We publish an interview of the European Coordinator of Communication, Father Krzysztof Kołodyński, SVD, with Father Andrzej Miotk, SVD, who is responsible for the Founder’s Archive in the Generalate, a historian and an expert on the spirituality of Father Arnold Janssen. The conversation concerns the two-volume work of Father A. Miotk on the spirituality and history of our Founder.

Rediscover the Treasure of the Spirituality of St. Arnold

Krzysztof Kołodyński (KK): I have in my hands two volumes of your latest publication. Could you tell me what these two volumes contain?

Andrzej Miotk (AM): “Untiring Missionary of the Word and of the Spirit.” The title is very significant because it reflects the entire process of searching for what is most important in the Founder’s spirituality. Without a doubt, this is his total dedication to the mission through the Apostolate of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was present from the beginning in his spirituality. In this sense, we can see his total surrender of all his strength, possibilities and talents to fulfill the calling he discerned.

The title reflects his life, which was not an easy one. There were many moments of crisis but they turned out to be a school for him. Thus, the publication also includes an article titled “School of the Cross”, which reflects its internal dynamics. In crises and difficulties, St. Arnold always finds the voice of God, which calls him to constant conversion. Certain attitudes and ways of implementing this mission were not always what God wanted. At times Arnold’s nature could have spoken and in moments like this, this dynamic of change is manifested.

The second part of the title talks about “The Word and the Spirit.” If we were looking for something innovative in the spirituality of the Founder for his time, it was undoubtedly a combination of these two elements: the Word and the Spirit. In the spiritual theology of that time, these two terms usually did not go together. Arnold combined them, creating the dynamics of the Incarnate Word and the Holy Spirit as two avenues of his spirituality that determined his specificity.

KK: What are the differences between the two volumes? I looked at the index and the word that comes to mind is “context.” Later I noticed elements that seemed to “explain” the spirituality of the Founder. How do we find our way in this first, longer part?

AM: I wrote about the context in the last chapter of this volume. There is no spirituality without context. The spirituality of our Founder was shaped by the reality of the 19th century. His spiritual vision developed gradually. He wanted to present this in a comprehensive way, starting from general universal history. So, the context is narrowed, due to the reality of the Church at that time. I went into more detail about the context of the mission and the church in Germany because all of this influenced St. Arnold.

In this context we come to the elements of spirituality. The spirituality described is not limited only to Arnold, but explains more broadly the founding of the three congregations. The book then goes into a directly local context about the Lower Rhine region and the spirituality of this region. What elements from this region, from his family, influenced his spirituality? Later this becomes specifically forms of spirituality framed in the context of 19th century forms. It deals with the forms of devotion, local piety and theology of that time.

KK: I wanted to ask you about your sources. Were these sources that had not yet been officially published?

AM: In writing about the spirituality of Saint Arnold, I did not remain suspended in a vacuum. Studies had already been carried out, for example that of Father H. Fischer SVD. His was a very significant work since the author knew the Founder and worked with him. Although he did not have access to all the sources, he emphasized the Trinitarian aspect of spirituality that permeates other devotions. This is the binding element of all spirituality.

Later, when the beatification process began in the 1930s, a work by Father Hermann Sandkamp appeared. It was titled “The Spirituality of our Founder”. The focus here is rather on the forms of piety. And then came a study by Father Peter McHugh. In it, you can see the spirituality of the Founder in relationship to the Conciliar changes and see the ways in which he was a precursor of some of these. There has always been a tendency in the Congregation to perceive the figure of the Founder as an archaic figure, saying that he adopted the spirituality of that time, which was only a reflection, deprived of novel impulses. This, absolutely, was not at all the case with Arnold. It is true that he assumed and integrated many of these forms, but there were also new and revealing ideas in his spirituality.

KK: For example?

AM: It was very original on Father Arnoldo’s part to emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit. In his time that was not obvious. The Founder even wrote a letter to the Pope, asking that an encyclical dedicated to the topic of the Holy Spirit be published, which subsequently did take place.

And here, in the last part of the book, in the development of Father Arnold’s spirituality, the Holy Spirit takes a leading role, closely related to missionary work. This also applies to the creation of the two congregations of the Servants of the Holy Spirit.
This publication is not strictly a spiritual analysis. It shows the process of development of the spirituality of St. Arnold, its manifestations, and how it can be seen in the uniqueness of the work, in various writings and initiatives of the Founder.

KK: The second volume has a completely different structure. We found 261 reports here. Each one is accompanied by a photograph. Recently, more has been said and written that we have a “problem with Father Arnold” or we are missing some important keys to understanding his spirituality, or we are unable to discover the answer to the question of how the multiplicity of elements of his piety resulted in the actions he took. Can this second volume help us discover this key?

AM: The second volume is an attempt to complement the theory of the first volume with a practical, contextual and historical dimension. It is clear that the theological and spiritual content is rooted primarily in life. This is an attempt to show this process over time.

KK: So, you are stating your point of view here?

AM: Well, yes. I believe that a historian looks at reality through details. He wants the message to be incarnated, tangible, so that this spirituality will be immersed in the concrete. Everything has a reason. Photos show specific people, events, publications, situations. They are a way of giving a brief history about the development of the work in the times of the Founding Father. This spirituality was not prepared beforehand. It developed through different events, problems and contact with different people. And yet, this spirituality is universal. The Founder was not a “parish” person, in the sense that he was focused on his own small world, but rather he sought a universal dimension, which is a sign of the action of the Holy Spirit.

KK: All of the Founder’s work shows that he did not close himself in and went very far.

AM: Without a doubt, spirituality is valued for its fruits. Does it have any specific dimension, does it serve the Church or the salvation of man? I believe that the greatness of Father Arnold is evident in the subsequent fruits. We cannot limit this spirituality to his lifetime because it continues to bear fruit.

KK: Which statement from the Founder is appropriate for current times?

AM: What especially caught my attention was “the indwelling of God in our hearts”, his constant presence, just as we express it in our prayer: “May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people.” Fr. Arnold wanted this gift to be present in every heart. It has a missionary character.

KK: How would you end our interview?

AM: Historical research and sources are one thing. But popularization is also an important dimension. It is good that many lay people and confreres dedicate themselves to it. This is our missionary challenge in practice. We still do not understand the Founder’s legacy enough and even find it difficult to appreciate it. As one of the vice generals said: “we are still ashamed of the Founder.” We have not fully discovered this treasure. Therefore, perhaps this legacy must be expressed in new realities. It is not easy, but we are all invited to make this effort, to discover the grace of God in Fr. Arnold’s life and mission, because we are the heirs of his life and mission.

KK: Thank you. Your publication is a work that ought to be found in every Divine Word Missionary house. I think that in our province here, we will try to translate it as soon as possible (hopefully it will be translated into many languages).

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