"For me, there is no doubt at all that the spirit is the first thing in our Work, and not only what is first but what is essential by which the Work is to live, has to exist and be a work of apostolic mission. But with the spirit I place knowledge and I consider that both spirit and knowledge constitute the essence of the Association, that is to say, that which makes it what it is and not something different, better or worse.

I consider everything which goes against this partnership of virtue and knowledge to be a mistake, and anyone who does not understand this does not understand what our Work is.

Do not think that weak virtue or shallow learning is enough for you as a member of the Association. Both things, virtue and knowledge, must be solid and robust.

I greatly fear that, even after commending this fundamental thought so much, having written so much about it and having repeated it in person on so many occasions, this is not a dogma for you all and that you think it is possible to carry out our Work without knowledge, and who knows if there are even some who think it should be established without so much learning. Of course an uneducated person, if holy, can be satisfied and has surely lived her life well, but this Association is not for her, nor will she embody its essence, nor will she be one of its true members.

The Lord our God can he served in a thousand places without needing so much learning, but here, in this Association, God must be served with all that your mission requires. I would like you to recognize fully that my insistence on this is not illusory, that you would feel the need to be as I describe, and set all the strength that this solid and elevated learning gives you -not in order to shine for yourself but to lead others to God, and for the sake of the apostolic mission entrusted to you. These times require it, and if you have come to the Church to defend its sacred rights you must take up the weapons of learning and go where you are posted to fight and win in the name of faith, with the weapons of knowledge. Think about what missionaries do when they go into their field of action, what weapons they use, what means they employ to attain the prestige they need and then to preach Christ Jesus, baptize, and form Christians. The aim here is the same: you seek nothing other than to lead students to Christ, but your tool is knowledge. Since in addition God our Lord wants it so, he will make your efforts fruitful, but only when you use the means that you profess and to which you have dedicated yourselves.

It is my view that if the Association does not follow this path, if the light of learning is extinguished in it, it could be something else, another good and useful association, but it would not reach where it would if it were faithful to the ideal which governed its foundation. What if there were another Work which could replace it? But at the moment I do not see one. Our Lord may inspire and bring one into being, but might it not be the will of God that it be ours and not another that fulfills this apostolic mission? What concerns me most is that I am not convinced that you comprehend fully what I say about this, since if I were convinced that you thought and felt as I do, I have such regard for you that I have no doubt that not even the greatest sacrifices would be enough to make you draw back from the path of learning."