In late May the newly renovated committee responsible for the beatification of our founder, Servant of God Emmanuel d’Alzon, met at the general house in Rome under the leadership of the postulator of the cause, Fr. Julio Navarro.

During the meeting Fr. General, Fr. Benoit Griere, took time to address the committee members. He first thanked them for their willingness to serve on the committee. He told them that whenever he makes canonical visits somewhere in the Assumptionist world, he is almost always asked how the cause for the beatification of Fr. d’Alzon is going. In Fr. Benoit’s opinion, this interest demonstrates a real desire to see this happen and a willingness to collaborate. Even if Fr. d’Alzon was a man of discretion, there is no doubt that we Assumptionists would be delighted to see the day that the Church recognized his holiness publicly. He particularly thanked Fr. Julio for his dedication and enthusiasm.

« For us, believing in the founder’s holiness is to believe in our own personal holiness. The way he walked is our way today --- in how we pray, educate, recruit, carry out our ministry, engage in ecumenical work. His way of holiness is our way, » Fr. Benoit said.

He added, « We must never stop working to advance the cause of beatification. Lay-people are taking up the cause enthusiastically while some religious are showing fatigue 25 years after the latest efforts were launched. It is time to redouble our efforts. »

What we need today, he suggested, are people to inspire us once again with the greatness of Fr. d’Alzon, to show us in today’s world how relevant he still is. What we need today is a group of people dedicated to impregnating themselves with d’Alzon’s spirit and with the capacity of conveying it to the men and women of our day.

The world of the Assumption is in rapid change with significant growth in Africa and Asia. Wherever we are we need Assumptionist specialists of religious life. We need to be able to inspire young people with the desire to follow in the path of d’Alzon’s holiness. We need to provide them with the tools they need to do so – literature, to be sure, but also living examples. Every Assumptionist is called, in Fr. General’s striking and challenging words, « to return to the novitiate at the feet of the founder.”

In the course of the Committee’s meeting, they summarized their work as three-fold: to know and make Fr. d’Alzon known; to encourage people to pray for favors and graces, even miracles, through the intercession Fr. d’Alzon; and to encourage people to imitate d’Alzon’s way of holiness.