A Word of the Postulator

For Fr. d’Alzon, obedience as well as humility finds its origin in faith. The most perfect model of obedience is Jesus himself, the Son of God, born of a woman, who became man among us so as to carry out the plans of God his Father. That is why obedience, for our founder, is not simply an ascetical virtue, destined solely for one’s personal sanctification, but is, above all, an apostolic virtue. In the following way the current Rule of Life of the Assumptionists translates these words of Fr. d’Alzon: « Lived in faith and prayer, obedience opens our hearts to God and to all human beings. Gradually, it transforms our tendency to dominate into a desire to serve and to promote the good of others. It reveals our faith and our availability to the will of the Father. It is thus a sign of the Kingdom » (#43). For Fr. d’Alzon, obedience also translated into absolute loyalty and fidelity to the Church, especially to the teachings, guidelines, and decisions of the Pope: « Religious will have absolute and filial obedience first and foremost to Our Holy Father the Pope… » (First Constitutions of 1855, Book I, ch. 10). Let us also not forget that Fr. d’Alzon was himself an energetic and charismatic superior, whom we would describe today as a true leader; he had the knack of forming men and women to be full of creativity, initiative, faith, and generous commitment in their ministry. Not only did he know how to respect their personal gifts, but he also opened them to broad, new horizons where they could exercise their apostolic passion: Étienne Pernet, François Picard, Marie Correnson, Victorin Galabert, Vincent de Paul Bailly, etc.

Fr. Julio Navarro Román, A.A.

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