Grateful for Bernardus, Louis Rutten, Mary, Vincent de Paul, Francis

Dozens, if not hundreds, of congregations and religious orders count a saint among their founders— a source of great gratitude for them. We, as the FIC, do not share that particular fortune. Yet, we may consider ourselves fortunate to have two founders—and men, at that, who dared to grow together.

Bernardus Hoecken was the first brother and our first Superior General, but after only six years, he had to step aside for Servatius Voss, and three years later for Alexius van den Broek. Did Louis Rutten have a hand in this? It certainly seems so. Bernardus was reassigned to Hasselt to teach the first grade of primary school.

Bernardus and Louis had very different characters and outlooks. Bro. Bruno, Superior General from 1970 to 1982, wrote of our founders: “We may be deeply grateful for these two founders.” “We honour both their names.”

They struggled in their relationship, yet ultimately, they grew ever closer to one another. Bruno: “Bernardus and Rutten. The relationship between these two figures is as compelling as a novel. I believe that, in time, they came to understand each other exceptionally well; that they gained this insight only through considerable pain; that both had enough shortcomings to occasionally irritate the other intensely; yet that both loved the congregation immensely and were great enough never to let go of one another.”

There is yet another reason to be grateful for the founders we have. Louis Rutten was, from the outset, a remarkable man who devised and implemented various

plans to help people in need. Yet from 1871 onwards, he was a frail figure “suffering intensely from spiritual anguish, listlessness, and melancholy.” In the final twenty years of his life, he had to come to terms with his limitations, and it is precisely in this regard that Louis serves as an example to each of us.

For us, the FIC Brothers, our founders are essentially saints—people who made the most of their lives and who hold up ideals for us; they are pilgrims who have gone before us.

In this issue, alongside our founders, we look at three saints who hold a special place in our hearts:

• Mary. She represents the feminine face of God—something we increasingly need.
• Vincent, the ‘second patron’ of our congregation. We are grateful to him for the enduring inspiration that has sprung from his life. Today, there are nearly a million ‘Vincentians’— people dedicated to helping those in need.
• Francis, the man who died 800 years ago. His bond with nature serves as an inspiring example for us, one for which we are deeply grateful.