Everyday Holiness
by Fr. Keith Branson, c.pp.s., Kansas City
“To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is
only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all
called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves”
(Gaudete et Exsultate, paragraph 14).
Gaudete et Exsultate arrived on April 9, 2018, com-
pleting a set of four Apostolic Exhortations by Pope
Francis on different spiritual challenges of our times.
Just as Evangelii Gaudium set out a spirituality of mis-
sion, Laudato Si' an ecological spirituality, and Amoris
Laetita a spirituality of family life, this document lays
out a contemporary spirituality of holiness in everyday
life clearly based on Catholic tradition. It is a relatively
short document, containing only 177 paragraphs, yet
almost every one has something profound to offer. St. Francis des Sales, and the Practice of Perfection and
Christian Virtues by Alonso Rodriguez, s.j. The latter
work, written around 1600 in Spain, is a detailed guide
on religious life which was a textbook for many com-
munities until Vatican ii. Both bear testimony to the
practice of the little virtues: humility, meekness, charity,
gentleness; both were concerned with practical holi-
ness. Giovanni Merlini, our third Moderator General,
referenced Rodriguez in his circular letters both directly
and indirectly.
Our founder Gaspar del Bufalo sought to proclaim
and model holiness in everyday life, and wanted his
missionaries to do the same. He got most of his ideas
on community life and individual spirituality from two
main sources: The Introduction to the Divine Life by Pope Francis has given us an instant spiritual clas-
sic, updating these works in an accessible way. I would
recommend anyone the study of this document: it is
very accessible and easy to read, easy to understand. It
is a great starting point for someone wanting to learn
4 • The New Wine Press • June 2018