Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph
(JMJ)
Remembering Our Founder: A Call to Live His Spirituality
01 Nov 2026 - 30 Nov 2026
As we recently celebrated the heavenly birthday of our founder, Fr. Wolff, and as November is dedicated to remembering the souls of the departed, it is good to learn about one historical fact related to his death: his canonisation. This month’s reflection offers a historical account that can also enrich our spiritual lives.
During one of my archival visits to Sint Agatha, I came across a document containing a conference on Fr. Wolff, delivered by the Jesuit priest Kersenmakers on the feast of St. Matthias, 24 February 1945. One of the points Kersenmakers highlighted was the canonisation process of Fr. Wolff. Let me quote his words:
“In view of Father Wolff’s fruitful, apostolic, and holy life, during which various events occurred that could not be explained by natural means, it was hardly surprising that voices were raised in support of his possible beatification and even canonisation. Yet just as the cause of the Venerable Father Roothaan has not proceeded without considerable difficulties — problems arose even in its earliest stages, and at present everything has once again come to a standstill because of the circumstances of war — so a possible cause for Father Wolff cannot be taken up without the way of life and the prayers of his followers helping to advance it. For canonisation must not only be prayed for; it must also be merited through a holy life. The way of life of every member of the congregation, as well as that of the congregation as a whole, must bear living witness to the holiness of its founder.”
These words invite us to look beyond our hopes and prayers for the beatification and canonisation of Fr. Wolff. Alongside our joy in the preparation of the beatification and canonisation of Venerable Mary Glowrey, we hope that the Church will one day formally recognise our founder’s holiness. Yet Kersenmakers reminds us that this hope also calls for a response from us. The most meaningful way to honour our founder is to allow his spirituality to take flesh in our daily lives—in our choices, our relationships, our service, and our fidelity to our vocation.
Relic of Fr. Wolff
How each of us responds to this call will differ according to our personal journeys. Yet, as members of the congregation, we share a common responsibility: to keep alive the spirituality Fr. Wolff handed on to us. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition, this spirituality invites us to examine our consciousness honestly and to recognise God’s presence and action in our lives. Such an examination begins with the courage to see ourselves as we truly are, acknowledging both our gifts and our limitations, our strengths and our weaknesses. It is not about judging ourselves harshly or becoming comfortable with our shortcomings. Rather, it is about accepting the truth of who we are before God, allowing that truth to open us to grace and to the possibility of growth. As we become more aware of our inner movements, attitudes, and motivations, we become better able to discern how God is inviting us to grow and to live more fully for God’s greater honour and glory.
Perhaps this is one of the most concrete ways we can honour Fr. Wolff: not merely by remembering his life or praying for his canonisation, but by allowing his spirituality to transform our own. When our personal lives and our life as a congregation bear witness to the Gospel, we keep his legacy alive in a way that others can see and experience. May the memory of our founder deepen our commitment to the spirituality he lived and shared with us. And may our growing awareness of ourselves, of one another, and of God’s presence enable us, as a congregation, to become living witnesses to the holiness that Fr. Wolff sought to embody.