Part 2
First General Chapter (1880)
Unfortunately, after the approbation, the disagreements did not cease. The Congregation seemed then in a precarious state and its future, uncertain. Pius IX who had followed and protected its growth from the beginning, made a last attempt to save it in 1876. He created a specific commission of cardinals “for the revision of the new Constitutions” and in order to overcome the crisis. Let us remember that among the monasteries of the Congregation, only three were directly born from the “reform” of Casaretto : the two monasteries of Subiaco and Ramsgate. The others already had their own traditions or had been part of other monastic federations. For instance, Montserrat came from the Valladolid Congregation, La Pierre-qui-Vire was born out of the austere spirituality of Fr Muard, Montevergine had been at the centre of the so-called Congregation, and Affligem had its own way of life rather opened to pastoral activities. In short, from the beginning, the Congregation appeared with various facets and in its plurality, where each community had its own traditions to which the monks felt affectionately linked by an already long experience.
After the death of Casaretto, on July 1st 1878, the work of the Commission of cardinals came to the convocation of the extraordinary General Chapter of 1880. It was to upset the very intentions of the Founder and to move clearly away from the specifically Italian and Cassinese tradition. With the addition of a body of Declarations in order to adapt the prescriptions of the Rule of St Benedict to the conditions of modem life, the Constitutions were given new bases. Among other things, the abbots were again elected for life, one could make the vow of stability for one particular monastery and some practices of penance were kept such as absolute abstinence from meat, and matins at 2 o’clock at night. So it was hoped that this would give to the Congregation its definitive physiognomy.
A Time for adjustment (1880-1896)
The Chapter of 1880 elected as Abbot General Dom Nicolas Canavello, well known for his nostalgia of the “Casaretto school”, and as Procurator, Abbot Romarico Flugi d’Aspermont, one the most hardened adversaries of the same Casaretto. Still, it was a good choice : Fr Canavello had a mild and well-balanced character and he had been living with Fr Casaretto until the end of the first experience at Pegli (1843). After his death (1888), a German, Fr Giordano Ballsieper, was elected. He died after two years and his successor was Fr Romarico Flugi d’Aspermont.
Unfortunately, the political situation at that time did not make easy the first steps of the Congregation. In Europe the anti-clerical governments were hostile to any kind of religious life. The Italian monasteries went through periods of suppression. In the French Province, facing similar problems, the Abbots looked for places of refuge for their communities outside of the country. However, despite the critical situation, the Congregation developed, in particular in the mission territories : in the Bengali, New Zealand and the Philippines.
On the way to maturity (1896-1900)
At the General Chapter of 1896, Fr Domenico Serafini, a man of exceptional gifts for government, was elected Abbot General. In the meantime, the Congregation was still growing and found a better inner cohesion. The monastic foundation of Abu Gosh goes back to that time (1899) as well as the admission of the mission in New Norcia, started by Mgr Rodesindo Salvado. The new Abbot General particularly insisted on the intellectual training of the younger monks by promoting their being sent to the international College of St-Anselmo which was recently inaugurated. But the government of Fr Serafini unexpectedly carne to an end in April 1900, when he as appointed bishop of Spoleto.
The blooming (1900-1920)
The brother of the previous Abbot General, Mauro Serafini, was called to succeed him. He was well known by all as a man of a great intellectual and monastic culture, very open to the renovations coming from the new mentality and which was relayed by the monasteries beyond the Alps. Under his long term of government, and despite a climate of secularization of the society, the Congregation experienced an extraordinary expansion and an unexpected blooming. It is thanks to him in particular that a new mentality carne to birth and developed, specially appreciated by the younger monks. Fr Domenico would write to his brother : I see well that those who do well in their studies become good religious, quiet and useful, because they know how and can keep themselves busy”, and again : “Although there are some risks, which I do not dissimulate, I saw with satisfaction that two other young men have been sent to St-Anselmo, and I would like it if such young priests should be allowed during the vacations, to make some trips from monastery to monastery. This helps greatly to open ones mind”. His thoughts about monasticism are condensed in these few words : to unite the monastic discipline to the apostolate inside a regular observance”.
As soon as it was authorized again, monastic life resumed in Italy, although not without some difficulties and concern. Let us remember that on November 6th, 1900, part of the monastery of Praglia was repurchased by the community and that some monks from Daila (Istria) settled there definitively. Everywhere a powerful growth was seen, though not yet in Europe, where antic-clerical laws were still in force, but in the mission territories. In 1920, the total number of monks reached and overtook one thousand.
Unfortunately, hard times were not missing, especially with the First World War (1914-1918), the repercussions of which were soon to be felt even in our monasteries. A certain number of monks, either priests or lay brothers, were mobilized. Some were sent to the front, others remained in the reserve, destined to the Health services.
The time of Fr Maur Serafini also corresponds to numerous services requested of our Congregation by the Holy See. In particular, during the pontificate of Pius X (1903-1914), when the opposition to Modernism intensified. Several monks were raised to the Episcopate or received other delicate missions such as that of Apostolic Visitor or Delegate for religious institutes, dioceses or seminars : an evident sign of the esteem and the confidence the Holy See granted to our Congregation. But the government of Fr Maur Serafini was interrupted in 1918, when he was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for Religious.
Part 3
