Life of Arnold Janssen : founder of the Society of the divine word and of the missionary congregation of the Servants of the Holy Ghost

Front matter

CUTTS Te Seeeea nance milelattieeyd haa 7 (yese9 rf RMIT ESE IETS at enemas en, é y Fischer, Hermann, 1867- a Life of Arnold Janssen i 4

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- Princeton Theological Seminary | Lit eArnold Janssen

Preface

There is hardly anything more fascinating to the human mind than the record of growth from smallest beginnings to a glorious flowering and fruiting, than the story of success achieved in the face of seemingly unsurmountable difficulties, than the life of a pioneer in any movement inaugurated for the good of mankind. The man whose biography is contained in the following pages was such a pioneer, a chosen instrument of God, a rare and interesting character.

Catholic missionary activity in Germany, Holland, and Austria, during the last forty years has grown from sporadic efforts of a few individuals to the well-organized efforts of today, with dozens of mission seminaries and thousands of missionary priests, brothers, and sisters, engaged in mission work at home and abroad. Father Arnold Janssen, the subject of this biography, was the man who systematically and perseveringly stimulated interest in the propagation of the Faith among the pagans in these three countries. He finally founded a missionary congregation of men and another of women and lived to see his efforts crowned with marvelous success.

What he and his congregation did for the rousing of the mission spirit in the Old World was duplicated by his spiritual sons in this country. The great interest in the foreign missions that now manifests itself on all sides can largely be traced to the

VI Preface ceaseless propaganda carried on by the Society of the Divine Word, whose members in season and out of season prayed and worked, spoke and wrote, for the one great purpose to awaken in the hearts of American Catholics the same enthusiasm that their saintly founder and his associates had awakened in the countries of Central Europe.

It seems meet that, during the year when the Society celebrates the golden jubilee of its founding and the silver jubilee of its establishment in the United States, a special tribute be paid to the man who was called by God to begin this great work, and hence the publication of this “‘life.’’ “Thousands of copies have been sold of the original and the demand is far from being exhausted.

For the translator it was a labor of love, though it involved much time and energy. At the rate of about three pages a day the work was completed in six months. His thanks are due to the faithful amanuensis that typed the sheets and the man who consented to look over the manuscript.

The author assures us that his supreme endeavor was to give a true picture of the man whose life he wrote, to distribute light and shade as facts demanded, and the translator has been guided by the same principle. What the author says about the increased respect and reverence the writing of the book caused him to conceive for the venerable founder, the translator is able to say about himself also, and he feels sure that all who will read this book, and thus gain a more perfect knowledge of the man and his work, will have the same experience. — F.M.L.

Contents

1. First Attempts and Disappointments ................ 115 2. Renewed. Efforts and Effective Aids .......:...... 121 3. Purchase and Dedication of the House at Steyl .... 132 4. Insignificant, Poor, and Misjudged ................ 145 me Storms) Ahead: jey tices ces soe ee aes Le: ee 160 Gy The» Storm. Breakoar ses v5 0s 5 oh UT RRP 177 mms i biéavy': Blow s44,5 2545) oe bad tees eee ee ees 194 or ties Reward: fors suffering) ..2. Pees ene ations 214 9g. The Building of the Mission House at Steyl ........ 224 10. Founding and Development of the Steyl Mission

PART THREE Founding and Development of the Society of the

Divine Word

1. The Adoption of a Religious Constitution .......... 267 2. Furtherance of Scientifics (raming ee ee ee 279 3. Founding of the Mission House of St. Gabriel ...... 293 4. Founding of the Mission House of Holy Cross ...... 307 5. Founding of St. Wendelin’s Mission House ........ 330 6. Founding of St. Rupert’s Mission House .......... 337 PART FOUR Activities in Foreign Lands 1. The Mission of South Shantung, China ............ 347 2, Pastoral ‘Activity ‘in’ south ‘America’> 2... 20 oe. oe 364 3. The Mission in Togoland, West Africa ............ 380 4. The Mission in German New Guinea .............. 302 5. The Introduction of the Society into the United States werner eae dae haan otk) ae pte A 401 6. The Mission“in Japan Gani en) eee ete. eee 410 7. Lhe Mission*in the .Phihppines\ eesti ee 419 PAR VIG BEVE

Founding and Development of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Ghost

Ly Founding “and Growth. oaomeese ees ck ee ee 427 2: \Activitysin? Mission’ Countries ....5) ) tle ee eee 436 3. The Cloistered Branch of the Mission Sisters ...... 439 PART SIX

The Man of Providence I, Fundamental > Tratts dof; Character 9.0) 447 2, (Patience. and (Humility st), fee a ee 456 3. Ora et: Labora cite guy i) aa eile ine ne 463 4. His Apostolic) Spirit’) 2... Je, sc. eee 475 &. Guide and \ Father’: 207.) seinen is nee 482

Part Seven

To His Eternal Reward 1, Evening Draweth, Nigh «) eee eee oe 499 ge AtoRest (in Gd 5.44 aic0 ne . 506 3. His Memory is Held in Benediction .............. 516

PARI@ONE

Time of Preparation

Robe i ne Waa Ue ae he we eb ish +b san i pets wr 0 ys

1. Introduction

N THE peaceful shore of the river Meuse, at the point where it makes its farthest eastward bend and almost touches the Ger-

WZ man border, lies the little Dutch village of

Steyl. Formerly known only in its immediate vicin-

ity, it has during the last decades become known

throughout the world, on account of the new monastic institution, whose steeples and turrets are mirrored in the clear waters of the river. Here stands the mother house of the ‘Society of the Divine

Word,”’ the cradle of the Steyl Mission Work.

The first modest and almost hopeless beginnings of the religious foundation that now has reached such great proportions date back to the late seventies of the last century. ‘The little seed, planted by the pious hand of a priest and bedewed with the richest blessing of Heaven, showed a truly wonderful power of growth.

One structure after the other was raised in quick succession until at last the present imposing group of buildings was completed. A beautiful double church with slender twin towers as its dominating feature soon rose to herald the ecclesiastical character of the institution.

However, the rapidly increasing number of its inhabitants before long demanded additional room.

Two smaller monasteries of the neighborhood were acquired and joined to the mission house. Agricultural and technical establishments were started, with many shops and a large printing-plant, in which hundreds of busy missionary brothers worked according to the old monastic motto: ora et labora, pray and work! Thus, on the Meuse a monastic village grew up with large gardens, parks, and playgrounds for three hundred students.

And yet, the quick external growth of the undertaking at Steyl was surpassed by the astonishing development of this first German missionary Society. It soon outgrew the limits of the large mother house. In ever-increasing numbers, courageous and self-sacrificing youths’ joined, to labor, after years of thorough preparation, as priests or brothers at home or abroad.

Numerous branch establishments became necessary, and these have continued to remain closely affiliated with the mother house: but we shall limit our review — in harmony with the purpose of this book — to the development of the work under the leadership of its founder. When Father Arnold Janssen, after thirty-three years of indefatigable labor, breathed his last, his life work showed the following status:

Besides the mother house at Steyl, which at that time numbered 620 inhabitants, four other mission houses had been opened in Europe: St. Gabriel’s, in the archdiocese of Vienna; Holy Cross, in the diocese of Breslau; St. Wendelin’s, in the diocese of Treves: and St. Rupert’s, in the diocese of Salzburg. In Rome the college of St. Raphael for higher theologi-

~

1. Introduction 5 cal studies had been established, and the opening of a mission house in the United States was definitely contemplated.

The missionary Society founded by Father Arnold Janssen numbered at his death, 469 priests, 698 brothers and candidates for the brotherhood, and in its five colleges 1066 students were preparing for the missionary priesthood.

The spiritual sons of the founder, priests and brothers, were active in China, Japan, Australia, Africa, North and South America. In the five mission districts entrusted to his Society, which, at the time he took charge of them, numbered only 150 Christians, we find at his death 53,464 neophytes and 50,000 catechumens; and more than 150,000 pagan children had been baptized when in danger of death. Priests of his congregation in South America took care of 350,000 Catholics and conducted two clerical seminaries and several higher institutions of learning.

In the Steyl printing-plant, besides other publications, the three magazines founded by Father Arnold Janssen, were printed, two of which — the “Stadt Gottes’’ and ‘St. Michaels Kalender’’ —- were among the most popular and widely read Catholic papers in all Germanic countries.

Besides the Missionary Society of the Divine Word for Priests and Brothers, the same founder had also established a congregation of Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Ghost. This foundation also showed a most remarkable power of development. Although hardly twenty years old at the time of his death, it had 500 members, of which 203 were active in foreign countries. A cloistered division of that congregation, of about forty members, was given over to the service of perpetual adoration. Secluded from the world, they were to spend day and night in prayer before the tabernacle, in order to implore God's blessing upon the missionary activity of Steyl and of the whole Church.

All these establishments revere in the humble priest, Father Arnold Janssen, their founder and father. Despite his great successes, he hid so completely behind his work that only a few became closely acquainted with him. Many knew the Steyl foundation and followed its quick development and flourishing growth with surprise, but the founder and leader of the grand work remained almost unknown to them. He did not seek his own honor, but only the glory of God.

However, not only the external activity of this pious priest, but also his personal life, his praying and suffering, redounds to the glory of God; for it is His power and grace that revealed themselves so richly in His chosen instrument. Therefore, it should not remain permanently hidden.

It is instructive and elevating to follow the lifepath of such men, whose work has been so visibly blessed by God. ‘The life of Arnold Janssen, as told in the following pages, is as simple and unpretentious as was his whole person; but it is full of God’s blessing. All who love to trace God’s love in living images will in this simple biography find many a reason for quiet rejoicing.

2. His Parental Home

The story of Arnold Janssen’s early life takes us to Goch, a quaint old Catholic country town on the Niers river, in the former duchy of Geldern. As early as the thirteenth century the commune of Goch received city rights through Count Otto III of Geldern (1271), who also fortified the town. Today only the Steintor (stone gate), historically remarkable and flanked by two round towers, reminds the visitor that the town formerly was a fortress.

The spacious parish church of late Gothic style in which Arnold Janssen was baptized, dates back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In the course of time it underwent several changes, until it reached its present form. Architecturally it is one of the most important old brick edifices on the German lower Rhine.

Up to the Thirty Years’ War there flourished in Goch a considerable wool and linen industry, and the population was well-to-do. The Reformation brought much confusion to the city, and for a while the greater part of the citizens favored the new doctrine. However, at the beginning of the seventeenth century only a few reformed Protestants and Anabaptists were found in Goch. Peter Teporin, a preacher, commonly called ‘“‘Black Pete,’’ used the struggles which in 1614 raged between the Hollanders (who temporarily had taken possession of the town) and the Spaniards to strengthen his influence and to occupy the prebend of the Catholic pastor. Through a conscienceless spy, Matthias Bernkassel, he had seventeen of the more prominent Catholic citizens denounced to the Hollanders as having secretly negotiated with the Spaniards in order to deliver the city into their hands. ‘These citizens were arrested, dragged to Kleve, and there subjected to shameful tortures. They were to be executed. At last the spy, driven by remorse, confessed his deed and admitted that he had been led on by Teporin. “The seventeen citizens were acquitted and on Passion Sunday conducted back to Goch in triumph. An ecclesiastical foundation in Goch preserves the memory of these severe religious struggles and their happy termination. Arnold’s father, on long winter evenings, often spoke to his children of the Catholic heroes of that time and pictured them as models of religious courage.

The sufferings of Goch, from the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War up to the middle of the eighteenth century, were extraordinary. The soldiers of the various warring states again and again pillaged the whole region; pestilence inflicted heavy visitations; poverty and famine appeared, and a universal insecurity filled all with continual anxiety. Under all these afflictions Goch was depopulated and impoverished, and it took a long time before the town was able to risc again out of its ruins. Naturally, the religious life of the town also had suffered heavily, but the inhabitants had remained true to their Catholic Faith.

The wars of the Napoleonic time repeated to a large extent the visitations of the religious wars, and

2. Hts Parental Home 9 during that period Goch changed its master no less than five times. Born in 1801, the elder Janssen thus had a very hard childhood, and that may have largely contributed to making him the earnest and stalwart character he was.

Arnold Janssen’s birthplace is in the Frauenstrasse, formerly Liebfrauenstrasse, named after a picture of the Blessed Virgin in a glass-protected niche at the corner of the street. It is an old teamsters’ house, in which the Janssen family had conducted a teaming business in connection with a small farm since the eighteenth century. “[he house was also used as a salt depot for the wholesale market. The heavy wagons would usually go from Goch to the Dutch trading city of Nymwegen. Agricultural products were exported and groceries imported.

The present building was erected in the early years of Arnold’s life. Above the door there was formerly a sign with a horse-comb, to indicate the teaming business. This comb, which in Low Dutch is pronounced Kaam, at last caused the family living within to be named the “‘de Kaamschen,”’ and they were better known under this than their real name, Janssen, which is extremely common in that region.

In this house solid piety had been transmitted from one generation to another; and this deeply religious family spirit, combined with a serious, almost severe, discipline gives us the key to the understanding of Arnold’s character. Faith and prayer permeated the entire life of this model Catholic home.

As an example of the religious spirit that was always cultivated in this house, we wish to mention at least one of the older ancestors of Arnold, whose pious memory is even today, after more than a hundred years, reverentially kept in the family. His great-grandfather, William Janssen, is referred to, who, living at the end of the eighteenth century, raised the children of his prematurely departed son, and among them also the father of our founder, in the holy fear of God.

Prayer was the spiritual food of this man. On every Sunday and holyday he went to church very early, and remained, although fasting, until after high mass at eleven o'clock. At the age of eightyfive he still made frequent pilgrimages, fasting and on foot, to Kevelaer, a distance of about eight miles, to pray before the shrine of the Mother of God. The rosary, little esteemed in those days, was his favorite devotion. He had the beads in his hand whenever it was possible or practical for him to do so. For hours, the old man would thus pray and watch over his grandchildren in the cradle. The eldest of these, Gerard, father of Arnold, when a mere boy of thirteen, often had to accompany his grandfather on his trips; and when he was seventeen, he took over the business, because the old man was no longer able to conduct it. But the grandfather encouraged the young man, again and again, with these words: “‘Go to it, Gerard; I'll pray for you.’’ This great lover of the rosary died on the feast of the Holy Rosary, after receiving Holy Communion in the morning. The pastor said, at his death: ‘““The soul of this man surely must have flown to heaven like a beautiful dove.’ A neighbor, named Noy, gave expression to

2. His Parental Home 1]

his conviction by saying, ‘For the sake of this man, children and children’s children will be blessed.’’

And this word proved true. All his grandchildren — Gerard, William, Gertrude and Elizabeth — through marriage reached a condition of affluence. The blessing resting on their children may be seen in the following historical gleanings handed down concerning them. Gertrude became the mother of a priest —— the pious Father Jeurgens, of Bedburg. Elizabeth had eight children: of her five daughters, four entered convents. Gerard is the father of our founder. Of his sons, two became priests and one a Capuchin Brother. The work of his priestly son of missionary predestination shows us how precious the blessing of pious parents is. Arnold himself seems to have felt this, for upon one occasion he voiced the following conviction concerning his saintly great-grandfather: ‘“Through his prayers he must have obtained a large portion of the graces that the good God in His mercy has given me.”

3. His Christian Father

“My father was a plain man, a solicitous provider, and a good Christian.’’ “Thus Father Janssen begins his brief notes about his parent; and what he asserts is but the simple truth about him. On Sunday he regularly attended two masses and also the afternoon devotions. He was also in the habit of hearing mass on. Mondays, to implore the help of the Holy Ghost for the week. In his family he insisted on the frequent reception of the sacraments and the fulfilment of all Christian duties.

“Father had very little ground of his own; with two horses he tilled land which was for the most part rented. Besides his farming he had a teaming business and usually drove to Nymwegen once a week, also to Geldern and Straelen to haul salt. When it came time to expect his return, mother used to send us out to meet him.”

These bits of information about the excellent man are substantially supplemented by the communications of Arnold’s younger brother, William, who later became Brother Juniper in the Capuchin Order.

‘Father was a man of strong build; his name was Gerard John, and he was born on the feast of St. John the Evangelist, in the year 1801. He dressed plainly and loved simplicity in all things. He was a man of sterling honesty, and in his many dealings across the border he never smuggled as was done quite frequently by others. He often had very pre-

3. Hts Christian Father Ld cious loads: for instance, for a wagon load of coffee from Holland he had to pay one hundred thalers in customs, but he never concealed anything dutiable. He admonished the hired man and us, his sons, when we accompanied him, to act in the same manner. He always insisted that this would bring us God's blessing, and that he had never been afraid on his lonely trips, despite the fact that he had had whole boxes full of gold for merchants on his wagon, for there were no postal communications in those days. When he drove thus alone, he was wont to say the rosary to secure God’s protection and blessing; and nothing untoward ever happened to him.

“I have never seen father give way to anger or use harsh words against us children. Neither would one hear from his mouth words of mockery or teasing against a neighbor. He often told us not to wish or do evil to anybody. ‘Children,’ he used to say with great seriousness and emphasis, ‘all that we do to our fellow men, does not only hurt or strike them, but us too, be it good or bad. If you do good to your neighbor, it will hover over your head like a blessing; and if you do evil, it will hang about you like a curse. All that you do, you do in your own name, not in father’s or mother’s; and for everything good that you perform, you will be blessed by God; but for everything evil, you will be punished, here and beyond.’

“Father put all his trust in God, and his motto was: ‘All with God the Lord.’ Therefore he experienced much blessing in his work, or, as people say, much luck. His crops were sometimes so remarkable that people would remark: ‘Gerard Janssen has a God of his own.’ Father did not like it when others complained about the weather, and he always answered simply: ‘It’s all God’s weather.’

‘Father secured this rich blessing through prayer: he was most truly a man of prayer. On Sundays he went to the early mass and to high mass, both of which he offered up in honor of the Blessed Trinity and in thanksgiving for all graces and benefits received. In church he was always full of reverence, and in his face one could see the devotion and recollection with which he prayed.

“In a special manner he revered God the Holy Ghost, and in His honor he used to hear mass on Mondays. He often spoke to us children with great enthusiasm about the veneration of the Holy Ghost. He described to us how the Holy Spirit brings peace to souls and families, fills the heart with joy in the service of God and moves it to every good deed, just as He blesses fields and meadows. We children looked up to father in wonderment when thus he taught us and exhorted us to venerate the Holy Ghost.

“It was his habit to converse with us a great deal about religious things, to teach us and admonish us. On Sundays and holydays during dinner he always spoke about the sermon; we were questioned as to how much we remembered and were severely reprimanded in case we could not answer well. Also, to the day laborers who came after high mass to get their weekly wages, father usually spoke about the sermon.

3. Hts Christian Father 15

“After Sunday dinner, all had to remain at table, including the hired man and girl. Then father would read the Gospel and its explanation from Goffine’s Devout Instructions. Not until he had concluded was the girl allowed to go and wash the dishes.

“Then we children, in turn, had to recite the catechism, both questions and answers, as prescribed by father on the previous Sunday. On such occasions father sat like a patriarch and examined all of us, beginning with the oldest. The answers had to come without hesitation. He who knew everything received two pennies in reward. With this money we bought nuts, and under the supervision of our parents we played the ‘Goose’ and ‘Mill’ games. He who did not pass the examination, instead of receiving the pennies, was not allowed to go out to play until he was able to recite his task without mistake.

“During Lent father would read the Epistle and Gospel of the day to us, every evening that it was possible for him to do so. Sometimes he paused a little to explain what he had read. And he often read to us in the same manner during winter, especially on Sunday evenings. He enjoyed particularly the Epistles of St. Paul. He was also fond of the ‘Lives’ of the saints, and often read from them. During such times mother would sit and spin and listen with us. _

“But apart from these more strictly devotional selections, father’s favorite reading was from the “‘Annals of the Propagation of the Faith.”” He would read the letters of the missionaries with such zeal and warmth that I, as a child, could not understand why he found them so beautiful.

“Right after supper, from the feast of the Holy Rosary to the end of April, we daily recited the rosary. While we children were small, father himself would lead; later, we had to, each for a week. “Then followed the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, the beginning of the Gospel of St. John, and finally night prayers with an examination of conscience. “These prayers had been composed by brother Arnold when he was fourteen years old and studying at Gaesdonck.

“If somebody happened to visit us at that time of the day, father would say: “Ah, you're here just in time. We are going to say the rosary, and you can pray with us; ’twill do you good.’ Willy-nilly, the visitors had to join. When it was over, they sometimes said that there was no end to our prayers, but they admitted that our night prayer was beautiful and should be printed.

“Father thought a great deal of the Gospel spoken of above,—'In the beginning was the Word,’ etc.,— and frequently referred to it with great satisfaction. He said that it was a strong prayer and had great power with God. In severe storms a blessed candle was lighted, and father would then fall on his knees and pray aloud, ‘In the beginning was the Word,’ and the rest. He would proceed in the same manner also in cases of affliction —— for instance, when one of the farm animals fell sick: sometimes both father and mother would pray. Father cherished a great reverence for the priesthood and also admonished us to cultivate a like spirit. “The greatest blessings of a

3. Hts Christian Father La parish, he used to say, ‘are good priests. Parishes which possess them are inestimably rich. ‘This is the reason that the Ember Days are so important, because they furnish an opportunity whereby, through fasting and prayer, we may hope to obtain good priests from God.’ Of the missionaries he spoke very enthusiastically. ‘Children, these are heroes of the Faith who give up everything for the good God.’ In a similar manner he spoke of the religious and their three vows, especially of the vow of obedience, which upon a word of their superiors would make them go to the most distant countries.

“When father went to the fields alone, he was wont to pray quietly. I remember two incidents that revealed his spirit of prayer. At one time when I was eighteen years old, I drove with him from Goch to Nymwegen, starting at five o'clock in the morning. Father was on the first, and I on the second, wagon. It was winter and dark. When we were outside of the town, he said to me: “William, it is still dark and no one can see us. “Take out your beads and keep to your horse; I will do the same. We shall pray until it gets light, in order that the Lord may protect us today against sin and misfortune.’

“Upon another occasion I came home in the evening with father from the fields. I pulled out my pipe, to light it; but he said: ‘Let that go now; we'll enjoy that smoke when we get home. Let us now walk in silence, to thank God for the blessings of the day, to think of the sins we may have committed, and to make a sincere act of contrition:

‘“‘Father’s discipline was serious and severe. Above all, he demanded punctual obedience. Whoever failed in that was sure of punishment, and he punished thoroughly. He paid special attention to our conduct in church. ‘For’, he often said, ‘in the church the Lord is present. If I hear or see that you do not behave well in church you will be punished.’

“We had to obey the rules of the house very promptly. He who came late for dinner had to kneel in the middle of the room and with outstretched arms say five Our Fathers. That would greatly shame the little sinner before the hired man, the girl, and the day laborers. Whoever was late in the evening and not present for the Angelus often had to go to bed without supper. Also his grown-up sons on Sundays and holydays had to be in the house by eight o'clock. Only on special occasions such as kirmess were they allowed to stay out until nine. He kept this rule himself and demanded its observance of us. We were not allowed to smoke until we were sixteen years old, or, according to the old farmer rule, ‘when we could sow.’ Not until we were nineteen years old, did we receive any pocket money, — every Sunday, five silver groschen, equivalent to sixty pennies. On feast days there was a little more. ‘If you drink two glasses of beer on Sundays,’ father said, ‘it is enough. Parents that give their children too much money, to take part in everything and to show off, only make them unhappy.’