Contributions on Salvatorian History, Charism, and Spirituality Volume Nine Lay Salvatorians Contributions on Salvatorian History, Charism, and Spirituality Volume Nine Lay Salvatorians A Project of the Joint History and Charism Committee Ms. Janet E Bitzan, SDS Ms. Sue Haertel, SDS S. Nelda Hernandez, SDS Fr. Michael Hoffman, SDS Fr. Scott Jones, SDS Fr. Tom Novak, SDS Fr. Dan Pekarske, SDS Fr. Tom Perrin, SDS S. Barbara Reynolds, SDS S. Carol Thresher, SDS With Permission of the Superiors Mr. Kenzia Drake, SDS National Director of the Lay Salvatorians Fr. Joseph Rodrigues, SDS Provincial of the Society of the Divine Savior S. Carol Thresher, SDS Provincial of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Savior June, 2014 CONTENTS Introduction. .v Part I. Annales, Vol. XVI, No. 2 ..................................1 Introduction to Vol. XVI, No. 2 ...............................2 Fr. Bronislaw Jakubiec, SDS The Role of the Laity in the Life of the Society of the Divine Savior According to the Plans of Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan ....................5 Fr. Michal Piela, SDS The Founding of the Lay Salvatorians in the U.S.A. Province, 1970-75 ................................43 Fr. Scott Jones, SDS The International Community of the Divine Savior Annales, 2008 .............................57 Mrs. Judy Davis, SDS Lay Salvatorians Around the World–Statistic ....................66 The Third Branch of the Salvatorian Family. Some Historical Facts from 1975 to 2007 ..................67 Fr. Mario Agudelo Roldán, SDS Salvatorian Association for Social Advancement: “Cascada” .......97 Mrs. Mariella D’Angelica, SDS Part II. Simon Deggelmann and Jordan’s Lay Movement ............101 Introduction to Part II .....................................103 Fr. Daniel Pekarske, SDS Simon Deggelmann: Promoter of the Catholic Press and Christian Lay Apostle ..................105 Mr. Heinrich Auer The First Lay Salvatorian? ..................................133 Fr. Dick Driscoll, SDS “Deggelmania” or Truly Salvatorian? .........................135 Fr. José Luis Munilla Peña, SDS About the Authors. 155 iii We, Lay Salvatorians, sharing the vision, charism, and spirituality of Father Francis Jordan and Blessed Mary of the Apostles, seek to make the Savior known by ministering in our work and lives. ~ USA Lay Salvatorians Mission Statement INTRODUCTION This year, 2014, marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of a meeting that Salvatorians in the USA consider a marker event in their history. In September 1989, Salvatorian Associates, as the Lay Salvatorians were called at that time, met with members of the Society and the Congregation to discuss three issues: (a) criteria for membership, (b) integration of lay members with professed members, and (c) collaboration with the Sisters in the further development of the Associates program. The consensus statement on each of these three issues, named after the area in Virginia in which they were created, became known as the “Bryce Mountain Papers.” The collaborative sponsorship of lay members by both the Society and the Congregation begun at Bryce Mountain ultimately paved the way for the birth of the Salvatorian Family in the USA as we know it today. The development and integration of the laity with the Society and the Congregation did not happen overnight or without growing pains. This Volume 9 of the series, “Contributions on Salvatorian History, Charism, and Spirituality,” includes different works about the history, charism, spirituality, mission, and identity of Lay Salvatorians from the time of Fr. Jordan to the present day. The volume includes a reprinting of the Society’s Annales, Volume XVI (No. 2), published in 2010 that the committee thought was important to put into the hands of our members in book format. It also includes several papers about one of Fr. Jordan’s early collaborators, Simon Deggelmann. Fr. Daniel Pekarske, who spearheaded translation efforts, will introduce the papers in this special section. Fr. Michal Piela’s article sets the context for lay involvement in Fr. Jordan’s earliest vision of the Society and its programmatic formulations. From the beginning Fr. Piela tells us that Fr. Jordan’s intention was to “gather a great multitude of lay apostles, permeated with a deep apostolic spirit.” The rapid increase in the number of lay men, women, and children who joined Fr. Jordan’s work in Italy and Germany will amaze readers who are not yet familiar with this aspect of the early history of the Society. v This group of early lay collaborators and benefactors provided “an indispensable help for the fruitful growth of Father Jordan’s Society.” Fr. Scott Jones takes up the foundation of the Lay Salvatorians in the USA after Vatican II, when religious communities were encouraged to explore and return to their roots. In spite of the term, “Associate,” given to early lay members, a lay person was accepted into the Society as “a total sharer of Salvatorianhood.” The commitment was, and is still today, a commitment to the Gospel and a sign of the Lay Salvatorian’s desire to live out his or her baptismal commitment by proclaiming this Gospel to the world. Mrs. Judy Davis, formerly National Director of the Lay Salvatorians in the USA and currently the President of the International Committee of the Divine Savior, compares the evolution of the Lay Salvatorians to that of the stuffed “Velveteen Rabbit,” who one day became real. From her perspective as a participant at the international level, Judy recounts the story of the development of the official structure of the International Community of the Divine Savior, areas of progress, and challenges that lie ahead as Lay Salvatorians move forward. Fr. Mario Agudelo Roldan, a longtime advocate and supporter of Lay Salvatorians, presents an excellent chronological history of the development of the program from what he characterizes as its “risky” first steps in the USA in the 1970’s to the end of 2007, when Lay Salvatorian groups had been established in almost every country in which professed members lived and worked. Fr. Mario traces this development primarily from the perspective of the Society drawing from documents promulgated at General Chapters, General Synods, Visitation reports, and other international meetings, in which he often participated. Readers will be fascinated to learn how the various groups began in different parts of the world and how the Lay Salvatorian structures evolved over time. Italian Lay Salvatorian, Mariella D’Angelica, who died an untimely death in 2012, wrote about Cascada, a ministry begun by herself and two other Lay Salvatorians. This organization composed mostly of professional men and women bears a strong resemblance to the Second Grade of the original Apostolic Teaching Society. What a wonderful organization of “professional missionaries” who are passionate about confronting all forms of poverty according to the charism and spirit of Fr. Jordan! vi In committing themselves as Lay Salvatorians, lay persons commit to the same charism, mission, and spirituality as vowed Salvatorians. By incarnating these “key elements,” Lay Salvatorians develop an authentic Salvatorian identity. So, as we mark this historical anniversary of Bryce Mountain and consider the rich history that has contributed to the development of the Lay Salvatorians in the USA and in the world, the members of the USA Joint History and Charism Committee are pleased to present this volume. It is our hope that the collaboration and integration of the laity with the Society and the Congregation will continue until Fr. Jordan’s vision is completely realized. Janet Bitzan, SDS Lay Salvatorian vii PART I ANNALES Societatis Divini Salvatoris English Edition Vol. XVI 2010 No. 2 Introduction [to Annales Volume XVI, No. 2] “Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (J 17: 3) The above words of the Gospel, written down by St. John the Apostle, are the source of our Salvatorian charism and spirituality. This is so, because it was precisely this text that inspired the Servant of God Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan to discern his vocation and to found a universal work in the Church so that the Good News about the salvation could be proclaimed to all people, everywhere, and by all ways and means which the love of Christ inspires. The keyword to the understanding of the universal Salvatorian charism is “ALL.” It not only points that in proclaiming the Good News about Jesus Christ, the only Savior, we must reach all corners of the earth, go to people of all races and nations, and proclaim the Word of God in all languages, but it also means that the duty to proclaim the Savior rests on all the faithful. Such was the way in which, long before the Second Vatican Council, the Servant of God Francis Jordan perceived the role of the laity in the Church: he saw their task precisely as that of proclaiming the Gospel. Therefore, he invited them, together with the clergy, with the religious brothers and sisters, to commit themselves to the service of proclaiming the Savior. Father Jordan’s ideas were innovative in his times and therefore they were sometimes difficult to understand. However, after the Second Vatican Council, they enjoyed a much better reception, and a deeper reading, which has been revealed through the various forms in which they are being put into practice in the newest history of the Salvatorian Family. The present volume of the Annales of the Society of the Divine Savior includes material presenting Lay Salvatorians, an integral part of Father Jordan’s vision and charism. Fr. Bronisław Jakubiec, SDS 3 The Role of the Laity in the Life of the Society of the Divine Savior According to the Plans of Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan Fr Michał Piela, SDS 1. The universal mark of the apostolic work founded by Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan The apostolic vision promoted by the Founder of the Salvatorians and of the Congregation of the Salvatorian Sisters, who is considered the Father of the Salvatorian Family today, may be characterized as, above all, universal.