founders

JAMES ALBERIONE

"The Big Tree", Founder of the PAULINE FAMILY
Anna Bagadiong, FSP

Considering his activities, accomplishments and the novelties which he introduced in religious life, Fr. Alberione could have been wrongly adjudged as an activist or a revolutionary. In fact, there were a few who, at the start, thought he was such. Who could imagine women, much less Sisters, running machines in a printing press, driving motor cycles and bicycles, entering public places, visiting families and lodging in their homes, or walking down the streets with bags full of books? But he allowed the Daughters of St. Paul to embark in such adventures for the sake of spreading the Gospel. His was a mission, and that mission, seemingly ahead of its time, had been accomplished because of his daring. Nevertheless, without his close communication with God, nothing could have been achieved. The truth is that he was so prayerful that he regarded prayer as a paramount duty. [Prayer for man, for the Christian, for the religious, for the priest, is the first and foremost duty."(James Alberione, SSP)].

EARLY EXPERIENCES

Fr. James Alberione being a "tireless worker" was far from being a busybody. He was rather "a man of prayer". He was so convinced of Jesus' words: "without me you can do nothing." In fact, it became as it were, a dogma for him.

He knew it to be so important since he was small: when his mother would bring her entire brood to church or when they had to pray at home. As a small boy, he had to walk alone in a vast field on his way home from school, and he was afraid. His mother advised him to pray in order to drive away his fear. When he grew up and became a teenager, he knew what prayer was for the life of a young man who was sustaining a crisis. All such experiences made him naturally inclined to prayer.

In the seminary this predisposition to prayer was fortified by the words of his professor and spiritual director, Fr. Francesco Chiesa: "transform everything into objects of prayer and meditation."

The most significant experience of prayer, was of course, the night when he knelt before the Blessed Sacrament in the cathedral of Alba. God enveloped him with His very presence and animated his spirit to do something for the new century. From there everything around him became meaningful and instrumental for the new projet that involved his whole lifetime.

PRAY MORE
It was related that in 1920, when Fr. Alberione was still young, a certain benefactor came to talk to him while he was on retreat. When this lady saw the pile of letters accumulated on the priest's table, she commented that they could be urgent. But Fr. Alberione answered: "And what other thing is more urgent than my soul?"

But the visitor, having heard about the austere and holy life of the priest asked: "But what resolution would you still do to provide for your soul?" "To pray more," answered Fr. Alberione.

At that time, he was praying for three hours daily. Some years later, he added two more hours. When he preached in a retreat, he advised the priests to pray for four hours. He did not require from them what he demanded from himself. But this admonition was more forceful: "There is no greater contribution one can give to the congregation than prayer, a holy life."

Having experienced what prayer means in a person's life, Fr. Alberione took the pains in teaching his followers the art of vocal and mental prayer. He wrote a book titled Lord, Teach Us To Pray, explaining in simple terms the methods of praying and the various stages of prayer.

A WHEEL IN A CAR

Fr. Alberione compared the Pauline Family and each of its member institutes to a car which must run forward. A car needs to have four wheels must run towards the same direction. Since prayer is indispensable, he chose piety as one of the four wheels of said car or cars, the others being poverty, study and apostolate.

Like the wheels in a car, he was careful that they were aligned and balanced. Folowing the principles of St. Paul, he was inclined to believe that one who only prays and does not work must not eat. However a Paulines who works and works without praying is not a good religious. Due to the business aspect in the Pauline mission, he used to say: "One who does not pray is not a religious but a businessman."

THE EUCHARIST

The center of Fr. Alberione's prayer was the Eucharist. He celebrated Mass with much devotion and exhorted the others to do the same. His thanksgiving after Mass would last a long while. He used to pray inside the church,close to the tabernacle, with eyes half-closed and head a little bent. His genuflection before the tabernacle was always fervent, a gesture of one who believes that God is there.

In opening a new convent, he instructed his followers to immediately provide a room for the Eucharistic Lord. Then in giving account of the number of Pauline foundations around the world, he used to count them in terms of tabernacles. Each convent is a tabernacle where God is praised, adored and glorified.

The daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament constitutes the daily prayer of the Pauline religious besides the Holy Mass and the meditation. It constitutes of a reading from the Scripture or any sacred book, the examination of conscience and a set of vocal prayers, preferably the Holy Rosary. This visit is compared to a class at the feet of Jesus Master, Shepherd, Way, Truth and Life, who is also the Model and the Teacher. The student is introduced into this class by the Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles and there he learns how to configure himself with the Divine Master.

DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

A certain behavior of Fr. Alberione was, at the start of his foundations, mysterious to his sons and daughters. There would be days when he closed himself inside his room, made no contact whatsoever with anyone, and entertained no one. He would not even touch the food made available to him through a small window. The cook and the entire community of priests and sisters would then worry about his health.

When this thing happened for the first time, they took the matter to his spiritual director. Fr, Francesco Chiesa. The advice was to leave the Founder alone because he was communing with God. True enough, after this period of "hibernation," Fr. Alberione came out refreshed in soul and body, ready to face the responsibilities he had to carry on. It always happened this way when new apostolic projects were being hatched on his mind.

HAVE A CONTRITE HEART

When Fr. Alberione was miraculously cured of his tuberculosis, he claimed that he saw the Divine Master who told him to always have a contrite heart. This phrase and a few others, revealed to him on that same instant, are now written in all the chapels of the Paulines all over the world. Taking the admonition personally, he became seriously conscious about committing sin. This delicacy of conscience brought him to the confessional every evening.

VOCAL PRAYERS

Inasmuch as vocal prayer is of great importance, it is very much a part of Fr. Alberione's life. Earlier, he composed prayers suited to the life and apostolate of his followers: prayers to Jesus, Master, Shepherd, Way, Truth and Life; to Mary, Queen of the Apostles; to St. Paul the Apostle and many others.

The prayer most dear to him was no doubt the Rosary, which he recited many times during the day. To make sure that his followers should not miss it, he suggested that it be made a part of the daily Eucharistic adoration. This filial devotion to Mary did not wane with age. When, as an old man, he was confined to his little room, he prayed it unceasingly. When he could no longer speak, those around him could only hear the whisper of "Ave Maria." At death, his beads were literally consumed and worn out and the last words he uttered were "Ave Maria. I will pray for all."

TECLA MERLO

While still very young, Teresa Merlo already wanted to be a nun but she was not accepted due to her being sickly. In her native town of Castagnito, Alba, Teresa lived with her deeply Christian parents and she was well-known for her outstanding spiritual maturity. Perhaps her non-acceptance in the convent was providential for in 1915, Fr. Alberione invited her to collaborate with him in organizing a small group of young women into what is now known as the Daughters of St. Paul. Teresa agreed. Seven years into the foundation, she became its first Superior General. The once sickly young lady governed the Congregation very well, getting sick every now and then, but dying only after forty-two years.

Mother Thecla was the mother of the Daughters of St. Paul. Firmly but gently she formed her Sisters and modeled for them how to be contemplative in action and active in contemplation. Her intense prayer flowered into zeal for the mission and she inspired her Sisters to launch into apostolic projects far beyond their capacities because of her strong faith in God.

Mother Thecla ardently desired to become a saint. Holiness was her priority. She firmly believed that only when there is holiness will the apostolate bear fruit. She also wanted her Sisters to become saints: “We must become saints, all the Daughters of St. Paul must become saints.” Three years before her death, on the feast of the Blessed Trinity, Mother Thecla offered her life so that all the Daughters of St. Paul might become saints.