Ten thoughts of Father Richard McCullen

In the book, Deep Down Things, we find some of the writings of Father McCullen during the time in which he was Superior General (1980-1994).  It would be extremely difficult to summarize his thinking in just two pages but below we have selected ten brief passages that reflect the depth of thinking.  More than worth while to take the time to read the entire book.

[1] The New Year

May each day of this New Year be a day of change for us, as we grow steadily into a greater likeness to Jesus Christ. May we, to quote St. Paul, be “changed into His likeness, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) (“Someone Looked on me Differently”, Jamnuariy 1, 1990, Paris, France, Deep Down Things, p. 513).

[2] Three graces

I ask God to grant us three graces: 1. That our hearts be emptied of all discouragement about the Congregation of the Mission, so that the Risen Christ may fill them with faith and hope. 2. That all of us may be able to see more clearly Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, in the Eucharist and in the poor. 3. That in our recognizing Jesus Christ, we may all find again the sense of mission and a renewed zeal, so that we conceive the desire to start from here to announce the good news of the Gospel, above all to the poor (“Thanksgiving”, April 22, 1981, Berceau, France, Deep Down Things, p.42).

[3] Missionaries

For Vincent de Paul, a priest of his Community was a man who, through his constant efforts to chisel into his character the humility and charity of Christ, is humble about himself and his abilities, has a deep respect for the dignity of others, and makes it his principal mission to manifest genuine love, especially to those who for any reason have lost the sense of their own dignity and worth in the sight of God (“Vincentian Ministry to Clergy”, April 24, 1990, Northampton, Pa., Deep Down things, p. 532).

[4] Prayer

There are people who say that the most important truth that Jesus Christ has taught us in the Gospels is that we have a Father in heaven and He is God. It is Jesus Christ Who taught us to call God our Father. The word He used when He was praying at that most difficult moment in His life, in the Garden of Gethsemane, was an intimate tender word that a child would use to his father, Abba. Our human fathers, whom we have known on earth, are very faint shadows of that loving, caring and providing Father, Who is in heaven and Who night and day watches over us as a father does his child (“The Lord’s Prayer” July 30, 1989, Campino Verde, Brazil, Deep Down Things, p. 472).

[5] Unity

The unity, and indeed uniqueness, of the Congregation’s vocation in the Church is a gift of God which all of us wish to be preserved, and the Confreres who have participated in the General Assemblies that have taken place since the end of Vatican Council II can testify to the strength of that desire … What recent Assemblies have formulated is the ideal of unity in diversity: a unity of vocation that finds expression in a diversity of cultures, needs and traditions … The unity of the Congregation is a treasure, however, which is carried in an earthen vessel (“Unity” Leten Letter 1984, Deep Down Things, p.158, 159).

[6] Courtesy

Courtesy–the word itself almost evokes another age, another society. Be that as it may, it is certain that our society, marked as it is so often by anger and protest, has need of men and women who speak the living language of courtesy. Our society has need of people who will exemplify the qualities of tolerance, gentleness and cordiality. The Church and the world have need of guides who by their manner of living will point toward that more excellent way commended by St. Paul when he wrote that “love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) (“Courtesy”, May 31, 1991, Rome Italy, Deep Down Things, p. 598).

[7] The poor poor

The poor poor … are the ones who get left out because they’re not part of what I did yesterday or today. The poor poor are the ones who rarely if ever are first on an agenda. So let’s talk about them (“The Poor Poor, May 31, 1992, Rome Italy, Deep Down Things, p.737).

[8] Collaboration

From her collaboration with Saint Vincent there was born, too, the friendship between them.  It was at once human and reserved, spiritual and practical.  It was a friendship that still rejoice our hearts … Humility was the secret of St. Louise’s ability to collaborate with those early Sisters in the service of the poor, and her successful collaboratiion with the Ladies of charity.  It was the secret, too, of the manner in which, a talented person, councul submit her judgment to that of Saint Vincent who after a little time, discerned her strength, her talents and her humility.  This experience in turn for Saint Vincent   must have deepened his own humility and in that way, as he would like to remind us, brought down further blessiings of Godo n the collaborartion between himself and St. Louise (“Unity and Collaboration”, August 2, 1982, Salzburg, Austria, Deep Down Things, p. 74, 75-76).

[9] Peace

We are being invited all the time to be instruments of God’s peace by our words, or our silence, or our acts … Be peacemakers, not troublemakers, among those whose lives you touch. Be an instrument of peace and reconciliation and you will be a true child of Mary. Be a peacemaker and you will be consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Be a peacemaker, work for justice, show love, and you will be, like Mary, an agent of life, of sweetness and of hope (“Fatima” June 23, 1990, Machel, Mozambique, Deep Down Thimgs, p. 551-552).

[10] Liberation

When we speak of liberation today, our minds center upon the poor. We think, not only of the sufferings of the poor, but in a special way of sufferings that are caused to them through the injustice of others. When we think about how they can be liberated, we think in a particular way how we could achieve greater social justice in our society (“True Liberation”, September 26, 1989, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Deep Down Things, p.483).