Parenting and St. John Bosco's practice of the one on one meeting "Rendiconto"

I have 5 children: 12, 8, 7, 4 & 1 year olds. The 4 yr girl monopolizes my time as soon as I get home. She would cry if I didn't give her a piggy back or sit next to her to watch Barney. The problem is that I don't get a chance to spend more time with the others. So, I assigned a night for every child and took that child out for the night. I realized that the others wanted my attention as badly as the 4 year old. I can excuse myself from her saying, "It's not her night." She still insists but later gives in knowing that she has her own night.

This event is spent on Wendy's for a cheeseburger, Chucky Cheese's for games or Marshall's for new trousers depending on the interest of the child. But whatever it is, every child has a night for my full and complete attention.

It's a time to ask about things or better still encourage them to talk about themselves so I'll know the issues and problems. It also gives me a chance to affirm and guide them, encourage or correct them - privately "in camera caritatis". Last night, I told my 12 year old son that I will always be his father no matter how badly he messes up; God forbid but just in case.

St. John Bosco did this with his seminarians. It is called a "Rendiconto" or manifestation where the person is full candor bared his soul with all the concerns, aspirations, failures and successes.

Online live Rosary prayers 24/7

http://www.comepraytherosary.org/  is a site where you can pray the Rosary in real time with other site visitors (worldwide option) or individually where you choose the mysteries and pray from the start.  There are also videos that help with the reflection.

Now, more than ever, we need prayers so that our people can have their choices respected in this coming elections and that godly and moral candidates be elected to lead and guide this great and influential country.

Video: Christian spirituality is joyous not dour, sullen, melanchonic, grumpy, depressed

This is the reason why I like certain blogs like the Crescat.  She does not take herself too seriously and even blogs openly about her foibles and dating disasters.  While other women would be mortified, she shares these without any regard for human respect.  Humility is truth as St. Theresa of Avila defines it.  And the Lord God looks upon the lowliness of His servant - as our Lady proclaims in her Magnificat.  Because of this, I think she is much closer to the Lord than any perfect lady. 

If video fails, go to http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2010/10/video-christian-spirituality-is-joyous.html



by Fr. James Martin, SJ

The video features:
the barber who gave free haircuts to a  Franciscan, Trappist & Jesuit,
how the Lord used a laugh-out funny technique to teach,
Card. O'Connor's memory aids for a shocking fact,
St. Theresa Avila's admission that, "she's more afraid of one unhappy nun than a crowd of evil spirits."
a humorous situation from the late Pope John XXIII who at a dinner had a guest whose dress exposed a great deal of cleavage.

Does due diligence require sending your kid to a private school?

Ten years ago, I carried him with one arm and anticipated his first word. Ten years from now, I’ll probably drop him off in college and help him lug his crate to his dorm. And then it’ll be practically over. Except for Thanksgiving and Christmas, he’ll be out there on his own with his life and whatever I’ve done to shape it.

With this in mind, I cherish every minute that I spend with him these days and try not to yell at him for every little flaw. Instead of ordering him around, I give him a hand with his chores and I ask him to ride with me so that we can have a conversation. That way, I get to understand what led him to punch his 7 year old sister the night before.

I am also spending my retirement savings on his schooling as I enrolled him in Catholic school this year. I figured, how can I enjoy my retirement if my son turns out to be a bum. He is just in middle school but I think it’s time to take him out of public schools. It’s the environment. Even if I opt out of having him take sex-ed, everyone else will be talking about how they did it. As a former educator, I am well aware of the tremendous impact of peers on kids his age.

Some people say that he’ll be exposed to that anyway even in Catholic schools. Even if that is true, the exposure is limited. It won’t be the culture but rather a deviation; in public school, it is the atmosphere. A speaker in my wife’s convention this year shared how he got lost in a public school restroom and found kids huddled together watching others engage in oral sex.

Others think that I am being snobbish and elitist but putting my kid there. They don’t have a clue that it is about faith not elegance or prestige. Still others consider that purity is overrated. They say just teach my kids about protected sex so they don’t get pregnant or masturbation is natural and is really no big deal. I guess they can only speak of what they know. Talking to them about purity, innocence and chastity is like casting pearls to hogs.  Then there's the all time favorite, "I went to public school and I turned out alright."  I am not much of a diplomat so all I can say to that is, "I want my son to turn out better than myself ... or yourself for that matter.  The mission that I have from God is to make saints out of my children and my wife.  Saints."
To St. John Bosco who produced almost a hundred canonized saints over the past 100 years, purity is everything. A chaste mind, heart and body is a practical submission of oneself to God, a faith lived out and the beginning of the love of God. The world and the tempter dismiss these as little things because, that is how people fall - little by little.

I have 5 kids. Catholic middle school is 6 grand a year and high school is 13 grand. We’ll take it one day at a time as the Lord’s prayer asks only for , “... our daily bread…”. And even if I end up never retiring in this life and shopping with food stamps at the end, then I’ll just retire in heaven. St. John Bosco used to say that.

Though I know I can’t shelter them all their lives, I sure will do everything I can so that at the end, I will have no regrets. I would have gone all out at this war for my children's salvation.  There won't any "if only I did this"  Besides, God will never be outdone in fidelity and generosity so who knows?

(painting by Norman Rockwell)

An insider's view of the decade when celibates became crazy with sex.

I was in the seminary then so I will give you an insider’s view. I was blessed to be in a religious society that emphasized chastity. St. John Bosco says, “If the Jesuits are renowned for their obedience and the Franciscans for poverty, then I want the Salesians to be specially observant of chastity.” And the Salesians of St. John Bosco got most of their vocations from their schools and minor seminaries; like apples from a tree, you get them fresh not rotten. Furthermore, I remember how rigorous our screening was. We had batteries psychological tests. More than that, the Salesians followed the practice of a “Rendiconto” – manifestation. There we met with the director and opened up everything in all candor. And these directors are highly trained and skilled in behavioral sciences. So, if there were issues then, they caught it.

My observations come from my encounters with other orders. I studied and ministered in places that were attended by non-Salesians and even lay-people and women – who most likely wanted to be ordained “when the Church is ready for them.”

Vatican II ushered new thoughts about sexuality and the body. A new theological paradigm no longer focused on the body and soul but rather consider a unified entity – a person. So, things associated with the body e.g. sexual drives are not automatically sinful; rather, they’re normal. So, people were more open about these matters. Some brothers talked about nude beaches in CA. Others mooned boys during summer camp. And the list goes on. There’s even an internationally known theologian who taught that impure actions are not sinful. They still are sinful and the theologian no longer teaches in a Catholic university.

I remember getting teased because I blushed at off-colored jokes. ( It would be nice to meet those guys now and show them my 5 kids. They should have been 8, but we had 3 miscarriages. )

In addition to that, relations with the opposite sex was also loosened up. Some orders allow their candidates to take a year off and date before continuing into theological studies. The Salesians had a practical training where the candidates worked full-time in schools, youth centers or parishes. That’s how we mingled with women. And this continued while people studied theology. I told my director about my strong attraction to women. So, I got assigned to moderate a choir of high-school girls and the Legion of Mary. But I kept my vows all that time. Others however pushed the envelope and had this “third-way” where celibates had a girlfriend. I assumed that it was kind of Platonic relationship. But I distinctly remember an exam question from my Moral theology class that goes: “If you saw a fellow seminarian come out from a single woman’s apartment early in the morning, what would you do?”

I don’t know about homosexual relationships. But, I didn’t see that. It appears that there were confreres who became particular friends. Particular friendship is more sentimental or romantic – thus carnal. We were taught to be friends with all or with none. However, there were still likes and dislikes just as jocks hanged out with other jocks et. al.

There were affirmation therapy to fix emotional scars from childhood. This is very touchy-feely so a lot of hugging.

There was art therapy.  There was an oil painting in our center made by a confrere.  It was abstract but not enough to hide the images of a couple copulating.

Bottom line, the sex abuses came out in the context of a conceptual upheaval and a cyclone of new ideas. Some folks discarded the old-school methods and disciplines and engaged in risky behavior.  There are plenty of lessons here but if I can emphasize one thing, it will be transparency.  Not the kind that we see from Obama these days, but one that is honest and open.  Afterall, one cannot hide anything from God.

Turning iron into gold.

The devil’s advocate insisted, “When did Don Bosco pray?” St. John Bosco founded religious orders, built churches, established schools, wrote books and fulfilled his priestly duties that there seems to be no time for personal prayer. The defender of his cause replied, “When did Don Bosco not pray?”

The point is that St. John Bosco prayed with every activity. While he focused on the task at hand, he did it as an offering to God. While St. Benedict’s motto was “Work and prayer”, with St. John Bosco it became “Work is prayer.”

One way to do this is to have a pure intention e.g. fulfilling God’s will, working for God’s glory, or saving souls. So, when blogging one thinks not of getting hits but of uplifting the blogosphere.  In so doing, one does not put porn-like images to attract readers.

Another way to transform work is to live in “God’s presence”. While God is always there, we may forget that reality. To constantly remind oneself, one can say a prayer of aspiration like “Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine”.

Having a crucifix, holy pictures or Bible passages around also helps. I remember cursing up a storm when my project manager stopped by and made small talk about the icons in my cubicle. If the icons by themselves don’t help, my co-workers will make sure that they do – I guess.

This practice of continued prayer is living the liturgy of life. It is like offering Mass all day long.  It enables us to convert our mundane activities into spiritual treasure, like iron into gold.

My Journey: Communion on Tongue Childish ? et. al.

I went for the parents' class of the First Communicants and was surprised by how our parish priest characterized receiving Holy Communion on the tongue.  He said, "If we had hang-ups with receiving communion by the hand and want to be fed like a child, then the option of receive it on the tongue is still available but, we must teach our kids that they can receive it by the hand."  I was doing that because I did not want particles of the consecrated host to be left in my palm.

I had the cable TV service cut off and it worked wonders.  We sleep earlier and there was less mischief in the house - usually when kids mimic the cartoon network characters.  The family night prayers are succeeding and my good night talks have been received eagerly.  Last night, I spoke about the Eucharistic miracles - the blood showing in the host and the donkey kneeling at the manager.  Since my kids go to public schools, they have been exposed to non-believers so, they question a lot e.g. "Hiow do I know that?  etc..."    I patiently addressed their questions but in the end, it boils down to faith in Jesus Who is God.

iCarly's Dancing Bra, Suite Life of Zack & Cody & St. John Bosco's "Goodnight Talk" before the "Great Silence"

Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7z2RR1CgnQ  or click here
In this video, the dancing bra tells ghosts stories.

While snowed in, I watched the same shows with my kids. There’s Nickolodeon iCarly about 3 tweens and their web-based show. There's a voluptuous dancing bra that makes an appearance from time to tome like the segment above. It seemed harmless enough until I found a Google search for ‘Boobs and Tits’ in my computer's history.

Then there's “The Suite Life on Deck” where smart-alecky kids lie all the time. And the show finds it acceptable and humorous most of the time. So, my 10-year old lied about feeding the dog until the poor animal foraged for food in the garbage last night.

These are Disney shows but they’re nothing in moral content like those from the Wonderful World of Disney decades ago. So, I'm cutting out cable TV. And I’ll give a good-night talk in the way St. John Bosco did to his homeless youth. The good-night talk is done after night prayers and contains a moral lesson from something that happened during the day. That is how St. John Bosco made faith part of life. And psychologically, it is a most effective time to instill good thoughts. The talk is followed by the great silence – in the monastic tradition where no one talks unless it is an emergency. That silence ushers in sleep but also combats dissipation and distractions. The serenity and stillness brings recollection and a sense of God’s awesome and mysterious presence.

The reckless distractions from TV has to be not only filtered out but replaced with wholesome and spiritual thoughts.

St. John Bosco's La Casa Nostra

One of the traits of St. John Bosco’s religious order is the preeminence of the community. The Salesians are not supermen like Jesuits; they’re average Joes who work together as a team. For a Salesian, it is better to achieve only 80% when you work with the community than to get 100% by doing it alone.  It's called "In unum locum, in unum spiritum." or "in one place and one spirit".

All the religious orders have community life but the Salesians live theirs differently – the difference is the “Family Spirit”. And it is not just a generic family, but an Italian family. I don’t know if I should bring up the Sopranos or Godfather here but, there is that tight cohesion that is absent from those families where the children fly off the nest as soon as they turn 18.

I try to instill the same spirit at home by asking my kids to help each other with their chores. While they have their assignments, they’re not allowed to say, “That’s not my job.” I set the example by helping my them myself. 

St. John Bosco's Spirit of Change

St. John Bosco (1888) may have scandalized others in his efforts to attract and educate boys. Rather than detaching himself from the world and limiting himself to priestly work, he got involved in contract negotiations with the employers of the exploited boys who flocked into the city from the countryside. Rather than wait for them to knock at the Rectory, he went out to find them in the alleys near liquor stores. Rather than keep himself so prim and proper with well starched vestments, he pulled his cossack up as he raced in the town square with the boys.

His attitude of change has been immortalized in the Rules of the Salesians. This has been why his order has thrived and grown to be the third largest in the world today.

To adapt to the needs of times requires the ability to read the “signs of the times“. Being stuck in age old ways is not fidelity; it can be blindness. If one is wearing shades, then everything is seen in that hue. When something fails, it is blamed on everything other than oneself.

I remember meeting two Salesians back in the 80s. The younger talked about the modem setup in the school while the older talked about the book binding shop. It is not good when people get stuck in a rut; because, if all they have is a hammer, then everything else looks like a nail.

To innovate is risky. It is safer to be reactionary, to sit back and wait for the innovator to fail. But as St. Theresa of the Avila wrote, “One who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.” People nowadays are severely criticizing the experiments and abuses brought about by the second Vatican council. But some of these activities were attempts to respond to situations that have never confronted the Church before.  People made it up as they went along.

In the past St. Thomas Aquinas integrated Catholic faith with Aristotelian philosophy and produced the classical Scholasticism that is still taught in the seminaries. But it was radical to use a pagan philosophy to explain the revealed truth in Salvation history. 

More recently, there were some who took the Catholic faith and blended it with the Marxist dialectical thought to produce Liberation theology. They thought that since Communism was inevitable, they might as well Christianize it. And that turned out to be tragic mistake. However, I doubt if the liberation theologians were men of prayer because, it is hard to believe how that approach can come from above. And that is the difference between a faithful innovation versus a reckless change.

Prayer makes one honestly accept his ineffectiveness and consider others’ ideas. Prayer brings courage to risk making mistakes and being criticized. Courage comes the cour meaning heart, the symbol of charity. Prayer cultivates one’s love for God and neighbor that makes one reach beyond his comfort zone and find the second wind to start all over.

If the Church is to address the needs of our days, they may need that gift of adaptability given through St. John Bosco.

St. John Bosco took the tiger out of the woods and the woods out of the tiger

You can take the tiger out of the woods, but you can’t take the woods out of the tiger.  While the young can be taken away from dangerous surroundings, there are innate tendencies that will still be a source of temptation.  St. John Bosco is aware of these that is why he took the tiger out of the woods, away from the occasions of sin like places and persons.  Moreover, he tried to take the woods out of the tiger.

He sheltered the boys in his school and helped them along the straight and narrow by prevention and assistance.  Assistance is commonly understood as supervision, but the idea was not to be a police man trying to catch the boys when they fail.  Rather, it is becoming a coach who supports the boys in their efforts.  That is why you will find the priests and brothers always with the boys.  The preventive measures are activities, outlets of energy – manual work, sports, hobbies, studies, prayers, music, drama and others.  In addition to that, St. John Bosco instilled the ideals of holiness by presenting saints for emulation and by frequent reception of Confession and Holy Communion.  Then there is the constant vigilance and regular weeding lest vice creeps in the delicate souls of the young.  This was done through the daily examination of conscience and the monthly retreats.  Even little things are watched because the devil does not tempt one to sin big all of a sudden.  Rather, he starts with little things and progresses on to imperfections, to little sins and then to a grave fall from grace.

Today, one can still apply St. John Bosco’s methods of prevention to preserve one’s innocence.  Control the environment and shut out all the sources of temptation.  Control oneself and avoid idleness.  Finally, bolster one’s strength by grace from the sacraments and by self-discipline.  Mortifications such as denying oneself of things which are not bad help in strengthening the will power.  If you can choose to not super size your fries, then that’s a start.  Later when you see a suggestive picture appear on your web page, you can easily avoid gawking at it.  But if you indulge yourself, then you may find it more difficult to say no when you really need to.  If you let yourself go, then you can end up easily like Tiger Woods.

Happy New Year 2010 ( Joy & Optimism of St. John Bosco)

As the year begins, I wish everyone conservative and liberals alike to fill their hearts with joy and optimism.  "Let nothing bother you,"  St. John Bosco used to say.  The Salesian Spirituality focuses in God's Providence and refuses to be discouraged by hardships and set backs.  It is also based on St. Francis de Sales optimistic humanism that believes in the innate goodness of people without ignoring his weaknesses.  As St. Paul exhorts, "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil 4:4) because the "fruit of God's spirit is love, joy, peace..."( Gal 5:22 ) and this is the foundation of our hope.

(updated) Terrorist peed on the fuse; Bullies and wuss; Getting ready to die in DC

Underwear terrorist peed on the fuse.

I think the underwear terrorist could have done a lot of damage if his bomb worked.  He must have peed on the fuse.  But now I see posts blaming Bush for that.  While Bush was in office, nothing of the sort happened since 9/11;  and the man has been away for a year now.  So, how can he or his administration be responsible for this?  Oh and get this, Janet Napolitano said that "The system worked."  I don't think it was the system that caused the wardrobe  malfunction.  So, I beg to differ.

Bullies Respect Only Power.

Character and personality studies have determined that the aggressive type understand and respect courage and power.  A bully will stop pushing  someone around only if he knows that he can and will be pushed back.  He does not respond to the nice guy approach because he thinks that is acquiescence and cowardice.  Would there still be an Israel today if they apologized to their neighbors and bowed to every sovereign king around them?

Exercise for a Happy Death

St. John Bosco had this practice with his students.  It consisted of a monthly recollection of the 4 last things:  Death, Judgment, Heaven & Hell and the sacrament of confession.  Death, than which nothing is more certain; Judgement, than which nothing is more strict; Hell, than which nothing is more horrible; and Heaven, than which nothing is more beautiful!"  The idea is to be ready to die anytime.  Back in the 19th century, death was more common than today.  Living in the outskirts of the nations capital, I somehow feel the need to get ready now more than ever.

Update:

Israeli Airport Security Screens:
It's good, cheap & fast.
Relatively low tech but high touch (not what you think)
Details here:  http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/744426--what-israel-can-teach-us-about-security

Recommendations Given By St. John Bosco To His First Missionaries (Still good & applicable to military & public servants too)

St. John Bosco (front row 2nd left) with his first missionaries

Winning hearts and minds

One in heart and soul

Recommendations Given By St. John Bosco To His First Missionaries

1.        Seek souls and not money, honor or dignities.

2.       Be charitable and most courteous towards all, but avoid conversations and familiarity with persons of the other sex or with persons whose conduct is open to suspicion.

3.       Do not go visiting, except for motives of charity or necessity.

4.       Do not accept invitations to dinner, except for very grave reasons.  In such cases arrange for a confrere to accompany you.

5.       Take special care of the sick, of the young, of the old and of the poor; and you will win the blessing of God and the goodwill of men.

6.       Show respect towards all persons in authority whether civil or religious.

7.       On meeting a person in authority, take care to salute him with due respect.

8.       Do the same towards ecclesiastics and persons belonging to religious institutes.

9.       Shun idleness and disputes, and observe great moderation in eating, drinking and sleeping.

10.   Love, reverence and respect other religious orders and always speak well of them.  In this way you will be esteemed by all, and will promote the good of our congregation.

11.   Take care of your health.  Work well, but only do as much as your strength will allow.

12.   Let the world know that you are poor in clothing, food and abode, and you will be rich in the sight of God, and will win the hearts of men.

13.   Love one another, advise one another, correct one another, and do not be carried away be either envy or rancor.  Let the good of one become the good of all, and let the troubles and sufferings of one be regarded as the troubles and sufferings of all, and let each one strive to banish or at least to mitigate the sorrows of others.

14.   Observe your rules, and never forget the monthly Exercise for a Happy Death.

15.   Every morning commend to God the occupations of the day, especially lessons, religious instructions and sermons.

16.   Constantly promote devotion to Mary Help of Christians, and to the Blessed Sacrament.

17.   Recommend to the boys frequent confessions and communion.

18.   In order to cultivate ecclesiastical vocations, constantly inculcate: (a) love of chastity; (b) horror of the opposite vice; (c) avoidance of bad companions; and (d) frequent communion.  Always be charitable, gentle and kindly towards the boys.

19.   Hear both sides before making up your mind regarding reports and matters in dispute.

20.   In time of fatigue and suffering do not forget that we have a great reward prepared for us in heaven.  Amen

Blog: Feastdays - a celebration of the spirit & the body

In St. John Bosco's schools and youth centers, feast days are celebrated with fanfare.  There were stage presentations - operettas back in his day, sports competitions and something special at the table.  It is a time of  merriment.  Since yesterday was the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, I started a tradition at home.  It was nothing big - just having soft-batched cookies and chocolate milk for dessert.  This is special because my wife does not let the kids have chocolate milk.  I explained why we're having something special and told my son to remind me next year, so I can get the treats.  My eldest asked for the date and I bet you, he'll remember.  He tells me of events that happened when he was 4 or 5

Blog: Don't ask what the priest said at Confession, How I encouraged spiritual reading, St. John Bosco's novel approach to Confession

Don't break the seal of confession
Last week, the parents of the first communicants were required to attend a lecture from the pastor about the sacraments.  It reminded me not to ask my kids about what the priest would say to him because, that is a violation of the seal of Confession.


St. John Bosco made saints by confession
One of the novelties of St. John Bosco's method is that he encouraged his boys to go to confession as ofter as the church allows i.e. once a week.  That was a novelty back then and is even now.  But it works because there are over 30 people on the way to canonization because of this.  The theology is that you get grace every time you receive the sacrament.  So, would you rather get it once a week or less frequently?


Spiritual reading for my boys
My boys, 10 & 7 yr. olds, keep asking me for jobs to earn money because they do not have an allowance.  I give them extra jobs on top of their chores like weeding the garden or mopping the house.  Tonight I saw my 10 year old boy finish a 100+ pages of Harry Potter and that gave me an idea to encourage spiritual reading.  I offered all of them a penny per page for extra reading  and 2 cents if it is about the saints or the Bible.  I told my son not to read about witches but try the Hardy Boys instead.  He is open to the idea.


Not martyr material yet
During our marriage preparation classes, I recall being told that sometimes you have to pull back from your kids to recharge yourself.  On Saturdays, I function as the butler/dad to my 4 kids - specially with my 2 year old.  Today was a little hard as she would pull me from bed to the dinner table.  After I have served her with a glass of milk, a bowl of cereal, a banana and some juice, she still pulls me beside her as though she wanted me just to stand next to her.  But I was really exhausted - mentally, emotionally and  physically.  I recalled the lesson and took some time for myself to recover by locking myself in the bedroom to take a nap.  Later, I told my wife about it and she said that my daughter might be missing me a lot.  She does call me at work during the day and babble.  She's 2.

Seminary Memoirs: Salesian Purity and 'Delicatezza'

St. John Bosco emphasized chastity as the hallmark of his religious society.  If the Jesuits are renowned for their obedience, the Franciscans for their poverty, then the Salesians (of St. John Bosco) will be distinguished by their chastity.  He was prophetic in insisting that those working with boys should excel in this virtue because they will be in grave danger.

When I was in the college seminary back in Asia, we slept in dorms where there are around 50 beds in one big enclosure.  Whenever we changed or went for showers, we wrapped a towel around our waist.  That was one of our practices of  'delicatezza'  - translated as a mix of of refinement, sensitivity, modesty, purity and chastity.  We even washed our own underwear even if we had a laundry service.  Whenever we talked to women, we look at the entire face and not in the eyes.  We don't tell green jokes and we controlled our curiosity or practiced custody of the senses.

When I went to the States, I met religious brothers who talked about mooning others during summer camp.  I know what mooning is and I was shocked that men with vows of chastity would drop trou just  for the fun of it.  But I did not react.  It must be an American thing, I thought.  Then I met others who talked about nude beaches in California.  I guess I have to be realistic because the kids know about these too.  Then there were others who talked about how they look when wearing spandex trunks.  I must have stood out that someone said that a women can be raped in front of me and I would not know about it.  I just let that one pass.

Then, there was this professor at Catholic U who was teaching a form of sexual morality that is not in conformity with Catholic ethos and morals.  So, he got canned.  But he was there for a few years teaching his lunacy.  How many clerics bought his venom?

How much of this is cultural?  And even if this were so, Christianity is counter-cultural.  It is not of this world.  Looking back, I know that the strict 'delicatezza' way of preserving purity is the way to go.