The Prophet of Cuernavaca: Ivan Illich and the Crisis of the West by Todd Hartch (review)

Todd Hartch, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University and the author of The Rebirth of Latin American Christianity (New York, 2014), has succeeded admirably in providing context for understanding and significant analysis, both historical and theological, of the priest and social critic Ivan Illich (1926–2002). This book is best understood not as a biography in the traditional sense but rather as a successful effort to trace the development of Illich’s thought and work, especially focusing on his years in Puerto Rico (1956–60) and Mexico (beginning in 1961 and continuing for about ten years), and on his critique of modern society, especially its hegemonic educational and medical systems, as exemplified in his books, Deschooling Society (New York, 1971) and Medical Nemesis (New York, 1976).

Illich, whose father was Croatian and mother a Sephardic Jew, was born in Vienna. He was widely recognized as a polyglot and an extremely talented and intelligent man. He studied science in Florence as well as philosophy and theology in Rome, and earned a doctorate in history in Salzburg. In Rome, he wrote on Romano Guardini and was significantly influenced by Jacques Maritain, with whom he read St. Thomas Aquinas. When he was ordained a priest in 1951, Monsignor Giovanni Battista Montini, surrogate (sostituto) for ordinary affairs in the Vatican Secretariat of State and the future Pope Paul VI, hoped that he would enter the Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici in preparation for a career as a papal diplomat. Illich chose instead to attend Princeton University and write a second doctoral dissertation (habilitation), on Albertus Magnus, so he could secure a post as a professor. During his time in Princeton, he assisted the Archdiocese of New York in serving as a curate to Puerto Rican immigrants.

While working among these immigrants, he decided to abandon a traditional academic career and was named in 1956, under the auspices of Cardinal Francis J. Spellman, vice-rector of the Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce. There he established a language school for New York priests and religious to expand the “Spanish apostolate” in New York. His method involved a deep cultural and sociological immersion by the student in addition to language studies. He judged many of the American priests and religious on the island to be ill-prepared and ill-suited for pastoral service there and, as a consequence, ineffective as agents of the Gospel and Church. He was also quick to criticize publicly the American bishops assigned to Puerto Rico, particularly for their political stances. They insisted that he be removed.

Still supported by Spellman, Illich established a language school at Cuernavaca in 1961, intending to prepare American missionaries to serve the Church in South America, in response to a papal appeal. It was not long before Illich, ironically, concluded that it would be advisable to send home the potential missionaries or have them choose a different path. He did this by vigorously challenging the motives and capacities of his students. He often proved to be merciless both with the naïve and the culturally arrogant. In 1967 he published a scathing critique, “The Seamy Side of Charity,” in which he attacked the entire effort he was sent to support with formation as well as some of his most ardent supporters.¹ This direct challenge to the missionary endeavors of the Holy See and the U.S. Church in Latin America drew a papal inquiry, which, although it never led to any ecclesiastical penalty, appears to have been a prelude to his renouncing the public exercise of his priesthood, as well as ecclesiastical titles (including Monsignor) and privileges.

Hartch is not hesitant both to express sympathy for Illich and many of his views, as well as highlight his shortcomings and inconsistencies, including a tendency to undermine the institutional pastoral structures entrusted to him. The book is complete with good endnotes, a...