1912 Pre-Founding Document

education, which represents the work, the activity which will absorb our
The Pre-Founding Document whole lifetime.

October 27, 1912
(excerpts - see New Vision and Life for complete text) 6 We want to learn, not merely in theory: this and that would be good,
or nice, or even necessary. No, we must also learn in practice, we must
1 What is your reaction to my appointment as spiritual director? You put our hand to the plow every day, every hour. How did we learn to
are astounded and disappointed. What was our former relationship?1 walk? Can you still remember how you learned to walk? Or at least
We had nothing to do with each other. I wished to hunt down the so- how your little brothers and sisters learned? Did your mother give them
called “Easter lambs.” It was my greatest priestly joy whenever one of a long lecture: Look here, Tony or Mary, this is how you have to do it.
these came to confession, so heavily laden with the old refuse he had If that were so, none of us would be able to walk yet. No, she took us by
collected over the years that the confessional creaked. the hand and we started. One learns to walk by walking, to love by
loving; therefore we have to learn to educate ourselves through the
2 Then came my appointment as spiritual director. It was entirely constant practice of self-education. We certainly do not lack for
without my doing; hence it must be God’s will. I now place myself opportunities.
entirely at your disposal with all that I am and have—my knowledge and
ignorance, my ability and inability, but above all, my heart. Only the 7 We want to learn to educate ourselves. That is a noble, a royal
time left over will be used for the fulfillment of my favorite idea. activity. It is an imperative for religion, an imperative for youth, an
imperative for our time. I do not want to elaborate on these thoughts
3 I hope we will get along with each other; I hope that we will do now, but merely touch on the last point.
everything to achieve our common aim as perfectly as possible.
8 Self-education is an imperative for our time. One does not need
4 What is our aim then? Our future relationship depends on it. I will much knowledge of the world to realize that our time, with all its
therefore state it, short and to the point: discoveries, cannot remove our inner emptiness. All our attention, all
Under the protection of Mary our activities are exclusively directed to the macrocosm, to the world at
we want to learn to educate ourselves large, to the world outside ourselves. truly, we do not hesitate to pay
to become firm, free, priestly personalities2. tribute to human genius with our admiration. Human genius has
The fulfillment and practice of this fundamental idea will occupy us for conquered the mighty powers of nature and taken them into our service.
the course of the entire year. Today I only want to explain a few aspects. We have spanned the globe, explored the depths of the ocean, penetrated
the mountains of the earth, and flown through heights of the heavens.
5 We want to learn. Not only you, but also I. We want to learn from The drive to explore urges us even further. We have reached the North
each other. For we are never done learning, especially not the art of self- Pole and unlocked dark continents. With X-rays we can see through to
all our bones. The telescope and microscope uncover new worlds daily.
1
Until appointed Spiritual Director, Fr. Kentenich was a German and Latin 9 However, one world, one that is eternally old and yet eternally new,
teacher in the school. remains unknown and unexplored—the microcosm, the world in mini-
2
Firm: men of real character. Free: not enslaved by inordinate drives or by ature, our own interior world.
what other people think. Priestly: bridgebuilders between this world and God.
1 2
10 There are no, or at least no new methods of penetrating the human We, too, want to join with these modern aspirations—as the level of
soul. “All the realms of the intellect are cultivated, all capabilities our educaation allows.
enhanced, only the deepest, the most intrinsic, the most essential realm
of the immortal soul is all too often untilled soil,” as even the In the future we can no longer allow ourselves to be ruled by our
newspapers complain. That is why our age is so terribly poor and empty knowledge but must rule our knowledge. It can no longer happen that
on the inside. we know foreign languages with the proficiency expected in class but
And even more. Some time ago an Italian statesman described as remain purest midgets in the knowledge, the understanding of the
the greatest danger of our modern development that the primitive and language of our hearts. The deeper our insight into the mysteries of
half-civilized races are gaining more and more possession of the nature, the more we have to be able to stand up to the demonic powers
technical means of modern civilization, without receiving the intellectual within ourselves.
and moral culture which would enable them to make correct use of these
achievements. Our progress in knowledge must be matched by our progress in spiritual
At that, however, I would rather turn the tables and ask: Are even growth, our spiritual development. Otherwise an immense emptiness
our more developed nations able and mature enough to make proper use will exist in our soul, a mighty cleft which will make us deeply unhappy.
of the enormous exterior advances of our age? Or has not our time
rather become a slave to its achievements? It has indeed. Our command 13 We must learn how to educate ourselves. We must educate
of the gifts and powers of nature around us has not gone hand in hand ourselves; ourselves with all our faculties. We will later discover which
with the subjection of the elemental and animal forces in our own human are the faculties we must educate.
breast. The powerful discord, this immeasurable cleft, is becoming ever
greater and wider—and in that state we will stand before the spectre of 14 We must educate ourselves to become firm personalities. We took
social justice, before societal bankruptcy, unless we invest all our off our baby shoes long ago, when our actions were determined by how
strength in initiating a change soon. Instead of becoming masters of our we felt. But now we must learn to act on the basis of firm, clearly
achievements, we are becoming their slaves; we are becoming slaves, recognized principles. Everything within us may waver. Times will
too, of our own passions. Either—or! Either forwards or backwards! come when only one thing will help: our principles.
11 Well, then backwards! So, let us return to the Middle Ages, tear up 15 We must be free personalities. God does not want galley slaves.
the railroad tracks, cut the telegraph lines, leave electricity to the clouds, He wants free rowers. Others can grovel before their superiors, lick their
return the coal to the earth, and close the universities! No, never. We feet and be grateful when they are trodden upon. We are fully aware of
do not want that, we may not and cannot do that. our dignity and rights. We submit not out of fear or force, but because
we freely want to. After all, every act of reasonable submission makes
12 Then forwards! Yes, on with the exploration and subjection of our us interiorly free and independent.
inner world through dedicated self-education. The greater the exterior
progress, the greater the deepening of our inner life. That is the call, the 16 We want to place our self-education under Mary’s protection. We
slogan which will be transmitted everywhere, not only in the Catholic, promised this on Sunday. Now we must put our hand to the plow. Yes,
but also in the enemy camp. in this connection there is a great task awaiting us. Our statutes tell us
to foster a community love of Mary. It is already there in the externals,
3 4
in the beautiful banner and medal. But the main thing is still missing: an
internal organization fitting our situation in the style of the sodalities.
17 We want to create this organization. We—not I. For in this regard

I will do nothing, absolutely nothing without your full consent. Here it
is not a matter of a momentary work, but of a foundation which can be
useful for all future generations.
18 With this I wish to bring my introduction to an end. You have

surely understood me. You know why I was so reserved; you also know
my plans for the future. We want to learn to educate ourselves to
become firm, free, priestly personalities. For that may God give us the
blessing. Amen.

1912 Pre-Founding Document

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education, which represents the work, the activity which will absorb our

The Pre-Founding Document whole lifetime.

17 We want to create this organization. We—not I. For in this regard

18 With this I wish to bring my introduction to an end. You have

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