St Vincent Seminary - Symposium Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

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:-.-- .. . . HIIIIIIIIIIIIH anuumuuu . . . : . :llli V . . . I v ' rv . . . . . . . . . . l . . . . . . . l l . . 7 q . . . . . . . . . . . annum - . ls-Q Slim? T . : 2 E Wllllllllllll I' ,fx 45Q:::Jf plishments To succeed best these desires must be marshalled under some kind of unity perhaps best expressed as a plan of life. The lack of such a plan plays havoc with man's future years. To carry out this plan, psychology and asceticism enter and admit that man is a creature of manifold desires-life is too short to realize all of them, therefore, simplify these desires Psychology and asceticism both warn men to discard desires culminating in pleasure only, and to choose those which point to accomplishment. Sensory satisfaction is transitory, intellectual attainment, lasting. Again, it is necessary to establish a hier- archy of desires in which there shall be one supreme end of life to which everything else must conform. The seminarian has such a hierarchy of desires in his holy vocation to the priesthood. But this plan must be elastic, able to suit itself to the environment of the moment. Finally, this plan, according to the dictates of psychology and asceticism, must involve self-denial, in order that our end may be obtained and that our efficiency may be at its best. Some repression and inhibition are absolutely necessaryg this every thinking man must admit. But the necessity for these inhibitions can be lessen- ed if man balances his impulses by a rational plan of life, giving to his higher impulses the energy needed for the lower. That self-denial aids efficiency was a platitude long before St. Paul spoke of the rigorous training necessary for the athlete. This is just as true today and must almost be considered a conditio sine qua non for success in any branch of life. ' Man, as architect of his own future, must map out his pro- gram for progress in the light of the above laws. Habit is either our weakness or our strength, depending upon its nature. Its demands are implacable, its aid immeasurable, its implications simply bewildering. Now is the time for forming habits for life. Begin today make a target, form a resolution, carry it out. Remember each little act counts, and as james remarks, down among our nerve cells and fibres, the molecules are counting it and registering and storing it up, to be used against man, or for him, at the next wave of temptation. This then IS a brief consideration of man's ability to develop his power for goodness through the homely spirit of self-discip- l1ne exemplified and perfected in the formation of good habits under guidance of a rational plan of life. The following is a still briefer consideration of his potentiality for goodness from the viewpoint of the soul And remember if it is difficult to measure potentiallties and actualitities of the nervous system, what a , ll37ll 9 : 'sft 4.1: km ua l.ll Q , ' it. L 'U Y swag 13555

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J lllll ll 'I u mu : . illlil '5' nlllllllllmn X 'N alll I 1 li ness to introspection and to a life of vapidity. These cravings 5 II . H l , I man beating the air But this is exactly what man does when he forms resolutions and refuses to put them immediately into execution. Such aone easily becomesa sentimentalist, adreamer g1v1ng neither humanity nor himself that which rightly might have been expected of him. Action, not potency, is perfection! And to attain perfection there must be ceaseless striving. Mere resolutions or emotional promptings do not train or set the nervous system-that demands action. Furthermore, to make resolutions and then to fail in carrying them out is detrimental to character. Modern psychologists rightly maintain that by this sanguine listlessness the will becomes enervated and soon arrives at such a state where it becomes completely indifferent about making any resolutions or undertaking any action which demands effort. As regards this subject, William James, who displays such virulent distaste and hatred for the old ascetics, has penned a few sentences which may be deemed classic. He remarks, Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exercise each day. That is, be systematically ascetic or heroic in little unnecessary points-do something just because you would rather not do it. It pays high and welcome dividends in a moment of crisis. Is this not one of the narrow paths to sainthood when motivated by the supernatural? True, James emphasizes the natural' so likewise have we to a certain extent but all the while never losing consciousness of the great truth that grace does not destroy nature but builds upon it. How strikingly familiar this thought-how new the old psychology, how old the new I Man IS not merely a creature subject to habit but in a very particular aspect he is a being of impulse and desire. Habit very often correlates itself with man's strong desires. Hence, to ob- serve man as influenced by desire is imperative Man possesses powerful impulsesg inhibit the impulse and desire follows. Now it IS clear, as Dr. Moore remarks that some outlet must be provided for the forces of our impulsive activity. All the channels cannot be kept closed all the time This seems reasonable, for surely man cannot expect to bottle up his emotions continually without a break of some kind. God did not create man to atrophy through desuetude and repression. Life is too strong and positive for this. Too much restraint leads to morbidity a sickly weakness, lack of individuality, a prone- exhibit dynamic forces capable of urging man to great accom- S2 .XX - 4 . ll36l Flll lllllllillllll glll, gllllllg sllls illlllllllllllh Q q - - '- Tlllllllllllll' - 0 7 . a . . . 1 0 a ! ! 7 - :illlillllllil

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,f-'N 2 E N- ' IIIIIIIIIIUC s:m:i A 9- Sllli E 5 3 : X lllgll V X? llllllllllll' , . . . . . . . . D. I I I l 0 O O L I . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . I s I I I l I O I 'll Illlllllllf jlll: fllllllg glll V problem IS the measurement of these potentialltles in the human soul' One might proceed with this elusive measurement by setting some criterion or standard of goodness, but this would be too philosophical and theological a procedure Besides this IS unnecessary in a seminary where one finds so many beautiful and inspiring illustrations of goodness daily manifested ln the life of the semlnarian The following is an example of goodness as it develops in the life of the seminarian under the guidance of asceticism and self-discipline. It is here reproduced as cited by a fe1low-semin- arianz One evening about eight-twenty, in need of in- formation, I ventured to a seminarian's room, knocked lightly, and quietly opened the door. I stepped back quickly--there he knelt with his head buried deeply in his hands-a small crucifix before him-wrapt in meditation. I tried to escape but could not. He told me later of the pleasure he ex- perienced in kneeling before the crucifix. This is but a single instance of the childlike love and the ardent devotion which is so commonly found in the life of the seminarian. Perhaps the words of the following poem, In a Seminary Garden, by Grace H. Sherwood, illustrate this better than the recounting of numerous examples: I knew that in a corner lay Some graves, but did not know the way And asked a student that I met. And what he said I quite forgot A path-a turn-it matters not His eyes I never shall forget If eyes are easements, as they say,f The youthful seminarian there Forgot to pull the blinds today And I surprised a Saint at prayer M en go to famous shrines to pray Because a saint knelt there one day But I I found one in my town For seeking a forgotten name I stumbled on the deathless flame God lights in hearts He makes His own slllg Ellllllg sllls 'I MII I . x . . 1 . O ,v , . n 1 E . Z-X . umumum: an ' ' . . : : ............: . . I, ,,,,,,,, kl l33l