List of points

Don't forget that before teaching one must act. 'Coepit facere et docere,' the holy scripture says of Jesus Christ: 'He began to do and to teach.'

First, action: so that you and I may learn.

Student: form yourself in a solid and active piety, be outstanding in study, have a strong desire for the 'professional' apostolate. And with that vigour of your religious and professional training, I promise you rapid and far-reaching developments.

You worry only about building up your knowledge. And what you have to build up is your soul. Then you will work as you ought — for Christ. In order that he may reign in the world, there must be some people who, with their eyes fixed on heaven, seek to acquire prestige in all human activities, so that they can carry out quietly — and effectively — an apostolate within their professions.

With that self-satisfied air you are becoming an objectionable and repellent type, you are making a fool of yourself, and, what is worse, you are harming your apostolic work.

Don't forget that even mediocrities can sin by being pompous.

If you have an official position, you have also certain rights which arise from the practice of that office, and certain duties.

You stray from your apostolic way if you use the opportunity — or the excuse — offered by a work of zeal to leave the duties of your position unfulfilled. For you will lose that professional prestige which is your 'bait' as a 'fisher of men.'

I like your apostolic motto: 'To work without rest.'

'And in a paganised or pagan environment when my life clashes with its surroundings, won't my naturalness seem artificial?' you ask me.

And I reply: Undoubtedly your life will clash with theirs; and that contrast — faith confirmed by works! — is exactly the naturalness I ask of you.

By good example good seed is sown; and charity compels us all to sow.

There is a brilliant man whom you long to attract to your apostolate; there is another, a man of great influence; and a third, full of prudence and virtues…

Pray, offer up sacrifices, and work on them with your word and example. — They don't want to come! — Don't lose your peace; it's because they are not needed.

Do you think there were no brilliant and influential and prudent and virtuous contemporaries of Peter outside the apostolate of the first twelve?

Have no enemies. Have only friends: friends on the right — if they have done or have wished to do you good; and on the left — if they have harmed or tried to harm you.

It is urgent that we strive to rechristianise popular celebrations and customs. It is urgent that public amusements should no longer be left to face the dilemma of being either over-pious or pagan.

Ask God to provide labourers for this much-needed work which could be called the 'entertainment apostolate'.

You praised the 'letter-apostolate' very highly when you wrote: 'I just can't manage to fill the pages with stuff likely to help the friend I'm writing to. When I begin, I tell my guardian Angel that all I want is that my letter may do some good. And even if I only write nonsense, no one can deprive me — or my friend — of these moments spent praying for what I know he needs most.'

'Before their letter arrived I had been feeling in low spirits — for no particular reason — and I was immensely cheered as I read it and saw what the others are doing.' And another: 'Your letters and the news of my brothers help me like a happy dream in the midst of the reality around us!'… And another: 'It's so wonderful to receive those letters and to realize that I'm a friend of such friends!' And another, and a thousand others: 'I had a letter from "X" and was ashamed to think of my lack of spirit compared with his.'

Now don't you agree that the 'letter-apostolate' is effective?

'Follow me, and I will make you into fishers of men'. Not without reason does our Lord use these words: men — like fish — have to be caught by the head.

What evangelical depth there is in the 'intellectual apostolate'!

It's human nature to have little respect for what costs but little. That is why I recommend to you the 'apostolate of not giving.'

Never fail to claim what is fairly and justly due to you from the practice of your profession, since your profession is the instrument of your apostolate.

'Have we not the right to take a christian woman round with us, like all the other apostles do and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?'

Words of Saint Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. We cannot underestimate the co-operation of women in the apostolate.

'Now after this' — we read in the eighth chapter of Saint Luke — 'he made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna the wife of Herod's steward Chusa, Susanna, and several others who provided for them out of their own resources'.

I copy. And I pray God that if some woman reads this, she may be filled with a holy and fruitful envy.

Woman is stronger than man, and more faithful, in the hour of suffering: Mary of Magdala and Mary Cleophas and Salome!

With a group of valiant women like these, closely united to our Lady of Sorrows, what work for souls could be done in the world!