Instrument in the Hand of God
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iii INSTRUMENT IN THE HAND OF GOD CANON CONSTANT GUILLAUME VAN CROMBRUGGHE 1789 - 1865 FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY AND JOSEPH TERESA A. CLEMENTS D. M. J. 1939 - 2007 ROMA 1982 4 VIDIMUS ET APPROBAMUS AD NORMAM STATUTORUM UNIVERSITATIS Romae, ex Pontificia Universitate Gregoriana die 8 mensis maii anni 1982 Prof. Gervais Dumeiqe S.J. Prof. Robert Fancy S.J. Con approvazione del Vicariato di Roma in data 10 giugno 1982 TIPYS PONTIFICAE UNIVERSITATIS GREGORIANAE — ROMAE 5 The spirit by which I wish to see you animated resides essentially in unlimited devotion to Jesus Christ, His Church and all your brothers iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS When writing acknowledgements for the presentation of a doctoral dissertation there are inevitably many people who do not appear by name. With the publication of this volume I wish to thank in a particular way the recent archivists of the Institute. Each has made her unique con- tribution that made it possible for this type of research to be undertaken. So I thank Sisters Jeanne Devedec, who first brought order out of a certain confusion; Barbara Batten (R.I.P.), who compiled the material with a new understanding of today's world; Simone Vandensteene, who undertook the monumental task of transcription of the letters of the Founder; Alice Nugent, who brought the ordering of the archives up to date and unearthed new material and Cathleen McCarthy who continues the good work today. For making the publication of this present volume possible, I wish to thank Theresa Cademartori and Brother Marcel Riviere for help in the preparation of the manuscript. Finally, my gratitude to Sister Mary Cuthbert and my sisters of the English Province who proposed the publication of the present volume. I thank each of them for their interest and enthusiasm in all that concerns the spirituality and charism of the Institute. Feast of the Martyrs of England and Wales, Rome, 1983. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III TABLE OF CONTENTS III CHAPTER ONE: FAMILY AND EDUCATION 1 A. IN THE MIDST OF REVOLUTION AND WAR..................................................................................1 1. Austrian Rule and the United Belgian Estates (1780 - 90)................................................................... 1 2. Between Austria and France (1790 - 1814)......................................................................................... 3 B. FAMILY AND SCHOOL....................................................................................................................6 l. The Van Crombrugghes and the Spitaels ............................................................................................ 6 2. Early formal education ....................................................................................................................... 9 C. AMIENS...........................................................................................................................................10 1. Fathers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Fathers of the Faith of Jesus.......................................... 10 2. The Fathers of the Faith - Amiens..................................................................................................... 13 D. PERE LOUIS SELLIER ....................................................................................................................16 E. PERE LEBLANC AND OTHER FATHERS OF THE FAITH.............................................................23 F. CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................................26 CHAPTER TWO : FORMATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD 28 A. JEAN-FRANCOIS-GHISLAIN HULEU (1746 - 1315).......................................................................28 1. Diocesan Priest 28 a) Biographical sketch.....................................................................................................................................28 b) Huleu and the Oath of Hatred of the 19th Fructidor ......................................................................................29 2. Spiritual Director ............................................................................................................................. 31 a) Publications ................................................................................................................................................31 b) Huleu and van Crombrugghe ....................................................................................................................34 B. SEMINARY EDUCATION...............................................................................................................37 1. The Gent Seminary .......................................................................................................................... 37 a) Seminary education in general .....................................................................................................................37 b) Scripture.....................................................................................................................................................38 c) Theology.....................................................................................................................................................39 2. Ultramontanism in Belgium and the 1811 Council of Bishops........................................................... 41 3. Constant van Crombrugghe – Seminarian........................................................................................ 43 C. CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER THREE: INSTRUMENT IN THE HAND OF GOD (1812 – 1830) 47 A. PRIEST ............................................................................................................................................47 B. EDUCATOR.....................................................................................................................................49 1 Principal of Aalst College ................................................................................................................ 49 2 Educational Principles...................................................................................................................... 51 C. FOUNDER .......................................................................................................................................55 1 Brothers and Sisters of St. Joseph ..................................................................................................... 55 2 Daughters of St. Joseph - Aalst, 1818 ............................................................................................... 57 3 A second foundation - Geraardsbergen - and a new Rule (1818)........................................................ 61 D. DIOCESAN SPOKESMAN AND POLITICIAN................................................................................64 E. CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................................70 CHAPTER FOUR: ABANDONMENT TO THE WILL OF GOD (L830 - L865) 72 A. THE CONGREGATIONS.................................................................................................................72 1. Episcopal approval (1830)................................................................................................................ 72 2. The Daughters and Sisters of Mary and Joseph ................................................................................. 77 3. Daughters of Mary and Joseph and the Sisters of St. Joseph.............................................................. 79 B. SPIRITUAL JOURNEY....................................................................................................................81 C. DAUGHTERS OF MARY AND JOSEPH – RULE AND CONSTITUTIONS (1844)...........................86 1 Introduction 87 2 The Purpose of the Institute and its Government............................................................................... 89 3 Charity, mercy and zeal.................................................................................................................... 93 D. SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR ..................................................................................................................96 1 Olympiade Derville.......................................................................................................................... 97 2 Flore Delhaye 99 3 Marine Coulon 101 iv E. TOTAL ABANDONMENT.............................................................................................................103 F. CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................110 PART 2 ERR OR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ERR OR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. ABBREVIATIONS ERR OR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. INTRODUCTION ERR OR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. PART TWO ERR OR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. “YOU ARE THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE MERCY OF THE LORD” .................... ERROR ! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED . CHAPTER FIVE THE SPIRITUAL LETTERS ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. THE LETTERS AND OTHER MANUSCRIPTS.............................. ERROR ! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED . B. ANALYSIS OF THE LETTERS...................................................... ERROR ! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED . C. DELINEATION OF THE THEMES ...............................................