I entreat them to do so, they will make great progress. Do not be afraid
to write quite candidly to me; letters are slow but sure in coming. I
wish you could be a little clearer and more detailed in speaking of the
causes which prevent the Superior from being quite fitted for her
office; I thought they were exterior rather than interior. Ah! what a
pity that our negligence should be of such prejudice to the service of
our good God. Write openly and walk faithfully in uprightness,
simplicity, and great gentleness, bearing with your neighbour, and
supporting her without stint. Seek God in all things and be faithful to
Him. He looks to the intention. Speak out boldly, with entire confidence
to our good M. Michel; he is a good and sincere man. Adieu, my daughter.
May the great Jesus make you all His own. Amen.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] Sister Paule Jéronyme de Monthoux de Annemasse was the first
Superior of the foundation of Nevers, 1620, and in 1625 of that of
Blois. Her biographer, Mother de Chaugy, tells us that in the houses she
founded the virtues of simplicity, poverty, and humility were so
successfully implanted by her that it could truly be said: "The workman
is recognized in the perfection of his work." She died at Blois in 1661,
where her memory was held in such veneration that a tombstone was
erected in her honour, half of which tombstone was in the Nun's choir
and half in the secular chapel, in order thus to satisfy the devotion of
the people.
XXVIII. _To M. Michel Favre, Confessor to St. Francis de Sales, and to
the Religious of the Visitation at Annecy._
Vive [+] Jésus!
GRENOBLE, 1618.
Most truly, good Father and dear son, do I long for leisure to write as
my heart dictates to you, but it is impossible. My feelings towards you
are those of a mother, and greatly have you consoled me by your kindness
in telling me how God has made known His will to those two dear sisters
who aspire to Him and find their rest in His paternal bosom. It gives me
ineffable consolation, seeing that I myself have this same attraction,
but I should like to know the very words that were communicated to them
so that I may feed my soul upon them. This I say from my heart. Give me
then this satisfaction, and do you also nourish yourself with this
sacred manna. Truly having this, how can we seek elsewhere for other
place of security and rest?
Alas! dear Father, how pitiable are our infirmities and imperfections!
These two Sisters appear to me to be unduly observant of one another.
They have this defect by nature, and I think it better that I should not
tell them of it, lest they suffer from jealousy, both having so much
affection for me and such a desire to please me; but if you put it
before them and induce them to be more simple, cordial, and open with
one another that is all that is needed to set matters right, for I
plainly see that each fears to do wrong. Sister Assistant, who seems to
me the least in fault, ought to divert Sister N.'s mind, and be trustful
and more companionable, compassionately bearing with her, and in this
way draw her out of her melancholy. That is how I should act, and by so
doing I have often relieved and cured souls: warming their hearts with
confidence, talking over matters with them quite openly, while
consulting them as if I had need of their advice, and trusting them; yet
referring neither to their state of melancholy, nor to the subjects on
which they philosophize; neither to their difficulties nor to the
concerns of their neighbour. In a word, let these sisters act as charity
will teach them, if they but ask Our Lord. For, as our very dear Lord[A]
said to me yesterday, "It is to the humble souls that the divine
Goodness gives true wisdom."
Verily, if there is any lack of conformity to the teachings of our
Institute it is most improper that the sister novices should know of it.
This is a thing of importance, and is too serious to be dealt with
merely as we may feel inclined. The Mistress should lead the Novices
according to the ordinary exercises of the house, and if on some
occasion she differs in opinion as to these, she should communicate with
the Superior, and learn from her how to act. But for ordinary things,
when the sisters who are under the charge of the Mistress come to speak
to the Superior of their interior state and their difficulties she
should, before answering, ask them if they have spoken to their Mistress
and what she said on the subject. If their Mistress has wisely
instructed, let her confirm what the Mistress has said, and encourage
them to follow her direction; if, on the contrary, the Mistress has led
them astray she ought not to let the novice know it, but put her
imperceptibly on the right way, and then go herself to the Mistress,
talk the matter over with her, instructing her, and instilling into her
a desire to serve the Sisters affectionately. To me it seems always
better, when necessary, to nourish the esteem and confidence of the
novices for their Mistress. I should like the Superior to speak to them
as far as possible only through her, except when the Rule ordains
otherwise. But I have already written so much about this that I hope it
will be done; for I certainly see that our Sister Assistant has an
excellent heart. She must be encouraged to get out of herself, and to
seek the advancement and repose of the Sisters with simplicity and
integrity: only speaking to them for this end, and to console them: for
sometimes for our own satisfaction we have an awkward way of teasing and
worrying others by inopportunely returning to a subject which we should
never do if we gave ourselves time to reflect.
I write to you as to a trusty friend. Manage it all, very dear Father,
as you think best. It seems to me that if you do it as coming from
yourself it will be better received than if they thought you had
complained to me, or than if I said it myself.
Certainly this life is full of mortifications, therefore it is necessary
to keep ourselves above it, looking for a better life in which you will
clearly see how sincerely I am,
Yours, etc.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] St. Francis de Sales.
XXIX. _To Sister Anne Marie Rosset, Assistant at Annecy._
Vive [+] Jésus!
GRENOBLE, 1618.
It will be a great comfort to you, my very dear Sister, to see His
Lordship,[A] and to hear that all the people here expect to become more
fervent in the service of Our Lord by means of this house. God grant it
may be so! What a consolation it is to hear that Sister Paule Jéronyme
is fulfilling so well her very important charge. I hope all our dear
Sisters will by a faithful and strict observance of our holy Rules
advance every day in the way of Our Lord. To this fidelity, in the name
of our sweetest Saviour, I exhort them, and I embrace them all in spirit
with true and most sincere love. They should continue as the Rule
teaches, and with earnestness, to pray for the health and the growth in
holiness of his Lordship. And let them neither forget us, nor the other
new and dear foundations that are being planted here and there by the
hand of Our Lord; for these ought to be as dear to us as our own, since
it is the divine Will that we dwell in perfect union of heart, as by the
grace of God we do. Salute all our friends for me, especially dear
Madame de la Valbonne, not forgetting my poor old Sister Anne
Jacqueline, nor my friends the workmen, for whom I have a great liking.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] St. Francis de Sales left Grenoble to return to Annecy just at this
time.
XXX. _To Sister Paul Jéronyme de Monthoux, Mistress of Novices at
Annecy._
Vive [+] Jésus!
GRENOBLE,
_26th April, 1618._
MY POOR JÉRONYME,
I know all about your little difficulties with good Sister Assistant.
You were like two children, but I see by your last letter you are now
simple and frank as children ought to be with one another. What pleasure
this gives me! It is just how I desire to see the heart of my dearest
little Jéronyme. You must keep it up and make no reflections whatever on
the past. As it helps you so much to tell me about your troubles, do so,
my daughter, for I am very glad to know them. You will have to be very
very generous in bearing with yourself and with others. Certainly, speak
out fearlessly, in a spirit of charity and cordial confidence, to Sister
Assistant of all you think proper. God be praised for the satisfactory
way in which your dear novices are getting on. You should be continually
helping them to advance, but do it gently, and bear with the little
weaknesses which are in some. Yes, the Mistress can speak to them when
necessary at their assembly and can send a young professed sister to
fetch her work. Their letters ought to be given to her, who can doubt
it? She can also speak to the novices during great silence but not
without necessity. Should the number in the novitiate be considerable
you must, in a spirit of charity, take what time you think necessary to
satisfy them. I have a great affection for you, child. No, no; you must
not say to the Sister Assistant, "Our Mother would not do that," unless
it be in council, and then only if necessary and with great respect.
XXXI. _To Madame de la Fléchère._
Vive [+] Jésus!
BOURGES,
_2nd February, 1619._
Only one word, my dearest Sister, for it is not long since I wrote to
you, and I await good news of you. My own, thank God, is good. Our
little house goes on peaceably, its good odour increasing. As to my
children, I hope my daughter's marriage with M. de Foras will soon be
arranged, and that she will settle in Burgundy.[A]
My son[B] gives me as keen a sorrow as ever a mother could suffer--the
cause I will tell you when we meet. He is at court, brave and gallant as
he can be, and they tell me, that he is resolved to conduct himself well
and to make his fortune. My own wish is that he should do so with our
good Prince, but I know not what he will do. My dear Father will help
him. I am overwhelmed with letters that have to be answered, so I must
conclude. O, my very dear Sister, may the great Jesus be our only love!
Amen.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] This marriage never took place, for, though St. Jane Frances desired
it, Françoise could not make up her mind to accept the gentleman.
[B] Celse Benigne, in whose character good and bad qualities were so
mingled that he was at once the joy and the anguish of his mother, each
time he risked the life of both his soul and body by the unfortunate
duels in which he was so often engaged, nearly broke her heart. In order
to avoid the seductions of Paris and the dangerous influence of his
friends, the Saint was anxious to have him attached to the Court of
Savoy, but her project did not find favour with the young Baron.
XXXII. _To Mother Jeanne Charlotte de Bréchard, Superior at Moulins._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS,
_July 9th, 1619._
MY VERY DEAR DAUGHTER,
This is only a line to announce the arrival of a good young lady[A] whom
his Lordship and I are sending to you. She needs a home to retire to,
and ardently desires to find it with us. Now, as we cannot have her
here, we hope you will welcome her and look after her lovingly and
charitably. She is a lady of quality and can give a good pension. She
will not come to you for a fortnight, so that you may have time to get
everything suitably ready for her. See that she has a little room with a
very neat and comfortable bed and all things as we are accustomed to
have them. Adieu, she will give you all our news. Do not expect his
Lordship for the clothing ceremony. Alas! this good and dear Father
feels far from well. Pray for him. I wrote to you the other day.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] The lady so charitably recommended to Mother de Bréchard was
Mademoiselle de Morville (Madame du Tertre). Left a widow at twenty-two,
she had long before given herself up to a life of vanity and worldly
pleasure. Her parents, anxious to safeguard her honour and the future of
her children, procured for her an introduction to St. Francis de Sales,
who was then in Paris. The result of this acquaintance was that Madame
du Tertre quickly renounced her unedifying life and asked to be admitted
into a Visitation Monastery, not as an aspirant to religious life but as
a secular benefactress.
Thinking it desirable to remove her to a distance from Paris, where the
temptations to return to her former life might prove too strong for one
so weak and so recently converted, St. Francis arranged with her family
and with Mother de Chantal to ask Mother de Bréchard to give her a home
in her convent. His solicitude was ill repaid. This volatile and
mischievous young woman brought endless bitterness to his heart, and to
that of St. Jane Frances, while she was the source of misery and
contention in the community in which she lived. In due time, acting upon
the advice of their holy Founder, who was ever too hopeful in his views
about Madame du Tertre, she was allowed to make her profession, but she
soon relapsed into her former disedifying and uncontrolled manner of
living, thereby becoming the cause of great suffering to the Institute.
A letter of St. Jane Frances' shows that her repentance at the end was
genuine, and that she died happily in peace with God.
XXXIII. _To Mother Péronne Marie de Châtel, Superior at Grenoble._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS, 1619.
You ask me, my dear daughter, if we are poor. Yes, indeed we are, but I
hardly ever give it a thought. Heaven and earth may pass away, but the
word of God remains eternally as the foundation of our hope. He has said
that if we seek His kingdom and His justice all the rest shall be added
unto us. I believe Him, and I trust in Him. The extreme necessity in
which we sometimes find ourselves gives us opportunities of practising
holy confidence in God and rare perfection. Truly we already see how
wise it is to adhere to Him and to hope in Him against all human hope,
for our foundation has been a thousand times more successful than we
dared to anticipate.
XXXIV. _To Mother Marie Jacqueline Favre, Superior at Lyons._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS,
_September 29, 1619._
What a great consolation for you, my very dear daughter, to have the joy
of a little visit from our dearest Father! It is such a relief that he
is out of Paris, where the epidemic[A] is so bad that his departure was
a delight to me. Although it surrounds us do not fear for us, daughter,
only pray earnestly that we may accomplish the most holy will of our
good God. I have every confidence that nothing will happen but what is
His good pleasure, and what pleases Him pleases us. So if it is His will
I shall often write to you, and I will address all my letters to his
Lordship, who has desired me to keep him well acquainted with our news.
I wish you could find out the best address for our letters and tell me
also how you will send yours. It would be well to take advantage of M.
Rousselet when he returns to this town, for he has a brother at Lyons.
I do not give you any news, dear daughter, for I have commissioned my
nephew de Boisy to do it; and besides, you know it is a thing which is
distasteful to me. One thing only is necessary--to possess God, and for
this I have a burning desire. This alone is happiness. All the rest is
mere smoke. Cling then with constancy to this holy aim. Write to me of
your interior state: you will be reviewing it now.[B] O God, how I love
that heart of my great and dear daughter! I long to see it generous,
pure, perfect, in a word united in a holy union with the _Heart_ of its
amiable and adorable God. Adieu, my daughter, a thousand good mornings
to you and to your dear flock. I do not know if his Grace of Lyons has
returned: he will mayhap want to delay the change of your congregation
into a monastery.[C] It is, however, expedient that it should be done
before you are taken away. His Lordship will speak to you of this. But
it must be managed very tactfully. One word in conclusion. Test your
daughters well before their profession.
Adieu, my daughter. I am always yours in Our Lord. You know this. May He
be blessed! St. Michael's Day.
FOOTNOTES:
[A] We read in the inedited "Foundations of the First Monastery of
Paris": "In the years 1619 and 1620 God permitted a terrible plague to
break out in Paris. Terror drove away not only the court but almost the
entire population, who sought safety in flight. So deserted did this
great city become that we are told the grass grew in the streets. As
might be expected in such circumstances, the alms upon which our newly
established Community subsisted entirely ceased, and to add to our
misfortunes we were surrounded by infected houses. All day long we could
hear the tinkle of the little bell that announced the passing of the
death waggon in front of the house."
[B] The autumn has always been the season appointed for the annual
Retreats of the Sisters of the Visitation.
[C] The Archbishop of Lyons, Mgr. de Marquemont, although the first to
urge that the Visitation should have enclosure and solemn vows, was the
last to put in force the Bull erecting it into a Religious Order. He
held back in the hope of inducing the house at Lyons to undertake the
reciting of the great Canonical Office.
XXXV. _To Sister Marie-Avoye Humbert, at Moulins._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS, 1619.
I want you to know, my dear little daughter, what a great consolation
your letter has been to me. You have portrayed your interior state with
much simplicity, and believe me, little one, I tenderly love that heart
of yours and would willingly undergo much for its perfection. May God
hear my prayer, and give you the grace to cut short these perpetual
reflections on everything that you do. They dissipate your spirit. May
He enable you instead to use all your powers and thoughts in the
practice of such virtues as come in your way. How happy would you then
be, and I how consoled! Make a fresh start in good earnest, my darling,
I beg of you. For faults of inadvertence and suchlike, humble yourself
in spirit before God, and after that do not give them another thought.
You will do this, will you not, my love? Ah, do! I ask it through the
love you bear to your poor mother. For the rest, say out boldly
everything in your letters; they always console me. Let nothing worry
you. Always yours in sincerity. Pray much for me. May the sweet Jesus
accomplish in you His holy will!
XXXVI. _To the Sisters of the Visitation of Bourges._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS,
_October 3, 1619._
MY BELOVED DAUGHTERS,
The affection I bear you is my only motive in striving to serve and
console you: I need no other spur, for that one is boundless. But God
does not intend that we should see each other for the present, and we
willingly submit our desires to His holy will. Meanwhile, let us prepare
ourselves by a greater fidelity to observance to profit by the occasion
should He arrange a meeting for us.
Above all things, dear daughters, dwell together, I beseech of you, in
a great and magnanimous love of His holy will, and a gentle mutual
support of one another, which will ravish the HEART of the sovereign
Goodness: for our good Saviour has said that it is by our love for one
another that we shall be recognized as His disciples.
No leisure for more--I recommend myself to your prayers. May God dwell
habitually in your midst and heap upon you His choicest graces!
Yours always in Him. May He be blessed!
XXXVII. _To the Sisters of the Visitation of Moulins._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS,
_December 14th, 1619._
MY DEAREST DAUGHTERS,
We are now beginning a new year, and with my whole heart I come to beg a
favour of you. For the sake of the honour and privilege of being
daughters of Our Lady will you not grant it to me? for all the affection
of which I am capable is bound up in the asking. It is this, to make a
strong and effectual resolve to walk in the way of exact observance,
obeying simply, in all humility and meekness.
In the name of God, let not self-conceit be seen amongst you, nor desire
of offices, nor of high places; but rather, in the knowledge of your
own weaknesses and miseries, cultivate a great love of humiliations, of
self-abasement, and of all things lowly. Never use sharp words one to
another. Holy gentleness, cordiality, and union of heart should reign
instead among you, so that a gracious affability may season all your
words and actions, and no shadow of repugnance ever show itself. Do not
think about whether you are loved more or less than another. Kill such
little foxes, I pray you, for they will steal away the peace of your
hearts. We should never desire to be loved, but believe that we get as
much affection as God sees good for us.
Never make questions as to whom the charges are given; never desire
them. The divine will ought to be the rule of our will and enough for
us. Now, my dear Sisters, give the Holy Virgin, our Lady, the pleasure
of seeing you serve our sweet Master, her dear Son, by being faithful to
these little counsels which I give on their part, and in their presence.
I ask this of you through the infinite goodness of the Son and Mother,
while I beseech them to grant you a superabundance of graces and their
eternal benediction. Amen.
XXXVIII. _To Mother Péronne-Marie de Châtel,[A] Superior at Grenoble._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS,
_January 13th, 1620._
Ah! how is it, my darling, my dearest daughter, that you expect a severe
letter from me? I tell you candidly, and glory be to God for it, your
heart is too good to deserve scolding, and even if it were not, I have
no inclination to scold. In a letter which I received from his Lordship
speaking of the houses (of the Institute) that he has visited, he says:
"To speak quite openly, at Grenoble I have found one who is a Superior
altogether after my own heart." Now, you may imagine, my daughter, what
good it did my heart to hear this. Yes, indeed I love you very dearly,
but I can give you no better advice than to walk straight on in your own
path, which is a good one, without turning to right or left. You are
wonderful in the way you complain of yourself. Remember, that if God
permits you to be so unfaithful, He allows these little negligences so
that you may always have wherewith to humble yourself. When God
consoles you receive His consolations quite simply, accepting alike good
and ill. In a word, my daughter, you must unite yourself to God in
everything, and by everything, and lead your daughters in the same way.
As to a spiritual Father, nothing more can be done. You must continue to
have patience for a little longer and God will provide you with one.
Meanwhile be all things to your daughters, and then all will go well. It
is a great consolation to hear that they are so good. Oh! Lord Jesus,
pour down Thy graces upon this chosen company. Pray much for us. The
choice of a house here depends upon his Lordship, and we are at our
wits' end to find a suitable one; however, we hope to be settled this
summer. Well, my daughter, God alone suffices; were He our only
consolation, and did we never wish for any other, how happy we should
be! Let us hold to this, for nothing else matters. Adieu, my love. Pray,
and get prayers for my children, I beseech you. You are most truly,
believe me, the very dear daughter of my heart.
FOOTNOTE:
[A] Such was the reputation for fervour of the Monastery of Grenoble
that many distinguished members of the Society of Jesus, and of other
Orders, spoke of it as a "Furnace of Prayer," and a "School of Virtues,"
but the humility of Mother de Châtel hid from her the great work that
God was accomplishing through her means in her own community.
XXXIX. _To Mademoiselle de Chantal._
[The Saint tells her daughter of M. de Toulonjon's proposal of
marriage.]
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS, 1620.
MY DEAREST DAUGHTER,
Let us bless God who takes such care of His children who trust in Him.
His divine Providence is arranging for you something that I think you
will like: and for my part, it is altogether desirable to me. Your
brother is going to see you and he will tell you about the gentleman,[A]
whom you do not know but who has seen you. He is our neighbour at
Monthelon, a fine straightforward, brave gentleman, rich too, and with a
very well-appointed house. We are extremely pleased at the honourable
way in which he comes to make his courtship. Tell me promptly and
candidly, I beg of you, my dear daughter, if your affections are free,
for if so, and that you continue as reasonable and submissive as you
promised me to be in your last letter, you will be happier than you or I
could have dreamt of. For the love of God, my darling, put your whole
heart entirely into the hands of God and don't let yourself be
prejudiced by any foolish talking, or taken up with silly thoughts and
apprehensions. Let us act, for your happiness is dearer to us than it
is to yourself.