is why he was open to every new need of all peoples, but always with absolute fidelity to the mandate transmitted by the Church.

Openness, therefore, to what is new, but with wisdom. He loved to hear the truths of faith explained in a way adapted to the times, with dynamic originality but with due moderation.

In 1950 he wrote against a certain “modern... frank... advanced” tendency: “Some say: Today we need another form of education, another way of living, another form of discipline.’

“I answer: sanctity consists and always will consist in living Jesus Christ as He is presented in the Gospel: ‘Way, Truth and Life....’ Conscientiousness is not rigorism, and laxism is not modernity, but worldliness of heart.”

Upon these bases he taught—always a tireless teacher-that “an apostle is one who carries God in his heart and radiates Him to those around himself. An apostle is a saint who stores up treasures and communicates the surplus to mankind.”