The Renewal of the Order redone 2018

The Renewal of the Marian Order in 1909-1910 70 On Wednesday at 5 o’clock I appeared at Antonucci’s. I learned from him only to whom the papers had been forwarded. He promised to guide me on Saturday morning to Undersecretary Caroli 9 who deals with matters such as ours. Sapieha advised me not to fail to approach Vives y Tuto, 10 the Prefect of the Congregation, who understands and knows our situation. As a religious, he is a profound expert in these matters, and moreover he is very kind and approachable. I was told that the Cardinal receives visitors every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., so I went to see him and, as I was the first one to come, I was the first one to be admitted. I explained everything to him as best I could; a word or two sufficed to receive guidance or advice from him, so well does he know our situation and his subject matter. He promised to handle everything and do whatever is possible. He gave me a lot of advice. He advised that I should turn again to Undersecretary Caroli. On Thursday and Friday there was a meeting of the Congregation so I could not go there with my business. Taking advantage of this break, I composed something like a memorandum about our cause 11 which I based on what we had discussed in Mariampole and on the conversation with the Cardinal, appending his directives. I presented this as an explanation and as requests which required an answer. I had to be careful with every word and phrase so as to make the text as brief as possible. I was working all day Thursday and Friday. I shall convey the entire contents of my conversation with the Cardinal when we meet. The first matter I raised in our conversation was the desire to save the Marian Order. The answer to this was the following: your cause is just; as long as there is at least one man, he has full right to preserve the Congregation. Then he said: why should you wear robes? Dress like all other priests. Later I found out that the Holy Father is very 9 Caroli, Rodolfo (1869-1921), Undersecretary of the Congregation of the Religious. In 1917 he was nominated as internuncio in Bolivia and a titular archbishop. 10 See Document 15, note 1. 11 See Document 16.