Discipline
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19 September 1984
Krakow, Poland

My dear Seminary Sisters,

When visiting the different provinces of the Company, I always like to have a short meeting with the Seminary Sisters, and this for two reasons. First, I regard the Seminary Sisters as especially privileged people because of the fact that it was during the time she spent in the Seminary that St. Catherine received from Our Lady the Miraculous Medal. It is something very remarkable that, of all the people in the Company of the Daughters of Charity, it should have been a simple Seminary Sister who received that medal which the Community and the world have treasured since 1830. Whenever I reflect upon it, the words of St. Paul to the Corinthians come to my mind: "The weak things of the world God has chosen that He may confound the strong." (I Cor 1:27). Until the end of time this fact will remain unchanged: that it was to a Seminary Sister that Our Lady entrusted the theology and the practical message of the Miraculous Medal. That is why I think that Seminary Sisters in all the provinces of the world are and will always remain for us, special people.

The second reason why I like to talk to the Seminary Sisters is that I am convinced that the days we pass in the Seminary are very valuable ones. It is during this time that we acquire habits which will remain with us until the end of our lives. It is true that we will not always do things in exactly the same way as we did in the Seminary, but you will find that some of the most useful suggestions you will get for your lives will be offered to you during these months.

The months we spend in the Seminary are very valuable because we try to deepen in ourselves two very important virtues, humility and silence. In our Seminary days especially, and indeed throughout our lives, we try to become more humble people. That costs us a lot. It is only through growth in humility that we come to know ourselves better and to draw closer to Jesus Christ. The Directress and others will help you to come to know yourselves better. At times that will cost a lot and will bring you almost to tears. Take heart, however, and reflect often on St. Augustine's prayer: "Lord, may I know myself so that I may come to know You." In the Seminary we learn more about discipline, not only in theory but in practice. Another name for discipline is mortification. That is not a popular word in the world today. When you find it difficult to be disciplined or mortified, think of the fact that to be a close disciple of Christ, it is necessary to be disciplined. The two words are almost the same: disciple and discipline. We cannot be disciples of Christ without being disciplined.

There are many other things I would like to say to you about your Seminary life, but there is one final suggestion which I would like to offer you. Have great confidence in the traditions of the Community. Some of our traditions are very old and they have enabled thousands of Sisters to become loving servants of the poor and very holy people. Be slow to reject what is presented to you as our way of doing things, as our way of serving the poor. Other Communities will do things differently. Let us, however, accept humbly the way the Directress and others in the Community suggest we do things. Acting in that way, we will be accepting the traditions of our Community, which in the main go back to St. Vincent and St. Louise. May these two great Saints be the inspiration of your lives.

Your new Constitutions state: "Formation is, above all, the work of God living and acting in the heart of those whom he calls. Next, it is the work of the sister herself, prompted by the desire for increasing fidelity to her vocation. In this discovery of God's design upon her, a Daughter of Charity is not alone; the Company is at hand to help her to become a servant of the poor." (C. 3.5).

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