Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux

Raymond Darricau Bernard Peyrous Father Noailles and the Association of the Holy Family The Story of a Charism

Introduction

Chapter I The Ecclesial and Juridical Context

Chapter II Some Fundamental Aspects of the Spirituality of Fr. Noailles

Chapter III The Expansion of the Holy Family

Chapter IV The Organisation of the Charism

I . The Legislative Work of Fr. Noailles

II . Structure and Functioning of the Association

III . The Spirit of the Organisation: Unity

Chapter V The Problem of the Canonical Status of the Holy Family

Chapter VI Some Institutes Compared with the Work of Fr. Noailles

Chapter VII Questionings of the Holy Family (1861- 1903 )

Chapter VIII The Holy Family from 1903- 1958

Chapter IX Towards the Rediscovery of the Charism

General Conclusion

Sources and Bibliography

The Writings of Pierre-Bienvenu Noailles

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0 1Chapter IV The Organisation of the Charism5DP ch. IV

Chapter IV
The Organisation of the Charism

The system of government that Fr. Noailles devised for the Holy Family could well be the subject of a real study in comparative constitutional law, or political science.1 He had, in fact, created an extremely rich whole but, in addition, had given it an appropriate government which functioned suitably for many years; it merits closer examination.

We shall do that under the guidance of the founder himself. In the course of this account, we shall frequently quote Fr. Noailles’ texts. Throughout his life, he was at pains to clarify his hopes and aspirations so, in this chapter we must, above all, endeavour to enter into his own thought.

1 Especially taking into account the evolution in Fr. Noailles’ thinking on the organisation of his work. We shall not dwell on it here because we shall study the organisation in its most mature stage, but we can compare the organisation foreseen in the Rules of the Society of God Alone, 1845, Source 1, nos. 337-373, pp. 105-119 and the organisation of the General Rules, 1851.