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I go to a group called Cor ad Cor where we study Newman’s texts once a month. We meet at Littlemore (commonly called “The College” or “Newman’s Littlemore” – 20 minutes from the Oxford city centre) where Newman was received into the Catholic Church by Blessed Dominic Barberi, C.P. He was dedicated to writing numerous books and articles there in his last years as an Anglican. I was very impressed with the stand-up desk on which Newman worked for 16 hours a day standing and writing with his quail pen.
Anyhow, I just remembered to share one article that I first saw months ago. Newman left me with many thoughts when I first read it. It’s from his book Meditations and Devotions.
A Short Road to Perfection
September 27, 1856
It is the saying of holy men that, if we wish to be perfect, we have nothing more to do than to perform the ordinary duties of the day well. A short road to perfection—short, not because easy, but because pertinent and intelligible. There are no short ways to perfection, but there are sure ones.
I think this is an instruction which may be of great practical use to persons like ourselves. It is easy to have vague ideas what perfection is, which serve well enough to talk about, when we do not intend to aim at it; but as soon as a person really desires and sets about seeking it himself, he is dissatisfied with anything but what is tangible and clear, and constitutes some sort of direction towards the practice of it.
We must bear in mind what is meant by perfection. It does not mean any extraordinary service, anything out of the way, or especially heroic—not all have the opportunity of heroic acts, of sufferings—but it means what the word perfection ordinarily means. By perfect we mean that which has no flaw in it, that which is complete, that which is consistent, that which is sound—we mean the opposite to imperfect. As we know well what imperfection in religious service means, we know by the contrast what is meant by perfection.
He, then, is perfect who does the work of the day perfectly, and we need not go beyond this to seek for perfection. You need not go out of the round of the day.
I insist on this because I think it will simplify our views, and fix our exertions on a definite aim. If you ask me what you are to do in order to be perfect, I say, first—Do not lie in bed beyond the due time of rising; give your first thoughts to God; make a good visit to the Blessed Sacrament; say the Angelus devoutly; eat and drink to God’s glory; say the Rosary well; be recollected; keep out bad thoughts; make your evening meditation well; examine yourself daily; go to bed in good time, and you are already perfect.
St. Louis-Marie de Montfort,
Pope St. Pius X,
St. Joseph,
St. Ambrose of Milan,
St. Thomas Aquinas,
St. Francis (and St. Clare),
St. Catherine of Siena,
St. Alphonsus Ligouri,
St. John Chrysostom,
Catarina,
thanks for typing this in for us! I remember seeing it some time ago, but had forgotten it and not thought of it since. It is a very helpful little guide!
Thank you for your kind comment, ambrosius. I only realised, when I first read it (and still), what a long “road to perfection” that is for me!! : )
I’d be curious to know what you’ve seen/heard of the Community that runs it–The Work (not OD), I believe they’re called, w/o looking it up. Liturgical discipline, orthodoxy, community life, recruitment pressure, seen anything of the writings of their founder?
Yes, it’s run by the sisters of the spiritual family The Work who were invited by the Fathers of the Oratory to assist them in their Newman apostolate at Littlemore and in the daily care of the College. The College is made available for visits, Mass (there is “Newman’s Chapel”, though, tiny), pilgrimages, retreats and for Newman studies (e.g. Cor ad Cor). The place was also opened as “International Centre of Newman Friends” and has quite a good library called, of course, “Newman’s library”. The College isn’t that big. It has small cottages and a barn, with an enclosed yard laid out as a small garden.
The four sisters who run the centre are all international – from Germany, Austria, and Hungary. They are so so sweet. : ) The Centre has four branches; in Rome, Littlemore, Bregenz, and Budapest. (http://www.newmanfriendsinternational.org)
Their main income comes from the retreats, etc., but also from “Friends of Newman” who join the community with personal interests in Newman. Oh, they also sell Newman’s publications, of course.
Yes, I have seen the writings of their foundress, Mother Julia Verhaeghe. They have little booklets about her and mainly lots of poems that she wrote when she was alive. The Sisters don’t wear the traditional nun habbits but, although I don’t know much about their liturgical discipline, they usually invite priests to have Mass in the Newman’s chapel and invite lay people to their Saturday vespers, etc. They do sing beautifully!
Are you thinking of coming to Littlemore for retreat? Not a bad idea! : )
The Sisters of the Work actually have a rather splendid habit, which can be seen if you go to Benediction at Littlemore. The white crowns of thorns are… unusual.
Catharina – have you had any contact with the Oxford Newman Society? Is it any good?
“Are you thinking of coming to Littlemore for retreat? Not a bad idea!”
An outstanding idea, but probably beyond the budget since I’d have to come from New York!
There are some members of The Work involved at Our Saviour parish here in New York (Fr. Rutler’s parish), and one of their members won a prize from the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas a while back so I’m sort of interested, shall we say…
Dear Anonymous,
“The Sisters of the Work actually have a rather splendid habit, which can be seen if you go to Benediction at Littlemore. The white crowns of thorns are… unusual”
Thank you for letting me know. It’s quite sad though then they never wore the habit when I was there for Benediction many times. In Mass, Vespers, Benediction, I have never seen the habit. Where/how have you seen it? Well, rather, I should ask the Sisters about it, huh? : )
“Catharina – have you had any c0ontact with the Oxford Newman Society? Is it any good?”
I went to about three meetings held by the Society last year. They were all good, especially, when I went to one that was about the Boston case: The Postulator, Fr Paul Chavasse, came and gave us A progress report on the Cause for the beatification and canonization of Newman – which was very very interestin as he answered many questions about the Newman Cause.
I am sure you too will find other talks very intriguing. If you’re interested, contact me, I will send you more information about it. Oh, and the Littlemore Sisters usually come to the Newman’s room for the talks as well!
sjh, do you know the name of that person who won the prize?
I wish I could remember, I haven’t been able to refind the article since i first saw it.
You can see the crown of thorns veil worn here:
http://www.thework-fso.org/English/Info/ConsecratedLife.html
(or http://tinyurl.com/docuk )
And another small picture of the FSO’s in their habits here:
http://www.thework-fso.org/English/Info/LifePrayer.html
(or http://tinyurl.com/8hwxa )
and a pic of a crown of thorns that is their symbol here:
http://www.thework-fso.org/English/Info/WorkSymbol.html#symbool
sjh, I agree that that really is a beautiful habit! Maybe I can make the Sisters wear it once for me? : ) Actually, the “the crown of thorns veil worn” Sister on the website is Sr Mary (she’s the closest one of the four to me) at Littlemore! She makes the best English tea in the whole world. It was a great delight to see all the pictures you linked. Thank you very much, sjh!
Thank you for those links, SJH. That’s quite the veil! Somewhat unique among female religious, perhaps?
Now wouldn’t that be a source of spiritual pride if the sisters were to wear that around Oxford on a regular basis? A good thing that they don’t!
“There’s another one of those stuck up sisters!” the women would whisper to each other at Sainsbury’s.
Haha. . I agree with Iosephus about their fancy habit. This is what Sr Mary wrote to me today when I asked her about it: “If you come for example once on a Wednesday evening for our (public) Holy Hour between 7:45 pm and 8:45 pm, you will see some of us wearing our choir dress. We wear it on Sundays, feastdays and for special occasions.”
I am not sure what she meant by “our choir dress” but I will certainly go and check it out!
Choir dress refers to clothes worn “in choir” at liturigical occasions, that is participating but not presiding, for ordinary priests cassock, surplice, and biretta, for religious habits which may include additional items for choir, a cappa choralis (choir cape), cappa nigra, cappa magna (see a pattern here?), etc.