to Ida Treat, from Peking, February 14, 1928
Let’s not doubt it, and let’s wake up to this light : the World is full of God. For if it were empty, the world would have died of disgust long ago.
(Accomplir l’homme, Grasset, 1968, p.73)
to Ida Treat, from Paris, July 19, 1949
Above all, seek within yourself, and warm the fundamental spark of faith in the World : this is how the fire springs forth. And, of course, don’t forget that faith is nourished and strengthened by action.
(Accomplir l’homme, Grasset, 1968, p.133)
to Pierre Leroy s.j., of Paris, January1, 1951
Men will not do anything good until they become aware of the (organic) movement that drives them, and that they must help : and this awareness will come to them only through a series of good shocks…
[…] In spite of these austere words, do not think that I am dark and bitter. On the contrary, never have the Christian ” virtualities ” seemed to me more powerful and hot. But it is this that must be unleashed, from within.
(Lettres familières de PTdC, mon ami 1948- 1955, le centurion, 1976, p. 90)
to Pierre Leroy S.J., from New York, March1, 1953
… it seems to me that it is an essentially priestly function, at this time, to discover and realize the particular form of interior attitude (passion, audacity, respect, sense of ” communion “) that most completely satisfies the mind and heart of the “workers of the earth ” that we are all called to become more and more. From this point of view, the greatest discovery ” in spiritual energy ” can be made in the most humble positions.
(Lettres familières de PTdC, mon ami 1948- 1955, le centurion, 1976, p. 186)
These extracts of correspondence are proposed by Jacqueline Giraud – Fouesnant, Sud-Finistère.
The quotation that I have proposed as the title of this Newsletter, is taken from a lecture given by P. TdC , in Peking, on December 28, 1943, and published under the title Reflections on Happiness, in Volume 11 ,Directions for the Future, p. 137. Here is a more complete extract : ” And in order to be happy, – quite happy, – […] it is necessary, to reach the zone of the great stable joys, that we transfer the pole of our existence in the greater than us. This does not suppose, rest assured, that we must do remarkable, extraordinary actions to be happy, but only, which is within the reach of all, that, having become conscious of our living solidarity with a great Thing, we do the least of things greatly. To add a single stitch, however small, to the magnificent embroidery of Life; to discern the Immensity that is made and that attracts us to the heart and the end of our minute activities; to discern it and to adhere to it: – this is, in the end, the great secret of happiness. ”
– NOT TO BE MISSED ON THE NET :
– ” Wonder ,” the beautiful concert offered by Dorota Anderszewska and Marianne Leclerc during the 2019 colloquium, in Saint Ignatius Church, Centre Sèvres, is posted on YOUTUBE. The texts of Teilhard de Chardin are read by Hilaire GIRON, the video was realized and edited by Jean-Marie MERMAZ, from Lyon : https://youtu.be/KROyuULMYCQ
– An article by Henri PONCET, leader of the Carcassonne group : https://www.asafrance.fr/item/d-une-guerre-a-l-autre.html
To follow the news of Teilhard – www.teilhard.fr
