The Crutches in the Apostolates
An overview of the "crutches" (Bands, theatricals, lantern-lectures, movies) in Catholic Apostolates, as exposed by Dom Chautard in the book "Soul of the Apostolate" (c. 1908)
Bands, theatricals, lantern-lectures, movies are nothing but crutches (... more often than not...) merely cater to physical health, or flatter vanity, or overstimulate the imagination and the emotions... do not be afraid to aim as high as you possibly can... form a group of laymen who will be at the same time virtuous, enlightened, resolute, and truly apostolic…
The book “Soul of the Apostolate” by Dom Chautard (1858-1935) is highly praised among Catholics. It covers the topic of Apostolate and how to make it fruitful even in our modern times.
The book is so well considered by the Church that the Pope Saint Pius X shared that this was his bedside book1.
In 1908, when the same pope was advicing Msgr. Cloutier, Bishop of Three Rivers, Canada on how to make apostolate fruitful, he said:
To this end, I can offer you no better guide than ‘The Soul of the Apostolate,’ by Dom Chautard, Cistercian Abbot. I warmly recommend this book to you, as I value it very highly. 2
One of the central topics of the book — but not the only one — is the conversation between Dom Chautard and Fr. Timon-David about “the crutches” in Catholic Apostolates.
In this conversation, Dom Chautard, learn from this experienced priest what are the ingredients to make a successful apostolate — specially among the youth — in our modern times.
The Crutches
Here is a summary of what Fr. Timon-David had to say to Dom Chautard:
Bands, theatricals, lantern-lectures, movies — I do not condemn all that.
When I started out, I too thought no one could do without them (said Fr. Timon-David to Dom Chautard). And yet they are nothing but crutches, to be used when there is no alternative left. However, the further I advance, the more my end and my means become supernatural because I see more and more clearly that every work built upon a merely human foundation is bound to collapse, and that only the work that aims at bringing men closer to God by the interior life is blessed by Providence.3
Our band-instruments have been relegated to the attic for a long time, and our stage has become useless, and yet the work is going on better than ever before. Why? Because, thanks be to God, my priests and I see much clearer and straighter than before, and our faith in the action of Christ and of grace has increased a hundred percent. 4
Take my advice (said Fr. Timon-David to encourage Dom Chautard) , do not be afraid to aim as high as you possibly can, and you will be astonished at the results. Let me explain: do not merely have, as your ideal, to give the youth a selection of clean amusements that will turn them aside from illicit pleasures and dangerous associations, nor simply to give them a Christian varnish, through routine attendance at Mass, or the reception of the Sacraments at long intervals and with questionable dispositions. 5
Let your ambition be, first of all, the noble one of making a certain number of them, at any cost, take the firm resolution of living as fervent Christians; that is, of making their mental prayer every morning, going to Mass every day, if they can, and doing a little spiritual reading, besides going frequently to Communion, and fervently too. Put all your efforts into giving this select group a great love for Jesus Christ, the spirit of self-denial, prayer, vigilance over themselves; in a word, solid virtues. And take no less trouble to develop in their souls a hunger for the Holy Eucharist. And then stir up these young men to act upon their companions. Train them as frank, devoted apostles, kind, ardent, manly, not narrow-minded in their piety, but full of tact, and never making the sad mistake of spying on their comrades under pretext of zeal. Before two years have gone by, come and tell me whether you still need a lot of brass or stage sets to catch your fish. 6
plays, bands, movies, complicated and expensive games (... more often than not...) merely cater to physical health, or flatter vanity, or overstimulate the imagination and the emotions
For the modern Catholic reader these affirmations from Fr. Timon-David can be shocking, after all, the simple analysis of current situation shows that many parishes and Catholic Groups have their primary goal towards socialization, group entertainment and so on.
Dom Chautard denounces that the Catholic Apostolate should be more concerned in making fervent Shock Troops than anything else. But instead of this, he says that priests are merely becoming leaders of “Social Clubs”.
Hundred pages later, Dom Chautard retakes the subject of the Crutches to explore it a little more for the reader of Soul of the Apostolate.
surely, the reader must have been struck by one of the words that fell from the lips of that experienced founder of good works. I refer to the vivid metaphor of “crutches,” with which the Canon summed up his opinion on the use of various modern amusements (like plays, bands, movies, complicated and expensive games, and so on) to attract youths to their clubs and keep them there. 7
These attractions more often than not serve only to wear everybody out, and leave all listless and depressed, instead of resting and expanding the soul. Or else they merely cater to physical health, or flatter vanity, or overstimulate the imagination and the emotions. For the rest, the term “crutches” in no way supplies to those refreshing though extremely simple games which relax the soul and strengthen the body, and which have been found sufficient by so many generations of Christians. 8
the principal aim of the movement is, and to bring all the other members to lead a life that is Christian not merely on the surface, but deep down in the soul. Otherwise, what have we got? “An ordinary social club, run by a priest,” 9
Historically, the “attraction” of the Catholic Church was the Faith
take all the most fashionable “crutches” at once, and use them all (...) you will never be able to do anything but thinly disguise the lack of direction
After exploring the subject of “crutches” in apostolates, Dom Chautard then moves to admonish those priests who, with the intention to increase the number of participants or to have a broader reach, will find multiple excuses to make use of them:
the regeneration of society, and especially of France, can come only as a result of a more intense radiation of the holiness of the Church. 10
Can you quote any fact, just one fact, to show that during that time the Church needed to think up amusements to turn aside the souls she was going to conquer from the filth of pagan shows? 11
One of these directors of Catholic Action remarked, in allusion to the thirst for money and the infatuation for the films which keep the bulk of the population in our days in a fever of excited craving for enjoyment:
“The Panem et Circenses (Bread and Circuses) of the decadent Romans might be translated into modern terms as ‘Relief and Movies.’ “ 12
Now look at St. Augustine, or St. Ambrose, for example: what a prodigious attraction they exercised over souls! And yet do we ever see them, at any time in their lives, organizing some movement to provide amusements that would make their flock forget the pleasures held out by paganism? And when St. Philip Neri set out to convert Rome, lukewarm with the spirit of the Renaissance, do we read that he needed any of those “crutches” that so aroused the scorn of Canon Timon-David? 13
Anyone who wants to compare various Catholic enterprises in terms of the results that Christ expects from them, will be forced to come to the conclusion that wherever there is a center of genuine spiritual direction, there is no need of those wonderful “crutches” for rapid and easy progress to be made. Yet at the same time, you can take all the most fashionable “crutches” at once, and use them all in the same enterprise at the same time, and you will never be able to do anything but thinly disguise the lack of direction, without ever diminishing the crying need for it 14
Aim higher
“Soul of the Apostolate” is a book that wants you to aim higher , wants to make you to aim to the greatness of the soul, which is the virtue of magnanimity.
Before closing, I want to point the solution given by Saint Pius X himself, as registered by the very same Dom Chautard in the very same book:
With his deep understanding of the needs of the Church, Pius X often saw things with a most remarkable clarity. An interesting conversation of the Holy Pontiff with a group of Cardinals was reported in the French clerical publication, “L’Ami du Clerge.”.
The Pope asked them:
“What is the thing we most need, today, to save society?”
“Build Catholic schools,” said one.
“No.” (replied the pope)
“More churches,” said another.
“Still no.” (replied the pope again)
“Speed up the recruiting of priests,” said a third.
“No, no,” said the Pope, “the MOST necessary thing of all, at this time, is for every parish to possess a group of laymen who will be at the same time virtuous, enlightened, resolute, and truly apostolic.” 15
And for the formation of these enlightened groups — groups with light in their minds and souls — there is no better way than prayer and instructions, and that is probably why in Mantua the (future) pope Pius X “insisted strongly on religious instruction for all classes” and pointed that “Ignorance of Christian teaching, he said, was the great defect of the times” 16 , and then added:
“There is too much preaching and too little teaching” 17
St. Pius X
As Mr. Fedeli used to say: To stand straight in our times, Catholics need two legs, prayer and study.
Chautard, Dom Jean-Baptiste. Soul of the Apostolate . TAN Books. Kindle Edition. (chapter Dom Chautard)
ibid.
ibid. (page 57)
ibid.
ibid.
ibid. (page 58)
ibid. (page 164)
ibid.
ibid. (page 165)
ibid.
ibid. (page 166)
ibid.
ibid.
ibid. (page 185)
ibid. (page 168)
Forbes, F. A.. Pope St. Pius X: (1903-1914) (with Supplemental Reading: A Brief Life of Christ) [Illustrated] . TAN Books. Kindle Edition. (loc. 621)
ibid.