12 • 2012
1. Lately has appeared in the magazine “Ephemerides Calasanctianae”1, the magazine of the Order, the subject about the use of the binomial “Piety and letters” in ST. Joseph Calasanz, and, therefore, the use which has been made of the same in the Pious Schools throughout history. It is true that in what little is published there is not a solution; this binomial has been opposed to this other “spirit and letters” as more proper of our Holy Founder. But it is not simply about what is written, but it is also being proposed on lectures, meetings, conferences and workshops, and it seems that something begins to propagate without giving it the fair treatment that must be given, studying completely the writings of Calasanz. In these pages, brief because we are in a magazine that accepts no more extension in his articles, we want to give our opinion, and what is here said could expand specifying more texts of the Founder and studying most extensively those not cited for not extending this writing. 2. Before entering in the topic, we have to affirm that translations of the texts of our Saint have to be accurate, especially when it comes to point out what he exactly said. Sometimes translators use synonyms for some words to not repeat them or because they look more beautiful. But given the topic we are discussing, the words in question - piety, letters, spirit - must be translated accurately, if we want to reach conclusions on this topic.
Opiniones et Sententiae
About the binomial “Piety and Letters”
3. In one of the cited articles2 it is said that it is clear what Calasanz means with the word ‘letters’ and the author dares3 to explain what according to him Calasanz means with the expression ‘spirit’. In all of this is in what we want to stop in order to delve somewhat further the topic in question.
1 Cf. Miguel Giráldez, Emaús: entrega de ministerios reconocidos, nº 2-3, febrero-marzo, 2011, pp. 154-156. Idem, ¿Piedad y letras? ¿Letras y piedad?, nº 2, febrero, 2012, pp. 162-164. 2 Cf. Emaús, p.155-156 3 We say “dares“ because the author writes: “when he says spirit, I suspect (the underlining is ours) that he means: the spirit that dwells in the heart of man, God who stays, the truth that makes us free, openness to transcendence, love of God and men, Jesus who is still present, the spirit of truth which takes away the fear and makes us his cooperators, to be attentive to the signs of the times”.
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