Licences and special permits
Licence, in the military, refers to the period granted to the soldier outside the barracks or away from the front line, while for today’s Jesuits it is mainly used to refer to the degree obtained in theology or philosophy.
For the Jesuits of the past, however, there was another type of leave, understood precisely as special leave.
Every Jesuit could need to apply for certain derogations from the rules of the Society or residence. These were obviously not derogations from the Constitutions nor from obedience, poverty or chastity, but requests on often very practical aspects of daily life.
One of the most recurrent rules was to always travel on foot accompanied by one’s brother and never alone.
It can happen to find in the papers special permits requested from the Provincial, in cases where some Jesuits have to run urgent errands and no one is at home, or to run to call a doctor in the middle of the night, without waking a brother.
Some examples of one-off or six-month licences are given to us in the personal file of Fr Emilio Redaelli. Initially, the Jesuit makes a request to keep with him ‘from house to house these books that were given to me as gifts or won at the tombola’ (an Italian game similar to Bingo) and the list of texts follows. Possessing material goods was not an absolute prohibition, however the Jesuits tried to possess as little as possible also because of the frequent changes of destination. Here is the list of texts:
- Imitation of Christ, won at bingo
- Imitation of Mary Most Holy by Abbot Dourvil, a gift from Fr Orsini
- Months of May by Fr Radaelli, gift of Fr Orsini
- Parrocchiano Ambrosiano, gift of Fr. Orsini
- Month of June for religious, gift of Fr. Verlato
- Gospel, won at tombola
- True devotion to the Blessed Virgin of Monfort, gift of Fr. Rivasi Master of Novices
- The Crucifix, book brought from home
- S. Camillus de Lellis in the care of the sick
- Pio Samaritano Magazine, 1941
- How to care for the sick, given to me by Fr. Camillian.
- Brief anatomy of the human body, given to me by Fr. Maggio
- Elementary notions for the care of the sick, given to me by Fr. Verlato.
- Ricettario per l’infermiere, given to me by Fr. Castellani
In a penned note Fr Emilio also asks for ‘a heavy cloak because I suffer a lot of cold and smoke at night when I assist the sick’.
The Jesuit adds a reason for the request for tobacco, which is evidently not expected in the daily life of a religious and considered a vice.
“When I have to assist certain sick people at night and during the day, especially when they emanate bad and repulsive odours in their natural needs; after these operations and cleanings, to be able to smoke a little Tuscan or a few cigarettes of the latest quality, or tobacco, about three quarters of a Tuscan a day at various times, a little more during the night from midnight to 6am, which at times one cannot resist from sleeping, also because it is long because of fasting”.
This permission was also granted to him.
From August 1938 until September 1961 the Jesuit used these permits, as the list with the dates and the signature of the Provincial pro tempore testifies.
Already in 1936 Fr. Emilio had already made other requests on objects even more related to practical life, we read his requests: “to be able to keep personal objects for cleaning, clothes, shoes, beard, for writing
To be able during the day, around 5 p.m., to take some milk […] to be able to receive, ask, give, lend small things for one’s own use, for the office.
To be able to visit the Blessed Sacrament a few times more than the ordinary visits […] to be able to give pictures received from fathers or brothers or won at the tombola, to relatives, boys in the street or friends who come to see me. I ask thus Your Reverence, if you believe that there is anything superfluous that is not according to the spirit of our Holy Rules I beg you from my heart to discard it’.
These requests were also granted to the Jesuit until his death, the photo shows the licences signed by the Provincials. Requests of this kind were also made in order to avoid having to refer frequently to the minister or superior from the community for each licence.
Licences could also be requested for specific sacrifices or renunciations, which always had to be authorised.
Already in 1926, when Fr Emilio was in the novitiate, he made a request – later obtained – to renounce fruit on Wednesdays and Saturdays and wine on Fridays for the rest of his life, always carrying countersigned paper requests attesting to the concession received.
Brother Rabbiosi had also made a number of requests, such as being allowed to wake up earlier between 4.30 and 5 a.m., or to keep the house pantry open to ensure any guests could be served in his absence.
Maria Macchi
