Preventive themes related to post-Tridentine fam ily education

The young John Bosco might have come to know, from the pages o f the diocesan catechism dealing with marriage, that the duties o f married people also included duties towards their children:

They should think seriously about responding to their needs; they should give them a good and pious education; they should allow them to feel free to choose the state o f life to which God may have called them.1

Bellarm ine, in his An abundant explanation o f Christian doctrine, was convinced that “fathers’ love for their children is so natural and ordinary that there was no need o f another w ritten law to rem ind them o f their duties tow ards their children” . However, in the explanation o f the fourth commandment, after pointing out children’s duties tow ards their fathers, he did not fail to remind fathers that they are also “obliged to provide for the needs o f their children with food and clothing but also with the right direction and instruction” .2

1 C om p en d io della dottrin a cristiana as uso della d io cesi d i Torino, (Turin,: the Eredi A von d o 1 8 7 6 ), 126. T he tex t is cited unchanged in Fransoni.

2 C o p io sa d ic h ia ra tio n e della D o ttrin a C ristiana. In V en ice, G iovani B attista C iotti S cen ese [from Siena] 1601. 137-138.

Charles Borromeo was more than convinced o f what w e have ju st mentioned.

Borrom eo is the great post-Tridentine Council reform er w ho saw that child ren ’s Christian education was a very serious obligation both for the family and the parish, especially in reference to teaching Christian doctrine. In an impressive address to the parishioners o f Cannobbio on the occasion o f his pastoral visit, Charles Borromeo insisted on the educational responsibilities o f parents: “It is their task, their duty to lead the children they have received from God to C hrist”, and “ it is a useless, stupid and false kind o f prudence to provide children with temporal goods and wealth when their first concern as parents should be to entrust their children to Jesus Christ, the Church, Christian doctrine classes” .3 One o f the m ain goals o f m arriage is the w ell-planned education o f children namely, that o f leading their children to Christ.

Just a year before he died, an ecclesiastical friend o f his was writing a magnificent treatise at his request, which he read chapter by chapter as it was handed to him. It was a neat sum m ary o f the hum anist and Christian pedagogy o f Silvio Aritoniano, a m em ber o f the Curia, a future Cardinal, connected with the spiritual circle o f Philip N eri (1540-1603): On the Christian Education o f Children.4

It is significant that the second o f the three books was entirely dedicated to religious instruction and education and followed, content wise, the subject matter offered by the Catechismus adparochos....

Don Bosco alm ost certainly did not read A ntoniano’s work, but thanks to his Christian and priestly formation, ended up being perfectly in tune with post-Tridentine praxis and the notion o f fam ily education reflected in A nto nian o’s book which contributed to its continued existence.

The text mirrors and displays a well-outlined Christian and theological basis for hum an, religious and moral educational praxis. “The very first goal o f this book and w hat makes it different from some other sim ilar publications, is the fact that it deals w ith education as C hristian education, w hich could never take place w ithout the know ledge and observance o f G od’s laws, and thanks to his holy grace” .5 This is w hat A ntoniano focused on, at the end o f the second book entirely dedicated to

“Christian doctrine” . But the learned bishop did not forget that Christian education necessarily includes a human and civic dimension.

3 Serm on on June 17, 1583, in J.A. Saxus, H om iliae, voi I,. 247: cited by A . D eroo, S. Carlo C orrom eo il ca rdinale riform atore (M ilan, A ncora 19 6 5 ), 369.

4 Tre libri D e ll’educazione christiana d ei fig liu o li. S c r itti da M. S ilv io A n to n ia n o a d in sta n za dì M onsig. Illustriss. C ardinale di S. Prassede, A rcive sco v o dì M ilano. In Verona

1558, b y Sebastiano dalle D onne et G irolam o Stringari, C apm pagni [ 184 ff.].

5 ibid, D e ll’educazione, B o o k II, Ch. 140, sh eet 122v.

Therefore it is the fathers’ task to raise their children civilly and in a Christian fashion;6 to make sure that the children grow up to be honest people, namely good citizens, children really good in the intimacy o f their heart, out o f love for God and virtue...It is their task to urge them not to yield to greed, which is the most cruel o f tyrants, but to serve God ‘s w ill.7... Right reason and faith are the means to contribute to the formation o f children in becoming upright people and good citizens from their early infancy.8

This form ation can be accom plished when private ‘paternal’ education, and

‘com m on’ education under State authority w ork together, are integrated and are in harmony: “Private education should be linked with public education which, in turn, should perfect private education” . “There is nothing more healthy for a Republic than to have private education oriented in such a way that the good discipline learned by a child through family education is continued in public education, and even be improved on, since it stands to reason that the public good is greater and more perfect than the private good” . It is also right that such cooperation should take place both on the moral and Christian levels, mainly because “any study o f moral education turns out to be w eak and im perfect if it is not connected w ith C hristian education w hich is the highest and m ost excellent o f any other form o f education and its highest goal” , Therefore, “while the ecclesiastical rector makes sure to bring out the good Christian, with the spiritual authority and means his goal demands, at the same time, he does his best to bring out the good citizen... Consequently, those who separate w hat should be joined m ake a great m istake. They think they can have good citizens by other rules and through different means than those which contribute to making a good Christian” .9 Sum m ing up, once duties related to care o f the body, natural life, m oral and rational education have been responded to, the proper task o f the Christian and o f all the faithful is that o f raising children according to the rules o f Christ so that, by living and dying well and in a holy way, they may become G od’s instruments on earth for the benefit and help o f human society and, later on, heirs o f the Kingdom o f God itself.10 A ntoniano prefaces his thoughts on fam ily education with two brief points o f clarification. First o f all, family education should only take limited account o f gender and age differences o f the children being educated. As for social and economic levels o f the family, education at home will “deal with a middle-of-the-road type o f education,

6 ibid, b o o k 2 , Ch. 124, sh eet 108 v.

7 ibid, b o o k 2, Ch. 128, sh eet 111 r-v.

8 ibid, b o o k 1, Ch. 7, sh eet 4r-54; b ook 1, Chap. 3 7, sh eet 21v-22v; book 11, Chaps. 126-127, sh eet 116 v - 117v.

9 ibid, b ook 1, Ch. 4 3 , sh eet 25v-26r.

10 ibid, D e ll'e d u c a zio n e , B o o k I, Ch. 4, sh eet 2v.

considering that the m ajority o f people will live in the city and belong to the m iddle class” .11

Secondly, concerning the exercise o f responsibility in education, which is like a second birth and should be shared by father and m other who, in turn, should be in perfect agreement on it, the author adds the following suggestions: “Generally speaking, th e m other m ore appropriately takes care o f the girls, since they share the same gender. As for the boys in their early infancy and early childhood, mothers should take care o f them, most o f all in their home education. However, when the boys get bigger and m ore capable o f handling orders, are m ore m ature and ready to get out o f the house m ore often, it should be the fa th e r’s role to instruct them and w atch over them ” .12

Chronologically, the m other is the chief one involved in the early stages o f the child’s education, which by nature is preventive and which belongs to the fam ily.13 As a wom an she seems to incarnate all the best ingredients for such an education: “she is inclined to be pious and religious; add to that her tenderness, her gentle w ays o f correcting, her greater perseverance and patience, w hich perhaps are not ordinarily the features o f a father”.14

Beyond the levels and conditions o f Christian education, its goal is an essential point o f reference: all people, no matter w hat circumstances they are in, are obliged to know and love God and obey his holy Com m andm ents” . 15 “ I am a Christian: at my Baptism, 1 have vowed and assumed the noble profession o f fighting under the banner o f Christ crucified and being faithful, w ith his holy grace, to the observance o f his m ost holy law” . 16 Therefore the first task o f a good C hristian father is “to instil, impress on the ch ild’s mind a great reverence for the law o f God, and a holy fear o f God together with the resolution never to transgress” .17

The m ethod to be used is the m ethod o f love and fear. “Just like a good father, som etim es with love and reward as the carrot, som etim es with fear and punishm ent as the stick, will m otivate the child’s tender m ind and thus form him and impress on him som e very useful Christian principles for all his life, both for avoiding evil and

11 ibid, b o o k I, Ch. 4 4 , sh eet 26v-27r.

12 ibid, b o o k I, Ch. 4 5 , sh eet 27r-v.

13 S e e further on in referen ce to in fan cy and ch ild h ood 14 ibid, b ook 1, Ch. 4 6 , sh eet 122v

15 ibid, b ook I, Ch. 4 4 , sh eet 27r.

16 ibid, b ook I, Ch. 3, sh eet 2r.

17 ibid, b ook 2, Ch. 2 9 , sh eet 49r. “ it is n ecessa ry to rein in th ese w ild horses w ith the reins o f reason and the y o k e o f fear o f G od, and the lovin g, perfect Christian law ” (ibid. b ook II, CH.

78, sh eet 78r-v).

being encouraged to do good” ,18 The term s ‘lo ve-fear’, ‘strictness and gentleness ’ are also repeated in reference to obeying hum an laws, being subm issive to o n e ’s parents, as do the term s ‘virtue-idleness’,

A child should get used to respecting and keeping human laws, not so much out o f fear o f being punished but out o f love for virtue, convinced that Princes and the Superiors here on earth are representatives o f God and that all authority is from G od.19

Later on, as a child’s talent and the light o f reason grow, a father should demonstrate the beauty o f virtue and the ugliness o f vice.20

Stress should be put on a right balance betw een the tw o aspects. They should be in harm ony with a common attitude o f championing the principle o f authority. “A father should be careful, therefore, not to be over-indulgent towards his son and never grant him too m uch fam iliarity, especially w hen he is older. A t the sam e tim e, he should not be over-severe and rigid, while maintaining a certain seriousness seasoned with and tem pered by gentleness and kindness, so his son may join fear to love in his regard. This is w hat we m ean by reverence” .21

An important role in educative prevention is given to chastity. Antoniano, dealing with Vane et mhonestepitture (Vain and shameful pictures) says, “that m uch w ork should be done to safeguard the purity o f a boy and girl, so as not to allow the devil to steal it aw ay” .22 He forcefully underscores the danger o f the “vice o f the flesh”,

18 ibid, b o o k 2 , Ch. 2 9 , sh eet 49 v ; cf. b o o k I, Ch. 50: C he n e l l’istru ire Ifa n c iu lli conviene a cc o m m o d a rsi alla ca p a c ità loro di tem p o in tem p o ; book 2, Ch. 1, C he i fa n c iu lli devono essere a m m a estra ti delle cose della sa n ta fe d e ; Ch. 2. D elle sc u o le della d o ttrin a cristiana, e t d ella p r e d ic a tio w , Ch. 11 D ella S a n ta C hiesa C a tholica Rom ana', Ch. 12 C om e il p a d re deve a m m a estra re il fig liu o lo a d essere o b ed ien te a sa n ta Chiesa', Ch.. 14 D elle q u a ttro cose ultime', Ch. 2 2 D ella sa n tìssim a E ucharistia, et com e il p a d r e deve p ro c u ra re che il fig liu o lo ne s ia devoto', Ch. 23 D i alcu n i che non a pprovano il co m m u n ica rsi spesso; Ch 2 4 D ella p en ite n za overo confessione', Ch 25 C om e i fa n c iu lli s i devono avvezzare all 'a b b o n im e n to d el peccato, et alla confessione-, Ch 2 6 D i q u a n to im po rta n za sia un buon confessore, et p a d re spirituale', Ch. 2 8 D el D ecalogo, ovvero de i d ieci p re c e tti della legge', Ch. 29 C om e si d ev o n o a vvezza ( i fa n c iu lli a d essere o sse rv a to ri della divin a le g g e ; Ch 31. D el p rim o precetto. N on a vra i D ei alieni'. “ it is up to a go o d father, then, to rem ind his child at all tim es

o f the h oly fear and lo v e o f G od ” (sh eet 50r).

19 S. A n to n ia n o , b ook 11, Ch. 3 0, sh eet 49v.

20 ibid, b ook II, Ch. 5 1, sh eet 60v. D ella virtù d ella verità.

21 ibid, b o o k II, Ch. 7 0, sh eet 74r.

22 ibid, b o o k II, Ch. 4 2 , sh eet 56r. C hapters 85 to 98 o f B o o k II deal w ith the sixth com m andm ent: Ch. 85 D el se sto p recetto, non com m ettere adulterio', Ch. 86 D ella cura p a te r n a circ a la ca stità d e l figliuolo', 87 D e ll'e r ro re di alcu n i in d u lg e n ti alla g io v e n e zza ; Ch 88 D ella cautela che si deve usare n e l ra g io n a r della c a s tità ; Ch. 89 A lc u n e cristiane ra g io n i da p e r su a d e re la castità', Ch. 9 0 D e i d a n n i che tem p o ra lm en te ap p o rta la vita

because “this domestic enemy ordinarily attacks youth when the blood flow is greater and passions are stronger. W hat are needed are diligence, study and w ork.”23 “ We should not be indulgent in this m atter and so, as the saints say, there is no other vice w hich darkens the m ind o f a child, casts it m ore deeply into the mud and renders it more obtuse and inept for anything, than the vice o f dishonesty.”24

The suggested strategy is the traditional one, further strengthened by protective elem ents in view o f the future. Its developm ent has three directions: rem oving and avoiding the occasions o f sin, a clarifying and positive approach to life, and recourse to means provided by grace. First o f all, “a victory against the vice o f the flesh, as the saints say, can be recorded when there is a running away from it; and there is no better way to fight it than not having to fight it at all” .25

This is neither the first nor the main m eans, however constructive and positive it m ay seem to be, at the level o f reason and grace. “A t tim es, the father should talk w ith his son about chastity, so he may fall perfectly in love with this m ost beautiful virtue and learn how to hate and loathe the vice o f lust, especially w hen th e tim e com es for the young m an to bind h im self in m arriage. He will also urge him to be faithful in his m arriage” .26 “I have given final place to the rem edy w hich no doubt should be and is the first rem edy, and that is to m ake sure that the love o f God is enkindled in the tender and pure heart o f a young p e rso n ... .For this reason, then, let this be the main concern o f a good father in the family, that his young boy may fall in love with God and with the glory prepared for us in Paradise and with the beauty o f virtue... Therefore a good father, through all kinds o f good and holy practices o f piety and religion, by giving frequent and gentle instructions and by means o f prayer, should provide the right w eapons for his son to fight the dev il’s arrow s, but especially by frequent use o f the holy sacram ents o f Confession and the Eucharist”.27

Sim ilar methods are suggested for fighting against the vice o f stealing which considerably fouls up the established order. “ W hen a child has reached the age o f reason and is ready to understand the beauty o f virtue and the ugliness o f vice, a father should present him w ith the act o f stealing as som ething detestable and to

contd. 22

im p u d ic a ; C h, 9 5 D e l l ’o ffitio , e t c u r a p a r tic o la r e d e lla m a d r e d i fa m ig li a c ir c a g li a d o rn a m en ti d elle fig liu o le ; Ch. 9 6 D el rim u o vere l ’occasioni; Ch. 97 C om e sia m olto da avvertire alle co n v ersa zio n i di fu o r i; Ch. 98 D ella fr e q u e n z a de i sacram enti, et d ell ’am ore d i D io.

23 ibid, b ook 2, Ch. 86, sh eet 85r-v.

24 ibid, b o o k 2 , Ch. 87, sh eet 8 5v-86r, D e ll’errore di a lc u n i indu lg en ti a lla g io v e n e zza . 25 ibid, b ook 2, C h . 9 6 , sh eet 91 v.

26 ibid, b o o k 2 , Ch. 88, sh eet 86V. D ella ca u tela ch e s i deve usare nel ra g io n a r della castità.

27 ibid, b o o k 2, Ch. 9 8 , sh eet 92v.

achieve this it would be enough for him to say that this vice is directly contrary to the queen o f virtues namely, ju stice ” .28 The m eans are first and forem ost positive still, rather than negative: “The constant and living example” o f the father; “his advice and the effectiveness o f his reasoning, show ing the beauty o f virtue and the ugliness o f vice, will see that his son falls in love w ith virtue and hates vice”. “He should do this by rem oving all kinds o f allurem ent to evil and by getting the child accustom ed to doing good”.29

Corrections and Punishments, during childhood, should be balanced by the use o f reason, fear and love.30 The basic rule is “the middle-of-the-road, the golden mean”.

Fathers and teachers should remember that beatings are like a medicine. And, since they are like a medicine, they should be given at the right time and in the right measure. The reason for this is that beatings should not create more damage than help. A father and teachers should use beatings with discretion and judgem ent, in order to really provide a cure for the soul o f the child who ordinarily commits a sin out o f ignorance and weakness... A father’s concern should be that his son becomes good from within, so he will run away from sin more out o f love for virtue than out o f fear o f punishments. However, the fear o f God, the knowledge of the beauty o f virtue and o f the ugliness o f vice should be the most effective m eans... The respect for a Father should act as a restraint and an incentive, holding back a child or urging on a child as the occasion calls for. And in short, 1 would expect that our well-educated son should be so well accustomed to respecting his father, that just seeing his face upset or showing displeasure for an action would be equivalent to a very serious punishment....

Meanwhile, a father should act towards his son in such a way that he is both loved and feared. Being only feared will not win over the heart o f the child and the child does not become virtuous from within. At any rate, something done out o f fear will not last long. Therefore he should blend love with fear; let him keep a gentle severity so that he may be both loved and feared but the fear we are talking about is a filial fear, not the fear o f a servant, the fear o f a slave who fears the stick; on the contrary, a son who loves his father is afraid to do something which may displease his dear father. In short, whenever a good father has the intention o f beating his son, let him first o f all have as his guide discreet reason and not blind wrath.31

Meanwhile, a father should act towards his son in such a way that he is both loved and feared. Being only feared will not win over the heart o f the child and the child does not become virtuous from within. At any rate, something done out o f fear will not last long. Therefore he should blend love with fear; let him keep a gentle severity so that he may be both loved and feared but the fear we are talking about is a filial fear, not the fear o f a servant, the fear o f a slave who fears the stick; on the contrary, a son who loves his father is afraid to do something which may displease his dear father. In short, whenever a good father has the intention o f beating his son, let him first o f all have as his guide discreet reason and not blind wrath.31