making ourselves esteemed, respected and loved” 409. In other words, moral authority is based on reason and love. “Whoever wants to be esteemed by the young should first of all show that he esteems them. Therefore he should never speak scornfully of anyone”. 410 “Whoever wants to be respected by his pupils, should always be calm, self-controlled, and show that he is guided by reason alone in dealing with them”.411 “But should anyone want to hold sway over the hearts of the young, he should most of all make himself loved. Whoever is loved is also willingly listened to and obeyed. But there is no other manner by which to make oneself loved than to love. 'Si vis Amari,ama'. 412 “And so, whoever wants to make himself loved by his pupils should be the first one to love them with a sincere heart and with the affection of a father and friend. Let this be his main concern, to care for all that they may need and be of advantage to them both spiritually and physically. For honour, let him try to please them and satisfy their honest wishes as much as possible, let him share their pleasures and their and displeasures”.413
According to Teppa the exercise of authority should be commensurate with the different temperaments and dispositions of the young: “The simple voice of reason for the young who are docile and submissive, the authority of the command for the young who are hardheaded and stubborn”.414 But at the same time, it is pointed out, every one without discrimination should never lose sight of the objective: “a sincere and lasting love of virtue, sense of duty, desire for what is truly good; and the method to be used – the way of gentleness and persuasion”. “There is no doubt that this is the way most suited to human nature and consequently the way which produces more lasting results, even though at times they are less readily available and visible. Let this way be always regarded as the main tool for education”.415
This kind of authority will suggest all the main ways required for an educational intervention: “when we have to command, instruct and exhort;416 when we have to warn, correct and reproach;417 when we have to punish,418 praise and reward”.419 “Orders should be used in moderation and always be issued with dignity, gently, seriously and firmly”.420 “Instruction and exhortation are to be preferred, and they should neither be too long nor inopportune”.421 “Instruction and exhortation should later be followed up with warnings and kindly corrections because the young are naturally unstable, inconsiderate and absent-minded, so it is necessary to remind them with brief, kind words about their duties, their resolutions, the promises they have made so that they may not be found at fault through forgetfulness or absent-mindedness or instability”.422
“The teacher should be convinced that the more he does this, the less need will there be for him to have recourse to punishments. This is why the teacher should always be attentive and vigilant and be imbued at the same time with much zeal and charity”.423 “If simple warnings are not enough, then the teacher should use admonitions, being careful however to be ready to speak with the loving kindness and effective reasoning good enough to persuade and move the minds of the pupils”.424 “But when the
409 Ibid., 14-16.
410 Ibid., 17.
411 Ibid., 18-19.
412 Ibid., 21.
413 A. M. Teppa, Avvertimenti per gli educatori ecclesiastici della gioventù 22.
414 Ibid., 25-26.
415 Ibid., 27-28.
416 Ibid., ch. 4, 29-33.
417 Ibid., ch. 5, 33-34.
418 Ibid., ch. 6, 41-51.
419 Ibid., ch. 7, 51-54.
420 Ibid., 29-31.
421 Ibid., 31-33.
422 Ibid., 33.
423 Ibid., 34.
424 Ibid., 35.