Leaves Volume 76 March-April 2010 No. 2
	© Missionaries of Mariannhill  magnify

If anything captures people’s imagination nowadays, it is the esoteric. Literature on the occult is in; the business booms. It may therefore be appropriate to share with our readers what Abbot Francis has to say about the influence of the evil one, which he experienced, als also St. Paul did in his encounter with Elymas in Cyprus (Acts 13:10-11).

Concerning the existence and influence of the devil, Abbot Francis stood on firm theological ground. Origen had written that, in struggles such as losses, dangers, insults and accusations, the intention of demonic powers was not to help us endure sufferings to provoke us to fierce anger, excessive sorrow, the depths of despair or, more seriously, to induce us, when wearied out and overcome by these annoyances, to complain against God, claiming that his control of human life is not fair or right –eous.

Demonic powers intend to weaken our faith, deprive us of our hope and persuade us to abandon true doctrine in favour of some evil belief about God” (On First Principles 3.2.6).

Abbot Francis was keenly aware of Satan’s wiles. However, by invoking his Christian faith and his personal motto “run so as to obtain the prize,” he outwitted him. “The work of evangelization is much too slow,” he wrote. “the devil and his legions exhibit much more zeal and inventiveness by promoting superstitions and unbelief than Christinas do by fighting to exterminate these.” And: “the devil has done mission work for millions of years … and shows no sign of exhaustion. To dislodge him, the Sisters of the Precious Blood are needed in frontier missions!”

Jealousy, mistrust and several other obstacles had to be overcome before the Catholic church in Bosnia and South Africa could flourish. Opposition came not only from government circles, it came just as often from fellow missionaries, as is evident from the following observation: “Two Protestant ministers have been complaining to the chief …

that wherever the Trappists settle, their own mission is doomed. You see, whenever we step on the devil’s toe, he immediately starts moaning in his accustomed old way.”

St. Peter admonished the early Christians: “to be sober and vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 PT 5:8). Abbot Francis believed that the devil could possess a person: “I have forgotten the names of all our enemies in Bosnia except this one … He was the devil incarnate, using every trick, scheme and stratagem to prevent the construction of the bridge we so badly needed. Since then I have often wondered how it was that I did not turn as gray as a donkey in those days.”

Abbot Francis tried to defeat the devil at his own game. The following is a passage from his article “Everything is harnessed”: “St. Joseph the Carpenter is the saint we harness most of all. For quite some time now we have also harnessed the devil. That impudent fellow must also carry stones towards the building of the church because he has the cheek to make his likes abuse and slander us. Little does he think that as a result of his cunning schemes even more men and women wish to join Mariannhill.”

“… the devil must also carry stones”? The founder is quoting a proverb that he had applied already as a priest in his native Vorarlberg when, with God’s help, he had been able to arouse his parishioners form spiritual inertia (Rev 3:3) and transform them into a vibrant faith community. At one time he had confronted the demon of mammon head on, as he made him “carry stones” for the church in the persons of two lapsed parishioners. He writes, “I invited two of the richest men of my parish, both factory-owners, who were hardly ever seen in church, to donate a set of new stained-glass windows. Eventually one wanted to outdo the other in generosity. When the windows were installed and their names appeared on them, even their pious wives could not trust their eyes.”

At another time he approached the famous banker Rothschild in London for a donation. “I knew quite well who Rothschild was, but I also knew that the man who introduced me to him was a Montgelas, cousin of Count Maximilian Joseph Montgelas who fifty years earlier had robbed the church of Vorarlberg and Tyrol. Therefore I let this man work for me according to the old proverb: ‘The devil has to carry stones for the church.’ “

Mariannhill and its missions were desperately in need of helpers. Abbot Francis appealed not only to young people but also to parish priests and bishops. His words sound prophetic: “Do people really believe that a few hundred White Fathers, Benedictines and Trappists are enough for so many millions of non-believers and just as many millions of devils? … Should not many more have the courage to wage a holy war? … If the soaring flame of the Sacred Heart of Jesus cannot spur us on to spend ourselves for the salvation of so many souls, let us at least feel ashamed at Satan’s fervor.

He has apostles everywhere – in urban and rural places – and he uses the daily media to spread his message. The railways are his carriers and the idlers of the world his subscribers. While we rock ourselves in idleness in the hammock of the boat, he is lurking in his hiding places and holding the keys to the arsenals, ready to blow us up when his hour has come … The devil’s ardour is so great that he establishes international societies and convenes meetings for his purposes; he is found and served in the basements of the whole world. Yes, he did missionary work among the people of Africa long before we knew them.”

Abbot Francis’s greatest desire was to do God’s will, but this will was not always easy to discern, except when an otherwise good and worthwhile project met with many obstacles. In such cases he was sure that God wanted the project, precisely because the devil tried so hard to prevent it.