This is the sixth volume of the collection of "Circular Letters" by the S.C.J. Superior Generals, which started with the "Letters" of Fr. Dehon. The editorial criteria are always the same: a biographical note on the author; the letters reproduced in chronological order in the original language with the Italian version beside them; progressive numeration in the margin to facilitate the identification of possible quotes or inter-textual references; and, at the end, the general index, preceded by an analytical index, which is particularly useful for identifying the themes dealt with and the letters in which the various problems are tackled.

Fr. Bourgeois was Superior General from 1967 to 1979: the most heated and controversial period of the post-Council years. Many things were changed, not only in society but also in the Church and in the Congregation. The identity of our spirituality was questioned and also the very existence of the Congregation.

In taking on the responsibility of Superior General he was fully aware of these challenges. As early as his address, delivered at the conclusion of the XV Chapter, he did not hesitate to ask everyone to perform "a precise examination of conscience on the need for profound renewal: in the concept of the religious life, in our forms of life and of organization,... in our apostolic objectives and, above all, in the inspiration which must inspire each and every one of our activities" (Cf. p.11).

The various "Circular Letters" will then deal, one by one, with these themes, urging the whole Congregation to "redefine its identity after the Council of Vatican II", bringing up to date the theology of the nature of the religious life, and, in particular, renewing the spirituality of the Heart of Jesus and the concrete ways of expressing it and of living it. It is within these problems that there first became evident the need to revise and rethink in depth, first the "Rule of Life" and then the "New Constitutions".

Fr. Bourgeois' work was fundamental throughout this process. Not that he immediately found or indicated the right solution to all the questions raised, but because his insistence on getting down to basic problems and his repeated invitation to an open confrontation both on principles and on possible applications soon gained wide consent and favored a slow but sure revitalizing of the Congregation.

Already with his Letter of November 6, 1967 he tackled the problem of the Act of Oblation, proposing a basic revised formulation of it and urging a true and proper inquiry, a proposal which was extended to the entire Congregation (Cf. Letter 7, pp.100-111). The theme was dealt with in-depth by a profound examination of an even more fundamental question, often formulated as follows: "Is it necessary to accept the disappearance of certain expressions, such as the Sacred Heart or worship of the Sacred Heart? ... Does the Congregation still have a purpose?"

This work by Fr. Bourgeois was truly fundamental. One can see this in the description on pp.80 to 95, where he writes to "express the travail of our Congregation" in the search for its identity after the Council of Vatican II.

Other themes which he reexamined were: the theme of ministerial priesthood on the occasion of the centenary of the Fr. Founder's ordination as a priest. The theme of "Religious Brethren" in a Congregation which ends up being one of priests and for priests. Other important themes in 1975: "the Holy Year for the universal Church"; the third centenary of the "great apparition" of Paray-le-Monial (1675-1975); the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the Fr. Founder (1925-1975); and lastly the centenary of the Congregation (1878-1978), which provided the opportunity of dealing with the subject of "dynamic faith".

This publication therefore does not have only historical importance - knowing what the sixth Superior General of the Congregation wrote or did - it is also a work which re-examines and tackles nearly all of the questions raised in the post- Council period on the nature and the bringing up-to-date of our religious life and of our spirituality. A volume therefore which should be reread and meditated upon in all our communities.

Andrew Ryder, scj
Following Christ. Models of discipleship in the New Testament
Sheed & Ward, Franklin (U.S.A.) 1999, pp. XIII+182

The theme of this book is the following of Christ. Discipleship is a subject of perennial interest for the committed Christian. One of the most popular creation in the history of spirituality was Thomas à Kempi's fifteenth-century Imitation of Christ. Even if the Imitation has long since disappeared from the best-selling list, the subject matter retains all its importance and attractiveness today.

As we celebrate the beginning of the third millennium the time seems ripe to look at this topic again. Now as much as ever we need to locate our faith in a commitment to Jesus Christ. Without denying the legitimacy of the developments that have taken place over the course of twenty centuries, we have to go back to the privileged sources of the New Testament.

My aim is to present the following of Christ according to the different traditions of the New Testament. The first writer of the New Testament is Paul, and so the first chapter looks at the meaning of Christian discipleship in Paul's Letters. Then, of course, there are the Gospel, and I begin with Mark, generally accepted today as the first of the evangelist writers, and proceed to Matthew, Luke, and John, whose writings followed Mark. After the Gospels, I have taken other representatives of the tradition, including Hebrews and the Book of Revelation.

The writings of the New Testament do not present a single concept of discipleship. They are compositions that contain a complex cluster of traditions and sayings. What I have attempted is to highlight the salient characteristics of each tradition and relate them to complementary approaches in the other writings. In this way I hope to illustrate discipleship from different angles and give a more complete presentation of the theme.

André Perroux, scj
Leo Dehon: A Passion for Christ. A Passion for the World
Translated by P. J. McGuire, scj
Priests of the Sacred Heart, Hales Corners, pp. 114

For a long time the need had been felt for a popular work, brief but based on solid research, as Fr. McGuire writes in the preface, to introduce to the general public the important spiritual and apostolic figure of Fr. Leo Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart. This little book, published some time ago in French, has now been translated and adapted, with slight modifications, for the English speaking public as well, as a result of which it will now have a wider readership.

The author, Fr. Perroux, had entitled it "Portrait". It does not therefore claim to be an exhaustive biography, but rather a simple and essential "sketch" in which the thought, the characteristics and the work of Fr. Dehon are presented. Emphasis is placed on his deep spirituality and on his commitment to being involved in all the most important problems and needs of his time.

Although Fr. Dehon's life was particularly significant for the success of his initiatives and for the often heroic virtues of his character, the author of this little book does not omit the sufferings and the frustrations which Fr. Dehon had to bear, nor does he close his eyes to certain weaknesses which persist even in such extraordinary personalities.

The life and spiritual message of Fr. Dehon in the present small volume are dealt with in four short chapters: 1. "The Desire to See and to Know"; 2. "We Need to Act with Boundless Enthusiasm"; 3. "He Was a Very Great Man: a Great-Hearted Man"; 4. "Jesus is Everything. He Is the Unique Friend".

There follow some of Fr. Dehon's "prayers"