Saint Marcellin Champagnat and Venerable Brother François THE SOURCE AND THE STREAM WORD OF INTRODUCTION The Source and the Stream is a kind of parallel between our Founder, Marcellin Champagnat (the source), and Brother François who was to be his first successor, “his living portrait”. Our Congregation, under Brother François, experienced an astonishing growth: the source be- came the stream. Father Champagnat and Brother François lived the same story, the same beginnings, shared the same ideal, the same charism, the same journey towards holiness.These pages focus on these two people to- gether so that the Brothers may grow in their affection, enthusiasm and gratitude for them. Though they were two entirely different personalities, they worked together as closely as possible. Holiness is first of all the work of the Spirit who marks each person with patience and intelligence; it is al- so one’s heart and life being overcome by the power of the resurrec- tion of the Lord. But Marcellin and François clearly demonstrate that you can journey towards God using your own natural, different gifts. The style is meant to be light consisting of summaries and short texts. Perhaps these pages can strengthen in our family the custom of ex- tending to our first Brothers and to all the Brothers who have pre- ceded us that same spontaneous and strong affection that we show our Father and Founder, Marcellin Champagnat. Pride in our origins consolidates the present day Marist identity. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS SAINT MARCELLIN CHAMPAGNAT VENERABLE BROTHER FRANÇOIS Among the blessings deriving from his family, Among the blessings deriving from his family, an exceptional father . .6 an exceptional mother . .7 Difficulties in his personal growth . .10 A precocious child . .11 Taking on responsibilities . .14 Responsibility laid upon youthful shoulders . .15 1826: When illness creates a void . .18 1826:The time when the friend makes his commitment . .19 Two friends along life’s journey . .22 The disciple honors the master . .23 What Marcellin offers us . .26 What François bequeaths to us . .27 The gifts are different . .30 But it is the same Spirit . .31 Basking in God’s sunshine . .34 A prolonged intimacy with God . .35 Jesus, the center of his life . .38 On his countenance, the radiance of the Eucharist . .39 Mary, Our Good Mother . .42 Special child of Mary . .43 I live only for you . .46 I have always loved all of you tenderly . .47 Joy . .50 Joy . .51 Love the students . .54 And tell them of your affection . .55 Death: June 6, 1840 . .58 Resignation: 1860 . .59 If we consider the differences . .62 The Spirit is the One who fashions the saints . .63 We will have our meal together . .66 Take an axe... .67 A letter . .68 A letter . .69 An enthusiastic and practical man . .72 The decree concerning the heroicity of his virtues . .73 Prayer of a disciple . .74 A Brother’s prayer . .75 Marcellin Champagnat: the key events of his life . .76 Gabriel Rivat :The key events of his life . .77 Prayer for the Beatification of Brother François . .78 Prayer for vocations . .79 4 THE SOURCE AND THE STREAM 5 AMONG THE BLESSINGS DERIVING FROM AMONG THE BLESSINGS DERIVING FROM SAINT MARCELLIN VENERABLE CHAMPAGNAT HIS FAMILY,AN EXCEPTIONAL FATHER HIS FAMILY,AN EXCEPTIONAL MOTHER BROTHER FRANÇOIS 1. The Champagnat family, who lived l. In the hamlet of Maisonnettes, parish of La Valla, the at Rosey,near Marlhes, are a fam- Rivats are above all a farming family. ily of farmers and small entre- preneurs. 2. Of the father,JeanBaptiste Rivat, very little is known. 2.. Marcellin’s father, Jean Bap- 3. Françoise Boiron, the mother, is an exemplar of tiste, is an impressive man, Christian motherhood. She will deeply influence possessing a certain level of young Gabriel by her devotion to Mary: she conse- culture. He is involved with crates her young son to Mary when he is five years the ferment occurring in so- old. Mrs. Rivat is also drawn towards a freely-cho- ciety and favors the ideals of sen way of mortification: she wears a disciplinary the French Revolution. “His father was a man of cord around her waist. Despite being paralyzed for sound judgment, very well educated for the time many years, she will remain in a peaceful disposition and region where he lived; his character cautious saying,“Heaven is the place where we must go.” and understanding, made him a good mediator when there were disagreements among the townspeople.” 4. In the Rivat home there will be seven children, four boys and three girls. Gabriel is the youngest child. 3. Marcellin’s mother, Marie Thérèse Chirat, is the one For Marcellin who forms Marcellin’s heart. She supports him, par- 5. Although not of robust health, the Rivats are Quotation Champagnat are taken quotations ticularly in his most difficult moments. Marie marked by a longevity greater than that of the from the are taken Thérèse is a strong woman, of deep piety, and great- Champagnat family. Several of the Rivats live more book Frère from the life François, written by ly devoted to the Blessed Virgin. She is a woman of than seventy years, like Françoise, the mother, and Gabriel Br.Jean Baptiste sound judgment. her son Gabriel. (Medicine had made some ad- Rivat: Furet, Rome, La joie 1989. vances; the era is one generation later than the d’être Frère, 4. Jean Baptist and Marie-Thérèse will have ten chil- Champagnats.) Rome, December dren, five boys and five girls; Marellin is the second 2003. youngest child. 6. Gabriel is born on March 12, 1808. His mother’s im- age will be very clearly seen in him, perhaps also the 5. In the religious formation of Marcellin, a paternal discretion of his father. aunt, Louise, a Sister of Saint Joseph, will be of great help to the mother within the family setting. 7. With the accession of Napoleon to power, French 6. Marcellin was born on May 20, 1789. In him we shall society no longer experiences the horrors of the 6 THE SOURCE AND THE STREAM 7 SAINT MARCELLIN VENERABLE CHAMPAGNAT BROTHER FRANÇOIS see reflected his father’sense of social action, per- Revolution. On the other hand, Emperor Napoleon sonal relations and practical skills; we shall see too is constantly at war, and so there is a need to have Marcellin’s mother with her strength and piety. many young men under the flag. Two of Brother François’ brothers are called to military service. 7. France is headed into the tragic Revolutionary peri- od, although the turmoil which marks Paris reaches the country regions in a mitigated form. “Brother François eventually identified himself so completely with Father Champagnat that the Broth- Brother Paul Sester offers the following reflection af- ers no longer made any difference between the two ter reading the preceding section:“To draw up a par- men. When Brother François spoke or wrote, it was allel account of the two men it would rather be the Father Champagnat who spoke or wrote.” (Brother case of presenting that which makes them different Pierre Zind, Brother Francois’ Spiritual Counsels, rather than that which they have in common. Father p. 20). Champagnat and Brother François are two diverse personalities with two kinds of holiness. Producing a work like this is not easy.” We look to Marcellin, as a child looks to his father, and we learn essential values from him. In him we see: A man of faith living in the presence of God who saw the world through God’s eyes.A man passionate about Jesus and Mary.A man of prayer.A pilgrim in faith.A heart full of passion for God. (Document of the 20th General Chapter, n° 15) 8 THE SOURCE AND THE STREAM 9 DIFFICULTIES IN HIS A PRECOCIOUS SAINT MARCELLIN VENERABLE CHAMPAGNAT PERSONAL GROWTH CHILD BROTHER FRANÇOIS l. Marcellin will not succeed in 1. When he was eight years old, François is one of the his studies. After seeing the children who attends the catechism lessons of La teacher give a slap on the Valla’s young vicar and the lessons given by the first face to one of his class- lay teacher whom Fr. Champagnat hired. Marcellin mates, Marcellin decides to had arrived at the parish on August 12, 1816. drop out of school.The decision When her son is ten years old, Mrs. Rivat confides is firm. “Born in the canton of Saint- him to Father Champagnat. François becomes the Genest-Malifaux (Loire), I knew, from sixth Brother in the new congregation. my own endless difficulties in learning to read and write, the pressing need to es- 2. Marcellin gives him Latin lessons, since he knows al- tablish a Society which could bring to ready how to read and write. He has a priest- country children the solid education that the brother, a fact that might suggest that the Rivat fam- Brothers of the Christian Schools were providing in ily was open to culture. the cities” (534). François is drawn to intellectual 2. At fifteen years of age, Marcellin returned to studies work. At the time in order to get ready for entrance to the minor of his Hermitage seminary: it was difficult. He had to have great will stay in 1826, power and to do lots of work in order to keep up François demon- his studies at the seminary. At the end of the first strated a keen in- year, he was advised not to return, advice probably tellectual curiosity given as consequence of weak school reports. He and he acquired a stays up at night to study.