Avis: opinion, advice, point of view, way of thinking, counsel.

Leçons: lessons.

Sentences: aphorisms, maxims, sayings.

In writing an article for the Province Newsletter about this book in December 1997, I referred to it as "a most neglected text." While the title Avis, Leçons, Sentences was almost a household phrase amongst us, it would be true to say that very few, if any, of the Brothers in the Australian Provinces had ever read it. It was not available in English until Len’s translation of just a few years ago, and though I received a copy of the text on disk towards the end of 1997 and made some copies for those who asked, as well as printing off the 250 pages for myself, the copies you have are actually first printed edition in English. (Len is Brother of the American province who has made a long-time study of Champagnat and has done us all a favour with his studies, his lectures and his translations.)

When I was in the Noviciate, the text was referred to and quoted, but it was from a book called "Conference Matter for Religious" put together from various sources by a (Redemptorist?) priest. This book reprinted selected chapters from ALS along with other assorted material. Br Len writes "I have no idea how English-speaking brothers became familiar with the text; my own impression is that they simply did not. I know we received a copy as novices, and it was "all Greek" to most of us -- never mentioned in conferences or classes, just gathered dust in our desks. In this country, at least, there were many brothers of French-Canadian extraction, who could read and speak French; perhaps when they were still the majority in the novitiate, more was made of the text, although I can't recall any older brothers mentioning having studied the text in formation."

So we are in a privileged position to be able to tap into some of the wisdom of Champagnat from a source unfamiliar to most of the Brothers of the English speaking world.

Again, Len Voegtle has as close to the answer as we are going to get: "I'm not sure that anyone knows all the details of how Br. Jean-Baptiste did his work, but what André Lanfrey told you is probably as close as we'll ever come." [We will come to Brother Lanfrey in a moment.]

Len continues: "The text was no doubt put together in much the same fashion as the Life -- all brothers were asked to contribute whatever they could recall or had written down about Marcellin. I'm sure Jean-Baptiste and François already had formidable notes of their own, having heard just about every conference Marcellin had given since the La Valla days. Everything was eventually compiled and edited; François, being already in retirement, could certainly have contributed largely to the compilation and copying, and Jean-Baptiste used all of that to produce the final text. François, as you may know, had been the first one asked to write the "Life", but deferred to J-B because of his own poor health. I can imagine he would have been a ready and willing collaborator cum secretary cum editor.

"A personal suspicion, for which I have no proof, is that Jean-Baptiste may not have started out intending to write the ALS, but received, among all the submissions for the Life, so much material concerning Marcellin's conferences, that he decided to devote another whole book to same.

"The book appeared in printed form in 1868. I presume each community got at least one copy, since it was reprinted several times after that, most recently in 1927.

"Jean-Baptiste apparently destroyed most of his source material once the books were printed, perhaps because he felt that much of it was too personal to be left lying around, or just to clear his room; so we'll never really know, I guess, just what he got from whom."

The question arises: "How much of this material is in fact authentic Champagnat?"

"In every case it seems certain to me that Avis, Leçons, Sentences is very largely a collection of the instructions of Father Champagnat so it is necessary that we take seriously what Br Jean-Baptiste says on the first page of his first chapter: ‘Whatever is in italics represents the actual words of the Venerable Father; what is in quotation marks gives the sense of what he said. The rest is from this author, but often his explanations are only an analysis of the instructions of the pious Founder.’ [footnote #3 p15, English edn 1999]

Brother Lanfrey continues: "Up till now we have regarded the works of Br Jean-Baptiste with a certain suspicion … because we have not had the opportunity to study his manuscripts closely. The work I have done permits me to conclude that Br Jean-Baptiste is much more faithful to the instructions of Father Champagnat than we have hitherto believed.

"In summary: between the words of Father Champagnat and us there are several intermediate steps: the Brothers who took the notes; Brothers François and Jean-Baptiste, who gathered these notes together and tidied them up somewhat so that they might use them in their own instructions or in the works printed as the Life and Avis, Leçons, Sentences. Even if we can scarcely pretend to retrieve the "ipsissima verba" of the Founder, at least we have a good chance of recovering, without gross error, the instructions he has given us."

That is as good a statement as we are going to get at the moment.

And who is the person who appears in these texts – the Life and ALS? It must be said that it is Marcellin Champagnat the founder, rather than Marcellin Champagnat the man. And Marcellin Champagnat the Founder was, of course, the subject of our interest when we looked at the influences of various schools of spirituality.

So it is that Brother Lanfrey is able to construct a flow chart of the various spiritualities that went into the formation of Champagnat the founder, and therefore into his instructions; and from them into the notebooks and writings of Brother François, Brother Jean-Baptiste and of the many Brothers who seem to have given copies of their own recollections to the author of these two seminal Marist texts. As we have only recently looked at the various spiritualities that went into the making of Champagnat’s values, I will not spend time recounting them here.

The book falls into two sections:

It is this latter section that we will concentrate on, but a few words about the text in general and the contents of the long section on religious life and community will not go astray.

The text is demanding reading for the late Twentieth Century, but the contents represent a wisdom that is timeless, and the text is, if nothing else, a gold mine of good advice for both one’s personal spiritual life as well as one’s pedagogical life.

Here are a few thoughts on the first section of the book, though you can get some idea of the material just by reading the table of contents, pages 5 to 7.

A brother is a soul for whom the world is not vast enough A brother is God's co-worker and Jesus Christ's partner in the holy mission of saving souls. ("That child whom you sometimes find so disgusting, so contemptible, is in God's eyes nobler and greater than heaven.") A brother is the wise man Isaiah speaks of, who spends his life laying foundations and rebuilding ruins. A brother is a substitute father and mother, the assistant of the pastors of the Church, replaces soldiers and police officers. A brother is the children's guardian angel, a model and a living gospel for the children and for everyone else, a sower of the gospel. A brother is a man who, following the example of Jesus Christ, passes through this world doing good; and finally, a brother is a very effective bulwark against the evil and contagion of the world.

[It is necessary to recognise that the "young brother" being discussed is as young as twelve years of age.]

The older brothers, and especially the directors, should give the young brothers good example and encouragement. They should avoid scolding young brothers. It is also a duty of justice and prudence for a director always to proportion young brothers' tasks to their strength, intelligence and capacity; and it is a duty for the brothers directors and all the older brothers to respect the young brothers.

This is the Champagnat we have come to revere: "People need encouragement at all ages, but this help is especially necessary for young people. One must be a father; one must, if possible, have the feelings of a mother to win young people over to God and train them in virtue; because the hand and heart of a master are not enough -- in fact, they are totally inappropriate.."

[This is a facet of the Gospel Jesus which we as Marists are asked to imitate: it also reflects something of the Mary of the Gospels through whom we discover Jesus.]

The chapter begins with a story of the young brothers (ie, those under 21) who wanted to observe the fast of the Church during Lent. Champagnat presents them with a concept of genuine fasting - four simple practices: make your eyes fast by means of modesty, make your tongue fast by keeping silence; make your defects and little passions fast; but never make your soul fast, never give it mouldy bread.

Father Champagnat was very cheerful and talkative during recreations, and even though his conversations usually centred around serious and edifying topics, he always made them pleasant and lively, which amused his listeners even as he was teaching them. One day, after speaking about the qualities a teacher needed in order to make his students like him, he laughed and said, "Guess what kind of brothers I don't like!"

"I don't like brothers who are 'preachers', because they give sermons. I don't like pretentious brothers, because they parade around the classroom. I don't like brothers who are 'nannies', because they lack dignity, they caress the children suggestively and spoil their character. I don't like brothers who are executioners. What a terrible defect it is to slap children, to strike them with one's hand, the signal or the pointer, to pull their ears or their hair! Besides, what is the point of discipline? Is it simply to create external order in a class, to force the children into submission and subject them willy-nilly to the school regulations? No, the aim of discipline is to win the children's hearts, to train them in virtue, to lead them to do their duty out of love and not to make them tremble. To accomplish all that, discipline must be fatherly; if it is not, it really does not educate a child, and instead of making him better, it only makes him worse. Show yourself to be your children's father rather than their master; then they will respect and obey you without difficulty. The spirit in a brothers' school should be that of a good family, not that of a barracks or a prison. What stands out in a good family are mutual respect, love and confidence, not fear of punishment."

He goes on: "I don't like brothers who 'have sore elbows'; I don't like brothers who act like servants." My affection is reserved for the children of the family. I don't like nonchalant brothers. I don't like brothers who go looking for advice in Egypt. [We used to talk about those Brothers who sought after the onions of Egypt – ie, looking back on the world they had left. The reference is to the Book of Numbers 11:5 – "The people of Israel cried out to Moses: ‘We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the melons, the cucumbers, the leeks, the onions, the garlic.’"] I don't like proud, vain brothers. All my affection goes to the little brothers, the humble ones who hide like violets and always take the last place. Lastly, I don't like brothers who are slowpokes."

He concludes: "I love all the brothers, and if I feel any special attraction for any of them, it is for those who have the greatest needs and to whom I can be the most helpful."

The chapter sums up much that Champagnat is about.

Champagnat compares himself with the ambitious mother of the Zebedees, but he is more ambitious, because he wants the first place at the Crib, the Cross and the Altar. The chapter develops this theme.

"To see God offended and souls lost are two things which make my heart bleed."

The chapter begins with a story of a medieval monastery where the Blessed Virgin appeared to the monks every day. But for some the experience turned sour because they were less dedicated than they should be.

This is the story of Brother Hippolyte, the tailor, and his four main qualities. He was notable for his constancy in his vocation. He was often in contact with those who were leaving the congregation, because he was usually responsible for giving them secular clothing. "That is the only part of my job which I find painful," he used to say; "I always suffer when I see these poor young men with no experience take the road back to the world". He was constantly admired for his gentleness. It is a fact known to all the brothers that Bro. Hippolyte did not know how to be angry, and that no one had ever seen him lose his temper, nor even show any of those momentary irritations or flare-ups which are so common in busy persons He was always notable for his great benevolence and his constant readiness to be of service to everyone. He made himself the servant of all his brothers. He no longer belonged to himself at all. And finally he was notable for his love of work and his dedication to his task.

Champagnat used to admonish Brother Hippoyte for his habit of carrying a lamp with him on his nocturnal rounds of the house because of the waste of the oil. Brother Hippolyte listened politely but had no intention of changing his ways. Nonetheless the Founder saw him as the image of the wise man enlightened by reflective spirit and guided by prudence.

[It was Brother Hippolyte who, along with Br Jerome, sat by Champagnat’s bedside as he lay dying on the night of 5/6 June. Br Jerome had been in the habit of walking throught the house late at night checking the windows and doors – no doubt running into Br Hipployte also checking for fire hazards!]

Here is a story which Father Champagnat greatly enjoyed telling, as much because it is very suitable for inspiring total confidence in the Blessed Virgin, as for the moral applications which Father drew from it to instruct the brothers. It involves the city of Valenciennes in the 11th century and its deliverance from the plague by an apparition of the Blessed Virgin appearing in the heavens and girdling the city with her cincture. The grateful citizens continued to hold a procession - with the ceremoniously preserved cincture - in her honour every year until the revolution in 1793. Champagnat believed that for the brothers the precious cincture was the religious habit, the monastic walls of the brothers’ residence, the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and the Rule.

A Nineteenth Century version of Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man or today’s Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development.

Fraternal correction has two forms: giving good advice to one who neglects to correct his faults; and informing the Superior so as to bring about the necessary correction. The same recommendations are to be found in the Rules of other orders. Fraternal correction is the safeguard of the brother’s virtue; it is a proof of friendship; it is a duty in conscience for all the brothers.

[There is a delightful story of St Ignatius allowing himself to be corrected by a fifteen year old: One day, Ribadeneira, who was only fifteen, told St. Ignatius, who was then an old man and superior general of the Company of Jesus, that people mocked him when he preached, because he made many grammatical errors and had mannerisms which made people laugh. This advice charmed Ignatius, who answered, "Pedro, you're right; I appoint you to observe me from now on; be sure to note down all my mistakes, and I promise that I will try to avoid them".]

The chapter on fraternal admonition is very wordy, very lengthy. One wonders whether it reflects more of Br Jean-Baptiste than of the Founder.

Brother Lawrence speaks to the Founder of his community of six virtuous men who zealously keep the Rule but seem to lack total unity. Champagnat explains that it is the "little virtues" which are the fruit and crown of charity: forbearance, charitable concealment, compassion, holy joy, an open mind, charitable solicitude, affability, urbanity and politeness, condescension, dedication to the common good, patience, equanimity of soul and character.

The little virtues are the social virtues. Father Champagnat reflects on the little virtue of mutual forbearance: "Brother, even though you think you're perfect, and even though I think you are a good religious, I have to admit that you make me suffer terribly. You want only fresh bread, because you have no teeth; I can't stand it, because it gives me indigestion, and I would prefer stale bread. You insist that the soup be served scalding hot; I like it cooler. You won't let the cook serve salad because of your weak stomach; I could live on salad, and it's a great sacrifice for me not to have any. You won't allow anything but cooked fruit on our table; I only like it raw, and even a bit green. You can't stand the least draft, and you make us keep all the windows shut; I like lots of fresh air, and if it were up to me, and if I took care of my own needs, I would open all the doors and windows. During recreation, you want to spend the whole time sitting down; I would often like to take a walk. And there are still an infinite number of other things you need or prefer to do which wear me down and annoy me a great deal. So you are mistaken, brother, if you think that no one has anything to suffer because of you. Despite your great virtue, which I respect and admire, I can assure you that you are for me a cause of continual sacrifices and acts of patience; but I don't complain about it, because I also have my defects and need you to put up with me".

I found this a delightful chapter because the illustrations were so recognisable.

Champagnat’s fondness for fraternal unity is illustrated from his writings to the Brothers, especially Brother François. The three leaders elected in 1839, Brothers François, Louis-Marie and Jean-Baptiste, were well imbued with the spirit of the Founder and his principles. Br Jean-Baptiste reflects on the significance of their role and the unity among them: "It would be more difficult to plant a rosebush in the ocean than to divide these three men." Their unity is the more remarkable because Br François was so often ill. "To show how touched it was by the example of such unity, the Chapter of 1860 unanimously voted that a portrait should be painted of these three brothers united in the same spirit, to remind all the brothers of something so well suited to serve them as a lesson and model."

When he founded his institute, Father Champagnat did not intend merely to provide primary instruction for children, nor even to teach them as well the truths of religion, but also to give them an education.

Education does for the child what

Of all the nineteen kings of Israel only five were good …

He is the noblest and most perfect of visible creatures; he is "God's greatest miracle", as St. Augustine says.

We must first of all respect his innocence.

This demands of us:

Don’t forget to read the story of the Roman Matron:

[‘He’s all my exercise, my mirth, my matter …’ Polixenes of his son. W’s Tale I.ii.167]

One Thursday, while they were taking a long walk through the Mt. Pilat range, the brothers headmasters, after talking about a little bit of everything, began discussing ways to attract children to the schools and to give them a taste and liking for study.

"What works best for me," said one of them, "are rewards."

Another said emulation.

A third said: "the teacher's ability and his dedication to teaching."

And a fourth added, "Personally, I find that the beautiful handwriting and drawing models I show the children work best when it comes to attracting them to the school".

Father Champagnat, who had been listening to the conversation, interjected, "Those are all good means, but they are not enough, even taken all together, if they are not backed up and reinforced by strong fatherly discipline

3. Supervise the bad students

Whatever might constitute a danger for children's morals. To preserve it in children, your supervision must create a sort of rampart around them. So you have to:

*From time to time, check their lockers and desks, their trunks and the other places where they put their belongings, to reassure yourself that there are no bad books, songs pictures or other objects dangerous to their morals;

*On outings, avoid having the children go through places where they would be exposed to seeing or hearing things which might scandalise them or arouse in their minds the thought of evil.

*Great self control in his actions, gestures and bearing, so as to avoid whatever might offend against the strictest modesty;

*Great attention to behaving in such a way that everything about him is edifying and may be for the children an example of virtue;

*Great exactness in starting class on time, in always being with the students during recreation, and anywhere else where supervision is needed.

- authority which grants all the freedom needed to develop character but which refuses what might spoil it;

- gentleness without weakness;

- severity without harshness;

- seriousness without brusqueness;

- kindness and good-naturedness without familiarity;

- a pleasant manner which makes lessons enjoyable without detracting from their solidity;

- far-sightedness which anticipates dangerous situations;

Even if not all our brothers have been blessed with all the qualities listed above, which Cardinal de la Luzerne would require even of lay teachers, they should at least work at acquiring solid virtue, fervent piety, great love for children, total dedication, and constant, firm and vigilant zeal for preserving their innocence and correcting their defects.

Solid virtue. Words may persuade people, but example wins them over.

Great love for his task and for children. To succeed in the noble ministry of teaching, one must have great esteem for that task, and one must love children.

But in order to cultivate these young souls this way, one by one, with the assiduousness their needs and their frailty require, one must love children. When one loves them, one does more for them, one does better, with less difficulty and greater success.

Devotedness.

There is one thing the Christian educator should never forget: defects can hardly ever be corrected except in youth

In nature, whatever grows successfully, whatever rises gracefully during its years of full vigour, must have suffered when young from being controlled and constrained.

Punishment is the last resort in education.