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Standing in the Light By Sister Anne Joan Flanagan, FSP One of the key themes in Alberione’s 1954 memoir, Abundantes Divitiae Gratiae Suae1, is that of light. It actually seems to be a key theme of his life, reflected in his first memory of his vocation and in his closing remarks on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Pauline Family. In the first chapter of his memoir, Alberione identifies "times of greater grace." In the critical edition of Abundantes these appear as a paragraph, but the sentences actually were written like this on the sheet of notepaper he used:
(As if to say, "Fill this in later.")
Alberione distinguishes three of these "times of greater grace." They took place over a 20-year span. Each occurred 10 years after the previous, and all were in view of the foundation of the Pauline Family. Each time, Alberione refers to the insight as an enlightenment. 1890: priestly vocation. "He thought it over and then, as if enlightened…responded in a resolute voice…. It was the first clear light." Alberione was six years old. 1900: the "night of light" between the 19th and 20th centuries. "Particular enlightenment came from the Host…. He could count on the Host, on Jesus, for light, nourishment…" He "seemed to comprehend the heart of the great pope, the calls sent out by the church, the true mission of the priest." Also striking is his list of prayer intentions for that "night between the centuries," where—100 years before the call to a "new evangelization; new in ardor, in methods," etc.— he prays "that the Church would initiate a new missionary thrust." "He was quite aware of his own nothingness, and at the same time he heard: ‘I am with you always…’" So there is also an implicit "Do not be afraid" along with this first "I am with you." 1910: the "definitive step" for religious life (he calls it a "definitive step," even though nothing would be done outwardly for four more years!). "He saw in a greater light" that his work would involve consecrated men and women: that he would be a religious founder. It is interesting to note that even if in this "greater light" he understood that his core group must be religious, he testified that all his life, his first thought and intention at Mass was for the cooperators, and his second was for the family of religious congregations. This tells us something about his attitude toward the laity with regard to his goals and dream; how else could he reach "tutti"? So all three of Alberione’s foundational insights are marked with light: the "first clear light," the "particular light," and lastly, an even "greater light." There were other lights. "Particular light came on June 30 [Feast of St. Paul], 1906." (The subdiaconate had been conferred on him the day before—the Feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul.) A few months later, in the 1906-1907 school year (the year leading up to his priestly ordination), he experienced "further enlightenment…during his Eucharistic adorations"—evidently over a prolonged period—"about…the distribution of the Gospel." Even though the foundation of the Society of St. Paul was years away, and Alberione himself was just finishing his seminary studies, he acted on this light and organized three Bible Sundays. Then there was a response to his anxiety, confirming for him that his goals were too grandiose. "You may make a mistake," the Divine Master told him in a kind of dream or vision, "but I never do." Alberione called this "a kind of enlightenment." The light always seems to be about the "particular mission." This anxiety he felt about the activity he was already laying groundwork for ("for some years") occurred before the founding of the Society of St. Paul in 1914. The great message, "Do not be afraid; I am with you," appears in every Pauline chapel around the world. It dates to a time of "particular difficulty." The vision seems to have taken place in 1923 and is cited, presumably, in a letter dated August 22, 1924. In 1938 the Founder related the story to a group of Paulines, explaining that in the vision the Divine Master was walking among them. Alberione gives somewhat equal importance to the first three lights that "determined the vocation and particular mission," although the grace of 1910 is said to be "greater." In his memoir, he introduces the story of the great dream as "more" light, obviously referring us back to the initial "lights" that got the ball rolling. Of course, part of the dream’s message is also about light: "From here I want to enlighten." Alberione understood that "all light to be received comes from him, the Master," and added that there was a visual element of light as well, mentioning to his spiritual director the "light which surrounded the figure of the Master." In all, there are seven references to the words "light" or "enlighten" in Alberione’s recounting (and that doesn’t include the multiple references to "From here I want to enlighten" contained in one paragraph!). He is not speaking about light for still, serene contemplation, but light to walk by. The light is always in view of movement; it is necessary for direction (another key word!) and the ability to go forward. Alberione always acts on the light as he receives it. The Gospel says, "Walk while you have the light," and this is what the Founder did. Light is inevitably in view of the mission—as is also clear from the words found in the Queen of Apostles Basilica: "I am the Light of the world; you are the light of the world." But this is not the last reference to light in Alberione’s memoir! In his very last pages, Alberione identifies himself as "half-blind" and GOD as the LIGHT: at the end of the narration with its many lights—greater and particular ones— he identifies the Light as God himself. Pauline charismatic history is bracketed between light: from the "first clear light" of his priestly vocation to the "God is the light" of Alberione as a half-blind man: "Here is a half-blind man, who is being led; and in moving along he is enlightened from time to time, so that he can proceed further: God is the light" (AD 202). Alberione’s Key Words
Alberione’s experience of the light of the Divine Master connects marvelously with Chapter 3 of the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte—which starts out with the Gospel promise included in the "night of light" and in the great vision from 1923: "I am with you." The Pope lets this promise raise the question: "What must we do?" (Evidently John Paul also feels "deeply obliged to do something.") He replies to his own question, "We are certainly not seduced by the naïve expectation that, faced with the great challenges of our time, we shall find some magic formula. No, we shall not be saved by a formula but by a Person, and the assurance which he gives us: I am with you" (NMI 29). This brings to mind the way the Founder interpreted the very same promise given him by the Divine Master in his vision: "Neither the Socialists, nor the Fascists, nor the world, nor the haste of creditors in an instant of panic, nor failure, nor Satan, nor the passions, nor your inadequacy on all sides…[will be able to obstruct you] but make sure you let me stay with you; do not drive me out by sin. I am with you…." (AD 156) John Paul continues, "It is not therefore a matter of inventing a ‘new program.’ The program already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition, it is the same as ever. Ultimately, it has its center in Christ himself, who is to be known, loved and imitated, so that in him we may live the life of the Trinity, and with him transform history until its fulfillment in the heavenly Jerusalem" (AD 29). It would be hard to miss the way this paragraph coincides with Alberione’s constant teaching and exhortation that "at the center is Jesus Master," and that we need to "know, love and imitate" the Divine Master as Paul did, until it is Christ who lives in us. This is not so much an indication that the Founder was "prophetic" or "ahead of his times" as it is of how much he lived that ideal of "feeling with the Church," and how ecclesial the Pauline spirituality and mission is in its Gospel-rootedness. (For example, one "answer" the Pope proposes to the need for prayer based on Scripture is to "make sure every family has a Bible.") This whole chapter of Novo Millennio Ineunte remarkably parallels the Founder’s legacy. In this text Alberione—always reluctant to talk about himself—was responding to the urgent and repeated request of the members to "make something known" about the origins of the Pauline Family. The 40th anniversary of foundation, and a commemorative book project initiated to mark the occasion, offered a prime opportunity, and the Founder finally gave in. After a few months, he delivered a sheaf of handwritten notes, but the book was already quite far along, and those working on the commemorative volume were not in the position of making much use of the notes. Besides, they didn't yet recognize the value of what those notes contained. They were given for safekeeping to one of the team members, and only circulated in 1969.
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