THE HISTORY OF THE DUTCH PROVINCE

1) The Initial Stage

Holland has been for hundreds of years an island of tolerance in the middle of a Europe where the state determined the religion of its subjects. Even though between 1573 and 1795 Catholics could not practice their religion, they were allowed to freely reside there. This was thanks to the tolerant spirit of the civil authorities, who, for money, willingly turned a blind eye on the activities of the priests. During this period others found refuge in Holland, whether they be Jews who had fled from Portugal, Hugonotts or Jansenists coming from France, The works which the Enlightment philosophists were not allowed to print in the country of origin were printed there. When the Kulturkampf drove the Jesuits and similar institutes from Germany, these were allowed to set up a series of seminaries in Dutch territory along the german frontier. After 1880 when laws hostile to the Church in France drove religious orders, or threatened to do so, from their territory, a certain number of them went to live in Holland.

Likewise Father Dehon, scared that his incipient Order become expelled, in 1883 took leasehold of the small castle of Watersleyde near Sittard, which, if necessary, would serve as refuge for his priests. At first Watersleyde was only a novitiate but a few years later a apostolic school for boys of the area was added. This young Order thus took its place among the many religious Institutes who were orienting young Dutch people towards the religious life. In fact, even though liberty of religion was proclaimed in Holland after the French Revolution of 1789, it was forbidden to enter the priesthood or religious life for many years afterwards. It was only after the influx of another French revolution, that of 1848,that Holland officially permitted the opening of seminaries and convents and the constitution of the Catholic hierarchy (1853).

Very soon the apostolic school of Watersleyde was also frequented by Dutch boys. Among them were the future Fathers Kanters, van Halbeek, Neyzen and van Heugten. However, the first two Dutch people to enter the religious life with us, did it by other means. In fact, even today it is not known how Father P. Triebels from Amsterdam and Brother Bonaventura Henning from Friesland were able to discover from their far North, the road which would bring them to Sittard.

In 1887, the apostolic school of Watersleyde was transferred by Father Andreas Prévot to Sittard-Leyenbroek, and in 1897 became an apostolic school for students using only the german language. From that year until 1900, the Dutch students had to go to Clairefontaine. However, they soon became aware that there were few students willing to go so far away from home and to the extent of leaving their own country. For this reason on the 29th September 1899, Father Dehon convoked at Louvain, his Dutch brothers to discuss what they should do about it. There were five priests and eleven students. All, except one, proposed to open an apostolic school in Holland. Father Dehon was pleased to keep to this proposal, and entrusted Father Kusters to carry out the project. The new foundation began in 1900 at Bergen op Zoom. In observing the three founder fathers it seemed that the order was very young and that among the Dutch members the group of Limburg was the prevailing one. Father Kusters, the Rector, had been ordained two years previously, and all three came from Limburg. In 1905, the dynamic Father Kusters was nominated rector of Louvain, with the difficult task of constructing a scholasticate. When in 1907, the novitiate for the Dutch was transferred from Sittard to Manage in Belgium, Fathers Kusters was soon aware of how his students from Bergen op Zoom had great difficulty in following the course which was conducted in the French language. For this reason he brought pressure to bear on Father Dehon until he obtained permission to open a novitiate in Holland for aspirant novices of that nationality. This came about in 1908 at Asten. Also transferred to Asten were the Brothers who had completed their training in the house at Bergen op Zoom.

Our first works in Holland were also thanks to the tireless Father Kusters. A friend one day said to him Matt, when you have finished the construction of Louvain you must start here' in the diocese of Roermond, a foundation for the protection of the young (voogdijgesticht). And before his sixth year as Rector of Louvain was up, Father Kusters had in his pocket the authorization from Father Dehon to put into action at Heer the new project. So in 1911 he left Louvain, as they said at the time with a horse, a cart and some chickens... together with Brother Remigius to go to Heer near Maastricht to ,start, at an old farm, the `House Protection' for boys, as his friend had asked. Almost contemporarily Father Kusters accepted the idea to construct in the vicinity a public church for service to the population which was in continuous increase: this was the actual large domed (Koepelkerk) church of the Sacred Heart at Maastricht.

2) Foundation of the Province and its early development

As a member of the General Council, Father Kusters easily convinced Father Dehon that the Dutch section of the congregation was mature enough to be established as a Province. When this happened on 8th April, 1911, the new Province had 29 priests, 16 brothers and 22 students.

The first problem that the new Provincial Father Hub. van Halbeek had to deal with was the formation of the scholastics. They studied at Louvain, where, with the consent of Father Dehon, they had to pay fees as the House was in debt (more than 300,000 francs). The young Province declared itself incapable of maintaining the cost of its students. Thus with the help of Louvain, they decided to found a scholasticate in Holland, which opened in 1912 at Liesbosch, in a convent of French nuns who had arrived in Holland in 1904 during the persecution of Combes, but who had a few years later re-entered in France.

Meanwhile, Father Kusters had sholdered another task. He had heard that a social pioneer, Rev. Alfons Ariens - whose beatification is at a good point - was looking for priests to direct a Home for the cure of Alcoholics. Father Kusters soon took action on this and asked for a meeting with Rev. Ariens who in turn asked him how could he think about new works when he did not have enough priests for the apostolic school at Bergen op Zoom, where even the scholastics were employed: and how could he take on a new hard task when he already had one in the Protection of Youth project. Father Kusters was not flustered. he narrated the example given by our Father Founder. This fact impressioned Rev. Ariens so much, that hitting the table he exclaimed: We need these men; these have courage!

The home for alcoholics was constructed on the land where the home for the protection of the young stood, but it did not last long as few had the courage to take advantage of this facility. The Dutch Province bought this to take our students in philosophy until 1922 when the new construction at Liesbosch was completed.

During the 1914-1918 war, thanks to the neutrality of Holland, the Province was able to grow in number and when the war was over it was able to take on new works. In 1921 they held the parish of Rips in De Peel, an area of land reclamation. With a few branches and some nearby parishes which during the years became entrusted to the Province, it became a deanery SO, if not by right at least in practice.

In this period a fact happened which was to be of capital importance for the Dutch Province: they accepted to help the abandoned youth of the city. In 1923, at Rotterdam, the first Sint Franciskus Liefdewerk (S.F.L) House was erected; and the same year our fathers accepted, from the people previously responsible, to do an identifical job in Amsterdam. This social activity had a good following and contributed in establishing in our Province in Holland one of its main characteristics.

Right from the beginning of our order, our Dutch confreres made large contribution towards the Missions. Brother B. Henning and Father Willibrord Reelick, a former papal Zouave were first busy in Ecuador and later, in 1898 followed their old superior, Father Grison to the Congo. Father G. Richters was the first Dutchman, who, in 1896 left for Brasil (North), opening the way for many other Dutch confreres who later started a new Province, provisionally directed by Dutch personnel. In 1907, our Dutch Fathers went to Finland to assist the Catholics there in their religion. However, due to hostility shown to them by the Russian Government, they had to leave Finland in 1911. After that they went to Sweden where they carried on their work until 1939. However Finland was not completely forgotten, as in 1921 our Dutch confreres returned to their work of religious services, and with the nomination of mons. Buckx as apostolic vicar in 1923, the Catholic Church obtained legal recognition in this country where the large majority are Lutherans.

Finally, in the same year, 1923, the Dutch Province had the longed for Mission in Indonesia: we were entrusted with the southern part of the Island of Sumatra. Thus, as Father Govaart explained, completing the cross that the Dutch Missionaries drew over the world. In fact they went to the four corners of the world bringing the testament of Christ: from Finland to the Congo and Brasil to Indonesia.

3) Expansion of the Province: 1927-1965

It should be understood that the developement of the Dutch Province is for the most part tied to the life of the Church in Holland. After having obtained, in 1795, the freedom of religion, the Catholics with the help of the liberals, had to tear from the protestants the re-establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy (1853); and later on, with the help of the protestants, obtain from the liberals the equality between private and state teaching. To win these various battles against external opposition, it was necessary to have strong unity within the catholic group. In such a situation it was logical that a, what today is called, closed Catholicism should be formed. In fact in every field the Catholics had very efficient organizations, and, as Catholics counted for 40% of the population, they constituted a very potent force in the country. They had a dynamic vivacity in obtaining converts, whether from the protestants - where every year many hundreds passed over to the Catholic Church -, or through foreign missions - where in the last years before the second World War 11 % of the religious personnel were Dutch. In this likely climate the Dutch Province was able to develope with surprising rapidity. They made giant strides ahead of many other Religious Institutes. All this shows the ability of the direction and ardour of its members. The Province found most of all in the person of Father Govaart that practical dynamism and immense faith in God which is the basis of many audacious initiatives. Therefore, 1927, the start of his provincialate, can be taken as the beginning of the expansion period of the Dutch Province.

Father Govaart turned his hand first at the formation. While he was rector of Bergen op Zoom, he raised the capacity of the school to 250 students. When he headed the Province, in the space of two years he constructed three large Houses: The Missionary School Christ the King at Helmond (1929), scholasticate Saint Joseph at Nimega (1930) and the new novitiate at Asten (1930). In 1933 he extended the scholasticate at Liesbosch in order to accommodate all the students whose number increased every year. At that time the Dutch Province also served the apostolic School of Lanaken in Belgium. In fact in 1921, the tireless Father Kusters, not having any projects to carry out, was given charge by the General Council to open a vocational school in that area. This was to be bi-lingual and belong to the Franco-Belgian Province, but managed by Dutch personnel. This last condition had the immediate consequence that right from the start the majority of the students should be Dutch. This situation remained until 1939, when the House and the direction passed over to the Luxemburg-Walloon Province.

In this period there was interest also in late vocations. For a long time there was the possibility for these candidates in the large parish house at Rips, until 1957 when Warnsveld was opened, a House reserved exclusively for them. Since then the number of vocations among adults has increased so rapidly that in 1963 the superiors found it necessary to construct a new building with a chapel annex. Right from the beginning the Brothers have been of great help in every activity of the Province. Up until the end of the Second World War, the candidates were in general mature persons, who, previous to entering the noviciate, had done their postulanthood in one of the large houses of the Province. After 1927 they had their own noviciate in the house of Saint Gerlach at Heer. Later this was transferred to Helmond, where, in 1956, a new construction was build which cony plied better to their needs. In fact in the meantime the number of adults wishing to become Brothers was quickly diminishing, while in the house of Saint Gerlach a school for boy postulants was opened. The success of this new initiative was enormous and reached such a point that a group of them had to be housed at Sittard which had shortly before been passed from the German Province to the Dutch one. Thanks to an important enlargement, the house of Saint Gerlach at Heer could once again take all the youths wishing to become fellow Brothers. But it was realized that this favourable period had quickly passed, and the new construction could not be used for what it was intended. In 1975 it became the Office for the Missions.

The large spreading activity in the recruitment and training sectors had as a logical consequence the notable increase in the number of Dutch religious in our Congregation. In about the year 1965 there were more than 900, and in Holland the Priests of the Sacred Heart were the most numerous, after the Franciscans. among the Religious Institutes. With such an increase in personel, it follows that there was a proportionate enlargement in the apostolic activity. T1iere was, therefore, an orientation towards Colleges, opening in a special way the prospective of recruiting many vocations. Father Govaart had already thought of founding a College, as the Jesuits recruited most of their candidates from their Colleges. But to found a College on the Jesuit model needed a good preparation. It meant constructing a secondary school of which the teachers should have an university training or an equivalent education. As qualified personnel were also required for the apostolic schools, the Province was forced to send its more gifted students to the university to obtain degrees in profane subjects. As a logical consequence to this fact, the Province was able to show its capacity in the theological sector much later. From this line of action taken by the Dutch Province came the happy possibility to open in 1938 at The Hague, a secondary school, at first together with the Jesuits, and from 1948, completely independent. In the same year another was opened in Amsterdam. This, due to the intense activity of a good number of Fathers, was given new buildings with ample capacity in 1959.

The charitable social work 'Saint Francis' (Sint-Franciskus-Liefdewerk: S. F. L. ) was started to help abandoned youth, with a very marked religious aim, but later developed into a social work also towards their families. Its official name became: Katoliek Bizonder Gezins-en Jeugdwerk (Catholic Special Family and Youth Work), In 1965, thirty five Fathers were employed in this sector. In Rotterdam 25,000 people were reached in the 19 centers in that city alone. Also in Amsterdam, Schiedam, Delft, Dordrecht and Bergen op Zoom, our Fathers performed this work.

The 'Apostolate of the Sea' became a new field of apostolate for our Durch Fathers. In 1934, at Rotterdam, they took in hand the religious-social assistance for sailors. Up until then this work was entrusted to the Capuchin Fathers, and was very modest. Father Van Rixtel dedicated himself completely, and very soon, in an ideal spot, a Home for Sailors was opened. The bombing of Rotterdam destroyed it in 1940. However, in 1953, a new Home was inaugurated, larger and better looking, and without doubt among the best in the world destined to assist sailors. The collaborators grouped themselves to form the 'Stella Maris' Brotherhood, from where they find the source of inspiration to carry out this hard work. Under the direction of one of the Port Chaplains a special organisation took care of the social needs of the sailors family. Following this, a similar work in Amsterdam was entrusted to them.

At `Dordrecht' a mixed apostolate was formed. When, in 1949, a house was offered for pastoral activity, our Fathers were already employed in that city with 'Sint-Franciskus-Liefdewerk'. Therefore this new house became the base for the Apostolate of the Reparation, and at the same time a centre of preaching from where a good number of priests went out to preach recollections and retreats everywhere in the country. Another characteristic work was instigated with the name of Open Door Work (Open Deur Werk). Infact the door was always open, and all those who wanted explanation, amplifications or particulars of the Catholic Church or its doctrine, or who wanted to follow special courses of instruction on it, would always find one of our Fathers ready to listen. In a period of major activity there would be as many as seventy people receiving mostly individual teaching. The institution of this work at Dordrecht seemed like a challenge made to the Dutch Protestants, who are the strongholders of pure Calvinism, as defined in 1619 at the Synod of Dordrecht, against the deviating doctrine of Arminius.

During this period the Dutch Province acquired grand estime in catholic works of `Infancy protection'. The House at Heer was in fact developed as a model institution. The boys were not kept in a large building like most colleges;but in groups of 13 to 15 a pavilion. The antique construction became the heart of this little `Village for the Young' around which were the different pavilions, schools and sports grounds. Many Brothers, on whom right from the beginning all this work fell, tried to obtain the diplomas required by the State so that their teaching would be automatically recognized. Because of these professional qualifications, after some time the help of laymen had to be used, and where previously one brother could manage then three assistants were needed.

In the same sector, that of the protection of infancy, soon after the Second World War, a new useful initiative was taken. After years of accurate preparation in 1951 an Institute at Nijmegen was opened as an immediate refuge for boys who for whatever reason had been taken away from the custody of their parents. After a certain period while they underwent a series of observations, they were housed there where their education was most adapted to their character. This new work was called Dehon Home. The construction, which also held a school specialized in the problems of infancy, was for not more than 45 boys, as each required many personnel.

Other work carried out at this time was the parish apostolate: the Bishops entrusted an ever increasing number of parishes to them. In 1965 there were 21. Apart from these, there was other pastoral activity of which our Fathers partook, as military Chaplains, factory or Prison Chaplains, or as Chaplains of the Technical High school at university level at Delft.

It was, however, difficult to find in Holland always a type of apostolate suitable to priests of a certain age. Many of them, who had for many years given great services in important parishes or in social work and teaching, had become incapable of supporting these heavy duties; they were still able to manage the work of a small parish or an old peoples home. But as one would expect, the Bishops reserved these posts for their own priests who had found themselves in the same position. What was to be done? Fortunately at this time, the German Episcopate asked for Dutch priests to do this type of work, and the offer was willingly accepted. Thus, in German territory, under the direction of a superior, a sort of `Region' was formed, and in constant developement. This was another proof that the inhabitants of Holland, land of the tight frontiers, have an innate tendency of going abroad. In the same context, the last great works of Father Kusters, whose great love literally knew no bounds, could be collocated. Like Saint Augustine, the great evangelist of England, Father Kusters received an invitation from Rome to form a new Province of our Congregation there. He had in mind that all of Holland should collaborate with the financing of the first steps. Therefore he made an appeal to the Dutch Church with a booklet entitled: Daughter, do not forget your mother. With this publication Father Kusters intended that the Dutch Church was daughter of the English one, as the first evangelists to go to Holland came from England. This fact should not be forgotten. Therefore the Dutch Province, offering Fathers and Brothers for the foundation of the English Province, paid in a certain way the debt they had with their mother Church.

After the last war, following mass emigration, some of our Fathers went to Canada. At the start they occupied themselves with the spiritual life of these immigrants, but soon made efforts in the preparation of the foundation of a Province in each of the linguistic regions. It could well be that the love Dutch Catholics have for `Wandering for Christ', that is travelling abroad bringing Christ's gospel, was inherited from the English and Irish missionaries. The war had prohibited them for five long years; but the moment the frontiers were once again opened, a crowd of young missionaries swarmed towards Africa, America and Asia. Between 1945 and 1950 the number of missionaries of the Dutch Province passed from 120 to 208. Especially for Sumatra, this apostolic new blood was of vital necessity. In fact eleven of our thirty three missionaries died in Japanese concentration camps. If to this you add the victims of the poisening at Nijmegen - among whom was our first Father from Java - and the priest killed in the Hague bombings, the Dutch Province has lost through acts of war, 21 priests.

In 1938 the first two Dutch Fathers left for Argentina. Two years later, there were the first departures for Uruguay; and, after the war, many others followed. In 1950, our apostolate in Chile was started, where the work has been progressing with excellent hopes. To avoid a dispersion of force which could be harmful for the work in South America, in 1965, the Houses of Argentina and Uruguay were entrusted to our Italian conferes, in order that all efforts could be concentrated on Chile which became an important Region.

In 1938, North Brazil became an independent Province. This fact of law did not prevent the new Province from receiving regularly reinforcements from Holland.

As the Dutch Province had an abundance of personnel at its disposal, Father Govaart thought of sending Dutch missionaries also to the Camerouns. In 1946 the first five left.

Despite these numerous departures in all directions, the amount of love and dedication given to the oldest mission of the Order was not lessened. When the first upheavals began in the Congo (now Zaire) in 1960 there were 70 Dutch missionaries there, of whom twelve died in the bloody revolt of 1964.

Finland was also continuously asking for new reinforcements. In practice, the missionaries to this country could not be many, owing to the difficulty in understanding the language and the psychology of the population.

It is easy to understand how the developments which I have traced so far brought large financial problems. The construction and maintenance of many training houses, of the apostolic schools where the fees were minimal, of the scholasticate which were completely for account of the Province, of the parishes and other works which were only just self sufficient, of the missions which were continually in need of help... And all this complex of work lived and prospered thanks to the generosity of Dutch Catholics. To keep them in touch as to meaning and spirit of our works, right from the beginning, publicity was used. The magazine Het Rijk van het H. Hart (the Reign of the S. Heart), founded in 1901 had reached a large diffusion. Later the Houses of Helmond and Nijmegen also had their own magazine. Doubtless these magazines and publications to some extent reached their apostolic goals; but they could only partly deal with the financial difficulties. To manage it was necessary to have recourse to fund raising by letters, called 'quête', a name unknown elsewhere in Holland. Nothing else made us so well known in the country. However, even this method was not sufficient. Thus every training house had extra Fathers and Brother ‘travellers’ who paid with great hardship the task of going from city to village collecting the necessary maintenance for their fellow Brothers. With the directors and collaborators they constituted the group of `family support' for all the Province. It is no wonder that among all the other begging Orders and Congregations, we were known pre-eminently as the begging fathers. This fame did not damage our reputation, as all could see how their donations were employed.

What was the religious inspiration that animated all the activities and initiatives of the Dutch Province? Here we can only point out the religious inspiration offered to the members. In what measure this was accepted and realized by each one will remain a personal secret known only to God. One thing is certain: the biographies of many deceased confreres tell that they had arrived at a not common spiritual maturity and a great intimacy with God.

Up until 1960, with the exception of a few small parishes with only one priest, all the confreres resident in Holland lived in community according to the programme set by the Congregation. The prayers and suggestions of the Thesaurus were aimed at putting the spirit of the Congregation into everyday life. However, it was not always known how to comport oneself. An example of this uncertain situation is given by Father Dorresteijn in a little episode which happened to him. In 1926 while in Rome, he complained, together with other students, to Father General Philippe that all things considered, Priests of the Sacred Heart were nothing more than secular priests with vows. It seems that it was a marvellous revelation to him to hear the aims of the Congregation as intended by Father Dehon.

In any case, about the same time in Holland, Father Govaart saw to it that the members of his Province were well instructed as to these essential points. Already, when he was rector at Bergen op Zoom, at his numerous conferences for confreres and students, he continually recurred to the example of the Founder. When he was head of the Province, in all his discussions and circular letters, he always recalled Father Dehon. In the formation houses on the 14th March, he had organized every year a Dehon Day to propagate the spiritual values and life of the Founder, and make it possible to live conscientiously our vocation. As a consequence many other similar initiatives were taken in all the Dutch Province. At Nijmegen the library of the Order was founded and remained there until 1969, when it was transferred to Rome, at the Generalate. This library contained the most complete collection of works and publications of all the Congregation.

In 1946 the Apostolate of Reparation was started to take up the association of priests and laymen that Father Dehon had begun in 1878. In this way the spiritual values of the Congregation were diffused among the Dutch Catholics by print, conferences and appropriate preaching. Later particular groups were formed according to the spirituality of the Congregation and at the same time the apostolate tried to interest also the confreres more in their own spirituality. Thus for the following three years study days about the spiritual values of the Congregation were organized among us. The works of Father Dorresteijn, which was in part the course given to the students on spiritual theology, helped all the Congregation to know the founder Father and his spiritual ideals. The Apostolate of Reparation caused, and continues to cause, an awakening of a lively interest in our spirit especially in lay groups, even though since 1960, this has been an object of discussion in the Dutch Province itself. This is understandable because of the changes in the theological climate in the last few years. In fact a more critical attitude towards the devotional aspect of our spirituality has been adopted, and a deeper theological justification of the worship of the Sacred Heart, especially in the light of the mysteries of the Incarnation and Easter, is being looked for. Unfortunately these arguments did not stop there, but became motive for dispute about the religious life itself. The problems were complex and difficult; and, as usually happens in similar cases, an alarm siren was fired. In 1963, a commission was constituted on Religious life, which tried to find a solution.

4) The Crisis: 1965-1975

When, in the nineteen sixties, the crisis was becoming everyday more evident in the Church in Holland, people abroad wondered how it was possible that such a thing could happen in that country. Almost contemporaneously, however, the same phenomenon was happening in other nations. The causes of this fact are many and complex, and it is not possible to explain it in a few lines. Here I will simply tell of some of the characteristics of catholic life in Holland; this can, in some way explain, how and why the crisis happened so early and so quickly. The long battle by the Catholics to obtain religious liberty and the same rights as the Protestants, had made the Church in Holland a sort of fortress which was being continually attacked, and of which the inhabitants were tightly united in a well organized and disciplined group. Its faithfullness to the Pope and the Bishops constituted a supreme law in the numerous organizations whether cultural, social or political. The blow given by the tendency to secularization, which proclaimed autonomy for all these different sectors, gave a foothold for a strong reaction against a strict dependence on the Church. Above all, some of the lay Catholics thought themselves to be victims of clerical dogmatism and a unilateral bullying by the hierarchy. There was a dissolvement of the catholic organizations and a flight towards non-catholic institutions in all political, cultural and socio-economic sectors. Dutch Catholicism was also conditioned by the controversy with the Protestants; in fact this friction caused the Catholics to become more Catholic and the Protestants more protestant. Holland, during the last century was always the focal point of controversal theology, but with the ecumenical movement, Catholics were orientated towards an openness with all.

The intense practice of religion by Dutch Catholics resulted in the fact that in contrast with other countries the intellectuals were also practising. They were the first to stir the problems and ask the Church to take a stand regarding modern culture. Some ingenious theologians tried to reply to their difficulty. The well known 'Dutch Catechism' is an example. This same catechism certifies how the Dutch episcopate - with men like card. Alfrink, mons. Bekkers and mons. de Vet - tried to influence and bridle this process of renewal and change. According to the progressists the catechism did not get away enough from the past, while as far as Rome was concerned it went beyond limits. In this way a movement of polarization was formed, which caused a clash between the extremists of both tendencies. But the majority, who were in the centre, often remained disturbed and perplexed, partly because of an unsuitable pastoral, and a great number of Catholics fell into bitter indifference. Moreover, Holland is a country circled by three great linguistic groups (German, French and English); and naturally all that is published in these languages finds easy access into Holland. In fact the language barrier did not constitute an obstacle for our intellectuals. Last, but not least, it should be remembered that all transmissions and newspapers were in the hands of the 'progressists'. It is very difficult to estimate the influence this had on the evolution of the Church in Holland.

Returning to our Province, it is necessary to say that this crisis situation did not wait long until it was felt in the minor seminaries and apostolic schools. If one wants an explanation of the rapid drop in aspirant priests, one should add to the factors mentioned above, the many opportunities offered by society, to whom had terminated their secondary studies. Contributors to the drop in priestly vocations, were the cloudy ideas which surrounded the mission of priesthood and the many objections to celibacy and its religious significance. The consequence was soon visible: practically no candidate presented himself for the priesthood or the religious life. Worse still, those who were already in the apostolic schools, could see no future in the life towards which they were orientated; thus in less than two years (1965-1967), the majority of them abandoned the plan for which they came. If they remained, it was in order to obtain a diploma recognized by the State and not to join the priesthood.

Also in the school for mature vocations at Warnsveld, there were less candidates. So it was joined to the 'Latin School' of Gemert which had existed for centuries; but it was soon realized that even this stronghold could not withstand the tempest.

The number of students in theology diminished at great speed in nearly all the seminaries, so an effort to unite the seminarists and scholars of religion throughout the country was made by some Institutes of Theology. A saving in teaching personnel was foreseen and a university level in ecclesiastical training. Many students in theology wished to live in small communities where they would receive training. These initiatives, at least for most of them, however, did not lead to a priesthood or religious life.

The number of priests who left the priesthood increased year by year. The motives changed with each individual case, but it was always a sign that they were not happy in their priestly life. Those who had not taken a decision for the priesthood were dissuaded by this fact.

It was evident that a similar crisis would have an unfavorable influence on all the works of the Province. As the apostolic schools were suppressed or transformed into Colleges, many Fathers asked if teaching in an ordinary school had still any significance for them. Some of them who had been active in the scholasticates, continued to teach in the new Faculties of the few existing teological institutes, while the others had to adapt themselves to ask for other work.

The Open Door work (Open Deur Werk) became bit by bit useless. As the Churches became more reconciled, and there was a certain levelling between the religious differences, the number of those who passed over to the Catholic Church was almost nil.

As the social-charitable work of Saint Francis (Sint-Franciskus-Liefdewerk) had placed much accent on the social aspect, the civil authorities sholdered the financial side and inevitably the religious aspect went slowly into the background, favouring the process of secularization of the work. Of the 35 Fathers occupied in this work, in 1965 there remained very few.

An identical evolution also happened to the protection of youth work. The fall in the number of vocations meant that there were fewer brothers available for this work.

The Dehon House at Nijmegen became suppressed. This was also due to the way in which the idea about the function of the house had changed.

Lastly it is clear that, in such a situation, the missions could no longer count on the supply of clerics coming from the Province, as they had done in the past. All this brought a deep change in religious community life. As the members of the Province got older, two former formation houses, Asten and Nijmegen, were reserved for the elderly Brothers. Some of them, who for various motives could not live in either of these homes, went to live by themselves. The disappearance of the Provinces own works meant the dispersion of its Priests in numerous posts and activity sectors. The houses occupied by the elderly Brothers remained substantially faithful to the traditional form of religious life. In the other remaining communities an appeal was made for personal responsibility. All this necessitates a more detailed description on the actual situation, which will be made with major precision by Father Dijkman.

In conclusion permit me to remark a symptomatic trait. The Commission on Religious Life, for some years past, has been substituted by the Commission on Re-orientation. This change in name is in itself very significant. It announces, infact, the search for an evolutive line which the religious life should take in order to conform to the needs of our times. It is a line of hope and a rejection of all fonns of fatalism.

Father G. Gasseling scj

5) Final Phase or New Relaunching

The history of the Dutch Province of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart has completely followed two directions. One of growth, at times extremely fast, up until the fifties'. The other of descendance, insofar as it was part of a period when much of what had been the result of interior and vital force perished. The rhythm with which this happened was sometimes breathtaking to those who tried to follow it... They had to see the disappearance of apostolic schools, as well as of scholasticates, noviciates and sectors of activities carried out by the Province. However, the thing which caused the most profound sadness, were the numerous defections, prevalent as never before: in fact in the past these were only exceptional cases. However, in order to relate this story honestly, we cannot ignore this fact, especially for the century celebrations.

Father Gasseling has revealed the facts, and we cannot thank him enough for his efforts, the results of which have caused reflection. The questions which are posed are the following: our Province is facing its final phase, or it has already entered it? The reduction in quantity will be accompanied by a regression in quality? In the latter case, cheap words of consolation and incouragement will not be of any use. We prefer to face the facts as they present themselves, interprete them and try to learn the lesson they contain.

The person who takes this responsibility will find himself in front of two difficulties. The first: it is not possible to look at the facts from great enough distance, which prevents one considering the situation under a sufficiently correct prospective. Those who describe a contemporary story finish their interpretation of the happenings when they arrive to the years 1945-50. Secondly, an interpretation is usually made from a certain point of view, based on ideas from one or another epoch. Anyone who makes a critical judgement of a certain period, will in turn be criticized by the successive generation.

A wise interpretation always has a meaning. However it is not necessary to have intention of discovering latent causes, manifestations of decline or crises in order to start a `process of conversion'. Would it not be better to look for a prospective which lets us look at the past, only in the light of understanding the crisis which we are now passing. Our faithfullness to the past should not make us close our eyes to the needs of the present.

Reply to anyone who asks the reason for the hope you have in you (1 Pt 3, 15).

The growth of our Province coincides, for the most part, with the rapid emancipation of the Catholics in Holland and the firm consequences derived from it. The general atmosphere in which the ecclesiastical life was developed at that time was good for the evolution of the ecclesiastical Province of Holland.

The Church was accepted with joy - together with its structures - because it flourished well in the grand flowering of catholic life, where individual piety. enthusiasm and personal dedication found fertile land. The circumstances were favourable for them who wanted to do something grandiose. Today the reverse is true. The Church and religious life is under criticism. Ideas, for example pluralism and polarization, are typical of our epoch. We begin to see confusion, restlessness and even anguish. Everybody in the end withdrew from his own personal life a personal experience of faith, which we interpelate in our own way to live the Christian and religious values, in a Church which in turn is looking for new forms. It seems that our new Rule of Life is sensitive to this mentality when it states: our religious life has been thrown back more or less on his own personal life, on his personal life of faith. We are looking for a personal experience of Christian and religious values in a Church which in turn is looking for new forms. (n. 57).

The actual crisis could bring us to a confrontation with our own impotence, with our failings; make us fall into anguish, make us insecure and darken the vision we should have regarding our religious state; but this crisis can be weathered and won as in a motto, welt known to us, that of the city of Bergen op Zoom: Mille periculis supersum - I have escaped a thousand dangers.

A time of proof - more than any other - and a pressing appeal for our generosity, to keep us faithful to that which we most deeply desire: continue to consecrate a life exclusively to God, to Jesus Christ, to the Church, for the salvation and good of men. Thus, this actual crisis will have for us a significance of grace insofaras it invites us to always keep to this deepening and consolidate our own personal convictions, towards a life of which we can guarantee the authenticity and where our donation is a fact. The grace now present invites us to make a new choice in life or to renew more deeply the motives for the decision already taken. A determinate religious life, in a modern world which is no longer religious, means that each one of us must be personally aware of what he really hopes and believes; each of us faces the question of on what evangelical and ecclesiastical base we can found our choice, and what concrete expression we can give this life in the practice of everyday. Others could without doubt substitute and inspire us, but from the moment they substitute us in order to decide what we should think and do, we ourselves are continually weakened in our method of thinking and doing. Either we choose by ourselves, or we don't choose at all.

Do not forget Charity, and give some goods to others (Eb 13,16).

In our story, one thing is certain, after the nineteen sixties' the .number of brothers living alone has greatly increased.

This means that there was a strong disgregariousness of community life? As far as we are concerned, we venture to put forward the following: we think that it is precisely the fact that we are involved in a more conscious and personal way in religious life, that breeds the need for another form of religious community life, which is really experienced by those who decide to do so.

The Order and the Province has always been divided into communities and homes. In the past the community life was lead in a determined order with regularity in the observances. But the crisis to which we referred, has brought and even more so brings us to discover how often we are alone in our path, each having his own faith and hopes firmly planted with his own personal story. In the shelter of large groups, where ones life is ordered by the employment of time and perfectly regulated exercises, the personal disposition of the Brethern remains, for the most part, hidden and nothing comes to light of the battle each one of us has to engage in before he personally achieves his option for the religious life. In our epoch, when one feels the necessity to communicate, one experiences at the same time how difficult it is to realize this even with people under the same roof. One feels the need to communicate with others, and at the same time powerless to do so. Therefore, if in our epoch new regional communities are created, this phenomenon is not only due to the desire to benefit from new structures. Most of all it is the need - born from the crisis which we are dealing with - to establish contacts at a deeper personal level.

It could well be that in the situation which we are describing, there is, today more than in the past, a need to deal with more intense questions regarding the faith and the problematical religious and priestly existance. It is probable that more time is dedicated at present than in the past, to spiritual discussions. Thus more efforts are now made to respond to the necessities of the other, than in the past. This could constitute a real benediction.

We are convinced that the vitality of our Province depends mostly on the will of all to promote authentical forms of communication. This in fact is one of the essential objectives outlined both by the instructions given by the provincial authorities during these last few years, and all the efforts of reorientation from the provincial conference and the regional meetings. It could well be that the crisis we are going through is grace from God, to the extent that efforts are continually being made to become closer to one another, a real meeting of men between men and brethren with brethren. Certainly the barriers exist and should not be avoided. We should try to overcome them. Much depends on this victory. If internal communication is less, the situation in which the Church and the society actually finds themselves is such that many religious end up by feeling abandoned, even though they live under the same roof or in the same community. If in this day and age one cannot find anyone to join, one will be forced to live ones life and walk alone.

Lord teach us to pray (Lc 11,1).

If it is when there is danger that one learns to pray, the actual crisis can also lead us to new forms of prayer, more intensely made. In the past much praying was done, of this there is no doubt. The structure of the religious community was such that there was alot of various prayers together, done as prescribed regulated exercises. Also the form and the content of these prayers was often regulated. But often prayers come, one could say, from above; certain prayers were composed with texts which made them very elevated but, for the users, those texts were not always adequate, in keeping with or sufficiently adapt to what they thought and felt in reality. The novices used the same formulae as those in the profession for many years. As the actual situation imposes great demands for a religious life lived in personal responsibility, and at the same time conducting a search for more intense forms of communication, the need to express oneself in a more authentic way in the relation of prayer with God and with Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, was born and at the same time believed in.

Prayer, as a clearly defined exercise and as integral part of a daily task,works minute by minute and must become more a freely chosen contact with God. This contact must have a favourable atmosphere, as exactly expressed in a very suggestive manner in the narrative of the disciples of Emmaus. These, disillusioned, disorientated, entered into contact with Jesus Christ and the explanation which he gives of the Scripture makes them discover the Easter Mystery. This same passage of the Gospel emits an atmosphere suitable for communication. The fact of uniting and breaking bread in common becomes a preliminary condition for going towards the Resurrected Lord and at the same time for a reciprocal meeting as disciples of the same Lord. Can we not hope that, inspite of the actual crisis, our hearts are still alight within us? In different places charismatic prayer groups are being created. Among us there are those who are rediscovering the necessity of meditation. This demonstrates that even in our times there are people who refuse to be absorbed by a purely secularized existence.

The experience of the crisis which we are crossing could raise the question of whether or not we should inspire and help each other reciprocally, not only praying one for the other, but above all one with the other, and in a way less rigid as to form, content, place and time. Where two or three are united in prayer, Christ is among them. And we can add that in these meetings, the brethren are present with each other.

Why the head of the community must be... hospitable, lover of good, sensible, just, pious, self controlled... ' (Letter to Tito, 1,8).

At one time, the authorities, of their domain, occupied the central position: in the large assemblies of the Church, as in the internal of religious life. In a certain sense, all the ecclesial and religious communes reunited around the pope, the bishops, the priests and the religious superiors. In the will of the persons and functions of those who exercised authority, the community became an orderly and structured unity.

The authorities could and had the right to expect the comportment of subjects and obedience to them. In this climate, the same practice of poverty came under the order of obedience. In fact, the situation was such that the vow of poverty was always taken causing the dependence of the inferior on superior. We cannot, and do not want to deny that many brethren were able to lead an authenticly religious life within the limits of their epoch, with proof of great generosity, spirit of self-denial, demonstrating themselves to be admirable and paying the price with their own person. Let us say, however, that many were forgotten in the service of that more vast community, Province, Order or mission. But now these superstructures both in the Church as in society lose their credit, which explains why the conception of superiors is different from what it used to be.

As head, he becomes more of an animator occupied with his interlocutors looking for new ways, ways which permit them to verify together the authenticity of the choice they have made for the religious life, and to live this choice in conformity of a situation which, in the Church and in the society, has changed much since the fifties. The superior is less considered as a 'person called upon to conserve the structure and the observances, and more as a brother who animates and stimulates at a personal, human and community level, the process of authentification and adaptation of the structure. More than his talents as an organizer and co-ordinator, one looks for capacity to listen with sympathy, for his knowledge of the human heart, his discernement of the spirit, which in other times were asked from for a conscience director, from a `father confessor'.

These conceptions have been modified and we believe that we have seen this in the manner in which, during the last ten years, the provincial Superior has foreseen and carried out his mission. He increasingly became the counsellor and the guide, who helped and stimulated his brethren at personal, community and provincial levels, replying to their questions and demands made on them by the actual transformation in their rapports with their religious vocations. It is no wonder that the provincial superior had a provincial secretary for problems regarding organization and a special designated assistant for problems regarding personnel.

`Follow Christ inserted in the mission of the Church, for the salvation of the world' (RV., 13).

We must admit that the Dutch Province has had to abandon a good number of its own works. Many activities have been assumed by laymen. The activities which are still left are carried out with the collaboration of laymen. Therefore we must be comprehensive towards the numerous brethren, whom, having known the Province when in full bloom, dedicated to various works, deplore this evolution. Where has the influx, the prestige and the force of attraction which the Province enjoyed thanks to its own works, gone?

We can however ask ourselves if this evolution could not open a new prospective for the future. It seems more or less certain that the Church, here in Holland and in other countries, must develope in a way to be a Church for the lay, occupying itself above all with the lay who put themselves at the complete disposition of the Church (Church of the lay, for the lay and through the lay).

In other times, the apostolate of the lay depended strictly from the hierarchy; it was like a prolongation. But it has become more evident that the apostolate of the lay, in order to function truly at the service of the Church and society, must have a place of its own, and be more flexible than the one it actually reserves, and this in virtue of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. The ministry of the faithful has been clearly recognized by the Second Vatican Council and then rightfully valued. At this moment, we cannot forsee what consequences, deep and important, all this will have on the life of the Church, and in what way this ministry function in the future.

In the internal of these Institutions and Orders of lay life, thanks to the evolution we have outlined, one is always more conscious that they are, as they are apostolic, inserted in the mission of the universal Church and participate in her missions for the salvation of the world. In this apostolic prospective the mission of the Church is not exclusively performed by the ministerial priesthood. The mission of the Church is not only of a strictly priestly order; this mission is also of a spiritual and prophetical order. If we consider things from this angle, we will recognize that the life and activity of brethren and other faithful has a specific and distinct significance. It is not right to think of a typically religious vocation as purely a logical consequence of a priestly ministry, an accessary to a ministry. We verify that this conviction is for some years a fact acquired by the ecclesiastical Province of Holland, and that in the internal of the Orders and Institutes this conviction has made us reflect continually on the meaning and sense of religious life. All this brings us to believe that never before has there been such deep reflections, exchange of ideas, and writings on the sense and form of religious life, as in the last twenty years. At present, we assert - and we can also hope for the future - that the young, including those who are members of lay Orders and Institutes,opt more clearly and directly for a religious life, and only afterwards, eventually prepare from this option, to enter the priesthood. It is clear that these Orders and Institutes should present themselves as religious institutes.

We can affirm that our new Statutes for Life are already employed in the ways we have stated. We see that the mentality and apostolic activity are explicitly tied to the state of religious life as such. The work, and the way in which it is carried out, is done in the light of a religious vocation to follow Christ, and not as a work mostly derived from a priestly ministry. Therefore our belonging to the Order of Brethren of the Sacred Heart, should not be interpreted in a priestly sense, but in a pure and specific religious sense. Thus the religious profession does not still implicate distinctions between the different categories in our Order, on the contrary: we are all brothers, and as brothers, we are all the same. The distinction: fathers, brother workers and other priestly orders of the hierarchy cannot be a foundation for the religious profession. In the past the situation was often such that the training given in the apostolic schools and in the seminaries was preparation for the priesthood. The consequence was that many brethren took the specific significance sense of the vows and tended to hide themselves the moment that the priestly ministry and activity became problematical. We must admit that in the internal of the Order, ever since perhaps the foundation, there has always been a tendency to give a monastic tone to the `contemplative' aspect. All this in turn gave a prejudicial aspect to the activities. For us it has always been difficult (especially for our so enterprising clutch Province) to harmoniously reconcile the lay apostolate - specifically priestly or not - to the needs which bring a religious vocation, and to conserve a fair method between monastic ideals and the ideals of secular institutes.

Our new Statutes for Life has forced itself to manifest the convenient way to follow in this problem. No. 44 of the Statutes for Life states that the Order was not founded for a predetermined work but in order to put itself voluntarily at the service of the Church in its diverse pastoral tasks. The Statutes for Life furnishes a series of descriptions of the mentality which should animate us in our apostolic activity, in the piece where it affirms: In the strength of the profession of evangelical counsels, in our way of living and acting, with the participation in the building of the earthly city and to edify the body of Christ, we must express ourselves efficiently that only the Kingdom of God and his justice must be looked for before all and in all (RV. 43d).

If the recent story of our Order and of our Province teaches that one must insist especially on the rights and on the justice which must benefit the large marginate groups and persons frustrated in their rights, we can with certainty recall a long tradition in our Order, But now it is the Church, as a community of believers, who turns to us brethren to call particularly and in a new way our attention on justice and liberation on a worldwide scale. Rightly the Church, launching this appeal, turns especially to brethren, considering that the religious vocation, as such, constitutes a special articulation of the faith of the Church, of its hopes, of its mission, of its preoccupation for the redemption of the world.

`We have arrived at such a point that we shall continue in the same direction' (Fit 3,16).

The criticism made of the evolution which has characterized the Dutch Province in the last twenty years, insists on the fact that there have been almost no new vocations. The ageing of the Province and its effective members, priests and religious, is very noticeable. It is also a fact - confirmed also by public opinion polls recently carried out in Holland and other West European Countries - that groups consisting of the young have finished by becoming alienated towards the Church. However this fact does not necessarily imply that we cannot discuss with these young, questions about the Christian faith. They are very willing to discuss problems regarding God and Jesus Christ, and to study problems relative to society and the world. Proof of this is the increase in the enrolments at all the Faculties of theology. This does not mean that they are willing to bind themselves, as celibate priests or as brethren to a diocese, to an Order, or to an Institute.

However, also among the young, changes are being noticed. Young who embrace the religious life or who are interested in certain forms of religious life: e.g. prayer, meditation, the teaching according to a plan of life, employment in social fields or charitable ones.

Voices are being raised in the Province: to make use of these changes to begin a recruitment. But how to organize and justify it in this actual situation? When one worries about the future, in one way or another it comes off, it means beginning from the present, otherwise the future will be only a utopia, without roots in the actual reality.

In the course of these last ten years our Province has been employed, in a particular way, in the personal serenity of its members, in the religious atmosphere which must circle the life of them, wherever they are and in whatever conditions they live.

We cannot and must not consider the lack of recruits as a motive for demolition of what has been built in the past, or as a lack of light on our part. To take care of one another in all justice and charity has nothing to do with, also regarding the results derived from this, the progressive or conservative categories. The future of the Province does not depend only on efficient recruitment. Also the worry of its survival should not be prevalent, at the most it should be at the same level as the preoccupation to insure to the Church and the ecclesiastical Provinces of Holland, the presence of fervent christians: boys and girls, young brethren and sisters, men and women. We must sustain the pledges and the enthusiasm of these young who embrace the cause of Christ and his Church, who are trying to form a religious life adapted to our epoch, even if our Province has not vocational advantages. We should be thankful if, with the other religious institutes, we contribute to the deepening and renewing of the religious life of our christians, which will bring one day new florishing, in renewed forms, of priestly vocations both in the Universal Church as in the ecclesiastical Province of Holland.

If in this field, we are able to interpret the signs of the times and are able to feel personally and collectively responsible for our vocations in the practical life of every day, then we will create a climate susceptable to favour new recruits for us.

In the actual situation of the Church and of the ecclesiastical Province of Holland, recruitment appears more a question of radiation than of gathering vocations. The important thing is that the spirit which lives and works in us, can reach the spirit which animates the young, and vice versa: a two way street. it is also true that the Holy Spirit breathes where and how He wants. It could be that one day forms of ecclesiastical and religious life develope, which do not necessarily follow the same path taken up till now.

Even if the Province, in the near or distant future, has no more new recruitments, this does not mean it has lost its sense of actuality or has failed in its contribution to assure the future of the Church. On the other hand we want the young to end up by coming to find us and us them, even though this must be paid with sacrifices on both sides.

The author of these lines does not know if one day these hopes will be fulfilled. Also he does not know if this report, published on the occasion of the first Century of the Order, will be the first or last of the series, at least regarding Holland.

Whatever happens, this unknown future will not cloud the joy which this author feels in this celebration which combines the past with the present of the Order of the Dutch Province.

Fr. J. Dijkman, scj