Volume I

Transcription

Volume I

Mary Euphrasia Pelletier
Foundress of
0. L. OF CHARITY, OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Letters
Volume I
1825-1834
2
Table of Contents
Preface: Birth and Rebirth
12
Foreword
13
Introduction: May 26, 1825 to May 12, 1831
14
Letters
1
2
3
4
5
Sister Mary of St. Augustine MONTOIS
May 30
December 16
April 9
June 6
October 21
16
17
19
20
21
6
Sister Mary Therese of the Good Shepherd EON
December 12,1826
22
7
February 2, 1827
24
8
Sister Mary of the Holy Heart of Jesus RICHARDON
October 27,1827
25
9
Sister Mary of St. Anastasia DEMEUR DE KERIGONAN
December 9, 1827
26
10
April 12,1828
28
11
12
Monasteries of OUR LADY OF CHARITY
May 1828
December 11, 1828
30
31
13
14
15
16
Sister Mary of St. Stanislaus BEDOUET
[August 1829]
August 21, 1829
October 2,1829
[undated]
33
34
36
38
17
Sisters of the Community of the Good Shepherd, ANGERS
October 25, [1829]
39
18
19
October 1829
December 2, [1829]
40
41
20
Sister Mary of St. Paul JOIN
December 9, 1829
42
21
January 25, 1830
44
22
23
[February 9, 1830]
June 22,1830
45
46
3
24
25
August 11, 1830]
[undated: probably August 1830]
47
49
26
December 12,1830
50
27
28
29
13th at noon
[undated, 1831]
[undated, 1831]
52
53
54
Introduction: May 21, 1831 to April 23, 1833
56
30
Sister Mary of Calvary LE GRAND
May 27,1831
57
31
Monsieur BIOTEAU
October 29, 1831
58
32
MAYOR of the City of Angers
[February 3, 1832]
59
33
34
35
36
[March 25, 1833]
April 19,1833
April 22, 1833
[Probably April 1833]
60
61
62
63
Introduction: April 1833 to December 30, 1834
66
37
38
39
40
[May 6,1833]
13th [May 1833]
23rd [May 1833]
June 2, 1833
68
69
70
71
41
Monsieur de NEUVILLE
[June 8, 1833]
72
42
June 18, 1833
73
43
Monseigneur MONTAULT, Bishop of Angers
July 22, 1833
74
44
45
46
47
48
18th at I o'clock [November 1833]
November 19, 1833
November 23, 1833
November 27, 1833
December 2, 1833
75
76
77
78
79
49
Monsieur BIOTEAU
December 4, 1833
81
50
51
December 7, 1833
December 8, 1833
82
83
4
52
December 11, 1833
84
53
Sisters of the Community, POITIERS
December 23, 1833
85
54
[December 23, 1833]
86
55
Monsieur TESTON
25th [December 1833]
87
56
57
58
Sister Mary of St. Louis ROYNE
Sunday at noon
December 31, 1833
89
91
93
59
December 31, 1833
94
60
December 6, [1833]
95
61
December 7, [1833]
997
62
January 9, [1834]
99
63
64
[Undated]
January 13, 1834
101
102
65
January 20, 1834
103
66
January 30, [1834]
104
67
January 30, [1834]
105
68
February 3, [1834]
106
69
70
9th [February 1834]
February 12, [1834]
108
110
71
72
February 16, 1834
February 19, [1834]
111
113
73
26th [February 1834]
114
74
February 28, 1834
115
5
75
March 11, 1834
117
76
March 15, [1834]
119
77
78
Sunday, March 16
[March 19,1834]
121
122
79
80
81
82
[March 25, 1834]
March 25, [1834]
[After March 24,1834]
March 26, [1834]
123
124
125
126
83
[March 1834]
127
84
March 31, [1834]
128
85
April 8, [1834]
129
86
87
April 9, [1834]
[April 15, 1834]
130
131
88
April 15, [1834]
132
89
April 19,[1834]
133
90
91
April 21, 1834
[April 27, 1834]
135
137
92
Sisters of the Community, GRENOBLE
April 29, [1834]
139
93
May 2,1834
140
94
95
May 4, [1834]
April 7,1834
142
144
96
Sisters of the Community, GRENOBLE
May 22, [1834]
145
97
98
May 23, [1834]
May 28, [1834]
147
148
99
Monsieur MOREAU
May 30, [1834]
150
6
100
June 3, [1834]
151
101
June 6, 1834
153
102
June 6, [1834]
154
103
Monsieur MOREAU
June 7,1834
156
104
June 8, [1834]
157
105
[June 10, 1834]
158
106
107
108
109
June 14,1834
June 17,1834
[June 28, 1834]
June 29, [1834]
160
161
163
164
110
June 29, [1834]
165
111
112
[July 1834]
July 3, 1834
166
167
113
July 3, [1834]
168
114
July 10, 1834
170
115
July 16, [1834]
172
116
Monsieur CHALANDON
July 22, 1834
174
117
July 25, 1834
175
118
July 27, [1834]
177
119
July 31, 1834
179
120
[July 31], 1834
180
121
31st [July 1834]
181
7
122
Monsieur CHALANDON
[August 2, 1834]
182
123
August 9, [1834]
183
124
Monsieur CHALANDON
August 17,1834
184
125
August 1834
185
126
[August 21, 1834]
186
127
Monseigneur BESSON, Bishop of Metz
August 22,1834
188
128
Monsieur CHALANDON
August 23, 1834
189
129
August 25, 1834
190
130
131
July 28, 1834
[August 1834]
192
194
132
Sister Mary of St. Sophie LAVOYE
September 2, 1834
196
133
Sister Mary of the Holy Innocents LE MOU
September 3, [1834]
197
134
September 6, [1834]
198
135
July 7, [1834]
200
136
September 8 [1834]
202
137
September 10, [1834]
203
138
Monsieur CHALANDON
September 11, 1834
204
139
Sisters of the Community, METZ
September 12,[1834]
205
140
September 18,1834
206
141
Sisters of the Community, METZ
September 19,[1834]
208
8
142
209
143
September 25, 1834
210
144
September 27, 1834
211
145
Monseigneur BESSON, Bishop of Metz
September 28, 1834
213
146
September 28, 1834
214
147
October 1, [1834]
215
148
October 2, 1834
216
149
[October 1834]
217
150
[October] 1834
218
151
October 14, [1834]
219
152
October 17, [1834]
220
153
Sister Mary of St. Angela DESVIGNEAUX
October 17, [1834]
221
154 October 18, [1834]
222
155
October 18,[1834]
223
156
October 23, [1834]
225
157
October 28, [1834]
226
158
[October 21, 1834]
228
159
November 1, [1834]
229
160
November 3, [1834]
230
9
161
162
November 9, [1834]
November 10, 1834
231
233
163
Monsieur CHALANDON
[November 10, 1834]
234
164
November 11, [1834]
235
165
November 11, [1834]
236
166
His Eminence, Monseigneur ODESCALCHI
November 12,1834
237
167
168
November 13, [1834]
[November 16, 1834]
239
241
169
November 16, [1834]
242
170
[Undated]
243
171
November 19, [1834]
244
172
[November 1834]
246
173
November 22, [1834]
247
174
Monsieur CHALANDON
[November 23,1834]
248
175
24th [November 1834]
249
176
[November 24, 1834]
250
177
178
179
3rd [December 1834]
December 6, 1834
December 8, 1834
251
252
253
180
181
[December 8, 1834]
December 9, [1834]
254
255
182
December 14,1834
256
183
December 14, [1834]
257
10
184
December 14,1834
258
185
186
December 14, [1834]
December 17,1834
259
260
187
Sunday [about December 17, 1834]
262
188
Monsieur CHALANDON
December 18,1834
263
189
190
December 22, [1834]
December 24, [1834]
264
265
191
December 24,1834
267
192
[December] 24 th at midnight, 1834
268
193
December 26, 1834
269
194
December 30,1834
270
195
His Holiness, Pope GREGORY XVI
[December 30, 1834]
271
Glossary
273
Index to Letters by Addressee
275
11
Preface
BIRTH AND REBIRTH
1796-1996
1796 Birth...
Rose Virginie, a little girl, born into the Pelletier family in Noirmoutier, became Sister Mary of St.
Euphrasia, in the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity at Tours. She entered fully into the spirituality and apostolic
activity of her Order. Later on, from the very heart of her vocation, there came to birth the Congregation of Our
Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, with its two dimensions, apostolic and contemplative. Hundreds of
sisters and many lay people were to be inspired by her throughout the years.
1996 Re-birth...
At the threshold of the third millennium, and having celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of St.
Mary Euphrasia (July 31, 1796), the Congregation is happy to present the complete edition of her letters.
This publication, in different languages, offers everybody the possibility of access to a little known
correspondence, and of making personal contact with our Foundress, through her letters, the only authentic
documents in our possession. We open this family treasure, not through a nostalgic longing for the past, but to
affirm our roots and prepare for the future. Down the days and years, we see clearly how Mary Euphrasia
Pelletier placed all her aptitudes, gifts of nature and grace, at the service of the Church in various and complex
human situations.
In the middle of the 19th Century, at the dawn of an era of unbridled industrialization, in a world that
was harsh towards the weak, she opened houses for women rejected and humiliated by society, and for
children already wounded by life's experiences. A house is not just food and shelter, but rather a place where
one can live and find new life. Such was the service that Mary Euphrasia offered to society and to the Church at
the heart of her mission of evangelization. Indeed, a most essential task for the Church is that of effectively
promoting the rights and dignity of every person.
As we hear the cry of the poor, the Spirit arouses a new response: "Now, I am making the whole of
creation new!" (Rev 21:5). Let us now look at St. Mary Euphrasia, discovering in her letters how she lived and
acted from day to day so that we, too, may respond with equal daring and generosity.
Liliane Tauvette
Superior General
Rome, July 31, 1996
12
Foreword
Old manuscript letters arouse interest and stimulate curiosity. The very paper, the fading ink, the
handwriting, the emphasis given to certain words, all speak to us. They reveal something of the writer, and of
the relationship with the person to whom the letter is addressed, more so when the correspondence is regular
and sustained. In the process of canonization, as in the administration of civil justice, letters can be used as
evidence, hence their potential value.
St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier liked to write, and for a long time wrote mostly in her own
hand. However, over the years, as her foundations became more numerous, she had to depend more on the
service of a secretary. She wrote to her sisters simply and spontaneously, expressing herself in the French of
the time, characterized as that was with sentimental turn of phrase, and strewn with expressions that can cause
us to smile at times. Her style is lively, abounding in exclamations, and frequently colloquial. Her letters are thus
marked by personal authenticity; they speak of a lived experience, with the joy, enthusiasm, sorrow, tension
and even the anguish of each day, always expressed with warmth of heart and openness of spirit. The letters
refer to the circumstances of the time, reflecting the current religious, political and social climate.
The postal service in France was regularly established only around 1830. Until about
1849, postage was calculated according to distance and weight and charged to the addressee. Envelopes were
not used, the pages being folded much the same as modem aerogrammes and sealed either with red wax or
with an adhesive disk bearing the stamp of the Congregation. The name and address were then added. And so,
each original letter of St. Mary Euphrasia (with a few exceptions) has the complete address of her
correspondent, along with the postmark. We note also that her letters are mostly addressed to her sisters,
principally to the superiors through whom the Foundress kept in touch with all the communities.
This complete edition of the Letters of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier includes more than
1,500 documents of unequal length: letters written entirely in her own hand or dictated and signed by her, or
short personal messages added to the secretary's letters or to circular letters from the Mother House. This
collection represents only a part of her total letter-writing, judging by references in the correspondence
addressed to her. Many other letters are lost or remain undiscovered in private archives. The present edition is
faithful to the original text of the letters of Mary Euphrasia, which are on the whole well preserved and stored in
the archives of the Mother House. Slight changes have been introduced in the punctuation and division into
paragraphs to facilitate reading, and footnotes have been added to identify people and places. Bold type is
used for words and phrases that Mary Euphrasia underlined for emphasis. This present compilation owes much
to work already done in 1893 when 1,413 letters were copied and submitted for official approval of the Writings
of the Servant of God prior to the process of canonization. These manuscript copies, classified according to
addressees and bound in five volumes, are held in the archives of the Generalate in Rome. For the present
compilation, chronological order has been chosen to bring events into clearer focus, thus highlighting the
complexity of the situations that Mary Euphrasia experienced. Through these letters the ongoing history and
development of the Congregation is gradually unfolded. These letters therefore constitute the primary sources
for getting to KNOW
•
•
•
•
•
Mary Euphrasia, the woman, her characteristics and personality traits, the resonance of Sacred
Scripture and the influence of the spirituality of St. John Eudes in her life;
Her interpersonal relationships;
The people to whom she wrote, their lives, their distinctive traits, their role in the mission;
Her contribution to women's history by her defense of the rights of women and girls; and
The story of the early years of a congregation in the context of social policies during the life of the
Foundress.
The list is long but not exhaustive. The serious reader of this abundant correspondence will be
rewarded by discovering Mary Euphrasia Pelletier as she really was: sensitive, dynamic, animated by inner
ardor and unflagging love; ever, in the vocabulary of St. John Eudes, urged on by zeal. Thus she bears witness
to her Lord in and for the Church of today and tomorrow.
God's witness: yes, one who allows Jesus to be truly formed within her and who approaches others with
the sentiments and attitudes of the Good Shepherd. Such is the life Mary Euphrasia endeavored to live with all
the strength of her soul.
Mother House of the Good Shepherd
Angers, 1996
13
From May 26, 1825
to May 12, 1831
Superior of the Monastery
of 0. L. of CHARITY, TOURS
14
Introduction
From May 26, 1825 to May 12, 1831
Six important years for Mary Euphrasia Pelletier. On May 26, 1825, she was elected by her sisters as
superior of the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity in Tours. She was 29 years old and her term of office was for
three years. On May 12, 1828, she was re-elected. Three years later she was to leave Tours to take charge of
the new Monastery of Angers.
Some of the letters in this volume, though signed by Mary Euphrasia, were not written by her; for
example, the circular letters. These are indicated in the footnotes. Through the circular letters, news was
shared with other houses of the Order; and those written at the end of the year outlined the main events of that
year: favors received, joys, sorrows and projects. In that way, close bonds of religious friendship were woven
between these monasteries, which had remained autonomous since their foundation by St. John Eudes in
1641.
A superior from the Monastery of Versailles kindly sent to our Mother House, some years ago, copies of
five letters of Mother Pelletier which had been preserved by the sisters. These letters describe the house of
Tours and the way in which it was organized. They inform us about the initiatives and undertakings of the
superior guiding her monastery with zeal and courage, the creation of the Community of the Sisters of St.
Magdalen on November 11, 1825, the opening of a "Class" for young children; a new building project and... the
foundation of a monastery in Angers.
Added to this series is a letter of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier to the Assistant of St. Brieuc, France, in
December 1826. This document, discovered in 1978 in a Monastery of Our Lady of Charity in Bitterne, England,
by Monseigneur Clement Guillon, then Superior General of the Eudists, was very kindly communicated to us
through his good offices.
The year 1829 was marked by a major event for the community of Tours. In the middle of May, the curé
of the Cathedral of Angers, M. Le Breton, representing four other priests: M. Jannetau, curé of St. Joseph, M.
Gruget, cure of the Trinity, M. Vincent, cure of St. Jacques, M. Bureau, curé of St. Laud, visited the monastery
in order to suggest to the superior the opening of a "house for penitents," which they judged to be very
necessary for the city of Angers. "My joy, my happiness at the request for a foundation was inexpressible," said
Mary Euphrasia in a conference to the novices on January 14, 1867. On May 29, 1829, the Chapter of Tours
gave its approval for the establishment of a monastery at Angers and designated six religious for the future
community.
Several archival documents give their names:
M. of St. Paul Bodin, superior
M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet, assistant
M. of St. Dominic Bigot
M. of St. Genevieve Fournier
M. of St. Chantal Moreau
M. of St. Gertrude David.
On June 3, 1829, the little "colony" arrived in Angers with Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, who installed the
sisters in a building known as Tournemine, formerly used as a factory for fabric printing. From the very
beginning, the house bore the name of Good Shepherd in memory of a similar establishment, founded in 1640
on rue St. Nicholas.
On July 31, 1829, the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, called "of the Good Shepherd," was officially
established in Angers. Mary Euphrasia then returned to Tours to continue her office there as superior.
From that period, we have 14 letters addressed to Mary Stanislaus Bedouet, assistant of the Angers
Community. Their content is truly a cry from the heart of the foundress, whom we sense to be tom between
Tours and Angers. The time of her major achievements had not yet dawned ....
15
Letter 1
[Circular]
To Sister Mary of St. Augustine MONTOIS
Superior of the Monastery of O. L. of Charity
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, May 30,1825(1)
My very honored and very dear Mother,
My food in this world is to do the will of my heavenly Father.
It is undoubtedly in the accomplishment of this divine will, my very honored Mother, that we will
find our strength and consolation in the respective circumstances(2) in which Providence has just placed us by
laying on us the heavy burden of government. Endowed as your virtuous community is with the qualities to
make agreeable the yoke of holy religion, already so fight in itself, everything points to the most precious
advantages it will derive from a wise [and] peaceful reign. The Lord has in store for your community in full
measure all the blessings which may be expected from a mother according to his own Heart. Ask him to grant
me all the graces I need to carry out, in a holy manner and according to the spirit that befits me, the
responsibility that weighs heavily on my shoulders.
Please convey our cordial greetings to all your dear daughters, our beloved sisters, especially your
honored predecessor(3) and your dear assistant, to whom I offer my affectionate respects.
I am, my very honored Mother, in perfect devotion and complete attachment in the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary, your most humble and unworthy sister and servant in Our Lord,
Sr. Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
Superior of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. This circular letter announcing her election as superior of the monastery of O. L. of Charity in Tours was
not written by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier herself but was signed by her. The personal style suggests that
she dictated it.
2. The "respective circumstances" refer to the election of Sr. M. of St. Augustine Montois as superior of
the monastery in Versailles in this same year, 1825. This house of Our Lady of Charity was founded in
1804 and closed in 1979.
3. M. of the Cross Lejay.
16
Letter 2
[Circular]
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, December 16, 1825(1)
Prepare the ways of the Lord; in solitude, make straight the paths of the Lord.
Humbly awaiting the "Desired of Nations," our hearts are pleased to send you, dear Mother, and your
virtuous family, every wish for the most tender union; may God pour upon all of you his gifts and graces: these
are our fervent hopes for you.
The Lord, always adorable in his ways, has made us walk alternately in the paths of Mount Tabor and
Calvary. During the year, we have had many serious illnesses among our penitents, which gave us much extra
work. Only one died: she was 19 years old, her penance and tears had shortened her life; she died in the most
profound peace.
These poor children generally console us, but we do not have much success in finding suitable
placements in society. Dangerous occasions lead them astray easily; and soon their good resolutions vanish.
We have long bemoaned this state of affairs, which has been a reason greatly contributing to the sacrifice we
have just made in order to provide a haven for those who wish to live in solitude (2)
Divine Providence, in whom we place our trust, has so to speak offered us the means to this end: two
houses surrounded by our property were up for sale; our worthy bishop showed great interest in the project, so
we did not hesitate any longer. The City Council was quite favorable and immediately granted us 1,000 francs a
year. That sum, it is true, was inadequate but our hope being in God, we founded our community of Magdalens
on November 10.(3) The archbishop himself officiated at the ceremony, which was very moving: four received
the habit, then the cloister was established as we sang the seven penitential psalms. The sermon was superb;
the preacher explained in detail the difference between the two communities and the necessity of their living
separately, an explanation that was really necessary for the public. Our ecclesiastical superior distinguished
himself by the wisdom with which he directed the installation. Our pious prelate shed tears of emotion; all our
sisters were overjoyed. I have the consolation, dear Mother, of seeing them all walking in the spirit of our holy
vocation; zeal, union, and generosity give us peace.
We have also just acquired the old building where our ladyboarders used to live; lately, some very noisy
neighbors occupied it We preferred to put up with the inconvenience and wait a few years before taking
possession of our property. We will enjoy the use of it in a year's time and will then have a large enclosure.
The postulants are few in our locality; several entered, but left just as quickly; now we have only one.
The lack is all the more painful to us since most of our elderly sisters are infirm. Our dear former superior(4) is
very frail and suffering more than ever; we commend her particularly to your prayers. There is little change in
the number of professed sisters; we are only 18 choir sisters, four lay sisters, two novices, and a religious from
the city(5) whose house has not yet been re- established has joined us. She was at once attracted to our holy
vocation, of which she has the true spirit. We gave her the holy habit which she wears joyfully and fervently;
she submits to all our observances.
Our penitents usually number about 40, and are given practically free board. Fortunately, there is
enough work to go around. We are going to send one to a Benedictine convent; she is a charming child, only
17
16, but gifted with sound judgment and exceptional prudence; her appearance is most pleasing, and she has
wonderful facility for [ ];we have had her since she was 11 years old. The bishop was so pleased with her when
he visited the Class that he personally wrote a recommendation in her favor.
Dear Mother, this is the present state of our little flock. We hold you and all your dear daughters in
highest regard, and send them affectionate greetings.
I am with tender and affectionate esteem, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very honored
Mother,
Your very humble and unworthy servant,
Sr. M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
Superior of O. L. of Charity, Tours
B.B.G.
Please give our tender respects to your dear former superior (6) and also to our very dear Sr. M. of
Calvary. In the evening we are reading the Annals which the latter took the trouble of copying for us. With your
permission, good Mother, may we dare to ask her to copy the second volume? We are almost rash in our
requests, but why are you always so kind and charitable? Besides, you are so well known here that in all our
difficulties the first reaction is: let us go to our dear sisters in Versailles! Our dear former superior assures your
community of her cordial affection.
1. This circular letter was written by a secretary; only the signature and postscript were autographed by M.
Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. A reference to the founding of the Sisters Magdalens, established in Tours that same year by Mary
Euphrasia Pelletier. It concerns a group of young penitents who wished to live the religious life in the
spirit of Carmel. They were directed by a sister of the Order of O. L. of Charity.
3. Traditionally, November 11, feast of St. Martin, patron of the diocese, is given as the date of foundation
of the Sisters Magdalens.
4. Mary Hippolyte de Botmilliau, superior from 1822 to 1825.
5. From a community of the city of Tours, a local and autonomous house.
6. M. of the Cross Lejay, superior of Versailles from 1819 to 1825.
18
Letter 3
[Circular]
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, April 9, 1826(1)
My very dear and honored Mother,
Blessed be the time when there will be but one sheepfold.
Yesterday, eve of the feast of the Good Shepherd, an unusual event inclined us to be perhaps a little
too merciful: nevertheless, we choose you as judge, dear Mother. M. Fustier,(2) saddened because his
protégée had left,(3) brought her here, assuring us that she had not been sent away by the Chapter. The tears,
the regrets and the pleadings of the young girl touched us, so we admitted her, thinking that we could call on all
of you to throw the necessary light on the vocation of this dear child, who appeared to us deeply distressed.
She preferred our house to all the others in the town, appearing imbued with the new grace which God has
granted her.
Nevertheless, dear Mother, her fate is in your hands; it will depend upon your answer. The Chapter
does not wish to give her another chance without your recommendation. Perhaps this humiliation will be to her
advantage and she will do better in the future; we will gladly try if you think there is any hope. She told us that
the kind and loving letter which you wrote to her when she was leaving Versailles revived her confidence; have
pity on her again. Though far from all of you, she still regards you as her mothers. She wants to write to you but
is hardly in a fit state yet; her sorrow is still too deep. She takes hardly any food, her only relief being to speak to
us of you, of your virtuous former superiors and of her dear novice mistress, to whom she bitterly regrets having
given so much trouble. The situation is painful; all our conversations, be they general or more specific, are
about our house in Versailles. I assure you that all she has said on the subject is so edifying that it heightens
further our regard for all of you. I beg you to hasten your response, which our poor child desires so much.
I am, in the love of the Divine Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very honored and dear Mother, Your
humble and unworthy sister and servant,
B.B.G.
Dear Mother, I beg of you not to say anything about her birth, because I will have to read your entire
letter aloud to the Chapter. If you have anything special to add, please write it on a separate sheet of paper.
Finally, if you are of the opinion that we should give her a chance, speak only of mercy, for you know, dear
Mother, we have to act very prudently.
1. This letter was written by a secretary; only the signature and postscript were autographed by M.
Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. M. Fustier, vicar general of Tours.
3. M. of the Conception, a novice who left O. L of Charity of Versailles and entered at Tours.
19
Letter 4
Versailles
L.J.M.
June 6, 1826
My very honored and beloved Mother,
How good it is for brothers to live in unity.
My very dear Mother, we value very highly the holy charity which reigns between us, which your
virtuous community constantly strengthens with new marks of kindness; please accept all our gratitude. It is with
the same sentiments that I received the cordial letter which you wrote to me about your former novice; that
detail was very useful to us. I do not doubt that this dear sister gave you much work. I notice that she does great
violence to herself. God grant that her failures will have helped to enlighten her. Up to now, we are very pleased
with her; something similar happened to us a few years ago. One of our novices left and got on well in another
of our houses. It is not, dear Mother, that I can predict the same about this one, but you have taken so much
trouble with her that it seems to me she is at last profiting by it.
She sends her respectful regards and thanks you for sending her personal effects, asking you kindly to
send by stagecoach her blanket, mattress and bolster, but not the cot; she does not need it.
For a long time, we looked forward to the pleasure of sending you a small box of Touraine fruit, but
while we were packing them we found some were spoilt, so we will have to wait until the next crop. That will
give us the joy of contacting you again, dear Mother. We cannot adequately express to our dear Sister Mary of
Calvary how obliged we are to her. What trouble she took to copy the Annals so perfectly for us! Until I write,
please express our gratitude to her as well as to your dear former superior; my predecessor here wishes to
write to her also, but has put it off for the present.
Accept, I beg you, the assurance of our tender and respectful attachment, with which I remain, in the
Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your very humble and unworthy sister and servant,
M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
B.B.G.
Our dear former superior(1) and all our sisters offer to you and your good daughters the homage of their tender
affection.
1. M. Hippolyte de Botmilliau.
20
Letter 5
[Circular]
Versailles
L.J.M.
From Tours, October 21, 1826(1)
My very honored and beloved Mother,
May the Divine Heart of Jesus be the center of our unity! It is during the octave of this adorable Heart of
Jesus that we are pleased to strengthen this unity by expressing anew to you, my dearest Mother, our sincere
love and deep gratitude which is continually stimulated by your constant deeds of kindness. Please remember
us to your dear former superior and to our dear Sister M. of Calvary, who is especially remembered in our
prayers. We are going to start the second volume of our Annals during the 8 o'clock spiritual reading.
If our little parcel is late, it is only because we wish to offer you the newly ripened fruit. You will find the
ten francs in the little basket. We think the engravings of our worthy Father are very well done(2).
At present, we are very worried about our sisters of Valence(3); missionaries coming from that city told
us their house is almost destroyed. If you have any news about it, will you please let us know? We would
greatly appreciate it, since we wrote and received no reply.
We also recommend to your prayers one of our elderly tourière sisters, who died on the 18th of this
month; this good daughter earned our gratitude, and we miss her. She sacrificed herself for us; her generosity,
devotion and ability were beyond compare. She was 74 years of age and her Christian name was Marie.
Our dear former superior(4) sends her love to you and to your fervent community; M. of the Conception
also adds her humble respects. She is doing fairly well and gives us great hope. Beloved Mother, kindly assure
all your dear daughters of our tender affection, and accept in particular the sentiments of esteem with which I
am, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, your very humble and unworthy sister and servant in 0. L.
Superior of 0. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. Only the signature was autographed by M. Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. John Eudes.
3. The house of 0. L of Charity of Valence had many financial problems and experienced discord within
the community.
21
Letter 6
[Circular]
To Sister Mary Therese of the Good Shepherd EON
Assistant of O. L. of Charity
Saint Brieuc
L.J.M.
Bear one another's burdens and you will fulfill the law.
My very honored and very dear Sister,
We are deeply afflicted and share most sincerely with you the bitter grief in which you are all plunged by
the incomparable loss of your very honored Mother. I acknowledge it is great, but, fiat! Let us console ourselves
in the hope that her beautiful soul which has taken flight into the arms of God will prevail on our bountiful Father
to provide a new Moses to guide his people. And in these sentiments our hearts, united to that of Mary, our
Mother, turn to the Crib to adore the holy Child, who has come to bring peace and goodwill to all. Prostrate at
his feet, we beseech him to grant all of you his graces and precious gifts. May we participate in them through
faith and charity. To strengthen our mutual love more and more, we will share all our concerns with you in some
detail. This year was rich in events; crosses preceded favors, but the Lord has always been our light and our
strength.
Towards the end of February last, our highly esteemed ecclesiastical superior(2) died. We felt the loss
keenly; to consummate prudence he added the rarest qualities and attractive virtues. Even now, we cannot
think of it without being deeply moved, all the more so since his death had many unexpected consequences for
us. Our bishop(3) was himself so upset by this loss that we could not approach him. Besides, he could not
understand that our holy Rule allowed us to choose the ecclesiastical superior; still we persevered in our
requests. Finally, after much effort and uncertainty, he gave us his first vicar general(4), a very zealous and
prudent priest, although still young; we can but congratulate ourselves on this choice. He gave a retreat for the
community and arranged another for our penitents, which was very fruitful. Moreover, we have the happiness of
singing the Mass all year round, as is prescribed, something we had not enjoyed in preceding years. Our
fervent novices distinguish themselves in this by their zeal and application to the plainchant; also, they do not
blunder, which deeply impresses the priests who perform the service.
All the postulants whom we have received this year appear to have resources, virtue, good health, and
an attraction to work for the conversion of our poor penitents, who for some time now have given us great
consolation; several of them aspire to be Sisters Magdalens; three died this year, one without the last
sacraments, which was a great sorrow for me and all the sisters. We did not realize the poor girl was at death's
door; she was up all day but suddenly in the evening she developed congestion of the lungs and heart failure.
As she had been baptized in our house and was not troublesome, we are at peace about her. One of the others
was most edifying; she died, a victim of penance and mortification, and therefore enjoyed profound peace up to
her last breath.
My very honored sister, as you read in our circular letters, the Lord visited us with serious illnesses
among our young sisters and the deaths of some of our elderly sisters. We also lost one of our good elderly
th
tourière sisters last November 18 (5). She was dear to us for her exceptional qualities and sacrificed herself for
our house; we recommend her to your prayers. She was christened Marie, she was 75 years old. All these dear
deceased had the happiness of gaining the Jubilee indulgence. Now we are going to tell you something edifying
about our Magdalens. They are really admirable in their humility, obedience, cordiality, gentleness and
modesty, for these dear children are obliged to support themselves entirely by the work of their hands. They
have absolutely no income, except the charitable assistance they receive from time to time. As you see, my
22
very dear sister, they expect everything from the protection of Our Lady of Charity, in whom they have complete
confidence. What can I say of these dear children, but that they model themselves exactly on the first hermits of
the Egyptian desert!
We are currently busy carrying out a project that is fully in line with our fourth vow. We are about to
establish a preservation class, at the request of many unfortunate families, who are saddened by the difficult
personality of their children. Moreover, we see God's will in this work, and the very special protection of the
Blessed Virgin, under whose care it is founded. We obtained (though paying for it) a part of our old building
which was occupied by a person who had seemed quite unwilling to let us have it. She lived right in the middle
of our garden, and therefore had us in full view, if we were not careful to draw the curtains, even during the
Chapter! At last she had the extreme kindness to take herself off in the month of March, which makes us love
her more at a distance than close by! That, I believe, summarizes the most interesting events of our year.
Now, it remains for us to assure you again of the tender affection of our community: 18 professed choir
sisters, 3 lay sisters, 6 choir novices, one lay novice and a postulant of the same rank, 5 choir postulants, 3
tourière sisters, 3 lady boarders, 8 Magdalen novices, 2 postulants of the same rank and our Class, composed
of about 40 penitents. I am deprived of the pleasure of writing at greater length.
Believe in the sincere devotedness with which I am, in the Divine Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very
honored and very dear sister,
Your humble and most unworthy sister and servant in O. L.,
Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
1. This letter was written to Mary Therese of the Good Shepherd Eon on the occasion of the death of her
superior, Mary of St. Stanislaus Glais. Only the signature was autographed by M. Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. M. Danicourt.
3. Monseigneur de Montblanc, archbishop of Tours.
4. M. Monnereau.
5. In the letter of October 21 to M. of St. Augustine Montois, M. Euphrasia Pelletier gave the date of death
as October 18.
23
Letter 7
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, February 2, 1827
My very honored and much loved Mother,
May God be our light! As we were about to answer your kind letter, we received Sister Mary of the
Seraphim's circular letter.(1) Surely, you have received one also, dear Mother. Like us, you must be saddened
by the news it contains. One of the sisters, named Sr. M. St. Philip Mercier(2),entered here with the
recommendation of several worthy priests. Up to now, we have nothing but praise for her conduct; she begs
you to give her regards to her two virtuous companions, to whom she seems tenderly attached. Do you know,
good Mother, what has happened to their poor assistant? She disappeared from Valence a few days ago(3),
Where is she? My God, this is a heavy cross for our holy Institute! I assure you that we have written to Caen
asking if our sisters there are aware of Sr. M. of the Seraphim's undertakings(4). If you wish, my very dear
Mother, we will send you their reply so that we may all act accordingly.
Please forgive our oversight, for which I am truly sorry. I refer to the "Venite" of the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary(5); we are now going to have them bound without delay, and I will send them to you at the first
opportunity. May we have other occasions to show you our affection.
Dare I ask you, my worthy Mother, to buy the objects listed herewith, and send them to us as soon as
possible. We would be truly grateful to you and we will forward the amount due immediately.
We are concerned about the illness of your Worthy assistant; so highly are her virtue and kindness
spoken of that we realize how dear she is to you. Please give our respects to your dear former superior; ours
greets her affectionately. I am, with very respectful affection in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
my very honored Mother,
Your very humble and unworthy sister in Our Lord,
Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
B.B.G.
1. This circular letter, accompanied by a letter of recommendation from Monseigneur de la Tourette, the
bishop of Valence, refers to the difficulties experienced in that house of O. L. of Charity and asks for
help.
2. M. of St. Philip Mercier made profession in Valence in 1822, came to Tours in 1826 and followed M.
Euphrasia Pelletier to Angers in 1831.
3. M. of St. Francis Borgia came from Paris; she entered in 1823 at Valence.
4. M. of the Seraphim Ducret, foundress of the house of Valence, retired to Grenoble with a few sisters,
and founded a new house there with the approval of the bishop.
5. Prayer books of the Congregation.
24
Letter 8
To Sister Mary of the Holy Heart of Jesus
RICHARDON
Valence
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, October 27, 1827
Those who live in charity live in God.
Yesterday, we met the worthy M. Berger(1), friend and true protector of our holy Institute. With great
charity he painted for us a picture of the condition of your house and how overwhelmed with work you are. My
soul was moved with compassion, for God knows how dear you are to us; the four of you have fought the good
fight, and remained faithful in the fire of tribulation.
I suffer from being unable to help you at once, but I can assure you that later on, if obedience allows
me, and with the agreement of my worthy superiors, who have always surrounded me with goodness and
whom I regard as holding the place of God for me, I will be completely available to you. Here then is the idea
that the Lord has put into the depths of my heart since the beginning of your trouble. If Divine Providence
relieves me of the burden of government at the coming feast of the Ascension, and if obedience wishes it, I will
be entirely available. If on the contrary the Lord wishes again to let the virtue of our sisters shine more brilliantly
by allowing the least worthy one to guide them, the happiness of helping you will be further delayed, but you
can always count on my devotedness. You will ask me, dear sisters, why I don't send somebody else. A fair
question, dear sisters, and it would be to your advantage from every point of view, but this is our present
situation: first, one must take into account the temperament of the natives of Touraine, who are reluctant to be
moved; when you asked for sisters, the general opinion of the Chapter was strongly opposed to the idea. In
addition, several of our elderly sisters are infirm, and in gratitude we must care for them and treat them
compassionately.
M. Berger found our house flourishing, but this was mostly on account of our lovely novitiate filled with
excellent sisters, but still too young. At a later stage, we may be able to send you one or two, always under
obedience.
Now, dear sister, let us converse heart to heart. Answer this letter with the greatest confidence, as you
judge best; you fully deserve our attachment. Sr. M. of St. Philip(2) is getting on well. She needed to be formed
to the religious spirit, without which we can do no good in the religious life. She loves you still. I told her jokingly
that the two of us would go together to help you. She answered, "Mother, I will follow you anywhere."
Time is pressing. Goodbye again for a little while. I will begin my retreat on All Souls Day. I will speak to
God about you. In return, I ask you to recommend our affairs to him. Write to us when you receive this letter;
your reply would come towards the end of our retreat. I am in the Divine Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my beloved
sisters,
Your very humble and unworthy sister and servant,
B.B.G.
1. M. Berger, a priest from Valence, visited the monasteries of O. L of Charity to support the request for
help expressed in the circular letter of January 12, 1827.
2. M. of St. Philip Mercier, who came from Valence to Tours in 1826.
25
Letter 9
[Circular]
To Sister Mary of St. Anastasia
DEMEUR DE KERIGONAN
Superior of O. L of Charity of St. Brieuc
L.J.M.
my very honored and very dear Mother,
The Desired of the Nations has come to live among us.
During these days of grace and salvation when we are preparing to celebrate in the joy of our hearts,
the happy coining of the august Redeemer of humankind, prostrate in spirit before the Crib where this adorable
God rests, I pour out my heart in the divine Presence, offering him the most ardent and sincere wishes for you
and all your dear community. May this bounteous God shower you with his choicest graces both spiritual and
temporal in the new year soon to begin. Ask him, my beloved Mother, to grant us the same favors and a faithful
correspondence to the graces which his mercy ceaselessly bestows on us.
In our last letter, we spoke to you of our plan to establish a preservation class; still, we dared not hope
to see it realized so soon. But the Lord took the matter in hand himself, so that all obstacles were removed and
all resistance was overcome. We had the consolation of establishing it eight months ago and already have
fifteen little orphans.
Also, we have had the joy of seeing the profession of our first four novices of the Sisters Magdalens,
who had finished their two years of novitiate. Our ecclesiastical superior(2), desiring like ourselves to clarify for
the public the distinction between the Magdalen Community and us, urged that we invite a fairly large number
of people to this ceremony. This we did, with all the more pleasure in that we too desired to make the same
distinction. All was well prepared: the public in our exterior chapel, the Magdalens alone in their choir with their
first Mistress, the penitents in their chapel, the community in our choir, the grille open, but with the curtains half
drawn to prevent us from being seen. Our ecclesiastical superior ascended the pulpit, from which he preached
on the obligations and advantages of the religious life, and on the limited number of those dedicated to a life of
virginity.
After the sermon, the Sisters Magdalens pronounced their vows piously and modestly, in such a
reverent tone that all present shed tears of emotion. Our ecclesiastical superior was deeply moved. This
profession offered us the opportunity of a retreat; though it was intended more specifically for the Magdalens,
we were privileged to follow all the holy exercises, since the sermons were prepared for religious in general. We
had a lecture in the mornings and a sermon followed by Benediction in the evenings. During the retreat, the
community kept such strict silence in the courtyards and corridors that we had the feeling of being in the
deserts of Upper Egypt or the Sinai, where more than 3,000 hermits lived in such complete solitude that
strangers, coming to these vast deserts, thought them uninhabited.
In accordance with the provisions of our Directory regarding the annual visitation, our archbishop
designated our ecclesiastical superior to perform it in his place. All was carried out to the letter, as required.
When our ecclesiastical superior had completed his visit, seen the community and spoken to each sister in
private, he said joyfully to us: "The archbishop was not mistaken when he told me that, of all the religious
houses in his diocese, your spirit of charity is what pleases him most. Continue, my dear daughters, all goes
well; all is well, very well."
For our penitents we provided an eight-day retreat, which bore all the fruit we could expect. These poor
girls edified us by their piety and modesty: in their chapel one could hear only the voice of the preacher and the
26
tears of sorrow and repentance which penetrated their hearts. Their contrition is all the more sincere in that it is
lasting, and we have the consolation of seeing several of them persevere in the exercises of penance.
Our dear novices continue to show great fervor; several burn with zeal for the salvation of souls; all give
the community the greatest hope for the future. In the infirmary, we have only a young professed sister whose
health is generally rather poor. We recommend her to your prayers, as well as our election, which will be in the
month of May. Dear Mother, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us so that the community may act only for him and
with him.
We currently have twenty choir sisters, three professed lay sisters, eight choir novices, two of whom are
received for profession and will make it in a month's time, one lay novice, one choir postulant, three lay
postulants, three tourière sisters, three others, and five lady boarders(3). In the Magdalens we have four
professed sisters, four novices, and two postulants; we have forty-six penitents and fifteen orphans; in all, 111
persons, all of whom wish the best for you and your entire community. With your kind permission we greet all
our dearly loved sisters with great cordiality and affection.
I am in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very honored Mother,
Your humble and unworthy,
Sister M. of St. Euphrasia P.
Superior
We offer the humble respects and sincere affection of our entire community to your worthy former
superior. Ours in turn assures you of her affection. Her health has not changed.
1. The address is not complete but the context allows us to identify the probable addressee. Only the
signature and postscript were autographed by M. Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. M. Dufêtre.
3. The lady boarders are fee-paying guests.
27
Letter 10
[Circular]
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, April 12, 1828(1)
My dear and very honored Mother,
He is risen victorious from the tomb!
The Council takes the liberty of drawing to your attention the painful and distressing situation in which
our community will be placed if you fail to meet the time limit indicated in your last letter for the repayment of the
4,000 francs which M. Fustier(2) gave you as the dowry of Sister M. of the Conception(3). We would prefer, my
very honored Mother, not to trouble you with this matter, but in our present misfortune, it is impossible for us to
act as we would normally have done with the greatest pleasure. We always counted on the above sum,
especially since we began the building which is for us a source of great hardships and unimaginable tribulations
that we will not attempt to describe to you. The particulars would be too lengthy and would still give you only an
imperfect and inadequate idea of our deplorable situation.
In short, my very dear and honored Mother, we need this money to pay off, as our creditors expect,
debts falling due in the course of this month, each one with a firm deadline. We have only 2,000 francs on
hand, and on what are we going to live? Therefore, we will be obliged to borrow again to pay these debts. This
we cannot do in Tours, even by paying a high rate of interest, which greatly displeases our ecclesiastical
superior(4). He has even said he does not wish to hear of taking a loan. What to do then? How can we send
away, without payment, the creditors whom we have kept waiting until this month with certain assurances? We
counted absolutely on the promise your dear sister assistant made in the last letter she wrote to us and in which
she assured us positively that, at the end of the last week of the month just elapsed, you would pay out the said
amount. Ah, my very honored Mother, would to God that we were able to do for you what we are beseeching
you to do for us now. Please give consideration, therefore, not only to the plea of the Council but to the
impending danger, to the want, in a word, to the absolute need of our poor afflicted community.
M. Fustier, who sees our predicament first hand, is very aware of the delay you require us to accept
and joins us in asking you to believe that we make this request only as a last resort. Very honored and very
dear Mother, kindly send a speedy and positive reply to comfort our deeply saddened hearts; it is the last favor
that I ask of you.
Please accept our sincere wishes for your happiness, that of your amiable community, and especially
that of your dear former superior.
I am, in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very dear Mother,
Your very humble, unworthy sister and servant in our Lord,
Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier
B.B.G.
Our zealous secretary is a bit forceful. My good and well loved Mother, I would be saddened if this letter were to
distress you; it would be our greatest [ I because the others are according to the Divine Will where we find
28
peace and calm. Hence, it is only a little service we are asking of you. A special remembrance, please, to your
dear assistant.
1. Only the signature and postscript were autographed by M. Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. M. Fustier, view general of Monseigneur de Montblanc.
3. Sr. M. of the Conception, having first entered the Refuge of Versailles, then moved to Tours. M.
Euphrasia Pelletier asks that the novice's dowry be returned.
4. M. Dufêtre.
29
Letter 11
[Circular]
To the Monasteries of O. L. OF CHARITY
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, May 1828(1)
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
We have every reason to believe, my very dear Mother, that it is through the inspiration of this Spirit of
truth that our community, by a unanimous vote, has just re-elected, for a second three-year term, our very
honored and beloved Mother Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier. We have experienced the wise, firm, yet gentle
and prudent manner of her loving government, in which an active and ever-renewed zeal for the glory of God
and the salvation of souls vivifies all.
From her heart, burning with the beautiful fire of divine love, each year we have seen arise among us,
thanks to her extraordinary solicitude, new projects: first the Magdalens, who are now our consolation and who,
because of the corrupt age in which we live, seem to be practically the only means of ensuring the salvation of
many souls; then the preservation class, which increases daily and is equally dear to us.
My very honored Mother, our only wish is the well-being of a mother so worthy of leading us but whose
health is being drained by her continual labors. Please join us in praying for her well- being, so precious to our
community. We request this favor from you as well as from all your dear daughters, our beloved sisters, whom
we greet very affectionately in Our Lord. In him, in his Divine Heart and that of his blessed Mother, I am, with
profound respect and true devotion, very dear and honored Mother,
Your very humble, obedient and unworthy daughter and servant in Our Lord,
Sister M. of the Cross Desmars,, Assistant.
B.B.G.
1. Circular letter announcing the re-election of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier as superior of O. L. of Charity of
Tours, May 1828.
30
Letter 12
[Circular]
To the Monasteries of O. L. OF CHARITY
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, December 11, 1828 (1)
Faubourg La Riche, no 40
The Lord has visited his people, and all Israel has rejoiced.
It is surely to us, my dearly loved Mother, that these words of the prophet Isaiah seem to be addressed.
All our hearts, touched by tender gratitude, admire the Redeemer of mankind in the Crib, discovering, with the
eyes of faith through the obscure veil that keeps it hidden from our eyes, a flash of his divine Majesty. Struck
with reverence and love, humbly prostrate at the feet of the Godman, we beseech him to pour forth on you and
your dear community during the whole year the special graces, both spiritual and temporal, that he is pleased to
vouchsafe his faithful brides. May the benevolent Savior grant the desires of our hearts; and you and your dear
daughters, our beloved sisters, will enjoy without interruption all the happiness possible in this land of exile.
Without neglecting the Infant Jesus, let us now leave the Crib for a while, beloved Mother, and freely
open our hearts to one another, speaking intimately together, trying in so far as it is possible by sharing the
news of the past year to fasten more firmly the gentle bonds of charity which unite us so closely that we form
but one heart and soul.
Among the most remarkable events, we shall mention first of all our building project, which was our
greatest preoccupation throughout the year. To start with, my very dear Mother, we would never have
undertaken such an arduous task if not forced by dire necessity. The kitchen, the pantry and serving room, and
other adjoining rooms are so small that several of our young sisters who had to work there fell ill because of the
oppressive heat. Our refectory, a former cellar, is so damp both in summer and winter that the doctors deemed
it a health hazard: they attributed the rheumatism suffered by a few of our sisters to it. Moreover, since our
numbers are increasing daily, we have no spare bedrooms. Above all, it was the state of decay of the
Magdalens' quarters which contributed most to our decision to undertake this work: the want of air and
humidity, combined with the lack of living space, very nearly cost them their health. We consulted
knowledgeable people, who urged us to remedy this deplorable situation immediately. Putting ourselves in the
hands of Divine Providence, we therefore undertook the building project. Scarcely had we laid the foundation
than we were warned the whole house would collapse if we did not build on piles, since the site was so bad. My
very dear Mother, you can imagine our predicament, in spite of which we did not lose courage. From that day to
this, we have experienced many difficulties, and the cost of the undertaking has been a worry; but, in spite of
the expense which caused privations for the community, we are the joyful and submissive daughters of Lady
Poverty. After much hard work, our building will soon be finished and this allows us to hope for many
advantages, especially the complete separation of all our Classes. We have a refectory, 70 ft. long and 24 ft.
wide, 48 cells, a spacious linen-room, a pleasant novitiate, and all the other offices of the house. What pleases
us most is that all this is built and will be furnished in accordance with the Book of Customs. As soon as we
move into the new building we will hand over the present one, formerly occupied by our penitents, to our
Magdalens, who will thus be able to expand and become solidly established. These dear children give us much
consolation; two died a saintly death this year. For four years one of them never ceased mourning over her
sins; she followed the example of her holy patroness so faithfully that she used to kneel to ask for all her
requisite permissions. one day, when I urged her to relax a little, she said very respectfully:
"Mother, a sinner like me should only weep." Her death was peaceful. The younger of the two, I am sure, never
lost her baptismal innocence. Her mother, a depraved woman without any religion, wished to make her a street
girl, so she cast herself at our feet and asked to be taken into the house. We received her first into the
31
penitents, and afterwards the Magdalens, whom she edified by her pious and regular life as well as by her
death, precious in the sight of the Lord.
The penitents' class is getting on well; there are fifty of them now, all well disposed to conversion. The
second class of orphans has succeeded very well; these poor children repay us for the trouble we take to
correct their faults; they are docile and cooperative. There are thirty at present and we expect more, which
makes us realize more and more how necessary this work is.
Our community remains very fervent. I am edified by the way our good elderly sisters rival the youngest
novices by their humility and obedience. In the middle of the deafening noise of the workmen, our sisters
observed religious tranquillity. Though beset with reverses and contradictions from some people outside the
community, they kept their peace of mind, fruit of the constant practice of solid virtue.
On the 6th of January, two of our novices will make profession; one is only 17 and has never lost her
first fervor; both have a good solid vocation. Monseigneur, our archbishop, offered to perform the ceremony; we
gratefully and humbly accepted his offer.
Another favor which we had not hitherto enjoyed is that of having two Masses; one about 7 o'clock for
the sick, and the other a High Mass.
These have been the most noteworthy events of this year, dear Mother. You will see how crosses and
blessings are mixed, because spiritually the hand of God is visibly on our house.
We are 24 professed choir sisters, 3 professed lay sisters, 6 novices of whom one is lay, [ I received for
profession, 2 choir postulants, 4 lay postulants, 3 tourière sisters, 3 others, 10 lady boarders and 2 maids to
wait on them. In the Magdalens there are 3 professed sisters, 7 novices, one of whom is received for
profession, 2 postulants. There are 50 penitents, and 30 orphans. In all, we are 146 persons, who humbly ask
you to accept the prayers and wishes we offer to the Lord for you. May your loving community, our beloved
sisters, whom with your kind permission we greet cordially, receive the assurance of the sincere and cordial
affection of their devoted sisters of Tours.
And for yourself, dear Mother, receive the affectionate sentiments in which I remain, in union with the
Divine Hearts of Jesus and Mary, very dear and honored Mother,
Your very humble and unworthy sister and servant in O. L.,
M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
B.B.G.
1. Circular letter written at the end of the year by a secretary and signed by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
32
Letter 13
To Sister Mary of St. Stanislaus BEDOUET
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, Friday, [August 1829]
My God, my heart seeks you!
Not a day passes, my beloved sister, when you are not present in our thoughts. I look for you in vain
among the dear sheep of this fold, but the Divine Shepherd has separated us; he has guided you into another
pasture. Oh, for the day when we will graze once more in the same field! Perhaps, my beloved sister, it will be
in the eternal pastures; but, no, no, we will embrace each other again!
Here, we still have crosses to bear and work to do, and so have you, I am sure. Has your soul at last
experienced a resurrection, or are you still on Calvary? I can assure you, my beloved sister, you would not be
there alone! What a life! Truly, one dies from not dying! How I would love to have one hour to share many
things with you, but the Lord ordains silence, faith and the cross; three sure ways to arrive at pure joy.
Regarding temptations, are you more at peace? How I pity the souls who are thus afflicted, if no one listens to
them. Do you go to Holy Communion? Therein is your strength.
Ah, my poor Kostka(1,) you are still weeping, aren't you? Lean on the cross; sacrifice all. Your lamp will
only burn with the oil of tribulations; thus the flame will be purer. Have courage, and pray also for us that the
designs of God may be accomplished. The Lord tries this house, then he exalts it. In a little while we will write a
long community letter with lots of news that will interest you all.
Poor Augusta arrived last evening and entered the Class this morning. God grant that she persevere.
We are not writing to your dear Mother(2) as it is only three days since we did so. Give our love to her as well
as to all the family. M. Rousseau is still at death's door, oh, the holy and venerable priest! We regret very much
our great loss. We have not had Mass these days until 8:30, celebrated by the rector of the college. Now we
have it at 6 o'clock by one of the priests of the seminary. Dear M. of St. Rose is still not well; she is very weak
and runs a fever every day. M. of St. Ambrose was in the infirmary this week; finding a replacement to look after
her delightful flock caused great inconvenience; the children were crying loudly. They are bright youngsters,
respectful and honest in manner, which is very rare. Goodbye, my beloved sister; I am, in the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary, Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. The patron of M. Stanislaus is St. Stanislaus Kostka. A name written by her with different spellings:
Kotska or Kostka, or even Koska or Coska. 2. M. of St. Paul Bodin.
33
Letter 14
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, August 21, 1829
He appeared to us a man of sorrows who knows what it is to suffer.
My very dear Sister and beloved daughter in Our Lord,
I was all the more deeply touched by the affectionate sentiments of your very dear letter, since I
recognized in them the expression of a soul on the cross. I read and re-read this letter. May I be able to reply in
a suitable manner. First of all, my beloved sister, with you and perhaps more often than you, I repeat: "0
foundation of Angers, what tears you draw forth!" Yours, you tell me, are continual, oh yes! Still, the more one
suffers, the more God is glorified; this spirit of faith calms the most profound sorrow. You desire me to open my
heart to you, this heart so poor and so suffering that its only language should be that of silence! However, since
you want to taste Calvary, let us talk about it. The pain you are suffering is intended to take you to God alone.
Oh, dear sister, how necessary is this knowledge for the soul but meditation is not sufficient to procure it, only
the cross can bring us there. Who can fathom human nature? What are human favors, consolations, joys and
fidelity? When the soul knows these truths by experience, its only wish is to withdraw from all that is not God,
from creatures by whom it is often blamed, forgotten and even betrayed. That, too, is a great mercy of God who
is so jealous of our love that he resorts to these trials, so painful to the heart, in order to draw it to himself. I also
share with you the difficulty you have in being open with your confessor; I know how painful it is, but on the
other hand faith increases where there is a lack of sensible consolation. Courage!
Your letters gave great pleasure to our sisters; they love and embrace you and the entire family of
Angers, who are, I assure you, very dear to them. All send their kindest regards, and do not forget to give our
special remembrance to your dear Mother(1).I ask you to assure her and all our dear sisters of my constant and
tender affection. If I do not write to each one individually it is because I lack the time to do so. Please say this
especially to M. of St. Dominic(2) and tell her from me to write to her parents. Also, I think it would be good to
remind her mother that in Angers you will need the small sum she used to pay at Tours. I embrace poor Sr.
Gertrude(3) ; I am pleased to see she is happy, as well as my sister postulant,(4) whom I still love.
Our dear sick sister is better but her convalescence will be long. The Grande Classe is the worse for
her absence, and I feel that under the circumstances, we shall soon be obliged to put all the young professed in
charge of the sections. Pray that God's Will alone be done, and that he will give us the necessary strength and
courage. Fortunately all our sisters live in God. Never was our house so abandoned; we never see anybody; we
receive no human help, not a single donation for the penitents; but even so, we have no desire for God to
change our position; we actually find peace in the silence.
I think, beloved sister, that, as the crucifix carries an indulgence, the fruit of the blessings attached
would be lost; we have no other. We are sending you a picture in its place; if you want anything else, please let
us know.
I was able to obtain information about your family; your dear father is beset with all kinds of tribulations,
and the others are not faring well either. It would be better if you didn't write to your brother in Paris; pray for
them all. These are heavy crosses for your tender heart, my poor St. Stanislaus, but the good Lord will not
abandon you! The letter you wrote me brought tears to my eyes, for my attachment is sincere. My beloved
daughter and sister, there are things happening I would never have believed possible. Oh, who can fathom
human nature? Oh, how many wounds a good and sensitive heart can receive! May the Lord grant that the last
wound be that of his love! Our Magdalens are getting on well; they continue to love you. What a consolation to
see them so grateful; they speak to us continually of their two former Mothers!
34
Sr. M. of St. Ambrose has composed, with the thoughtfulness so characteristic of her, a charming little
piece where she speaks directly of our sisters of Angers with an attachment that pleases me. I read part of your
letter to the community; all our sisters embrace you. Goodbye, my beloved sister, believe in the sincere
attachment with which I am, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia, Superior of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Paul Bodin, superior of the monastery in Angers.
2. M. of St. Dominic Bigot, who returned to Tours, March 17, 1831.
3. A lay novice who later became a choir sister with the name Mary of St. John of the Cross David,
foundress of the houses in Nancy and Munich.
4. Suzette Potherie, the first postulant to enter at Angers, August 20, 1829, became Mary of the Good
Shepherd.
35
Letter 15
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, October 2, 1829
I raised my eyes to the mountains of Sion, to wait for my help.
See, my dearly loved daughter, in what a dilemma you place my poor heart. Contrary to my inclination, I
was calling you sister, but you ask me to call you daughter. My attachment yields to your humility. Poor Kotska,
your letters always make me shed tears. But we must live apart. 0 God, when will we see each other once
more; in some other region?
After thanking God for all the little successes of which you tell me, we consider your trials, my beloved
sister. Oh, how I feel what you must be suffering! I know your soul, its miseries, attractions and struggles. Your
confessor is your cross, but it is the Lord who leads you to Calvary, through mercy and love, and you must
remain there. Ah, if you only knew how deprived our sisters are here! The confessors do not wait; they are
busier than ever. Yes, my good St. Stanislaus, I tell you openly, when we were leaving and setting up in Angers
... our sisters here, in the silence of the hidden fife and of the cross were growing in perfection; you can easily
understand that they suffered many privations. So take courage! I share, my beloved daughter, in the profound
suffering these painful temptations cause you. Oh God, how the soul aches in such a state! And one can find
consolation only from others who have suffered this kind of all-consuming martyrdom. The heart breaks in an
agony of sorrow; no one can understand it. It is better to confess one's doubts and pains, if only to gain the
grace of the sacrament, then remain silent and die inwardly. I understand your pain, your suffering. You have
such an upright heart! 0 God, how I desire that the house of Angers be blessed! Yes, it is a child of tears, and of
tears known to God alone.
My beloved daughter, I have a favor to ask of you, but in strict secrecy. I will tell you frankly that I write
to Angers in fear and trembling. I was informed confidentially that the community in general wishes me to be
kept in the dark and to refrain from interfering in any way; I understand my conduct has been deemed most
blameworthy... I even know that a certain ecclesiastic was advised not to continue speaking freely to me ... I
write you this in profound peace, convinced they are right; but afterwards, when I receive your letters, I cannot
but reply; you know my heart. But, I am at a loss and ask you to tell me the truth in confidence; likewise, when
the occasion presents itself, you can let it be known that it is not at all necessary to write to me; even in silence
and while being forgotten, my attachment will not diminish. But, sometimes I am so afraid to answer that I would
be much obliged if you can tell me as a friend how matters stand.
The foundation in Avignon will not take place; a great disappointment to some of our sisters who
ardently supported it. I suffer to see them suffering, for they are very devoted to us.
You are to be praised, my dear and beloved daughter, for the love you have for our holy house. Never
say "yours"; it belongs to you also, oh yes! Regular observance is strict; nevertheless, there are crosses and
friction. There is no government without trials!
We are sending you the litanies; the Lives(1) will be sent later. All our section heads are on retreat.
Think of it! The assistant lives on dry bread and water ... St. Arsène is on her knees from morning till night; St.
Philip deplores her sins aloud; finally, this colony of anchorites has so filled the house with terror that nobody
can follow them.
Your dear father is well; all the others are as I had told you. Write by return post if you have time and
permission. Goodbye once more, I am intimately united with you in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very
dear daughter,
M. of St. Euphrasia
36
All our sisters cherish you.
I beg you, never to speak to our beloved sisters of what I told you confidentially.
1. Biographies of a few of the outstanding members of the Order of 0. L of Charity.
37
Letter 16
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
[undated]
His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow.
Oh! truly, my good daughter, these are days now when our Divine Master is very present to our eyes!
For me, your two letters prove adequately that you are familiar with this sorrow... Again, courage!
Are you going on retreat? When you do, write me a note. I have something to tell you, which is so much
a matter of conscience for you that it concerns you absolutely. I did not wish to speak about it earlier,
nevertheless, I think you will answer me. Yes, you have to tell me. Write to me on the evening before and I will
tell it to you for the glory of God and your soul, because I believe, my well beloved sister, that, having spoken to
me on the subject with the greatest confidence and in secret, we should reply.
Pray for us: oh, may God give our young sisters his Holy Spirit! How rare are religious virtues!
Does your dear father write to you, my beloved sister? He promised us he would. He is in good health. I
embrace you once again.
M. of St. Euphrasia
38
Letter 17
To the Sisters of the Community of the Good Shepherd
ANGERS
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, October 25, [18291
What shall I render you, O my God, for all the benefits I have received from you?
My very dear and well beloved Sisters,
The news we received from you was truly that of the consoling angel. Oh, how my heart rejoiced on
hearing the account of your successes in God, and of your great labors; but I fear lest you be overcome by
them! I am deeply touched by what good M. Augustine (1)has told us about them. How could you go on retreat?
I think those who are unable to do so can be completely at peace. How much it costs me, my very dear sisters,
to be unable to reply to each one of you; but, 0 my God, how could I do that? Good M. Augustine will tell you
everything, and certainly we will not be displeased and will give the kiss of peace to each one of you. I am also
sending you, dearly beloved sisters, everything I feel will give you pleasure. You will be able to read the first
volume of the Annals; later we'll send you the second volume.
Let us come back to the acts of kindness bestowed on us by our saintly M. de Neuville; alas, my dear
sisters, it was necessary to undergo the fear and the pain of seeing the destruction of... to experience the joy of
the contrary, and that is what God has miraculously done!
Oh yes, he is the father of the afflicted and the orphans! Do you see his work for these poor children?
He has given them foster mothers in Tours and provided for them a father and some mothers in Angers. We do
not cease repeating to them: "Always remember, my dear children, your Mothers of Angers ... Laurence said to
me: I myself tell them that I love them very much. As for Euphrasia, I think she was experiencing real joy. On
the feast of the Heart of Jesus, she was singing louder than our sisters. At the High Mass the choristers turned
back, begging us to keep her quiet, but it was impossible; she could be heard from the organ loft. Finally, I said
to her: "Listen, child, keep quiet, immediately." She looked at me with her angelic little face and said: "Oh, no,
Mother, I won't keep quiet I'll sing right to the end!" The sisters and I were so inclined to laugh, that we allowed
her to continue. M. Augustine will tell you how she kept on, right through the entire octave; it was impossible to
get her to leave the choir. She resembles a doll, she is so short in stature, but her voice is powerful ... There is
a child named Ambrosine, also 3 years old, but not at all well-behaved. She bursts out laughing in the choir, so
cannot be brought there. The older girls are exceptionally pious and gentle.
Yesterday, at noon, my good friend the Mayor, came to visit the establishment. As he was leaving the
second class, he heard the children singing perfectly, and asked what was going on. I told him they were
practicing some verses to greet their Mistress who was returning from a retreat. "May I" he asked, "go in to
listen to them?" "Oh yes, sir," I said, "and if you so wish, I can provide you with a very touching experience by
calling back their Mistress. You can tell them that you yourself have shortened her retreat." Then we sent for St.
Ambrose. As the children, who love her dearly, were not expecting her at that moment, they let themselves go
with such free and natural joy, that this good man was moved to tears, and so copiously that he was obliged to
leave the room... Finally, he paid a visit to our dear flock of penitents, with whom he seemed very pleased. In
spite of all that, he is more relentless than ever in harassing our worthy ecclesiastical superior. I think we will
have to accept it.
I conclude, my dearly loved sisters, with only enough time left to tell you again how much I love you, in
the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Mary of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Marie Augustine Lesur, tourière sister.
39
Letter 18
To Sr. Mary of St. Stanislaus BEDOUET
Assistant, Angers (1)
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, October 1829
Go out from your own country and into the land that I will show you.
My well beloved Sister, you may still be in the promised land, in that desert flowing with milk and honey;
drink, then, in long draughts from those springs of living water! Your letter, my very dear sister, has had its
usual effect; I mean that it evoked the most wonderful feeling. Nothing, let me assure you, can give such deep
consolation; its essence being charity, it pertains more to heaven rather than to earth! Like you, my well
beloved sister, I think M. Augustine's journey can only have heightened this cordial union. I am not speaking
here of the matter which I had intended to raise with you. I believe that my little note was not sufficiently clear.
Be at peace, it had nothing to do with your perfection, which is, I am convinced, proceeding most satisfactorily.
Also, you seem happy with your Ananias (2); that is a precious help for your soul, at times so keenly afflicted.
The Lord has seen your grief; oh, how good it is to abandon oneself to him! Here, our solitaries have come
down again from their lofty mountain and are now struggling in the lowlands, where our people of Israel were
impatiently waiting for them(3). May God grant them all strength and virtue, for there is much work to be done.
The house is quite extensive, and has no ecclesiastical superior; for reasons of prudence, we are not
even taking a temporary replacement. Pray then, my well loved daughter, saying to God, as did the Prophet
Hosea: "Oh, Lord, be you yourself the leader of your flock and guide it with your staff."
M. Suchet (4) still comes for our dear sisters, but I do not see him, because he is always in such a hurry
that it is impossible to approach him. In any case, God alone matters. What pleases me so is that our sisters of
the Council appear to find great help and consolation. St. Victoire and St. Arsène seem delighted. God does
everything for the best, and I feel more than ever that my situation is very delicate, and that the main thing is to
keep silent. Apart from that, we are living in deep union. Pray ardently for our two dear houses; I assure you,
my heart cherishes them with a tenderness that often causes me suffering, but always the Will of God is
paramount. It is in him that I remain, with affection, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia, Superior
I embrace you, my dear sister and daughter. Be so kind as to tell your dear Mother that I embrace and
love her; that just as I was about to write something happened to prevent me but that she should have received
my letter by Monday, and that I will write again both to her and to the sisters.
1.
2.
3.
4.
On the back of the letter, M. Euphrasia Pelletier has written: "to our dear sister M. of St. Stanislaus,
to whom I wish a happy feast day." The feast of St. Stanislaus Kostka was celebrated on November 13.
Acts 9:1Off.
This is a reference to the sisters who had been on retreat and had just resumed their usual duties with
the young girls.
5. M. Jacques Suchet, a native of Lyon, carried out his ministry in Tours from 1823 to 1839, that is, up to
the time of his departure for Algeria. He was confessor to the community of Our Lady of Charity of
Tours. Having later become vicar general of Algiers, he helped to establish the Good Shepherd in
Algeria.
40
Letter 19
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, December 2, [1829]
O my God, in beholding your glory my heart will overflow with delight!
0 my God, my dear and beloved Sister, how precious your letters are to me, for our separation is
painful, and I think that you also feel it bitterly. Will the time ever come when we shall see each other again here
below, my poor Kostka? God alone knows! But our hope is to meet again in the presence of God; oh, what a
beautiful day that will be! Then, there will be only one flock and one shepherd. But I must tell you, my dearly
loved sister and friend, a little joyful thought which often comes to me; it is very imperfect, what do you think of
it? I say: "My God, if one day a foundation is contemplated, we will beg the favor of stopping in Angers to
embrace our beloved sisters for the last time." Perhaps this will strike you as a childish thought?
Let us be serious: your soul is hastening towards God; you seem to be more at peace, with more help
from your confessor. Oh, I have thanked God for that, and I ask him to give you back your health, so that you
may be sustained in dealing with the difficulties of a new house; able to be a living Rule, the support of the
weak at all community assemblies; gathering the sheep that have strayed, with no other rest but the cross, no
other comfort but work, thirsting only for justice! All of us here love you dearly and embrace you.
Our young girls of the second class have just gone out two by two in uniform, accompanied by our
tourière sisters, to thank Monseigneur for the 1000 francs he sent us. They are also going to call on M.
Dufêtre(1) and on some of our other friends. It was a delightful sight to see them setting out.
Goodbye, my dear and true friend; I remain, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your devoted,
Mary of St. Euphrasia, Superior B.B.G.
1. The ecclesiastical superior of the monastery.
41
Letter 20
[Circular]
To Sister Mary of St. Paul JOIN
Rennes
L.J.M.
Rejoice, daughters of Sion, I announce to you a Savior!
My beloved Sister, while awaiting the Desired of the Nations, the joy and glory of Israel, I wish to assure
you all once again of our devotion and love, since nothing is more precious to us than the opportunity of forging
ever closer the bonds of our holy union. In this spirit, I beg you to accept our many sincere and heartfelt wishes;
may you all receive the earth's bounty and every blessing from heaven. May the Father of light, the source of
every precious gift and excellent grace, grant them to you abundantly during the holy days when the Church,
through the Common Father of all the faithful, opens to us its treasures and bestows on us its blessings.
We join in your holy zeal to invoke special blessings for our holy Institute, which never had such great
need of expanding as it has now in these times of mourning and calamities, when the way of all human flesh
seems to have become corrupted and when so many people, still animated with the Spirit of God, bemoan the
rapid advances of depravity. Such sights, so agonizing to a Christian heart, have just moved the clergy of
Angers to establish a House of Our Lady of Charity. Last May, the bishop, a prelate of piety and eminent virtue
and endowed with remarkable humility, sent the curé of his cathedral to see us. He and four of his colleagues,
considering the purchase of extensive premises, asked us to staff the new house. But, as we wanted to see
everything for ourselves first, I went with one of the sisters of the Council. The bishop and all the priests
involved seemed very satisfied with our manner of dealing with the penitents, and as we were equally satisfied
with what they were offering, the foundation was quite promptly decided on. This happened, no doubt, through
some special dispensation of divine Providence, because we recognized that if it had been tackled more
slowly the arrangement would have fallen through, whereas M agreement was reached with little delay. On our
return, having settled everything early in June, we showed the property to the dear sisters for whom it was
intended, and for various reasons we remained there during most of the time needed for repairs; then, as
agreed, the superior appointed to the newly established community arrived to take charge. Being very
conscientious and capable, she leads with wisdom and to the satisfaction of A those both within and outside the
house.
Several large cities have again expressed their wish to be chosen for one of our houses; let us pray, my
dearly beloved sister. Let us ask our heavenly Father to guide us so that, in serving him, all will be for his glory
and the salvation of souls. Meanwhile, we are trying to accommodate as many penitents as possible; in
general, they are giving us much consolation: 34 have had the joy of following the exercises for the Jubilee
indulgence in dispositions which seemed most sincere; many of them are obviously very good and pious.
Among them, a 34-year-old penitent has for a long time given proof of a most sincere conversion. Reared in an
atmosphere of philosophical ungodliness, she married while still very young, and became further embroiled in
moral depravity, followed by financial difficulties. She separated from her husband and eventually sought the
help of her family to gain admittance to our house. This request, desired by her relatives even more than by
herself, was at once granted. When she arrived in our Class, she was shocked on seeing the penitents'
uniform; however, since she was very courageous, she accepted it. But that was not her greatest struggle: the
irreligious opinions of the time had left in her heart very strong views against our holy religion, and these at
times almost made her regret her decision and even abandon her call to conversion. In triumphing over her
enemies she doubtless received great help from the Blessed Virgin whose opposition to the devil, as scripture
says, "is terrible as an army set in battle array." The burden of a grievous sin weakened her spiritually, a sin
that a false sense of shame had kept her from confessing. The Mother of Mercy appeared to her in a dream,
showed her the seriousness of her transgression and its consequences, as well as the ease with which she
42
could obtain forgiveness; the very next morning she spoke to her Mistress, who called the confessor for her.
Her peace of mind restored, she became all things to all people; no act of virtue however small or humiliating
seemed difficult to her. She served her companion penitents in the performance of the most menial and
distasteful services with such serenity, constancy, and all-embracing charity that it was clear her only aim was
the glory of God and her own salvation. She obeyed all her Mistresses implicitly without any distinction, carrying
out their known wishes whether they were present or not. An expressed desire was sufficient for her. This
example is not the only one which proves the power of the Lord; many a Lazarus has risen from the grave at
the infinitely merciful call of the One who came not for the just but to call all sinners to repentance.
Responsive to the voice of a redeeming God, four have joined the Magdalens this year and continue to
give edification by their inspiring conduct. Grace has been particularly evident in the life of one of the latter; a
girl of 18 years who possesses everything that could please the world and who herself was not sufficiently
displeased with it. The day before she took the habit, her mother, who loves her very much, made one last
attempt to call her back. The trap was all the more dangerous because in addition to her mother's love, the
inducements offered included an attractive proposal of marriage that was very suitable in all respects. Constant
in her determination, however, she firmly refused to see the young man whom her mother wanted her to meet,
telling her that although she loved her tenderly, she was under an infinitely greater obligation to God and that
nothing could shake her determination to belong to him alone. Since then, she has been following her walk of
life in the little desert, which gives us every reason to thank and bless the Father of mercies for the excellent
attitude prevailing there and for the virtues being practiced by the penitents. Many of these young women who
are devoting themselves to penance could still be enjoying the pleasures and approval of society, but by
mortification and constant self-abnegation they have dedicated themselves, as did the ancient anchorites of the
desert, to a life of alternating prayer and work.
Order, piety, and work also prevail in the preservation class. But for the limitations of this letter,
perhaps already too long, I could, my dearly loved sister, while anticipating hearing the ever- edifying
characteristics of your own dear community, give you many other traits of these children which prove that our
fourth vow is neither in vain nor fruitless. I shall merely recommend them and the rest of our community to your
holy prayers and those of your dear daughters, our dearly [beloved] sisters, to whom through you I convey my
most affectionate greetings in Our Lord. I recommend especially to you one of our dear sisters, who has been
bedridden for the past six months and whose end to all appearances is now near.
Our buildings, happily, are finished and without any serious accidents; one section is already fully
occupied and our payments on schedule, thanks to divine Providence and to the community who truly refused
no sacrifice in contributing to it. We now have 25 professed choir sisters (not counting the 6 who are in a
foundation), 3 novices, 4 postulants of the same [rank], 4 professed lay sisters (of whom 2 are invalids), 2
novices and 3 postulants of this rank, 3 tourière sisters, 55 penitents, 45 in the preservation class, 6 lady
boarders, 14 Magdalens; in all 163 persons in the loving care of the heavenly Father, whom we beseech in all
humility and confidence, and never in vain I may add. Everything is admirable; the goodness of our heavenly
Father, and the protection of glorious St. Joseph, who, after the most Holy Virgin, our incomparable Mother, is
our recourse in adversity. Lately, 4 penitents were proposed to us with hardly any boarding assistance (we
already have too many in this category), but we felt we could not refuse them as they were full of good will. We
trusted in divine Providence, and a few days later a person, who had known about this and who remained
anonymous, gave our chaplain a sum of 300 francs for this good work.
Help us, my dearest and very honored sister, to love and thank the good sovereign Shepherd, begging
him to stir up in our hearts zeal for his glory, gratitude for his benefactions, and fidelity in his divine service.
In Him I am, with respectful love and sincere devotedness, in union with the most Holy Hearts of Jesus
and Mary, my very honored and very dear sister,
Your very humble, unworthy sister and servant in Our Lord,
Sr. M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier,
Superior of O. L. of Charity B.B.G.
1. This circular letter was written by a secretary; the signature alone was autographed.
43
Letter 21
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, January 25, 1830
My very honored and beloved Sister,
Charity is gentle and well-disposed.
Such is surely your charity, my dear Mother. I have been very touched by the cordial letter you sent us;
for my own part, I experience great joy in maintaining this union with you and your happy daughters. For some
time now I have felt the deprivation of no longer communicating as often as formerly with your dear house of
Versailles. Perhaps, my dearly beloved sister, it is I who was most to blame by my negligence, but today I
hasten to make up for the past. To begin with, we shall give you news of our worthy former superior. Her
infirmity and sufferings continue to increase, which makes it harder for her to bear the terribly cold weather we
have been having(1). This dear sister is extremely attached to you all and sends her most cordial greetings. We
hope her health will improve in the fine weather; in winter, she never leaves her room except for Holy Mass.
And now, my dearly beloved sister, let me refer to your offer to send 18 copies(2) for our lay sisters; we
are most grateful to you and accept them with great pleasure. We have so few that I will ask you, my dear
Mother, to send them by the stagecoach as we are short for our spiritual exercises. What saddens me is that
our sisters in Paris have written saying that they find it impossible to give us any, so we are deeply touched by
your kind and thoughtful attention to our needs; be assured of our gratitude.
We have received into our community two of our dear sisters from Vannes, one, 86 years old, M. of St.
Elizabeth, and the other, M. of St. Francis Xavier, still active and energetic. I cannot describe for you how
grateful they are and what an example they are giving us; they brought us two very promising postulants, who
will have the joy of receiving the holy habit on the feast of the Purification.
The foundation of Angers holds out the greatest of hopes. Our sisters have told us that their benefactor
has just showered some more benefits on them; nevertheless, their hearts are still in the dear house of Tours.
Lately, they remarked to us: "Our letters come to you only after we have watered them with tears. Only God
knows the anguish that we experience, by being far away from you...." You must know, my dear Mother, that
this attachment is certainly mutual. This year, the Lord has asked great sacrifices of us, but the most painful of
all was the death of our beloved M. of St. Francis de Sales; she was the most delightful of sisters, capable of
filling any position in the religious life, of which she surely was our hope for the future. We were considering
placing her in charge of the penitents. We had repeatedly refused to release her to the foundation of Angers;
she herself felt far from attracted to it, cherishing above all her own community.
We have had many crosses and also consolations. Spiritual help is available in abundance, and our
clergy are very zealous in giving us homilies for feast days and Sundays. Our dear Sister M. of the Conception
greatly appreciates your interest; she is as well as she can be. She is not much help in her assignment; over
and above that, given her character, she makes great effort and that is something very necessary for
maintaining peace.
You see, my dearly beloved sister, how much I have had to tell you all, whom we look upon as our
other selves. Please give my regards to your dear former superior, and be assured of the cordial and respectful
affection with which I remain, in the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very honored sister,
Your humble and unworthy sister and servant,
Sr. M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The winter of 1829 was particularly harsh.
2. Community prayer books.
44
Letter 22
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, [February 9, 1830]
A true friend is recognized in adversity.
For yourself only, my dearly beloved Sister,
Your letter, my very dear daughter, reached me just as I was about to write to you ... Oh, you see, I was
thinking these days that it would be a great consolation for both of us to be able to converse a little with each
other, heart to heart; then your touching letter arrived. It is more precious to me than gold. I am absolutely
delighted.
Your days appear to be touched by sorrow. "I am walking, O my God, along a path on which I will never
return," said Job in his anguish! Oh, no, my well beloved sister, the days that have passed will return no more;
courage! You tell me that certain words have moved you to tears: your letters similarly affect me! I do not know
the plans of God; nevertheless, if only we could have a couple of hours of sharing together, there is so much I
would tell you. But we must wait in silence and adore in peace. Here, our young sisters give promise of a happy
and even brilliant future. Among our latest novices, we have one, Saint Céleste, a 17-year-old, a really
privileged and chosen soul, a treasure for us. Her reception struck everyone. She is a beauty, taller than St.
Elizabeth, but wonderfully humble. Just imagine the joy of her aunt, our dear M. of St. Xavier. Oh, what a good
religious she is! How you would have loved her. She is upright, good, and healthy.
Now let me return to yourself, my dear friend, I believe the sword has truly entered your soul. O poor
heart, how much you are suffering, even more than you say. I feel that your anguish is deep and without any
relief; the Lord has his plans. Your mourning is twofold, the death of your relatives and the separation from your
intimate friends ... Your sufferings are indeed great, but this life of sorrow moves toward its reward, the crown is
within reach. Your confessor is still your cross, but persevere! And who knows, you might even be worse off
with someone else; but in God's will you are secure.
I bless Divine Providence for the temporal help being generously given you, and I certainly share your
spiritual privations. I think, my well beloved sister, that your conscience seems a little more calm; there are
graces hidden in each cross! Have courage, my well beloved! I well know your deep discretion and your
attachment; so you can count on being fully informed. A foundation is actually being considered(1) but it will not
be established immediately; we must pray. Oh, the designs of God are adorable but they do not come to fruition
without suffering, and our nature shrinks from this pain.
Do not stop writing to me; that was a joke St. Rose was playing. You know her way, she has a really
good heart. Our dear little St. Elizabeth is the comfort and consolation of the house. Her health is good and she
has a strong voice. I have got her to learn plainchant, grammar, geography, in a word, she has been prepared
for any responsibility.
Goodbye, my very dear and affectionate sister, believe in the sentiments of the one who is, in the Holy
Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your devoted,
Mary of St. Euphrasia.
B.B.G.
1. This refers to renewed discussions on a foundation in Le Mans.
45
Letter 23
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
June 22,1830
For you only...
Lord, grant to your people a spring of living water, so that they may not thirst again....
Moses
What pleasure your letter has given me, my dearly beloved sister. What can I say to such affection and
thoughtfulness? Before the good Lord, I thought that what would please you most of all would be a letter written
from the heart ... You ask me, dear sister, if I have a feeling that I may return to Angers? Oh, yes! And whether
this foundation is dear to me? Again, yes, and more so than I can ever put into words, but what opposition there
is from others. Our ecclesiastical superior openly declares himself against it. Nevertheless, my dearly beloved
sister, I'm going to tell you what was said to us a few days ago by our Council sisters, confidentially, that
everything depends on the election. If M. of St. Paul(1) comes here, I will go to Angers, and if not, they will
never consent to it ... and the election ... Oh, how much we must pray! My very dear sister, if you saw things as
I see them! I only wish everything were settled. On both sides, our hearts are suffering greatly; all of us want
only the holy Will of God, but it seems to present itself through sacrifices and crosses. My position is so delicate
that it is impossible to describe in words and, speaking heart to heart, I think that if the Will of God is for me to
remain in Tours, I would also wish to spend some months with you in Angers. That would seem very prudent to
me. Nevertheless, may the Lord accomplish his work! This house is flourishing, but even so we have our
crosses to bear, as you well know. Besides, we have some excellent sisters here; the various units are well
managed; regularity is quite strong and temporal affairs are in very good order. The older sisters are worn out
and sad. Several of the young ones are delightful. M. of the Conception(2) requires more and more guidance;
M. of St. Claire and one or two others are not much help; the lay sisters are very well chosen. That is more or
less where matters stand. It is necessary to have real confidence to be able to respond to your wishes; many
other things could be said. I feel within myself that the designs of God are not yet accomplished; at the same
time the sight of my sinfulness, various tribulations and all that I am told, distresses and frightens me. Never
have I experienced a more difficult year! Pray, my dearly loved sister, pray that this martyrdom be
accomplished alone, with God alone! But, I do beg of you as a favor to write what you think.
Goodbye, my dearly loved and true sister; believe in my sincere affection in the Holy Hearts of Jesus
and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
It is very good of you, my dear daughter, to be concerned about my health; the good Lord sustains it. I
have no fever and am not vomiting. Keeping the Rule does not tire me, apart from the fast, which I never
observe.
1. M. of St. Paul Bodin, superior of the house of Angers.
2. M. of the Conception who, in 1826, had come as a novice from Versailles to Tours.
46
Letter 24
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, August 11, [1830]
O my God! For what an epoch you have destined us!
St. Ignatius, martyr
Just when I was thinking so much about you, my well beloved daughter, your letter was brought to me
in the refectory yesterday evening at 6 o'clock. To try to convey to you the pleasure it gave me is every bit as
difficult as attempting to match your delicate thoughtfulness and touching marks of affection. Yet, I know in my
heart that I too love you just as much, my dearest sister. I am therefore going to answer your loving letter in
detail. Yes, my good daughter, we have had many crosses to bear ... At present, however, our private
sufferings are overshadowed by threats against religion and by the tribulations of our king; our dear city has
hardly distinguished itself in this regard, I can assure you(1). I can tell you we are brokenhearted. In Tours, the
three ministers of our good king were arrested and imprisoned. They are locked up and deprived even of the
consolations of holy religion. The bishop was refused admission to the prison; the Sisters of St. Vincent, who
are usually allowed into every cell, are not permitted to visit them either. Our prefect has gone into hiding. The
mayor and several other officials have resigned. Our ecclesiastical superior is being hunted down relentlessly.
He is almost always in hiding; I fear he may be obliged to leave the diocese. His sorrow prevents him writing to
you; he is the person I went to see recently. You can see, my good daughter, that we have no cause for
rejoicing. Please convey all this to your dear Mother and assure her of our affectionate sentiments. it saddens
me to know she is so tired and ill. Oh, if only I could do something for her, she would be better within an hour.
Embrace her for me, as well as our dearly loved sisters and dear Madame d'Andigné. I am going to give you
some further general news, then we shall turn to more personal matters.
We bless God and your distinguished benefactor(2); our houses really need this kind of temporal
assistance. Here, to test our faith, the good Lord has deprived us of everything; may he be ever blessed for it.
Even the orders for needlework have been canceled and we had to convene the Chapter to consider how to
reduce by half the number of our young girls, but we will wait for another week. In the meantime, we lament and
pray. Our sisters are wonderful. Never have I seen the community so fervent or so regular in its observances.
The sisters devote themselves to penance and the most laborious work. St. Philip will do anything herself to
avoid the least expense. We have lost many of our young postulants, but the novices are our crown and joy: M.
of the Good Shepherd, M. Angélique, and our two little angels, St. Léocadie and St. Céleste, are delightful! M.
of the Heart of Jesus is fairly satisfactory, but she is having difficulty acquiring the spirit of our holy Institute; it
would be a great pity if she failed to do so, for she has many qualities. She greatly resembles M. of St. Francis
de Sales, but is taller, very slender, and has less warmth. She has a religious bearing. M. of St. Paul is the one
for organization and economy. Her mind and judgment are sound and noble; surprisingly, what costs her most
are the minor practices... humiliation and correction. I thought of describing her to you, dear sister, feeling you
would be interested; I hope for God's glory that she does well. If she can overcome her pride, she will be a
great help as she is calm, prudent and discreet.
We have four lay novices who already resemble well-formed religious, hard-working, humble, silent.
Our choir sisters love them very much. You cannot imagine what Marie is like, St. Anastasia, as she is called, a
hidden treasure. As for intelligence, order and cleanliness, count on M. of St. Martin; not only does she
frequently manage all the cooking alone, or at least take responsibility for it as M. of the Angels is often unwell,
but she is equally efficient in the linen room and other assignments. M. Dufêtre told me she is one of God's
chosen souls, that he was impressed by what she had said to him and that the community had been greatly
mistaken in delaying such a candidate. Personally I am quite at ease about her because she is humble, and the
whole community loves her for it. St. Arsène was telling me the other day that she could not get over it. Our
sisters from Vannes also are keeping very well. St. Xavier is gentle and kind. The good 88-year- old Mother is
still as loving as a seraphim; she is really a saint, with such a strong faith that truly amazes me. She is always in
choir from the first meditation, during which she remains kneeling, likewise for her rosary. She is still as
47
energetic and agile as I am. The other day at the community assembly, she knelt before the assistant and said
to her: "Sister, in our older houses, whenever the prioress had a lot of work, sister assistant used to send her to
bed before Matins, and she obeyed willingly. I always saw that." You will understand, my well beloved sister,
that this advice was eagerly followed; our sisters allow me an exception only three times a week.
Let us now return to the matter so close to our heart; you ask me if I still feel the same with regard to
Angers; oh, yes, yes, my dearest sister, never will I change on that issue. I just cannot. The good Lord knows
everything. If I am not telling you anything further, it is through prudence. What I am able to say is that I believe
it is not the will of God that I go anywhere except to Angers ... As for the house of Le Mans, I no longer know
whether or not it will be established. I would have a great deal to say to you on that topic but it must wait. I beg
you, my dear sister and friend, remember me in your prayers. 0 my God, how I need them! Ah, if only I could
tell you everything. Moreover, I have great confidence that you will obtain all you ask from the good Lord. M.
Alleron(3) gives me the greatest possible spiritual help, and I believe that he has insight into God's Will; another
priest, as well, has spoken to me so clearly that he is surely enlightened by the Spirit of the Lord, but my sins
weigh heavily on me.
You can see, my well loved sister, with what trust I say all this, but only to yourself. Now, your soul is a
little more at peace, but still sad. Oh yes, I certainly feel it, my poor Kostka. I even believe your suffering is not
at an end. Go to Holy Communion, that great source of strength. I see that you are distressed and very sad, but
take courage!
Goodbye, my very dear daughter; believe in my sincere affection, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus
and Mary,
B.B.G
1. The revolution of July 1830, known as "the three glorious days", unleashed in the west of France and
especially in Touraine, a «violent anticlericalism» which led to full-fledged riots. The unrest was directed
against the monarchy, in the person of Charles X, and against the Church, which upheld that regime.
2. Count de Neuville.
3. M. Alleron, confessor of M. Euphrasia Pelletier, who kept up a frequent correspondence with her from
1825 to 1840.
48
Letter 25
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
[undated: probably August 1830]
Hasten your coming, O my God!
My well beloved Sister, we are in dire need of having the good God come to our aid. I strongly
recommend to you our chaplain, a most deserving man. I have also tried, my very dear sister, to obtain another
consolation for you, one which will be a source of much joy to the dear Mother, whom I embrace. Yesterday,
without disclosing my identity ... and very late too, I secretly visited our «lady boarder.» (1) «She» is no longer
in mourning, a white hat, etc. I encouraged "her" to go to you. He promised me to do so; you will see him within
a few days. Oh, how distressing these persecutions are! The good Lord is sorely trying us, dear sister, we must
submit, adore and love his painful ways.
Here, the situation remains unchanged. We have a worthless mayor, and this man, think of it, seems to
have taken a liking to me. Our good clergy often tease me about it, saying, for instance, "It is Mother St.
Euphrasia's good friend who has played that trick on us." However, it is most certain I love him only in God, as
one loves sinners.
And you, my dearly loved sister, how are you keeping? Are your interior trials still the same? Do you
receive Communion? Are you calmer? Alas, it is most difficult to avoid suffering. I know the Lord does not spare
you crosses of all kinds. Let us admit, my well beloved sister, that religious life is a martyrdom and yet, my God,
we know that at the time of our death we shall experience the joy of having suffered. Moreover, what is life?
What is death!
Please convey our warmest greetings to your dearest community. I wanted to write to Mary of St.
Chantal and to my poor Shepherd, but you'll hardly believe it, dear and loved sister, there is not a free moment;
do ask them all to forgive us. The Classes require much work, but is it not all for the salvation of souls, my
beloved sister? Oh God, what sacrifices this goal demands! Without it you would not remain faithful to your
calling, would you? Many times one would choose rest rather than work, I must admit.
I must leave you now to attend to some difficult and troublesome business, but such is life. God knows
how devoted I am to you, my beloved sister and how I love you, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. M. Dufêtre, ecclesiastical superior of the Good Shepherd community. He was pursued by the rioters
and had to wear a disguise during the revolution of 1830.
49
Letter 26
Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours, December 12,1830(1)
The one who believes and perseveres to the end will be saved.
Prostrate at the sacred feet of the author and goal of our holy faith, my dearly loved sister, we are
pleased to renew the expression of our sentiments and wishes for you, as a mark of the charity which unites us.
How I long to strengthen those bonds, so that through that sacred love we may all form but one heart and one
soul, completely united and consecrated to our heavenly spouse, burning with his divine love in this cold and
dark season. Inflamed with that pure love, and in reparation to his adorable Heart, may we gain a great number
of souls for him and be increasingly renewed in the spirit of our holy vocation. That will be for us an effective
means of drawing the spiritual and temporal blessings of the divine goodness from his loving Providence. We
never cease to implore this for you and your dear community, my beloved Mother, also for ourselves and for
our whole Institute, keeping in mind each individual member. We greet each one of you most affectionately in
Our Lord, particularly your good predecessor to whom we offer our cordial respect.
Within our dear enclosure, there are no remarkable events that we can communicate to you, other than
the fact that, thanks to divine goodness, we have not been troubled in any way; our new authorities show
interest in us and protect us(2).
We try to please God. Generally speaking, A our sisters give me the consolation of seeing them
advance fervently along the path of regular observance, zealous for the objectives of the Institute, and ardently
desirous of the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Our novices are not numerous but are well formed. One
of them has just been received for holy profession, an excellent candidate. She has a younger sister, whose
only regret is that she cannot be received for profession at the same time. All of them are very regular in their
religious life. What do you think of the following: one evening after Matins one of the novices, who has had the
holy habit for two months now and whose vocation seems to adapt easily to circumstances, slipped into the
bathroom by the main staircase leading up to the dormitory which sister assistant had then already locked by
the time she got there. The poor child, faced with this wooden barrier and not daring to knock for fear of
disturbing the great silence and the time of repose, reflected for a few moments, made her decision and went
off to the Oratory, where she cheerfully spent the night before the Blessed Sacrament. You can easily
understand that she was the first in choir for the morning prayer! Besides, she is a sister of really good
character and an excellent spirit.
In general, our penitents are getting on well. Several of them, still quite young, are seriously thinking of
dedicating themselves to God. Considering the shortness of life and the dangers to eternal salvation in this
world, they desire to be assured of possessing him for all eternity by consecrating themselves unreservedly to
him. Thus a good number of them advance in genuine piety, mortification, obedience, charity, and mutual
support. Their Mistress, deeply religious and having good judgment, sustains that commendable spirit among
them, devoting herself to their salvation with all the zeal and care inspired by our holy vocation. Our practice of
not appointing sisters who are too young but rather those who have sufficient maturity is a good one. The more
one dies to self the more capable one is of nurturing the divine life in souls and helping them to return to God.
This is the precious aim of our fourth vow, one that should permeate all our efforts for the glory of our divine
Master, a mission to which we are privileged to be called.
Much good is also accomplished among the Magdalens, those solitary souls who, sowing in tears of
penance and compunction, are encouraged by the hope of one day reaping in joy. They persevere, several
having already reached the journey's end, which they awaited with serenity and the most perfect peace; I would
50
say even with joy, so graciously does the divine goodness pour forth blessings and grace on contrite and
humble hearts. One of the first four professed died after an attack of pneumonia, borne with great patience and
courage. Although we are confident that she now rests in the peace of the Lord, we nevertheless recommend
her to your prayers, and also a little orphan who is dying of the same illness.
This class of orphans, that is the preservation class, is also a great comfort to us. It is very well run by a
Mistress who, though young, is most capable. She maintains very good order in her group and to channel their
piety we have allowed them to set up a little sodality for which their confessor has written a "Rule" to encourage
them in the practice of Christian virtue. He is very zealous and interested in training and cultivating these young
plants, a great number of whom are really virtuous. Their example stimulates and encourages the others, and
their virtue is expected to distinguish them much more than the white cord and the cincture with the inscription,
"Mary was conceived without sin." This distinctive mark of their sodality, so ardently desired, is granted only
after a period of fervent preparation.
We have also just set up a small section for young boarders, of whom some are orphans. This group
constitutes our third class, a little flock of innocents. It is so interesting to see them grow and develop. Some of
them are very well behaved and docile.
Our God, supremely generous with his gifts, grants us daily proof of his Divine Providence, endowing
us not only with spiritual help and blessings but also caring for our material needs. Although our building
projects cost about 100,000 francs, we now owe very little. Had it not been for the loan we took out as a
prudent contingency fund, our debts would now be almost cleared. My dear sister, please join us in thanking
God for this favor and also for the grace of never being in the situation of having to refuse admission to a
penitent.
And now for our "Book of Numbers", while awaiting with keen interest your latest figures. We have at
present: 22 professed choir sisters, 5 novices and one choir postulant; 4 professed lay sisters, 3 novices, one
lay postulant, 3 tourière sisters, one of whom has not yet made her Offering, 63 penitents, 13 Magdalens, 61 in
the second class, 12 young boarders in the third class, 18 lady boarders and a maid. In all, 199 [sic] people,
among whom I would ask you to recognize those who are and will always be especially devoted to you and to
your dear daughters, our dearly loved sisters, whom we cordially greet from the bottom of our hearts, since our
two houses make only one by the closeness of our union.
Be so good, I beg you, to remember our forthcoming elections, asking Our Lord to preside over them
and to give us through them a Mother after his own Heart. Rest assured that my heart is fully devoted to you in
respect, love, and union in the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and that I am most sincerely, my very
honored Mother,
Your very unworthy sister and servant in Our Lord,
Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
of O. L. of Charity.
B.B.G.
P.S. Our very honored and dear former superior(3) is still ailing and weak, but her heart remains strong
in affection for you and all your dear daughters.
1. Circular letter sent at the end of the year.
2. Change of style here; the rest of the letter appears to have been dictated.
51
Letter 27
Assistant, Angers
th
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Tours-the 13 at noon
The children of wisdom will make up the assembly of the just.
My dearly loved Sister,
It is in the love of this Divine Wisdom that my soul always cherishes yours. Oh, how often have I
thought of cordially expressing my sentiments to you, for certainly, my dearly loved sister, there are times and
circumstances in which it is difficult indeed to speak only to God. Oh, how precious is our contemplation! It was
in the light received during meditation that I set aside a letter I had written to you, my dear sister. Let me
explain. I was very pained and upset ... and doubtless you realize why ... Knowing your affection and your
charity, I wrote to you very frankly asking if you could set my mind at rest concerning M. de Neuville. I was
anxious to find out if he was still angry. But after praying, I put away my letter because it seemed inappropriate
to send to a foundation. Since then I have wished to know only what God wants me to know. One day he will
make everything clear. I must wait for him in peace... And you too, my dear Kostka, I kept you waiting a long
time for a reply to your kind letter.
Are you more at peace? Oh, believe me, your conduct and sentiments mean a great deal to me.
Nothing can or ever will erase them from my memory. Let me have news of your dear self. Pray often for this
house of Tours that will always love you. Build up and sustain that of Angers which is equally dear. Be a firm
stone in the edifice; and finally, my dearly loved sister, let us both remain united to the Cross, at the foot of
which I remain, Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
Dear M. of St. Arsène recommends to your prayers 43 of her penitents who are receiving their First
Communion on Sunday, St. Ambrose, 40, and St. Joseph, 6 or 8. There will be Confirmation in the three
classes. Monseigneur will say Mass here at 8 o'clock.
52
Letter 28
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
[undated, 1831] (1)
My very dear and almost too well loved Sister,
My devotedness to you and your kind and delightful letter urge me to respond at length because truly I
have such a lot to tell you. You will receive my letter in three days' time, because today I would have to rush
and I really want to have a heart to heart talk with you. On Monday, at the latest, you will have it.
How grateful I am to you, my dearly loved sister, for your beautiful emblems. Adieu, I will write again. I
embrace you.
B.B.G.
1. This letter was obviously written prior to May 21, 1831, when M. Euphrasia returned to Angers, as
superior.
53
Letter 29
Assistant, Angers
L.J.M.
[undated, 1831]
How could I consider going to the Good Shepherd(1) without first sending you my warmest greetings,
dear St. Stanislaus? I know you will appreciate that and therefore I am writing this note, very short but
nevertheless most sincere. Union with God, my dearly loved sister, a life of faith, of crosses, of love: these are
the things that count.
O cherished life, life of the saints! ... Here, we are experiencing many difficulties but, thanks be to God,
they are all within, nothing goes beyond the enclosure. M. Fustier(2) is discretion itself and we are happy to
have him. Nobody goes to the parlor, except for work. Nothing is known about M. of St. Ignatius' journey, or
anything else(3).'
On official matters, I reply without saying a word about our internal changes: in that way, nobody
interferes with us ... Would you believe it, dear sister, neither the parish priests nor anyone else knows anything
about the cross we have had to bear. St. Ignatius will have told you about it.
That I assure you is a joy in the midst of our sorrows. My dear sister, a life of suffering is to be
welcomed. During such times the soul makes real progress. Goodbye, at the foot of the Cross, I love you.
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The house of Our Lady of Charity in Angers is known as the Good Shepherd.
2. Vicar general of Tours.
3. M. of St. Dominic Bigot could not adjust to Angers and returned to Tours on March 17. M. of St. Ignatius
Charon was then sent to Angers in March or April 1831 to help in the foundation. She stayed there only
6 weeks before returning to Tours for the election of the superior on May 12, 1831, after which she went
back to Angers with Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
54
From May 21, 1831
to April 23, 1833
Superior of the Monastery
of O. L. of CHARITY, ANGERS
55
Introduction
From May 21, 1831 to April 23, 1833
On May 21, 1831, Mary Euphrasia Pelletier arrived in Angers as superior, succeeding Mary of St. Paul
Bodin. She immediately launched into many activities: welcoming a group of orphans on June 10, setting up a
community of Sisters Magdalens on August 28, forming postulants ... From the year 1831, only two letters have
been preserved: one addressed to the father of a novice, the other to the new superior of the monastery of Our
Lady of Charity in Versailles. For 1832, we have only one addressed to the mayor of Angers.
From January 1833, with the business relating to establishing a house in Le Mans, a long saga began
to unfold [in the history of our congregation]. As early as 1827, while Mary Euphrasia was still in Tours, opening
a "Refuge" in Le Mans had been considered. At the beginning of 1833, she made a quick visit to that city to
view possible locations. On March 7, the Chapter in Angers agreed to the foundation ... but "in accordance with
the 52nd Constitution," thus introducing a whole new situation, which recognized Angers as the central house:
Le Mans and all future foundations would be subordinate to Angers. This Act was signed by the 31 professed
sisters of the young community which had been in existence for only four years. On the following April 23,
Monseigneur Montault, bishop of Angers, sent a petition to Rome seeking approval of the new arrangements.
Little written evidence remains, however, of these all-important years, considering the altogether
amazing development of the house of Angers. In 1831, Mary Euphrasia found herself with a rather modest
foundation: 6 sisters, about 20 girls, some dilapidated buildings. Yet there she was, two years later, with a
flourishing novitiate, 31 professed sisters and a fervent contemplative community. The foundation of Le Mans
had been achieved; other foundations were under consideration. A request for a "generalate" had been
submitted to Rome. Above all, there reigned deep union of heart and mind, a collective enthusiasm for the
"Holy Work," for the glory of God.
56
Letter 30
[Circular]
To Sister Mary of Calvary LE GRAND
Superior, Versailles
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, May 27, 1831(1)
And the Holy Spirit rested upon them.
We praise God from the bottom of our hearts for your election, dearly beloved sister. The choice made
by your dear community is most certainly that of the Holy Spirit. It is with heartfelt joy that I unite with the sisters
in thanking God for the great favor of choosing for them such a wise and enlightened guide. As soon as the
former superior [of Tours] heard of your election, that dear Mother(2) hastened to write to you, expressing the
great joy she too experienced because of such an excellent choice.
You know, my dearly loved sister, that consequent on the recent election(3), I have been obliged to part
from her. I cannot express the wonderful kindness and attachment of that dear Mother. She has given me such
proofs of affection that I shall never forget; her memory will be forever dear to me. I feel as if I were still close to
this dear sister. I recall especially the recreation times, when we were never long together without speaking of
you, so often the subject of our most enjoyable conversations. You know how much this dear sister cherishes
you and how her heart loves to speak of what is dearest to it. As for me, my very dear sister, I who love you so
tenderly, what can I say except: lead on, my beloved sister. The flock that has chosen you can rightly
congratulate itself on having at its head a shepherd, both vigilant and faithful. If only I had words capable of
conveying how much I share the unanimous joy of the occasion.
My beloved sister, be so good as to convey our greetings to the two former superiors. Please offer them
on my behalf all due respectful greetings. Likewise to your dear assistant kindly convey the expression of these
same sentiments.
You already know, my dear sister, that the elections in Tours took place as scheduled, and that our
dear Sr. M. of St. Paul Bodin was elected. Immediately thereafter, the bishop gave me the obedience to replace
her in Angers. You will understand what it cost me to leave on the very same day that dear community so
deeply loved, so close to my heart; but to accomplish all that righteousness required I had to walk forth from the
Lord to find him again elsewhere. So many sacrifices in that one day and in the days that followed!
Permit me also, dearest sister, to assure all our sisters, your dear daughters, of my very sincere love.
I remain, in union with the Divine Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very honored sister,
Your very humble and affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. This letter, probably dictated by Mary Euphrasia, was signed by her.
2. M. of St. Hippolyte de Botmilliau, superior in Tours from 1819 to 1825. She had lived for some years in
the monastery of Versailles.
3. M. of St. Paul Bodin was elected superior of O. L. of Charity of Tours on May 12, 1831. She was
replaced as superior in Angers by M. Euphrasia Pelletier, whose obedience was signed by
Monseigneur de Montblanc, archbishop of Tours, on May 20.
57
Letter 31
To Monsieur BIOTEAU
L.J.M.
From our House of the Good Shepherd, Angers, October 29, 1831
Dear and good father,(1)
It is with great pleasure that I steal a few moments from my occupations to give you some news of your
dear daughter. You deserve this joy having made such a great sacrifice! Well, be comforted, your daughter now
enjoys that happiness she had so long desired. I am not at all surprised that it cost you so much to be
separated from this dear child, for I can indeed see how her good qualities endeared her to you. I can assure
you she is a consolation to us also. Her evenness of temperament and attentiveness to all the exercises give us
reason to love and cherish her, and soon her ardent desire will be fulfilled when she receives the holy habit
within a few weeks. She hopes that will also give her the pleasure of seeing you. Her health continues to be
very good. She sends you her deep respect and grateful thanks. I am, with the greatest respect, Your very
devoted,
Mary of St. Euphrasia,
Superior of the Good Shepherd
P.S. If possible, good father, please send your daughter 12 francs as soon as convenient since
whatever she had was spent on books she needed and other necessary items, especially a corset.
1. M. Bioteau is the father of Mary of St. Rose Bioteau who left borne on September 22,1831, to enter the
novitiate in Angers. Later, she was appointed to Grenoble.
58
Letter 32
To Monsieur, the MAYOR (1)
of the City of Angers
[February 3, 1832]
Monsieur,
The great kindness with which you deigned to protect us up to now encourages me to have recourse
with confidence to your authority, wisdom and prudence. For several nights now, we have been greatly
disturbed by quite a large group of men who scale the walls of our enclosure and force their way in, removing
the locks ...
In those alarming moments, we called for the watchman, but the intruders kept him locked up in the
garden while they tried the doors and windows. Our sisters saw and heard them, but did not dare to do
anything. This morning at 6 o'clock, one of them was still loitering in the field, carrying what we think was linen,
because we found some near the wall which he had just climbed.
Sir, there are many more such incidents which we hesitate to report fearing to take up too much of your
precious time, but we do beg of you to take an interest in our house.
In the expectation that you will not reject my plea, I remain, Sir, with humble gratitude and the deepest
respect,
Your most humble servant,
M. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
Angers, February 3rd
House of the Good Shepherd
1. M. Alexander Joubert Bornnaire, mayor of Angers from 1830 to 1832. The original of this letter is in the
municipal archives of Angers.
59
Letter 33
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
[March 25, 1833](1)
God gives his grace to the humble.
My dearly loved Sister,
We have just received (2) St. Francis Xavier. What can my heart say to your dear heart? I feel that your
letter, my well beloved, was dictated by the Spirit of God. In my opinion, you are quite right, very dear sister!
Oh, be firm! I understand. Alas, I feel the danger, even more than you, having had a similar experience here.
Oh, my very dear sister, it would be wise to wait; only this week again, something happened here which
proved to me that there are very few people on whom one can really count. O my God, we have you alone!
But, tell me frankly what you want of me and I will do it immediately. No one mentions this topic here, so
how can I refer to it? I will await your reply, should you consider that helpful.
I am ever devotedly yours, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Mary of St. Euphrasia, Superior
1. At the beginning of March 1833, M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet, assistant at Angers, left for Le Mans to
prepare the foundation there. She was accompanied by three sisters: M. of St. Helen Baudin, M. of St.
Anne Hutaux and M. of St. Scholastica Chevalier.
2. Receiving a novice for profession meant that, through a vote of the Chapter members, the novice was
allowed to pronounce her holy vows. M. of St. Francis Xavier Mathieu was received for profession on
March 25, 1833.
60
Letter 34
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, April 19, 1833
God is wonderful in his works!
My very dear and ever clearer daughter,
Our hearts rejoiced on receiving your loving letter. I read it aloud three times and the tears shed by our
dear sisters mingled with my own, so full of gratitude were we towards God and our dear founders and
benefactors of Le Mans. As for yourself, my well beloved sister, the Lord himself knows with what tenderness I
cherish you in his love. How much we pray to him for you and for your companions, whom we love and
embrace. We cannot sufficiently praise God and our dear M. Moreau.(1) The more I see of the marvels he
accomplishes, the more I believe him to be a saint, chosen from on high to be our founder and father. We must
trust him completely. My dearly loved sister, tell him how much I long to see him and to thank him. His last letter
filled me with joy! Also please convey our greetings and our deep gratitude to Mesdames Brières, Détournay,
Paumier and Céleste, whom we love more and more. I am sending you a letter that will give you great pleasure.
Courage, then, my very dear daughter! 0 God, how holy is our mission: seeking souls for the divine
Shepherd! Let us therefore be forever united; do not leave me, and believe that I will act with entire confidence.
Tomorrow, Good Shepherd(2) will write to you on behalf of all of us.
We are praying constantly for the dear foundation. Our sisters are truly admirable in their zeal and
fervor. Our yearnings ascend to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, imploring strength and blessings from
above.
Belong entirely to God, my dearly loved sisters, live with his life, seek only him, breathe only for him,
and thus let him be the aim of all our endeavors.
I shall see you again soon, all four of you; while awaiting that joy so dear to me, I remain, in God,
Your affectionate and devoted,
of O. L. of Charity
I am writing to the Ladies of the Sacred Heart.
1. M. Basil Moreau, then vice rector of the seminary of Le Mans, was named ecclesiastical superior of the
new foundation. Though initially favorable to the generalate, he subsequently became one of its most
tenacious opponents, acting, no doubt, with the best of intentions.
2. M. of the Good Shepherd Potherie, the first sister to make profession in Angers.
61
Letter 35
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
Angers, Monday, April 22,1833
What shall I render you 0 my God!
Today, my very dear and well-loved daughter, I received your precious letter. I went first to our
enclosed garden to read it. There, as my tears flowed freely, I poured out my soul in the divine Presence. All,
my dearly loved sister, what graces! The day of the Lord has come, day of light for our holy Institute, day of
strength and joy. To God, to Jesus and to Mary be glory, honor and love. As for ourselves, my very dear
daughters, let us be children of obedience, of the Cross, of love and faith. Let us be really holy and what great
things we shall see.
My dear sisters, I love you with great tenderness in the Heart of Christ and I embrace you most
affectionately. Your letter gave me such joy! What a generous gift and what a father M. Moreau is! We bless
God and our dear founders of Le Mans. Our fondest regards to all of them. Our chaplain sends you his
compliments, M. de Neuville and Mme. d'Andigné also. I have received a wonderful letter from the bishop(1).'
Goodbye, my beloved sister. Goodbye to our three cherished daughters. I remain, in the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
Your devoted,
I'll be coming at the end of the week, or on Monday at the latest. (2)
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. A letter from Monseigneur Philippe Carron, bishop of Le Mans, telling Mary Euphrasia Pelletier of the
arrival of the sisters who had been named for the foundation on April 16.
2. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier went to Le Mans for the official opening of the house, on May 3rd.
62
Letter 36
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
[probably the end of April 1833]
My dearly loved Sister Assistant,
The mercies of God are eternal
With what kindness you console me, my dear daughter! Your dispositions and the good news you give
me are balm to my soul. So the house of God is now in the hands of the people of Israel(1). Blessed be God!
Blessed be our Father, M. Moreau. From our loving Lord, he is a gift to our two houses. Both mother and
daughter look upon him as a treasure. You will see, my dear sister, God's plans will be fulfilled through M.
Moreau; I have full confidence in him.
Four o'clock; I am being called [to the parlor] for M. de Neuville. You seem to be at peace, and I am
happy for you in God. Be faithful to Holy Communion, and to your meditations; hold fast to the Rule, my well
beloved sister. Together with our dear M. of the Seraphim establish a form of leadership filled with prudence,
charity and discretion(2). I greatly desire that our young sisters be humble; don't have them going about in
public. Indeed, my dear daughter, let us remain hidden in the depths of God's presence and his great designs
will be accomplished.
Here we have had crosses to bear; thanks be to God, our only response is prayer and silence. The
Class continues the same, one child died the death of a saint, and a truly penitent soul was admitted.
If your worthy ecclesiastical superior(3) would like to have Felicity there for a fortnight, I would be
agreeable, but her dislike of working at the entrance door or going out on errands has never been greater.
Consider the matter carefully, my dear sister. Please see to it that the deeds are made out in the names of one
sister from here and two from Le Mans(4), which would secure forever the close union of the two houses. I
have so many things to tell you that I shall write again when I am sending the 3,000 francs to our good Father.
If he wants Felicity to come, send us a note. She could set out on Monday.
I love you, very dear daughter, and I remain, until death, yours affectionately in the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
B.B.G.
My daughter, I must open my heart to you. My God, what peace I experience with regard to you and M.
of the Seraphim. I have complete confidence in this foundation. Oh, may the Lord have pity on my weakness!
Here, the Council sisters are wonderful. The union existing between us is like a stream watering this
land with blessings. Our problems are all from outside, through St. Ge.(5), but the bishop disregarded the whole
matter.
Our postulants are promising, but they have to be taught everything.
1. The purchase of the house on the rue des Arènes, which was opened the following May 3rd.
2. At the opening of the house, the community consisted of.. M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior, who by
special dispensation had made profession on the eve of her nomination after only one year's novitiate,
63
M. Stanislaus Bedouet, assistant, M. Helen Baudin, M. John of the Cross David, M. Anne Hutaut, M.
John Baptist Doisy, novice.
3. M. Basil Moreau, vicar general.
4. The official act of purchasing the house under the tontine system, i.e. in the name of several persons.
5. M. of St. Genevieve Fournier, professed sister from Tours, went to Angers in 1829, but not being in
favor of the generalate, asked to return to Tours, and in July obtained the authorization to do so.
64
From April 1833
to December 30, 1834
En route to the Congregation of
OUR LADY of CHARITY OF
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
65
Introduction
April 1833 to December 30, 1834
On May 4, 1833, in the presence of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, Monseigneur Carron, bishop of Le Mans,
officially opened the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, in his episcopal city.
Five sisters formed this community:
M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior
M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet, assistant
M. of St. Helen Baudin
M. of St. John of the Cross David (the new name given to M. Gertrude David,
when she became a choir sister)
M. of St. Scholastica Chevalier, and
M. of St. Anne Hutaut, novice
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in Angers continued to correspond with M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet now in
Le Mans. These are precious letters, enabling us to follow the on-going development of the congregation from
the foundation of Le Mans, which was established according to principles that led eventually to approval of the
generalate.
Mary Euphrasia's intuitive vision and the shared desire of the sisters "to unite in order to work more
ardently and successfully in spreading the glory of God" soon became publicly known. There followed a period
of confusion, marked by unease, lack of understanding, varying degrees of opposition from the monasteries of
Our Lady of Charity, a sudden change of heart on the part of the bishop of Le Mans, and differing reactions of
the bishops of those dioceses in which houses of Our Lady of Charity had already been established.
Nevertheless, during that period monasteries were founded from Angers in Poitiers, November 1833, in
Grenoble, December 1833, and in Metz, August 1834. In Angers a chapel was built at the "Mother House" as it
was now called, and the construction of a wing, later called the "clock building" [l'horloge], for the sisters' cells
was also undertaken. More important still, the text of Constitution 52, which defined the governing structure of
the congregation, was printed and inserted in the Customs Book. On September 26, 1833, Monseigneur
Montault approved the text of this Constitution 52, under the title: "The Superior of the Mother House of the
Good Shepherd of Angers, the Council and its Responsibilities." Among other things, the following is
found:
.. . that this Congregation may work more effectively for the glory of God and the salvation of souls by
uniting its members in a common bond of obedience, all the Monasteries founded or to be founded by that of
Angers will recognize the Monastery of Angers as their highest authority and the Prioress thereof as their
Mother and Superior; she will take the name Superior of the Mother House, and she will by right be the
Superior of all other Houses thus founded. These Monasteries will bear the name of Our Lady of Charity of the
Good Shepherd of Angers. 7here will be a novitiate only in the Mother House, and in other Houses if specially
authorized for the purpose by the Superior and Council of the Mother House. The sisters and all property
owned will come under the jurisdiction of the Mother House. (Customs Book, 1833, p. Ill to X).
While waiting for Rome to reach a decision on this request, Monseigneur Montault, on May 15, 1834,
drew up a document appointing Mary Euphrasia as superior for a three year term.
The Good Shepherd of U Mans, founded by Mary Euphrasia in 1833, officially reclaimed its autonomy
under the terms of a Capitular Act of August 13, 1834. M. Moreau, in his capacity of ecclesiastical superior,
appears to have been a determining factor in that decision. Yet, in the first months of the foundation, he had
been in favor of the plan to establish a generalate.
On August 14, 1834, Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, seized by a profoundly moving inspiration, wrote to
Cardinal Odescalchi, Cardinal-vicar of Pope Gregory XVI in Rome, requesting that the house of Angers be
raised to the status of a General House. On October 28, she received an encouraging reply from the Cardinal.
66
Moreover, in accordance with the advice given by Cardinal De Gregorio, secretary of the Congregation
of Bishops and Regulars, the bishops of Poitiers, Grenoble and Metz were asked by Monseigneur Montault to
commit themselves in favor of the generalate.
After considerable vacillation, each of them submitted a positive reply to Monseigneur Montault. He
then was in a position on December 30 to petition Pope Gregory XVI, on behalf of the Sisters of Our Lady of
Charity of Angers, to approve seven specific alterations to their Constitutions.
The ensuing correspondence, spanning a period of twenty months while Rome's pronouncement on the
"generalate" was still pending, is both plentiful and most interesting. Though Mary Euphrasia wrote mainly to
the superiors of the three new communities, her letters also include individual messages to particular sisters,
and to others outside the community, bishops, ecclesiastical superiors, and benefactors.
67
Letter 37
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
Angers, [May 6, 1833]
The just continue to shine until the dawn of the perfect day.
To our beloved Sister Assistant,
May the divine rays constantly shine in your soul, dearly loved sister, and may you continue to be the
great consolation that you now are.
Our Council sisters and I have been touched by your dear letter; how consoling it was, my dear
daughter, I recognized in it the Spirit of God. Your foundation is established in death to self and all the sacrifices
implied. But, oh, how many souls will be re-born from your sorrows! We in our turn wish you that peace of the
children of God that surpasses all peace.
How is St. Helen? (1) I feel she is sad: try to do something for her and tell her I am very fond of her.
The chaplain and I will be writing, through Felicity, on Thursday.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Helen Baudin, who had made profession two months previously.
68
Letter 38
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, the 13 [May 1833]
Jesus, having loved his own, loved them to the end.
It is, my well beloved Sister, in this same love that my soul feels united with yours by strong
unbreakable bonds. This comforts me and lightens my burden. I am at peace, knowing that you are there in U
Mans, despite the personal cost to me. Nevertheless, I think that you too are suffering, that your soul is often
sad, though you are too thoughtful to mention it. Be that as it may, my very dear sister, it is through the Cross
and through faith that the soul achieves works of grace and salvation. God is showering blessings on us. It
seems to me he has wonderful plans for us. The harvest is truly abundant, but there are no roses without
thorns. I must tell you something, quite frankly: the penitents' class distresses me. Oh, dear sister, things are
not going at all well there. It is agonizing for me. Our young sisters behave perfectly, but they are nonetheless
depressed. St. Ph.(1) does not want to hear anything about it and this is a cross that I feel very deeply. The
Magdalens are getting on much better. M. of St. Ignatius is making a lot of progress, and her flock is following in
her footsteps. The second class (2) is our consolation, there is nothing better.
The novitiate is delightful; nevertheless, I am still very strict, as I wish every novice to become a true
religious. M. of the Innocents (3) has improved; she is asking to receive the holy habit. Will you write and tell me
how you feel about that, my beloved sister?
Just now I am waiting to see the postulants from Chemillé whom we had talked about. Our sisters on
the Council find them charming: they came during my absence. We have been told about six others but we
have not yet seen them. I will keep you fully informed.
Our good father de Neuville continues his generosity towards us. I am sending you one of his letters, for
yourself and M. of the Seraphim.
The needlework section is very well organized and a great success.
Our sisters embrace you. They are always very moved when I read your letters to them; they are really
devoted to you. Goodbye, my dearly loved sister; we are always united in the Lord.
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Mary of St. Philip Mercier.
2. The group of orphans in the Providence building.
3. Mary of the Holy Innocents Le Mou.
69
Letter 39
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, the 23rd [May 1833]
The Lord has led me to rich pastures. I shall want for nothing.
I am burdening you with the postage, (1) my dearly loved sister, but feel I ought to reply to your kind
letter immediately. We find the expressed wishes and desires of Monseigneur very wise. Please convey to him
our humble gratitude and most respectful obedience. Our Council is writing to our worthy ecclesiastical
superior.' All of us want him to include his name in the deeds; we attach the greatest importance to this.
How adorable are the designs of God; how great they are! O my dear daughter, it seems to me that
your heart is entirely filled with love for God and of devotion to our two foundations. How happy we are to have
been called to this great Work. Let us remain forever united together with Seraphim' whom Jesus in his love
has sent me. It seems to me, that here below both of you, my dear sisters, are as two pillars supporting me lest
I fall. May God be loved and glorified. And you, my beloved sister, have my affection and trust,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Yes, my daughter, you must write immediately to our father de Neuville. M. Moreau's postulant has not
yet arrived.
1. At that time the cost of postage was paid by the recipient.
2. M. Basil Moreau.
3. M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior of Le Mans.
70
Letter 40
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, June 2, 1833
My very dear Sister and ever loved daughter,
You have fought the good fight, and already our grateful hearts are preparing a crown for you, which we
pray the Sovereign Judge to grant you. By humbly submitting yourself to his holy Will, you have saved the
foundation of Le Mans. I regarded your presence there as essential, for had you come back M. of the Seraphim
would have returned also. Oh, how deeply distressing that would have been to me, since it would have been
contrary to the spirit of the good Lord.(1) In the end, our God who is so good has delivered us, and your dear
letters have dried our tears. What prayers, what gratitude, what love do we not owe to him; and how closer still
will be our union with both of you who are helping me so powerfully with the Work of God.
We also thank our worthy ecclesiastical superior. Kindly tell him that I will have the honor of writing to
him. All of you together, do the best you can for that unfortunate girl who is blind in one eye. If she comes here
she will need a bed and bedding and, my beloved sister, we do not have one available. As for our good Felicity,
if she can be ready by Wednesday, we would be happy if you will arrange to send her back; do the best you
can. Write to our worthy founder; oh, what a real father he is! Yesterday he sent us another 1,000 francs. 0
God, my dear sister, let us be compassionate toward our poor St. Helen who is suffering and is tempted. Being
a good religious, she may be strong enough to resist. In the meantime, think it over; if you are too anxious
about her, she could come back and be replaced. You may remember, my dearest sister, how my heart
suffered on her account. I will write to her.
I am greatly comforted by all that you tell me concerning the blessings you are receiving and the virtue
of our sisters; poor children, how good they are! I love and cherish them in the Heart of Jesus Christ; be sure to
tell them so.
The day before yesterday, we received a delightful postulant but I do not know if she will stay.
Everybody likes her. She has almost 3000 francs coming to her; she is educated and is on fire with love of God.
A strong character, she seems suitable for the cloister, being too beautiful for the world. In addition to all that
she has a lovely voice; pray for her.
I am very touched, dearly loved sister, to hear how grace is leading you in the observance of the Rule.
Concerning our dear Seraphim, ah, do not refuse God anything and you will be all the better for it and dearer to
our hearts, which are eternally devoted to you, in those of Jesus and Mary.
B.B.G.
1. M. Moreau's wish was that M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet should leave Le Mans because he saw her as
a hindrance to M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior. M. of St. Stanislaus did in fact return to Angers on
July 3.
71
Letter 41
To Monsieur de NEUVILLE
Rue St. Gilles, Angers
[June 8, 1833] (1)
Worthy Father,
Our worthy Mother is becoming daily more strict with her poor bursars, so that I believe it is
very wise to have her sign for all sums received.
"I, Superior of the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, acknowledge having received from Count de
Neuville, our worthy father and benefactor, the sum of 100 francs, for one half year's boarding fee for Mary
Lacroix; the said half year will begin on next July 2 and will end on January 2, 1834.
Angers, this eighth day of June, one thousand, eight hundred and thirty-three."
of O. L. of Charity
I put our bursars to the test as gold is tried in the furnace.
[To another similar receipt, Mary Euphrasia Pelletier added:]
We have also received your two postulants. We are all going to pray for our good and true father. We
are very happy to send you this impressive receipt.
1. Only the signature and postscript are autographed by M. Euphrasia Pelletier.
72
Letter 42
Assistant, Le Mans
L.J.M.
Lord, teach me to do your Will, for you are my God.
My well beloved and ever dearer daughter,
Surely you desire nothing more than that the divine and most lovable Will of our divine Master be
accomplished. He will give you grace and help because you are a child of obedience. I told you, my dear
daughter, what my conscience urged me to make known to you as being the best way to proceed in
accordance with the light you yourself had received from God. I had chosen you in his divine presence and I
cannot change my opinion. However, my beloved sister, I have full confidence in our good Father Moreau.
Follow whatever he tells you in the matter; you will be perfectly secure in your conscience and I shall be quite at
peace. Your letters always give me the greatest pleasure; keep up therefore these cordial and religious links
with me. God is blessing your mission. Send us your postulants; the first ones are making good progress as are
our novices, several are being prepared for you. Pray for the shepherdess and the lambs. Oh, how we need
your prayers!
Monseigneur(1) is as always the best of Fathers, very wise in his judgment and most generous in
defending our cause, as are M. Mainguy and M. Tendron.(2) M. de Neuville and Madame d'Andigné lavish
benefits upon us. Union and regularity flourish but crosses abound. Let us pray, my very dear daughter. I
embrace and cherish you in the Heart of Jesus Christ. Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
I am keeping M. Moreau's letter because of the postage. I'll send it later.
1. Monseigneur Charles Montault.
2. M. Mainguy, chaplain of the house. M. Tendron, chaplain to the Soeurs de la Retraite, is "considered
among the elite of the Angers clergy."
73
Letter 43
To Monseigneur MONTAULT
Bishop of Angers
L.J.M.
House of the Good Shepherd, July 22, 1833
Monseigneur,
May the Lord bless your return! At last, your presence is going to restore calm to our afflicted hearts: at
the height of the storm, we placed our hope in God and in you, Monseigneur, who are our Father and our
support. We did not answer the letters addressed to us, nor did we fear the traps that were set for us. Our
chaplain advised us with the utmost wisdom and prudence and has not allowed anyone to interfere in the
matter. In the absence of the Shepherd he watched over the safekeeping of Israel.(1) He will give you an
account of everything and will hand over to you the papers that were in our possession. Our worthy founder(2)
also wants to see you to express his gratitude. I am pleased to tell you of the new benefits he just conferred on
us: The church is completely paid for, and in a few days the cloisters will be also. In a word, Monseigneur, the
blessings have outweighed the crosses.
Now, regarding the dispensations that have been used as a pretext to accuse us, Monseigneur de
Montblanc, archbishop of Tours, will readily recall that he gave a dispensation in favor of one of the religious
whom I myself received when I was superior in Tours. (3) Moreover, his Grace, at the request of that same
house, granted an even more delicate one which was a dispensation regarding the age requirement of a
canonically elected superior. I was elected when 28 years old, despite the fact that our Rules include these
words: "never before 30 years of age." This particular dispensation, signed by the most worthy prelate, is
among the official documents of the house of Tours. Moreover, it would never have occurred to me to condemn
my bishop, nor to believe I was mistaken in fully submitting to his guidance. Before closing, Monseigneur, I take
the liberty of saying a word about our doctor's kindness and readiness to help. He gave us the greatest possible
proof of devotedness in this matter. The ecclesiastical superior of our house of Le Mans offers his services and
assures me that he will stand firm. We eagerly await your visit which will be most beneficial to all of us. With
most profound respect, I remain, Monseigneur, Your very humble and submissive daughter,
1. M. of St. Paul Bodin, when informed of the plans for a "Central House" through the indiscretion of a
sister, sent a harsh report to the bishop's residence. In that note, she condemns among other things the
dispensations which she thinks Mary Euphrasia is misusing.
2. M. de Neuville.
3. In Monseigneur Montault's own handwriting, between the fines, are the words: "Sister St. Louis, given a
dispensation of one year from the novitiate period."
74
Letter 44
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers,
the 18th at I o'clock [November 1833] (1)
O my God, may your Angel accompany us in all our ways.
My very dear and well beloved daughter,
Your letter came at last, on Wednesday, at 11 o'clock. Oh, how worried I was about all of you, my
dearly loved sisters! Night and day, I was with you constantly commending you to Divine Providence. We think
of you and pray for you unceasingly. What a difficult journey you had; what an encounter with the gendarmes.
Hopefully our revered sister-bursar(2) can return by some other route, the shortest one possible. How I miss
her here! And you, faithful companion in my sorrows and joys, where are you? Oh, how painfully I feel our
separation! But I am offering you to God and that consoles me. Now to come back to the Ladies of the Sacred
Heart: to tell you the truth, I am embarrassed. I beg you to convey to them our gratitude, respect and apologies.
We shall never forget them. Please pay these good Ladies the money due for postage.
Tomorrow, I shall write again to our beloved sister-bursar. I embrace Heart of Mary, the Innocents
(3)and our good tourière sister. Our sisters cherish you more than I can say and are constantly talking about
you.
My dear sisters, courage! May the thrice holy God assist you. Write everything to us, your sufferings,
your joys, your successes. Tell us about the house, the excellent M. Samoyault, (4) the benefactresses,
everything! If only you knew how devoted I am to you; we are going to offer a general Communion for you.
How many things have happened here since you left! Will of God, ever inscrutable, we adore you! But,
my very dear daughter, both you and our loved sister-bursar must be informed of everything; you will pray and
that will be a great comfort to me. All for God and his glory! Yes, at last you are in the thick of the battle; you will
gain your crown. Be courageous, my dear sisters, put your confidence in Jesus and Mary, your Communions, in
humility, a lively faith, and a deep interior life. Already one penitent in Poitiers, poor little sheep! Oh, blessed be
the religious who gave her to you! Have you met your benefactresses? Please give them our grateful regards.
I am longing for a letter from you; do write! We are going to the profession of our three dear victims.(5)
Our sisters in Le Mans are clamoring for news of you. They wrote us such touching things about you! On the
night of your journey and the following morning, M. of St. Ignatius saw you in God. O my God, what marvels!
I remain, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with sincere attachment,
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet returned from U Mans in July. Having been named superior of the new
foundation, she set out for Poitiers to go and prepare the house on November 13, 1833, accompanied
by the bursar of Angers and a tourière sister. As Monseigneur Bouillé was away, they sought hospitality
with the Ladies of the Sacred Heart.
2. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche was sent to Poitiers for a few days in order to help with the
initial stages of the foundation. She then returned to Angers where she replaced M. of St. Stanislaus
Bedouet as assistant.
3. M. of the Heart of Mary Valorge, M. of the Holy Innocents Le Mou.
4. M. Samoyault, vicar general of Poitiers, an outstanding member of the local clergy.
5. "Victims" is an expression commonly used at the time when referring to those making religious
profession. Here, the reference is to M. of the Heart of Jesus Pouilloux, M. of St. Cyr Dubois, and M. of
St. Rose Bioteau.
75
Letter 45
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, November 19,1833
I will be pleasing to the Lord in the land of the living.
How good you are to write again. I would willingly pay anything for the postage. Blessed be our faithful
bursar, support of all your work. They wanted to send you back to Angers, oh no, children of Calvary who do
not fear the Cross! Should all forsake you, God will remain. Your letter, my child, pierced my soul but your
courage dries my tears. Oh, stay, stay on. If only we could fly to help you as we would wish; but do not abandon
the trophy of the Cross, you will soon be victorious.
Try to get a house. I am somewhat uneasy that you may be inconveniencing those Ladies. (1) In a
place of your own you would receive donations. Go often to see that dear amiable benefactress. I shall write
again to M. Samoyault.(2) What an excellent priest, provided for you by God himself. I would also like you to
visit that good gentleman in town, whom you mentioned in connection with contracting for lodgings.
O God, very dear daughter, how frequently you are in my thoughts. Guard carefully the sacred deposit
we have placed in your hands! O house of Poitiers, work of zeal and of the cross. Our hope is well founded.
You and our beloved sister-bursar will succeed. Courage, we are once again starting the Fifteen Saturdays for
you.
Win over the holy benefactress (3) ; write to us. We are praying constantly, and Le Mans as well. Do
not insist on having a chaplain, wait awhile ... only one Mass, so it is sacrifice and the Cross.
Count on my devotedness. I am hiding your trials from our chaplain(4). He sends you his best regards
but is critical of your hasty departure, and I am keeping the rest from him. Be steadfast, my very dear sisters,
we embrace and cherish you in the Heart of Jesus Christ. Amen.
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Angers, Tuesday, three in the afternoon. There is no one except myself for the office in choir.
1. The Ladies of the Sacred Heart, with whom the sisters stayed while waiting for their own house to be
ready.
2. M. Samoyault, vicar general of Poitiers.
3. Madame Sauvestre.
4. M. Mainguy, chaplain of the house of Angers.
76
Letter 46
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Angers, November 23, 1833
My God, you are my strength in lime of tribulation.
Oh yes, I will certainly answer your dear letters! They always give me the greatest pleasure and are the
consolation of the whole family. My dear child, you have been greatly helped and inspired by God. In accepting
that house (1) you obeyed God by obeying us, and you have carried out his holy Will. Go and live there with
your little colony, at whose head I am putting our dearest sister- bursar. What joy it will be when we know you
are in your own monastery. However poor and small, it will be an improvement, and then we will go to see you.
Oh, I beg of you, move in without hesitation. We bless our dear daughters. Those at Le Mans are pleading for
your address; they would do all they can to help you.
With regard to the tourière sister, you may assure her that in Angers she would certainly not be
appointed to the turn nor to external duties. Please tell her this as soon as possible. Ah, my child, how many
crosses await me from that quarter ... it is being insisted upon so strongly that I cannot even make a single
comment. Fiat! My trust is in God.
Of course I am happy about the small donation you received. Oh yes, I am interested in everything. 0
my dear daughter, how I wish you every blessing. God will bestow his favors on you. Our sisters of Le Mans are
doing wonders. They are being blessed abundantly both spiritually and temporally.
Madame d'Andigné's goodness to us surpasses all our hopes. What a mother! Over the past three days
she has given us continuous proofs of her goodness.(2) I have been quite ill for three days now. You are the
only one I am writing to as I cannot apply myself steadily to anything. It is a feverish attack, the result of overfatigue. Our daughters in U Mans are sending us two postulants this evening. My well loved daughter, I
regretfully say goodbye for now, and remain all yours in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
B.B.G.
1. At 97 me des Feuillants, formerly occupied by M. Richard, a priest who had died a short time
previously. Some "penitents" had lived there prior to the Revolution of 1789.
2. On November 21, Madame d'Andigné came to reside permanently as a lady boarder in the house at
Angers. The room over the parlors which had served as a chapel from 1829 to 1833 was the one
allocated to her by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier. From then on Madame d'Andigné became the support and
adviser of Mary Euphrasia.
77
Letter 47
To Madame Mary of St. Stanislaus,
Superior of the Ladies of the Good Shepherd
At the convent of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart
Rue des Feuillants, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Wednesday, November 27, 1833
Your sorrows are ours, my very honored Sisters; oh yes, rest assured of that. Your two precious letters
have arrived. It distresses us very much that you did not immediately move into the house suggested by the
bishop. We are heartbroken, really sad to know that you are still with those Ladies. St. Teresa says that the real
secret in starting a foundation is to take immediate possession. My beloved daughters, may the Lord watch
over you. I am only too well aware of your great fidelity. How distressed I would be if the Poitiers foundation
came to nothing. It is God's Work, a holy work! We are deeply saddened. My daughter, you who have been
appointed superior, and who have our worthy bursar to help you, I implore you to act immediately and take up
residence in this house. Uphold the Work; were it to fail, what an affliction it would be. Our young sisters,
together with all of us here, are prostrate between the vestibule and the altar! (1) The general Communion, the
vows, every possible means of supplication is being employed.
Make prudent use of the Book of Customs, do not give it up. Do not admit the little twelve-year- old girl
free of charge. We will assist you in every way possible, but my very dear daughter, begin at once, through
obedience, in the very house designated by the bishop. We do not know where to deliver all the things you
have requested, and think we might wait until we send for our beloved Mother bursar. To her, as also to you,
greetings from all of us.
Try then, to get the sister of the curé of the cathedral.(2) May God come to our aid! My daughter, she
would be a treasure, first of all because of her brother who is, I know, the heart and soul of so many great
undertakings. I have no qualms regarding her age. We long to have both the aunt and the niece; that should be
your first mission.
Ah, don't fail the foundation of Poitiers! I understand very well what you say of our sisters; Heart of Mary
is very limited in what she can do, but how I wish to keep her safely with you!
Goodbye, my beloved sisters, how overworked I am! I do not have a minute to myself. It pains me that I
cannot write more at length to you. I remain, in union with the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. A biblical expression referring to the portico of the Jerusalem Temple, meaning the sisters are praying
unceasingly for Poitiers.
2. M. Garnier, curé of the cathedral of Poitiers.
78
Letter 48
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, December 2, 1833
You have broken my bonds, 0 my God.
My very dear and beloved daughter,
What marvels your last letter conveys! How great is the work of
God, and how wonderfully he has enlightened you about his adorable plans.O holy feast of the Apostle
of India. (1)This day, feast of Saint Francis Xavier, will ever remain precious to me, the day you took
possession of your house, the day of your triumph in the midst of your labors, the day when your mourning
ceased. Our sisters here are deeply moved, and tomorrow we are to offer a general Communion for the dear
foundation of Poitiers. May the thrice holy God shower his graces upon you, granting you wisdom, joy, and
souls to save. My very dear daughter, do your best in everything. If you need our dear sister-bursar and if she
wishes to stay for another week, I will make this further sacrifice, even though I am over whelmed with work. In
giving all for God's sake, however, I shall find all in God; is that not so, my daughter? He has wrought such
marvels that none can fail to recognize it as his work. We are all struck with admiration, exclaiming to one
another: the finger of God is there.
I have just received news from Grenoble. I can assure you I have never seen anything like it, this Work
of ours is a miracle of love. (2) And, would you believe it, the bishop himself is donating 15,000 francs. The new
house is beautiful: an enclosure, a garden, fountains; never before was anything more splendid offered; we
cannot get over it. This evening, everything will be finalized by the bishop of Angers. I admire our sisters who
are busy at prayer and at work. Besides, I will be very happy to write soon to your esteemed foundress (3)
whom we cherish and remember in our prayers. St. Teresa will also hold her in great affection because as you
know, my daughter, it was she who inspired her to endow this foundation. After the Blessed Virgin, she is the
protectress of the great Work. Oh, how I would love you to make the Fifteen Saturdays as a community. My
dear daughter, try to do that.
For the time being, don't worry about the beds being according to regulations, but accept very gratefully
all those that may be given to you. Do not have any made, except some like those of the penitents which could
still be used later. Try to see that each of you has her own little room so that you will not have to cut up your
curtains.
Give our fondest regards to our dear sisters, starting with our dearly loved bursar. Mademoiselle
Charbonneau seems to be overcome with sorrow and we cannot console her. (4)That dear sister must write to
her immediately. Then, do not take little Perrette, 11 years old, because she would not do anything. Concerning
the other sheep, oh, how much consolation you have given me! We would rather make the sacrifice of our
beloved M. of St. Dosithea.(5) You can see, my dear daughter, that our numbers will be greatly depleted. If you
find any good candidates, send them to us.
Tuesday, one o'clock in the afternoon. These are the Obediences for Grenoble: our dear Sisters M. of
St. Louis, St. Philip, Heart of Jesus, St. Bernard, St. Rose, leaving on Monday.(6) Beloved sisters, just imagine
our predicament; we beg you therefore to be patient for a little longer. I am, at the foot of the Cross, with
affection and cordial affection,
Your very devoted,
79
of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. It was on December 3, feast of St. Francis Xavier, that the sisters finally took up residence in their own
house.
2. Monseigneur de Bruillard, bishop of Grenoble, has asked for some sisters "capable of taking charge of
and restoring discipline in a Refuge that had fallen into a state of laxity and wretchedness."
4. This may refer to Annette Charbonneau, a lady companion of Madame Cesbron de la Roche, who
entered the novitiate on January 9, 1835 and received the name of M. of St. Cecilia.
5. M. of St. Dosithea Joseph, who entered the novitiate on June 22, 1831.
6. M. of St. Louis Royné, M. of St. Philip Mercier, M. of the Heart of Jesus Pouilloux, M. of St. Bernard
David, M. of St. Rose Bioteau, M. Augustine, tourière sister.
80
Letter 49
To Monsieur BIOTEAU (1)
St. Martin of Beaupréau
L.J.M.
From our House of the Good Shepherd, December 4,1833
My good father Bioteau,
Knowing your zeal and your piety, I acted with complete confidence; since your daughter has given us
only consolations by her conduct as a religious, we have chosen her to go and found a very precious mission.
We have every reason to believe that you will be pleased about this. The assignment involves founding
a house in Grenoble like our own here. Be so kind then, good father, to give her your blessing, so that the Lord
too may bless her. She greets you respectfully. I remain, with all good wishes,
Your very devoted,
Sr. Mary of St. Euphrasia, Superior
1. The father of M. of St. Rose Bioteau.
81
Letter 50
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
The Lord has done great things for us. Holy is his name.
Oh, God alone knows how good you are to me! Your last letter filled my heart with consolation. I am
impressed, overwhelmed, and cannot sufficiently acknowledge the goodness of God towards you. May the
bishop of Poitiers (1) be blessed. Oh yes, he is the liberator of Israel. He is your Moses who opened up for you
the entrance to the promised land! You could not have given us any better news (2); it filled our holy house with
joy and lightened our sorrows. Your letters dried our tears. You are my cherished and well beloved sisters, for
you have been victorious! I can assure you that I am deeply moved by your privations. Tomorrow our five dear
sisters (3) are setting out. Oh, how far they are going, poor children!
How I would love to have our beloved sister-bursar back here. There are so many calls on me and I am
really sorry not to have the Book of Foundations. Imagine our distress, as none of our sisters can put their
signatures in the book, but later on maybe! Goodbye, my dearly loved daughter. I am, in union with the Holy
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
You have some beds, my dearly loved sister; the good Lord Jesus loves and cherishes you. He is
giving you the house ... some furniture and other things. Write, and tell us everything, and next week I will send
you a very long letter. Our sisters embrace you.
1. Monseigneur de Bouillé.
2. On December 3, the sisters had occupied their renovated house, 97 rue des Feuillants, which had
formerly belonged to M. Richard.
3. This refers to the new foundation in Grenoble: Monseigneur de Bruillard, bishop of that city, had asked
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier to provide a few sisters "to take responsibility" for a community of 0. L of
Charity at St. Egrève which was in decline, and "to re-establish the Rule." The sisters designated for
this foundation were: M. of St. Louis Royné (superior), M. of St. Philip Mercier (assistant), M. of St.
Bernard David, M. of the Heart of Jesus Pouilloux, and M. of St. Rose Bioteau.
82
Letter 51
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
The just will flourish like the palm tree.
How are you, my very dearly loved daughter? This morning I received the letter from our worthy bursar,
but how I long for one from you! I am feeling your absence keenly. I have nobody left except God and some
little lambs who are still so young that they must be well taken care of, but how many graces there are!
Your letters fill me with joy in God. My daughter, I felt very clearly that God wanted you to be the Elect
of a new tribe. Thanks to his goodness, I stood firm. I trampled underfoot the dust that was rising up against
you. I did not believe what was being said and so it happened that, wanting to get rid of you, they in fact put you
in charge of a more precious heritage.(1)How precious the cross, our veritable treasure, should be to us, my
dearly beloved daughter. Here are our two sisters who are going to you with great joy. (2)M. of St. Arsène is
very attached to you. She will be a perfect help in the second class (3) and with the secretarial work. If you are
not happy with this arrangement, my dearest sister, I will recall her, but she gets on very well in the Classes. I
can assure you that theirs was the best of them all! I cannot tell you, my dear daughter, what effort will be
entailed in reorganizing the Grande Classe.(4) Later on, we'll send you more help. M. of St. Dosithea is
excellent, she has a lot to her. With these two, your mind can be at rest. Perfect order will be maintained in your
flock.
Would you like to have the tourière sister whom the bursar knows? They say she is holy and capable.
She has 400 francs; we are sending this sum to you. The copies of the Book of Customs will not be ready until
next week. You will have them on Saturday, my dear sister, already bound, but I am sorry that I cannot send
them to you immediately.
Send Marie (5) back with our bursar. I will receive her into the cloister. What can I say, you have done
everything. How grateful I am to you. My dear daughter, it is essential for our Mother House that our dear
bursar return without delay. To tell the truth, I cannot go on any longer like this, I am all over the place. Then
there are difficulties from outside as well. I beg of you to let her set out on Thursday, to arrive here by Friday at
the latest.
Truly, how much I would have to tell you, my beloved sister, if I only had the time. Our dear daughters
of Grenoble have left, but in floods of tears. I was deeply touched. But what a mission awaits them there. It will
be a great triumph for the Work, if they are successful; people are eagerly awaiting them. Today they are with
our beloved sisters of Le Mans, and are setting out again tomorrow. Let us pray for them.
Write to us yourself, my dear daughter. I embrace you and remain tenderly in the Holy Hearts of Jesus
and Mary,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
I love and embrace our dear sisters, but Heart of Mary, what on earth is she thinking of?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reference to the experience of Sr. M. Stanislaus in Le Mans and her later role in Poitiers.
M. of St. Arsène Giboin and M. of St. Dosithea Joseph.
The class for orphans.
The Grande Classe, i.e., the penitents' class.
Marie, the tourière sister, was to travel with M. Chantal Cesbron de la Roche on her return to Angers
from Poitiers.
83
Letter 52
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
My very dear and beloved Sister,
What pleasure you have given me, my dear daughter! I would willingly have paid a high price for your
letter. Ah, with what gratitude to God I received it, and with what tender affection for yourself. My daughter, you
will succeed and this mustard seed, so tiny to begin with, will be a great tree some day. I am overwhelmed with
the many marks of kindness shown by your bishop and by your dear benefactress, whom we love and
esteem.(1) Let me have her address, please. I would very much like to write to her. I agree with you that we
have a real treasure in your chaplain and confessor. It seems that M. de Rochemonteix and M. Samoyault are
deeply interested in your foundation. (2) And the dear penitents who are entering are surely the fruit of your
labors. I am never so happy as when you write to me. To tell you frankly, my beloved sister, I feel very much
alone! Nature is suffering greatly, but grace sustains me. Separation from our dear sisters distresses me. Yet
God has willed it. I embrace our two dear daughters; were they exhausted on their arrival? My poor St.
Dosithea was very sad but resigned, realizing she is going in search of lost sheep. Knowing these two dear
sisters as I do, I can assure you that they will be a real consolation to you. Their children here are inconsolable
but docile as lambs; whereas in the other Class, with all its complications, the flock is difficult to tame. How right
you are, my daughter, we need to pray much. Our brave travelers en route to Grenoble have written to me from
Le Mans. The interview and the entire day were delightful. They paid their respects to the new bishop,
Monseigneur Bouvier, who received them most kindly. (3)
However, M. of St. Louis and the others seemed somewhat distressed, though like yourself full of
courage. St. Louis is unshakeable in supporting the great Work. I believe she has spoken personally to the
bishop of Le Mans about it. They really stand in need of the Spirit of God. Our sisters of Grenoble remain ill
disposed.(4) I gather as much from letters they sent me yesterday. But it is a new foundation, the house
superb, and the ecclesiastical superiors very well disposed to our house of Angers, thanks be to God! I will let
you know the rest, my beloved sister. All here love you dearly; your letters are a great joy to everyone. How I
wish our dear sisters may be a help to you. Do you have a garden and a courtyard? Do tell me everything. Oh,
how many questions we shall ask of our dear bursar! We have just received a penitent, free of charge.
Goodbye, my beloved daughter, increase and multiply, be zealous for the growth of our holy family.
May the Lord bless you all.
May he make you grow in his love. I am, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with heartfelt
attachment,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
2. M. de la Rochemonteix, "an eminent ecclesiastic," M. Samoyault, the episcopal vicar, and M.
Chauveau, vicar general, the chaplain of the house.
3. In Le Mans, Monseigneur Bouvier had just replaced Monseigneur Carton, who died on August 26,
1833, aged 45.
4. Reference to the sisters of the Monastery of O. L. of Charity at St. Egrève, near Grenoble, where some
sisters from Angers were destined. (See Letter 48, dated December 2, 1833).
84
Letter 53
To the Sisters of the Community
POITIERS
L.J.M.
Say to the daughter of Sion: here is your King.
My very dear and beloved daughters,
He comes to us in gentleness, this Prince of Peace, this God of all consolation. With what joy my heart
unites with yours as we go out to meet him! It is at the Crib, my beloved daughters, that we must come together
to beg the holy Infant Jesus to sanctify and ever strengthen our union. That is the wish of my heart, which I
assure you is all yours. I greet and bless the dear shepherdess and the lambs. In God what deep peace I feel
about this foundation. It seems to me that sister assistant is the very soul of my soul as she has had my
complete confidence.(1) On that score, I have neither anxiety nor fear because this work is not human but of
God himself. All our dear sisters are similarly blessed; they love you dearly. Our novices, so indebted to our
Dosithea, were inconsolable, but my dear child, God had his designs on you. He wanted you in Poitiers. You
will have a large flock. How you will gladden the Heart of Jesus and that of your poor Mother. Courage, my
child, you are always in my thoughts. I shall write to you again when I send copies of the Book of Customs.
Unfortunately, they are not ready yet. And our good M. of St. Arsène, how is she getting on in Poitiers? Have
you settled down, my daughter? Give yourself wholly to the good Lord and to your flock. With God's help, I
know you will do a lot of good there, everything depends on how you begin. Support one another in your fold as
soon as it opens. Follow your Directories which we will send to you. May the good God bless you, my children! I
also wish all kinds of blessings on our good Heart of Mary; may she devote herself to the work with zeal and
courage, always attentive to whatever could relieve your good Mother, who it seems to me is quite
overburdened. Oh, with what joy, our dear daughters, will we try to send you help in the summer! Beg God to
provide more vocations for us. We will do our very best to prepare helpers for you, but the Lord alone can bring
our efforts to fruition.
And now I address Mary of the Holy Innocents, the first of my daughters and so dear to me.
You are often in my thoughts, my dear child! It seems to me that you both suffer and rejoice greatly as you see
the designs of God unfold. Pray, my daughter, pray! You who are so devoted to me, I will answer your letter.
Receive Communion for me and I will do the same for you. Remember Christmas night this time last year, so
let us love the cross, work and suffering; through these mysterious ways, light is reborn. My ever admirable
sister-bursar embraces you. There is no real news here, only crosses, such is my life. We have had so many
quite agonizing to bear that surely it is a good sign.
Please give our best regards to your excellent benefactresses. I am thinking of having a general
Communion next Sunday for our dear Madame Sauvestre, and then for that other kind and generous lady (2)
and her dear son. Tell them that both houses, Angers and Poitiers, will continue to pray for them. Our good
father de Neuville cherishes you as always, my very dear sisters. His benefactions are countless. Dear
Madame d'Andigné, too, sends you her warmest greetings. Would you believe, my beloved daughters, that we
have not yet received news from Grenoble? Oh my poor children, how worried I am about them, what a
journey! We are expecting to hear from them today and therefore will keep the rest of this page. I am hoping for
news of you also, my beloved daughters. I remain, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with tender affection,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
I am very pleased with your good tourière sister. I embrace her and love her.
Your letter has just arrived.
1. M. of St. Dosithea Joseph had just been appointed assistant in Poitiers.
2. Madame de Germon.
85
Letter 54
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[December 23, 1833](1)
O my well loved and dearest of my daughters, so faithfully following the will of God, what pleasant
news! When your letter arrived I was in bed ill, but reading it restored me to health and now I hasten to answer
it. O my daughter of Poitiers, as great as your suffering so will your glory be. What a noble lady, how I admire
her as well as her son.(2)
I read your letters, re-read, and then read them once again! What happy tidings! You are indeed the
daughter of my heart; and our children, they are so dear to me. Tell our little Dosithea that she is still my
Benjamin.(3) Her letter and that of our sisters has given me so much pleasure. If it were not for my terrible
migraine headaches, I would write to D. (4) and to good M. of the Holy Innocents; hers is no ordinary letter, and
I can assure you she is doing the will of God, a true daughter of mine.
I want to keep you informed of everything. Here, the bursar is a great help to me in everything, the
novitiate is doing well, the two postulants from Le Mans are very satisfactory. As for our Elisa, (5) oh what a
treasure she is. She is making steady progress! Would you agree, my daughter, that these three are ready for
the holy habit? Le Mans is getting on splendidly, but Grenoble, oh, poor children, they are due to arrive only
today, Tuesday. M. of St. Louis wrote to me from Paris. I will send you her touching letter with your copies of
the Book of Customs. They are finished at last and are now at the bookbinder. You should have them on
Sunday. How can I thank you for your letter, which I carry around everywhere. Oh, pray for us! Alas, I am so
weak.
Now I must open my heart to you: our chaplain hurt me in ways that I would never have expected in
relation to Marie. (6) She is at the turn despite our wishes, otherwise there would have been a scene! Oh my
God, how painful the situation is for us, but this is strictly between ourselves. Ah, it is a whole new kind of
suffering of which I would never have dreamed. Despite my sins may these humiliations bear fruit in many
graces for your work. 0 my dear daughter, it is on Calvary that the bonds of our eternal union are renewed. All
our dear benefactors and our sisters send you their loving regards. Oh, how happy I will be to see you!
Goodbye, my very dear daughter, Affectionately yours in Jesus Christ,
M. of St. Euphrasia.
B.B.G.
1. As M. of St. Louis Royné and her companions arrived in Grenoble on Decemher 23, 1833, this enables
us to date the letter.
2. Madame de Germon.
3. The youngest, as Benjamin was to Jacob.
4. M. of St. Dosithea Joseph.
5. Elise Périnelle, postulant, entered November 28, 1833, and became M. of St. Theodore.
6. Marie, protégée of M. Mainguy, chaplain in Angers, recently returned from Poitiers.
86
Letter 55
To Monsieur TESTON
Vicar General, Grenoble
To be given to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, 25 [December 18331
Behold I bring you good news: a Savior has been born to you!
My very dear and loved daughters,
At long last, having waited nineteen days since your departure, after many tears and great anxiety, your
dear and longed-for letter has arrived. But our beloved Mary of St. Louis, so overburdened with work, makes no
mention of our dear assistant and her health; my daughter, how are you spiritually and physically? Oh, you
know how I feel about you, do you not? And you, also, my good Mary of St. Louis, are you fully rested? St.
Bernard, Heart of Jesus, St. Rose and our Augustine, poor children, how dear you are to me in the Heart of
Jesus Christ. My own heart is moved with compassion at the thought of all that you have endured; oh yes, my
daughter, as you say, it is a bitter sacrifice, you are our cherished Xaviers.(1) Ah, you can count on the
devotedness of our congregation, for our hearts are with you in this struggle. May God grant you victory, my
child. Prostrate before the holy Child Jesus I bless you with all my heart. How I suffered last night at the Crib as
I had not heard from you. I was picturing you in the snow and mountains. All our sisters who love you dearly
were longing for your letter. Our chaplains and benefactresses are praying for you. I am distressed, however, to
hear that your letters of Obedience are missing, a loss indeed for the status of this new foundation. I can only
hope that you find them, as I dare not ask for copies. My dear St. Philip, it was to you I gave them. They say
here that you put them with the money and the cutlery. Write to me, my dear daughter, that will really give us a
great pleasure. We are going to pray an offer Communion for you, my good and dear St. Louis. I beg of you
from my heart, speaking from my own humble experience, do not attach any value to the honors which might
seem to be paid to you. Alas, my daughter, they are worthless! Dedicate yourself to God and to our great Work
without any concern for what people may say or think; use the excellent judgment God has given you, my
daughter, to achieve works that are worthy of him. In a word, our two dear pillars, we depend on you; you are
both so faithful. Please let Seraphim go to Caen. (2)
Oh, may God be blessed! Be very wise yet humble in your dealings with others, and keep the Rule. You
are there on the spot, my dear daughters; so do whatever you think best. I am with you, but I know that is not
worth much; I can do nothing but remain totally committed. Tell me all the details of news. God is my witness,
how often I think of you. Since your departure, which I felt keenly, the Lord has lightened our crosses through
the wonders he has worked in Poitiers. 0 my dear daughter, what manifold blessings! Sister assistant (3) is also
admirable. The bishop is very good to them. They also have two benefactresses. Our dear bursar has returned,
(4) very sorry to have missed saying good-bye to you before you left!
Please offer my deepest respects to the bishop of Grenoble, (5) such a good and saintly man. How
grateful we are to him! Our worthy Father, M. Teston, (6) is also our founder; please express our humble
gratitude to him.
Goodbye, my dear and loved sisters, I am very sorry to have to finish but I am not well; your good news
will help to restore me. With tender affection and always united in the holy Infant Jesus, I remain
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
87
Do not reproach our dear sisters of Grenoble(7) but I share with you in confidence that they sent me a
very angry, almost rebellious letter. Send me at least six postulants.
1. Reference to St. Francis Xavier, one of the first members of the Society of Jesus, missionary to India
and China. For Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, he was the model for the missionaries she ardently longed to
send throughout the world.
2. M. of the Seraphim Ducret, Sister of 0. L. of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
3. M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet, superior of Poitiers.
4. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche, who had recently returned from Poitiers.
5. Monseigneur Philibert de Bruillard, bishop of Grenoble.
6. M. Teston, vicar general to Bishop de Bruillard.
7. The Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
88
Letter 56
To Sister Mary of St. Louis ROYNE
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery, the 28th [December, 1833] (1)
A day of sorrows!
Ibis morning, I received your letter.
I cry out to you, Lord, and you do not answer!
My dear and afflicted daughter,
The bishop of Angers, our ecclesiastical superiors, the community and I have decided that Sister M. of
St. Philip must leave Grenoble at once. We order her to return to Angers. For yourself and the others who have
been docile to God's will and to their ecclesiastical superiors, here is my opinion before God. Unite your tears
and your prayers to ours to influence the bishop of Grenoble. Ah, he is a saint; we can never do enough to
redress the insolent ingratitude he has experienced! And as for M. Teston, venerable Father, how embarrassed
I am by the way your assistant has acted towards him!(2) Try to make amends for it all, but get the worthy
Father to insist that the offending person leave without delay. If the bishop permits this, then go ahead and start
the work in that beautiful and highly suitable building chosen by our superiors. Never had it occurred to me that
it would be elsewhere. Oh, if only I were not more than 50 leagues away from you, my dear daughter, I would
go to help you, and how eagerly I would fly to that house at the smallest sign from the bishop. Thank you very
much, my daughter, for the seven-page letter you wrote to me. No, you have not discouraged me. I seek only
God, his holy Will, and the salvation of souls. Ah, have pity on our sisters of St. Egrève. My God, how warmly I
will embrace them, since they wish to return; why not humble ourselves to be united with them in divine charity.
We are enjoining our dear sisters, your companions in distress to sustain you. We cherish and bless them in
God.
Ah, my daughter, how I share your sorrow! Nevertheless, if the ecclesiastical superiors send you away,
be submissive and receive with gratitude and humility whatever the bishop ordains, but ask for nothing. Be
noble and magnanimous in sorrow, uniting yourself to Jesus on the Cross. We will in any case be able to set
things right if you come back. And fear nothing, you will be honorably received here as you will have done your
best. Therefore, if the bishop and M. Teston do not give their consent for you to start the Work, return
immediately. Take the shortest route and come straight to Angers. You will be warmly received. You can be
bursar again. As for my Sr. M. of St. Philip, I will leave her to her thoughts, the responsibility is hers; what a
judgment awaits her! Because of her the entire project could fail. She has insulted a Prince of the Church, failed
in gratitude, and filled my heart with sorrow that will last for the rest of my life. May God forgive her, my
daughter, as I myself do. You know that here she was a little afraid of me and I often silenced her, but I certainly
did not expect such outbursts.
Our sisters are very sorry for you and they are deeply saddened; we have given up all recreation here,
and there is a general state of mourning. The bishop could not be more distressed. M. Montalant,(3) our
chaplain, all are stunned. At the foot of the Cross on Calvary, I am, cordially and tenderly, my beloved daughter,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
I always reply by return mail. Write and let me know the final decision.
1. According to the postmark.
89
2. M. of St. Philip Mercier, professed sister of Valence, later of Tours, had come to Angers in 1831 with
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier. She was appointed assistant in Grenoble, but the appointment was rescinded
and she was recalled to Angers because she had been disrespectful to her bishop, Monseigneur de
Bruillard.
3. M. Montalant, vicar general and ecclesiastical superior of the Angers community. He had presided at
the first ceremony of reception of the holy habit, on June 3, 1831.
90
Letter 57
Superior, Grenoble
Urgent - Urgent
L.J.M.
Angers, Sunday at noon(1)
We received your letter this morning.
Jesus Christ is my life, and for me death is gain.
Oh yes, my very dear daughter, death itself would be sweet for me if I could exchange it for the good of
the holy Work. You invite me to come, oh, how willingly I would do so to help you, but I am under obedience
both to God and you, yes, until death. Your letter, received this morning, revived me and in it I find much to
praise God. How pleasing are your sentiments, O my daughter! My daughter, save the Work, we are praying
and imploring heaven and Mary, our Mother. In the name of obedience, send St. Philip back. You did well to
remove her (2) to prevent her writing or speaking out; she is to see nobody. Try to persuade the holy prelate to
relent, speak to the clergy, get advice from our worthy Father, M. Teston. Oh, plead with him on my behalf to let
you go and live in your chosen premises; do not consider any other. If all efforts fail, my dear daughter, then you
must not accept the sisters of Grenoble (3) for our house in Angers, except our dear M. of St. Stanislaus
[Matton]. (4) We do not want the others, that is unless the foundation is to go ahead. Then our three houses
would be united. We have already written to the bishop of Grenoble and to the ecclesiastical superiors. My God,
my daughter, we are knocking at every door because if you only knew the harm that could befall our holy
religion and our dear house, it would be like a thunderbolt for the city of Angers. Our sisters are aghast, but your
fortitude consoles them. Your letter is inspired by the Spirit of God. Courage, my daughter, go and see the
bishop again. Open your heart to him and mine as well. Ask the good superior of the Ursulines to be a Mother
to you and to pray for you. Offer her my humble regards.
Since you left Le Mans, my dear daughter, I have had serious complaints about M. of St. Philip, whose
proud and authoritative manner made the sisters fear that she could ruin the whole enterprise. (5) They warned
me about it with great sorrow. Alas, they were not mistaken! We will write every day from here; tell us
everything. Ah, how much we look forward to your letters, and even more to the good news that the Work is
being accomplished. But, what you say about the generalate, about the views of the bishop, reduces me to
tears. Oh, is it conceivable that the powers of evil could overcome us? Our sisters of Caen, what harm they do
themselves. They are constantly preaching at the bishops; how much that sort of thing offends our prelates. Are
they not the masters in their own dioceses? The house of Poitiers is doing wonders; it is truly admirable. Our
sisters are showered abundantly with grace and blessings through the intercession of Mary. My dear daughter,
could you observe the Fifteen Saturdays with our dear daughters? Courage, my good Mary of St. Bernard; you
are a consolation to me, my child, may God bless you. Persevere as did your fathers who were martyrs for the
faith; follow their example and save our great Work and the dear house of Grenoble. And you, my dear St.
Rose, how dear you are to me because of your loyalty. May the Lord bless you, as I love you. Our good Heart
of Jesus has been a little weak, but I hope, my daughter, that you will be my consolation. I embrace you and
also our dear tourière sister. Oh, be a support to my dear and heavily burdened Mary of St. Louis! Adieu, my
dearly loved daughters! All yours in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
For Mary of St. Louis only.
Do you think, my daughter, that if you have to leave Grenoble, which would be a triumph for our
enemies, it might be a good idea to find some patrons to help you to establish a foundation in another city of the
91
south? You, my daughter, who have so much character, use it. We give you the full authority of our Council.
May the good God enlighten you. Ah, do not allow our great Work to be forced out of the south. Alas, my
daughter, that would be a dreadful blow.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Undated, postmarked December 29, 1833.
Relieve her of her role as assistant to the superior.
The Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
See Letter No. 69, footnote 2.
On leaving for Grenoble, the sisters had made a stop at Le Mans.
92
Letter 58
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
December 31, 1833
My God, you have restored me to life according to your promise.
Oh yes, my daughter, God, the bishop of Grenoble and dear M. Teston are restoring your life. Assure
the bishop that we will not go back on our commitments according to our holy vow and our Constitution. (1) We
will establish this foundation, as agreed. Indeed, my daughter, do not doubt the designs of God. Deepen that
sisterly unity which has just saved our foundations. We will certainly not forsake you, as our dear assistant has
assured the bishop. (2) Affectionately yours in God,
1. Constitution 52 established that the houses founded by that of Angers would remain dependent on it
(Article 1).
2. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche, bursar in Angers, added a few lines at the end of this letter,
saying among other things: "Get M. of St. Philip to leave at once; our Mother asks you to do this for her
sake. The bishop of Angers demands it in the name of [the vow of] Obedience."
93
Letter 59
Bishop of Angers
Episcopal Residence
Monseigneur,
Please accept the best wishes and respects of our deeply grateful hearts. Ah, Monseigneur, you are
Father (1) to us in many ways. You have both guided and saved us. May God reward you for all you have done
for us. His divine goodness has already blessed your endeavors and your generous labors, as today we
received the most consoling news. The bishop of Grenoble (2) is once more supporting the foundation, fully
approving of what you have done and rejecting all the objections made by the house of Caen. In agreement
with yourself and us, he will accept for his diocese all that you have approved here in yours. He will
acknowledge Angers as the central house of all new foundations, even emphasizing the merit of such an
arrangement, adding that he has just made similar provisions for another congregation in his episcopal city.
Moreover, he is expelling definitively to Caen those religious who refuse to accept his decision. He gave our
sisters 15,000 francs, and holds precisely the same views as yourself.
His first vicar general(3) has also assured me that he will always deal directly with me regarding the
details of the foundation. 0 my God, Monseigneur, what great glory for the Lord, for his holy Work and for
yourself! How your daughters here long to see you! We have you to thank for the joy of this victory. After God,
you mean so much to us, you who will guide all our activities to their desired end. We shall never act without
your advice.
Most humbly, I beg you to forgive me for the countless difficulties I must have caused you; how often
your fatherly goodness has restored happiness and life to me!
I remain, with deepest respect, Monseigneur,
Your most humble and obedient daughter,
of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
Angers, December 31, 1833
1. As shepherd of the diocese, and as "Father" of the house.
2. Bishop de Bruillard.
3. M. Teston, vicar general to Bishop de Bruillard.
94
Letter 60
POITIERS
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, December 6, [1833] (1)
Lord, let the One who is to save us appear!
My very dear and beloved Sisters,
He has appeared among us, this Deliverer of Israel, and already we have felt the sweetness of his
presence. With what joy we prayed for you at the Crib; may our pleas be heard by the Divine Child.
And I believe it to be so from reading your letters which have filled me with joy. I said to myself: my daughters
are living images of the Infant Jesus. What joy! First, your superior's letter was so gracious. My daughter, be
assured that the good Lord will fill your own heart with all the sweetness you wish for me.
Our beloved sisters, too, have written delightful letters. My dear M. of St. Dosithea, be assured that I will
answer your loving letter. I do not forget you, my child, and God is witness to my love for you in the Heart of
Christ. And our dear M. of St. Arsène, Heart of Mary, our Holy Innocents, who are such a consolation to us, also
our faithful tourière sister. I wish I had the time to write to each of you individually as I love you all in the Heart of
Our Lord, but alas, my beloved daughters, the Lord delays this joy by many pressing commitments, for which I
ask you to pray and offer your Communions.
You have heard of our tribulations concerning the foundation of Grenoble. (2) They were as vast as the
sea! Every post brought us a tale of distressing news. We responded diligently, entreating the Heart of Mary
night and day, waiting for the next letter from our sisters, praying unceasingly, witnessing from afar how God
was being offended and the Work undermined. Oh, what a situation! Finally, on Tuesday, we received a fourth
letter that was nothing short of miraculous. This is the gist of it: Ah, Mother, praise God ... The bishop wants the
foundation, has given us 15,000 francs, and in addition will do everything to support it. He had been unable to
sleep day or night, this holy and zealous prelate. He is displeased with the house of Caen and has ordered the
former sisters of Grenoble to go there; as far as he is concerned he recognizes and protects only the Angers
sisters. He is in full agreement with the bishop of Angers. He had made similar arrangements for another
community in his city, and has even advanced the profession of the Ursuline Sisters. Another miracle: his vicar
general, who is familiar with everything through the letters he received, has stated: "We want the generalate; we
will communicate only with the Mother House of Angers, and will make the purchases in our own names." Mary
of St. Louis adds a note: "If things continue like this, the Work will thrive throughout the south." My God, how
wonderful are your ways! Those who wrote against us have in fact contributed to our success. But the bishop
insists that St. Philip leave immediately. (3) He is very offended! For five days now we have had no further
news, and we are getting anxious.
Goodbye, my very dear daughters. We embrace you and are affectionately in the Holy Hearts of Jesus
and Mary,
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
[A part of the P.S. is missing; the page having been cut.]
So, here I am alone, with God alone! The other day I was feeling utterly miserable and wretched.
Someone wrote to M. Perche. (4) Would you believe it ... that good priest knocked at the door at 2 o'clock the
following morning. 0 God, he was so good to me and I was able to speak to him in confidence. He helped me
95
with everything and even wrote to Grenoble. From that day, M. Mainguy has continued his coolness toward me
but I am more at peace. He is going to see you. Goodbye,
my daughter, goodbye!
1. Postmarked January 4, 1834. The letter was probably begun on December 26.
2. At Grenoble, a disagreement arose between the few sisters of O. L. of Charity from St. Egrève and the
sisters recently arrived from Angers. Bishop de Bruillard, at first indecisive, sided with the latter.
3. M. of St. Philip Mercier had been disrespectful to Bishop de Bruillard.
4. M. Perché was chaplain to the Good Shepherd at Angers from March 28, 1831 to April 9, 1832. M.
Mainguy succeeded him as chaplain.
96
Letter 61
Superior, Poitiers
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, December 7, [1833] (1)
The truly obedient will be victorious.
My very dear and faithful daughter,
O God, what a victory you have just achieved! Through you, the Lord has shown the strength of his
arm; how dear you are to our heart! The news you give fills us with joy in God. You did the right thing, my
beloved daughter, in speaking frankly to the bishop. Through you, the Lord's Work has triumphed . (2) You are
the first to be victorious. What a reward from heaven will be yours for having thus confided in Monseigneur!
What would we not do to show you our gratitude! We notified our sisters of Le Mans immediately. As for those
of Grenoble, we have heard nothing but I believe, my daughter, that M. of St. Louis is doing what you did,
Constitution in hand. (3) She has written to me that not even the threat of prison would make her change. We
are expecting at any moment the result of these deliberations, for it will determine the absolute outcome of this
foundation, and you will be the first to know, my beloved and dear daughter. Could I keep anything from you
after all you have achieved?
How I would like to be able to express our humble and respectful gratitude adequately to the bishop,
who has done so much for us! We eagerly await his precious circulars. Will you be kind enough to see that we
get them as soon as they are ready, a real treasure for us. Oh, my God, what a bishop! Long may he live!
It would be a great joy for us to be with you. What vital issues there are for us to discuss! But truth to
tell, my very dear daughter, we cannot leave here until after Easter. M. Mainguy wants very much to go, too. His
visit would be a good thing for you, for reasons I will share with you later; someone there in Poitiers is waiting to
see him! As for M. Perché, he is Father and friend, light and support of the entire Work. Write and tell him all
that has happened between the bishop and yourself; ask him to visit you, he will be very helpful. Just now, I am
not able to leave our cherished cradle. I am weighed down with work, but God tenderly supports my weakness.
The Work is great and well launched. The magnificent and sorely needed building is already 2 feet
above ground.(4) Madame d'Andigné who is writing to you is a mother and guide. Her pleasant, pious
conversations have a very positive influence on the formation of our young sisters. Also she gives valuable
support to our dear M. of St. Therese, who administers our temporal affairs very competently. (5) Nevertheless,
I cannot leave. Ah, if only the installation were after Easter! However, my very dear daughter, don't postpone it;
that would only distress me. I am more sad than surprised with what you tell me regarding our two dear sisters.
It may have been thought here that I put M. of St. Dosithea too severely to the test, but poor child, I loved her
and was simply concerned about her personality. I thought she had improved. 0 my daughter, I am saddened
but not discouraged. Because of your loyalty you merit to have worthy sisters and with God's help we will try to
form them for you. Try to have patience until after the winter. 0 foundation of Poitiers, no, we will never forsake
you!
I embrace our dear sisters, all here are in close union with you. The assistant is devoted to you and
sends her very best wishes! She is a veritable pillar of the generalate.
Goodbye once more! I remain in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very dear sister and
loved daughter,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
97
M. of St. Theodora, my Elisa, has received the habit.(6) Dear St. Vincent(7) is professed and appointed
Mistress of the penitents. Ah, what graces she will need!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Postmarked January 1834.
Monseigneur de Bouillé, bishop of Poitiers accepted Constitution 52 concerning the generalate.
A reference to the same Constitution 52.
The wing with the sisters' bedrooms is known as the "bâtiment de l'Horloge" (clock building).
M. of St. Therese Moreau entered on December 6, 1832. While still a novice, she was bursar.
M. of St. Theoderre Périnelle, originally from La Flèche.
M. of St. Vincent Cornet, from Thiers (Puy-de-Dôme)
98
Letter 62
Superior, Grenoble
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, January 9, [1834]
My God, you have delivered our souls from the snares of the enemy.
Ah, my daughter, what anguish your silence has caused us! We have raised our eyes and hearts
unceasingly towards the mountain of Sion; my heart went out to you as well, 0 my poor child, in your suffering.
But do write to us more often. Oh, may the Lord pour into your soul a torrent of grace and light; may he sustain
you, oh my dear and loved daughter! Preserve the sacred trust we have placed in your care; get our holy
Constitution approved(1), and see that it is practiced; save the generalate, I believe it is already assured. The
assistant of Poitiers has won complete victory. But, to return, here at last is your dear long letter. I am praying
for the light of the Holy Spirit of God to answer it: you have done well in being firm with Mary of St. Philip; we
fully approve from start to finish. I deny all that she has told you; I did not know anything about the contents of
the trunk and had forbidden her to take it. Oh, why did you not take charge of everything? In conscience, you
should have done so. What a way to behave, is she mad? How worried I am, where is she? May God forgive
everything, my beloved daughter. I am not going to say any more about her, which would only re-open your
wounds and mine; but there is no place for her here. Mary of St. Vincent is first Mistress of the Class. (2) All
love and embrace you. How dearly I also love our dear daughters of Grenoble; poor children, I bless and
cherish them in God! As for the sisters of St. Egrève, M. Teston (3) told me yesterday that they did not wish to
join the House of the Good Shepherd. Ah, well, we are grateful to God for that, so let them go to Caen! Do you
not see, my daughter, that they only want to provoke you? Oh, what scheming! May God forgive all this
deviousness. And why did the other houses fail to help them during the last seven years? That would have
been a comfort to me; but, my dear daughter, let us preserve peace and divine charity, such is my treasure and
my life. Then, let our sisters go to Caen and to Tours, but I forbid you in the name of holy obedience to take on
their debts. Do not burden yourself with them, neither their domestic arrangements nor their debts. You know
how we are situated, my dear daughter; we have no funds; it would be impossible for us to provide any. As for
the 1,000 francs you will have to pay every year, we will do our best to help you, but do try, my beloved
daughter, to enlist the assistance of some charitable people. We very much hope that you will practice our
fourth vow, for therein lie many blessings. St. Bernard and Heart of Jesus would look after the Class; the latter
would see to the work. Prepare zealously for the immediate move into your house; buy only the bare
necessities; 0 my God, my daughter, begin in poverty, the good God will help us! We will work night and day
rather than abandon you. If there were any danger of getting this house into debt, between ourselves, I would
rather see you return here. Mary of St. Philip has already dealt the Work a terrible blow. You can see that the
older houses are trying to undermine it; mischief is afoot; our response to every attack is silence and prayer ...
But you, my daughter, if you succeed, then I think you would be able to deal with everything. You must act
toward Caen and the others just as you did in the case of St. Philip; but I would like it if they would communicate
with you. Meanwhile, let us continue to pray. Be extremely prudent, put up the grilles immediately; oh, keep the
enclosure and the Rule perfectly!
Poitiers is progressing admirably! My sister assistant amazes us; oh, what a pillar of the [generalate]!
She is thrilled that you too are in the battlefield and she says humbly: I could never have succeeded; it needed
St. Louis! Her house is a jewel. She weeps over your tribulations and feels sorry for you. Write to her without
delay, my dear daughter, also to Le Mans. Our sisters agree [ ... ]. To the Ladies of the Good Shepherd,
Poitiers, the house of Monsieur Richard.
Adieu, my very dear daughter, write to us twice a week. If you only knew how anxious we are; has your
health improved? Be at peace. With my tender and everlasting affection, in the love of the most Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
99
B.B.G.
Please give our regards to the good M. Teston. You know, my daughter, that we are unable to send any
funds; we must come to a prudent understanding together. We can take our time as we have five years for
payment. So, my daughter, we will help you; nevertheless, my daughter, if you should need 600 francs
immediately for your beds, then you should ask us for it. You know our hearts, but we are in straitened
circumstances ourselves for we have very little work here.
1. Constitution 52 establishing Angers as the central house and the other houses founded from it as
dependent houses.
2. M. of St. Vincent Cornet entered the novitiate on November 2, 1831. She made profession on January
6, 1834, and three days later she was named "first Mistress of the Grande Classe."
3. M. Teston, vicar general of Grenoble.
100
Letter 63
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[undated]
And I said to the Lord.. here I am!
Yes, my daughter, you belong to God and to us as we also belong to you, oh yes! I felt for you in your
situation and then your dear letter arrived. My God, what a relief! The bishop of Poitiers(1) and your
benefactors, how touched I am! My daughter, go to Communion four times a week for the next fortnight; I will
be praying unceasingly for you. May God bless my poor Euphrasia.(2) I love her, this first dear sheep. I am
grateful to you, my daughter, for giving her that name, I really appreciate it.
I think what you say is very wise; I know our sisters well. M. of St. Dosithea (3) is not yet sufficiently dead to
herself, that is why she makes such slow progress. If you would prefer it, my daughter, we will not appoint her
assistant yet, but will go on praying and waiting. As for the Class, I still feel she will do well there.
I assure you in God's presence that I hope the bishop will always be your ecclesiastical superior; I beg
of you, do not ask for anyone else. I am very sorry that the bookbinder has held up the copies of our Book of
Customs. Let us have patience for a little longer. 0 my God, my dear daughter, how good God is, let us live in
him and for him: may he be our life and our light! Write to me every week, your letters give me so much joy.
Write also to our dear M. de Neuville and to the three other people.
Goodbye again, my beloved daughter! I am all yours in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. Bishop de Bouillé.
2. The first penitent received in Poitiers, who was given the name of Euphrasia on arrival.
3. M. of St. Dosithea Joseph.
101
Letter 64
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, January 13, 1834
The Lord has placed me on his holy mountain to proclaim his law.
Yes indeed, my beloved Sister, the Lord has set you on his holy mountain, from afar you spread his
message. How your letters revive us here in Sion. This morning I received your latest precious letter. In the
outpouring of our gratitude, we pray for the blessings of heaven on the bishop of Poitiers, true founder and
Father of the holy Work. And may choice blessings be showered on your dear, noble benefactresses. May your
holy mission be blessed, my beloved daughter. Yes, we bless you and our loved sisters as well as our three
children. Be sure to tell them that I love them and that you have brought me joy. Receive many of these poor
sheep and let us know all about them. I long for Mondays when your loving letters come. Our whole flock here
runs to listen eagerly to what you have to say. So, my beloved daughter, your zeal has borne fruit once more in
the person of that gentle young lady who so trustingly opened her heart to you. Yes, we shall accept her
lovingly in the preservation class as a boarder. Send her along; the good God will provide for her. Moreover, my
beloved daughter, remember that this house is always yours. Oh, let us try to win souls for Our Lord!
I think, my dear sister, that you should accept the good tourière who is 44 years of age and give her a
chance. Many affectionate greetings to her, our first. Our Le Mans sisters should have written to you but they
have all been sick. I told St. Louis [to write to you] also. Poor child, how she needs our prayers! What a
foundation! I am sending you by this post the details I have received. You will always know what is happening.
In Grenoble there are miracles of grace, and wonderful crosses too! God is engaged in combat with the powers
of hell and with those who unite in opposing his Work. We hope, pray, groan, at times trembling in fear. I cannot
tell you how anxious I feel about incorporating the sisters of Grenoble(1). Ah, may the holy will of God be done,
may peace be preserved, may our union be ever strengthened. May God possess our hearts; yes, we will exert
ourselves to the utmost. Courage, my beloved daughter; and yet one more word of affection to our beloved
sisters whom we love dearly. Goodbye, our good M. de Neuville has just arrived. Affectionately yours in God,
M. of St. Euphrasia, Superior of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. The Sisters of 0. L. of Charity who came from Valence and settled in St. Egrève in 1826.
102
Letter 65
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, January 20, 1834
Lord, give your wisdom to the new King!
My daughter, here I am again; our last two letters crossed but how worried I am about you; I beg of you,
my daughter, do not let a week pass without writing in these early difficult times. What have you done with our
sisters? (1) Ah, beware of being deceived! Are you in your own house? How is your health, my poor child, and
that of our dear daughters whom I bless and love? Is the bishop on good terms with you? Does he appear
satisfied, this holy prelate? And M. Teston, is he well? Are you hopeful, my beloved daughter, that this great
Work will succeed? Ah, never has any foundation so preoccupied me night and day! If you wish to make me
really happy, then write to me every Wednesday and Sunday; we would then know when to expect a letter.
Poitiers, Le Mans, all our sisters are praying for you; I cannot tell you how distressed I have been. Mary
of St. Philip has not yet arrived. Just imagine my anxiety ... She was ill in Roanne; fortunately, for the time being
she is safe in the house of St. Sophie's aunt(2). She is bringing two postulants. I am expecting her from one day
to the next, but she has not come, so you can just picture my anxiety. I cannot give any report to the bishop of
Angers, and every day I am asked about it.
My only consolation is Poitiers, which advances from grace to grace, and Le Mans is getting on
perfectly too; however, the archbishop of Tours is going to consecrate the new bishop (3) there, and our own
saintly bishop had wanted a decision about Grenoble. Ah, my daughter, do write by return post! God wants to
make use of you to save the Work; do not hesitate then, we are not concerned about the cost of postage, we
shall not abandon you. But our sisters of St. Egrève are a great worry to me. Let us maintain our unity, my very
dear daughter, never have we had such need of it. If you succeed in Grenoble, the Work is assured. I dread
your falling ill. I am not well either, due in no small measure to worry about you. I had a spell of vomiting, and
last night yet another high fever, but I endure this willingly, my very dear daughter, for God and for you!
Would you believe it, your good mama came to me to speak in confidence; she has been very upset, as
has your poor father. You can imagine how gently and tenderly I received her; she appears to have a good
relationship with me, and says so freely. Alas, my dear child, it is your unfortunate brother who is causing them
shame and suffering; the law had to intervene, but offer this cross to God, my dear daughter. Next to the Lord, I
shall try to be your consolation and that of your good parents.
You can count on my love, I will never change, and you know I will remain devoted to you until death.
Our sisters embrace and cherish you, but how you distress them by not writing. My respects to the good M.
Teston. Dare I also offer my respectful greetings to the bishop?
I embrace you, my beloved daughter.
Your affectionate,
If you are ill ask our dear children to write. This is Monday, and no letter yet!
1. The Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève.
2. M. of St. Sophie Lavoye, originally from Privas.
3. Monseigneur Bouvier, newly appointed bishop of Le Mans, was consecrated in March 1834.
103
B.B.G.
Letter 66
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, January 30, [1834]
Those who seek counsel are led by Wisdom.
It is this divine Wisdom, my beloved Sister, which enlightens your path; the fruits are the delight of our
souls, and how right you are in saying that the foundation of Poitiers consoles our hearts after all our sorrows.
Oh, may the Lord bless you ever more and more, you who are the hope of Israel! Your last letter filled me with
joy. Many things cropped up to prevent me from replying. I had a bad attack of the flu, and on Monday there
was a fire in our Desert.(1) The alarm was sounded, the fire brigade came, but the Blessed Virgin saved us. We
emerged from it with no more than a bit of expense and much fatigue.
M. of St. Philip has arrived.(2) Oh! how imprudent she has been in many ways! But, now to return to
you, my beloved daughter, you who help me to forget everything. You are so good for me! We are writing to our
great benefactress, Madame Sauvestre. May the Lord bless her noble designs. My God, how well everything is
progressing in Poitiers! O foundation, a thousand times blest! Yes, we will try to send you humble and
submissive sisters, a blessing to every house.
Please assure our beloved sisters of my tender affection. All here love and cherish you in Our Lord. Let
your dear child come with her two little ones, all are welcome. We are availing ourselves of the opportunity to
send you a little basket and the Directories of the Offices. We shall cover the heavy postage, because you must
have them.
Rejoice in God, my beloved daughter. Grenoble is getting on much better. Our sisters are in their dear
monastery. The bishop is totally in their favor. He has read the Constitution (3) and said: You are the ones I am
keeping, my dear daughters. We will keep you fully informed.
Goodbye, my beloved sister. I am all yours, oh yes! Yours for life, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The Desert or Bethany was the name given to the residence of the Sisters Magdalens.
2. M. of St. Philip Mercier, back from Grenoble.
3. Constitution 52.
104
Letter 67
Superior, Grenoble
Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, January 30, [18341
Those who put their trust in God will never be shaken.
Truly, my beloved daughter, your last letter has soothed the grief and sorrows I have endured. Oh, how
you gladdened all our hearts! If you only knew how we grieved over your labors. Ah, my beloved sisters, how I
wish I could help you! But the Lord is with you and he will comfort you. Oh, how I would love to see you in your
holy solitude! Dear children, may God sustain you. We, too, have had many troubles. St. Philip, has arrived; no
more letters, flat! You must write to me again, my daughter; oh, your last letter was so good! It was an
outpouring of your whole soul, gently submissive to obedience. Indeed, you have never been otherwise with
me. I wrote to your holy prelate to explain why the assistant's journey has been delayed, and about the little
[financial] assistance you are seeking. Would you believe it, we do not have even 2,000 francs. But, this is a
secret: we shall work both night and day. Even Le Mans is going to send us the proceeds of their night work to
fly to your aid.O divine charity, sacred union, how beautiful you are! We will try also, my daughter, to send you
three or four sisters. But, my very dear daughter, you should have sensed the imprudence of launching such an
undertaking, given the uncertainty of our situation. You yourself used to say: perhaps we will succeed.
Moreover, you know we need more professed sisters. Several will be ready in March, maybe they can all be
professed at the same time. Time is short. Let me know where you stand. Have confidence in God. Ah, may he
bless your holy prelate, whom I revere! Yes, certainly, we will accept your postulant; oh, tell her that, but it must
be in Angers, this is irrevocable. (1) Courage, my daughter, some will come from quite a distance. If there are
two, they could come together; write and let me know if she agrees to that.
Hurry up and buy a donkey for our good St. Augustine, she needs it. I can just see her sitting on it, poor
child, she is very devoted. I embrace her warmly. How deprived we felt, not being able to accept the letters of
our dear children, M. of St. Bernard, St. Rose, Heart of Jesus; it would have been too expensive. (2) I managed
to get a little money to pay for the letter of the good Mother of the Ursulines. (3) I thought I should; I am going to
send that good Mother a reply. Ah, how costly the behavior of Mary of St. Ph. [Philip] has been! My daughter,
my dear daughter, you will console us, will you not, all five of you, just like Le Mans and Poitiers. The latter is
doing wonders. Oh, let us thank God! All cherish you dearly; when I receive your letters, there is general joy.
We have had some troubles, but the Lord saved us. There was a fire here on Monday; the alarm was sounded,
we were all worn out. Moreover, I had the flu for four days, hence the delay in writing to you. We fully approve
your conduct toward our sisters, (4) but be wary of them, you have read their letter. As for their domestic, she
would be a treasure but, my daughter, wait until you are established. I was delighted that you have written to
your mayor whose reply is charming, and also to your benefactress, keep it up. Tell us everything. I am in union
with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
who loves you always
B.B.G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
The decision to have a novitiate only in Angers is irrevocable.
M. of St. Euphrasia was unable to pay the postal charges.
The sisters had spent some weeks with the Ursuline Sisters before moving into their new house.
This refers to the sisters of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
105
Letter 68
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, February 3, [18341
Taste and see that the Lord is good
Truly, my dear daughter, you are punishing me, Monday's post has come and brought no letters. Ours
to you have been delayed because of the fire and our flu. Perhaps some of you in Poitiers have also caught the
flu, but not M. of St. Arsène nor Heart of Mary, because they had it here. Are you very fervent, my dear
daughters? Are you all fully supporting in every way the labors of your dear Mother? O my children, what joy
that would give to my heart! Our beloved M. of St. Dosithea, you, my daughter, who have a mission dear to the
Heart of Jesus, would you want to offend him? Oh, no, surely not. Well then, be the pillar of Poitiers, obedient,
humble and very regular in everything! Tell us also about your little flock: has it increased? Are you getting
enough orders for needlework? Our good M. of the Holy Innocents is still the apostle of the foundation and the
good Lord will shower her with all the graces she needs.
Be faithful until death and you will receive the crown of life. Pray much for our great Work, receive
Communion, pray, my beloved sisters. The Lord is bestowing many graces upon us, but the cross is there too.
Our poor sisters of Grenoble are very much in need of light and help, they are on the battlefield. They have
enemies of every kind and on all sides. We are constantly worried about them but nevertheless we trust in the
Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, source of all good. Let us continue to pray. Maybe you have some news of
them? Le Mans is constantly making progress and growing considerably. Many penitents and orphans are
being admitted. They will be sending us two postulants soon. The novices continue fervent and numerous but,
alas, are still too few for our needs. If we had thirty professed sisters ready, we would be able to place them.
What joy it will be for us too when we are able to send you help, for I must admit, my beloved daughters, that
the Poitiers foundation is my consolation. We can see that it is loved by God and by everyone. What joy my
soul will experience on seeing you again, if the Lord grants me that grace!
Our dear Mother House continues to flourish. The benefactions of our good father de Neuville are
boundless. His fine building is under construction. And then, in the children's play area, another angel (1) is
going to enable us to erect a lovely gallery with twenty-six windows to ensure that the Mistresses and their flock
do not get drenched when it is raining. It will also serve as a workroom and will greatly enhance our building. So
many blessings, all at once! Our sisters unite in assuring you of their tender affection. With the same
sentiments, I am in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
P.S. We are off now to attend the profession of M. of the Angels(2). Please pray for her.
L.J.M.
You will never know, my beloved sister, what joy your extraordinarily consoling letter brought us. Our
tears mingle with yours, all hearts are moved and our souls are fired anew with zeal. O my God, complete your
work, and you, my beloved daughter, write to us again and spread a holy joy here in Sion(3), which glories in
your works! To which I dare to add the sacrifice my heart made in not flying to you on that eternally memorable
day. Submission to the most holy Will of God alone softened the deprivation. But we shall meet again and
share a rapturous canticle, singing joyfully to the glory of the Most High, for the foundation is the work of God's
right hand. Trust in his love, my beloved daughter, and when you have a moment, ah, I beg of you, tell us about
your holy prelate, about the glorious ceremony, the celebration of February 5, that grace-filled day when I was
constantly united with you in spirit. (4)At dawn, in the shadow of the tabernacle, I prepared my poor soul for
106
Communion which was offered for you. My God, my daughter, what peace I experienced. O Poitiers, no, it is no
ordinary foundation!
Your dear young lady is arriving just now. I must leave you to be with her. Also three others, and then
our good father de Neuville. 0 my God, how busy I am!
I embrace you,
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. Madame d'Andigné.
2. M. of the Angels Levoyer, native of Saumur. She made her profession in the hands of her brother,
Abbé Louis Levoyer, prefect of studies at the College of Combrée (Maine et Loire).
3. Referring to Holy Scripture, M. Euphrasia Pelletier loved to speak of the Mother House as Sion: "Of
Sion, it is said, 'she is my Mother------ "In you are all the sources of life!" (cf. Galatians 4:26; Psalm 87).
4. This refers to establishing the enclosure; the ceremony was presided over by Bishop de Bouillé.
107
Letter 69
Superior, Grenoble.
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, 9th [February 1834]
And Mary kept all these things in her Heart.
It is to this holy Heart that I confide the joy you give me. Your dear letter, dated February 2, reached me
today, the 9th. Your others, my beloved daughter, were much delayed and all three of them arrived by the same
post. But what feelings you express in your letters, how pleasing, inspired as they are by divine charity. O my
beloved sister, God will bless you! Blessed also that day on which I received your dear self, blessed be your
labors and all you do! May your health be restored; why should you worry? Do you not have my full confidence
and that of our Mother House? Remember this, my daughter, and re-read these lines in your moments of
sadness. I repeat, we approve of all that you have done. Yes, we Will help you ... We unite our hearts with
yours for your consolation. We will send you two or three lay sisters, since that is your wish. I will keep in mind
your confidential requirements for your assistant; have patience a little longer, my very dear daughter, and all
will be well. And now about the Turn; let M. Augustine sleep in the enclosure. (1) Have her help you as much as
you see fit; if you want a second tourière, choose one, or if you would like good M. Therese, you shall have her.
Be sure that the grilles and Turns are made in accordance with the Book of Customs; also, have this
precious book bound properly, and let me know what pages are missing. And finally, my mischievous daughter,
send us a little note about whatever you need, which will be a pleasure for both of us. I like to see you happy.
My love to our dear daughters whom I cherish in the heart of Jesus Christ. I share your opinion of each one of
them. I fully approve your decision about Holy Communion. Oh, how much I urge them to be noble, generous,
humble, with no indulgence in self-love! My God, my daughter, let us be saints!
Monsieur de Neuville was delighted with your interesting letter. He is writing to you, as is Madame
d'Andigné. Write to her from time to time, dear daughter; our chaplain is completely devoted to you, he is going
to send you a reply; it is rumored that the three of us will be going to see you this summer to conclude the
business of the great foundation of Grenoble. Ah, for once, our good M. Teston would have a bit of a laugh at
this! Convey to him, please, my humble greetings and gratitude. I feel, my daughter, that we should get on well
with him. As for your holy bishop, oh, how I venerate and respect him! Let us be a consolation to him.
O God, if poor St. Stanislaus Matton, faithful to grace, should freely and willingly ask to join us, (2) my
daughter, she should be received with great kindness and sensitivity. That soul is very dear to me, but we
should certainly not be the ones to do the asking. Oh no! She must be made to understand the Constitution and
in that case, my beloved daughter, you would have to consult your holy bishop.
As for the postulant, that dear child, let her come either before or after the arrival of our sisters. All that
you request for her is granted: the formal request to enter, followed almost immediately by the reception of the
habit.
I enclose this note for her.
My dear child,
The Lord himself has dried your tears, thank and love him.
Come, the Heart of Mary and our hearts are open to you. As for the journey, my daughter, if you cannot afford
it, we will pay. Do not worry, either, about the linen and clothes that you need; tell your good Mother St. Louis
that whatever she decides to do will be acceptable to me.
108
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Now, my dear daughter, do not accept the two lay aspirants you have mentioned to me. We will find
others who will be much more suitable. I embrace good M. Augustine, but may she always be submissive to
you, calm in disposition, her head as good as her heart, and then mine will be satisfied. I will answer her letter
through our sisters.
O God, my beloved daughter, how many favors the Lord has granted us lately through the many
consolations accorded us by the house of Poitiers. Not for 200 years was there such a solemn foundation in the
Institute as when the enclosure was established on Tuesday the 5th. The bishop himself, that holy and
generous prelate, insisted on presiding, accompanied by many members of the clergy and all the local nobility,
with ceremonial sentries at the doors. The dear superior is doing very well and is much loved in Poitiers. She is
going to write and tell you everything. Oh, my beloved sister, how I wish and humbly ask your bishop of
Grenoble to preside also at the ceremony of your enclosure after Easter, when our dear sisters will have
arrived. That worthy prelate would draw down so many graces.
I come back now to the superior of Poitiers whose personal progress matches that of the great Work
which she continues to make known with a wisdom and prudence that is winning all hearts. Oh, what good she
is doing for the generalate; she has sent us a charming young lady. Le Mans is still getting on marvelously and
dear Grenoble, child of our tears and our crosses, is doing better and better. How very touched I am by your
labors, my daughter!
Try not to overwork yourself. Do not worry, I am much better. I embrace you all and I pray Jesus and
Mary to bless you, and I remain, my beloved sisters, with heartfelt affection, Your devoted,
B.B.G.
1. Within the cloister.
2. Mary Aloysia of St. Stanislaus Kostka Matton, a Sister of O. L. of Charity, who had made profession
August 10, 1825, in Valence. She left the monastery of Valence on November 10, 1826, for Grenoble
and was now asking to be admitted to the Good Shepherd.
109
Letter 70
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, February 12, [1834]
My soul is sorrowful even unto death.
These words of Our Lord on the Cross and in Gethsemane are also those you quoted in your letter
dated February 6. Oh, how you seemed to be suffering! May the Lord comfort you, my beloved daughter. If only
I could go to you! All, were you no more than 50 leagues away, I would be there before long. I would consider it
permissible were there not so much pressing business here. I realize better than anyone what you are going
through. We cannot fully open our hearts in letters. We have not always had the loyalty of Grenoble, I have
many proofs of that. Well, my daughter, God alone is with you in your exile and labors. I commit this foundation
to his safekeeping. I grieve because of your suffering, my beloved daughter. I feel that you are going through
even more than you say, and then if nobody is showing interest in the Work, how are we to pay for the repairs?
How much do you think they will amount to? And the cost of drawing up the contract, how much will that be?
Keep us fully informed, my good daughter, we need to know where we stand. It would be preferable to stop the
work immediately rather than risk the slightest imprudence, as you know we have our enemies. There are
people trying to topple you rather than see the Work succeed. Be as wise as a serpent, but with us as simple as
a dove for, with God's help, we will support you in your trials.
We would be completely lacking in charity were we to forget all you have been through, and this will
never happen! My daughter, let M. Augustine attend Obedience. (1) There is really no reason why she should
not and it is best not to make an issue of it. Try to avoid accepting the lay sister who is a tourière with the
Ursulines as you could be accused of insensitivity. My dear daughter, do not accept lay sisters without means.
We will send you some already trained. But if there are choir sisters with dowries of 3 to 4,000 francs, or more,
we would be prepared to train them free of charge, while leaving the dowries and boarding fees for your use in
Grenoble. Ah, how we would like to help you! Our chaplain is deeply concerned, and repeatedly says to me:
"Ah, that foundation will send you to the grave!" He is most interested in all you are doing and urges you to
write everything to us and to undertake only those repairs that are strictly necessary. He asks that no sisters be
sent until everything is properly settled.
February 13-Here is your letter dated the 7th. You are quite right; we are stricken by the news. We see
that despite our dedication which is known to God, we are not going to be able to sustain the Work. But how
could you have signed a contract without knowing all the costs involved, including the supervision? My
daughter, you should have written to me beforehand. And why did you let the workers start without having an
estimate drawn up and sending it to me? My dearest daughter, stop all repairs and do not borrow money at
eight per cent, we will not pay it! Ah, my dearest daughter, you have made a mistake, but God understands
your good intentions and, oh, yes, he will surely bless the bishop of Grenoble, so upright and good. He meant
everything for the best, we will always pray for him. Ah, why was he not informed about the two letters from our
sisters of St. Egrève. We had sent them to M. Teston through M. Vinay. I thought he would have told you about
them; you would have seen that even before your arrival in Grenoble the sisters were opposed to their holy
bishop and to us. You would have been aware of everything. As for yourself, my dear daughter, and your good
companions, you will be welcomed here with open arms. If there is nobody to help, then you must sell
everything and come back.
Just this morning, I received the letter from the bishop of Grenoble, dated January 23. He had not yet
received my last letter, has he mentioned it to you?
Adieu, my very dear daughter; I remain, in union with the most Holy Hearts,
Your devoted,
B.B.G.
1. "Obedience" was an assembly of the sisters at the end of the recreation period. At that time, it was
unclear whether tourière sisters, who were not canonical religious, should attend. Mary Euphrasia
Pelletier settled the question with her characteristic charity.
110
Letter 71
Superior, Poitiers.
Urgent.
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, February 16, 1834
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
O my God, my daughter, I firmly believe that you will experience a holy joy and enkindle it in our hearts
also. Your own heart is suffering, and that is my only sorrow in relation to the dear mission of Poitiers, but I am
truly convinced that one day it will be the glory of Sion. You will have an abundance of spiritual help, but also
heavy crosses to bear. Afterwards, however, you will have sisters who console you. My beloved sister, our
chaplain desires that after Easter I accede to your wishes (1)and we will see what we can do to consolidate this
cherished Work, so dear to our heart. Meanwhile, you can prudently arrange the trip with the bishop. Frankly, I
do not feel I can do much good, but if God and you ask it of me, I shall be strong, praying all the while. My great
consolation is that you were canonically elected. (2) Oh, what joy was mine when I received confirmation of
this, for as far as I am concerned it was as good as done in the eyes of God and my soul from the moment of
your arrival from Le Mans. (3) Never has my confidence been so entire, nor my peace so profound.
I want to speak to your incomparable benefactresses whom I love and appreciate. Oh yes! They are
truly imbued with the spirit of the Good Shepherd. We shall never cease to pray for them. Have courage, then,
my very dear and loved sister. I am endeavoring to hasten the training of new sisters for you, but I want them to
be completely suitable! Oh, if we could wait for just one more year, you would have three good ones. My
thinking is to ask you for your requirements and, if possible, I will meet them. You know the situation, in two
years time you will have as many as you need. Our institutions all have new Mistresses.
Ah, as for St. Dosithea's conduct toward you, her irresponsibility grieves me! Poor child, she must be
very insensitive. I bless her and pray for her. As for M. of St. Arsène, she is failing again, truthfulness and good
judgment are wanting, but bear with her, my dearest daughter, a day will come when God will console you and
so too will 1. What astonishes me is your Father confessor: what on earth is the matter with him? (4) The Feast
of the Heart of Mary (5) was indeed a sorrowful one but such is God's way of leading you, for he desires to
accomplish great things in you. How your letters comfort us; oh yes, do write for the sake of the Work! I can tell
you that Madame des Cars greatly appreciates and cherishes you; she will be most helpful to you. Be
considerate toward your extraordinary confessor, M. Garnier, who is really a treasure! I think our worthy Mother,
Madame d'Andigné, will come with us; ask her friend to invite her. I hope your dear flock will have increased
sufficiently to justify our trip. There will be such a lot to tell you when I can open my heart concerning the Mother
House, so much to share, for it is unfolding and progressing as beautiful as the dawn breaking. Oh, how
blessed will be the perfect day of its zenith! What graces God is bestowing on us! I will tell you everything in my
next letter, but let us return to this dear Poitiers that I love and cherish.
Regarding your Chapter, O my daughter, be guided by the Spirit of the good God, as in your letters!
Review carefully all the faults of the week, speak as frankly as you write. The bishop of Poitiers approves of
you. The bishop of Angers is delighted with your letter and he asked me to write to you on his behalf. Oh, how
devoted he is to our great Work! Our sisters of Le Mans are keeping well and are always asking for news of
you. I tell them everything. Your firmness is a great example to them. They have shown everything to M.
Moreau who appears favorable. They seem to be looking forward joyfully to the visit of the archbishop of Tours.
(6) They are sending us postulants. Dear daughters of Le Mans, how delightful they are! But Grenoble, ah, my
daughter, how sad! My heart grieves. I cannot make up my mind about letting our dear assistant (7) go there.
What do you think? I cannot tell you how I dread the thought of this journey. Poor St. Louis has gotten us into
debt, she is too hasty, establishing the choir, grilles, chapel, all done at our expense; and then she writes that
111
she is worried about the future of the Work. Alterations are not being managed prudently but other than that the
foundation would be magnificent.
Yes, my beloved sister, M. Perché, devoted as ever, has come here. How well he spoke of you and
everything to do with Poitiers, I was very happy! He has highest hopes, pray much for him. M. Mainguy is all in
favor of this foundation. He too wants to come. I think, my daughter, that all will go well. Our great building is
progressing; ah, dear Mother House!
I love M. of the Holy Innocents, Heart of Mary, the dear tourière, because they are a consolation to you.
O my beloved daughters, you mean everything to me! Oh, how I would love to see you all virtuous, happy, holy;
yours is such a noble mission! My dear St. Dosithea, believe me, I never stop thinking of you. Most certainly, I
will write to you, indeed to all my dearest daughters. Grenoble disheartens me, flat! But, oh, when I see you
again, what a wonderful day that will be! I pray God to bless you and I remain, in his love,
Your very affectionate and devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier's proposed visit to the foundation in Poitiers.
2. On February 4, 1834, Monseigneur de Bouillé, bishop of Poitiers, received the "profession of faith" of M.
of St. Stanislaus, confirming her as superior of the community.
3. July 3, 1833; she had gone there on April 18.
4. M. Chauveau, vicar general and confessor.
5. The feast of the Heart of Mary, celebrated February 8.
6. For the consecration of Monseigneur Bouvier, the new bishop of Le Mans. M. Basil Moreau is their
ecclesiastical superior.
7. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche was both assistant and bursar in Angers. Mary Euphrasia
Pelletier had difficulty deciding to let her go to Grenoble to help the foundation there.
112
Letter 72
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, February 19, [1834]
Lord, teach me the way of your divine commandments.
Yesterday we wrote to you, seizing the opportunity to enclose our letter in a little basket on a
stagecoach going through Vendée. Did you receive it, my daughter? If not, send somebody to fetch it. I am
writing again today, it is always a pleasure! What's more, I am sending you a very confidential letter which will
be well received by the bishop, but have it [ ... ](1) delivered to him personally by your discreet tourière. If the
bishop wants to reply, he should address his reply to the chaplain or to myself, either will do. Please give my
most respectful regards to that holy prelate. This little message is sure to please him and will also let him know
more about our planned journey. There is so much to see to, so much to share with you. Madame d'Andigné is
still a great help to me. For your information only, she is giving us 3,000 francs for a postulant, aged 29, who is
to receive the holy habit and the name of St. Genevieve. (2) She seems very promising. You approve, do you
not, my daughter? That will be on Wednesday, with M. of the Archangels, (3) a model of virtue. Moreover, this
good lady has promised me another gift of 3,000 francs in eight months' time. See, my beloved daughter, the
goodness of God in regard to our Work. Again, only for yourself our good father de Neuville has already given
us 22,000 francs toward the construction of the building. Ah, had it not been for the foundation of Grenoble,(4)
we would already have been able to start building at the Mother House, fiat! Our dear M. of St. Theodore (5) is
always delightful, how she loves you and appreciates her convent!
She wants to donate everything. She will have at least 25,000 francs.
We also have plenty of needlework, keeping twelve novices busy from morning till night for Grenoble. Mary of
St. Xavier (6) is a treasure of a needlewoman and at everything. The whole city loves her, carriages call all day
long.
Mary.
Goodbye, my dearest daughter; we embrace our sisters, all united in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The original is torn.
2. Rose Ledauphin, native of Sarthe. Genevieve is the given name of Countess Genevieve d'Andigné de
Villequier.
3. Louise Onillon.
4. Reference to the financial difficulties of the Grenoble House. See the following letter of February 26,
1834 to M. of St. Louis Royné.
5. M. of St. Theodore Perinelle, a novice, received the holy habit at the end of December 1833.
6. M. of St. Francis Xavier Mathieu made profession on March 25, 1833.
113
Letter 73
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
26th [February 1834]
Lord, watch over your people.
Finally, my beloved daughter, your letter has arrived; how much I have suffered these last three weeks.
Oh my God, accept my sorrow! Your letter could not have been more interesting. Ah, my daughter, if you could
read my heart, you would find there that which you [ ... ]. No, you will not be abandoned, our sacred
commitments will be honored, unto death ...
If you need 1,100 francs for your furniture, all right, you shall have it; an assistant, a mistress of work,
yes, you will have them, too. But before that, my beloved daughter, let us get everything in order. No, I assure
you, no postulant will make her novitiate in Grenoble, nor in any other foundation; we are absolutely against
that. Eh, my dear daughter, did you not tell me here ... that you would never give in? And I can assure you that
neither will I! We would rather see you come back here immediately, at least you would still be faithful and we
would receive you tenderly. Oh, my God, what other interest do we have in speaking to you thus except to
support the foundation of Grenoble? You are suffering, my dear child, as are our dear daughters. O poor
children, we pray for you day and night and we bless you, but remember we are united with you in your
suffering. We are giving you what we have come by dearly, our savings and everything. We will send you linen
and whatever you need, but, my God, let us strive to accomplish the Work! Ah, how we thank God that we are
not burdened with those sisters from Grenoble! (1) That would have been a calamity; you could never have
been happy, my dear daughters. Let Caen keep their debts, animals, and people; do not accept a single one.
Oh, we forbid it, my dear daughter. Also ignore what our good bursar (2)has written to you, as she is really
devoted to you!
Our respectful greetings to the bishop of Grenoble. We revere him and, yes, we too will acknowledge all
his kindness to you as soon as you yourself have done so. We will send you sisters and some help.
Goodbye, my very dear daughter, goodbye; I have a high fever.
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. Another reference to the Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
2. Regarding the expenses imprudently incurred by M. of St. Louis.
114
Letter 74
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, February 28, 1834
The Lord has led me to good pastures.
My very dear and beloved sister and faithful daughter,
You have correctly discerned my heart and feelings in realizing your three letters would fill me with
consolation. O foundation of Poitiers, sacred root of the great Work source of grace and love. My beloved
daughter, how grateful we are to you for having brought us so much joy in God. What I experienced on reading
your dear letter was quite extraordinary. To God be glory and honor; to you and our dear sisters our gratitude,
for indeed, my daughter, you have worked so hard and are still at it. I beg you, spare yourself, take a little milk
in the morning, you still have a demanding mission ahead of you.
We are touched and delighted with what your lady helpers in Poitiers are doing: where would you find
their equal? How good and kind is Madame Sauvestre! Thank her for her kind and thoughtful letter; how much I
value her zeal! Oh yes, we shall pray that her holy desires may be fulfilled. We will continue to support you, my
beloved sister. Refuse nothing where the great Work is concerned; a second class will draw many souls to God
and will gain the approval of all those ladies. I think their Association is admirable. My God, may you be praised
and may your blessing rest on the bishop of Poitiers. What a prelate! We regard him as a gift from the Lord, as
a Father. His name will be forever precious to us.
The troubles you are experiencing grieve me, oh yes! In every respect, they break my heart. We will try
to settle matters at Easter. M. of St. Arsène is a dead weight, I cannot leave you with such a burden! As for M.
of St. Dosithea, since she is sincere, there is still some hope. I am writing to her in sorrow, without involving
you. Ah, I assure you, I will support you in everything, I will be faithful to you forever. This unity will be our
strength for our generalate. I was thinking too that, in connection with my journey to dear Poitiers, you should
find out when the bishop will be there. Otherwise, it might be better to postpone it until Pentecost, for I wish to
discuss humbly with the bishop and with yourself all that concerns the welfare of our holy foundation. The
chaplain also thinks that you yourself, my beloved daughter, should write around Easter, to ask if I could go
there to settle various business matters with the bishop. We feel that this would be the wisest thing to do. Oh, it
would be a great joy also to see the good Madame Sauvestre and your dear ladies!
And now, let us speak of our dear Mother House, of which you are the pillar and the cherished
daughter. I could never agree to our dear assistant (1) going [to Grenoble], so we have withheld our consent.
But with regard to the money, we were given no choice and had to pay out 3,000 francs, alas! I am deeply
saddened, but fully at peace. Our sisters are so devoted, so wonderful, that you would rejoice to be among
them. You were very much on my mind. Each one undertook to do some needlework; outside orders abound,
thanks to St. Joseph. We are invoking him this month through Masses, Communions, prayers, fasts and
processions. Our establishments are in perfect order, but we had to alter the Grande Classe completely,
reducing its size to 46; so no more complaints or noise, everything is peaceful. The three Mistresses are doing
very well indeed. However, the main consolation, my dear daughter, is the group of your fervent Magdalens and
still more their excellent Mistress. Truly her new approach and her success are the work of the Lord. Her flock
is progressing in the way of perfection. I hope you will be giving her some sheep, my daughter.
March 3.
Our letter was not quite finished when I received yours dated March 1. May the Lord bless your humble
obedience. Certainly you may sign the contract. We shall never abandon you, and Divine Providence will come
to our help. We would like you, my beloved daughter, to write to M. of St. Louis (2) yourself and, as if doing so
of your own accord, express your misgivings and recommend obedience and humility. How concerned we are;
115
that poor child has purchased everything in her own name, bought 600 francs worth of furniture in excess of
what we had approved and when our worthy assistant (3) pointed this out to her humbly and charitably, her
words were greeted so ungraciously that we were grief-stricken. Perhaps it was not through any ill will but I do
not wish to hide anything from you. We are all praying; let us hope that God will bless her with a true religious
spirit. She is good and virtuous, and that is a lot.
Goodbye, my dear and beloved sisters, M. of the Heart of Mary, St. Dosithea, St. Arsène, our dear
Innocents and our faithful tourière. Goodbye once again for a little while. All yours and all for our sacred
commitments, in the love of Our Lord,
Your devoted,
B.B.G.
1. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche was approached about going to Grenoble.
2. M. of St. Louis Royné, superior in Grenoble.
3. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche.
116
Letter 75
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, March 11, 1834
O God may your will not mine, be done!
Yesterday, on March 10, my dear daughter, I received your letter dated March 3 with a copy of the
contract which we are delighted to have. I sent it on immediately to the bishop. I also received the invoice from
the workmen. It was quite right, my daughter, that the other two foundations did not send any estimate to the
Mother House, because their founders paid for everything. But, you must realize that in conscience neither you
nor I may undertake expenses without prior authorization. Besides, just read the new article on the generalate;
it is consistent with our vow of Poverty. Moreover, my dear daughter, after having quietly read over the contract
and the various objective comments you had made, our sisters and I fully agree with you that before God we
could not possibly destroy this Work. I, therefore, gave my consent, although it is quite possible that in this
entire matter I alone, in my great frailty, am to blame. I am fully convinced of all this, my dear daughter, and yet
suffer seeing the extent of your distress.
In tears, I begged my [ecclesiastical] superiors to let me leave immediately for Grenoble, where at least
I could have shared in your labors and troubles. That was my dearest wish, for I hate to cause distress. But I
was not permitted to leave, and I have submitted fully. However, those of our dear sisters who are going will, I
feel sure, be imbued with the spirit of God. As already decided, they will leave after Easter.(1)
Meanwhile, my daughter, and also our beloved sisters, M. of St. Bernard, St. Rose, Heart of Jesus, M.
Augustine, let God be your consolation. 0 my dear daughters, the one sword that pierces my heart is the
knowledge that you are suffering. I accept the sacrifices and crosses involved in the foundation of Grenoble,
and may God spare me from ever complaining about them! I beg the God of all goodness to be your light, your
support and your consolation. Who knows if this calvary of the generalate will not one day be its triumph and
glory, yes, Grenoble! But everything depends on your virtue, humility and love of the cross. Everyone sends
you loving greetings. At Easter, our sisters will send individual letters to you with our dear travelers.
We give our consent, my dear daughter, for the completion of the repairs already started, at a cost of
2,000 francs, but cannot agree to a similar amount for anything further; it is quite out of the question. Pray
constantly, my dear daughter, I am convinced that if you are humble and submissive, the Work will progress. I
know you well: God has blessed you with intelligence and initiative; if you persevere, you will be successful.
Although what you did was wrong, you still have my trust and my tender love. Do not cause me any
further grief.
We willingly accept the good sister postulant. Admit her at once. She is your first lay sister and will be
the only one at Grenoble until joined by those we will be sending. Her household goods and whatever little she
may possess will be a small but welcome contribution to the Work. I am only sorry that our other postulant is
not returning immediately; do write to her.
O my daughter, I really must tell you my great inspiration: it is to dedicate the church of our foundation
there in Grenoble to St. Joseph, be sure to do that. I have made a promise that all spiritual and temporal needs
will be entrusted to his fatherly care.
I am enclosing a copy of a short notice that we inserted in both local newspapers (2) and now we have
plenty of work. You must do the same, alter the note as needed, refer to the bishop of Grenoble instead of the
bishop of Angers, delete any mention of Classes not yet started and draw attention to the general novitiate at
our dear Mother House in the city of Angers.
Farewell, my very dear daughter, I remain, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
117
B.B.G.
On Friday, we shall send you the published notice, it is perfect. I advise you to have a similar one put in
your newspaper immediately. The hour has come to speak out, all for God and for his glory! I want the little
ones in Grenoble, my daughter, to be dressed in black, with a nice little white cape and a white belt. I embrace
them, those dear little ones.
1. In April 1834 the following set out for Grenoble: M. of St. Helen Baudin, M. of St. Radegonde Maugard,
a novice, M. of the Cross Guenion, and M. of the Presentation Belin.
2. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier had inserted a short notice in two different newspapers, briefly describing the
house and stating that orders for needlework and embroidery would be accepted.
118
Letter 76
POITIERS
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, March 15 [1834]
I will set you up as king on the holy mountain.
Yes indeed, the God of Israel has established us on the holy mountain. He has worked several miracles
for us, and the foundation of Poitiers is the wonder of his love and the sweet consolation of our souls? Blessed
be your good Mother, faithful leader of the cherished tribe. Blessed be all of you who have contributed to the joy
of Sion! Last evening, March 14, we received your loving gift, yet another proof of our everlasting union; also
the precious greetings of the holy bishop of Poitiers, of M. Chauveau and M. Garnier, (1)and your own, oh my
beloved daughters, all more precious to us than gold! We all received these treasures with sentiments of the
deepest union and lively gratitude. (2) Your dear letters also stirred me to the depth of my heart; oh yes, I shall
write to each one of you individually, hence I will not be sending the little feast day basket until Thursday
evening. I would be grateful if our dear Sister M. Therese( 3) could collect it on Saturday from the regular
coach. These are some little gifts as a token of our friendship. Our sisters are writing to your faithful and wise
shepherdess who, I assure you, is the joy of Israel. I will answer her two thoughtful letters. Finally, the novices
are writing to each one of you, so you will be receiving many letters. What lovely bonds of sacred unity, truly
God himself allows it by his miracles. He has just worked one that leaves us in delight and awe. We will send
you the details later.
I also want to tell you about the other marvels that have taken place here within the last few days. My
daughter, you will be very affected as you read this letter aloud, because I am speaking of your heritage, the
object of your love, this holy Sion which you salute from afar every day of your life! Mary and Joseph are the
sacred channels rendering our meadows fertile; our Fifteen Saturdays, the month of St. Joseph with twelve
processions, the novena to St. Francis Xavier, all for our three foundations. Oh no, never have we had as many
intercessions, Communions, prayers, and so many tears. Grenoble, the calvary of the generalate, has at last
consoled us a little; at least our sacrifices and our labors will not have been in vain, though it has cost us 5,000
francs, but may the will of God be done! Our dear Sister M. of St. Louis suggests selling part of the enclosure
which is six times larger than that in Angers; the mere thought brings relief and consolation. Then the good
bishop is going to follow the lead of the worthy bishop of Poitiers, which gives us great hope. (4) Le Mans and
dear Poitiers have zealously tried to outdo each other in consoling their Mother.
As for Angers, what should I tell you? If streams of grace are flowing to assuage the difficulties
besetting our foundations, it can be truthfully said that their source lies here. An excellent spirit prevailed here
during our days of trial. Our sisters applied themselves to all kinds of tasks. We publicized in the newspapers
the type of work we do here. God has blessed our great undertaking and you could not imagine how the house
is thriving, orders for work are so plentiful that carriages are coming from all directions: five Mistresses are
busily cutting cloth from morning till night. Our Classes are so well disposed. Our founder is always
incomparably good, constantly showering us with benefactions. And do you know all that dear Madame
d'Andigné has just done? She is constantly about, contributing everywhere, seeing to everything. What a lovely
monastery those generous souls are founding: paintings, statues, pious books, everything is looking better all
the time. It is the temple of the Lord and the place where his glory dwells. The organization of the various
assignments is perfect. In a word, my beloved sisters, it is all God's, all yours; oh, yes, I assure you, we will
joyfully share everything with you.
I thank God that our journey will not take place until Pentecost. By that time we will be able to bring you
some help, at least for your work projects, if for nothing else. If my wishes are realized, we shall be able to do a
little more. By then our young sisters will be better trained, at least we hope God will help us in this respect, and
we fully intend not to lose a single moment.
119
Goodbye, my very dear and beloved daughters, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with
great tenderness, I am always,
Your devoted and affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
March 19, 1834.- My beloved daughter, this is in confidence, it will be tomorrow or Friday. Do not worry. I am at
peace, my soul is submissive.
1. M. Chauveau, vicar general and chaplain of the Good Shepherd. M. Garnier, curé of the Cathedral and
ecclesiastical superior of the community.
2. Mary Euphrasia is expressing thanks for letters and gifts received from Poitiers on the occasion of her
patronal feast, March 13.
3. M. Therese Blouin, tourière sister.
4. Formal endorsement of Constitution 52.
120
Letter 77
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, Sunday, March 16
The zeal of your house consumes me, Lord it is for your glory that my face has been covered with opprobrium.
Since your letter dated March 7, my beloved daughter, you should have received two from us. I was
very satisfied with that last one and our chaplain seems to have been delighted with his. Blessed be God, my
very dear daughter! Ah, how happy I am to see you with such religious sentiments. Your words greatly
consoled us. You may sell part of your extensive grounds, but always with the consent of our holy bishop of
Grenoble. Let us wait a little; there is now some hope for our debts of September, that is what was worrying us.
Let us be of one mind in divine charity, my daughter, then all will go well. Have courage, my dear daughters!
How I long to answer my poor Heart of Jesus, M. of St. Bernard, St. Rose. When we have time, we will write to
each one, encouraging you to strive more and more toward perfection, through humility and obedience, by
consoling your superiors and accepting their advice. The wise person, my dear daughter, loves to be corrected.
Let us unite more and more for the glory of God and the good of our holy Work. Ah, it is for that and for you, my
beloved daughters, that we suffer and struggle; love is stronger than death. Since our dear professed and
novices came to know of your crosses, they have been working for you from morning to night; how tenderly
they love you, their charity finds a thousand and one ways to help you. They say, oh, Mother, we are ready to
deprive ourselves of everything for our cherished sisters of Grenoble! Never have they worked so hard. Divine
goodness provides work in abundance, that is what has inspired us to draw up the handbill that I am sending
you by the same post, but in a simple wrapping that costs almost nothing. We are also giving you our only copy
of the Le Mans circular. My dear daughter, make the best use of everything.
Our respectful greetings to the good M. Teston. The sisters of St. Egrève must be in Caen, because
one of them has written to me from there to ask if she might come to this cherished house of Angers. Oh my
daughter, how we laughed! A sister of Caen who loves the generalate, just think! She says she wants to
make room for her sisters of Grenoble, whom she does not want to see.
Your feast day letters have arrived, oh, my daughters, how I thank you for them! You had already sent
me your good wishes, as your foundation of Grenoble coincided with the feast. How touched I was by those
charming letters! My good St. Louis, do not go to the burial of the poor M. of the Child Jesus, (1) it would be
contrary to our rule of enclosure. O my daughter, how moved I am, by what you tell me about the holy bishop of
Grenoble! Yes, his foundation will be sustained. If I can manage it, you will have some relief at Easter, yes,
indeed! The great Work pleases God, it is established.
What a good idea you give me; you are at the portals of Rome; well then, my daughter, you will be the
way, the joy of your Mother. Remain closely united, share all your sufferings with us. I embrace our dear
Augustine and wish her to present my profound respects and gratitude to the bishop.
I am telling you in confidence, my daughter, that I am in correspondence with Tours these days. If we
had even 3,000 francs, I could help you. Pray for a successful outcome. I am assured that they have to return
the 8,000 francs to me. (2) Ah, how I would thank God for it! You are right in saying that the Work of God has
had powerful enemies. It is unfathomable: so much has been done in attempts to crush us, they constantly
speak of the young professed, but God is ever present.
Goodbye, my beloved daughters, I cherish you,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of the Infant Jesus Ducret, a Sister of O. L of Charity, first in Valence and from 1825 in Grenoble.
2. A sum of money that the House of O. L. of Charity of Tours apparently owed to the House of Angers.
This may refer to the transfer of the dowries of sisters who moved from Tours to Angers.
121
Letter 78
Superior, Grenoble
[March 19,1834] (1)
My very special daughter, what a night I have had! I was thinking of you and of our great Works.
Perhaps our dear Sister M. of St. Therese has been chosen as a victim [soul]. Oh, I feel that she died a saintly
death and was taken from us at a time when our crosses were very heavy! All the houses at the instigation of
Grenoble (2) united with Caen and Tours and approached the archbishop(3) who is in Le Mans today with our
own saintly bishop and our chaplain. We remained alone with the cross and with the death [of our dear sister].
Oh, we believe she is praying for the Work! Like you, our sisters remain constant. God will deliver us, let us
trust(4). Our great desire, my daughter, is to have a large number of applications for the novitiate; see if you
can find twelve or fifteen in the south, oh do try to help this dear generalate to expand. Poitiers is getting on
beautifully. And, Grenoble will do well, too. And in the neighboring towns, how much good you would be able to
do. I think M. of St. Helen could be assistant(5). She would help you with everything, for she is a real treasure,
very capable and highly dependable. And our poor St. Therese is no longer. Oh, what a year of sorrows! Fiat!
But the dispositions of M. of St. Rose, Heart of Jesus and St. Bernard are comforting. Oh, my dear daughters,
never have I doubted your loyalty to your Mother House! Still, how sweet it is to hear and see you renewing
your sacred commitment, our hearts praise the Lord. We can already foresee his great designs. Have courage
a little longer, my dear daughters!
United in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. After a letter written by a secretary, announcing the death of M. of St. Therese Moreau, a second-year
novice.
3. Monseigneur de Montblanc, the bishop of Tours, met Bishop Montault and M. Mainguy in Le Mans at
the episcopal ordination of Monseigneur Bouvier.
4. Reference to the endorsement of Constitution 52, establishing the generalate.
5. M. of St. Helen Baudin, who had returned from Le Mans on October 16, 1833.
122
Letter 79
Superior, Poitiers
[March 25, 1834] (1)
We have every reason to be pleased with the attitude of the bishops. The bishop of Tours (2) made no
mention of the past. The bishop of Angers spoke about the generalate and our sisters to the clergy. He
behaved admirably. Monseigneur Bouvier (3) preached on the benefits of the generalate. As for what M.
Moreau (4) said, it was pitiful, he vacillates like a child. He unsettled our chaplain, (5) who was reassured by
seeing the firmness of the bishops, and now sees the light.
Who can fathom human nature? St. Louis held her head high, well done!
1.
2.
3.
4.
This is a note added to a letter of M. of the Good Shepherd Potherie, secretary.
Monseigneur de Montblanc, archbishop of Tows.
Monseigneur Bouvier, new bishop of Le Mans.
M. Basil Moreau, ecclesiastical superior of the house of Le Mans. 5. M. Mainguy, chaplain, Angers.
123
Letter 80
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, March 25, [1834]
Lord, it is for the glory of your name that my face has been covered with opprobrium. (Isaiah)
The death of our saint, (1) the innumerable crosses and labors of the past two weeks have prevented
me from contacting you, although I was very consoled by your charming and cordial letter. Try, my daughter, to
make your holy bishop understand how impossible it is for me to go to you before he returns from his visitation
of the diocese. You can understand why, we will then have two chaplains, which will make things easier; all I
want is to act in accordance with God's will, so for love of him please take care of that matter.
We have three choir and three lay postulants who are very promising. Would you agree, my beloved
daughter, that they should receive the holy habit, and that St. Angela (2) should make her holy profession, then
be appointed first Mistress of the children; after all, she has amply made up for her mistakes and wept over her
faults. Also, this would allow St. Augustine (3) to become full- time bursar. Let me know what you think. My
beloved sister, you are our first councillor, oh, yes! How well I know all you mean to the Work! I think these little
plans are for the glory of God. The foundations are hardly recognizable, to God be the glory!
Our penitents and Magdalens have exceeded my fondest hopes. And Grenoble, my God, what a
triumph for the holy Work! Your letter was very helpful. M. of St. Louis (4)has clearly recognized her faults, and
who is without any? But with regard to the holy Work, she is following you step by step and is quite fearless. M.
of the Seraphim (5) also is a paragon. Long live our three pillars, and your dear companions whom we cherish,
how happy they are going to be! M. of St. Dosithea, you who have so much desired our consolation, here it is.
You, my good M. of the Holy Innocents, who have so wept and grieved over our sorrows, and you, Heart of
Mary, St. Arsène, my dearest daughters, let us bless God, we love you in him.
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
M. of St. Therese Moreau.
M. of St. Angela Desvigneaux.
M. of St. Augustine Fouquet will be bursar of the house.
M. of St. Louis Royné, superior in Grenoble.
M. of St. Seraphim Houdin, superior in Le Mans.
124
Letter 81
Superior, Poitiers
[after March 24,1834] (1)
Mary of St. Paul(2) had ordered our tourière to take M. of St. Chanta1(3) to her grandmother's house,
with the permission of the archbishop of Tours: "I will not trouble my conscience with this..." said the tourière,
"keep your permission, Madame."
1. A short note following a letter written by M. of the Good Shepherd, giving other details of M. of St.
Chantal Moreau's return to Tours.
2. M. of St. Paul Bodin, superior of the monastery of O. L. of Charity of Tours.
3. M. of St. Chantal Moreau was a Sister of O. L of Charity of Tours who had come to Angers for the
foundation, and later asked to go back to the house of Tours.
125
Letter 82
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, March 26, [18341
You have set me free from the snare of the hunter, O Lord, I will bless your name.
Your letter has arrived, blessed are you in Sion, you are its consolation. Blessed is your Work in
Poitiers, and what can I say of your ladies of Poitiers, that city of grace! Blessings and success to your holy
bishop, and much love to our beloved sisters; all of us fondly cherish you! Tomorrow, your sheep will arrive,
poor child, we will receive her tenderly. She will tell us about you, my beloved daughter, and I shall write to you
again; so many consolations, all coming at the same time. I was unable to write sooner as I was not well, but
the Lord healed me. Meditating on his mercies, my soul was renewed. Poitiers, ever faithful! Grenoble,
miraculously saved! Oh yes, we prostrate ourselves, Heaven and its mercies came to our rescue, what graces!
The departure of St. Chantal, my daughter, is a blessing. All she can do is talk, the poor sister! What a
relief to be free of her. I did not instigate her departure, but I thank God for it! And see, they were aware of it in
Tours. One of them mentioned you ... everything is kept from these dear sisters, and they were astounded
when our tourière replied, "She is superior of the house of Poitiers." Oh, who can fail to see that the Work of
God is being accomplished! This Mother House of ours continues to flourish. I believe that M. of St. Therese is
in heaven: we already feel she is praying for us. Rest assured, my daughter, penitents will come, that house of
Poitiers will not perish. It will indeed flourish. Courage, persevere, our establishments are all doing very well. M.
of the Angels and M. of St. Vincent (1) are, I assure you, two very good Mistresses.
The bishop of Angers came yesterday. He spoke highly of the generalate in front of a vicar general from
Nantes, who seemed highly impressed. All we are asking God for is suitable applicants; we would need another
forty, my dear daughter, if only you could find some! Within a few years, more foundations will be requested in
the south and we should train sisters well in advance.
Goodbye, my beloved sister, we are now going to the office of Tenebrae. I am, in union with the Holy
Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with tender attachment, until my last breath,
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
We will go on Ascension Day.
1. M. of the Angels Levoyer and M. of St. Vincent Cornet.
126
Letter 83
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
(March 1834) (1)
This is in reply to your two letters which gave me so much joy.
Ah, how much your news of Grenoble consoles me. The bishop of Angers was delighted with your
wishes, as we were. I esteem your holy prelate and admire the prefect's letter. 0 dear foundation of Grenoble,
yes, it will be the glory of the generalate! We will indeed forget the tribulations we have endured! Alas, my poor
daughter, you and your companions whom we cherish have had more than your share.
Ah, how sweet is our unity! How delighted I am that you stand solidly in favor of the generalate! You are
quite right in saying that our enemies are powerless. God is with us! Would you believe it, my daughter, it is on
the basis of the letters of Sr. Seraphim,(2) that oracle who writes non-stop to Tours, that we are being
condemned... Her letters are sent to the archbishop's residence, where they are held in high regard, just
imagine! My God, sustain us! Certainly, with God's grace, we will never yield. As you suggest let us proceed
without delay, and act as if we were sure. You are quite right, they fear our combined courage more than
anything else. If only we could appeal to Rome! Before God, my beloved daughter, it seems to me that this
must be a decisive year.
I hope, in my next letter, to let you know when our sisters will leave. I must confess to you confidentially
that we are now shorthanded, your departure and the death of St. Therese (3) leave a huge gap. It is most
painful to me. We were obliged to put M. of St. Augustine (4)in your place, and St. Angela (5) in the Class, but
these trials draw us closer to God and make us even more devoted to our holy Work. If we are not to remain in
the present position three years from now, we will need thirty postulants. We continue to pray and our sisters
are full of zeal. If your circular letters attract any candidates, do whatever you think best and send them to us.
The more novices we have, the more the Work will prosper, and later on, my very dear daughter, you
will be able to establish foundations in the south for the glory of God. Be the constant companion of our labors.
But, what are you saying, that I will never go to see you? Oh, I certainly hope that will not be! With God's help
and in holy obedience, I will. Our good M. (6) will go ahead of us with the donkey. How much there is to share
with you, my poor St. Louis. What a relief it would be to know that you and Caen are corresponding.
You did well to receive your brother with kindness; he is a young man who went astray. Do not invite
him to Grenoble; nevertheless you ought to have offered him something to eat. You must pray for him; he
deserves compassion.
Goodbye, my very dear and beloved daughters; be assured of my tender affection, in the love of the
Your affectionate,
P.S. What do you think of this story from Tours about St. Chantal?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Following a letter written by a secretary.
M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior of Le Mans
M. of St. Therese Moreau.
M. of St. Augustine Fouquet.
M. of St. Angela Desvigneaux.
Marie Augustine, tourière.
127
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Letter 84
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, March 31, [1834]
The Lord is truly risen!
My very honored and beloved Sister,
It is in the joy of the Resurrection that we are sending you this short friendly greeting. Last night at 6
o'clock your dear sheep arrived, her brother did not come with her. Since it was Easter Sunday, I had feared
there might have been some detours along the way. I welcomed her warmly and she gave me your dear letter.
Wholeheartedly, we bless you in Our Lord and through the blessed Virgin. Although there are crosses to bear,
the Lord continues to bless this holy house, which we hope will be all for the glory of God and the salvation of a
great number of souls. That is our only goal. And my great hope is that you too, my very dear sisters, will
receive many penitents. Difficulties should not surprise us, a day will come when these souls will know the
value of your labors. They will progress and be our consolation. Here, we have experienced as much and after
many tears, our penitents are getting on very well.
Today, Monday, as you know, we are having four professions, and six postulants, including 3 lay
postulants, are receiving the holy habit. Their new names are St. Michael, St. Radegonde, St. Anastasia, St.
Agnes, St. Adelaide, and St. Elizabeth, (1) who is our beloved sister Blandine, blessed child of grace. How I
wish you knew her; she is singularly wise, amiable, hardworking, pious, reliable, and faithful to all our
observances. Her sister also is charming,(2) they are the two little angels of the novitiate. We pray and keep
watchful care of this dear flock. We have such great need of a solid formation if we are to help souls! Our
sisters are going to add a little. I am dictating my letter to our beloved M. of the Good Shepherd, as I have so
much to do. The families of our sisters are just now arriving.
Our dear father de Neuville is not at all well. Do pray for him, and for us, who are with sincere affection,
in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my beloved sisters,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Michael Fradin, M. of St. Radegonde Maugar, M. of St. Anastasia Desmazières, M. of St.
Agnes Bouiller, M. of St. Adelaide Robineau, and M. of St. Elizabeth Renon.
2. M. of St. Léocadie Renon, who entered on August 13, 1833.
128
Letter 85
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of O.L. of Charity of the
Good Shepherd, Angers, April 8, [1834]
The Lord has raised up the poor from the dust.
My beloved and faithful daughter,
Your goodness and kindness are so great as you write to us, that surely the Lord himself could not fail
to reward your total obedience. It has troubled me that I could not answer your two dear letters earlier, but you
know, my daughter, what tribulations we have been through. Today, our gratitude and joy know no bounds!
Glory to God and all honor to the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary! We have just heard that the bishop of Le
Mans agrees to the generalate and promises to support it! We ask that with us, you offer Communions and
prayers in thanksgiving!
Now, I happily come back to your dear self. I think you are quite right in not accepting the young person
from our sisters' house. Never accept orders for needlework with too many conditions attached, unless you
receive a corresponding price. Also, I would prefer if you admit the penitent without fees. I cannot tell you yet
the date of our dear colony's departure. What is holding us up is our desire to pay off your repairs immediately.
We are sending you 2,000 francs at once; we really do not have them, so we asked Madame de Villebois (1) to
advance the fees for the children's board, which she promises to do by the end of April. My dear daughter, will
you write on my behalf to your bishop and tell him that his colony is ready and looking forward to meeting him
and receiving his blessing, and that the slight delay is due to the need to put our affairs in order. Try never to
borrow, and nevertheless pay whatever is due. I would be delighted if you can do that for me, but yet if you fear
the postponement would displease the holy bishop, write to me immediately. We would certainly prefer to
borrow the necessary funds rather than displease him.
As for our splendid building(2), our good father de Neuville is giving us 40,000 francs, but not until early
in May; the balance is taken care of The workmen are progressing rapidly with the construction. You can let the
bishop of Grenoble know all that is happening; I have full confidence in him.
Tell our dear sisters whom we cherish in Jesus Christ to take courage a little longer; soon they will see
once more the children of Sion and will receive news of their Angers, this city of peace. I thought too, my
daughter, that having no penitents you are less overworked and that it would be a good thing if the sisters of St.
Egrève were to leave first. There could undoubtedly be trouble if they were to see the others arriving.
How unfathomable are the judgments of God! Poor St. Chantal (3) was inflexible in her determination to
go to Tours. You heard about her arrival. On Holy Saturday she finally had her way and was taken there. She
entered the house, collapsed and died! Pray that her soul may rest in peace, but see how the designs of God
are accomplished!
Keep our twelve postulants in mind, that is your task in the south. Our sisters offer you their tender and
loving greetings. Angers, Poitiers, Le Mans cherish you in the Heart of Jesus Christ. I am being called on from
all sides. Regretfully I must leave you, ever remaining all yours,
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. A benefactress who was related to M. de Neuville.
2. The building for the sisters' bedrooms, known as "I'Horloge," or the Clock Building.
3. M. of St. Chantal Moreau (see the letter of April 9, 1834).
129
Letter 86
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, April 9, [1834]
Drink joyfully from the waters of the fountains of the Lord. Isaiah
My very dear and loved Sister,
We cannot encourage you enough to drink from these divine springs. Therefore receive Holy
Communion' for the nine days as you so desired in order to obtain from the divine Shepherd a great number of
poor sheep. Yes, certainly, we will unite our prayers with yours. Our dear sisters are supporting you with all
their heart and affection. I have greatly regretted not being able to answer you sooner, as your letter gave me
such pleasure. Ah, my daughter, this holy foundation of Poitiers inspires great interest! What gifts, expressions
of good will and zeal! As for myself, I am overwhelmed, I adore and keep silent! And we witness yet another
triumph of grace and mercy: the bishop of Le Mans' approves of the generalate and intends to support it. God
be praised!
I am enclosing a most interesting letter, do not lose it, my beloved daughters, but I thought it would give
you pleasure. Ah, how much we will have to share with you at Ascension! We must speak openly to one
another. Meantime, we love and cherish you.
And another hidden design of God, I have to tell you! The loss of poor M. of St. Chantal. Our sisters at
Tours did not believe she was ill and placed her as a boarder in the hospital. On Holy Saturday they finally
yielded to her entreaties and had her brought to the house to talk with her. She came in and died immediately.
0 my God, how inscrutable are your judgments! Poor child, may her soul rest in peace!
Goodbye, my beloved daughters. Ah, let us be saints! I have to end this letter now because of the
pressure of work. We will write to you again at the end of the week. All yours in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and
Mary,
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. At this time, daily Communion was rare even for religious. Constitution V of the 1737 edition for the use
of the Sisters of 0. L. of Charity stated: "The Sacred Council of Trent, having declared that it was
desirable to have some Communions at every Mass ... therefore, every day the superior should permit
a few sisters to receive in rum as she sees fit."
2. Bishop Bouvier.
130
Letter 87
Superior, Poitiers
[April 15, 1834](1)
Praise the Lord, you who dwell in Sion! I have so much to tell you that I dare not even begin. My very
dear and well beloved daughter, your letters comfort my heart. How I wish I could console yours. Not only is
your foundation blessed by God, it is also widely appreciated. I love and embrace you,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Until tomorrow.
1. A note following a letter written by M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche.
131
Letter 88
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of O.L. of Charity of the
Good Shepherd of Angers, April 15, [1834]
My dearly beloved daughter, I have scaled and unsealed this letter three times over. All yours have
certainly consoled me. Oh yes, you have received a penitent, and kind benefactors are already helping you.
Oh, let us thank God! Our sisters were ready with their bags, the 2,000 francs, and a monstrance we are giving
you as a gift, but we heard of the disturbance in Lyon(1) and the travel permits were refused.
What were we to do? The bishop of Grenoble and M. Teston would have considered us imprudent, and
frankly I would have been worried to death, knowing that three young religious were in danger. I can assure you
it was only that which held me back. At the first sign of calm, they will set out.
We are thinking, my daughter, of entrusting you for two years with a young novice(2) who is really
capable for housework, she also writes and spells well. You are one of the family, what would we not do to help
you? Oh yes, God will be glorified by the Work! How I love your letters; everything has been so consoling: the
altar of Repose for Holy Thursday, the little gifts, the forty cherry trees, the enclosure, and everything else. You
made me laugh about Seraphim and Paul(3). Oh, how I would like to have them together!
About the five-year-old child, if the bishop of Grenoble gives you permission, you may admit her; I give
her a big hug. A thousand greetings to our dear daughters. Goodbye again, until tomorrow. Ah, how I am
longing to write to you again, heart to heart! I have full confidence in you; there are so many things to tell you!
Goodbye, my daughter, in the love of Our Lord.
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Local riots with workers agitating for fairer wages.
2. M. of St. Radegonde Maugard.
3. M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior in Le Mans, and M. of St. Paul Bodin, superior in Tours.
132
Letter 89
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Bless the Lord, you who live within the portals of the House of God.
In the abounding joy of dwelling in this holy House, where my heart is all yours through the bonds of
deepest affection, we write to you again in a spirit of sincere unity, which brings me consolation amid our
overwhelming labors. But your letters from Poitiers make them so much easier to bear. How good of you to
write, my very dear daughter. The steadfastness you show in supporting the Work is more precious to us than
gold. May God be your light and your life. May he entrust a large flock to your zeal. How I long in God to see
you again, my beloved sisters, if such be his divine Will. If the unrest in Paris does not prevent our trip(1), we
thought of asking you, my beloved sisters, whether the bishop would be in Poitiers on Pentecost Monday. We
would set out that evening, for God's glory, which is our desire and also yours. What joy to meet one another
again, and I will be able to see first hand your dear city, scene of your struggles and victories. I shall have such
a lot of news and good wishes from the holy City. (2) Our sisters look forward to reassuring you of their tender
affection. Our good chaplain will also come, as will Madame d'Andigné. While awaiting that happy day, I am, in
union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my beloved sisters, Always your affectionate,
To God and to you, my very dear daughter,
May the Lord be blessed in everything, my beloved daughter. In the cross alone is our rest. We were
enjoying a little respite when the Lord visited us with fresh sufferings ... first the death of the good M. Fustier(3)
our Father and special protector. Ah, that affected me! But he was a saint and is with God, therein lies my
consolation! My tears were still flowing when more crosses were laid on us through M. Moreau. You know
him!(4) He wrote to me about the Work in the same vein as he wrote to me about you, my beloved daughter,
when he did not want you to remain in Le Mans. He stated that he was writing to me under the seal of
confession, and that I am not to discuss it with anyone, just think of it. He fully defends himself and has
influenced Bishop Bouvier just as he did his predecessor, and blames us for not having accepting the fine
document which he had drawn up himself. O God, how happy we would be, my beloved daughter, if you had
that document, as the evidence would be there and this is what M. Moreau fears, but we have lost our copy.
The ecclesiastical superior of the house at Toulouse(5), M. Berger, has been influenced and has written against
the house of Angers. We are afraid that someone has also written to the bishop of Poitiers. You must not be
surprised at anything, my very dear daughter; I beg you not to say anything unless others speak to you about it.
God is with us. I have replied calmly that nothing will shake us, that suffering and crosses do not frighten us,
that with God's help we will remain firm until our last breath, ready to receive our dear sisters if they are sent
back(6). I feel he is more afraid of the prospect than we are. For your consolation, my dear daughter, your
children here are doing very well, our penitents are admirable. M. of St. Vincent handles them perfectly. The
zeal of our young professed for the great Work is unshakeable, for they see it is all for the glory of God. like
yourself, they are single-minded.
Goodbye again for a short time. I am, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Always your affectionate,
B.B.G.
133
1. After the Revolution of July 1830, the government of Louis Philippe did not fulfill expectations of the
working class, and this gave rise to rioting instigated by workers who had gathered into Mutual Help
Societies. The Paris riots of April 13 and 14, 1834, in the me Transnonain, killed or wounded a total of
nineteen people.
2. The Mother House of Angers.
3. Vicar general in Tours and chaplain to the community.
4. M. Moreau had drawn up a plan for an association which would have as its purpose to secure, by
secret but sure methods, the approval of the Holy See for the generalate.
5. Our Lady of Charity in Toulouse.
6. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Le Mans.
134
Letter 90
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, April 21, 1834
My God, may your Will not mine be done!
Ah, how concerned I am about your community, my beloved daughter. Did anything happen to you
during the recent troubles in your cities? Days of crosses, what suffering! God has protected us, for if our poor
sisters had set out they might well have lost their lives.
What has become of the house of Lyon? Was it attacked?' If this letter reaches you, reply immediately; I
fervently hope that calm will be restored, allowing our sisters to leave. They are ready and, I believe, eager to
go to you, bringing all our personal messages.
How many crosses we have had to bear. Your neighbors (2) wrote again to St. Brieuc and Toulouse,
and encouraged others here to write against us. Alas, what harm have I done them? I had only their welfare at
heart. If you could see everything we have undergone for the past five days, you would be overwhelmed with
sorrow. Only for yourself, my daughter: The M. of Le Mans,' whom you know has joined the fray, and is trying to
alter the views of..., who at first was well disposed. Do your best to find out confidentially the names of the two
prelates who have been consulted. That would be a great help to us. Please convey our deep respects to your
holy chaplain. Ah, if only he could come here, we would gratefully welcome him with open arms. Give our
greetings also to M. Teston. Our daughters are longing to go [to Grenoble]. Yesterday, I spoke to a gentleman
who promised that we would have travel permits within a fortnight. The bishop of Grenoble realizes our sincere
longing. Our sisters will bring everything you requested. We have good reasons to be very grateful and
obedient to this worthy prelate. We will send the various little items you requested, and also a novice to teach
writing.
Oh, my dear and beloved daughters, believe me, you are closer to us than we are to ourselves. Your
devotedness is so touching! We beg the Lord to shower you with his graces and blessings; may he be your
support. Ah, be the glory and jewel of the generalate! Fortunately, there were no irregularities to complain of in
your dear house and, as your holy bishop is satisfied, he cannot be adversely influenced. Everything is really
going very well here, thank God! The novitiate is thriving more than ever and our novices are increasing in
number. M. of St. Joseph is better and spares no effort to help us; the same can be said of St. Cyr. St.
Theodore is delightful. (4) You are loved by everyone and they want you to know it. M. of the Good Shepherd is
going to write to you on behalf of all.
Goodbye, my beloved daughters. I remain, in union with the most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with
sincere affection,
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
What joy the post brought me today, my daughter; your letter has arrived just now on April 21, and what
pleasure it gives me. You have not had any trouble, for which we thank God who has protected us. How wrong
we would have been to let the sisters set out' in such terrible times; alas, they might have died on the way. You
see, my very dear daughter, how the Lord watches over us. How I love your dear lady! Please thank her for us,
how kind she is! Give your cure some vegetables, strawberries, and other fruit, that would really please us! Ah,
what a pity the sisters have not left!' I forgive them with all my heart, how I have suffered over them!
To add to my tribulations, the Abbé Dufêtre (7) is coming to Angers for a few weeks; but God is with us,
our trust is in him.
Do not forget the postulants, send us twenty or thirty. Let us struggle on, O my daughter, have courage
in God!
135
1. In Lyon, a riot threatened to destroy the sanctuary of Our Lady of Fourvière. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier,
hearing about this, was anxious for the safety of the house of Our Lady of Charity on the neighboring
hill.
3. Monsieur Moreau.
4. M. of St. Joseph Regaudiat, M. of Cyr Dubois [later known as Sr. M. of Jesus], M. of St. Theodore
Perinelle.
5. To let the sisters leave Angers for Grenoble.
7. Ecclesiastical superior of O. L. of Charity in Tours.
136
Letter 91
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, [April 27, 1834] (1)
Lord, how wonderful are your works!
What consolation, my very dear daughter, Grenoble is at last fulfilling our hope. Your sentiments ease
our suffering; how comforting your letter is. I will read it many times, my daughter. You see the hand of God in
the Work and your courage is not of this world. In you the Lord has given me a faithful companion. I have two
hearts, since yours is one with mine; this is no ordinary grace. 0 daughter of the generalate, bring it to fruition,
belong fully to God and to the holy Work. May your foundation be the glory of Israel! May the blessings of
heaven be with you! You will go to Rome, which is quite in character; God will give us more souls like yours
there! The Work will soon be a reality as it already is in our hearts. Never will we yield, never, we proclaim it
aloud!
Our beloved and very dear M. of St. Helen is coming to you in an excellent frame of mind.(2) She is
appointed assistant, laden with our sufferings and imbued with our joys. How many confidences she will share
with you! How she will help you!
I hope your enclosure ceremony will be the most solemn we have had so far among the generalate
foundations. M. of St. Helen is going to ask the bishop to confirm your appointment. Invite the clergy for the
ceremony; there should be a homily as laid down by the Book of Customs. Offer our respects, as is proper, to
our worthy ecclesiastical superiors, the bishop, and M. Teston. May the latter bless our daughters. We are
writing to Madame de Bourdonnance and sending her a few little gifts; lavish attention on her and on the other
ladies too. Let the bishop know, my dear daughter, your desire to sell [some part of the property] in order to pay
off the debt of your house. We would never be able to make up the 7,000 francs due by September.
Ah, I assure you that here we are working as hard as we can. Yesterday we were left with only 20
francs, but such poverty is sweet to us as long as you, my daughter, are happy. If you are, I am content.
Later on, we will send you two more lay sisters. How we long to have many more postulants. Lack of
sisters would be a stumbling block for the generalate. M. of St. Helen is going around giving talks from town to
town. M. of the Cross is very well disposed, and our dear little M. of St. Radegonde is truly delightful and very
capable. M. Presentation is excellent but, my goodness, so like you, naughty St. Louis ... you who enjoyed the
lecture your worthy curé received. He certainly deserved it; anyway, give him some sweets and some nice ripe
fruit.
Rest assured, all the details of your beautiful ceremony will be reported to Caen and Tours. Please
write to me, oh my daughter, and tell me everything. Send us word as soon as our dear sisters arrive. I would
like M. Augustine to take them to our holy bishop's residence, to M. Teston, the Communities, Madame
Chabert, the Ursulines, and our benefactresses. You will be in my thoughts and heart, beloved daughters. Your
loyalty is more precious to me than any treasure. And you, my very dear daughter, my heart and yours were
one in God before ever we met. Blessed be that day on which you became my daughter! Since your departure,
I have suffered so much! How many nights, how many hours I have spent in sorrow, feeling weak miserable,
abandoned, persecuted. And yet convinced that God desired this great Work! I was tom between conflicting
emotions, and hardly knew what to do about it. Truly my soul suffered martyrdom.
My beloved daughter, I see that you echo my sentiments: to conquer or to die for love of our divine
Savior. O sacred branch, which under the protection of Mary is destined to spread 'Aide its boughs, will we
allow it to wither and perish?
137
Our clergy and our superiors assure you of their respects and never failing love. Our worthy benefactor
and dear Madame d'Andigné remain extraordinarily generous; Louis (3) is still trotting around and misses you
very much; he would have been thrilled to go to Grenoble.
Goodbye, my daughter, goodbye, may the Lord bless you as I myself do. It is quite late now, I am going
to retire. Regretfully, I leave you.
One more word, heart to heart: Ah, if only we could be established in Rome, what would you
think about that? How I would love you to be chosen for such a divine mission!
Always your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. This letter was brought by the sisters and addressed: "To our beloved M. of St. Louis, apostolic
missionary to Grenoble."
2. M. of St. Helen Baudin who was going to Grenoble with the three other sisters mentioned later on.
3. The faithful servant of Monsieur de Neuville.
138
Letter 92
GRENOBLE
L.J.M.
May the Spirit of the Lord be always with you, my beloved daughters: our dear doves, who left the
sacred ark (1) yesterday, should already be there with you. May their tears and their sacrifices be rewarded by
success and victory for the glory of our God. These dear daughters were laden with our letters and our
greetings, but how uneasy I am about their health. My good St. Louis, please send me news of them. And our
beloved M. of St. Helen, are you in Grenoble yet, my daughter, with your three dear companions? My poor little
daughter, Radegonde, her heart was so heavy, we too were all in tears and passed a very sad evening and
night, but such is life. Happy the day when we shall all be reunited in God!
Meanwhile, I love you, my very dear daughters, and remain in God,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The four sisters appointed to Grenoble had left the house of Angers: M. of St. Helen Baudin, M. of the
Cross Guenion, M. of the Presentation Belin, M. of St. Radegonde Maugard, a novice.
139
Letter 93
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, May 2, 1834
They who are victorious in combat shall be crowned in glory.
Your letter of April 25 has just arrived; such a joy for me, what good news it contains: sung Masses,
processions, and all your plans for our four new pillars.(1) Oh, how we love you all! My good M. of St. Louis,
please write and tell us all about their arrival; Marie Augustine must have had a lot of running around to do. But
how I am [ ] about the departure of St. Stanislaus; it is chiefly because of the cure that I wish the others would
leave so that our foundation could be saved; (2) Caen and Tours might then leave us in peace. May God grant
us that favor; we would use the respite to promote his glory. Oh yes, my dear daughter, I must confess that my
heart is on fire! Oh, how touched we are by the charity of your two ladies! Note everything for us so that I may
rejoice with you. M. of St. Helen is going to be a great help to you. The good God has made it known to me that
she will be one of the pillars of the great Work. She was my consolation here, as was our good Mary of the
Cross who is a treasure; M. of St. Radegonde, once she has been shown, is able for anything, and
Presentation will do whatever she can. This morning all our sisters here were eager to go off on mission, so
fired were they with zeal. If only we had more novices. Well, never have we prayed so hard, for the harvest is
great. Poitiers is the most in need; we are going there on Pentecost Monday with St. Felicity. (3) We cannot do
more than that. As for you, my naughty daughter, I am not going to pity you any more; the only thing you lack is
money, and that will come. Trust in Mary, she will come to our aid. If you can, my daughter, write me by return
post. I will receive your letter on Pentecost Sunday before I leave; I will read it again on the way; make it a very
long one. Oh, how I wish you could establish the enclosure and that your holy bishop would preside. It seems to
me that M. Teston would like that, too. Try to have a sermon, have everything blessed; we will be continually
praying for you. I recommend that our loved daughters do all they can to help you, with our good M. of St.
Bernard and St. Rose in charge of getting the house ready and in good order. Heart of Jesus will take charge of
the handwork, I know how devoted she is. If my dear Augustine is in good form she will do the work of four. In a
word, I am with you in spirit, following all you are doing night and day, offering you unceasingly to God, and in
Holy Communion begging him to shower abundant blessings on you.
Sunday,
Naughty daughter, I have received your letter full of grumbles; you have my treasure and you are still
crying out. My advice to you is to stop complaining. Look at the conquest you have made! What a soul! How
moved I am by your other two, are they coming? See how blessed the house is. What you tell me about M.
Chaterousse is a consolation to me, too. He seems to be very kind. With Aix and Marseille, we have hope for
postulants.
O dear generalate, Work of God, Work of grace, Work of hope; all for God! Goodbye, my daughter,
goodbye! All yours, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
My dear daughter, M. Augustine is having us pay double postage while she tells me nothing in her
letters. You must stop her from writing so often.
For M. of St. Helen:
How faithful you are, my beloved daughter, writing me from Orleans when you must have been
exhausted. I would have paid any price for that letter! Oh, how pleased we were! God has guided you, my dear
daughters, we are expecting another line from you from Briare or Roanne or perhaps from Grenoble. Have you
seen the bishop of Orleans? Have you delivered all the messages? Two sheep have been admitted already, we
are delighted. Here, we have a new cross: M. Moreau is taking advantage of the absence of Bishop Bouvier (4)
140
and in his name is dismissing our two novices. He claims their novitiate has been interrupted. The other day, he
really wanted to do likewise with St. Henry, (5) all because of 3,000 francs. O God, who can fathom human
nature? Oh, my dearest daughter, all this helps me to be detached from the world, but never from the holy
Work. Let us struggle, suffer, die, yet profit by these sacrifices.
Our sisters are very closely united to you. We all love you and are in union with the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The four sisters who had just arrived in Grenoble from Angers.
When all the Sisters of O. L. of Charity will have left.
M. of St. Felicity Ruffieux.
Bishop of Le Mans.
M. of St. Henry Pétrop, originally from the diocese of Le Mans.
141
Letter 94
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, May 4, [1834]
How wonderful are your works, O my God
My very dear and loved daughter,
How sweet it will be to admire the holy Work of Poitiers with you! May the Holy Spirit be your guide! We
hope to set out from here on the Monday after Pentecost. But, my daughter, are you quite sure that the bishop
will be there? We will try to send you a little help, or better still to bring at least one or two sisters with us, before
reaching an understanding with you. Be assured, my daughter, that we intend to work together with you so that
this foundation may flourish, but we must absolutely avoid alarming the bishop. If you need more sisters, you
shall have them, once I have told you everything. I have many confidences to share with you; you will see what
great plans the Lord has in store for us, my beloved daughter. M. Perché has just written to me, begging me not
to yield in any way to M. Moreau, as this might jeopardize the dear generalate at a time when it is already
assured.
It is true, the Lord's designs are inscrutable: we have just learned that two of the older houses (1) have
absolutely no new members. M. of St. Louis is, like yourself, steadfast in making the Work known. The clergy
are being won over to her side, and the south is likewise becoming favorable to the dear Mother House, which
is wonderful. We would like to have eighty novices by next summer so that the four foundations might fully
flourish!
In six months we shall have five professed sisters, whom we are training so they can perform a wide
range of duties. You shall have some of them. You will understand everything once I have spoken to you. M.
Morel (2) continues to be of the greatest service to us. Two of our sisters are writing the Annals, you will enjoy
reading them, my dear daughter. The archways are being completed in the new cloister, which is lovely. Oh,
house so dear to God! We have great plans to share with you, all concerning this grand building. Ah, my dear
daughter, thanks be to God alone, our Classes are admirable and needlework abounds. We will bring you some
little gifts from the good Mistresses and also books from the bishop of Angers, this good prelate is entirely
favorable to the Work. A few days ago Madame d'Andigné handed me a small envelope, joking as she did so.
On opening it, I found 500 francs. What a good foundress! She is saintly. And what can I tell you about
Monsieur de Neuville? You know well that he is incomparable.
I cannot but keep speaking to you, my daughter, of the holy city; it is true, I find it miraculous. We have
two Masses every Sunday and the Rule is followed in everything. The refectory will be 85 feet long, the
community room the same, decorated with pious quotations. The novitiate, too, will be beautiful. A lady has
sent us 1,000 francs. Following the crosses, the good God is showering benefits upon us! And now, let me
come back to you. What great pleasure your letter gave me, already six lambs, that is a lot. Ah, let us pray, let
us pray! However, my daughter, with regard to Eudoce, O God, how reluctant I am to see you receive her.
Nevertheless, such is my confidence in you that I will not blame you for anything. Elisa (3) deceived me about
that alleged brother of hers; however, she thinks I am not aware of it. I am stopping the letters without saying a
word.
Little Finette could not be better behaved. She brought 75 francs. Pray for her. How I would love that
soul to belong to God, but she is far from that now. In all other respects, however, she is charming! M. Anna is
very satisfactory, Pauline has improved somewhat.
Please assure our dear sisters of our tender affection and love in Jesus Christ. In expectation and hope
of seeing you soon, my dear and beloved daughter, I remain,
Your very affectionate,
142
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
The sister from Caen writes letter after letter(4). We remain firm in our decision not to receive her. She
declares she is very unhappy and that she will never stay where she is. But I am determined not to get involved
in their business.
M. Dufêtre (5) is supposed to be coming to Angers. We are keeping out of sight as we do not want a
visit. Goodbye again, all our sisters embrace and love you tenderly. Goodbye, goodbye.
1. Houses of O. L. of Charity.
2. M. Jules Morel, a priest of Angers, initiated the Religious Conferences of Angers. He offered to give
lessons in grammar to the novices.
3. Elisa Perinelle, M. of St. Theodore, novice.
4. This may refer to M. of St. Stanislaus Kostka Matton, Sister of O. L of Charity of Grenoble who wanted
to enter the Good Shepherd of Angers.
5. Vicar general in Tours.
143
Letter 95
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, April 7,1834(1)
May your Will be done, O my God, not mine!
My very dear and beloved Sister;
We have sought only the most holy will of God in planning the journey to Poitiers; we are delighted that
our visit to you is now being advanced. I am writing this note in such haste that you will hardly be able to read it,
but time is short. Dear Madame d'Andigné wanted the trip to be moved forward, and the bishop agreed. Since
you told us that the holy bishop of Poitiers would return after Ascension, we are setting out with confidence
under the protection of the Holy Virgin on Sunday, April 11, at 8 o'clock in the evening by the Saumur
stagecoach. There are four of us, the chaplain, Madame d'Andigné, M. of St. Felicity and myself. (2) Before
giving you further help and an assistant, my beloved daughter, we must have a heart-to-heart talk. Rest
assured that this dear house of Poitiers will not be in need. It is too dear to us, as you yourself are. Ah, do tell
our beloved daughters that my joy is great at the thought of seeing them again! M. of St. Dosithea and our dear
St. Arsène can be sure we will bring something they will like for their lambs. Tell our good Heart of Mary to open
the door quickly for us. AS for our M. of the Holy Innocents, I have a lot for her to do. As for yourself, the queen,
whom we love so much in Jesus Christ our Lord, never will we cease to pray for you and be close to you in
spirit.
I am, in his Sacred Heart and that of his holy Mother, my very dear and loved sisters,
Your very humble and devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. This letter is postmarked May 7.
2. M. of St. Felicity Ruffieux.
144
Letter 96
To The Sisters of the Community
GRENOBLE
L.J.M.
My peace I give you, my peace I leave with you!
My very honored and beloved daughters,
Unfortunately, I was unable to answer your dear letters sooner; they were such a consolation to me! But
the journey to Poitiers and back exhausted me. I cannot describe the holy joy we derived from the details in
your letters, my good St. Louis and our dear M. of St. Helen. Persevere in these sentiments and God will do
great things through you, you will be the joy and glory of Israel! Everything you wrote was very meaningful to
me. You will have heard through M. of the Good Shepherd (1) how we are progressing with the cause of the
generalate; as soon as we know more, we shall let you know about it. And soon thereafter, however busy we
may be, we will send a brief reply to each of you, to our good M. of the Cross and our little daughter, M. of St.
Radegonde. We embrace her, this charming child of ours, and all our dear sisters of Grenoble.
But today, let us deal for the glory of God with our important business. My dear M. of St. Louis, I very
much appreciate your idea, as do our sisters: it would indeed be better to delay the sale of the land, (2) for who
knows, with God's help, it may not be necessary. Yes, 1,000 francs must be found to pay the interest. If you
have little orphans or boarders, then, you may use the income to pay the interest. If we were in a more
favorable position, we would not hold back any money, but we are short of funds and really hard pressed. You
may hire a gardener for 200 francs. I can assure you that it will be well worth it. The letter from M. Teston was a
great consolation to me; he is kind and devoted to the Work. It was good of you to have his sermon copied for
us! Your mayor is good, too, but your Carthusian Father is as cold as the mountains he comes from. You made
me laugh. Has he given you your statues of Christ and the Blessed Virgin? All these little details revive me and
I thank God for the ' them. Poor M. of St. Helen, I understand your kind-heartedness. From what you tell me of
the Matton family, I fully approve all you are doing. Oh yes, my daughter, humility, silence, and dignity, with
these qualities you will be esteemed, as indeed you already are. We know that is true, all very consoling for the
bishop of Angers!
Regarding Le Mans, we are praying and standing firm, fully confident in the goodness of God. We
agree with you, my beloved sisters, and have refused the two novices. When the bishop [of Le Mans] comes to
Angers on June 18, we are prepared to stake our all; what do you think? It would be better to lose one house
rather than twelve, not that I think it will come to that. But, there is clearly an effort to intimidate us; God himself
is our strength, what do we have to fear? He will give us foundations; our dear sisters of Le Mans could not be
better disposed, but alas, they have allowed themselves to be completely dominated and that is dangerous! We
will not allow this to happen to us, oh, no! It would be better to suffer now, and in time the Work will be
victorious. How I pity poor Stanislaus Matton, (3) she will not remain in Caen, you will see.
And you, my dear M. of St. Louis, how are you? Poor dear daughter, you have gone through a lot, with
that wretched fever. How fortunate that goat's milk proved so beneficial to you! Ah, our zealous superior of
Poitiers is in very poor health which is most unfortunate, because the house is doing exceedingly well, fully
imbued with the spirit of the generalate, as everyone can see. That foundation is truly admirable.
We are beginning to receive postulants; we have three, but what is that for such a harvest? The
heavenly Father of the family knows our great need, let us cast all our worries on him, he will take care of us.
Let us be humble but without weakness, united to God in prayer. Ah, my dear daughters, see that holy
regularity prevails, union, and the interior spirit! Our sisters are so good; we cherish you all in the love of the
Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your very devoted,
145
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
My good St. Helen, do not worry. I will always give you the word you love!
1. M. of the Good Shepherd Potherie was secretary to Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. Selling part of the land in order to defray the cost of the building.
3. A Sister of O. L. of Charity who left the Monastery of Valence in 1826 to go to Grenoble. She was in
Caen in 1834.
146
Letter 97
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Let not your heart be troubled nor dismayed.
My very dear and beloved Sister;
How it grieves me that I was not able to write sooner to you who have so filled my soul with consolation!
Yes, the foundation of Poitiers is the joy of my soul. Ah, how happy I was, my beloved sisters, to see you, more
than I can ever express! You are ever in my thoughts and your house seemed to be the temple of God himself.
The progress of the Work is striking, as is the generosity of your dear benefactresses. Kindly give them my
humble and grateful regards. Oh, most certainly, we shall see one another again and marvel at this cherished
foundation and bless its inhabitants!
Has our dear M. of St. Felicity (1) settled down? How we shall love her if she is a consolation to you.
And our loved Heart of Mary, is she better? Oh, yes, we are thinking of that dear daughter and indeed of all of
you. Mary of St. Dosithea has made a lot of promises. Well, my daughter, I remember you unceasingly before
God, oh, be very faithful to him. I embrace our beloved M. of the Holy Innocents and our good tourière, whom
we thank a thousand times for her thoughtfulness. We are preparing a companion for her. But the journey of
our novices from U Mans has again been delayed by eight days, how patient we have to be! The bishop of Le
Mans is expected in Angers on June 18. It is imperative that we explain our position [on the generalate] so that
we may proceed in the true liberty of the children of God, so essential for the holy Work. We prefer to risk
everything for that. God is with us. Why should we be alarmed?
But, my beloved daughter, I am anxious about your health; that is my only cross in Poitiers. Our sisters
here are dismayed and we are praying for you. We need you so badly, I wish it were possible to have you in
two places. How could you think of leaving us, surely you would not have the heart to do such a thing! Remain
in profound peace, adoring the holy Will of God as he unfolds his great plan for the Work and especially for you.
Take a little nourishment every morning and pace yourself, my beloved daughter. M. Mainguy has received
your letter and sends you his best regards. He told me you were going to admit some penitents. Tell me more
about it! I love these dear sheep so much! Aim at having twenty of them soon.
We are getting comforting letters from Grenoble. Would you believe it, my daughter, I have not yet had
time to answer their letters, which contain serious matters. Ah, what consolation this foundation will one day
bring you! We will be writing to them tomorrow. Like yourself, they do everything with the same spirit of loyalty
to the Mother House. Our novices wear me out, wanting me to speak to them of Poitiers.
Our zealous assistant, who loves you dearly, has nobly received three choir postulants, three charming
young Vendean girls. You would like them, would you not? They are humble and virtuous. Are these not our
true treasures!
I am rushing for the post. Our respects to your holy clergy; and special greetings to good Madame
Sauvestre. What a holy soul and how I love her! She is indeed the foundress of Poitiers, and we will always
pray for her and for kind Madame de la Sayette. Please remember me to all of them.
Goodbye, once more, but not for long. I remain, very affectionately, in union with the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary, my very dear and beloved sisters,
Your very devoted,
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Felicity Ruffieux remained in the community of Poitiers, replacing M. of St. Arsène Giboin.
147
Letter 98
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
I have drunk deeply from the torrents of your delights, O my God.
O God, how your letter has filled our souls with a veritable torrent of delights!
The zeal for the salvation of souls and love for the foundations which consumes you draws countless
blessings on the holy Work. This is your inspiration, yes, this is your grace; of that, my very dear daughter, I
have no further doubt! Just think, the two letters you wrote to Grenoble were shared with many benefactresses
who, touched by the zeal manifest in Poitiers, were reduced to tears, exclaiming: Ah, we would like to do as
much. Do relate this to our dear benefactresses there. They have saved the two houses, and yesterday we
received this dear letter which filled us with consolation. I sent it immediately to Le Mans. It contained some
delightful details. A holy Monsieur Comte sent them a large box containing a fine crucifix, six statues of the
Blessed Virgin and two lovely paintings. As for the bishop, one cannot but compare him with yours who is also
so respected by everybody. This holy prelate is very good to our sisters. I am overcome by it all, oh yes! What
great joy I felt on reading the enclosed letter from Grenoble; be sure to return it. God is visibly blessing them,
every day new mercies accrue to them. O my dear daughter, with you and your loved flock, let us all give
thanks to God!
And Poitiers, O my God, what a grace! Ah, how tenderly I ask my dear M. of St. Dosithea and M. of St.
Felicity, whom we love dearly, to be faithful and to be your support, and likewise our good Heart of Mary and
Holy Innocents, true missionaries. My dear daughters, you have so much to do. Yes, we are praying for you
and getting our two young sisters ready for you. I think we also need to prepare the young tourière. This all
takes time. In the meantime, we will not cease to implore the Lord to protect the dear shepherdess and the
flock. The admission of your good sheep has spread joy throughout our sheepfold. Oh, how beautiful and
enviable is your mission! How many souls will be saved by this house of Poitiers! Blessed be the day of its
foundation, blessed are those among you who kept it going amid tears and sacrifices. You are dear to the Heart
of Mary and to ours! Your Mother House considers you the jewel of the generalate, which is making the best
possible progress. How wonderful are the mercies of God!
I interrupted this letter to admit a poor penitent, so full of regret for her past. We took her in for the love
of God. She will find herself in a flock both fervent and well disposed. Ask the Lord to send us many others.
There is plenty of needlework and the household is ever on the increase. Several here are ill, and we are
especially concerned about our good M. of St. Francis de Sales. (1)
Yes indeed, my dear daughters, we hope to see you again. I can never tell you enough what a
consolation it was to visit you, and also the holy bishop, a real Father to us, and all your worthy benefactors.
Since the day when I was able to express my gratitude to them, I have been keeping well, and I had had no
difficulty on the return journey. Our good M. Mainguy was delighted with the visit, how he loves Poitiers and
Metz! (2) If this latter foundation takes place, there will be nothing to equal it in the whole of Israel. Of course,
we will never cease loving this dear Poitiers as well!
Now do not forget to drink that milk, my daughter. Try to recover your health, for we are very worried
about you, which we asked your dear assistant to tell you only yesterday. On Sunday our second chaplain (3)
celebrated Mass here for the first time. It was quite a solemn occasion. There were four concelebrants and also
our gardener, looking so impressive in his surplice that I mistook him for a priest. You know what my eyesight is
like!
148
Goodbye again, my beloved daughters. Be assured of my sincere affection in the love of the Holy
Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Francis de Sales Ruffieux.
2. First reference to the foundation of Metz to be established in August 1834. Father Barthès, a Jesuit,
requested this foundation.
3. Charles Benoist, chaplain from 1834 to 1862.
149
Letter 99
To Monsieur MOREAU
Ecclesiastical Superior of the Good Shepherd
Le Mans
L.J.M.
Angers, May 30, [1834]
My worthy and good Father,
You who love peace so much, why are you upset? Do you really think that I would have prevented
Sister Moncelet from writing to you? Oh, no, if only she knew how (1)... See for yourself. She told us that were
she to lend the 4,000 francs she has, her aunt would disinherit her; and also we thought it too long before her
profession [for such a decision]. But you, who are on the spot, do whatever you think best.
Oh, no, Father, we have no wish to go back on our commitments. We honor them and shall continue to
do so, with the grace of God. Keep the dowries, that clearly seems to be the right thing to do. All our obligations
will be met without any difficulty. Let us avoid any misunderstanding. If anything wounds you, please write
directly to me telling me everything and I will respond. Such minor difficulties should not disrupt our relationship.
Therefore, my worthy Father, do not keep anything bottled up, write to us. This morning I am sending
my letter off to you in haste, to assure you that on our side nothing has changed. Please believe it.
Your obedient daughter,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Henriette Moncelet, from the diocese of Le Mans, who entered February 14, 1834, was illiterate. She
became M. of St. Magdalene de Pazzi.
150
Letter 100
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, June 3, [1834]
Blessed be the Lord who has saved us!
He is resting in our midst, my dearly beloved daughter, this adorable Savior, whose love is our
consolation. From your holy mountains, your letters and those of our dearly beloved St. Helen, have filled us
with joy. O God, my dearly beloved daughters, God blesses you! Oh, how glad I am that the sisters from St.
Egrève, who are no longer a fully established community, (1) are leaving for Tours and Caen!
This departure restores your curé to you, consoles your holy bishop and bestows God's peace on the
holy Work. Your benefactresses are truly wonderful, I cherish them with great respect. Please tell them, my
dearly beloved daughter, that I am deeply appreciative of the good they are going to do. Oh, embrace our dear
flock for me, even our little Radegonde. Give her some cherries from me, also to M. of St. Helen and to the
curé. They painted our grilles and deserve to be rewarded; you did well to let the sisters talk in the refectory. I
am delighted you have little boarders, but how I wish you had some penitents. Do try, my dear daughter, to
make the holy Work known. As soon as you have twelve sheep, you shall have a reward. There are eleven in
Poitiers, but in Grenoble, you must have thirty. By employing a gardener you have done what I wanted. How
grateful I am to the bishop for his many kindnesses, and especially for selling some land; this will further case
your financial difficulties. Are you going to establish the enclosure soon?
Tell me everything, I am so very happy when your letters come, it is a festive day for us all. Alas, I
cannot say the same to you about the six letters from Father Moreau! O Lord, how fiery, we were
overwhelmed! He demanded that we sign his proposed plan for the generalate, (2) I refused; but, if you and our
beloved sisters, including M. of St. Helen who is so partial to him, wanted to sign, you are free to do so. Alas,
who can fathom human nature! How jealous the devil is of the admirable Work of the generalate; one
persecution follows another; then, crosses without number. Our poor M. of St. Joseph is in a state of near
despair, (3) what she is suffering is beyond words. Ah, pray for her and for us!
May our virtue be strong, and let us love God, my daughter. He alone stays with us when we are
abandoned by all. Let us not flee from the cross, from work or from sorrow; continue to cherish the hidden life.
How are our sisters? Is M. Heart of Jesus at peace? St. Rose and M. of St. Bernard, M. of the Cross,
Presentation and our young child, M. Augustine, all are so very dear to me. My daughter, speak to me
confidentially: are they virtuous, detached, poor, do they love silence and prayer? And now, are you yourself
content? Open your heart to me: are you obeyed? Ah, I exhort you, govern your house; do not let our private
affairs be known outside; let us preserve our secrets in God. There has been much indiscreet talk in Le M. [Le
Mans], and this has done us a great deal of harm. How deeply my heart suffers, as you can well understand.
The authority of M. Moreau has destroyed the Work; but (and this is only for yourself and St. Helen) the die is
not yet cast, though matters are more or less settled. Do not talk to anyone about it, I beg of you, except of
course, to God.
Let us pray, I will tell you everything. We are being offered most unfavorable terms, which we cannot
possibly accept. For the rest, God, God alone, fidelity to our sacred commitments! Our sisters are also being
faithful to them, preferring to drink the chalice of sorrow to the very dregs and to leave.(4) What do you feel
about it, my dear daughter? Write to me immediately. All our professed sisters are great and noble. They are a
consolation to me; not one of them wants to give in, and they are telling me: "Ah, my dearly loved Mother, God
will help us and make it up to us!" Goodbye, my daughter, I remain, with tenderness, in the love of the Holy
Hearts,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
151
1. The Sisters of O. L. of Charity from St. Egrève, Grenoble, no longer made up a stable community.
2. M. Moreau had drawn up an unacceptable draft contract between the house of Angers and the houses
founded by it.
3. M. of St. Joseph Regaudiat, who later recovered her health.
4. The Sisters of O. L. of Charity at Le Mans.
152
Letter 101
Bishop of Angers
L.J.M.
Angers, June 6,1834
Monseigneur,
I am writing to inform you that the chaplain of our house of Le Mans, sent by M. Moreau, arrived here
yesterday evening to make us agree to some concessions before the arrival of the bishop of Le Mans.(1) We
firmly refused, not wishing to do anything without your saintly advice, and we answered that all would be settled
only between our two bishops.
We cannot understand M. Moreau's haste. Why not wait for fifteen days? The conditions which he
requires are incompatible with the end we have proposed for the glory of God, and would make this foundation
independent. (2) Ah, Monseigneur, we implore you on our knees not to give your consent; we are all your
daughters, both those present and those absent would prefer to die than separate! This holy union is from God,
and our Mother House is your work and belongs to you. We are not afraid of anything. This storm will pass like
all the others if we are faithful to our commitments, which we renew in full submission to you, begging you to
bless us.
I am, with the deepest respect, Monseigneur, your very humble and submissive daughter,
B.B.G.
Monseigneur, we enclose M. Moreau's letter, to prove to you that he wishes to conclude everything
before his bishop arrives, fearing the latter will deal with you in a manner favorable to the Work.
1. Bishop Bouvier visited the monastery of Angers in August 1834. There he met the novices originally
from Le Mans.
2. The foundation of Le Mans.
153
Letter 102
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Come and eat the bread I have prepared for you.
How consoled I am by the letter from your good Mother, by the unity among all of you, the increase in
your flock, and everything about Poitiers. May you also be consoled in the midst of all your labors. Oh, my dear
daughters, what merit you will have, for I feel your sufferings are indeed great. Your poor sheep are not
naturally attractive, and yet they are precious because their soul is worth more than an entire world! Have
courage then; soon, I will send you some help. I am preparing our two sisters who have been appointed to go
and help you. I envy you for the joy you have of giving birth to such a holy Work. We must admit, there are few
cities like that of Poitiers, and few benefactresses so generous; I am moved to tears! Let us therefore be saints;
oh yes, truly virtuous, attracting the Spirit of God to us through our fidelity. Let us not listen to nature, but
progress from virtue to virtue up to the summit of the holy mountain. We will support the Work of the generalate
by the holiness of our life.
As soon as we received your letter telling us you admitted Théotiste, we, too, welcomed a young
woman of the same name,(1) she is 20 years of age and well disposed. Tell us everything and you, on your
part, will be kept fully informed. M. of St. Dosithea and St. Felicity, if you convert 100 of them, we will not be
jealous, my dearly loved daughters, but we want some too. We give you both a warm embrace. Ours are doing
extremely well, making genuine progress in fervor, docility and piety. Ah, herein lies our authentic vocation!
The novitiate too is our joy in God. Gradually, we have an increase in the number of sisters being
formed here.
Our Magdalens grow in union with God through dying to themselves. These are consolations which
greatly make up for the crosses, of which we have very many; pray much for us. May dear Mary of the Holy
Innocents and Heart of Mary continue to be the joy of my heart.
Believe in the tender devotedness with which I am, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your very devoted,
Mary of St. Euphrasia, Superior of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
Only for yourself, my daughter:
O God, how my soul is at peace in the midst of this new storm about which Good Shepherd (2) is
writing to you. It concerns M. Moreau; but what our chaplain refers to as "folly" is the plan he has to destroy
your foundation and that of Grenoble. How pitiful! The most he can do is to destroy his own, and I cannot really
say whether that would be a good thing or a misfortune. Moreover, he is asking such unreasonable things of us,
that we just cannot agree to them. We are praying and remain submissive to the most Holy Will of God.
Your letters bring us much consolation. Try, my dearly loved daughter, to look after your health and also
to uphold the dear house of Poitiers. It will surely flourish, with God's blessing. O my daughter, you are ready
for everything, I know that; and it is this attitude of yours that God uses to do great things through you, therein
lies my confidence. I will write to you again before long; I am writing a line to Le Mans; alas, how they are
suffering.
154
Good-bye, my dearly beloved daughter. Be assured of my tender attachment in the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
B.B.G.
1. Marie Théotiste Manceau, originally from Cholet, entered the novitiate May 29, 1835 and became M. of
St. Théotiste.
2. M. of the Good Shepherd Potherie, secretary.
155
Letter 103
To Monsieur MOREAU
Vicar General
Le Mans
L.J.M.
Angers, June 7, 1834
Reverend and very worthy Father,
Immediately upon the arrival of the chaplain of Le Mans, whose kindness touched us, we were ordered
by the bishop of Angers to give no reply in a matter which should be dealt with only between bishops. He made
it clear that nothing would be decided until your saintly prelate arrived.
I am, with profound respect, Reverend and worthy Father, Your most humble servant,
M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
156
Letter 104
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, June 8,[1834] (1)
My soul glorifies the Lord!
Oh yes, my daughter, your letters, your sentiments, your sacrifices move me to glorify Jesus, his works,
his cross. You have fathomed his secrets and he has made his designs known to you who are elected and
chosen by him, which is why the Holy Spirit has made you steadfast. God is already accomplishing everything
that your precious letter refers to. How many miracles occur on our Calvary! The Sun of Justice vanishes at
times only to re-appear with greater splendor. Reign, O Cross, our strength and our support.
My daughter, I must admit to you that I am aware of all the reports drawn up against me,(2) I am
nevertheless at peace. I much prefer to be the accused rather than the accuser. I cannot praise enough the
kindness of our ecclesiastical superiors who are determined not to give in to those who are persecuting us.
Outside, all hell has been set loose, but inside, a river of peace is flowing. God is showering graces on us. Six
postulants have asked to begin their formation; they are delightful children. They love you, my dear sister, as
their good mother, and our novices love you still more. Every day they talk to me about you. You know that we
will be receiving a gift of two magnificent copes. Our good Count de Neuville wants to give us 1,000 francs.
See, my dearly loved sister, consider the works of the Lord. About the rank for going to receive Holy
Communion,(3) I think it would be best to ask about it. God has the greatest designs on your soul. I am his and
yours, with love and tenderness, my beloved daughter, Your affectionate,
1. On the back of the letter: "My dear daughters, write to our father de N. [Neuville]. Tell him about the two
houses and a lot about Angers.2. The announcement of the election of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in accordance with Constitution 52
aroused great opposition from the archbishop of Tours. Since this election could not be validated,
Monseigneur Montault appointed her superior of Angers for a term of three years.
3. The monastic custom required the sisters to receive Holy Communion according to their seniority in
religion: "The sisters shall communicate according to their rank, one from each choir: the first makes a
sign to the one who follows and so on, consecutively, one after the other." (Book of Customs, 1833
edition, p.72)
157
Letter 105
Superior, Grenoble
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, [June 10, 1834)
The sufferings of this life are as nothing in comparison to the glory that is reserved for us.
For you alone, my beloved Sisters,
What pleasure it would give me to answer each of you individually and to express the joy we
experience in your devotedness, but some new crosses absorb all our time; keep vigil and pray, hide the
Constitution during the storm and maintain the most profound secrecy. Yes, my dear daughters, M. Moreau has
done here all the harm he had threatened. Now he is turning his thoughts to you, perhaps it is only to frighten
us. Do not inform anybody, but try to advance your ceremony of enclosure; that would be an important step. Ah,
beg God to attend to your interests; make a few novenas, please the bishop in everything! Do not reveal your
little difficulties to anybody; act with great mutual respect and gentleness toward one another, and may divine
charity reign: in this way we will be strong.
You have the entire confidence of our sisters here; how abundant are the tears they shed, but their
strength and courage are admirable. Everything M. of St. Helen wrote was true! My God, who could have
believed it? To the last moment I trusted too much. Irreparable harm is done. We are at peace, attached to the
cross, but faithful unto death. Poitiers, like you, is faithful. Our dear sister assistant and benefactress (1) has
had insults heaped upon her, but she remained inflexible. Our strength lies in our prayers and tears, all our
hope is in God, but how deep is our pain! Tears wash and flood our fields. For a while, my very dear sisters, do
not add anything extra to the address on your letters. Louis is showing the letters, and that hurts me. O my
God, come! I cannot tell you all the harm that has been done to us; our losses are immense. He (2) remembers
that you did not wish to speak to his bishop, then St. Helen of Grenoble, the assistant of Poitiers, well, all will
fall, he says ... then our sisters ... alas, our troubles are great! We did our very best, my beloved daughters, the
malice was veiled, we have been deceived! Please be discreet; our misfortune has been caused by
imprudence, our letters were shown, they were handed over! Pray for our good sister assistant; she is the
victim of her devotedness.
The superior of Poitiers and her dear companions greatly console us. Like you, they assure me that
they have nothing to fear from the rage of the adversary. He has enlisted Tours and M. Régnier (3) against us,
but God has won over the heart of the latter. He devotes himself to the Work in a most enlightened and wise
manner but he wishes both you and us to maintain the greatest discretion. Here, prayer continues day and
night.
There is no longer a desire for the other foundations, since ours, so they say, are going to collapse. Our
young sisters are self sacrificing and ready to fly into action. Union, prayer and regularity are better than ever.
How they love you! My health is only fair, but I am not really ill. Pray that God may assist and strengthen me.
Write to me but do not say anything to M. Augustine, or to anybody. In other respects, all is well here. The
building has reached the second story. M. de Neuville overwhelms us with benefactions. He has just arrived
and I am obliged to leave you, but until death I will always be, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
with affection,
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
I embrace our dear sisters many times; ah, how I exhort them to virtue. We greatly desire that you
should have penitents who would strengthen our house in Grenoble and draw many blessings on it!
158
We will redouble our prayers for that intention! We are happy to hear all your news, tell us everything.
M. of St. Basil (4) gives proof (5) of great worth; she has the necessary strength of character to uphold our
Work and would be quite ready to carry on the struggle to save us in distant countries.
Sr. Anthony is very satisfactory.(6) All our professed sisters behave perfectly; they are firm and do not
wish to yield to the storm.
Pray, my beloved sisters that our Divine Savior may come to our aid. All yours, in the Divine Heart of
Jesus and Mary.
2. He" or "his" denotes M. Moreau.
3. M. Régnier, vicar general of Monseigneur Montault, far from being convinced by M. Moreau, defended
the superior of Angers more vigorously than ever.
4. M. of St. Basil Joubert, a novice, originally from Le Mans, who made profession in Angers on
September 12, 1835. She had written on May 25, 1834 to M. Moreau expressing her views in favor of
the generalate and saying she was determined not to return to Le Mans.
5. From this word on, the rest of the letter was written by a secretary.
6. M. of St. Anthony Launay, novice. She made profession at the same time as M. of St. Basil.
159
Letter 106
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, June 14,1834
For you only
Lord, you have been my protector in the day of tribulation.
As you express it so well, my dear and beloved daughter, the house of Poitiers mitigates all our
sorrows. Your letters are so very precious to us. The last one came just when all our tribulations had reached a
climax. Two letters had been written to you, but since illness prevented me from writing myself I held them back
lest they distress you. M. Moreau, who has carried out all he had threatened to do, is the source of the storm ...
Tours, M. Régnier have been involved, the damage was very great; our dear and virtuous assistant was treated
disgracefully ... and throughout the week tears flowed abundantly. Helped by prayer and meditation, we
remained calm and firm. I beg of you, my beloved daughter, not to give the Constitution to anyone, nor to let it
be seen under any pretext whatsoever, for the tempest is powerful. However, I must tell you, my dear daughter,
that the Lord has had pity on our misfortunes. I can tell you confidentially that M. Régnier has turned in favor of
the generalate and told me these crosses would consolidate the Work and that he was going to take action, but
secretly. He gave me the impression that had we confided in him we would have been spared much trouble.
Actually, he is very displeased with M. Moreau's imprudent behavior. I would have been most unhappy if you
had been harassed in Poitiers or if more letters had been written against the Work. In any case, my beloved
daughter, do not get discouraged. Oh, how we are going to pray for you!
Eudoce came this morning. She was looking for money for the journey that will take place soon.
Through her, I'll send a reply to our beloved St. Dosithea, whose letter gave me such joy. I embrace her and all
our dear sisters.
I was thinking of letting our dear Sisters M. of the Cherubim and M. of the Assumption make profession,
we are very pleased with them. (1) A few days later, I could send you the latter accompanied by a lay sister.
She is excellent and like yourself and St. Helen has certainly been a victim. Mary of the Seraphim (2) is sick.
Well, God will be our support; ah, how much we must love him! May your flock be blessed!
Since I am not quite well yet, I hope you will make allowances for the brevity of this letter. Goodbye, my
very dear daughter. I remain, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with the most sincere
attachment,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. M. of the Cherubim Desvigneaux and M. of the Assumption Collin.
2. M. of the Seraphim Houdin, superior in Le Mans.
160
Letter 107
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Lord, you visit me in the morning, and soon after that you try me.
I feel the need to come and take a rest near you in that dear earthly paradise of Poitiers, the foundation
where I found the most soothing peace! Today there is further reason to approach you; we have experienced a
great joy: a six-page letter from Grenoble has just arrived. How wonderful God is! My beloved daughter, what a
triumph of grace! After so many crosses, how faithful our sisters of the south are! God is blessing them: the
bishop, the clergy, the nobility, the townspeople, everybody offers them help: sacred vessels, money, linen,
flour, food. These dear daughters cannot sufficiently admire the mercy of the Lord.
They are firm and unshakeable, and cannot get over M. Moreau's plans. To let you know the secret
behind our tribulations, it is certain that M. of St. Ignatius and M. of the Seraphim,(1) without any ill intent on
their part, were weak and acted imprudently, thus leading us into an abyss of distress; flat! We are awaiting the
bishop of Le Mans, but are being asked to make such burdensome concessions that we cannot grant them. My
very dear daughter, pray that the Lord's heart may be moved. Peace reigns. The foundations of Poitiers and
Grenoble are a great comfort to us. M. de Neuville and Madame d'Andigné overwhelm us with generosity. Our
penitents surpass anything I could describe for you, and the Magdalens are like full-fledged, experienced
religious. Who has brought about all this? Can one fail to recognize the hand of God? In him we place our
hope, never have we prayed so fervently.
Thursday at 4 o'clock:
Yesterday, I left you, my cherished daughter, to get ready to greet the bishop of Le Mans, who is due to
arrive this evening at 4 o'clock but I did not leave the parlor. M. Moreau had written against us to M. Régnier,
who met with me for one and a half hours. Far from distressing me, he greatly encouraged me by enlightened
and excellent advice regarding the generalate, for which he promised me every help. Just see, the Work of
God! And then, your letter this morning touched our hearts deeply. 0 miracles of God's mercy! Our dear sheep,
how we are fired with the desire to save them!
The bishop of Le Mans has finished his visit. Good Shepherd(2) will give you a full report. As you said,
my daughter, God is with us; what courage our novices(3) have shown: all ten resisted, not a single one was
unfaithful! Ah, how striking that is! Help us to bless Jesus and Mary for this first victory. The bishop told me that,
nevertheless, he would be separating his house from us. I replied: "Even then, Monseigneur, we will bless
you." That is where matters now stand, and we are without any news of our dear sisters, fiat!
As for you, my beloved daughters, you wipe away all tears and lighten all crosses. I feel sure the Lord
will bless your inheritance, sure also that he has the greatest of plans for you. I am keenly sensitive to your
sufferings and your labors. A week from next Tuesday, two of our sisters will go to your help; we cannot get the
obedience papers earlier as the bishop went off again immediately. But next Monday Eudoce is setting out with
another young tourière sister who is very well disposed. I am sending her to you, my very dear daughter, so as
not to keep you waiting and also to relieve our excellent Sister Josephine, whom I love and embrace.
The clothes for our young sister are not yet ready, but Madame de Villebois is giving her 300 francs
which I will send you. You can buy whatever you think suitable, which will be preferable. She will bring our
messages, the reply to our beloved St. Dosithea, and a little something to amuse our children, all fourteen of
161
them; oh, what a gift from heaven! You are certainly the cherished daughter of the Lord. There are only
fourteen at Le Mans. I am very concerned about your health; we are going to pray much for your cure and that
of our good Heart of Mary and Holy Innocents. Poor sisters, they have worked so hard!
Ah, how I would love to have another daughter like yourself for Metz. You ask me for news of the
project, here is our hope amid our sufferings. God has great designs, but we do not say a word and we keep
the secret. Two Jesuits are coming in six weeks' time; they are completely in favor of the holy Work, one of
them has written to me saying that he was proceeding with the foundation of Metz. in addition, some wealthy
ladies are thinking of another house in a large city. One of them wrote to me about it, saying with humble
simplicity: "It is the secret of my heart, I am telling you out loud about it." See the designs of God: all this is
happening while the storm is at its height. We are trying to prepare ourselves for everything, while awaiting the
day of Light.
Goodbye, my very dear daughter, goodbye! I am, in union with the holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with
very sincere attachment,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
I embrace specially our good M. of St. Felicity, poor child, I am sure she is working with all her heart for
the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
You have gone ahead so quickly with your St. Dosithea that I have been unable to catch up. You have
received not just one but three penitents; what are we to do for the next eight days? You will, no doubt, be
surprised at our first letter, but pray, my dear daughters, that the Divine Shepherd may send us sheep, and to
you also.
1. M. of St. Ignatius Charon and M. of the Seraphim Houdin, of the community of Le Mans.
2. M. of the Good Shepherd, secretary.
3. Monseigneur Bouvier, bishop of Le Mans, personally interviewed each of the novices from his diocese,
asking them to return to Le Mans, hoping to open a novitiate there.
162
Letter 108
Superior, Poitiers
[June 28, 1834] (1)
My dear daughter, I feel keenly for you in your crosses and sufferings. O my God, how many of them
you have experienced. I beg of you, follow the path I am suggesting. It is the surest and also the one being
secretly considered for use in Rome. My daughter, it is M. Moreau who has written to Poitiers, as he had
declared.
1. Following a letter written by M. of the Good Shepherd, but dictated by M. Euphrasia Pelletier, and
containing instructions on the course to be followed in the current difficulties, namely: "Declare
ourselves to be a new branch of the Good Shepherd of Angers, following the Rule of St. Augustine and
the Constitutions of O. L. of Charity. We renew our vow to uphold the generalate."
163
Letter 109
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Oh yes, my daughter, God alone is our liberator. Ah, how heavy is our cross, but flat! I was unable to
get the obedience papers for our two sisters. We are awaiting the letter of your holy prelate which according to
that unfortunate M. Moreau should reach our bishop's residence any day now. Ah, what an enemy he is! May
God forgive him. He is bringing back the letter he wrote to M. Samoyault (1) and sending the latter's reply to M.
Régnier. Does he know it, my dear daughter? Our tears flow continuously, but nevertheless we remain calm
and submissive. Oh yes, we will always be united with you, you will always be, after God, my support; we will
always be ready to sacrifice ourselves for you. "As soon as Monseigneur indicates that he would like to have
two more sisters, he shall have them," such is the promise made by the bishop of Angers, who appears
dismayed. Ah, I think he is worried to death! He says he will not refuse the bishops anything.
Goodbye, my daughter. Oh, how dear to me is your devotedness! Do not worry unduly, I beg of you. I
will write to you again tomorrow. We are sending you our two good daughters. Madame de Villebois was no
longer willing to give any more than 100 francs, but if you are in need, my beloved sister, let me know. Oh, how
I long to provide some relief for you, for your health! 0 God, how distressed I am, but God is present! I beg you,
do not give in to discouragement, God is with us! Embrace our dear sisters for me; assure the benefactresses
of my affection. I embrace the tourière sister, who is so good. I hope she will prove helpful.
I am sending you, my beloved daughter, a few little things which will give you pleasure, as a token of
our tender friendship and lasting union. Goodbye! Oh yes, I will love you beyond the tomb! In union with the
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
My daughter, here is our loved assistant's letter(2). She is deep in sorrow. Use the letter prudently. She
is a saint. Ah, how I would love to have her for a superior. Let us try to succeed.
1. M. Samoyault, vicar general of Poitiers, was corresponding with M. Régnier, his counterpart in Angers.
2. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche had written to Cardinal De Gregorio,a member of the Roman
Curia.
164
Letter 110
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
You, my beloved daughters, who are in the thick of the work and the struggle, how I hate to trouble you
again but, before God, I know your loyalty and feel that you can help us. Ah, what a tempest! To achieve her
own ends, M. of St. Victoire (1) wrote to Madame d'Andigné. What a snare! She condemns the foundation of
Grenoble clearly in the hope of subduing us. My dear daughter, without ever mentioning Madame d'Andigné,
would it not be possible for you to write discreetly to Tours or Caen, stating how surprised you all are that the
established houses seem so concerned for your welfare, when they cannot possibly know much about you.
Emphasize that Grenoble is a new branch founded under the authority of our saintly bishops, committed to
observe fully and unto death the rules, constitutions, observances, enclosure and zeal of the true spirit of 0. L.
of Charity, that you are all new subjects who will remain steadfast, that one should avoid disrupting the peace
without any hope of success, your strength being in God and in forgiving the harm you have suffered.
Reflect on this together, our beloved St. Helen and yourself. My beloved daughters, I think you will need
a reason for writing, but God will inspire you. You could, for example, write to Caen, saying that you read a
letter concerning your community before realizing it had been sent to you by mistake, that you are gravely
disturbed by its contents, and that you want to warn them that it would be useless for anyone to interfere.
Poitiers will reply similarly to the members of the clergy, and we will, too, so that all the scheming should then
come to an end. We think that if our dear assistant were declared foundress we would succeed more easily in
Rome.
Certainly, your approach to your holy prelate must always be that you have made your vows in this new
branch approved by your bishop. Goodbye, my beloved daughter, goodbye. Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G
1. M. of St. Victoire Houette, who had just been elected superior of O. L. of Charity of Tours. Madame
dAndigné had been a friend of this community since 1809, and therefore knew each one of the sisters.
165
Letter 111
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, July 1834]
My beloved daughter, may the love of Jesus and zeal for souls inflame you! How dear to us is your
mission! We feared that our two young persons were in danger(1), but next Monday, with our two sisters, all
four will leave together laden with our letters and our affection.
It is with great joy that I approach you because since my last letter to you I too have admitted three
sheep, very poor indeed but touched by God. Now all I need is a letter from you to make me really happy.
The cross has made me so devoted to the holy Work that I experience great peace, but you are clearer
to me than ever. We are answering the letters of our two dear daughters and embrace them tenderly. Goodbye,
my beloved sister, believe in my sincere attachment. Our sisters, Madame d'Andigné, our dear and saintly
assistant, the chaplain, all call God's blessing on you and assure you of their devotedness.
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. The two future tourière sisters would be in danger if they traveled alone.
166
Letter 112
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, July 3, 1834
My most honored and faithful daughter,
Lord, you have given me support in the day of my affliction. Oh, yes, certainly, your devotedness is
balm to my grief. May the Lord bless you, my dear daughter, may he shower benefits on the heritage where you
are. Oh, how genuine in God are our wishes for you.
Strengthened now, with your help, I am going to send immediately for the obedience papers in your
name and with the approval of the bishop of Poitiers. God will give them to us. How praiseworthy you are in
thus upholding the Mother House. If only our sisters at Le Mans had acted in like manner, we would not be
plunged into the depths as we now are! (1)They released the letters, were indiscreet, and are now separating
from us: at least, that is what we fear. We no longer hear from them.O what deep sorrow! My soul is going
through martyrdom, for they are dearer to me than life; well, fiat!
Grenoble is getting on well. Their letters console us. I am sending them to you (2) so that you will see
everything and know everything. If the bishop of Poitiers has written to Angers, I will inform you tomorrow, my
dear daughter. Oh, how I hope the bishop of Poitiers will not write to ours about anything. He is already so
discouraged. (3) M. Moreau has hurt him greatly, and has written to everybody, M. Régnier, M. Tendron.(4) Ah,
how Mary has protected us! With regard to the sisters, let us have an understanding between us. We shall
never refuse anything to the bishop of Poitiers.
Take heart then, my dear daughter, and also our sisters whom we dearly cherish. The other two, I
hope, will be setting out on Saturday. (5) Another secret: there is no one to equal dear M. Perché.
He is aware of our tribulations. He is coining on Saturday, and I will ask him to escort our sisters to you on
Tuesday. I will be relieved to know that you will be able to hear his advice. He is so enlightened and so well
informed; he is indeed unique in his devotedness.
Let us be holy, my daughter, and courageous; yes, we will find once more the joy of the saints, and our
tears will dry up.
Did you receive the habits and the books? Goodbye, my daughter, I am entirely yours in the Holy
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
1. Reference to M. of the Seraphim Houdin and M. of St. Ignatius Charon.'ne community of Le Mans was
about to break with Angers.
2. The letters from Grenoble.
3. The bishop of Angers was less favorable toward the Good Shepherd since the visit of M. Moreau.
4. M. Pierre Tendron, honorary canon of the cathedral of Angers, M. Régnier, vicar general of Angers.
5. M. of the Cherubim Desvigneaux and M. of the Assumption Collin arrived at Poitiers on July 8.
167
Letter 113
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, July 3, [1834]
Lord, you are my hope in the Land of the living.
Our beloved Mary of St. Louis and M. of St. Helen, what I write is from my heart and for you only.
At last, your two longed-for letters have arrived! Ah, I thought you were suffering, because the zealous
persecutor had said (1): "I will destroy Grenoble!" Oh, God, my dear daughters, how profound is the malice of
the human heart! Ah, Mary of St. Louis, the harm has come about in the very way you have described in your
letter today! For a long time our letters had been handed over by our two sisters. (2) St. John of the Cross and
her young sisters knew nothing about it. M. Moreau played on their simplicity. He burdened the house of
Angers with debt, had an understanding with Tours, wrote to the chancery of Angers, to M. Tendron, and
caused considerable concern in Poitiers, where the superior, like yourself, is admirable! She dries our tears and
attends to everything with the greatest dedication, serving God, working for his glory, and fulfilling her sacred
obligations. Oh, what a support she is to me!
You know the rest; the Mother House scarcely hears any more from Le Mans. They (3) are separating
from us, keeping both community and property, at least for the present. Later, as you can imagine, we will
reclaim them. At present, however, the bishop of Angers is overcome and gives us no authority to lodge a
complaint.
M. Tendron upholds the superiorship of M. of the Seraphim and for that would sacrifice the house of
Angers, so that she would have authority over the entire community. Even after explaining the generalate to the
sisters and telling me he was more assured of it than if an angel had spoken to him, he has now asked M. of
the Seraphim and St. Ignatius if they wish to leave Le Mans or give in to Tours.O what weakness! They are
leaving this house, so dearly loved of God! The novices, noble and firm, continue the struggle for the Work,
while the pillars give up, causing us extreme sorrow. To be sure, we learned later that they could have saved it!
Monsieur M. (4) was crafty, but he wished to keep them. That man, so pitiless toward us, is attacking the bishop
of Angers through M. Régnier, who at present is nevertheless very interested in the generalate. He prevents us
by devious means from recalling these two sisters, forbids us to write to the others, and finally forces us to
abandon the two other houses that were asked for, where premises for forty penitents and six young ladies
were already awaiting us. All possible avenues are closed: doors, help, consolation. There remain only virtue,
hope and the most tender union. Our tears have undermined our health, but how good it is to suffer for love for
God!
Our hearts have been deeply wounded, but we forgive and submit. Nobody here is wavering! All
cherish you more than ever.
The assistant was driven from our parlor for having upheld the Work, but how virtuous she is! She
would prefer to go to Poitiers or Grenoble, with her possessions, than to abandon the Work!
However, I think the storm is abating slightly. Mary keeps guard over us, oh, yes, it is miraculous! Even
our enemies admire our tender union. Such are the developments which have taken such a toll on my heart!
Ah, if I could only have a moment's rest near you! How deceived I was, and how credulous! These sisters
whom I loved... Anyway, your letters and those of Poitiers console me; that man has not done much harm
there: the superior knew him, and answered him in two words. At present, he leaves her in peace. I have just
sent her M. of St. Louis’ letter which contains the whole truth.
Returning to details, my good and faithful St. Helen; the man(5) was outraged that I had entrusted
Grenoble to you, that St. Louis had spoken to the Bishop of Le Mans without him, and then the assistant had
168
become the superior in Poitiers: those are the 3 grievances that he included in the report. (6) 0 God, pardon
him the harm he has done to us and to our sisters, pardon him!
You have two sheep; Jesus be praised! If your enclosure were established how happy we would be!
Your benefactresses are always so kind! What rejoicing, when the little fifteen-year-old postulant and the six
others come! Accept some of them without a dowry, my dear sister. All for the glory of God!
About our journey, alas, when will it be? At the moment I have been deprived of everything, but you, my
dear daughters, must continue the Work. Sell if the bishop consents, but please do not keep anything that is not
surrounded by walls. Write to us, that is our greatest joy! Share this letter with the sisters whom you consider
discreet. Please tell them, I embrace them all. Neither M. Augustine nor anyone from outside should know
about it! Has the St. Egrève group left? What harm they did to us. It appears they are writing or going to Tours.
As soon as our crosses cease, you will be informed.
Our good father de N. [Neuville] has just bought the large garden for us. Our penitents are increasing in
number and are doing perfectly, as also our Magdalens. Even the other two Classes are making considerable
progress. We have three postulants taking the habit but two of our novices are ill beyond hope. M. of St.
Francis has nearly lost her sight and St. Melanie is dying of cancer, but they are admirable! (7) They suffer
everything for the Work. M. of St. Joseph is in a very poor state, but remains firm up to the last breath.
Madame d'Andigné comforts us, she is a saint, a Mother. On your behalf, she has replied to St. V (8) of
Tours, a charming letter. Goodbye, my dear and beloved sister. Yes, we will always be devoted to you. I am, in
these sentiments, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, with the most sincere affection,
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Friday, July 4, very early in the morning.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
M. Moreau.
M. of the Seraphim Houdin and M. of St. Ignatius Charon.
"They" refers to the bishop of Le Mans, M. Moreau and the Good Shepherd in Le Mans.
M. Moreau.
M. Moreau.
This may refer to the report of June 1834, prepared by M. Moreau for the attention of Monseigneur
Bouvier, the new bishop of U Mans,
7. M. of St. Francis Ruffieux and M. of St. Melanie Bahuaud
8. M. of St. Victoire Houette, superior of O. L. of Charity in Tours, friend and companion of Mary Euphrasia
Pelletier.
169
Letter 114
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Lord, you have made known the greatness of your Name.
O my God, how your letter of July 6 has filled our hearts with joy! Had you seen all our sisters, you
would have been really happy: "Oh, what a foundation is that of Poitiers," they cried out. A miraculous
foundation it is indeed, my daughter. I beg of you then, lift up your heart to rejoice in God! Leave aside your
sufferings for a while, you have taken ours away. And then, the Work done is so clear despite the efforts of hell;
the Most Blessed Virgin protects it. Ah, how I really value M. Perché: How much understanding and wisdom he
has with regard to this dear generalate. Did he accompany our sisters who were going to you, my dear
daughter? We begged him to. If he has not been able to do so, expect him in two weeks. I am going to see him
and you will speak to him. Be assured that he has more grace for the Work than ten others. Ah, how I would
like this.
As for Le Mans, our traveler has arrived. Our sisters seem disconsolate about having jeopardized the
Work. M. Tendron would not take upon himself the responsibility of pressing a decision on them, and for that I
thank God. Poor children, they have been walking along strange paths. Alas, they have given M. Moreau an
authority that they can no longer take back. He is the one who takes all letters to the post office. They are
dismayed at the sufferings they have caused me, but say they cannot now undo the harm. It was M. of St.
Ignatius who influenced M. of the Seraphim, and the bishop of Le Mans had convinced the bishop of Angers to
let them remain there. Ah, how few there are like your holy prelate, who is truly admirable! M. of St. John of the
Cross(1) writes to me: "From the depths of my prison, oh my Mother, I cry out to you, please call me back."
As for us, my daughter, we are praying in perfect peace with the hope that after such a violent storm
there will come a great calm and with it heavenly blessings. Already you can feel it and our joy is complete.
How many gifts have been showered on you. I can assure you that I was even happier than if it had happened
here. And our two dear tourière sisters, you are satisfied with them? Ah, how happy you make me. You will be
pleased, I think, with our two young sisters: Mary of the Cherubim is so gentle, obedient and also very hardworking; Mary of the Assumption is very intelligent and I think, my daughter, that she will be able to help you
greatly with the beds and the housework. She has a great sense of order. At last the dear foundation of Poitiers
is going to be less overworked. That is a great relief for me.
Now, my wish would be to have a large house, with gardens and Classes. That would be useful to you
for the glory of God and for our great Works; but we must be very prudent. Allow the bishop to arrange things
as he sees best; little by little everything will fall into place if we remain faithful.
But with regard to the deep secret of God's works, let us confide in M. Perché. God has given us a
strong support in Madame d'Andigné. Between ourselves, my daughter, she is now in Paris and is consulting
the Jesuits who are all in favor of the Work. They have suggested decisions and measures, all comforting. They
should come soon, and you will know everything. Please let me know how the sermon and the collection went
off. I am so interested.
Goodbye, my very dear daughter. I am hurrying for the post. Yesterday, we took in two poor penitents.
O God, what a joy it was. And you, did you get as many as that? For we are working out our task! (2)
Many affectionate greetings to our cherished daughters.
All yours, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your very devoted,
170
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. John of the Cross David was at Le Mans from April 1833 as Mistress of the penitents.
2. A quip about two forms of payment: as opposed to a fixed monthly salary, the worker was paid
according to the amount of work done each day.
171
Letter 115
Superior, Grenoble
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
Lord, our hope is in you!
Not a single line from you for the past three weeks, my beloved daughter! How anxious we are! We fear
you are in trouble or difficulty, knowing that the devil never sleeps. Here, he is allowing us a breathing space.
And, he [God] grants us help and grace through some enlightened men who silence our enemies. However, not
having any news of you, we are anxious, fearing that you may be distressed. Knowing your fidelity and sincere
devotedness, we feel you suffer much more than others. Has anybody written against you? Do you know
whether M. of the Seraphim is in Caen? A sister there requests as a special favor to come here.
Perhaps, on the other hand, my dear daughter, I am going to see the fulfillment of the promise made by
our good M. of St. Helen that you will send the description of your magnificent ceremony, thus consoling us and
bringing all our worries to an end. Our sisters are making novenas for you to the most Blessed Virgin. At every
mail delivery, they run and ask: "Is it from Grenoble?" That is the general cry. The chaplain tells me: "M. of St.
Louis will compensate you; she has written ten pages." Be that as it may, we are anxiously waiting to hear from
you. Your dear solitude must be delightful; my dear sister, how I would love to see you there; how many things I
have to tell you! My God, how happy I would be in the solitude of your mountains; as for you, how blessed are
you to have extended the kingdom of God so far. Though you could not cross the sea, you are at least called to
live in a distant region. Our sisters are close to you in heart and mind.
To speak to you about our dear homeland, I will describe the situation; the building has reached the top
floor; (1) we have the Guérin garden. We often receive penitents, but free of charge. Frankly, my daughter,
since you left, our finances have weakened considerably. Often I praise God for it; I mention this not by way of
complaint, but simply to point out how impossible it is to reach even a minimum degree of financial security.
This month, we have not yet been able to pay for our flour, and we never have even 200 francs ahead. M. of St.
Augustine (2) reproaches herself because she is less competent than St. Louis. Well, fiat! I frequently regret
your absence [and that] of M. of St. Helen. Ah, what a long time since we last saw her as well as our good M. of
St. Bernard, for whom we are praying without cease that she may succeed with the little orphans; also our
dove, M. of St. Radegonde, whom I embrace, dear M. of the Heart of Jesus, St. Rose and M. of the Cross. Are
they always fully occupied for the love of Our Lord and the Work? We are getting some postulants.
But, my dear daughter, there you are with your faithful Assistant (3) and good M. of the Cross; 0 my
God, my good M. of St. Louis, how your letters and those of St. Helen touch me. What commitment, what
prudence exercised for the generalate! M. Perché is here. Concerning Rome, M. of St. Helen's thinking and
ours are similar. The bishop of Poitiers is very favorable to the Work, and the superior has rescued everything.
Ah, what a soul; what generosity! Like you, she offered to go to the ends of the earth. Our enemies are
vanquished by her and by you also.
O Jesus and Mary, may you be blessed! My dear and beloved sisters, choose among the candidates. I
do not think it advisable for us to consider the one who has a squint and is unable to pay her traveling
expenses. As for the one who limps a little, oh certainly, send her! The dowries will be remitted to you, but by
the Mother House. Ah, I insist, the postulants from Lyon or elsewhere must come directly into the holy ark! The
contrary way of proceeding has caused the loss of our sisters of Le Mans. They acknowledge as much to us,
and Seraphim asks to be forgiven, but alas, it is too late! Poor sister, how unseemly! Let us forgive but remain
humble and silent. Had they behaved like our sisters in Grenoble or Poitiers, they would not have plunged us
into such sorrow. Moreover, my daughter, as you say, inspired by the Spirit of God, they lead us to the goal,
they have advanced the Work.
172
Dear M. of St. J. of the Cross asks to return to the Mother House, she refuses to make the least
concession that could betray us. Oh, what a heroic soul, [God grant] that she may come back to us! We will
crown her with flowers. There is a request for another foundation. She will be the one to establish it. Do you not
think so, my daughter? The novices from Le Mans are admirable, St. Henry and Basil, ah, what lovely souls! (4)
They console me and cherish you because of your fidelity. You establish your enclosure today, may it be
blessed and may your saintly prelate and venerable M. Teston, your benefactors and your flock be blessed.
Our sisters cherish you and send you their affectionate greetings, in the love of the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Sr. M. of St. Louis, how we love your idea. Oh, I beg of you, hold on to it firmly: a new branch founded by M. de
N. [Neuville], his mother, and our dear assistant. I forgot to tell you, dear daughter, that our novices who were
sent back from Le Mans have made their holy profession, and are going to help the foundation in Poitiers.(5)
1.
2.
3.
4.
The building containing the cells known m the "Clock building."
M. of St. Augustine Fouquet, who replaced M. of St. Louis Royné as bursar.
The mail from Grenoble had come. M. of St. Helen Baudin, the assistant.
M. of St. Henry Pétrop and M. of St. Basil Joubert, novices from Le Mans, who later made profession in
Angers.
5. M. of the Cherubim Desvigneaux and M. of the Assumption Collin.
173
Letter 116
To Monsieur CHALANDON
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
From our General House of the Good Shepherd of Angers,
July 22, 1834
Reverend Vicar General,
M. Barthès, whom we are happy to have among us, kindly allows me to enclose my letter in his. Yours,
received today, gives me the assurance that in your fatherly kindness you will graciously receive these lines.
God is witness to the tender charity that his goodness has put into our hearts for the holy Works which you
propose to us and which are those of our dear vocation. The greater the number of abandoned and neglected
souls you have to offer us, the happier we will be. The present state of your establishment is perfectly suitable
for us; assuredly we have begun in other places with much less.
Our treasures are in the care of God's Providence and the Divine Shepherd does not abandon his
daughters. We ask only for traveling expenses; once they are in your fatherly care, our dear sisters will be your
daughters and will, I hope, prove worthy of the kind support of your worthy prelate.
Our generalate being still only diocesan, we humbly ask the bishops the permission to set forth our
conditions:
The first is that all the sisters of the foundations belong to our Mother House of Angers and all shall
make their novitiate there. However, we never make any changes without the consent of the worthy prelates of
the cities where we are established, since in each place we live under their entire dependence, as do the
Jesuits and other Congregations of General Rite.
The second is that the persons who already govern the Work will be obliged, if they wish to associate
with us, to accept our Rules and customs and come to the general novitiate of the Mother House to imbibe the
true spirit of our vocation.
We consent, as a consequence, to send you as many sisters as you might ask for.
Please excuse, Reverend Vicar General, the concise manner in which I express myself, and favor me
with a reply. The holy and zealous M. Barthès assures us that your Work is entirely for God; we are at his
service and at yours, with the deepest respect,
Your very humble and submissive servant,
Sr. Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
B.B.G.
174
Letter 117
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
The Lord has worked wonders on our behalf.
We have been greatly consoled, not only by God, but by you as well. My dear daughter, your letter
made me shed tears of gratitude and love for God and of affection for you all. My heart rejoiced on seeing our
Poitiers sisters so much loved. My very dear daughters, I believe the Lord has greatly blessed your active
participation in the labors and sufferings connected with our dear Mother House. Herein lies one of the sources
for the great graces which have just flooded your own dear monastery and that of Grenoble, where similar
wonders have taken place. You will be amazed when you learn the details. We still do not know precisely what
happened at the setting up of the enclosure which took place only on July 17. But what we do know, my dearly
beloved sisters, is that following the example of your good Mother and of you all the sisters of Grenoble have
brought about the triumph of the Work and that calvary has become our mount of delights. The ceremony
promised to be one of great solemnity. In order to attract more souls, the holy bishop and the community were
led in procession, with the canopy, the cross and all the clergy. As soon as we receive the details, you shall
have them. The hand of God is there.
As for Poitiers, I must tell you it is the heart of the generalate, united with those of Jesus and Mary, a
most faithful heart which has wiped away all our tears. Also your most recent [letter] detailing the bountiful
charity surrounding you: the sermon, the collection, the concert, all the gifts you received, the penitents who
have entered, everything has delighted us, established us firmly, and consoled us; our ecclesiastical superiors
are heart and soul behind the Work.
My very dear daughter, both of us labor together. Be careful, wait... the two clear and refreshing
streams watered the holy city and rendered it fertile; then a torrent of crosses deep within our hearts has given
birth to a river of blessings! You will come to know them all though they are still not manifest; you will be fully
informed, oh yes! Now, another little word about Grenoble: surely it will be a miracle if, before the completion of
their major renovations, they can accommodate the twenty penitents seeking admission. They still owed 2,000
francs, and the bishop authorized the sale of land worth 12,000 francs, leaving them with an enclosure that is
still extensive. Besides, help is coming in abundance from all sides, furniture, beds, linen, in a word, just as at
Poitiers.
God has deigned to bless not only such dear children but the Mother as well. Here is what took place:
four days after our great tribulations, M. Perché arrived. He helped us immensely; he is the pillar of the
generalate. He spoke to our ecclesiastical superiors and won all of them over to the Work, strengthened our
souls, lightened our crosses, and lessened our doubts regarding the future: such was his work in God and for
God.
Something else happened: our two holy Jesuits arrived here for the nine-day retreat. (1) They have
stayed and had their meals here since Monday at 4 o'clock in the morning. There are two retreats with four onehour sermons every day. All the novices are excused from their usual activities, and the professed sisters
supervise them in silence. Pray that God will support us; already a few are wavering a little, but we are reluctant
to admit it. Then, with regard to the generalate, the two Jesuits have spoken with a remarkable strength and
certainty. All [our] souls have revived.
On the second day, proving that everything had been planned, the letter came from the Metz diocese.
What marvelous offers! (2) M. Barthès replied that everything in the Good Shepherd was miraculous. But listen,
my daughter, I would really need to talk to you about all this. You would be deeply moved by that letter from
Metz; but I no longer have you to establish it, what am I to do? Let us pray.
175
The bishop of Angers appears to be very favorably disposed. I am sending a copy of the letter he has
just written to me. What gratitude we owe to God: out of his goodness, he sent us five penitents within eight
days. My daughter, he blesses the task we have undertaken. Would you like to begin again?(3) The bell is
being rung for the sermon. Though my heart is still in Poitiers, I must interrupt my letter. All of us embrace you. I
remain, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Always your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Give our love and friendly greetings to our dear sisters, Heart of Mary, our Dosithea, St. Felicity, M. of
the Holy Innocents, M. of the Cherubim, M. of the Assumption, our tourière sisters! Then, too, our flock of dear
sheep, whom we beg the good Lord to bless! Oh, tell them about their sisters in Angers, they are getting on so
nicely; never was there such a retreat; and the new arrivals are so interesting!
1. One of them was M. Barthès, whom Mary Euphrasia had met in Poitiers, and who spoke with great
enthusiasm about the Good Shepherd of Angers to Monseigneur James Francis Besson, bishop of
Metz.
2. Reference to a little orphanage run by two ladies, Mademoiselle Flosse and Mademoiselle Talard, and
supported by an association of pious ladies. It had been started a few years previously but was not well
managed.
3. Begin a new foundation.
176
Letter 118
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
Lord, you have broken my bonds, and I will offer you a sacrifice worthy of praise.
Your two dear letters have come, my beloved sisters. Needless to say, your devotedness is the joy of
Israel! In your first letter which arrived a week ago, I sense a confidence in God, which brought my heart
intense joy.
Oh, my dear daughters, just as you say, the strength and courage of Teresa (1) are needed for such a
holy Work. Your attachment to it was the beginning of the favors we have received this week. You will know
them all, my very dear sisters, because you have not denied our bonds, which could not be said about our
sisters of Le Mans.
M. of St. John of the Cross is faithful and immersed in sorrow. Nearly all the young sisters share the
same sentiments. The other two have asked for forgiveness, but alas, they still allow themselves to be led
astray by M. Mor. [Moreau] and often speak or behave unwisely. With all our hearts we pardon them but cannot
in any way give them our approval.
What a difference in Poitiers, the dear superior sacrifices herself for the great Work and gains many
victories for us.
This foundation of Grenoble is also the great joy of our hearts. We have just read for our sisters the
description of your lovely ceremony of enclosure. Ah, how we have blessed God for it. What goodness and zeal
the bishop and M. Teston have shown. Please convey to them our sentiments of respectful and heartfelt
gratitude.
The Lord tried you, dear daughter, by the way our sisters have resisted leaving Grenoble. Will they
actually leave? (2)I really do not know. What scheming! Let them stop disputing the reasons for the generalate.
They really have no inclination for the older houses, and certainly, they will not remain there. They have refused
the springs of living water which charity had offered to them. I thank God for you, my beloved daughters, that
with the Cross as anchor you have safely reached harbor. That is how the holy Work will triumph, after having
passed through a thousand dangers!
Jesus Christ is our life and our light, we will not perish. Let us pray. God gives us great graces, oh, yes,
yes! But let us return to Grenoble: in order to carry out the necessary repairs and to accommodate your dear
penitents, perhaps you would do well to accept the bishop's offer to sell. Five penitents already: we love and
bless our dear sheep. It seems to me that this must be most beneficial to Grenoble. I believe you will have so
many that this foundation will be highly blessed.
How I love you all. Poor M. of St. Helen, I wish a thousand blessings both on you and your lambs who
will, I think, be very numerous. Our good Heart of Jesus is still helping you. I recommend her to be very
virtuous, as well as all our dear sisters, whom we love and cherish most cordially.
These days, my dear daughters, God has abundantly blessed the Mother House. The most holy retreat
was given by the Jesuit Fathers, nine consecutive days, and four sermons a day. 0 God, what fruit! Fifty of our
dear penitents received Holy Communion. The growth of this dear flock is very consoling; in two weeks, we
received ten.
All our novices are getting on perfectly. They made their retreat all together, and the professed have
found new life. Ah, what zeal and light for the generalate! Those holy priests have strengthened us so much,
that now crosses and obstacles are our delight. During their stay, we received a request for a foundation which
177
had actually been started by two lay people, (3)who, not knowing that a generalate existed, wanted to found
only in that spirit.
O God, what a miracle, my dear daughters! I can only adore! What a foundation: they offer us: a house
fully furnished, complete with linen, where twelve young penitents are already in residence. In addition, we will
have 900 francs to begin with, and it will be directed and protected by the [Jesuits]. Then they add: "Tell us
what other conditions we should meet to have the happiness of having some sisters of your holy congregation
here." We gave all the conditions required by the generalate, preferring a thousand times not to make the
foundation at all rather than experience anew troubles similar to those we already endured. Besides, we are
sure that all will be accepted. But, between us, my daughter, we are hard pressed for sisters. Still, if the Lord
wills it, he will accomplish his work for, as you see, crosses have not undone the holy Work! on the contrary,
never have there been so many blessings! Join us in thanking God, and let us try to attract new and more
abundant graces. The Jesuits told us that if we lacked confidence, we would be greatly at fault since the Work
is from God. And as proof, the superior said, "I am going to send you one of the most perfect candidates whom
I had intended for others, but she must be for this dear Good Shepherd."
My dear daughter, I think that you have been a little upset about your collection. It was very small, but
there is little we can do about it. Later things will improve. I am very confident of the future of this dear house.
Besides, each foundation has its crosses. Poitiers receives considerable help, my daughter, but has neither an
enclosure nor a real house, only two small [buildings]. In Grenoble, the situation is ten times better. The
property itself is a treasure for our Work. Also the penitents of Poitiers have difficulty in adapting to their
surroundings. I cannot resist the happiness of sending you [a letter from] this dear superior, how good she is
also. I had sent her one of yours, which filled everyone with joy.
Goodbye my dear sisters; goodbye, I am all yours,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. St. Teresa of Avila.
3. The foundation of Metz, see letter 116 of July 22, 1834 to M. Chalandon.
178
Letter 119
Bishop of Angers
L.J.M.
Angers, July 31, 1834
Monseigneur,
Wishing only to console your paternal heart at this time when you are being sorely tried on our account,
we want to let you know that our dear assistant, Sister La Roche, who has been extremely worried, wrote to
Rome on June 24. She presented our cause very sincerely. Having written last year, you had so well prepared
the way that God graciously permitted a response most consoling to yourself and to all of us, for which we bless
the Lord. We are happy that complete approval was expressed for everything you did. God will be glorified in all
this and many souls will be saved. We are pleased to enclose a copy of the reply from Cardinal De Gregorio.
(1)
Since your departure, we have received a request for a foundation from another diocese(2). We refer
everything to you and win give you a full account of the great benefits we have derived from the retreat
conducted by the Jesuit Fathers. They have strengthened us in our Work for the generalate, assured us of the
patronage of their General in Rome, and asked us to keep good sisters for the many foundations which have
been requested of them. But how they regret not having been able to see you!
With deep respect I am, Monseigneur,
Your humble and submissive daughter,
B.B.G.
1. On June 24, 1834, M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de La Roche had written to Cardinal De Gregorio,
Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, setting forth the proposal for the
generalate.
2. From Monseigneur Besson, bishop of Metz.
179
Letter 120
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers,
Feast day of St. Ignatius, [July 31], 1834
May infinite thanks be rendered to you, O my God!
My very dear and loved Sisters,
A miracle! We announce to you, my very dear daughter, and to our very honored sisters, that the Lord
has done great things for us. On the feast of St. John the Baptist, while in profound anxiety, but with humble
confidence and under the protection of the Blessed Virgin, we wrote to Rome, to the Sacred Congregation.
Today we received the most favorable reply imaginable.
It was from Cardinal [De] Gregorio. Twice he praised the generalate and said it will give great joy to our
Holy Father, the Pope. Tomorrow, my very dear daughter, we will try to send you a first copy.
I am writing to you in deep and humble gratitude. What pleasure your letters give us! I have other great
things to tell you: fifty of our dear penitents received Holy Communion at the end of this retreat, the holiest I
have ever witnessed.
I am overjoyed in the Lord our Savior, and remain with the most sincere attachment,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
180
Letter 121
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, the 31st [July 1834]
day forever memorable.
Glory to God in the heavens, praise to the Lord our God!
A miracle! We cannot contain our joy in God! We announce to you, my very dear daughter, and to our
beloved sisters that, having written to Rome in the midst of our great perplexities and having submitted all that
was done in favor of the generalate, our desire and our objective, today we received the most consoling letter
imaginable. It is from Cardinal [De] Gregorio. Twice he exhorts us to continue the generalate, and adds that it
will rejoice the paternal heart of our Holy Father, the Pope, who will later give it his approval at the request of
the bishops who so desire it. He exhorts us to found [new houses] in this same spirit of dependence on the
Mother House. O God, my dear daughters, 0 God, who would ever have expected such a favor! As soon as
Monseigneur arrives, I will send you a copy of the letter.
I have many things to tell you which will fill you with joy, but I am writing to you while still overwhelmed
and moved by the wonder that has happened. We are immersed in prayer and acts of thanksgiving.
Soon, I will answer your precious letter. Ah, what pleasure it brought us! My dear daughter, it is
finished, that retreat, the holiest one that was ever made.
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
181
Letter 122
Vicar General, Metz
[From our Monastery of Angers, August 2, 1834] (1)
As soon as your valued letter arrived, our very honored Mother was kind enough to inform us of your
truly fatherly kindness in promoting the Work that your zeal is causing you to undertake. Relying on your
kindness, we dare contemplate a happy outcome for this dear foundation of Metz, which will one day redound
to your glory and your crown. With full confidence, we beg you to present to the worthy bishop of your diocese
the document which we take the liberty of forwarding to you for his signature, which will be infinitely precious to
us, as will also your own, which we beg you not to refuse us.
The departure of this dear colony will take place toward the first of September; however, if this
proposed date of departure were too distant, a word denoting your wish would suffice to advance the date.
These dear sisters will bring you the same conditions signed by the bishop of Angers, who is at present absent
from his episcopal see. We are taking these various steps in order to preserve the union and a complete
dependence on the general house of Angers, which will always have the heart of a mother for her children,
supporting them in their new foundations.
Please accept the sentiments of deep respect with which we are, Reverend Vicar General,
Your most humble and very obedient servants in Our Lord,
The Sisters of the Council of the Mother House
of the Good Shepherd
August 2, 1834
B.B.G.
1. Letter written by a secretary, signed and dated by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier's own hand.
182
Letter 123
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, August 9, [1834]
Since your letter of the 17th, my very dear daughter, I have received news of you only through Sister M.
of St. H. [Helen].(1) As you know, I love to read your own letters with A your little anecdotes. Knowing you so
well, my daughter, I am sure you were overjoyed to hear our wonderful news. Happy are those who have
remained loyal! Ah, how faithful is M. of St. John of the Cross! I can tell you that she was outraged to witness
the behavior of those who betrayed the Work, and that she wishes to return to the Mother House. She has
already warned me that our sisters will soon suffer the consequences of their weakness; that M. Moreau, who is
always planning something, wants some of the sisters from Tours to help them. Oh, they will never be in
charge. As for us, my daughter, submissive to the good God, we remain calm and silent in the face of
calumnies leveled against us, we pray and witness the progress of the Work in loving and merciful ways. Oh,
how this moves us to love God in return for his love! How I desire to be a saint! Anyway, I rely on you.
O God, how I long for this house of Grenoble to become the crown of the generalate. Be more than
ever attentive to regularity, my dear daughter.
For yourself only. Do you think M. of St. Helen could relinquish the Class? Would Heart of Jesus be
ready to take over? Let me know how you feel about everything, we must be very open with each other always.
And that postulant with the slight limp, will she come?
Now there is the foundation of Metz, so full of promise, but we are hampered by the lack of sisters. Pray
the Lord to come to our help. How is your own dear house? Are your flocks increasing? Do you have enough to
eat for everyone? Are your ladies still helping you a lot? We will expect news of you tomorrow. Goodbye my
daughter. Tell M. Augustine that I will answer her letter, provided you are satisfied with her. I embrace her as I
do all our dear sisters, Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Helen Baudin, assistant at Grenoble.
183
Letter 124
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
From our General House of the Good Shepherd of Angers,
August 17,1834
I do not know how to thank you adequately for the precious favor we have obtained from the bishop
who has very kindly granted our humble request. As I dare not allow myself the honor of writing to him, please
be so good as to offer him on our behalf our deepest and most respectful regards and our profound gratitude.
We thank God for allowing us to go and work in the bishop's diocese. How sad I would have been had our dear
sisters begun their mission without being blessed by their worthy prelate, and also in your absence and without
your fatherly advice. 0 God, I would have been very anxious! We prefer to advance the date [of departure]
slightly so as to entrust the sisters directly to your care. This week we are getting everything ready, and on
Monday, August 25, the sisters will set out under the protection of the most Blessed Virgin and their guardian
angels. Our wishes and our hearts will go with them, for they are very dear to us. We are sending two choir
sisters and one excellent lay sister, young and strong, whose presence we feel is necessary. As this sister was
not mentioned previously, we will pay for her journey, if you see fit.
How grateful we are for the delicate kindness with which the Ladies of the Sacred Heart offer to shelter
us in their holy haven. The Divine Master will bless them for this charity. Please offer them our respectful
greetings and our very sincere thanks. Our dear sisters will go there if you think it is appropriate,(1) or else they
can go at once to their mission, where souls are calling them. Ah, how I wish them many graces and blessings;
how precious to us is this Work!
I was compelled to delay this letter because I wanted to let you know the date of departure. Please
accept again our greetings and the assurance of the deep respect with which I remain, Reverend Vicar
General,
Your very humble servant,
of 0. L. of Charity of the Good Shepherd
B.B.G.
1. To the house of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart.
184
Letter 125
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, August 1834
And Mary kept all these things in her heart.
Assuredly, my dearly beloved daughter, I too keep in my heart all the graces the Lord bestows on you.
O dear foundation of Poitiers, the delight of our hearts, and also a deprivation, for I feel it keenly when an
excess of other duties prevents me from replying promptly to your very touching letters. Therefore, my beloved
sister, never think that I am indifferent about writing. Could I ever, ever, be? Every single day, nay, every hour,
you are in my thoughts. Step by step, my heart follows yours. I feel your labors and your absence very keenly,
but am consoled by the thought of the future. Oh yes, my daughter, you were truly chosen for the holy Work,
and will be its mainstay. That is what I never cease to instill into the hearts of our young sisters who cherish you
tenderly, as I do myself of course.
Please tell our good Heart of Mary how much I feel her situation. Tell this cherished daughter that I visit
her in a spirit of love. How is her complaint now? Is she able to eat? I embrace her. And our beloved M. of St.
Dosithea, is she now less worried about her dear flock? We are begging the Blessed Virgin to bless both the
flock and its shepherdess. Let her therefore not be discouraged. We are praying much for her and for our dear
M. of St. Felicity, that they may be able to carry on the labors involved in their position. And about the door, (1)
you will have difficulty seeing to that too, but our dear Cherubim and Holy Innocents are helping you, are they
not? I bless them and our good Assumption.
I beg you also to tell our faithful tourière that we are most appreciative of everything she does for the
house of Poitiers, so dear to our hearts. Tell her she most certainly has the love and the trust of our community.
And finally, my dearly loved sister, let us have news of your family. The gratitude we feel for your
benefactresses is boundless.
Now let me say a word about the little ones you are being asked to take in. I had thought of insisting on
a boarding fee of 50 crowns, since we have to support our dear penitents who pay absolutely nothing.
However, my dear daughter, this house is yours, you know it, do you not? Whatever you do will always be
acceptable.
We have been on Calvary for the past two days. M. Moreau is at the bishop's residence, just think of
that! It is impossible for us to obtain any information, we are praying continuously. The visit appears to be in
connection with dear Mary of St. [John] of the Cross, who is showing herself to be adamant, upholding Angers
above everything else. She prefers and is asking to be the last one to return to the Mother House. However, he
[M. Moreau] is having a document drawn up to force her to remain at Le Mans. Pray for her and for us, my
dearly loved sister.
Believe me, I am always, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia, Superior,
of O. L. of Charity
B.B.G.
1. "Door" here refers to the main entrance or reception gate.
185
Letter 126
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, August 21, 1834]
Your name and your law are the delight of my heart, O God!
At last your many letters have arrived, my dearly loved daughter! What joy for my heart! I was already
anxious about our dear daughters. I was saying so to the good Lord while at the same time telling myself. dear
children, they are on the high mountains, they cannot run any faster; wait patiently and in peace, they will come
and your great St. Louis will arrive, laden with good news; you know her well, she is the warrior of Israel, always
crying victory, in the company of her dear assistant who fears only God. Indeed, how right she is!
Should a suitable occasion present itself, how I would love to write to you, my dear daughters. In the
meantime, accept our tender greetings. Oh yes, my good M. of St. Louis, how I would love to be near you. I am
reading and re-reading your touching invitations. Ah, with what delight would I go, since thereby God's glory
would be promoted, the Work advanced, our hearts comforted and unity strengthened. There are so many
matters I long to confide to you, if we could speak heart to heart, neither the journey nor the fatigue would deter
me. God alone is my strength!
Oh, certainly, I suffered more for the past five days than I ever could on the road to Grenoble. I hope to
go there one day. If you wish, dear daughter, postpone the sale for a while since you are anxious. I must
confess that the Lord has the greatest designs for this foundation. Spare your health, you are suffering, and this
worries me. Give me some more news, that I may admire the mercies of God in regard to that dear house. You
are already planning to undertake major renovations, did you tell me the cost is really 12,000 francs? Perhaps it
is too much for your resources. Well, Monseigneur is very prudent, everything he tells you will be blessed by
the Lord.
About the two lay sisters, I am just as anxious as you are to send them but they have not yet made
profession. And, then, my dear daughter, we are praying fervently to the Lord to graciously assist us in
completing our affairs in Rome. The cooperation of the bishops of those cities where foundations are planned
will be required. I feel sure, my daughter, that this holy prelate will give you his backing. We count on God and
on your zeal. Ah, it is then, my daughter, that we would give great scope to the house in Grenoble.
As for the postulants, it will be enough to accompany them as far as Roanne to the house of Mlle
Lacroix or Mlle Dupont, Place des Victoires. You could not find better friends. They will get the postulants to
rest and then will accompany them on the remainder of the journey. It may even be possible for them to join
other postulants there, for the Work is admirable. The splendid foundation of Metz is assured. We have prayed
and suffered.
All our dear professed sisters are behaving perfectly, the countless trials they have endured during the
past six months have changed them beyond recognition. Finally, [for Metz] the choice has been M. of St.
Sophie for superior, St. Angela as Mistress of the penitents, and St. Martha, lay sister.(1) Two more of our choir
sisters will set out after their profession in October. The others will leave on Monday. They will write to you
immediately. Ah, my daughter, when you reply give them some little words of advice. They love you dearly
because of your devotedness, console them, help my labors through your gentle charity.
Monsieur de Neuville is going to write to you, he is moved to tears by your loyalty. You console him for
the ingratitude of Le Mans. Ah, how his heart has been hurt! He has come to know the attitude that prevailed
toward our Mother House. St. Ignatius and Seraphim have given out the confidential letters so as to draw up
reports against us. (2) M. Moreau arrived in a fury.(3) M. Montalant defended us strongly (4) (in secret on the
outside); day and night the sanctuary was watered with tears. St. John of the Cross (5)was shut in, strictly
forbidden to appear in the parlor, or to write. Efforts were made to force her to sign something against us, but
186
she resisted all such attempts. Likewise, there was a plan to have the novices removed by the forces of the law.
M. Moreau contacted all the clergy. In the end, the good Lord protected us from all misfortune. New postulants
arrive, regularity continues to improve and our union is as close as could be. It would appear that members of
the public sympathize with us in our tribulations. We maintain profound silence and union with God, from which
proceed calm and many graces. We mention these only to you, my cherished daughters, and to faithful Poitiers.
All of us here are deeply moved as we admire the designs of God in the goodness of your
benefactresses. How thoughtful they are, paying for so many things, large and small, as well as the dinners and
lunches. Oh, yes, tell us everything, all the details really delight us, we read every single word, even about the
meal,(6) the roast, the flour ... Long live the bursar of St. Robert's! But what cunning and shrewdness, oh my
daughter; we did not fail in our attempt in spite of the opinion of your Angels and Seraphim of St. Egrève! Ah,
you certainly had need of courage! Let them think and say whatever they like about us. I forgive them with all
my heart. They will owe their happiness after God to ourselves because before us nobody thought of drawing
them out of their wretchedness. May God grant they will remain in the houses where they enter!
I have spoken about your deaf mute to Madame Victoire, (7) Who would love to have her, if she should
leave you. Now, that message is taken care of!
Goodbye, my dearly beloved sisters; accept the tender greetings of our children in the novitiate and in
the Classes and especially, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, those of your sincere and
devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Will Marie-Augustine travel in her carriage as far as Angers? We were greatly amused by the idea.
What you tell me has really given me much pleasure; there now, she is better, poor child, so let her continue, I
will be very fond of her.
1. M. of St. Sophie Lavoye, superior, M. of St. Angela Desvigneaux, mistress of the penitents, Martha
Martin, tourière sister. They left for Metz on August 25, 1834.
2. M. of St. Ignatius Charon and M. of the Seraphim Houdin, the two sisters from Le Mans who contributed
to the break with the Good Shepherd of Angers.
3. M. Moreau, ecclesiastical superior of the Good Shepherd of Le Mans.
4. M. Montalant, vicar general and ecclesiastical superior of the Good Shepherd of Angers.
5. M. of St. John of the Cross David.
6. Meal (le bled) made from a mixture of wheat and rye.
7. Marie Victoire Bloom, directress of a school for deaf and dumb girls in Angers which was taken over by
the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of St. Mary. Mademoiselle Blouin became M. of St. Camille
on May 31, 1845.
187
Letter 127
To Monseigneur the BISHOP of Metz
L.J.M.
House of the Good Shepherd, Angers, August 22, 1834
Monseigneur,
With the most humble and respectful gratitude, we present to you our dear sisters who ardently desire
to respond to your kindness by the most perfect submission and zeal for the accomplishment of the mission
which you may be so good as to entrust to them. I consider them to be full of goodwill and piety, discreet,
reserved and prudent. Their superiors have always been very happy with everything they did.
Nevertheless, Monseigneur, if in the course of time you were not satisfied with them, we would willingly
substitute others, as we wish to give you all that you will find most conducive to the glory of God and the good
of your establishment. Our vocation is chiefly for the poor penitents who are coming back to God; our sisters
desire to receive such penitents whenever you deem fit. In any case, everything will be done according to your
wisdom.
I am, with deep respect, Monseigneur,
Your very humble, obedient daughter and servant,
M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior.
188
Letter 128
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
Angers, August 23, 1834
I have asked our dear travelers( 1) to give you this letter on their arrival, with my good wishes and
humble gratitude. I thank God that in you they are going to find a fatherly protector. Be so good as to help,
enlighten and support them, as they are full of goodwill, discreet and prudent, with an ardent desire to work for
the salvation of souls. Moreover, we would ask you to consult with us, so that if at any time these sisters were
considered unsuitable, we would always try to follow your wishes for the good of the Work.
I am, with deep respect, Reverend Vicar General,
M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior,
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Sophie Lavoye, M. of St. Angela Desvigneaux and Martha Martin.
189
Letter 129
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, August 25,1834
Carry one another's burdens and thereby you will fulfill the law.
Your dear letter reached us yesterday, my beloved daughter, and I received Holy Communion this
morning for your intentions; at least, I wished you a happy feast day with my heart and my love. (1) Ah, if only I
could have relieved your sufferings! Certainly, my daughter, I believe you are deeply saddened, as I am, by the
behavior of Sister M. of St. Helen.(2) Alas, could I ever see you in a state of suffering without sharing your grief,
you, who are the inseparable companion of my afflictions? Could I approve of the fact that M. of St. Helen left
the Class without your permission? No, definitely not! Again, I invest you with full authority! I had told her that
first of all she was to act in agreement with you in a spirit of the greatest cordiality, and then that you would
write to me about it. Poor M. of St. Louis, as if you had not already enough work and suffering! Ah, how much to
be pitied are those who are in charge. Believe me, my daughter, I am not going to cause you to shed more
tears, rather, will I dry them. Whether you leave St. Helen in the Class or are compelled to take her out of it, I
shall give you my approval in everything, and will be devoted to you until death.
I have not forgotten how much you have suffered for the holy Work, and I will eternally keep your letter
secret; do likewise, and we will both be more free. Do not give in. Moreover it is probable that this moment of
aberration will not last, but how much it saddens me. True regularity is humble! First of all, we must both render
and cause to be rendered to the superior due honor and obedience; we should also be less sensitive and
touchy, and the like. 0 God, the opposite would certainly not be inspired by you!
Anyhow, let us try to keep our inner miseries hidden. To act otherwise would do you much harm in
Grenoble where there have already been such disedifying religious. If the bishop knew about it, he would be
inconsolable! He loves you, my daughter.
Would you be able to speak to him confidentially about the step taken by my Sister La Roche, who had
a letter written, or to be more precise wrote one herself, to Rome to the Cardinal of the Grand Penitentiary
explaining our entire position as well as her own, in her capacity of benefactress? (3) Here is the consoling
letter we received in reply. The bishop of Metz shows a great interest in us, which is an additional support. The
bishop of Poitiers promises his cooperation and his signature for Rome. Do you expect, my dear daughter, that
the bishop of Grenoble will do likewise when the request is made by our holy bishops? I feel he will because in
the case of Grenoble both the initial request and the actual establishment of the foundation were made on
these conditions regarding the Work. (4) Handle it A with great prudence and we are sure of succeeding,
because the good Lord is on your side. He must indeed be supporting and blessing you since your Work is
really growing.
Your letters are such a comfort to us, our sisters were very consoled on reading the first one. It arrived
here at a time when tears were flowing abundantly as our three sisters were just leaving for Metz. Never have I
seen greater sorrow. St. Sophie had been my consolation for a long time, and M. of St. Angela had arranged
her department with the greatest possible order. Poor children, they could no longer even cross the [threshold].
I spoke to them about you, telling them you would pray for them and comfort them, but all to no avail. In the
end, they left under the protection of the most Blessed Virgin and I went back inside, my heart breaking. Those
dear sisters are going to cultivate the largest field that was ever presented to our dear generalate. Already,
fourteen sheep, a completely furnished house, linen, beds, 900 francs in advance. There is an association of
ladies who will support our sisters and who eagerly await their arrival. Ah, if only I had had you with me, my
good daughter! Now, note this carefully: the greater the attempts made to destroy the holy Work and to crush
and overwhelm us, all the more does God accomplish his designs. I cast myself in the dust, and I humble
myself to the depths before the God of mercy! Would you believe it, already we are receiving letters, asking us
to prepare a foundation for Germany? in the midst of crosses, the house is making considerable progress.
190
Our good father de Neuville has just sent me your kind letter; he is happy and wants to write to you. Our
Jesuit Fathers have sent us a 30-year-old lady. (5) Ah, what a promising postulant! We are getting her ready to
receive the holy habit. She is a treasure, so capable and good!
Goodbye, my daughter, goodbye. Continue to grow in grace and in love of God. Receive Communion
with peace in your heart. Keep up your dear health: do tell me, my daughter, your joys and sorrows. Have great
purity of intention, maintain the holy presence of God, hold on to true regularity.
Tell our dearly beloved sisters that we cherish them and greet them cordially; accept the tender
affection, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, of your poor mother,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. August 25, feast of St. Louis.
2. M. of St. Helen Baudin, assistant in Grenoble.
3. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de In Roche had written to Cardinal De Gregorio, who had just sent his
reply.
4. The hope was that the bishops who had a Good Shepherd house in their diocese
5. would give their written approval in support of the request for setting up the generalate.
6. Mary Augustine Vaidy, who would become M. of St. Therese.
191
Letter 130
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, July 28, 1834 (1)
If you are thirsty come to the source of living water.
Yes indeed, yesterday at 10 o'clock, your letter reached us and your generous devotedness dried our
tears. They were flowing, my daughter, over our sisters who were leaving for Metz. (2) Their sorrow was as
deep as the ocean. Ah, how they longed to see you going there instead of themselves, and I too felt the same.
God knows how I miss you in time of need! Only the special love I bear for the holy foundation of Poitiers, along
with my boundless gratitude toward the bishop and toward your benefactresses, prevented me from opening
my heart to you. Yet, how greatly I would have loved to see you in this field of miracles opened to the dear
generalate by God himself.
Your poor daughters, because you are indeed a real mother for our works, had long been my
consolation. Their employments were maintained in the best possible manner, and they themselves had been
formed through trials, supported by prayers and Communions; and since the foundation was becoming urgent
we decided to send the sisters without further delay to see what could be done. We had already formally set
forth the required conditions and the bishop of Metz was so good as to give the document his approval. At least
the treachery of Le Mans will not be repeated. O God, we forgive!
My dear daughter, I heard from you again this morning at 4 o'clock, when the sister in charge of the
door brought me, instead of the fruit which did not survive the journey, only souls to be saved. The bishop's little
protégée is charming. She did not fail to convey your gracious messages, repeating them very well indeed. As
for the other two, my daughter, what do you think of them? Personally, I consider them promising. Be sure to
contact the good curé of Moutierneuf, and insist that he let us have the first quarter. (3) This will at least enable
us to dress them in the requisite costume, for which our poor Mistresses will [thank you]. In any case, my
cherished daughter, be assured that we remain devoted to you. But here is the fruit; it had been forgotten.
Could any of them be more precious than the sentiments you have expressed in your letters? How I suffer at
not being able to write at once to each one of you individually. Still, it is only a short delay, I will soon be busy
with my replies. Some of your letters have filled me with consolation. Ah, my dear daughters, since you belong
wholly to God and are completely given over to the holy Work, oh, do show it by your devotion to this beloved
portion of our heritage: Poitiers. Cultivate carefully the vineyard entrusted to you. Let it be your treasure. It is a
sacred deposit that we have placed in your hands, of which we shall ask you to render an account. Woe to
anyone who of her own choice would wish to abandon it. Moreover, for the past three months we have met with
so many crosses that even to consider any changes at this stage would only make things much worse.
Certainly, I would never consent to it. We have preferred to weigh ourselves down and to carry an extra load
rather than to touch the foundations. Their glory and ours is even more dear to us. Oh yes, my dear daughters,
for as soon as your good mother and M. of St. [ ] (4) speak to me about her flock or about the progress of the
Work, all suffering disappears and all hearts rejoice. I know, my beloved daughters, that it is the same with all of
you whenever anyone speaks to you about the sacred cradle of your childhood. How I love to tell you about its
blessings. We cannot hide the fact that the Lord has the greatest possible designs for this tribe, but graces are
attained only through the Cross; it is the Cross that has given birth to the house of Metz. What help! A furnished
house, a founder who is a second M. de N. [Neuville); this is in strictest confidence: a sum of money, the
journeys paid for. Even the trousseaus of our sisters were offered; we have received the linen.
Our Jesuits have written to tell me that a city in Germany was praying that it might obtain some Good
Shepherd Ladies, and one said to me: "As for me, I'm fixing on Aix for next summer, please be good enough to
reserve it for me." What do you think of that, my dear daughters? What a miracle! But, we don't have enough
laborers, oh, pray to the Master of the harvest! If your dear mother wishes to send her vote, we will give the
192
holy habit to three good choir postulants and two lay postulants. Then in two months time we shall get our
seven sisters to make holy profession. We are extremely pleased with them: M. of St. Eulalie, St. Gabriel, St.
Victoire, the two St. Francises, St. Paul and St. Maurice.(5) There, five new members, but three of them will be
for Metz. So, you see, I leave it to yourselves to judge, my beloved sisters. I can assure you that we will keep
here only the number of professed sisters really necessary. Nevertheless, I think we will have to refuse these
dear foundations so as to consolidate the houses already existing, unless the good Lord sends a lot of help. As
for the rest, divine Providence is making us grow all the time: the land, the Classes, the buildings, all are on the
increase, for the glory of God. I will try, my dearly beloved daughter, to replace the ungrateful Villette with a
good tourière sister. I shall see to it. Ah, how I long to have a free week so as to be able to write and send you
all lots of the little things you are asking us for. We shall take care of it soon. While awaiting that joy, I remain,
with tender affection, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
Our dear sisters will be answering all your letters. They love you more than ever.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Judging from the postmark, this date should be August 28.
On August 25, the three foundresses left for Metz: refer to letter 126 of August 21, 1834.
The first part of the sum of money promised by the priest who directed these postulants.
The name is erased.
They were: M. of St. Eulalie Coudrais, M. Victoire Gourichon, M. of St. Gabriel Vimembre, M. of St.
Francis de Sales Ruffieux, M. of St. Francis of Assisi Choler, M. of St. Paul Gauthier, M. of St. Maurice
Ménard.
193
Letter 131
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, [August 1834]
My God, we have raised up our hearts to you.
On Saturday evening we had the most pleasant of all surprises when the post arrived with letters from
our very dear daughters. Oh, certainly, I would love to reply to each one; it would be comforting to my heart
while waiting to do it in person. In the meantime, I am extremely touched by your sentiments of devotedness
and cordial attachment. If the Lord hears my feeble prayers, you will be great saints, and certainly you are in a
state of joy, seeing the labors that you endure. How much my heart suffers from the sorrows that your penitents
cause you, night and day. O God, you, my daughter, who eat so little, you have no rest. Take care of yourself, I
beg of you, and may our good M. of St. Dosithea not fast in the morning even for one day, lest she fall ill.
M. of St. Felicity, too, must find much work, but our dear M. of the Cherubim and M. of the Assumption
wish to help you in every way. And then, our faithful Heart of Mary and Holy Innocents, who are always the
roots of the tree, we all cherish you dearly. And you, try first daughter, oh, how many things I have to confide in
you. What will I do to find you? In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, surely. Oh, may that Divine Heart tell you
everything! Then together we will praise it and speak to your dear community. I would do this much more often,
my cherished daughter, but I must admit to you that I am worn out by the work. Nevertheless, I both see in the
distance and touch closely the great designs of God.
How obliged we are to your holy bishop! Would you believe it, he has written again to ours in favor of
the holy Work. The Bishop of Angers and M. Régnier are devoting themselves most assiduously to it. The letter
from Rome is admirable! I am sending you a confidential copy. It is addressed to our dear assistant (1) who had
written in the name of the whole community. We had submitted all the details regarding the generalate and our
situation. Just imagine our joy in God when we read the decision. It is a miracle of the Blessed Virgin!
And finally, my beloved sisters, we are being asked repeatedly to have our sisters set out for Metz but
there are obstacles to be overcome. Oh, pray hard then! Yet, one could hardly find greater thoughtfulness or
enthusiasm than in the attitude of the ecclesiastical superiors, and we have received wonderful offers from
them. It will be one of the most beautiful foundations, but we are keeping the plans secret. It will replace Le
Mans, which is leaving this mother and this dear enclosure, having first tom it asunder. (2) Never was there
suffering so deeply felt as that caused by the behavior of our two sisters, urged on, I think, by M. Moreau. Fiat!
As for you, my beloved sisters, continue to be a consolation in our sufferings; uphold that dear Poitiers.
You have so much to do that you may certainly work on the days of obligation prescribed by the Rule. How
displeased I am about the problems the new tourière sister is causing. The former one was so good. Poor child,
she little knows how well-off she is. Where would she want to go?
We are praying for your dear penitents. You are sowing in tears, ah, do you remember those you shed
here? They have borne fruit a hundredfold, for these dear children are our sweet consolation. There are still
weaknesses, of course, but what piety and what order! We receive delightful girls but all are given free board.
At present we are experiencing financial difficulties but I think these will not last because, thanks to the Blessed
Virgin's intercession, we now have a plentiful supply of needlework. Our sisters are working very hard, twelve of
them continue, from morning till night, cutting out and finishing up the garments.
Finally, my beloved sisters, yes, I say to you: ah, how precious this Mother House will become and how
flourishing it will be! 0 God, how its numbers will grow. How many souls will be saved there.
194
Madame d'Andigné is still in Paris. What a mother! Greater devotedness could not be found. She is
busy getting a postulant for our house who would be a treasure. If this postulant comes, I shall write and tell
you. We have only three now but they are good. We would need twenty, ask God to give them to us. It is for
you, for Grenoble and for Metz that we want them.
Goodbye, my very dear daughter. Our benefactors and our chaplains wish to be remembered to you.
Our professed sisters love you especially. The novices keep asking for news of you, our Magdalens also send
their kind remembrances. Seven Dolors has made her holy profession.(3) Our sixty-four penitents assure you of
their respectful greetings.
I remain, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my very dear and loved daughters,
Your devoted,
B.B.G.
It was to the Great Penitentiary of Rome that we had written and this is the first Cardinal to have
replied. At the earliest opportunity I will send you the explanation of the Rule and the chant books. Would you
let me know, my daughter, what you think about Metz? Oh, how I would love to talk to you!
1. This refers to the reply from Cardinal De Gregorio, received in Angers on July 31, 1834 by M. Chantal
of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche.
2. On August 13, the decision to sever links with Angers had been made by the Chapter Act of the
community of Le Mans.
3. Victoire Benoît, in religion Magdalen of the Seven Dolors, made profession August 29,1834.
195
Letter 132
To Sister Mary of St. Sophie LAVOYE
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, September 2, 1834
The Lord has changed our tears into joy.
My dearly beloved daughters, the sorrow of your leaving was followed by the tender joy of receiving
good news from you. O God, be praised! Your two letters were balm to our souls, our dear sisters could not
restrain their tears. You are dearer to us in God than ever, my children. Our gratitude toward God and the
bishop of Metz will be eternal. How shall we make some return to the Ladies of the Sacred Heart for all their
kindness? We can never repay the superior's kind and thoughtful letter as well as all she has done for us. We
will pray for them, for only God can discharge our debt. Offer our respects to the superior and her community,
and also to the good Countess who went to meet you. Our good wishes to all! How I do like all the details you
give in your letters! About allowing the young women under your care to go out, I beseech you to beg our
ecclesiastical superior and chaplain most respectfully not to permit anything of the kind. Let us be faithful to our
holy Rules. If they wish to separate the Classes, oh well, we will help you later. Could we possibly abandon you
in your labors? No, indeed, never! Our good St. Martha will help you. I still have it in mind.
Seek to excel in virtue, my dear daughters, you need so much grace for your great and holy vocation. If
you always have recourse to Jesus and Mary, they will help you in everything. The prayers and Communions of
your Mother House will be with you. Be assured that we do pray for you! Do not let anything discourage you.
See God in all things, edify your neighbor, educate souls, show yourselves humble and gentle, but dignified,
prudent and wise also. Do all you can to console your ecclesiastical superiors. You will, I think, dry our tears
and bring to pass the triumph of the generalate. I feel very peaceful and very hopeful about the foundation of
Metz.
My dear M. of St. Sophie, we have written to you; also to your mama, my Angela. I received your sister
(1) but send us in exchange letters like today's, you did us so much good! Our sisters cherish you and keep you
in their hearts, our Classes send you their respects. Monsieur de Neuville, our worthy founder, still feels your
departure but he is so holy, you know him. Madame d'Andigné has come at last, to our great delight. She is a
tender mother for us and for you too, my dear daughters. She is most anxious to have news of you. Goodbye, I
fly to your side in spirit and I am, in union with the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your mother who loves you more than herself,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. See letter 153, October 17, [1834], footnote 1.
196
Letter 133
To Sister Mary of the Holy Innocents LE MOU
Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers], September 3, [1834] (1)
Let those who are thirsty come to me, and let them drink
How I wish, my daughter, that you may drink more and more from the source of the living waters of the
Savior. From your letter, I see how often you are still in a state of sorrow and tribulation. Meditation and Holy
Communion are the divine sources where you will find every consolation, but how sad I am, my dear child, to
have distressed you by my silence. Nevertheless, in many ways you have been very much in my thoughts, and
if your good Mother and you were not so useful in Poitiers, I would have transferred you to dear Metz. Finally,
after many tears and prayers, the choice fell on those whose names you have now received; ah, pray for them,
that they may be holy! They have set out through obedience and devotedness. Ask the good Lord to support
them. 0 dear generalate, how many graces and how many crosses there are, how many things in God! But first,
one has still to suffer intensely, and indeed our sorrows have been immense and bitter; the sufferings of
Calvary have opened for us the way to great progress, wherein lies the hidden manna. Ah, my daughter, let us
recognize that persecutions do not destroy the Works! If that were so, the generalate would have long since
ceased to exist and in our most recent trials it most certainly would have perished, instead of which it
progressed as if miraculously. Again, we are beginning yet again the devotion of the Fifteen Saturdays. Be with
us in spirit, let us pray from our hearts, let us pray unceasingly, let us never become discouraged. The more
crosses we endure, the more graces we receive. But I am well aware that the Lord wishes us to serve him in
spirit and in truth; let us therefore offer him life for life.
Goodbye, my dear daughter, I am, in union with the most holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Mary Le Mou began her novitiate on June 3, 1831. That was the first reception ceremony witnessed by
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in Angers, just two weeks after her arrival there as superior.
197
Letter 134
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, September 6, [1834]
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
If you do not come to my defense, I will be chided by our great St. Louis! But, when you know
everything, you will understand how our young girl [the foundation] has given us much toil as well as great
consolations. We used to say to ourselves that our sisters of Grenoble were the beloved and cherished children
of our large family, they are so full of wisdom, loving God and the cross which they have carried to save many
souls. These dear daughters are admirable, they will help to bring up our little children. That is why I have
delayed a little, devoting my time to poor St. John of the Cross, who arrived here overwhelmed with sorrows, (1)
following on a very painful persecution. She came back, faithful and generous. Oh yes, my good St. Louis, as
you rightly say, she will make a foundation, she has well deserved it. Monsieur M. [Moreau] has made a martyr
of her and has persecuted us outrageously, flat. I forgive him all those wrongs, for the love of our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is doing here the same harm that your treacherous Seraphim (2) is doing in Grenoble. How much we
have shared your own sufferings and your devotedness, my dear daughters!
But what a saint and what a Father we have in M. Teston! (3) O God, how grateful I am to him! I am
keeping his letters with the greatest reverence. You will see them, my dear St. Louis, only when I go to
Grenoble. You may count on it, my daughter. We love and cherish all that concerns you, send us news. Here is
the latest from Metz: graces, favors, and blessings are being poured on our dear Mother House. For this holy
Work, our sisters have been welcomed by the bishop of Metz, the clergy of the city, as if they were angels
coming down from heaven. The Ladies of the Sacred Heart have showered kindness on them. The Jesuit
Fathers are all in favor of the Work. Already, we have received letters on behalf of a charming young lady and
of another one from Germany, rich in talents, whom the Fathers are going to send and who surely will do great
things. "These will be the first fruits from our country," we are told. There is abundant help. O God, my
cherished daughters, I know you are thanking God. I hear you on your mountains, my beloved St. Helen, Heart
of Jesus, St. Bernard, St. Rose, M. of the Cross, Presentation, our dear Marie Augustine. I am naming each
one of you with tender love, but, dear St. Louis, you are no longer 'naughty' except for Seraphim; you do not
easily endure the kick of the dying donkey. Well anyhow, let us forgive everything but let us remain firm,
constant in God. How I long for you to have peace of mind, my dear daughter! Have they left? (4)
You should have received two letters from me, and the copy of the one from Rome, which you might
have needed. Did you show it to the bishop? And to M. Teston? Thank God, it is very different from the one
invented by your friend, M. of the Seraphim, the one I neither saw nor read. For the rest, my beloved sisters, let
us seek only God, his adorable Will and the salvation of souls. My dear daughters, he will not abandon us. Let
us pray, let us pray; oh, my dear daughters, let us again celebrate the Fifteen Saturdays.
It seems to me that the most Blessed Virgin Mary has taken the holy Work to her Heart, neither men
nor devils, nor passions, can tear that holy Work away from it. What would render us blameworthy would be our
infidelities, were they to compel that worthy Mother to abandon us. O my dear daughters, let us therefore be
irreproachable, as regular as the angels, let us be a consolation to our ecclesiastical superiors! Oh, the bishop
of Grenoble and M. Teston, how much we owe them! Ah, what have they not endured for us! They have been
impervious to all calumnies, in a word, they have saved us! How much I would grieve were we not a consolation
to them!
Our good mother, Madame d'Andigné, has come from Paris, she cherishes you in all sincerity. If I go to
Grenoble, she will also go with great joy; I can well see it. M. de N. [Neuville] is still a father to us, but is so
unwell that he delays writing to you; however, he told me that he intended to do so soon. Our sisters greet you
198
cordially and love you always, please accept the expression of that same sentiment, with which I remain, in the
love of the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my beloved daughters,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
M. of St. Louis, do you have good vineyards and wine? My bursar, oh, I am leaving it to you, you will
not throw anything away! And what about your garden?
1. M. of St. John of the Cross David who returned to the house of Angers from Le Mans on September 5,
1834.
2. M. of the Seraphim Ducret, in St. Egrève, Grenoble.
3. Vicar general to the bishop of Grenoble.
4. The Sisters of O. L of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
199
Letter 135
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, July 7, [1834] (1)
Our tears and groans have been changed into songs of joy.
You may have been worried at not receiving any letter from me in the little box we sent off to your
address on Thursday. I was so overwhelmed with work and had so many serious matters to tell you about, that
I preferred to wait for a quieter time.
Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Mary. O Divine Mother, without whom we would surely have
perished. But no, she carries the holy Work in her Heart. I think, my child, that she wishes to be honored in a
special manner in our foundations. I beg of you, begin the Fifteen Saturdays.
In the midst of crosses, great graces abound. M. Perché was surely a prophet in saying that the most
implacable foe of the Work would be M. Moreau. Never could I have believed the human heart capable of such
treachery, alas, against veritable lambs for we say not a word and, though treated most outrageously, we live in
such peace and regularity that Calvary is not without its charms. Having compassion on our weakness, God
sometimes leads us to Mount Tabor, where these days our hearts are gladdened, my dear daughter, as we see
the miracles being wrought at Metz. Our sisters have been received there as if they were angels coming down
from heaven. The bishop has showered benefits on them and has willingly promised his backing for Rome. (3)
That is where dear Mary of St. Sophie began. She won the Heart of God, always letting him see her
misery and even her tears. The holy Jesuit spoke to her immediately about an exceptional candidate from
Germany; both she and a young lady from Metz are coming to the novitiate of Angers. You can sense, my
dearly loved daughters, that these Jesuits have great plans for us.
O journey to Poitiers, what blessings you gained for us! (3) The council of the noble ladies in Metz is
very helpful. This is a city with great resources. Our sisters' house is rather inconvenient ... but patience.
Already, there is a talk of buying for them the former Visitation for 75,000 francs, a convent building, with
impressive church and choir. O God, my gratitude and love are boundless! The little house they now have is in
good order, the young girls are docile, the furniture clean, the chapel pleasing, the gifts precious. Now see, my
very dear sisters, if all that is not a grace, and how much we owe the good Lord! Help us to thank him for it.
After many persecutions our dear faithful M. of St. John of the Cross (4) has been brought back to us by
God. She had been assured that the house had almost fallen apart, (5) that there was no regularity here, that
the tribulations had affected my mind. Poor child, thanks be to God, she found everything in the opposite
condition, as in this dear house there is perfect regularity and my head is as calm as my soul. This good and
loved sister tells me she thinks she is in heaven and says she has never tasted such peace. For three months
she had been unable to sleep. It is M. Moreau, who holds the Chapter, wearing his stole! Just imagine. Fiat!
We have just had a lovely consolation, my dear daughters! One of the directors from the Poitiers
Seminary (6) gave us Benediction. We had the opportunity to talk to him and when I mentioned you he
promised me faithfully to visit you on our behalf in two weeks' time.
Goodbye, my dear and beloved sisters. I am, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
200
Our sisters embrace you. It is almost time to post this. Goodbye!
1. According to the postmark, this letter was actually written on September 7.
2. Approval to obtain from Rome the erection of the generalate.
3. This mention of Poitiers in the middle of a reference to Metz may appear surprising, but it was at the
time of a trip to Poitiers that Mary Euphrasia Pelletier had met M. Barthès, a Jesuit, who initiated the
foundation of Metz.
4. M. John of the Cross David, recently back in Angers from Le Mans.
5. The Good Shepherd of Angers.
6. M. de Larnay.
201
Letter 136
Superior, Metz
Urgent
L.J.M.
September 8, [1834]
O God, come to my help!
I have received your letter, my beloved daughter. We are all agreed that you should continue to show
much prudence and delicacy in your dealings with M. Chalandon and the ladies of the council! (1)Tell them very
gently what our customs are, my daughter. As to gifts, allow the good M. Chalandon to arrange everything. You
will see, my daughter, that God will bless your trust and will not leave you destitute. The good superior at
Poitiers acted in this way. Be very wise, very ready to conciliate. Oh, try, together with our beloved M. of St.
Angela, to cultivate carefully the field entrusted to you by the Lord. Make this foundation succeed, my dear
daughters, no matter what the cost. Very well, if the ladies so desire, begin with those dear orphans, but
continue to speak a lot about the penitents and they will be sure to come. Be of good courage! We will always
pray for you, my three dear good daughters. Our sisters think constantly of you. Perhaps you have a few
crosses already but do not be sad. God is with you. We have just had reception of the holy habit for six
postulants. I am writing to you in haste and embrace you with all my heart. Do your best to send us some
postulants.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Mademoiselle Deshuilles, Madame de St. Blaise, Mademoiselle Malherbe and Madame Desoudin.
202
Letter 137
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
Those who act and instruct will be great in the kingdom of Heaven.
My daughter, for eighteen days now, you have not written to us. You had been cruelly and unremittingly
attacked. I fear you may be ill. For quite a long time now good M. of St. Helen has not sent me a single line, but
of course I am aware that you are all overworked.
According to your wish, my dear daughter, I wrote to your bishop expressing our heartfelt gratitude. I
did not want to trouble him, otherwise I would have written to him earlier and to our excellent M. Teston, whose
devotedness is so great. I told Monseigneur that Madame d'Andigné wanted to go to visit him as she already
has had the privilege of meeting him. I think you will see her in the spring, my very dear daughters. You must
have also received several letters from us, including a copy of the one from Rome. I spoke of it to our worthy
ecclesiastical superiors. Have you shown it to them, my dear daughter? Don't you think it would be advisable
for us to write to some of your benefactresses too? If you agree, please send me their addresses.
Have you started your repairs and received a few children or penitents? Are all our beloved sisters
keeping well? I embrace and greet them warmly.
Our worthy father de Neuville through his good works is completing this dear Mother House, which is becoming
even more regular. The building is magnificent and the enclosure all changed for the better. All the old
shanties and dead trees from the Guerin garden as well as the dividing wall, which were an eyesore, have been
removed. This has given us a fine enclosure opening onto the garden and quite lovely, although the separate
Class (1) has taken part of the space.
Madame d'Andigné is having a beautiful chapel of Mount Carmel built in this enclosure, and also an
impressive Calvary. She arrived from Paris, that dear mother, laden with gifts for the church. O God, my dear
daughters, how many benefits! I expect this will make your hearts rejoice, you who are so devoted to the
general welfare of the great work of God. The community room and the novitiate have been greatly enlarged; in
a word, the favors are in proportion to the crosses. Certainly that says it all, for we have had crosses of all sorts.
Finally, my dear daughters, you have been part of everything: may the Lord bless you: grow more and more in
grace and in love. Be saints, for God has the greatest designs for all of you! Try to be the pillars and the glory of
the Work. Now, here is our good St. Joseph (2) writing to you on behalf of the novitiate. How comforted I am by
this union. Ah, how much it does to close up and heal heart-rending wounds! Fiat! Our sisters of Metz are going
to have the lovely church and house of the former Visitation convent.
Goodbye, my dearly beloved sisters, be assured of my tender attachment in the love of the Holy Hearts
of Jesus and Mary,
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The Grande Classe.
2. M. of St. Joseph Regaudiat, who made profession April 15, 1834.
203
Letter 138
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
House of the Good Shepherd of Angers, September 11, 1834
The arrival of your valued letter filled our hearts with gratitude. We already knew that your kindness
toward our dear sisters exceeded anything we could hope for. In you, God has given them a father, a guide,
and a support, our wishes have been really fulfilled. Rest assured that they will act only according to your
advice and ours, which will always be in conformity with yours. Even before I received your precious letter, I
had begged them to await in peace God's own time before starting a class of penitents. I encouraged
moderation, advising them not to rush into anything and to await your decision regarding the premises. I urged
them to hold with the greatest care the sacred deposit entrusted to them by your holy prelate. I reminded them
of the importance of showing the greatest deference to the council of lady benefactresses, to whom we owe
everything; in a word, I exhorted them to follow your views and advice. I can assure you that such are exactly
their sentiments too. Their letters prove to me that they have the utmost confidence in you and in addition a
boundless gratitude toward you. Show them the way and I fully expect they will follow your recommendations.
Yesterday, I wrote to them in a similar vein.
Be so good as to moderate whatever excessive zeal they might show and continue your great kindness
to them. I regret that you were not aware of our being enclosed, which resulted, I feel, in additional work and
difficulties for you. We will do our best to make amends, and most certainly later on you will reap the fruits of so
much solicitude. The cloister is a great advantage for the holy vocation that is ours. Your wisdom and prudence
will appreciate this when you witness our manner of running the house, once the happiness of having penitents
is ours. The cloister is one of the greatest means of converting them.
We were greatly touched by the extreme kindness with which the bishop of Metz blessed the chapel
that you had so thoughtfully prepared for our sisters. Please offer him our deep respect, assuring this holy
prelate of our eternal gratitude. We are very much indebted to the Ladies of the Sacred Heart whose
thoughtfulness and goodness could not have been greater. God alone can repay our debt of gratitude, both to
them and to you! With our thankfulness and our prayers, please accept the assurance of the deep respect with
which, Reverend Vicar General, I remain,
Your humble servant,
B.B.G.
204
Letter 139
METZ
L.J.M.
Bless the Lord, O you who live in the portals of the house of God!
Truly, my dear daughters, you inhabit the entrance to our holy dwelling place. A stream of grace is
flowing over you. You, my good and loved St. Sophie, are actively seeking postulants, I can read it in your dear
letter and in that of our beloved M. of St. Angela, so concerned about receiving a large flock of penitents. My
dear daughters, I cannot adequately tell you how much we praise God for this Work of Metz. The news about it
rejoices our hearts and you become ever more dear to us. Here is our opinion concerning the penitents: you
must wait to have other premises, appear very calm and patient, show respect and great tact toward the ladies
of the council, but without committing yourselves, and preserve the holy Work of the generalate. Moreover, do
not get upset over the authority of those ladies, which will continue only for a while. Once you are in your holy
enclosure, you will be free, quite free. Do not be discouraged, I have every confidence in you and feel you can
take the place available, the one which was formerly the Visitation convent, (1) without consulting my sister
assistant. Oh, I beg of you, wait and suffer on in order to have it; the church and the choir for the Office are
great advantages. Give the Ladies of the Sacred Heart the respect and love of little children for their mothers. I
cannot tell you how much I respect them. When you have obtained a place of your own, then you can ask the
bishop and M. Chalandon to have two additional sisters, so as to begin the work for penitents. Tell them you
are going to approach your Mother House to obtain more sisters. Always let your attachment and dependence
be evident, and all will go well; you will continue to merit their esteem.
You mention two postulants, my good M. of St. Sophie, both of them from the Sacred Heart. Oh, how
we would love to have them, if that be the will of God! Tomorrow, we are going to offer Holy Communion for the
intentions of your mission, which is, I assure you, the most precious jewel in our crown. Sending many
postulants to the Mother House is also to support and extend the generalate. God will bless you for it. Could
you, my child, see about the one from Luxembourg? I would very much like to receive many from these
northern countries. M. Barthès told me that the possibilities there are numerous. He also said if our holy
vocation were known in Metz and along the borders of Germany, he could fill the whole novitiate of Angers! My
dear daughters, do the holy Work. It is in your hands and, as you well know, we do not value worldly goods;
hence, feel free to decide the conditions yourselves. Arrange things for the best and get them to set out.
Monsieur de Neuville and Madame d'Andigné, as well as our chaplain, our professed sisters and the novices
send you their most affectionate greetings. The sisters in our faithful foundations are praying ceaselessly for
you. All of us cherish you dearly in the Heart of Christ. In his love, I remain, with great tenderness, my very dear
daughters,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
O God, my dear daughters, how I thank God and you, who have consoled me by telling me how you
were practicing the Holy Rule. Oh, be sure to continue doing so!
1. The house in question was actually a former Poor Clare convent.
205
Letter 140
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
You have fought the good fight. You will be crowned!
You do faithfully the Work entrusted to you by Our Lord. You delight his Heart and he will give you to
drink of the stream of his delights. As for me, my daughter, you are our consolation and already our hearts
crown you. The arrival of your letter on Sunday made it a day of joy for us. 0 my God, what pleasure it gave us
and what a comfort your affection is! But it pains me to hear that you are so overworked, without strength or
appetite. O God, what is M. of St. Helen (1) thinking of to abandon her Class! However, considering all you tell
me, it would seem necessary to give her whatever duties you deem appropriate, my dear daughter. She has to
be removed and kept occupied. As for returning to Angers at present, that would be quite impossible! Alas, my
dear daughter, we must avoid doing anything that would draw attention to us, the slightest fault would be
highlighted. My dear daughter, protect your flocks from the ravening wolves.
Have your cruel Seraphim (2) left yet? Ah, yes, evil comes back to haunt those responsible for it; may
the Lord forgive them. Make sure your repairs are well done. Heaven will not abandon you; you began with the
cross, you will be crowned. There are ten penitents; poor children, we love them dearly, and also your little
lambs.
I think Grenoble will be our joy, and Poitiers also, the house there is admirable. Such generous
devotedness to God and to the dear generalate. Metz, established amid our heavy crosses, goes from strength
to strength! That dear foundation has already been the triumph of the Work. It will soon occupy the handsome
buildings which formerly belonged to the Visitation, with church and choir.(3) How wonderful is God in all his
works! My cherished daughter, rejoice therefore in him! As you can see, he protects what men speak evil of and
wish to destroy. Oh, let us trust and love! Dedicate the Fifteen Saturdays to the generalate.
Our beloved Mary of St. John of the Cross (4) is, she tells us, enjoying great peace. She wants to go
abroad to make God known and will never give in to our enemies. How much she has had to bear and how
prudent she has been, hiding even her crosses until the great day! Since this fiery trial passed, we have been
calm and had time to breathe. God sheds mercy and grace on his city. The novitiate prospers and is growing.
Dear Madame d'Andigné is having a pretty shrine built to our Blessed Lady at the back of the new enclosure,
which is lovely! (5)
Our father de Neuville is truly incomparable! He is devoted to you, and told me so yesterday. "I am
writing to her," he said, "oh, certainly!" Our sisters cherish you. When your letters arrive, everyone is so happy!
Warmest greetings to our missionaries in the hot mountains!
Dear daughters, how you are all suffering, oh, if only I could comfort you! I am glad that you are being
given a lighter type of robe, a rooster and five hens. Goodbye, my well-beloved daughter, goodbye.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Tell our good Augustine to go to the post in three days; there will be a franked letter for her and one for
St. Bernard. My daughter, we have written to the bishop and to good M. Teston; do you think this was helpful?
206
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
M. of St. Helen Baudin was having problems with the penitents' class.
The Sisters of O. L of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
This was actually a former Poor Clare convent.
See letter 134, footnote 1.
The chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was interred there in 1868.
207
Letter 141
METZ
L.J.M.
Graces and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ to my dear daughters in Metz.
My dear and beloved sisters, you can be sure your two letters which arrived yesterday filled our hearts
with consolation! We have given honor and glory to God and to Mary, and to your ecclesiastical superiors and
benefactresses our gratitude, best wishes and prayers. To yourselves, as to dearly beloved little children, our
hearts extend love and tenderness. We are offering many Communions for you and begging God to complete
his work, the holy Work, which you are supporting, all for his glory.
My dear daughter, you would hardly believe the zeal our sisters have for Metz; when your letters arrive,
they come running, full of joy. I read your most recent letters when I was addressing the novices.(1) They
caused tears of love for God. Continue, my dear children, to console this great family! You have shared its
sorrows and I can truly say you were born amid tears, so the cross has strengthened you; in it you have been
blessed. You will have other crosses and sufferings to bear, but the more you suffer the more beautiful will the
Work be and the more souls you will save. We bless you, our three dear daughters, and your little lambs too.
We love having news of you, send some frequently.
Now, my good M. of St. Sophie, (2) you have not spoken to us of your two postulants of the Sacred
Heart. Has the plan fallen through again? Fiat! We adore the designs of the Lord but he is indeed trying us in
our efforts to obtain postulants. We would need twenty-four who are really good, knowing that in a few months
another foundation will be requested. Tell me something, my daughter, about those two young ladies. As for the
one from Luxembourg, alas, we will not be able to take her; our sisters told me she is impetuous and had
already left an enclosed order, even though she had made vows elsewhere. I am telling you that in confidence,
do not speak of it unless absolutely necessary. You could perhaps contact others by collaborating with the
Jesuits.
Goodbye, my dear daughters. Your house of Angers is being flooded with grace, but with crosses too,
as you know. Our sisters and I embrace you and I remain, in union with the most Holy Hearts of Jesus and
Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier gave a talk to the novices every day.
2. M. of St. Sophie Lavoye, superior of the Metz community.
208
Letter 142
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
Jesus Christ is my life, and for me death is gain!
I am reading about your troubles, my daughter, in the letter from our beloved M. of St. Angela. Alas,
how true it is, all that glitters is not gold! However, my good daughter, in the holy presence of God here is the
opinion of the Council and mine. You cannot go against the clearly expressed wish of the bishop of Metz who in
his letter, with the strongest of reasons, urges you to continue as you are until Easter.(1) Place your trust in
God who will not forsake you. Reply respectfully, saying you desire to please the bishop in all things and that I
too wish you to follow his wise advice. Assure him, you will pay for whatever he orders, that you hope both you
and your Mother House will always fulfill his expectations. Subsequently, you will be able little by little to state
your own ideas more forcefully and you will receive alms. You will succeed in breaking the chains of your
captivity by choosing to take the path of great prudence, by prayer and submission. Preserve this foundation of
Metz, my cherished daughter; how convinced I am that it is for the glory of God! Try to win the heart of the holy
prelate. He would support the generalate. Nevertheless, were you to be pressed for concessions detrimental to
our holy vocation and to the holy Work, then, 0 God, do not agree. We are with you even until death, never will
we desert you; but it would be better to agree until Easter rather than abandon this great Work.
Monsieur de Neuville is here, ah, how it grieves me to have to leave you, but in the Sacred Heart of
Jesus my heart is close to yours. I am praying for you and on Thursday we are all going to receive Holy
Communion for your intention. Goodbye again, my dear daughter, goodbye, our sisters love you, but you are
loved even more by Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Your letter to the bishop of Metz, my daughter, was excellent, and his, firm yet very wise and extremely
prudent. And, M. Chalandon, how does he see things? (Confidentially) Is it not true that, in these matters, he is
mainly responsible? Study everything with the utmost care; goodbye, oh, courage! Ah, how right you are in
telling everybody our objective is to have penitents. Do not keep the truth captive, state clearly that it is your
hope of having the penitents which keeps you in Metz.
1. In Metz, the monastery was located in a former Poor Clare convent requiring extensive renovations.
Both Bishop Besson and M. Chalandon, vicar general, objected to the establishment of a class of
penitents before the completion of all the necessary repairs.
209
Letter 143
Superior, Grenoble.
L.J.M.
Those who act and instruct will be great in the kingdom of Heaven.
You have acted very correctly, my dear daughter, toward Heart of Jesus and the Cross. (1) Stand firm
in not tolerating such weaknesses which are the most harmful to holy religion. How displeased I am that Mary
of the Cross is following her personal whims; without uprightness and simplicity she will never make progress.
Ah, my beloved daughter, I could not read without being horrified of the religious attending the
weddings! (2) O God, what a scandal! We must pray for them, but certainly let them walk about freely in
Grenoble. Their unbecoming conduct serves to justify you and the truth becomes clear. Yet, what base
ingratitude toward the bishop, he who paid their debts sees them giving wedding banquets. What selfdeception! What must the house of Caen be saying? Yes, certainly, my daughter, your holy prelate wrote me a
most consoling letter about you. Let us thank God for that, and please continue to be our sweet consolation. As
for the letter from Rome, no alterations can be made to the spelling in the original. Good M. Teston knows that
very well!
It would appear, my daughter, that our St. Helen is staying on in the Class, oh, how glad I would be of
that! All the same, do not ever hesitate about writing to me. My cherished daughter, I love to receive news from
you because I am very fond of you. Finally, I cannot help telling you about something that happened to us. For
the past year, a religious [of the monastery] of Caen is asking our help to leave that house, of which she
complains bitterly and where she is, she says, very unhappy. Finding myself overwhelmed with letters, and
knowing the affair was going to come to a climax, I myself wrote and dictated the letter which I addressed to the
superior. You will see from the copy I had made to send you that I tell her the truth gently. I did so in the holy
presence of the good Lord. You yourself could, my daughter, relate the whole thing to M. Teston. I feel that it
would be helpful. See what you think.
Goodbye, my mischievous daughter, goodbye. Our sisters send you their tender love. Be sure of the
sentiments I have toward you, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
B.B.G.
Kindly tell our good M. of St. Bernard and dear Augustine that I was unable to send them my little
franked letters. Certainly, I will try to send them off in a few days. O God, my daughter, how overwhelmed I am!
Our numbers are growing day by day. Our penitents and orphans are becoming very numerous. Pray, my dear
daughter, for your mother.
O God, how great are your designs! Warmest greetings to our good M. of St. Rose, Heart of Jesus, M.
of the Presentation, and our loved M. of St. Radegonde.
1. M. of the Heart of Jesus Pouilloux and M. of the Cross Guenion.
210
Letter 144
Superior, Poitiers
Very urgent
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, September 27,1834
Blessed are those who trust in the Most High; they will rest in peace.
David
I am afraid you may be annoyed with me. What a long time since I last wrote to you, my intimate sister!
Our good Master has visited us through illness and the holy death of one of our penitents. Six others have
received the last sacraments. The dear little one from Poitiers is also very ill but not in imminent danger of
death. We recommend all of them to your holy prayers. We have had other crosses to bear concerning Metz.
My daughter, you and I had foreseen this. The ladies are helping our dear sisters but under conditions that are
very burdensome. The bishop is anxious to please these ladies and wrote to us in rather strong terms without,
however, asking for anything contrary to our Rules or to the generalate, which he strongly supports. We replied
in a manner that will, I think, satisfy him. We have also tried to strengthen and console our dear daughters who
already miss the peace and mild atmosphere of the homeland. (1) Anyway, such is the Will of God. This work is
nailed to the cross, it could not be otherwise for the graces received have indeed been abundant.
During these days of tribulation the dear house of Poitiers greatly consoled us. I cannot tell you the joy
we experienced through your letter of last week. What goodness and charity prevail in your city, what
thoughtfulness on the part of the inhabitants! Then, you are expecting three penitents in the month of October.
You will tell us, surely, on which day the little one will make her act of profession in the Catholic faith, we will
pray much for her. It will be a great joy for her good Mistresses. I am hoping that many sheep will come forward
and that the Most Blessed Virgin will give you a big house with an enclosure. It would make me so happy! I
believe your health would improve and that our children would settle down much more easily.
Our sisters in Grenoble are getting on perfectly and are appreciated more and more, thanks be to God.
Two weeks ago, oh, what a calamity! The previous sisters went to the walnut gathering and to the grape
harvesting, wearing little capes and straw hats. They provided a lavish banquet which caused a great scandal,
but revealed the truth. The motive that prevented them from joining us is quite clear, alas. They are completely
letting down the house of Caen which had justified and supported them against our poor children, who suffered
in silence.(2) God justified the latter in their turn.
This dear house has also had its troubles, as you have seen. I wonder whether you know that the
enclosure walls have collapsed and that financial difficulties prevent us having them rebuilt. Our sisters are
living in this state of privation, like those in Versailles, which, as Madame d'Andigné saw this year, is very poor
on every level. (3) As for the house in Paris, (4) you will know, my daughter, that the archbishop is living in the
inner section. It is wide open, some of the Angers priests have gone there and Madame d'Andigné knew
everything. Our sisters can be seen in their offices by those passing by. Ah, I am telling you, we adore in
silence the judgments of God! I am not saying this for the sake of arguing, but I want you to know everything.
As for our sisters of Le Mans, alas, the younger ones are the victims. We will let you know through
Good Shepherd (5) how it all happened. My heart is torn but very calm nevertheless, and remains more than
ever devoted to you, my dear and beloved sisters, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
211
From one day to the other, I am waiting for your tourière. The delay is causing me much inconvenience.
1. Here, as in some other letters, Mary Euphrasia uses the term "homeland" or "motherland" when the
actual reference is to Angers or the Mother House.
2. This is a reference to the Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève who refused to unite with the Good
Shepherd Sisters. 'The children who suffered in silence" refers to the Good Shepherd community of
Grenoble.
3. The Refuge of O. L. of Charity of Versailles.
4. The St. Michael Refuge of 0. L. of Charity.
212
Letter 145
To Monseigneur BESSON
Bishop of Metz
L.J.M.
Angers, House of the Good Shepherd, September 28, 1834
Monseigneur,
I have the honor of acknowledging receipt of your valued letter that I received yesterday, September 27.
I had also seen the one you were kind enough to address to our sisters of Metz, who had entrusted it to me. I
did not dare write to you about it, confining myself to sending them a reply by return post. I drew their attention
to the great wisdom underlying your reasons and advised them to adopt without delay the manner of payment
and the administration of a Council which you yourself had drawn up. (1) However, there was really no need for
my intervention. Those dear sisters well knew that our true light is in obedience to our bishops. Regarding the
Class maintained by our sisters in Metz, we have similar ones in Angers; but since this is not specifically our
primary work nothing definite is prescribed, each house being free to make its own arrangements.
It is consoling that our prelates decide for us; but the one source of suffering for our sisters, as for me,
would be not to have a class of penitents. That is the only wish that I humbly present to you, the one request I
make of your fatherly heart. We do not expect this to happen immediately, oh no, it would be for you to decide
on the time. But certain it is that without the work for penitents we would be straying from our holy vocation and
the Lord, our Rules tell us, would then withdraw all his blessings from us. We make a special vow to work for
their conversion. With them, I assure you, Monseigneur, all suffering seems minor to us, and exile presents us
with the joys of the homeland; but without that objective being fulfilled, we would be like fish out of water. The
good Lord blesses us so much in this work that here, where we have eighty of those dear sheep cared for free
of charge, we are never in want and the income from needlework covers the expenditure on food.
Monseigneur, if you bless us and support us in Metz, we would succeed, and to achieve that we would
willingly sacrifice rest and even our lives. For the first few years, a rented building would suffice, provided it
could accommodate two separate Classes. The dear St. Anne's workroom would not be neglected for a single
moment. If you grant our plea, I would, at your request, provide a sister to be in charge of the penitents. Our
dear sisters would arrange for them to work and earn their own living. We would not abandon them, even with
our limited means. With regard to providing larger funds and acquiring property, you know our situation, we
would be incapable of contributing.
Forgive me, Monseigneur, for this long explanation; we will submit to your judgment, whatever it may
be. We certainly have no wish to recall our dear sisters, but if you and the excellent M. Chalandon considered it
opportune to discontinue the Work and to send them back to us, we would not grumble or complain. In a spirit
of submission to the divine Will, we would receive our sisters back with real tenderness just as if they had been
successful, for they are our own members and we cherish them dearly in the Heart of Jesus Christ.
I remain, with deep respect, Monseigneur,
Your most humble and unworthy daughter and servant,
B.B.G.
P.S. Monseigneur, I assume that it is your intention to share the contents of this letter with M.
Chalandon, and that a second letter would therefore be unnecessary.
1. Monseigneur Besson, bishop of Metz, had personally drawn up a set of regulations for the small
institution, the workroom of St. Anne, which was directed by two lay people before the arrival of the
sisters.
213
Letter 146
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
All excellent work will in the end be recognized! The Holy Spirit
Our letters crossed. Your very dear letter came to us yesterday, and it is a joy for me to answer your
pious requests. First, my dear daughter, let us together bless and thank God for the benefits showered on the
dear foundation of Poitiers, peace and union reign there. Monseigneur lavishes kindness on you, as do the
inhabitants of the city. 0 God, how many graces! Can one fail to recognize them? True it is, too, that the Lord is
trying you, your sheep are neither gentle nor obedient. The hearts of our two dear Mistresses and your own
heart also are suffering much. It is inevitable, my beloved sister. You are still in the time of sowing but you will
reap in joy. Yes, most certainly, the good God will grant us this and with all our heart we beg him to do so.
Now let us talk about the wonderful stream of graces which the Lord grants us after so many heavy
crosses and even in the midst of them. We have just received from the bishop of Grenoble a letter that moves
us to offer thanks and love to God. I am having a copy forwarded to you. That house is going from strength to
strength. It will become very flourishing and will be your joy, my daughter. Of that, you can be sure.
Metz is our little daughter, and rather spoiled. Later, the Lord will lead her to fulfillment in the Cross. It is
the place of her birth, for we were in deep grief when the foundation was made. Already it fills us to overflowing
with delight. Read, my dear daughter, and you will see. I am anxious to send you this letter quickly, thinking that
you will all be impressed when you receive it. O my God, how great is your work! Already, three hundred
voluntary penitents have asked for admission. What you are going to read surpasses anything I could tell you.
Angers, as ever sorely tried, also remains the tree of life whose branches produce consoling fruits. Oh,
let us pray for the trunk to grow stronger and stronger that it may not be shaken in the day of tribulation. The ark
becomes daily more beautiful. What a house, so regular and conventual! There is my joy: cloisters, altars,
sentences, the refectory is huge, and there are 54 cells. The Magdalens have a vast enclosure called Carmel,
admirable for its silence and its beauty. Old houses, walls and sheds, have all been demolished. The excellent
Madame d'Andigné crowns her favors by having the most charming little chapel built in honor of Our Lady of
Mount Carmel, also, a Calvary and an orchard with 200 fruit trees. What countless benefits! In my imagination I
can hear all of you: poor Holy Innocents, it seems to me that she is saying: "Ah, I had said to our Mother, and
rightly so, that the good Jesus and Mary would dry her tears." St. Dosithea will shed tears of admiration, Heart
of Mary will be deeply moved, I know her well. As for our dear M. of St. Felicity, I will write to her again, and
love her dearly because she will be obedient as well as our beloved Assumption.
It is a great consolation for M. of the Cherubim to have a letter from her sister, (1) already God has
rewarded her for the sacrifices she made in order to come back to the holy ark. My well beloved sisters, for the
greater glory of God, let us all grow and multiply, let us people the earth to save souls, but first let us be holy
ourselves.
This year, the shepherdess and the flock will be unable to make a special retreat. Offer it as a sacrifice
to the Heart of Jesus and dwell in that divine Center. I am, affectionately,
Your very devoted,
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Angela Desvigneaux, assistant in Metz. Two of her sisters entered there and became religious
of the Good Shepherd.
214
Letter 147
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, October 1, [1834]
How inscrutable are your Judgments, Lord, who could fathom them?
My daughter, your letter has come, how welcome it is! Ah, were you with us for the night, my soul, my
heart would seek you before dawn! Ah, if I could only journey to you, but the fear of persecution is still too great!
We long for calm, for God's glory only. He will complete his holy Works. In submission to his holy will, we bear
our crosses. My very dear daughter, our deepest wish is to have good sisters who will strengthen you, as also
our two foundations. Grenoble, O God, how flourishing that house will be, all thanks, I believe, to the cross! Oh,
judgments of God, what lessons do you teach me? Those who wanted to destroy the holy work are now
themselves destroyed, excommunicated by a bishop who had showered gifts on them.(1) Sion, cry out in
sorrow! Let us pray, my daughter, let us pray, let us humble ourselves but let us face the truth. It is the Lord
himself who justifies you, because you support the work of his love; poor children, you who were cast away,
destined to perish, Jesus, Mary, have saved you. Oh, how that has touched my heart! I am going to prayer now
to thank God for it. Yes, we shall pray for you! Do not worry too much about the two penitents who left, there
are always some trials such as that. And your hotel, is it to be taken or left? Have you abandoned it at the foot
of the mountain? Oh, I hope not! I know your ways of old: to take everything! (2) But I love your little boarders,
my daughter. Do tell them that the novitiate in Angers cherishes them and is praying for them to come there
one day.
I am really very consoled by what you tell me about St. Bernard and St. Radegonde; God is blessing
their labors. And two more new ones at 200 francs, that is delightful! How many of them have we now, my
daughter? If only M. of St. Helen, (3) our dear sister, would mind the Class until the spring when I would give
you the sisters for whom you are asking. It is professed sisters who are lacking, but they will be slightly more
numerous in a few months' time. Pray, my daughter, that the Lord may give us the grace necessary to bring the
great Work to perfection. You will be its support and its strength. Therefore be virtue and courage personified.
How is your health? Try to take some more nourishment and build up your strength, my dear daughter, for you
still have a long way to go. Our dear sisters cherish you more and more in the love of Jesus and Mary. Rest
assured of my continual good wishes for you. I remain for life, Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
All my dear daughters, we exhort you to perseverance and saintliness. Heart of Jesus, are you better? I
embrace you and all. My good M. of St. Louis, I will come soon. If you wrote a line to Madame de Villebois
(4)saying how pleased you are with St. Radegonde, that would give her pleasure, especially to say she is a
good sister; then she will take even more care of her.
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Sisters of O. L. of Charity of St. Egrève, Grenoble.
Teasing M. of St. Louis Royné, a former bursar.
M. of St. Helen Baudin.
Relative of Monsieur de Neuville and benefactress. She had paid the expenses for M. of St. Radegonde
Maugard when the latter entered the novitiate on February 1, 1834. She is still a novice.
215
Letter 148
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, October 2, 1834
Lord, you are our support in the day of tribulation.
Your dear and interesting letter reached us, but the sweet joy of receiving news from you was
overshadowed by the sorrow of the cruel illness of our good M. of the Holy Innocents. Poor child, how she is
suffering now and how she has already suffered! She is surely one of the victims of the holy Work. My dear
daughter, when you receive this little letter, please go to see her and tell her how much we are going to pray for
her. Tell her to have courage in her pain but how worried I am about her. I beg of you, my cherished daughter,
give me news of her. Your letter will mean a lot to me. I will at least know if your own health is keeping up amid
so many labors. And then, our good Heart of M. [Mary], did she not have a relapse?
Please tell our beloved M. of St. Dosithea how much I sympathize with her and with poor M. of St.
Felicity for the difficulties caused by the penitents. We will pray again for the shepherdesses and the naughty
sheep. Poor Elizabeth of our Class here died during the night. Our delightful little one is keeping very well.
Certainly, my dear daughter, I will gladly help you to obtain warm material for use in winter. Having
none left, I sent for some from Monsieur Thomassin, who supplies our needs to perfection. He expects more
material within a few days, and as soon as it comes I will send you a roll. You will be very pleased with it; it is
perfect.
To the stream of blessings which I already mentioned, there is now added a torrent of affliction. May
God be praised for this! Our beloved Good Shepherd is writing everything to you.(1) We are calm in God, my
dear daughters, nothing discourages us; oh no, but you must be informed of everything. We are going to the
parlor now to our father de Neuville.
Goodbye, my daughter, so faithful to God. I am all yours, oh yes, always in the love of the Holy Hearts
of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. This letter preceded one from M. of the Good Shepherd which gave an account of the visit to Angers of
"a lady of our acquaintance" from Tours and reported the most offensive accusations of M. Dufêtre
against the Good Shepherd. He stated that Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was going to lose her foundations
in Grenoble, Poitiers and Metz, and that complaints against Angers had been filed in Rome.
216
Letter 149
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, October 1834]
(To you alone, most confidentially)
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, my dear daughters. I feel that the firmness you
have used is according to God's own wish and I approve of the letter of our dear sister foundress. (1) Make use
of it for a good end, establish your foundation in accordance with the spirit of the generalate. Yes, we will look
after you! Oh, try to have some penitents! About the bishop of Metz, do everything possible in order to please
him. Retain the council of those ladies, my good M. of St. Sophie, since it appears to be agreeable to your
worthy ecclesiastical superiors and does not harm the work. At least, that is how we see it, my dear child, but I
have full confidence in you. Do the best you can, hold on to the work of the generalate; we will help you.
Concerning the archbishop of Tours, all is done in agreement with M. Moreau, who is determined to
continue his campaign to the end, (2) and to compel me to react, either in speech or writing, here or elsewhere,
but his efforts are in vain. God is our help and refuge, my hope is in him! I pray and remain silent!
In my letter to the bishop that he should have received on October 2, feast of the Holy Angels, we told
him that we would not abandon you. I think, my dear daughters, that you can bring matters to a close as things
stand now, with the letter of the assistant. How much I thank you, my good St. Angela, for sending me the list of
gifts! O God, it is just wonderful! Yes, of course, I feel you could be self-supporting but, I beg of you, state
clearly that you are a new branch; that is what will be our salvation.(3)We bless you, my very dear M. of St.
Sophie, St. Angela, and our good M. of St. Martha.
Devotedly yours in the love of the Most Holy Hearts,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Address of Poitiers: rue des Filles Saint François.
Address of Grenoble: To the Ladies of the Good Shepherd, St. Robert.
1. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de In Roche, founding religious of the monastery of Angers, and assistant
to Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
2. This is a reference to a continuing campaign led by M. Moreau and the archbishop of Tours against the
establishment of the generalate.
3. In the period of controversy which preceded the erection of the generalate, one of the arguments of the
Good Shepherd was to state that Mary Euphrasia would have no claim whatever over the houses of O.
L. of Charity already founded. Constitution 52 concerned only the new "branch", i.e. the foundations
subsequently established by Angers. (See letter 110 of June 29, [1834].)
217
Letter 150
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, October] 1834
Act with courage, you whose hope is in the Lord. David
I am really worried about you: I fear you are ill or that the children have caused you some suffering. My
daughter, whom I love so much, write to me. After God, news of you constitutes my delight. Be sure to tell our
daughters that we love them dearly, and bless both the flock and the faithful shepherdess.
We hope to send you your good tourière sister on Monday; I think she is very good. She is the cousin of
the parish priest of St. Laud. My dear daughter, I will send you another letter through her. We are late, are we
not? But if you only knew the anguish we have experienced for our children of Metz! They have their heavy
crosses, or rather the Mother House has carried everything. In the end, somebody succeeded in writing against
the holy Work.(1) O my God, what a persecution! Fiat. Mary of St. Sophie gave proof of an admirable fidelity.
The Lord so ordained that the bishop of Metz wrote directly to me, thus sparing us many crosses or at least
enabling us to bear them secretly. In due time, we sent him a reply inspired, I believe, by the grace of God. In
my moments of greatest weakness, God does everything.
That letter satisfactorily concluded the matter. Our sisters have just told me the good news: the
foundation seems to have been saved. It is your prayers, my well beloved sisters, that helped us during that
painful week. How often your devotedness dried our tears in this way! How sweet then is our union!
We are resolved to concentrate exclusively for the next year on perfectly consolidating our three faithful
foundations and their Mother. We are taking all the means with which God inspires us. Our beloved Good
Shepherd (2) who is always such a comfort to me, will give you a complete account of the matter relating to
Caen. (3) It is beyond comprehension. The ecclesiastical superior wrote to me with great tact and I replied in a
similar vein. You will be informed of the rest. On Sunday we will write to you again.
Goodbye, my dear and loved sisters. Write soon, I am calling to you in the adorable Hearts of Jesus
and Mary. I love to find you there again in order to strengthen, more and more, that tender union with which I
remain,
Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
B.B.G.
1. "Somebody" probably refers to M. Moreau.
2. M. of the Good Shepherd, secretary of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
3. Reference to the sister from Caen who was requesting admission to Angers (see letter 94 of May 4,
[1834] to M. of St. Stanislaus Bedouet).
218
Letter 151
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
My most cherished longings are to lose myself in the mercies of Our Lord. My dear and loved daughter,
pray for us to the great St. Teresa who loved so ardently. How I love that tender Mother! She will protect us, I
am sure of it. I received through you with true gratitude your holy bishop's token of interest. O God, what
kindness! How happy we are having him to enlighten and support us! Please inform him that again yesterday
we had that good Jesuit, M. Gloriot, here. He spoke a great deal about your bishop, to whom he offers his
respects, and would like him to know that he is strongly in favor of the holy Works of the house of Angers. Oh
yes, my daughter, that reverend Father filled my heart with light and peace.
You ask me what caused our deep concern for Metz; it was the archbishop of Tours who had just
written to the bishop of Metz against us, but God once more delivered us from this new danger. The venerable
prelate, knowing that the bishop of Tours had no jurisdiction over his diocese, continued his work in the spirit of
the generalate. Our sisters have just given me that good news. It was also the letter of our good assistant that
carried off the victory in that dear city. God makes use of everything, may he be praised! I assure you, my dear
St. Louis, that we are leaving no stone unturned in Rome. O God, pray hard then, you and our dearly beloved
daughters, whom I do not forget for one moment. Yes, each one is in my thoughts, in the presence of the Lord
our God. May he bless you, as I myself am blessing you all.
However, we have another serious concern: namely, the absolute impossibility of contributing 5,000
francs. You will have to sell the land, even at a loss. Oh, do not hesitate! You can well believe how that saddens
me! Since you wish to know about our worries, my daughter, one of the worst concerns temporal matters. I tell
you this most confidentially: we had pledged our flour and advanced 8,000 francs towards the buildings. You
know the people concerned; alas, our good faith was betrayed. They gave up the business, we lost 1,800 francs
immediately and we are absolutely devastated by the whole thing. He says, a Monsieur Moreau in Nantes, that
he will pay whenever he can do so.(1) Many people in Angers are really feeling the pinch. M. de Sevré is losing
5,000 francs. You can see, my beloved daughter, how this, in addition to the expenses of the foundations,
prevents us in conscience from doing anything more. Oh, I can assure you, it is of the utmost importance that
this Central House be kept in perfect order. I consider it essential that there be not one penny of debt
outstanding, and I make all arrangements as if I were about to die.
Our major construction work is nearing completion, but at a cost of 80,000 francs. I know it will be paid
but very little will be left for our father, M. de Neuville, to live on. He can no longer count on anything apart from
an annual income of 3,000 [francs]. This distresses us! Had it been possible to keep the dear enclosure at
Grenoble, how happy we would have been! However, if there is no other solution, which I believe is the case,
then we will have to let it go. I must tell you how much I admire the order you have kept in your payments; I am
astonished at it, my poor dear daughter! How hard you have worked! Ah, if only M. Chubert had given you one
year and if you had taken in little boarders, I am sure you could have paid. Nevertheless, if it is really
impossible, then let us be submissive to the holy Will of God, and avoid disturbing our holy bishop.
Be careful about your health, you are very dear to me, oh, yes! I embrace our good St. Helen; M. of St.
Philip sends you her love. (2) Send her a little message.
I remain, in the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my dear and loved daughter,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. This probably refers to a sum of money due to the Good Shepherd of Angers; the Monsieur Moreau
here is a businessman in Nantes.
2. M. of St. Philip Mercier, who was among the five foundresses of Grenoble. As a result of her attitude
towards the bishop, Monseigneur de Bruillard, the sisters experienced difficulties on their arrival in that
city.
219
Letter 152
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
My daughter, your soul and mine glorify the Lord for the blessings he has showered on us. Your letter
which came yesterday filled us with joy! You explained things so clearly, my good daughter, that I was satisfied.
Write always in that same simple way, and I will be quite happy. 0 God, how holy the Jesuit Fathers are! They
too are children of the cross and of persecutions, and always our liberators. While Father P. was rescuing us in
Metz, another was in Angers consoling and guiding us since we had many crosses to bear in connection with
this holy work of Metz. Anyhow, my dear daughter, there you are now set free and once more we can breathe
easily. You will therefore have penitents, you will uphold the generalate. 0 God, how many favors and graces!
Yes, we will support you! It was also the letter of our good assistant which won victory. Blessed be God! How
happy I am that God is making use of that dear foundress! (1) Yes indeed, my daughter, if I had intended to
seek self glorification through the holy Work of establishing the generalate, I would have been sorely mistaken.
Thanks be to God, my soul is at peace. I seek the glory of God and the salvation of souls, that is my life! Let
others judge me as they wish.
As for yourselves, remain always our consolation, never cease asking God for the graces you need.
Always live in the closest union! It gives me such joy to see you ever ready to help one another. I embrace our
good St. Martha. But, my daughter, tell me in all simplicity, what about your health? What do you have at your
meals? I want you to write and tell me; you must be aware that were you to fall ill, I would be deeply distressed.
I know how devoted you are. Disloyalty causes us so much heartbreak. If you only knew the harm being done to
us by our two sisters of Le Mans, which I just cannot understand, you would be appalled. However, this does
not hold up the holy Work; never was the house better than it is now.
You know our father de Neuville, who overwhelms us with favors, as does our good mother d'Andigné!
Both of them, and the whole community here, send you our most affectionate greetings. We wish you graces of
every kind. How useful it is, my dear daughter, to understand that crosses are inseparable from a Work such as
the generalate, which is destined to save so many souls! How numerous are our enemies! You were well aware
of all our sufferings, my dear M. of St. Sophie, but there are those who do not understand them and who can,
therefore, cause us to fall into the snares they set for us. Always give us warning of everything. We must
maintain the strongest possible unity and help one another always. Let us pray, my daughter, that a good
number of excellent vocations will come to us, for the harvest is great.
Let us rise above the persecutions through the most generous courage, making every effort to maintain
our foundations unimpaired.
Goodbye, my dear daughter. Rest assured of the sincere attachment which I have pledged to you, in
the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche, assistant of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier, also named founding
religious by reason of the material and financial support she brought to the house of Angers.
220
Letter 153
To Sister Mary of St. Angela DESVIGNEAUX
Assistant, Metz
L.J.M.
Whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.
What joy your last two letters gave us, my dearest daughter. We were very worried but you have
consoled us. May God bless your labors and the great interest you take in the generalate, which is, alas, being
cruelly persecuted. God, however, gives us faithful sisters, and I assure you M. of the Good Shepherd is truly
convinced of the sincerity of your devotedness. Here, my daughter, we all live without undue anxiety but not
without crosses for, as you know, all the arrows are aimed at us. When you left, all our enemies gave vent to
their fury, causing us serious harm, but may God bless them all! You tell me that the letter of my sister assistant
resulted in much good. Oh, what a consolation that is for me! But look here, my daughter, if you had not written
to me about [ ], I would have been unable to do anything. I ask you therefore to keep me fully informed. This is
absolutely essential. As somebody had also written to Grenoble, the faithful Mary of St. Louis hastened to
defend the Cause and informed us by the same post.
I thank God, my beloved daughter, for your close union with our dear Sr. M. of St. Sophie and I am
pleased with your dispositions. You will be consoled to hear that our poor Agatha is doing well. She is very
devoted to us and is extremely anxious to avoid distressing us; she is very happy and joyful. My Cherubim is
also doing well. (1) So, there you are, my three daughters, poor children, you have had enough suffering but
now, my daughters, you are at peace. I say to you, be holy, bear your crosses with great courage, work for
God, be the "good odor" of Jesus Christ. Do not miss your Communions, be very humble, my Angela. That is
what the good Lord asks of you. If we have a class of penitents in Metz, oh, how will we manage? We will send
you another Mistress, but what about you, my daughter, what will you do? Perhaps it would be preferable for
you to continue looking after the little girls, since it might be harmful for them if you left them. I am asking you to
reflect on this in the presence of God and to let me know in all simplicity what you think, while remaining open
to the call of obedience. I carried out secretly what you told me for the[ ].(2) Goodbye again, my very dear
daughter, be assured of my tender attachment in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your
affectionate,
of O. L. of Charity of the Good Shepherd
How I love our good Mary of St. Martha, I bless her.
1. Agatha, who became M. of St. Ambrose, and M. of the Cherubim are the two sisters of M. of St. Angela
Desvignea".
2. Two lines are deliberately crossed out.
221
Letter 154
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be our strength and our light!
How greatly you console our hearts! Yesterday, I shared that holy joy with you and today once more
you are in touch with us. Oh, faithful daughters of ours, may God bless your steps! Our Council sisters and I will
receive with great joy that dear sister from Luxembourg (1)of whom you tell me, A the conditions suit us. We
are very happy she knows German, as our sisters wish to learn the language for use in German foundations.
Oh God, my dear M. of St. Sophie, how consoling is your news about the bishop of Metz! And how I love your
reply to M. Moreau. There is nothing he fears more than seeing the plans he had drawn up for the generalate
made public, he who tried to make you come back immediately because he had never wanted a generalate.
See for yourself, my daughter, here are the papers! Try to make them known as widely as possible! I will tell
you a secret: our Jesuits do not wish to be named, they would be discredited, but they would like the
archbishop of Tours and [the bishop of] Metz to know everything. They feel, however, that the matter should not
become known through the Mother House at this time, and our sisters have said: "Oh, Mother, M. of St. Sophie
will play this little trick on him better than anyone else, let us put the whole thing in her hands." The upshot, my
daughter, is that I am sending you this dear man's (2) fine documents.
The next profession will be on the 30th of this month. After your postulant has gone, you could ask the
bishop of Metz to have two sisters come from the Mother House. I would send them to you at once, my dearly
beloved daughters, since I do not wish to leave you distressed and overworked. I think of you so often. This
foundation will be the triumph of the holy Work.
How happy I am that you have a good tourière sister! God is blessing you, and my heart does likewise.
We are devoted to our dear children, please tell them so on our behalf.
Goodbye, my dear daughters, rest assured of my tender attachment in the love of the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Elizabeth Philippart, who would become M. of St. Angélique
2. M. Moreau.
222
Letter 155
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
With you, my well beloved daughter, my heart too blesses him. I must tell you that of all the other
members of the holy Work, you are the dearest; the sentiments and devotedness expressed in your last letter
only increase my confidence. I am writing this to you very early in the morning for fear of being disturbed later
on. Pray, my cherished daughter, and have our sisters who are so very dear to me pray also, for the designs of
God are great indeed. Where are you? My heart calls out for you.
The Lord, who is just and merciful, has again saved Metz, shaken as it was by slander and persecution.
M. Moreau, through the archbishop of Tours, had inveighed against the holy Work. Once again, a Jesuit has
saved us. 0 God, what saints these sons of Ignatius are! We did not really know them. Ah, certainly, he knew
our business better than we ourselves did, I cannot tell you all that he did. God made use also of a letter which
our dear assistant wrote to the holy bishop. He could not be better disposed toward us, and yesterday we
received the good news about this. Those same two enemies have also written to the bishop of Grenoble but
have not shaken him; he is a Father like your own, most venerable. However, he advises us to write to Rome,
to the Pope, that he is offering his cooperation to speed up the work. The day before yesterday Monseigneur
came, accompanied by M. Gloriot, who is so enlightened. He is going to help us, my daughter, but this is a
secret, a deep secret. He says that if their interest in our work were to become known, their position would be
jeopardized. He recognizes M. Moreau as being very hot-headed. For his own part, he has no fears and says
that the work of God will assuredly be accomplished, and that in a short time we will be in demand from all
corners of France.
Another Father has written to me and is taking action. Just imagine how interested they are! I am
entrusting his letter to you. Ah, see what he says about Le Mans, is it not dreadful? Yet I had not written a
single word to him on the subject. Poor St. Ignatius was most indiscreet and betrayed (1) her own heart, her
solemn vows, her Mother, her sisters, her house! Oh my God, is this not heartbreaking? We forgive her,
nevertheless.
Let us come back to the work: I am pressed for time and want you to know everything. M. Gloriot was
full of admiration when he visited the house. Oh, truly it is miraculous! The house is so monastic: the cloisters,
now almost complete, are being adorned as is the splendid refectory with the most beautiful pictures, little
alcoves and altars. Madame d'Andigné is wonderful! She is adding the last touches to this great work of our
incomparable founding father [de Neuville]. Yesterday, after Holy Communion, I was called from the chapel to
receive a case containing a magnificent painting, an original full-size portrait of St. Teresa on her feast day.
Imagine my joy! This too was due to Madame d'Andigné's thoughtfulness, of which we have fresh proof every
week. A week ago she was in town where she bought fourteen pairs of sheets for our penitents. So then, I can
tell you in confidence, my dearly beloved daughter, that the generalate is being founded on a solid basis. I do
not know what inner voice it is that urges me to found and to ensure an admirable order and prudence in
everything. We have just privately invested 20,000 francs in secure bonds. We are not mentioning this to the
other foundations, but most certainly it is for all of you, my dearly beloved sisters. Oh yes, having funds, we will
be better able to provide you with a building, such is my wish.
I greatly desire, my dearly beloved daughter, that you promise the Most Blessed Virgin to erect an altar
to atone for the offenses committed against the divine Mother at Notre Dame de Fourvière in Lyon.(2) Carry this
out, I beg of you. Say the Stabat, and soon you will see your penitents being converted and increasing in
number; finally, you will see your foundation showered with graces. Order the seal also, Mary will bless your
letters. What is 50 francs? Do not be miserly. We, my dear daughter, are going to have our breviaries printed
for 1,400 francs; we are always at your service.
223
We have five postulants, not outstanding but upright, and we are expecting a delightful one. If she
comes, we will write and tell you.
The second class of young penitents will, I believe, give great scope to our house. They are being sent
to me from as far as 80 leagues away. We charge only 220 francs, and once that is paid, we teach the girls to
read and keep them until they are 21 years of age.
Your dear little one from Poitiers is very much better now, and Marie-Anna is doing well. Elisa is getting
along perfectly. I continue to correspond with your army officer, and with some other officers too, so that there
are days, when I do practically nothing but write to the regiment.(3) All for God, my daughter, is that not so?
The bell is ringing for the second Mass. I missed the first one but this letter to you was a sweet duty for
me. I am, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my dear daughter,
Your affectionate,
of O. L of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Ignatius Charon.
2. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier is referring to a riot that threatened the shrine of O. L. of Fourvière in Lyon.
She herself had also dedicated to O. L. of Fourvière a small chapel adjoining the penitents' building in
Angers and placed there a statue of this miraculous Virgin. "In this new shrine we used to make
novenas, vows and processions, reciting the Stabat, to obtain approval of the generalate."
3. A regiment of the French army was stationed in Poitiers.
224
Letter 156
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
God is my witness, with what tenderness I cherish you, in the Heart of Jesus Christ.
I was unable to read without tears of emotion, my very dear daughter, your letter dated October 19, oh,
how many graces the good God is bestowing on you! I can see it from your little note; and you will support the
work, that is my great consolation. Our dear sisters of Grenoble and Poitiers are also admirable! I can see the
blessings of heaven raining down on those three works. My very dear daughter, you give me great pleasure by
giving me all the details regarding the bishop of Metz. He seems very devoted to the generalate, which the
archbishop still opposes. Ah, if God were not supporting the Work, we would have succumbed long ago! I have
full confidence in you for the generalate. Ah, certainly, my daughter, if our Holy Father the Pope condemned it, I
would not continue it a minute longer. I love our Holy Mother the Church so much that I would not harbor a
single thought against it. Even to suggest such a sentiment would fill me with horror. But if, despite the
slanderous reports concocted by M. M. [Moreau] for the archbishop [of Tours] to send to Rome, if, I say, the
Holy Father permits the continuation of this great Work as submitted to him fourteen months ago by our
venerable prelate, then my dear daughter, the time will have come for us to rise above all contradictions. Men
of great enlightenment are full of hope and work for us, while we pray unceasingly and without wavering for
even one hour. The letter written by the bishop of Metz to our sister assistant is a model of wisdom and of
moderation. He is certainly inspired by the Spirit of God, that holy bishop!
I embrace our beloved Sister M. of St. Angela, her dispositions greatly console me, but your little note,
my dear daughter, has caused me to praise God and to shed tears. I see there the work of grace in your
consuming zeal for the generalate. May God in his goodness support you! I have spoken to our ecclesiastical
superiors about sending another sister, or even two, because I would not like one to travel alone. They are
willing but say that you must first ask permission formally from the bishop of Metz; you know my position, my
very dear daughters. Would you be so good as to make the request in writing and forward it to me, that would
really help me.
I am writing to you on Monday in the early morning light. I have never had so much to do. We have
received from the Prefect (1) of this city a most praiseworthy proposal: he would like us to open an institution for
young girls who have been unfortunate enough to commit some offense, but who should be spared the horror
and corruption of prison life. Souls are involved, my dear daughters, and you know our sisters. This new
mission is exactly the type of project they long for. They are vying with each other to volunteer for this as yet
uncultivated field. You see that God spoils me by giving me such daughters. Assuredly, our delights are in
union and peace. The Prefect is to come again in a few days to settle everything. He seemed extremely
pleased with the good work done here and wrote at once to the Ministry in our favor. In short, there is nothing
God does not make use of.
I have had a charming letter from your dear mama. I think a postulant is coming from Roanne. How do
things stand with yours, my daughter? St. Angela told me you were negotiating with a good curé. We expect
one of your letters by the next post. Our sisters send you their love and are all praying for you. Goodbye again,
my beloved daughters. Be assured of my sincere attachment in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Monday morning.
1. Prosper Gauja, Prefect of the Department of Maine and Loire
225
Letter 157
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
The Lord has taken his servant Israel under his protection.
My dear and beloved daughter, for the past ten days, I have been waiting for your six-page letter.
Seeing no sign of it and not knowing what to do, I set out to write to you and come now to your mountains. Our
good Mary Augustine's long letter gave me the greatest pleasure. We read it at recreation, then the letter from
our beloved Mary of St. Helen, which consoled us in every respect. I shall be writing back to her and I embrace
her, as well as all our dearly loved sisters. I was sorry to read, however, that most of you [are] ill. My poor St.
Louis, do look after yourself. I am begging our Lord to make you better, for you to be in poor health would be a
great cross for me. It seems to me, my dear daughter, that you are working very hard, your flocks are
increasing in number, and before God, your dear house is very much in my thoughts. It is painful for you to
have to sell, but you really have no choice since your creditors are unwilling to wait. I am sure that your
enclosure will still be splendid and that you will be able to accommodate a large number of penitents, orphans
and boarders, which is fully in accordance with the designs of God. Yes, this house of crosses will be the most
firmly established!
You know, my dear daughter, I admire Madame de Rolain; she is a real mother! I believe she is doing
you much good and I am sure she will do even more, seeing the blessings the Lord showers on the foundation,
for which I wish you many graces! We offer the Lord our crosses, which are yours too, since we form only one
heart in Jesus Christ, our Spouse.
Peace, union and a profusion of graces continue to thrive within our house, while outside the storm is
stronger than ever! May God be praised! We are calm! M. Moreau and M. Dufêtre (1)have vowed to undermine
the Work of the generalate and are flinging aside all restraint. The latter sent me word yesterday that he no
longer has any fears, being assured that in two months' time, he himself alone will have prevailed in Grenoble
and Metz where he has written, and will have separated them from us forever. Furthermore, that the older
houses (2) will not allow themselves to be thwarted and surpassed by daughters who do not even have the
years of profession required for governing and for founding. "They are going to realize," he said, "that God does
not need them to extend the Order. We have written to Rome, their failure is assured." Then, raising his hand,
he said: "Over Mary Euphrasia, I pronounce curse upon curse."
As for me, my dear daughter, after this letter came, I went in to prepare for Holy Communion and had
the happiness of being able to receive it, beseeching our Lord to bless him and all those who inveigh against
me. What makes him so confident is that our sisters of U Mans have turned our letters over to him. Fiat! We
must drain the chalice to the dregs! Tell our beloved sisters about this letter so that they may pray for the holy
ark which has been handed over and betrayed out of sheer, shameless ingratitude. We cherish them and you,
too, my dearly beloved daughter.
From the mount of Calvary on which the Lord has placed us, he still sends us some true friends who work with
God on our behalf. Everything now depends on Rome! Oh, how saintly is our Holy Father! Since we seek only
the holy Will of God, we have nothing to fear. My deepest regret is that this may delay the happiness I will have
of seeing you. I admit that to see you is a real need of my heart, which has been for so long withered by sorrow.
May the God of goodness support me in his love and may I, little by little, be consumed for him, therein lies my
one desire! Whenever I receive news of your dear self, it brings me much consolation.
The bishop of Metz has just written to me with fatherly kindness and interest. He warns me about the
steps being taken by the arch. [archbishop of Tours] and about the claims and aspirations of the older houses.
He says he regrets that anyone should choose to oppose such an inspiring work, and he is going to pray
fervently for US.
226
My dear daughter, such is our situation as we remain submissive to God. Our hope is in him and in the
Blessed Virgin, whom we never cease to invoke. Monsieur de Neuville and Madame d'Andigné are keeping
very well. I believe they have written to you and they inquire about you very faithfully. The bishop of Angers
shows great interest in everything that concerns us, but alas, his great age is a hindrance to him. From this little
note, you can see that there are always new works of zeal.
Have your repairs been completed yet? Are our dear sisters keeping well? And your dear
benefactresses, the ladies of Bourdonnance? I am very fond of them, they are so thoughtful and kind, and what
about little 3-year-old Mimi?
Good M. Augustine told me that you are somewhat concerned about the needlework; what is the
reason, my child? Are you maintaining a high standard? That is most essential. Here, we earn 800 or 900
francs a month which, I can tell you, is one of our chief sources of income. But the details involved in running
the house are countless. Children or penitents are brought to us every day: mattresses, quilts, everything is
needed! In M. of the Annunciation (3) we have a real treasure! She even undertakes to weave fabric, having
received a lay sister who knows how to do this. Everything is succeeding, my daughter! With God's help the
minor projects are going well. In the evenings, we spin and shred linen, and prepare the materials for our
Classes. Your jewel, Annunciation, has six helpers. She is going to learn how to cobble shoes. A shoemaker
has been engaged to give a demonstration.
Poor St. Augustine has found it difficult to take over your heavy burden but she is now well into the
work, which is really excessive.(4) Nevertheless, she realizes full well that your duties are very demanding, and
keeps on saying: "Ah, our poor St. Louis, she is even more overwhelmed with work than I am."
Goodbye, my very dear daughter. Be assured that I am devoted to you for life, and that nothing can
ever weaken the attachment with which I remain, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
M. Dufêtre, ecclesiastical superior of O. L. of Charity in Tours.
The self-governing houses of O. L. of Charity.
M. of the Annunciation Regaudiat was in charge of needlework.
M. of St. Augustine Fouquet had succeeded M. of St. Louis as bursar.
227
Letter 158
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, October 21, 1834] (1)
Through your last letter, so dear to me, my well beloved sister, I gathered that a letter from our dear
assistant would give you pleasure. And writing to you, my dear daughter, will also be a joy for her. You know
her well, always admirable, regular, full of zeal, obedient, she is a true religious and most certainly a pillar of the
generalate. How many favors we have received from God when he gave us for our holy Work three rich
treasures: Monsieur de Neuville, Madame d'Andigné and my sister assistant.(2) 0 my God, I am overcome by it!
Adorable are the designs of God! Holy house, a thousand times blessed in spite of the snares of the devil and
human wiles! Yes, dear and beloved sisters, this holy City is growing and advancing toward God. Oh, how we
cherish all of you for having remained faithful to it.
Every new day brings its own particular grace; this morning we received a special penitent and two very
pretty young girls for the second class. One of them had been in church only once, to be christened, her
parents are atheists. It is the Divine Heart of Jesus who has drawn these poor souls to us. His feast was
celebrated in a wonderful manner, and so was the octave. My dear daughters, we would still have many things
to tell you, our Shepherd (3) is going to write to you soon. In the meantime, I send you my most heartfelt and
affectionate greetings, in union with the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
B.B.G.
With regard to your penitent, my dearly beloved daughter, judging from your cautious explanation, I fear
that she might not succeed and that we might endanger the dear Magdalen community. You would feel that
keenly, would you not? However, if we could help you with this poor soul, I would dearly love to do so. But, my
dear daughter, she will not be able to stay in the Magdalen Community; that is what grieves me. What do you
think about the matter yourself?
1. Written at the end of a letter from M. Chantal of Jesus Cesbron de la Roche.
228
Letter 159
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, November 1, [1834]
This day of rejoicing fills us all with delight!
There you are, my cherished daughter; oh, how your letter, your devotedness and your openness
comfort me! The Jesuit has truly spoken to you through the Holy Spirit. You have not failed in charity. Our
enemies go about with heads held high, why should we be cowardly? You will know everything. M. Dufetre (1)
sent word three days ago that he had a sure and definite way, simply by writing a few letters, to separate Metz
and Grenoble, and that he would succeed in less than two months. We treated such threats only with scorn, for,
alas, they are not from the spirit of God. Let us pray, my dear daughters, pray, but remain firm, we are going to
act once more in Rome. Have courage!
What a joy it will be for us to receive your five postulants. Ah, how we are going to beg God for the
success of this project! Five from Metz, 0 God, my dear daughter, what strength that will give us, do your best
to bring it about. As you are there on the spot, tell us in A simplicity which of the two will be more suitable, St.
Gabriel or St. Francis of Assisi? (2) As soon as I get your reply, she will set out. Send me a little list of the
books or belongings you would like to have. I hope the five doves arrive beforehand, it would encourage us. My
dear and beloved daughters, I must admit to you that I am slightly NI and unable to write. All that will pass. Let
us suffer for God and for the holy Work. I cherish you dearly, in the Heart of Jesus Christ,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. Dufêtre is the ecclesiastical superior of O. L of Charity in Tours.
2. M. of St. Gabriel Vimembre made profession on November 4. M. of St. Francis of Assisi Choler made
profession on October 19, 1834.
229
Letter 160
Superior, Grenoble.
L.J.M.
Love one another just as I have loved you.
Our Lord
My beloved, very naughty daughter,
If you were less loved, you would be scolded more and would surely be the better for it! For the past
three days, I wanted to write in order to reprimand you. However, I said to myself.. Poor St. Louis, I would much
rather embrace her. Concerning her woods and land, she is too stubborn, yet what has she not suffered for the
sake of the holy Work? She was wrong to weep and lay the blame on poor Mother St. Euphrasia when
Providence did not grant all her wishes, but on the other hand, she is so faithful. While this struggle continued,
my daughter's letter arrived, not too soon either, but I must forgive her for everything.
Now, my very dear daughter, in the presence of God, let us speak together. You have not been
completely reasonable, still, there are some good reasons for keeping your dear land. Here, it would be
impossible to borrow the 5,000 francs, you would cause me anxiety. Borrow them in Grenoble, and since your
dear house is always submissive and faithful, we will send you an allowance until the money has been paid
back. In that way, my dear daughter, you will not be overburdened. When it comes to economizing, I know you
excel. I like your frankness but, my daughter, I want you to be humble too, less touchy and impulsive. I love you
too much not to tell you the truth, on Calvary as on Tabor I will always tell it.
O God, my daughter, you have your troubles, and God knows how aware I am of them! Many swords
have pierced my own soul too, and yet I would endure them all rather than see you distressed.
However, it is for a very holy Work which you sustain. You have seen its birth, my very dear daughter,
and you are certainly destined to continue supporting it! The house of Angers places its hope on you, and only
God himself understands the tender concern we have for you. We are on the cross, calm but firm. The Lord still
blesses us, and some other year, I hope, it will not be beyond our means to give a loan.
I know all about the letters of the archbishop (1) of Tours; M. Dufêtre has sent me word that within two
months you would be on their side, that his correspondence with Grenoble had won over everything, and that
he was going forward with his head held high. May God bless them, that is our wish, but we will not bend.
Rome alone will decide, and as long as it allows us to act, we shall continue the holy Work. May our Holy
Father the Pope know all! He is our Jesus Christ on earth, never would I argue for even one moment! However,
as for the wicked means that I know are going to be used, I deplore them because they offend our God as well
as divine charity. In prayer and in silence, we will allow this frightful tempest to pass without faltering.
Assure our dear daughters of our tender attachment, we love them always, yes, always! We will send a
reply to dear St. Helen. My daughter, if you are thinking of writing to Madame d'Andigné, do so, but only as
coming from you personally. Show her real trust, she deserves that. Speak to her about the danger of selling,
for fear of giving rise to slander. Tell her of your eternal attachment to this house. Believe me, it is preferable to
mention only a smaller amount; you could say, very tactfully: ah, Madame, if only there were somebody willing
to help poor St. Louis. Anyhow, my daughter, you will know better than I how to put it, but this is advice I give
you in secret.
Goodbye, write again to me, but in a friendly vein, you understand. Do not delay, for I love you too
much; our sisters say I spoil you. They all embrace you.
Your affectionate,
1. Monseigneur de Montblanc, archbishop of Tours. M. Dufêtre was his vicar general.
230
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Letter 161
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
Our joy was mingled with tenderness as we welcomed your dear doves (1) yesterday, the 8th, at 11
o'clock in the evening. This conquest, my very dear daughters, is the fruit of your prayers, your zeal and your
devotedness to the work of God. With what words can we describe the sentiments we feel towards you all?
Moved to tears, our sisters say: "Ah, Mary of St. Sophie, how faithful she is and St. Angela, too!" My dear
daughters, God will bless you! I must tell you in passing that the dear generalate is advancing, here everything
is going along wonderfully. 0 God, how many graces; we are overwhelmed! Oh, my dear daughters, let us love
the crosses which bring us so many favors!
To return to our doves, at noon we were informed of their departure from Metz through a very kind letter
from the Ladies of the Sacred Heart, to whom we are sending a reply. Be so good, my dear daughters, as to
forward the letter immediately. Two of our tourière sisters went to meet our postulants at the carriage stop while
we waited here. We received them with great tenderness and they seemed delighted. I thank you for the
information you sent.
I will answer your dear letters after attending to the most pressing matters first. O God, my cherished
daughter, how I fear that, since the two young persons are from the almshouse in Metz, it may be detrimental to
our house. I shudder, because of Mademoiselle Lahausse,(2) who appears to know everything. However, the
good God is our protector. I will manage all these matters for the best and I will keep you fully informed.
My dear daughters, I could not be more pleased with the letters from M. Chalandon, I can see that he is
coming in line with the designs of God. We promise to send you Sister M. of St. Gabriel (3); I will try to have her
leave here within two weeks. My difficulty stems from the fact that our holy Rules forbid us to travel alone. If you
were not so badly off, I would have sent two, seeing that one day it will be necessary. Otherwise, we prefer to
pay someone to accompany her. First, we will see if there might be a sister from St. Vincent's (4) who would go.
In any case, rest assured that we will do everything in our power to case your situation.
How distressed I am that you are so badly in need: no linen, no bandeaux, no guimpes! Oh, my poor
children, do not worry! I will supervise the packing of M. of St. Gabriel's trunk myself, and nothing, I hope, will
be forgotten. Yes, you will have your books; ask for whatever else you want.
Our sisters embrace you, we will deliver your letters. All are going to write to you through St. Gabriel,
with whom I am very satisfied. I think you will be pleased with her in Metz. But, my well beloved St. Angela, we
are turning over to you all the books and the accounts. All goes well, you are my consolation, every one of you.
May the Lord bless you, as I myself [ ]. Never has the generalate made such progress! I am, in union with the
Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your ever affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Keep this small quantity of MIle Lahausse's linen. Dear daughter, she talks non-stop. We will use the
100 francs you mention for the expenses of the journey.
231
But here is your letter, keep the 100 francs for our penitents.
1. Five postulants who came from Metz.
2. M1le Tranche-Lahausse, who became M. of St. Philomena, one of the five postulants who just arrived
from Metz.
3. M. of St. Gabriel Vimembre.
4. The community of the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul who were running the hospital.
232
Letter 162
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
House of the Good Shepherd of Angers, November 10, 1834 (1)
Our very dear and loved Sisters in Our Lord,
Let us give thanks to God for all his blessings! I am obliged to make use of our secretary in order to
write to you immediately. I am extremely busy with matters I can no longer keep from you, especially you, my
dear sisters who share so faithfully our crosses and our persecutions! Ah, have courage! I beg of you, let us
continue to struggle for the glory of God and his most holy Mother, our powerful protectress. Doubtless, my
dear M. of St. Sophie, you remember the letter I personally wrote to Rome (2) because of all our crosses and
persecutions. I waited in the most profound peace for the reply, casting myself entirely into the arms of divine
Providence. At last today, November 10, this most precious news has come to us. So favorable is it to us that
our hearts seemed filled with a stream of graces and blessings. One of our sisters who is on retreat saw it all in
a dream one night. How the good God is showering his graces on us! Let us humble ourselves in his holy
presence, let us redouble our fervor and our zeal in supporting the Work of the generalate, which has begun so
well. On your part, my dearly beloved sisters, you have contributed to it by sending us postulants who will help
us to maintain it. Everything is going on well in this dear house of Angers; and your house, too, is doing very
well.
Let us fervently thank God for so many graces! Our postulants are keeping well, they seem to be
settling in nicely. Mademoiselle Lahausse is rather odd, but if necessary I will be quite outspoken with her. I
embrace our dear Mary of St. Sophie, St. Angela and our big chubby Martha. Be assured that all our sisters
cherish you dearly, as I do myself, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, my beloved sisters, Your very
devoted,
who cherishes and blesses her three daughters.
B.B.G.
1. Letter dictated to a secretary. Only the last line and the signature are in the handwriting of Mary
Euphrasia Pelletier. The postmark bears the date of November 14. The same information was sent to
each of the existing houses, informing them of Cardinal Odescalchi's reply. 2. Reference to the letter
written by M. Euphrasia to Cardinal Odescalchi on August 14, 1834, during the singing of the
Magnificat.
233
Letter 163
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
[November 10, 1834] (1)
Reverend and very worthy Superior,
I have received with sincere gratitude the two letters so kindly sent me in a spirit of fatherly kindness.
The good account you give of our dear sisters is infinitely precious to us. May the Lord be glorified for it! That is
indeed the desire of our hearts. I no longer feel any anxiety regarding these dear sisters who are now in your
fatherly care. They had indeed expressed their need of an additional sister, but I was awaiting the permission of
the bishop of Metz and your own, which I received in your letter of the 3rd. At your request, and for the good of
this dear foundation of Metz, we are again making the sacrifice of one of our first Mistresses of a department.
She is capable of undertaking and finishing off every type of needlework. I feel you will be pleased with her, but
what is going to delay us somewhat is the fact that she cannot set out alone, since this would not be allowed.
However, be assured that we will do everything possible to hasten her departure. God and the excellent M.
Barthès increasingly inspire us with the most tender interest in your work. You may be sure that the Mother
House will take care of it. We did not found the house thoughtlessly, but only after careful consideration and
from the purest motives, which also inspired the letter of our venerable and zealous assistant-foundress to your
holy bishop. She will stand fast. God and the cross are the basis of her works, which will not perish. Human
effort is powerless to destroy them. Please assure your very worthy bishop of our deep respect and accept for
yourself the same sentiments and humble gratitude, with which I am, Reverend and worthy Superior,
Your most humble and obedient servant,
B.B.G.
P.S. With regard to the premises and the work, our dear sisters never complained of any inconvenience, rather,
they have always praised your great kindness to them, and keep referring to your boundless charity. Moreover,
brought up as they have been in the school of the cross, they are its faithful children. However, in your capacity
as their ecclesiastical superior, I feel I should warn and beg you to warn them not to be upset over a fresh
misfortune that will probably come their way and ours. The archbishop of Tours, after having recognized that he
had no authority over this new branch, and surely it was not such a difficult question to solve, has allowed
himself to be convinced that we could be forced to change our habit, name, rule and customs. Oh, certainly not!
Oh, never! God alone is aware of our firm stand on that point. Oh, by what right could such authority be
exercised over us? Even the civil courts of justice would find it laughable.
Be so good, reverend and most worthy Superior, as to tell and assure our dear daughters, that neither
on this point nor on others is there, nor will there be, anything to fear, and that we shall remain unchanging. Any
such order would have to come from Rome, and certainly that scat of wisdom, light and holiness is unlikely to
destroy the holy Works; neither will it condemn without a hearing the innocents who are slandered, as indeed
you had written to me. Let us continue to wait in peace.
1. This letter can be dated from the very clew postmark.
234
Letter 164
To Sister Mary of the Holy innocents LE MOU
Poitiers
L.J.M.
Taste and see how sweet is the Lord!
I come to talk to you of sweetness, to you, my very dear child, whom my soul seeks on your bed of
pain.(1) Alas, since childhood your sweetness has been in the cross, then being devoted to the holy Work, it
was necessary that you be its victim. There you are, completely on the cross, 0 my dear daughter, how
pleasing is this state of immolation, to Jesus, our spouse! Your delight is in pain and in tears, how fervently we
are praying for you, my daughter! Ah, if only I were at least able to go to see you and console you! But, what
am I saying? Your Mother, who is my entire consolation, is aware of all I would like to say to you about God, his
love, the value of suffering, and about the soul's progress in times of suffering. Oh, how singularly have we
been enriched through tribulations! Ah, my daughter, pray, offer your pain for this dear generalate, the fruit of so
many tears. Adieu, my child, be assured of my sincere affection, in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. This sister recovered and lived until 1882.
235
Letter 165
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Oh yes, my cherished daughter, yes, the Work is taking giant steps forward. Take this and read. Rome,
0 my dear daughters, I am speechless, and have the strength only to pray, to praise, to love, and to write you
this short letter. We will succeed on a grand scale! My daughter, we will willingly accept the two postulants on
the conditions suggested by you. I ask you to keep the furniture carefully. As for the mattresses, we are very
shout of them, fourteen of our sisters have none, but we will acquire some.
Our beloved M. of the Holy Innocents has been received as one of the choir (1) sisters. My daughter,
during the Chapter I ask you to follow the Book of Customs. I bless her with all my heart; I love her and pray for
her from the bottom of my soul.
About the house and money, oh my God, we do not have much set aside, but if you were to take some
time to repay, (2) we could help you with the interest, and most certainly the good God will not abandon us in
our need. Have courage then, my dear daughters, have courage.
Our sisters send you their affectionate greetings. St. Vincent (3) is still very ill though not in danger.
Pray for her. Since this morning we have received four sheep.
My dearest daughter, I think I am going to obey you for I am really very tired; I have just sent a threepage reply to Rome.(4)
We have ten choir postulants; they embrace you, as does their Mother, who loves you dearly, in the
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Another little word. I cannot be silent when I am speaking to my children; I am not unlike an old
grandmother. Would you believe it, my dear daughter, another foundation is being asked of us! (5)
1. M. of the Holy Innocents Le Mou, who had made profession in Angers on July 23, 1833, as a lay sister,
became a choir sister.
2. Due date of a low.
3. M. of St. Vincent Comet, first Mistress.
4. See, hereafter, the letter [no 166] to Cardinal Odescalchi, dated November 12, 1834.
5. This refers to Saumur.
236
Letter 166
To His Eminence, Monseigneur ODESCALCHI
Cardinal-Vicar
Rome
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of the Good Shepherd of Angers,
November 12,1834
Monseigneur,
I received and read on my knees the holy letter your Eminence deigned to write to your poor servant.
You have poured into my soul so many and such great consolations that from this moment on no pain or
suffering seems difficult to me. This holy letter, dated October 28, has likewise consoled our holy bishop, who
told me that he too wishes to show your Eminence his gratitude. He plans to write immediately to your
Eminence, to beg you to save the work of the generalate. However, if the age of this venerable prelate (1)
caused him to delay his planned letter further, ah, Monseigneur, do not for such a reason abandon this holy
Work. Your Eminence, we lay it at your feet with humble submissiveness and a confidence that knows no
bounds. We will remain prostrate between the vestibule and the altar, and you, Monseigneur, you will save our
people.
I feel I should assure you that the vicars general and the entire clergy of the diocese unite with our
worthy prelate to protect and bless the work for which we seek approval. The bishops of Poitiers, Grenoble and
Metz, to whom we send sisters and temporal help, consider the generalate to be most desirable, as is clear
from the letters they have written to us. The only dissenting voice is that of the archbishop of Tours, who,
unless we obtain a Pontifical Brief, claims that as Metropolitan Archbishop he has the right to destroy us by
preventing the generalate from becoming a reality without his consent. He even wanted Monseigneur to leave
the room where he was speaking to me here in our own house of Angers. (2) The archbishop ordered me to
deal directly with him personally regarding the business of our house, instead of going to our own bishop to
whom, however, he had ceded all his rights. This had been done through a definitive letter of obedience which
he had given me when sending me from Tours to Angers. I took the liberty of showing it to him most
respectfully, after which he regained his composure. Nevertheless, he told me that this document was of no
value because he had forgotten to read it before putting his seal and his signature on it. Moreover, as
Metropolitan Archbishop, he continues to oppose the work and has again written that he will not allow this new
branch to follow the Rules and keep the habit of the Houses of Refuge.
Alas, Monseigneur, I know so little and I am not aware of the extent of the rights of the Metropolitan
Archbishop. In my simplicity, I thought the whole matter concerned Rome, since the bishop of Angers had
written there. On that point I am at peace, since your letter restored me to life. You will be our light, our Father,
and the savior of the Work. I must tell you a vast field of apostolate opens up before us, while the good works
already being accomplished in the house are overwhelming. We receive well-educated candidates from
distinguished families. Count de Neuville, the Countess d'Andigné and our founding assistant, shower us with
favors, desiring however that these be devoted, according to your Eminence's wishes, to the salvation of a
large number of poor penitents in those dioceses that are most remote and devoid of help. This praiseworthy
aim can be furthered by means of a Center to which each one would have recourse, I mean the new houses
founded by us. At present, we have here 70 novices, all inspired with the hope of seeing this dream become a
reality. Our poor penitents here, who number one hundred, are sent to us from different parts [of the country] by
a zealous clergy. We do not receive boarding fees or other financial support in this connection. So consoled are
these good priests by such numerous conversions that they even offered to send a representative who would
request of your Eminence the great favor of a Pontifical Brief... However, Monseigneur, here is the suggestion,
for what it is worth, which I take the liberty of submitting to your most wise judgment since we are leaving
everything to your enlightened guidance: would it not be preferable to hand over to you, for use as you may see
fit in your boundless charity, the money which would otherwise be spent on sending a formal representative [to
Rome]?
We are entirely confident that, after God and the Blessed Virgin, our divine Mother, it is you who are
going to save us. I am writing to you, after Holy Communion, alone with God alone, most willingly confiding our
237
wishes and desires to your care. Under your protection I am at peace and remain with the greatest respect and
most humble gratitude, your Eminence,
Your most obedient and unworthy daughter,
1. Monseigneur Montault, born on April 30, 1755, was therefore at this time 80 years old.
2. Meeting of July 20, 1833, between Monseigneur de Montblanc, archbishop of Tours, Monseigneur
Montault, and Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
238
Letter 167
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
The just have fulfilled a long journey in a short time.
In his holy works, God has made you proceed on a long journey; allow us to praise God for having you
as a support for our dear generalate. How much I grieved last night, my dear daughter, for having failed to send
you my best wishes for your feast day! (1)I got up in the morning with that thought in mind and went to pray for
you at Holy Communion, [asking for] many graces, favors and health to support for a long time to come this
work, still in its infancy. Indeed, my dearly beloved sister, your wishes have been fulfilled, yes, your house of
Poitiers consoles me for all the suffering endured and eases all my wounds. What you have written to us
delighted me in God for five whole days! I read and re-read your letter so many times that my heart has been
greatly consoled, so many interesting details, heavy crosses followed by great graces. Just see how
Providence has provided you with bread; we find the kindness of the Prefect most touching. Never doubt it, this
dear foundation, already so richly blessed, will grow more and more. Ah, may God preserve you, my daughter,
to reap the fruits of your labors. What is the news of those who are ill? I am writing to our beloved M. of the Holy
Innocents, and will answer the lovely letter of our dear Dosithea and St. Felicity. I will have an opportunity to
send you mail since a good tourière, whom [the Virgin] Mary has at last helped us to find, will be leaving on
Monday. She is very highly thought of, 35 years old, pious, gentle, strong, and very orderly in her ways. I hope
very much, my dear sisters, that she will suit you.
Oh, how good you are, my daughter, to give us another order. We will send you everything you have
asked for. How sorry I would be if the length of material were not ready on time, but I am still hopeful.
Everywhere, more graces, the fruit of our trials, are evident. 0 God, my daughter, my soul is overwhelmed. I will
send you the letter from Rome, you will be deeply moved by it; everything about the work is miraculous. In that
letter you will see the touching kindness of the holy Cardinal who is very willing to take on the generalate, a
project I submitted to him quite openly with all the difficulties involved. Once more, we see the marvelous
effects of the most Blessed Virgin's protection. We are making a special novena. Poor [Good] Shepherd (2) and
I scarcely have time to breathe, writing non-stop to prepare the many documents required by Rome.
Good M. Perché is working secretly and has just left. He is drawing up the documents. M. Régnier
seems to be very busy with the chaplain. Anyhow, God is preparing our hearts, while we remain prostrate
between the vestibule and the altar; (3)we are keeping everything totally confidential and secret, because of our
enemies.
The Lord has given us candidates according to his own Heart. The three postulants from Metz are
delightful. They seem able to succeed in everything; with such great talents is united the simplicity of doves.
The two lay sisters are very good also, but what really touches me is our dear and beloved German sister who,
I assure you, does not break the silence as she does not speak French, but she always has a smile on her
face.(4) One can see she is well educated and perfectly calm, so that nothing upsets her. [She] continues to
receive her Communion, though not able to go to Confession yet. I think this will soon be remedied, for she
shows a great facility with languages, and already understands quite a few words; she can say clearly: Yes,
Mother [Oui, ma Mère].
Mademoiselle Lahausse is proficient in music, drawing, Latin and Italian. What loving plans God must
have for the work! What do you feel about it, my cherished daughter? As for our 19- year-old innocent dove,
she is, to use the words those Ladies have written to me, under the special protection of the Sacred Heart in
every respect. She is perfectly well-educated, full of life, strong, and as fresh as a rose.
239
The dear young lady from Ingrandes, (5) whom I mentioned to you, has entered. She is truly excellent
and extremely capable. Ah, my daughter, what a novitiate! How I fear to conduct it poorly, how unworthy I am of
it. Pray then very much for your poor and
devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. The feast of St. Stanislaus Kostka, on November 13.
3. This refers to the Temple of Jerusalem built by Solomon where the vestibule leads to the Holy of Holies
housing the altar of incense. Only the priests were permitted to enter.
4. Elizabeth Philippart was actually from Luxembourg.
5. Augustine Briard, who entered on October 28, 1834, was later known as M. of St. Athanasius.
240
Letter 168
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, November 16, 1834]
May the Lord our God hasten his coming. May he come to save us.
Unceasingly we call on our gentle Master asking for his graces and his love! We implore him to bestow
them abundantly on you who are so intimately united to our hearts. In the designs of God, my daughter, you are
the heart of my heart. Oh, how wonderful are his designs! Oh, if only we were saints! Your foundation is rich in
mercy and the sweet dew that makes our lands fruitful once again. Regarding the 4,000 francs given you by
this dear lady,(1) I think, my daughter, it would be advisable not to talk about it, at least not before the new year.
If you had any hopes of premises, you could speak to Monseigneur without telling him who gave you the
money. Anyway, my dear daughter, the spirit of the good Lord accompanies you, and whatever you may do, it
will always be good. I have no doubt this dear foundation will become the joy of Israel, its crown and its triumph.
The diocese awaits only the agreement of the bishops of Grenoble and Metz to forward the documents
to Rome. Oh, how we bless the bishop of Poitiers! Tomorrow we begin a further novena of processions to Our
Lady of Fourvière. Please unite your prayers with ours.
Yesterday we entrusted to Bertin's stagecoach (2) the length of material and other items you asked for.
How I regret that you had to wait for them. We were unable to find everything you need any sooner. I thought it
would be a good idea to send this letter letting you know the parcel had been sent and asking you to have it
collected.
I am worried about the health of your excellent benefactress. While writing this letter, I have been
interrupted ten times, for matters concerning the house. My God, how little time I have! The community is
increasing every day.
How is our dear M. of the Holy Innocents? Poor child, she appears to be going through painful inner
trials! As you say, she is indeed a victim. Tell her how fervently we are praying for her, ask her to pray for the
holy Work, both before and after her death!
We have another letter from Caen. Poor sister, how she is to be pitied! (3) Certainly, my daughter, if we
wanted to, we could destroy that house using the documents that are coming out of it. (4) Oh, God and charity
will protect us [from such a course]!
Our sisters send you their warmest greetings. 1, too, assure you of my devotion, in the love of the Holy
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Madame de Germon, the donor of this gift, wished to remain anonymous.
2. A carrier whose wife was a witness at the process of canonization of Mary Euphrasia Pelletier.
3. A Sister of O. L. of Charity, M. of St. Elizabeth, who was asking Mary Euphrasia Pelletier permission to
enter the Good Shepherd of Angers.
4. The house of Our Lady of Charity in Caen.
241
Letter 169
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit is transported with joy in God.
Yesterday, my beloved daughters, we received your interesting letter; your happiness is also ours, you
know that. And your devotedness to the salvation of souls and to your commitments increases the importance
of the Mother House, which God is visibly blessing. We undertake most willingly, for your sake, to pay the 2,000
francs for half of the rent. At first you could take it yearly, because at present, as you know, we do not have
funds available. However, in a year's time, with the advice and permission of our worthy ecclesiastical superiors
in Angers and Metz, we could consider purchasing the property, if God inspires some pious persons to help
with this holy Work. If, on the other hand, the owner of the property was willing to be satisfied with a modest
sum and you were able to borrow it in Metz, the Mother House would be responsible for the balance. The
devotedness of M. Chalandon appears so great and so fatherly, that perhaps he will be able to facilitate this
matter, for the glory of God. But, as regards the acquisition itself, my very dear daughters, it should not take
place before next spring. I feel that, when the time comes, our dear sister assistant (1) herself should, together
with you, conclude the purchase, after coming to an understanding with your holy bishop. I think this letter will
meet your desires and sustain your hopes for the future. Such is the real wish of our hearts. We never cease
praying for you, and the progress being made by your dear foundation is our consolation.
But how right you are in longing for a class of penitents! Oh, my dear daughters, what sorrow it would
cause me if I did not see you consumed by the fire of that divine charity! Without any penitents to convert, we
would not be able to live! I still have difficulty arranging the departure of M. of St. Gabriel, as she cannot travel
alone. Here is what I have in mind: since you are sure of having two Classes, would it not be more prudent to
delay the arrangements for some weeks and to send the two sisters; or, if you can give both of them
accommodation, we could have them set out immediately. Discuss the matter with your ecclesiastical superior,
send me a reply and I will do everything to oblige you.
I am touched by your boundless dedication, and your zeal in providing candidates for the novitiate
endears you still more to the community. Our postulants of the Sacred Heart, and the others too, seem to find
that all their wishes are gratified. little Justine is charming! (2) She applies herself to everything in the Rule, and
shows an obedience and simplicity that are admirable. The sister from Germany is very satisfactory also. It will
be easy to form her. (3) All of them offer you their heartfelt thanks and their sincere gratitude. Our dear travelers
will bring you a whole book of letters (forty), but, my dear daughters, how sad I am that we do not have the
leaflets we had promised M. Chalandon; they were forgotten.
I am leaving you now for one of the spiritual exercises, (4)but remain, with tender affection in the Holy
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
How much God has consoled me this week, you must have received our good news! (5)
2. Justine Girardin from Metz who later became M. of the Sacred Heart.
3. Elizabeth Philippart, native of Luxembourg, was 28 years of age. Later she left the novitiate on June 9,
1835, "due to the inadequacy of her vocation."
4. A time of community prayer (spiritual exercise).
5. The letter from Cardinal Odescalchi, urging initiation of the process which would lead to the
establishment of the generalate.
242
Letter 170
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, undated]
The Lord has done great things for me.
I must admit that your last letter both humbled me and filled me with admiration. How many miracles for
this dear house of Poitiers. Love, prayer and silence are our songs of joy. As for me, my daughter, I can do no
more at present, my great desire is, with God's help, to have a really long conversation with you. We have too
many holy things to say to each other and my soul needs to pour itself out to you. I shall write again by post. At
the moment, I am too occupied. So, let us move on to the more urgent business.
I had written to his Eminence the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation, (1) telling him all about
our generalate, our situation, our suffering, our difficulties, and you are going to see his wonderful reply. Since
then, we have written to him again, asking him to complete this important work. Yesterday, M. Fulgence (2)
arrived from Rome. He told us, and this broke my heart, that if he had had the request in hand from the four
bishops, he could have concluded the matter of the generalate in twenty-four hours and brought us the Holy
Father's Brief, so dear to the Court of Rome was this work. He added that the delay had caused much harm
because our enemies had written against us in a most dreadful manner. He assured us, nevertheless, that we
had nothing to fear, even though he anticipated a long delay. Alas, that is not our fault. He told us to continue
the generalate with fidelity and to hasten the letters from our bishops; that in any case this great Work is well
looked upon in Rome. Let us then take courage. God is going to complete everything for us, and Mary, too,
because it is the Work of her Heart. Let us pray much, my daughter.
I am sending you a tourière whom I consider most suitable. How I would wish to do more. She is laden
with letters and sweetmeats for the cherished family and of course with our love, too. Six postulants are asking
you for the holy habit and two more are coming tonight. Accept all of them, my dear daughter; one day they will
be of help to you, oh yes, for the designs of God are great. [A] little word for our Innocents who is so
desperately ill, I am praying for you, my daughter, adieu.
Please have M. Angelique turn back. Poor child, she is always sick when traveling. Goodbye, my dear
faithful and cherished daughter.
Your devoted,
B.B.G.
1. Cardinal Odescalchi, whose reply arrived in Angers on November 11, 1834. He had been Prefect of the
Congregation of Bishops and Regulars before his nomination as Cardinal Vicar.
2. M. Fulgence, abbot of the Abbey of Bellefontaine.
243
Letter 171
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
Blessed is the servant whom the Master will find watching and praying.
Through your zeal, my dear daughter, you keep watch night and day over his house. I received a letter
from my dear daughter, M. of St. Louis. Oh, how good she is when she wants to be! Today she has comforted
the heart of her Mother, who loves her almost to excess but who scarcely reproaches herself for so doing. I feel
deeply, my daughter, your absence at the moment and I offer this sacrifice to God, always however in the hope
of seeing you again. We have received from Rome such consoling news that, if all goes well next summer, we
would hope, in the course of the coming year, to complete the foundations, and if possible to assemble all the
superiors here for ten to twelve days. Thus we could settle everything firmly and give each one (house) the
appropriate number of sisters. In the meantime, we are preparing three or four of them for you. But what joy, my
daughter, to see you again, then you would bring me to see our dearly beloved sisters, and also the beauty of
your wilderness. My own attraction would be for your holy mountains. What veneration I have for your generous
benefactresses!
My daughter, I ardently wish that you would establish a devotion we have here, one that in Poitiers has
just been a source of grace for our souls. This would involve erecting an altar and placing a statue of the
Blessed Virgin there in reparation for the outrages that have been perpetrated against her, holding a procession
while singing the Stabat and praying for the penitents and for the generalate. My dear daughters, I assure you
that you would immediately receive help. I do not know what Madame d'Andigné is going to reply. (1) She told
me she had some financial difficulty due to the building of her chapel but is none the less deeply pained at the
thought of your predicament. Meanwhile, my dear daughter, do not be anxious! Write to M. Chabert, asking him
to consider your major repairs and to give you more time during which interest would be paid. I promise to send
you the required amount! Otherwise, for the same reasons, ask a notary to pay. You could always have some
funds in hand by selling the land next year, but no, oh no, we would not want to sell, for I am quietly confident
that our affairs will keep improving! Have courage then, in the midst of your crosses!
And now, I have to give you some very sad news, and doing so breaks my heart, my dearly beloved
daughter. The good Lord has just taken to himself, by a consoling but premature death, your dear young
brother who was in the seminary! Your dear mother asked me to write and tell you this! She is very close to me
and told me of her many sorrows, which are varied and hard to bear; I tried to comfort her. Your brother-in-law,
Bonnin, is behaving abominably, but your sister is truly admirable, your mother has replaced the eighty francs.
Ah, how fortunate we are, my dear daughter, to have left behind this world full of corruption. Be comforted,
therefore; the cross will be your treasure and also one day your triumph.
We will have the privilege of writing to your worthy chaplain. Please convey our respectful greetings to
him and to the Bourdonnance ladies, whose letter shows the utmost thoughtfulness. As for Madame de Rollin,
she is a real mother, we are praying for her. We await the agreement of your holy bishop to complete
everything in Rome. That is the only condition set by the Holy Father. (2) As soon as the Papal Brief arrives, we
will be quite free and will complete both the spiritual and the temporal arrangements for our three cherished
foundations before undertaking the additional ones that beckon.
And our little 4-year-old, if she wants to give herself to God, there will be no obstacle on our side, my
daughter; we will bring her up in all innocence and privacy.
Good St. Louis, I must really open my heart to you! It seems to me that a letter from you to the Cardinal
who is protecting us would be most helpful. I am going to give you his address. You could ask of his Eminence
the inestimable favor of completing the generalate, and in addition you could explain your own situation, the
vast amount of good to be achieved, but also your continuing need of the Mother House which awaits only a
244
Papal Brief to complete everything. You could tell him that we are as one. Could you prepay the letter, after
having it signed by our dear professed sisters? His Eminence is extremely kind. You are offering to go to Rome
in person, oh, surely, my dear daughter, I believe the Cardinal would grant your request, even if it is presented
in writing. I am convinced of this. Keep my secret, but, oh, how I long for you to do this, you could say how
much we have endured.
Would you believe it, my daughter, M. Fulgence of the Trappist order has just come from Rome? He
told me that if only he had received the letters from the bishops, he would have brought us the Papal Brief,
which he could have obtained within twenty-four hours, those concerned being so favorably disposed at that
time. Oh, how many tears this made us shed! He has obtained a generalate for his own order.
Goodbye, my dear daughters, all yours in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Louis had asked Madame d'Andigné to help in financing the house of Grenoble, but the
building of the chapel of the Immaculate Conception (where, incidentally, M. Euphrasia would later be
buried) was already a heavy burden.
2. The approval of the bishops who have a house of the Good Shepherd in their diocese.
245
Letter 172
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, November 1834]
Glory to God in the heavens, respectful greetings to your holy bishop and to you, my dear and beloved
daughter, everything arrived from Poitiers this mrning. (1) Ah, what a prelate you have, my dearly beloved
sister! He is eloquent in his praise of the foundation. What a consolation that is for our worthy bishop and for us!
Tomorrow, I will write again, giving you all my thoughts regarding your wonderful benefactress. 0 God, what a
great gift, 4,000 francs! How we will pray for her recovery! I also want to tell you my little secret: on the day of
the Presentation of our good Mother (Mary), dear Madame d'Andigné gave me 1,800 francs. What a wonderful
gift too, is it not, my daughter! O my God, my God, what great love!
Now, my dearly loved daughter, we have another wish, and by granting it you would complete the great
work: we feel it would be useful if every superior, but this is a secret, wrote to the Cardinal Protector, who is the
father of the work and kindness itself. You would get all our dear professed sisters to sign the letter; I am
sending you the address. The letter must be prepaid. Oh, I beg of you, my cherished daughter, in your own
way, beseech his Eminence to complete the work, tell him a lot about your holy prelate, and about the immense
good this house of Poitiers accomplishes now, and will in the future, too. Insist on the lack of vocations in that
city and on your need to have recourse to the Mother House. Make a really heartfelt plea and place your letter
at the feet of Our Lady of Fourvière; you will obtain everything. Oh, please, I beg of you, do this! Yes indeed,
the house is miraculous!
I will tell you many more things when I write again which may be tomorrow, or even the day after, because we
are holding the reception ceremony for six postulants. But I must answer your dear and interesting letter
received today.
Goodbye, my very dear and cherished daughter; all yours in the love of Our Lord,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
O dear M. of St. Martha, she has gone to God.(2)
In the course of your letter, instead of Your Grace, say Your Eminence.
1. Monseigneur Bouillé had drawn up a letter to be sent to the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars in
support of the Good Shepherd.
2. M. of St. Martha Martin died on November 18, 1834 in Metz, where she had been a tourière sister since
that monastery was founded.
246
Letter 173
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
May the Lord be your light and your strength! I received your letter, my good M. of St. Sophie. In the
holy presence of God, we named you along with our good St. Angela, and how devoted you have been, my
daughter, ever since. Now our good St. Martha has died. It pains me greatly to know how overworked you are!
AS soon as the letter came, I asked for the letter of obedience for our two sisters, but I was told to wait for the
your holy prelate's reply to Monseigneur. My dear M. of St. Sophie, you know my situation, I am not free to do
what I feel is best. However, it is only a short delay; we are all praying for you, and also praying that the reply of
your worthy bishop will be favorable.
Our Holy Father asks only for the agreement of the bishops who have foundations in their dioceses.
Oh, never have we prayed so much! As soon as the Papal Brief comes, my dear daughters, we will attend to
your premises, but whatever happens you will have our two sisters. I am going to implore that there be no
delay. May all of you be sustained and blessed with continued good health. I am deeply distressed, seeing you
seriously overworked, do take sufficient nourishment. I highly approve of your firmness in maintaining the Rule
and the enclosure. Oh, what an advantage it would be for you to be independent! In our unity, my dear
daughters, lies our strength. Let us pray much to Mary! I am longing for you to put up an altar in honor of Our
Lady of Fourvière in reparation for the outrages she has received. Your dear children would go in procession,
singing the hymns we are sending you. Here, oh, what graces and favors! You yourself and the work will also
be showered with graces.
My daughter, here is another thought I share with you confidentially, before God. Our St. Angela would
do this beautifully: I suggest that she write to Rome in your name, and that all three of you sign. The letter
would be to the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation. His address is enclosed. He is protecting us in
everything. He is kindness itself, as you will see from what our dear assistant is writing to you. I had written to
his Eminence describing all the good that could be done in Metz. I explained the need you have of premises
large enough for two or three hundred penitents, and that, as soon as the Papal Brief ... all of which really
touched the heart of the Holy Father ... I am sending you a suggested wording, but you can change anything
you wish. Oh God, my daughter, how strongly I feel that this would be most helpful! The letter would have to be
prepaid, and you should not speak to anyone about it. I am asking the superiors of the three foundations to do
the same. In your letter, dwell at some length on the advantages of the Mother House, and on the great number
of penitents you could [accept]. I am very touched, and so are our dear sisters, by the gifts and donations that
have been made to you. How good the most Blessed Virgin Mary is! The whole community will write to you
through the two sisters. Goodbye, my dear and faithful daughters. I remain, with the most tender love, in the
Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
247
Letter 174
Vicar General, Metz
L.J.M.
[November 23, 1834] (1)
We who have just had to drink of a bitter chalice find that, next to submission to the Will of God, nothing
eases our sufferings more than your charity and goodness. The death of our virtuous Sister Mary of St. Martha
was all the more painful for me because it was so unexpected.(2) I loved that dear daughter very specially
because of her lively faith and her truly enlightened, generous love for God. Her views were single-minded, and
I cannot tell you how much she had applied herself to the practice of the holy presence of God. Under an
unassuming and relaxed exterior she hid qualities that were far from common. Well, the Lord has led her home
from her exile. Ah, I have no doubt she is praying for the success of your work! How grateful I am to you for the
kindness you have lavished on our dear sisters in their grief.
Here now is my own grief, that of seeing them overburdened with work and difficulties. In accordance
with your request, I am hastening to send the two sisters you wanted. As soon as your valued letter arrived, I
immediately sent a message to the bishop's residence to obtain the agreement of our worthy prelate who, like
ourselves, wishes to do everything possible that could be helpful to the bishop of Metz, to whom I beg you to
convey our humble and submissive regards. Please accept for yourself the same tributes of gratitude with
which I remain, Reverend Vicar General,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. According to the postmark.
2. M. of St. Martha Martin died in Metz on November 18, 1834.
248
Letter 175
Assistant, Metz
L.J.M.
From our Mother House, 24th [November 1834]
To our beloved M. of St. Angela,
The Lord had done great things in Mary, and how he has helped you through her intercession, my good
and dearly beloved daughter. In the three months you have been in Metz you have consoled me and dried my
tears. Keep up your courage, good and faithful servant, you will enter into the joy of your Lord! Cultivate the
vineyard the Lord has committed to your care. Persevere, my daughter, in the tasks that holy obedience has
entrusted to you. We are sending you our very dear M. of St. Gabriel to be mistress of the work and a general
help to you.(1) I hope all this will turn out well and console you in the loss of your holy companion.(2) Oh my
God, how I mourn her loss, but fiat! Victims for the holy work, are they not to be expected! May the Lord
sustain you! Our Agatha (3) is doing very well, and M. of St. Xavier (4) is everything to her; they are always
together, and this must be a great consolation to you, my dear child. Be therefore very holy and humble, my
Angela!
I particularly recommend to you the great virtue of humility after the example of our Divine Master. I am,
in his Heart,
Your Mother who loves you,
B.B.G.
Metz.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Tell our dear little ones that I love them very much, help our good M. of St. Maurice to feel at home in
M. of St. Gabriel Vimembre joined the Metz community with M. of St. Maurice Ménard.
M. of St. Martha Martin.
Agatha Desvigneaux who became M. of St. Ambrose. See letter 153, October 17, [18341, footnote 1.
M. of St. Francis Xavier Mathieu, who was professed on March 25, 1833.
249
Letter 176
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
[From our House of the Good Shepherd,
November 24, 1834] (1)
We embrace and greet you affectionately, my beloved daughters. Let us give thanks to God! The
bishop of Poitiers has just sent his letter of support. (2) Now we are awaiting that of your own very dear and
venerable prelate.
1. These few lines were added to the death notice of M. of St. Martha Martin.
2. The letter giving his assent to the generalate.
250
Letter 177
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
Feast day of the great St. Francis Xavier, 3rd [December 1834]
Jerusalem, praise your God!
We sent for the post early this morning and at last your letter has arrived, my dear daughters. Oh, if you
only knew how worried we were: first of all about both of you, for I knew you were grieving and exhausted, but
also about our dear travelers. (1) St. Francis has dried my tears on his feast day. May the Lord bless your
mission and your untiring devotion. Look after your health, for God's designs are to be accomplished through
you.
What consolation to hear that your holy bishop has written favorably [about the generalate] to our
bishop. Your loyalty in writing to Rome has given us great satisfaction. Much good will come out of it. Ah, if all
our daughters had been that faithful, they would have spared us many tears and, more important still, what
glory they would have given to God! Reading about the death and funeral of our M. of St. Martha moved us to
tears. I too feel that she was a victim for the work of the generalate, the first professed sister to die. Oh, how
mysterious are the designs of God! Courage!
Our hearts were filled with admiration and gratitude when we read in your letters about M. Chalandon's
devotedness and all the donations you have received. I am worried about your health, however, my good and
beloved St. Sophie, take some refreshing baths. And M. of St. Angela, try to take something to settle your
stomach. Both of you have been drained by overwork. But, my dear daughters, God will be your strength and
the harvest will surely be plentiful. We are constantly mindful of the prospect. The foundation of Poitiers, too, is
very promising. After many sorrows, the Lord will wipe away our tears. Are our dear Gabriel and St. Maurice
well rested? Now for a few words to them. How are you doing in your new mission? Your labors for the glory of
God are going to be our crown also, for we form only one Heart in Jesus Christ, our divine Spouse.
We have been very worried recently. Our dear and precious assistant has just suffered a serious
stroke. Ah, how concerned we all were! We prayed ceaselessly for her. Please do likewise, my beloved
daughter, her loss would be terrible indeed, as you know. We must trust that the Lord will be moved by our
entreaties.
Give us some news of your dear selves, and be assured of my most tender attachment in the love of
the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
1. M. of St. Gabriel Vimembre and M. of St. Maurice Ménard left Angers for Metz on November 18, 1834,
to join the two sisters there.
251
Letter 178
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
It is indeed heart to heart, my beloved St. Sophie, that mine speaks to your so faithful one. After God, it
is your devotedness that comforts me.
Alas, my dear daughters, how deeply the refusal of the bishop of Metz to write to Rome in support of
the generalate has grieved us. It was the only letter missing and we had promised that it would be forthcoming.
O my God, we submit to this new cross. M. Dufêtre had sent me word that he was sure to achieve his ends.
Oh, the Lord will be with us. He will accomplish his designs, my beloved daughters.
Take care of your health, you are dearer to me than all human promises. The day before yesterday I
said we had M. Chalandon's assurance that all was going well and that the bishop had written [to support our
cause] as we desired; alas, the very next day everything was reversed! Our hearts are submissive yet not
discouraged. I will write again to dear M. of St. Gabriel and to St. Maurice, whose letters were a great joy. I
embrace them as well as our beloved M. of St. Angela and you, my cherished daughter, three times over.
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
252
Letter 179
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
Lord, I have put my trust in you, and I have not been confounded
We have prayed, my faithful daughter, but the most Blessed Virgin and you have worked hard. The
bishop of Metz has written a much more consoling letter regarding the generalate, and although he is not yet in
full agreement he is more amenable. Continue to pray. Ah, my daughter, how wonderfully crosses increase our
faith. We remain unceasingly at the feet of the most Blessed Virgin. A profound silence reigns everywhere,
each one is offering herself, sacrificing herself; the works of mercy multiply. We have eighty penitents, whose
behavior is admirable. Our dear Magdalens are praying for you and constantly asking for news of you.
Our postulants from Metz are very well. The elder of the two sisters is really talented (1) (in confidence I
can tell you she is a choir sister and that we are going to educate the younger one). You have judged Mlle
Lahausse perceptively; she is actually quite outstanding and obedient. We hope gradually to correct her
tendency to talk about herself and what she is doing, which makes recreations tedious. You know, my dear
child, that such is not our spirit, nor is it yours. Justine and the German sister are charming. Try to send another
five and with yours alone you will make up the generalate.
Our father de Neuville is very affected by your departure. We never expected him to feel it so much but
it is obvious from little remarks. Our sisters assure him your heart is in Angers, and I tell him he will see you
back here again, but your leaving still hurts this dear father. Oh, he is so kind, so tender-hearted! He continues
to bestow gifts on us, as does our good mother d'Andigné, who embraces you.
What can I tell you about our sisters? They all cherish you dearly. M. of St. Vincent is a true friend to
you, she is making great progress in virtue. And you, my daughter, how is your health? Are you better and more
at case? Later, you will have two other companions, but in that small house there are enough of you for now.
Tell me, what do you think about it? For if our sisters were not sufficiently occupied it could be trying for them in
such limited space. In any case, we will never leave you in difficulty. I could certainly never do that? Oh, no!
Our dear assistant is a little better but not yet recovered. Pray for her and for the one who is, in the love
of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, most devotedly,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Annette and Anna Michelet, both of whom entered on November 8, 1834.
253
Letter 180
Superior, Grenoble
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers, December 8,1834]
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
Oh, my beloved daughter, certainly our hearts arc still far from being full of joy. Yours is suffering and
so is mine: fiat! Let us pray. It was only today that your dear and long-awaited letter arrived. The one from your
bishop to ours is hardly favorable towards the generalate; on the contrary, he praises the older houses (1) and
sympathizes with them. Our holy prelate has written to him again. We await his reply, prostrate between the
vestibule and the altar. Ah, my good M. of St. Louis, save the Work!
I had written some months ago to your esteemed prelate asking for his help, and he had replied most
favorably. Then, I left it to our worthy bishop to make the next move. St. Louis, please do everything you can.
Send the two postulants immediately! I fully approve of your not establishing a novitiate. As soon as they arrive
here, our dear sisters will set out. I have no tourières. Perhaps you could find a suitable one in Grenoble. If not,
let me know through your two postulants, and with God's help we can look here in Angers, but it would be less
costly to find one locally. Oh, how we share your labors! As soon as our children arrive here, the sisters will set
out. They are eager to go, if the bishop of Grenoble does not stand in the way of the generalate. But, they tell
me that if the house is to be autonomous, they would rather die than leave here. But I know you will speak
when the time is right. Now, my dear daughter, you are to send all postulants here until a second novitiate is
established in accordance with the Brief, possibly in two or three years' time, so that the daughters of the
generalate imbibe the same spirit from the very beginning.
I am writing to you in haste, my good and beloved daughter, please write to the Cardinal as the other
two houses have done; this would bear witness to the strength of our unity. Goodbye, once more. 0 God, what
joy when I will see you; no, my dear, dear daughter, there will be no scolding but rather loving consolation. I well
understand what you are going through with your dear flocks, but if your holy bishop would allow himself to be
convinced, our trials would be over. Hold firm, with God you can do all things. Our sisters embrace you
cordially. I am, with the most tender attachment,
Affectionately yours in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
I shall write again in two days' time. You have done well to place St. Rose (2) in charge of your work
projects. I love you, goodbye, my daughter, goodbye. May the Lord help you.
1. Houses of Our Lady of Charity. 2. M. of St. Rose Bioteau.
254
Letter 181
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
[From our Monastery of Angers] December 9, [1834]
The one who combats will be crowned.
Our beloved superior, assistant, Heart of Jesus, St. Bernard, St. Rose, M. of the Cross, it is indeed
time, my dear daughters, for us to do battle.(1) We are in prayer on the mountain top and we rely on the total
faithfulness of you who are down in the plain. O God, how we beseech you, my dear daughters, to be true to
the holy Work, while humbly imploring the Lord to assist you with his divine Spirit. You have asked us to send
you sisters. All of us long for the day when we can fly to your help. However, if you could only soften the heart
of your holy bishop and secure his agreement for Rome, everything could be settled at once and you would
have as many sisters as our beloved M. of St. Louis requested. She seems to be overworked and in poor
health, which grieves us deeply. The foundation is very dear to us, and we are anxious to help in every way
possible. We are writing, as you suggested, to the bishop of Grenoble, begging and pleading for his support in
the holy Work, and assuring him of all the assistance we can give. Endeavor, my dear daughters, to help your
Mother House, demonstrate openly your true feelings for the Work. How many souls will be saved by the dear
generalate, but the foundation stones of this structure will be carved in tribulation and sorrow. The bishop of
Grenoble is so manifestly pleased with your achievements that we cannot congratulate you enough, while
beseeching you to take the greatest care of the children (2); believe me, it is most rewarding. As for our dear
repentant sheep, (3) oh, I have no need to recommend them to their good Mothers, therein lies our holy
vocation, and I know you love them tenderly.
We cherish you also in the heart of Jesus Christ. I am, in his love, with the most tender attachment, my
beloved daughters, Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
I enclose, my good St. Louis, a copy of the letter we are writing to the bishop. Read and then burn it,
without letting him know that you have seen it.
1. This is an official letter addressed to the superior and sisters of the Chapter, in accordance with the
Rule. In it she refers to efforts to secure Bishop de Bruillard's approval of the generalate which is
needed for Rome's deliberations concerning it.
2. The orphans' class.
3. The penitents' class.
255
Letter 182
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
The Lord has chosen you as his own.
Yes, undoubtedly, my daughter, the Lord has chosen you and blessed you with such zeal for the holy
Work that you fill our hearts with consolation. Yesterday, Saturday, we longed to hear from you and prayed to
the most Blessed Virgin to let us have news of our beloved foundation of Metz. Then your long letter arrived.
What joy! Kindly thank M. Chalandon for the letter he so kindly wrote and offer him our grateful regards. I know,
my very dear daughter, that your sole aim is to win him over to us, against whom he is now prejudiced. I deeply
appreciate your loyalty, it furthers God's designs. As for the house, we are still of the same opinion. Try not to
have any names on the contract except those of the sisters, that was our downfall in Le Mans. I will keep you
fully informed of everything. We will come to a suitable understanding, my daughter, between ourselves on the
amounts to be repaid. We would rather borrow for you in Angers; you will also have gifts and benefactions. We
will help you with the interest until all is repaid. Everything will turn out well through prayer and union. Weprefer to turn down requests for foundations, which in spite of everything are still being addressed to us, can
you believe it? O, the designs of God! But it is much better to organize and consolidate the three foundations
already established. It is certain that, after God, the generalate is in the hands of our sisters; everything
depends on their fidelity and steadfastness. Ah, my daughter, I strongly encourage you to enlist the help of the
Jesuits in these matters! Speak to them openly: if you only knew how supportive they are of the holy Work!
We will welcome your dear postulant with great joy, whenever you can send her; please tell her so. M.
of St. Louis is likewise sending two, and I also have two other promising ones from Angers who will come on
the first of the year. Our Angela knows them. They are the Sorin sisters, (1) reportedly most upright and from a
well-to-do family. The good Lord is helping us with everything.
We are overjoyed regarding the donations you are receiving: 800 francs from the Ladies of the
Visitation, how wonderful. Goodbye, my very dear daughters, as well as St. Gabriel and St. Maurice, may the
Lord ever bless and keep all four of you, to our great consolation! Be assured of our deep affection in the love
of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
Now that my letter is finished, yours has arrived, my daughter. We agree to buy all that is available, but
we will get help, my daughter; you know my position, you are faithful, that is enough for Me.
1. Jeanne Sorin entered alone on January 5, 1835. She received the holy habit and the name of Mary of
St. Simon on February 3, 1835.
256
Letter 183
Assistant, Metz
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, December 14, [1834]
May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you, my good St. Angela. Fortunately you wrote
me a short note yesterday, otherwise I was going to scold you for your long silence. If you but knew, my dear
daughter, how delighted we are to receive your letters! Our faithful foundations, 0 God, are our only
consolation! Try at least in these early days to write a note every Sunday. I would also like you to send your
New Year greetings to Poitiers and Grenoble, give evidence of your commitment to our union and to the
generalate. Mention the wonderful blessings you have received, the candidates you have sent to us, etc. What
a long list of tasks to be accomplished, as one would expect from my assistant of Metz, who should be a pillar
of the Work. She must exert herself. What you say in your note gives me so much pleasure. Ah, my daughter,
may the Lord preserve you in this perfect devotedness to your Mother House, together with our dear M. of St.
Sophie, whom we cherish, and your two companions. Goodbye, goodbye, but always yours, affectionately in
the love of Our Lord.
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
257
Letter 184
To Sister M. of St. Sophie LAVOYE
Superior, Metz
L.J.M.
My letters were finished by the time yours arrived. We thank God that the bishop of Metz is yielding to
our entreaties, helping us by giving his approval. (1) We humbly thank him and also M. Chalandon for his kind
and sincere interest. Please give them our most respectful regards.
We commend to your prayers, my dear daughters, the document that we are sending at once, desiring
only the glory of God, the salvation of souls, your peace and sweet consolation, which mean more to me than
anything else. Our sisters send their greetings and tender affection. Have no doubt about mine, in the love of
the Holy Hearts,
I remain your wholly devoted,
B.B.G.
1. Bishop Besson of Metz advised Bishop Montault of Angers that he had decided in favor of the
generalate.
258
Letter 185
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
Jerusalem, praise your God!
My very honored and beloved daughter,
The recent news from your dear Sion inspires us ever more to praise our God. Your letters are such a
joy in the midst of our labors and your foundation dries our tears. O God, how dear you are to us, my dear
daughters, and how close to our hearts is your flock!
There is no need to send us anything for the material; it gives us such pleasure to oblige you and to aid
your holy bishop out of gratitude. Ah, if only we could get a place for you to settle!
This week, we have had a heavy cross to bear which prevented my writing in greater detail to you,
being beset with sorrow and work. Our dear and admirable assistant had several attacks which caused us great
worry, a seizure, a fever. Ah, my dear daughter, pray God to spare us this bitter chalice. All of us are doing our
utmost to touch the heart of Our Lord through that of his divine Mother.
Goodbye, again. The doctor is just leaving, having found some improvements in our dear patient. I will
give you news of her again in two days' time. All of us love and greet you warmly.
Always your devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
How touched our sisters and I are: your letter to the Cardinal will do much good, for it is inspired by God through
love and holy obedience. Oh, have courage!
259
Letter 186
Superior, Poitiers
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
Here is the place of my repose!
My very dear and ever more loved Sister,
Talking and writing to you are quite literally a sweet repose for me. Your foundation and its progress are
the delight of my heart. We have just received your last letter and are reading it with tears of joy and endless
gratitude to God. Ah, my daughter, could we fail to recognize the miracles that are happening in Poitiers?
Would that not be the most flagrant ingratitude? So many blessings, one after the other, twenty sheep, the hope
of a house! And all our hearts belong to you, what union, what charity! You are faithful, oh yes, but, you are
dearly loved in return, all of you, my dear daughters, be assured of our most affectionate regards.
Ah, how happy I am that our good M. of the Holy Innocents is better, poor child, she is very dear to us.
And your tourière? Are you pleased with her? I want you to look after yourself, my daughter, so drink a little of
this old wine. It would make me so happy to see you well again.
And our dear St. Dosithea, how ill she is; give her something every morning. While not fully recovered,
our good Mother Assistant is better, but she no longer enjoys that robust health you knew, fiat! We are looking
after her and cherish her. Our other sisters are keeping up and like yourselves bring us many consolations. M.
of St. Augustine and St. Vincent (1) are wonderful and you would hardly recognize them; indeed they are no
longer young sisters, and I could say the same of the others. Oh, my daughter, what a retreat they made, you
would have been very touched. God is blessing them in every way: your St. Vincent will have her eighty sheep
by tomorrow and never a single complaint or fuss. Her three helpers are really holy. Your sisters in Metz follow
your example in everything: the same spirit, the same commitment to their house, admirable simplicity and
obedience, they are respected and loved. The greatest regard is shown to our Institute.
The funeral of our beloved daughter, M. of St. Martha, was a triumph for the Congregation: she was
buried like a princess! The candidates they sent us are truly excellent. We are thinking of giving them the holy
habit with five lay sisters; that would make ten altogether. What do you think, my daughter? They are delightful.
We hear you saying, yes, do we not?
As for Grenoble, it is causing us more trouble ... these days I have been writing non-stop. Their bishop
is supportive of the Work, yes, but at the price of concessions we cannot grant. I have just written to him again.
Ah, we are not going to repeat the mistakes made in Le Mans, oh, no! M. of St. Louis certainly has the best of
intentions, but through mistaken zeal she acts impetuously and we find ourselves in the position of having to
refuse the sums of money she requests and, what's more, four additional sisters. Had she delayed the repairs,
she could have paid part of the cost of acquiring the property. We have promised to help out with the interest
but we cannot do more than that. She has almost three Classes, which is too much. St. Helen is beyond
reproach, but she worries when she sees her ecclesiastical superiors over-dependent on Angers and
requesting unrealistic privileges. St. Louis sometimes yields too easily. Poor child; she means well but, without
complaining, I am sharing everything openly with you; as a councillor and mother of the Work, nothing will be
kept from you.
Providing two lay sisters is going to cause a problem for us, because we do not have enough professed
sisters of this rank, and before the Brief comes from Rome we do not want to send novices to Grenoble. Were it
for you in Poitiers, I would certainly send two, but so far away and to a house with so little space! What is to be
done? My dear daughter, will you please let me have your opinion?
260
Madame d'Andigné sends you loving and tender greetings. All our sisters would wish to be
remembered by name to each one of you, so much do they love you.
Monsieur de Neuville and our chaplain are more and more interested in you. Everyone praises God and
congratulates you. I have not given you much news of the house: its progress is almost miraculous. It is a
Mother House chosen by God himself, where he pours out torrents of grace. Both our chaplains seem to be
enthusiastic and are becoming increasingly attached to the generalate. Spiritual and temporal benefits abound.
I am overwhelmed.
Now, you are the only one to whom I am disclosing this in confidence, in total secrecy: someone came
to the parlor asking for me and donated 3,000 francs. I am very moved. Between ourselves, it was Madame de
Montiron, a soul hidden in God. You tell me everything, my dearest daughter; I will share everything with you.
Our good assistant is giving us 2,000 francs more than the usual amount, and Mademoiselle de Boutigny is
giving 500 francs.
Let us praise the Lord, oh yes, my dear and beloved daughters! I am, in his Heart and in that of our
divine Mother,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Vincent Comet, first Mistress, and M. of St. Augustine Fouquet, bursar.
261
Letter 187
To Sister Mary of the Holy Innocents LE MOU
Poitiers
L.J.M.
Sunday [about December 17, 1834]
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
You long for God, my daughter, do you not? He is the source of true consolations, he alone sweetens
the exile of this life. Therefore, stand firm in his service, love him with a love that is tender, be the support of
your Mother House, pray for it and for the foundations. Ah, my daughter, how badly we need those prayers.
See, we have Rome and Saumur coming our way, but are we truly virtuous and led by the Spirit of God? Act
therefore with the purest of intentions. Look after your health, my poor child. I do not approve of your going
without necessary nourishment, it is much better to say what would do you good. I am sure you are going to be
moved when you hear the story of our dear and beloved daughter. I am happy to tell you that everything is on
the increase here, that there are great conversions. She will talk to you about the Classes, and everything is in
order now. Goodbye, my dear daughter, be assured of my tender affection in the love of the Holy Hearts of
Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
262
Letter 188
Vicar General, Metz
Very Urgent
L.J.M.
House of the Good Shepherd, Angers, December 18, 1834
We received your precious letter dated December 11. We appreciate more and more your fatherly
devotedness and cannot thank the Lord enough for having placed you at the head of this holy Work. We are
also deeply grateful for the way in which you presented our case to your holy prelate. Our own venerable
bishop came here yesterday to give us the consoling news of the letter your bishop had written to him, fulfilling
his hopes and ours.
In response to your wishes and those of our dear family in Metz, we are honored to send you the power
of attorney that you requested. I am writing in haste so as not to keep you waiting even a single day longer.
I am, with deep respect, Reverend Vicar General,
263
Letter 189
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
Let us praise the mercies of the Lord!
My beloved and faithful daughter,
All of you have fought the good fight; and what great joy your letter, received this morning, brought us.
We do not know yet what your holy bishop is going to write to us, but from God and yourselves, my dear
daughters, we are expecting everything. As soon as his letter arrives, we will write to you again, and our dear
sisters will set out, we hope, on January 5 or 6. I am mentioning the 6th, because I would like to have a little
note about what you, dear M. of St. Helen, and our sisters wish us to send by the same post. Count on our
deep affection and tell us, my dear daughters, what it is that you would like; but we will have to be careful of the
Angers purse if Mother St. Louis puts her hand into it! I can see you laughing, my wonderful daughter, but if you
win over the good holy bishop, you shall have a pouch with 1,500 francs; you will find it hidden at the bottom of
our traveller's trunk. Our Council sisters say they prefer to work day and night, so you are sure to get them, my
dear daughter, and for our loved and faithful assistant some sweetmeats for her fever. My God, how I grieve,
knowing she is ill. Well, at last, you will have some help, my dear daughters, and our Helen will be able to leave
the Class and assist you with everything.
How I wish you had not taken out a loan, you would owe that much less, and the rest could have been
taken care of later. Now, my dearest daughter, please draw up on official paper an agreement, (1) showing that
the property belongs to two of you and two of us and that the funds have been given to you, so that the
foundation belongs to the house of Angers. That is how we are doing it in Metz. We were very amused at your
idea and said: Oh, that is just like St. Louis! Nobody will get anything from her; she will give neither her cow nor
her donkey, they would all leave! Alas, if only our disloyal sisters in Le Mans had done likewise. We have
learned since that they would never have been allowed to leave, but no, they sold everything and broke away.
May God bless them! It is our only affliction. In Poitiers, in Grenoble and in Metz, there is not a single traitor.
With what consolation we will welcome your two dear postulants, the first fruits of your labors. They will
be joined by a third one at Roanne when they are passing through. Goodbye, my dearly beloved daughters,
goodbye. It is almost time for the post, and we need a letter listing the small items you would like me to send
you. If we hear from your prelate, we will write to you at once. Oh, how we are going to pray! 0 God, the
bishops of Poitiers and of Metz are so favorable. Everything will work out, let us pray and trust in the Hearts of
Jesus and Mary.
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
Your letter about Rome was perfect! I embrace our Augustine. (2) Let her continue to pressure the
bishop. We would very much like to have his agreement before the departure of our sisters, for that might help
to make up his mind.
1. On stamped paper. The purchase would involve an annuity, the property would thus belong to four
sisters.
2. M. Augustine, the tourière sister.
264
Letter 190
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
To our beloved Superior and Assistant,
May your Will not mine, be done, O my God!
The post this morning brought me new proofs of your devotedness, which is already so well known to
us. We have not yet received the letter from your worthy prelate. He is quite free, of course, to give or withhold
his approval to Rome [for the generalate] for, alas, he does not owe us anything; it is a favor we are asking of
him. But I feel he may refuse us; it would be a fresh trial that we would want to bear alone, but you would be
grieved and this in turn would cause me sorrow. You are well aware, my dearly loved sister, that it would
considerably hold back our affairs and delay our sending sisters and funds we were intending to give you even
at the cost of badly constraining ourselves. Once again, therefore, we must be content with paying only the
interest [for you]. Such uncertainty, along with 10,000 francs that we have already spent on this work, would
place us in a very embarrassing situation. We remain nevertheless submissive to the most holy Will of God.
We beg of you, my beloved sisters, not to undertake more work than you can manage, do not overload
yourselves. We are ourselves overwhelmed by the constant requests on all sides for more sisters. But we are
waiting prudently. Now that we have submitted our case to Rome for a generalate, not to act accordingly would,
I think, be lacking in character and integrity. We just cannot behave in that way. Let us pray and have patience
a little longer. I really would not have written to you today but have hastened to do so since I am afraid that
delaying the 1,500 francs would force you to borrow the entire sum. Poor M. of St. Louis, and our ailing St.
Helen, you have had so much to endure, but also much merit.
Here in our Mother House we are enjoying such a sweet peace but, alas, we lack one treasure, the
cross, without which we are not enriched. Should God permit that your holy bishop be favorable toward us, we
would write to you that very day. I am also touched by the loyalty of good Augustine. We are thinking of sending
her a helper and, furthermore, of paying the traveling expenses of a companion, for she herself has nothing but
her trousseau. She is an excellent candidate, pious, gentle, strong, hard-working. I feel it would be good to
bring her in so that you will have some help when M. Augustine is no longer in Grenoble. She is very intelligent.
Well, all four will set out if your prayers and mine are heard.
I share in your crosses and your tears, awaiting the bishop's reply. How many times, I am reminded:
You wanted this foundation, accept the suffering that goes with it. Alas, my beloved sisters, how true that you
and I have suffered martyrdom for it. Still, I am convinced that Rome will not refuse us, but the delay is holding
up the work and the bishop refuses the release of any funds until everything has been decided. (1) It is true, my
very dear daughters, that my suffering is all the greater because the Cardinal had said: Ask your bishop to have
everything in Rome by November and all will be settled. Father Fulgence, who was in Rome at the time, told
me: If I had received the letters of approval from the bishops, I would have brought you the Brief from Rome.
But, fiat, let us keep our peace of soul. I am sure of you, the place is ours. Thus, my daughter, God will give the
victory, but much later.
Such are the ways of the Lord. We have just refused a foundation because it was far removed from the
city. It would have cost us nothing, however, and the bishop was ready to give his full protection. Is it not
heartbreaking? My dear daughter, do not pressure your worthy prelate any further; it would be of no use and,
between ourselves, I do not believe that M. Teston is on our side. Fiat. Moreover, the bishop of Grenoble has
been worried, for in his very kind letter to me he wrote: "It will be very welcome news when I hear that the Holy
265
Father has sanctioned the generalate." He appears to be fully supportive. I have kept his precious letter. I have
spoken to M. of St. John of the Cross (2) about Grenoble all the more eagerly since, before God, I am as sure
of her as I am of both of you; not that I was thinking she could actually help out with your works. Oh no, her
health is pitifully poor, and her pain so bad that she is no longer even able to sweep a cell nor help in the pantry
as she cannot raise her right arm. But where sound advice and true virtue are concerned, she is excellent.
When I spoke to her about leaving here, she seemed inconsolable, saying it was a matter of conscience, that
she had sacrificed everything in Le Mans: peace, rest, health. Believe me, St. Louis, the thought of going is
extremely repugnant to her. She studies from morning till night, is learning a little German, and believes that the
good God is calling her to set up a foundation outside France. I am telling you all this because she has
mentioned it to others. Certainly, she has told us that she would die of grief had she been asked to start the
Class in Metz.
I waited again this morning for the post. Goodbye, another cross, the tourière sister has just thanked
me and has gone off to the Renfermés.(3) M. Therese has left. What is to be done? Well, my daughter,
courage! I am going to be working at it night and day to provide a sister for you. I am hurrying to finish this letter
and get it stamped. I remain, in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Your affectionate,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
times.
We have another young lady whom I believe you will find suitable. Goodbye, I embrace you a thousand
1. The bishop of Angers refused to allow Mary Euphrasia to send money or sisters to her foundations
before approval for the generalate was received from Rome.
2. M. of St. John of the Cross David.
3. This may refer to a house directed by the Sisters of Charity, St. Mary's, known as the "House of the
Enclosed."
266
Letter 191
POITIERS
L.J.M.
The virtuous share in the immortality of God
Three days ago we had the tender consolation of receiving news of you through your kind superior. Her
cordial charity tempers our separation for our hearts are constantly united with yours, and then we correspond
on such a regular basis. Indeed, my dear daughters, you have been my consolation throughout the year, and I
recall with joy the days I spent in your midst. Since that delightful time there have been many crosses and
tribulations, the very thought of which breaks my heart. You have shared our crosses, which were also yours. I
want to make it up to you this year, when we hope your dear tribe of Poitiers will flourish. We beseech the Lord
to provide healthy premises for you and your dear flock, which Our Lady of Fourvière will make as numerous as
the stars in the sky. I know that our dear sisters intend to send you a long community letter, but I want to be the
first to embrace you and wish you all countless graces. I have each of you in my heart by name, my dear
daughters, and also our two good tourières.
Here at the center everything is peaceful; after the most awful storm we are experiencing profound
calm. In their attempt to destroy us, they have established us. The crosses have made us invincible and truly
torrents of blessings are showered on us: candidates, houses, fresh benefactions, gifts of all kinds, admirable
regularity, interior joy, silence, peace. Ah, my dear daughters, how wonderful are God's designs! This morning
there were eighty of us in the religious habit, some shed tears of joy; 1, too, was very moved.
We had ten receive the habit, all charming. Our sisters will tell you all about it. What I so admire is the
union and religious silence prevailing everywhere. Oh God, my very dear daughters, let us persevere in this
excellent spirit. If you only knew how much our sisters love you! We often read passages from your letters to
the novitiate. We have just read one from Metz which touched all hearts. I could never tell you everything our
sisters have done to uphold the generalate; without it, they preferred even to come back here, I scarcely can
believe it. In this way they won the esteem of their [ecclesiastical] superiors who marveled at such loyalty. Their
holy bishop wrote again to our own bishop a masterpiece of a letter in favor of the generalate. Good Shepherd
will give you all the details.
Mary,
I must finish now but remain, in the love of Our Lord, closely united in the Holy Hearts of Jesus and
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
267
Letter 192
Superior, Poitiers
L.J.M.
From our Monastery of Angers, midnight,
December 24, 1834
The Lord has rebuilt Sion, he has manifested his glory!
Surely the glory of the Lord is manifested in the dear foundation of Poitiers, which is the joy of Sion, the
triumph of the cross, of mercy, and of love.
Your zealous bishop will be forever remembered by us, oh yes, my daughter, we will pray for him and
bless his name. His circular letter is perfect, we have been touched and delighted by it, and by his many
kindnesses. How precious, too, are your very generous benefactresses: Madame Sauvestre, Madame
Bouchard and Madame de la Sayette! Please convey to them my heartfelt gratitude and my prayers that I,
unworthy as I am, offer for them before the altar of God. It is there also that I venture to pray for you, my
beloved daughter, and for all our very dear sisters. My God, how virtuous they should be for so holy a work and
to lighten your burdens. I am deeply impressed by their perfection.
M. of St. Dosithea, my dear child, strive with all your strength for holiness, love the good God, be a
model of virtue! You have, with our good M. of St. Arsène, the most noble of missions. My good Heart of Mary
and Holy Innocents, be my consolation, continue, my very dear daughters, to give yourselves to the holy work
be its glory.
Oh yes, I bless and cherish all of you. Our worthy assistant, our professed sisters and our novices,
Monsieur de Neuville, Madame d'Andigné, our chaplain, everyone, our shepherds and flocks, shepherdesses
and lambs, all greet, embrace and love you as ourselves, no, more than ourselves! My daughters, you are dear
to us, and I am keenly aware of it.
The bishop of Angers is coming today to read the circular and hear your letters, my beloved sister. He
is so pleased with your mission! Oh, he is counting on it that the superior will not be changed. My plan is to
encourage your zeal, to form good sisters for you, yes, that is what I propose to do!
A little word for your good tourière, take the second one to help you but not the very talkative one; we
want a capable girl, one who is prepared to learn. M. de la Rochemonteix is quite right to forbid talking by the
grilles of the enclosure. How wise he is!
Regarding lay postulants who have only 100 or 200 francs, my dear daughter, do not accept them. We
have others who would be more to your advantage and are excellent besides. As for the young girls of the
preservation class, we will accept them with great pleasure. This establishment is prospering, it is God's own,
and yours and mine, my dear daughter.
Good Shepherd (1)will give you all the news; she has charge of the journal. Poor child, she is self-sacrificing to
help me. Her flock is thriving. We will send you the money belonging to our good tourière with your Directories. I
do not know anything for certain about Grenoble. M. of St. Louis writes so little. Ah, what a foundation of
suffering!
Goodbye, my dearly loved sister. Believe in the tender and constant affection of your very devoted, in
the Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
268
Letter 193
Assistant in Metz
L.J.M.
The shepherds went away, glorifying God.
Your letter, my dearly beloved daughter, received on Christmas Day, prompts us to join you in glorifying
the Holy Infant Jesus and his Divine Mother, who are certainly showering graces on this dear house of Metz,
the joy of the generalate. O God, my dearest daughter, let us be very faithful, love the Lord, do everything for
his glory. Your sense of peace and cordial unity bring solace to my heart. I am awaiting the letter of our beloved
Sr. M. of St. Sophie, and embrace her in advance. Her dedication is all the dearer to me since it has saved the
work and will pave the way for many other foundations. Please convey to our two other dear sisters our
affectionate greetings. As for you, my dearest daughter, I assure you of my lasting gratitude for the continued
support you have given, with M. of St. Sophie, in securing your bishop's approval and for your absolute
firmness with M. Chalandon, which once again has saved our works. No, I assure you, the details do not bore
me; on the contrary, now that the house is about to be purchased, try to write every eight or ten days until
everything is settled. Oh yes, Divine Providence has favored us, my dear daughter, but all of us will support you
until death. Postpone the payment and try to note the due dates for me; the first installment should be paid by
Metz. Let me know when it falls due and what donations you expect, my dear daughter, we must keep our
business affairs in good order. Here our dear sisters will go to any length so as to help you. They send you their
tender greetings.
Your little children are doing well, we now have sixty-two, and they continue to love you. Monsieur de
Neuville, Madame d'Andigné are very touched by all you are doing and by your devotedness to the Work. They
talk to us about it constantly and sing your praises, as does good Mademoiselle Charbonneau also. (1)
You went to see the house (2) what do you think of it? Doubtless, my beloved daughter, you will have
much to tell us. While awaiting more news of your dear self, I remain, with tender affection, in the love of the
Your very devoted,
M. of St. Euphrasia
B.B.G.
1. Companion to Madame Cesbron de la Roche.
2. The new house they are in the process of buying.
269
Letter 194
Superior, Grenoble
L.J.M.
Taste and see that the Lord is good!
We received your loving good wishes. 0 God, how well I know them already and the devotion of your
hearts which we cherish in the Heart of Jesus. We shall read your letters with great interest when your dear
travelers arrive. Poor M. of St. Louis, you see me in your dreams. Oh, what striking dreams I have had also,
often we were together there in your enclosure, enduring such great labors, all for the Work.
My dear daughters, my St. Helen,(1) you are anxious, (in secret) I am going to comfort you, but let us
be very prudent! Time is passing. We have received wonderful news, so offer more prayers and Communions
and soon we shall be saved. I must say, it is all miraculous: your letter to the saintly Cardinal (2) and the two
from Poitiers and Metz have produced very favorable results. So, I have heard indirectly. Suffice it to say that it
was through a priest, but let us not mention his name.
The bishop of Grenoble has not sent what he had promised, but let us not pressure him any further,
since he is giving his approval to the Work. That is a lot, let us remain strongly united. I think that soon we will
be delivered and you will receive help. We are taken up with weighty matters and writing day and night to
Rome. How satisfied you will all be, my beloved sisters! Have courage, you desire only the will of God. As you
say, can a mother abandon her children? Oh no, I will not abandon you!
I believe, in the holy presence of God, that M. of St. Francis of Assisi (3) would be very suitable as
Mistress of penitents; she is very virtuous and speaks of God and his love most inspiringly. She reads perfectly,
writes well, and is well formed [in 0 our works]. I think you will be very pleased with her and will appreciate her
as we have here since her profession. She is longing to go to help you, and I assure you, my daughter, she has
the spirit of God. Her good health and spirit of mortification will be great assets. I had her in mind to be Mistress
of the Class in Metz, but we will not have any penitents there until the feast of St. John, and in the meantime
others will be formed. Our sisters are going to have a superb house there, oh my God, what marvels!
As for the boarders, my dear daughters, you will have to wait a little longer for some who are capable
and attracted to the work; we are busily forming them from morning to night. You may have what you
requested, and I give permission to use the lighter material. Get it from Lyon, my daughter, we will send 500
francs for that purpose. We will do everything possible to provide the other amount discussed, for it seems to
me that the generalate is assured. Let us act very prudently to ensure our affairs are in order.
Our sisters love you with tender attachment, as I do in the love of the Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
my dear daughters,
Your affectionate,
of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd
B.B.G.
1. M. of St. Helen Baudin, assistant in Grenoble since April 1834.
2. She had written to Cardinal Odescalchi in support of the request to Rome for the establishment of the
generalate.
3. M. of St. Francis of Assisi Cholet, professed October 19, 1834, left for Grenoble in January 1835.
270
Letter 195
France
Diocese of Angers
To His Holiness, our most Holy Father
POPE GREGORY XVI
Rome
[December 30, 1834] (1)
The religious of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, established in Angers, Poitiers, Grenoble,
and Metz, confident that united as one congregation they would more easily reach the goal of their Institute
than if, as the present Constitutions prescribe, they remained isolated and independent;
That a common novitiate would ensure that the same spirit would permeate all the communities,
strengthening the bond of unity among them, and enabling the needs of all to be met more effectively;
That submission to a higher authority by which all would be directed would constitute a means of
continuity and strength for the Institute and would singularly facilitate its development and extension;
That the reappointment of superiors, wisely undertaken so as to prevent abuse and provide due
safeguards and assurances for their charges, would ensure continuity to valuable projects and, above all,
stability to new foundations;
'Re petitioners very humbly beg His Holiness to approve the following amendments to the Constitutions
of their Order:
1. The houses of the religious of Our Lady of Charity, known as the Good Shepherd, founded by the
house of Angers in Poitiers, Grenoble and Metz, as well as others which may be established in the
future, will come under the jurisdiction of the house of Angers as their central mother house.
2. The bishop of Angers will be their [ecclesiastical] superior general, and under his authority they will be
subject to the direction and guidance of the superior of the Angers community, whom they will
acknowledge as superior general.
3. Should the general good of the Institute, or any other serious reason, require the recall or the transfer of
one of the religious in the said houses, the superior of the Angers community may make the necessary
change, with the prior approval of the bishop of Angers. In such circumstances, as in all others, the
superior general will always show the utmost deference to the directives of the diocesan bishops and to
their known wishes.
4. There will be a common novitiate for all the houses of the congregation in the monastery of the Good
Shepherd of Angers. The professed [sisters] will make a vow of obedience to the bishop of Angers, and
may be sent anywhere as required, irrespective of their diocese of origin. However, individual novitiates
may subsequently be authorized by the superior general, should distance and the general good of the
Congregation require it.
5. The superior general shall be elected every six years and may be re-elected indefinitely. The election
will be carried out in accordance with the manner prescribed by the original constitutions. Two
delegates from each local house may participate in person at the mother house, or by forwarding their
voting paper.
6. The local superiors will be appointed by the Council of the Mother House and the superior general, who
may recall them when the general good requires it.
271
7. The said Sisters of Our Lady of Charity agree to adopt the name of Our Lady of Charity of the Good
Shepherd, to wear a blue cord instead of the white cincture, and they wish to add an image of the Good
Shepherd on the silver heart they already wear, if these changes might help in securing the
authorization of the Holy See.
Apart from the above stipulations, the Constitutions of the religious of Our Lady of Charity will continue
to be faithfully observed by the said Congregation of the Good Shepherd.
The houses thus united in one Congregation will preserve religiously the bonds of mutual charity with
those who remain unattached and independent, as befits the daughters of the same Father.
The aforesaid petitioners, humbly prostrate at the feet of His Holiness, earnestly beseech him to grant
his apostolic blessing.
Sister M. of St. Philip Neri Mercier, Councillor
Sister M. of St. John of the Cross David, Councillor
Sister M. of the Good Shepherd Potherie, Councillor
Sister M. Chantal of Jesus, Vve [widow] de la Roche, Assistant
Sister M. of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, Superior
Seen and approved, and the signatures certified by us, Bishop of Angers, December 30, 1834
Charles, Bishop of Angers
1. Letter of the Council of the Mother House, signed by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier and by Charles Montault,
Bishop of Angers.
272
GLOSSARY
ASSISTANT.
A sister designated to aid the superior and to replace her when necessary.
BOARDERS.
Fee-paying adult guests or fee-paying girls placed by their parents for education.
B.B.G.
Blessed be God, used frequently at the end of letters.
BOOKS.
Constitutions, Book of Customs, Directory: books to explain and regulate community
life.
CELL.
Bedroom in a religious house in this era.
CHAPTER.
An official assembly of the community.
CIRCULAR LETTER.
Letters written between the houses of the Institute to share important information and,
at the end of each year, to offer greetings and share news of the year's activities.
CLASS.
The group of penitents, who came voluntarily or were referred by families or civil
authorities to the care of the sisters, was initially referred to as "the Class" or the
"Grande Classe." A second class for orphans and a third class were established later.
Uppercase has been used to refer to the Class to distinguish its meaning from
educational terminology.
CLOISTER.
The part of the house reserved exclusively for the community, officially and
ceremonially designated by the bishop.
COUNCIL.
A small group of sisters elected by the Chapter to aid the superior in the administration
of the community.
CROSS.
The term, cross, used frequently by St. Mary Euphrasia to designate suffering
experienced in the apostolate as well as to refer to the Cross of Jesus.
CURL
The French term is retained to designate the priest in charge of a parish.
DESERT.
Term used in reference to the community of Sisters Magdalens to designate their
cloister.
ECCLESIASTICAL
SUPERIOR..
Priest appointed to represent the bishop for official affairs of a religious community
FOUNDRESS.
Sister Mary of St. Euphrasia Pelletier, frequently abbreviated to Mary Euphrasia or M.
of St. Euphrasia. The terms "foundress" and "founder" are also used for major
benefactors of a new foundation.
FIFTEEN
SATURDAYS..
The devotion of receiving Holy Communion on fifteen consecutive Saturdays
At the time neither religious nor laity received Holy Communion daily.
GENERALATE.
The establishment of the house of Angers as a central house, by which foundations
made by the superior of Angers are under her jurisdiction in order to facilitate the
development and extension of the Work.
L.J.M.
Live Jesus and Mary, frequently used at the heading of a letter.
M., MARY.
The name "Mary" was included in every sister's religious name, often abbreviated to M.
273
M., MONSIEUR.
Title used for a priest rather than "Father" (dating from the time when it was unsafe to
be recognized as a priest). Monsieur or M. is used in the letters by Mary Euphrasia also
for laymen. In the letters, a correct interpretation of M. is determined by the context.
MAGDEALENS.
Original name given by Sister Mary Euphrasia to the contemplative branch of the
congregation that she established.
MISTRESS.
Title given to sisters in charge of the different departments within the house.
MONSEIGNEUR.
The French term is used to refer to a bishop.
OBEDIENCE, THE.
A little ceremony marking the end of the community recreation period.
0. L. OF CHARITY.
Our Lady of Charity.
PENITENTS.
Those who came voluntarily, or were referred by families or civil authorities, to the care
of the sisters. This group was initially referred to as "the Class" and later the "Grande
Classe".
PRESERVATION
CLASS.
For girls needing care on a temporary basis.
PROFESSION.
Receiving a novice for profession meant that, through a vote of the Chapter members,
the novice was allowed to pronounce her vows.
REFUGE.
House of Refuge was used to designate a convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of
Charity. It may also refer to secular houses or places of safety.
RUE (DE).
The French term for "street" has been retained.
SEEP, LAMBS.
Mary Euphrasia used the context of the parable of the Good Shepherd in referring to
those served in the Good Shepherd apostolates, with terms such as lambs, sheep,
sheepfold.
SION.
Mary Euphrasia often referred to the mother house as Sion.
SISTERS.
Choir sisters ("black veils") and lay sisters ("white veils") designate two ranks within
religious communities of the time; tourière (extern) sisters were responsible for the
external business of the community.
SOEURS.
Occasionally the French form for "sisters" has been retained.
SUPERIOR.
The sister in charge of a community. Used also for the ecclesiastical superior, the priest
appointed to represent the bishop for official affairs of a religious community.
TENEBRAE.
Part of the liturgical office for Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
TOURIÈRE.
Extern sister responsible for the external business of the community.
TORN.
Grille or counter between the cloister and external section of the monastery.
WORK, THE.
Mary Euphrasia referred to the apostolate and to the establishment of the generalate
as "the Work," "the holy Work," frequently using uppercase.
274
INDEX TO LETTERS BY ADDRESSEE
Letters
BEDOUET, Sister Mary of St. Stanislaus
BEDOUET, Sister Mary of St. Stanislaus (cont)
13
14
15
16
18
19
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
42
44
45
46
47
48
50
51
52
54
61
63
64
66
68
71
72
74
79
80
81
82
84
86
87
89
94
95
97
98
102
104
106
107
108
109
111
112
114
117
121
125
130
131
135
144
146
148
150
155
158
165
167
168
170
172
185
186
192
[August 1829]
August 21, 1829
October 2, 1829
[undated]
October 1829
December 2, [1829]
[February 9, 1830]
June 22, 1830
August 11, [1830]
[undated, probably August 1830]
13th at noon
[undated, 1831]
[undated, 1831]
[March 25, 1833]
April 19, 1833
April 22, 1833
[Probably April 1833]
[May 6, 1833]
13th [May 1833]
23rd [May 1833]
June 2, 1833
June 18, 1833
November 19, 1833
November 23, 1833
November 27, 1833
December 2, 1833
December 7, 1833
December 8, 1833
December 11, 1833
[December 23, 1833]
December 7, [1833]
[Undated]
January 13, 1834
January 30, [1834]
February 3, [1834
February 16, 1834
February 19, [1834]
February 28, 1834
[Much 25, 1834]
March 25, [1834]
[after Much 24,1834]
March 26, [1834]
March 31, [1834]
April 9, [1834]
[April 15, 1834]
April 19, [1834]
May 4, [1834]
April 7, 1834
May 23, [1834]
May 28, [1834]
June 6, [1834]
June 8, [18341
June 14, 1834
June 17, 1834
[June 28, 1834]
June 29, [1834]
[July 1834]
July 3, 1834
July 10, 1834
July 25, 1834
31st 1July 1834]
August 1834
July 28, 1834
[August 1834]
July 7, [1834]
September 27, 1834
September 28, 1834
October 2, 1834
[October] 1834
October 18, [1834]
[October 21, 18341
November 11, [1834]
November 13, [1834)
[November 16,1834]
[Undated]
[November 1834]
December 14, [1834]
December 17, 1834
24th at Midnight, 1834
BIOTEAU, Monsieur
31
49
October 29, 1831
December 4, 1833
BISHOP OF ANGERS, Monseigneur MONTAULT
43
59
101
119
July 22, 1833
December 31, 1833
June 6, 1834
July 31, 1834
BISHOP OF METZ, Monseigneur BESSON
127
145
275
August 22, 1834
September 28, 1834
CHALANDON, Monsieur
LE MOU, Sister Mary of the Holy Innocents
116
122
124
128
138
163
174
188
133
164
187
July 22, 1834
[August 2, 1834]
August 17, 1834
August 23, 1834
September 11, 1834
[November 10, 18341
[November 23, 18341
December 18, 1834
DEMEUR DE KERIGONAN, Sister M. of St.
Anastasia
9
December 9, 1827
DESVIGNEAUX, Sister Mary of St. Angela
153
175
183
193
October 17, [18341
December 14, [1834]
December 26, 1834
EON, Sister Mary Therese of the Good Shepherd
6
December 12, 1826
JOIN, Sister Mary of St. Paul
20
December 9,1829
LAVOYE, Sister Mary of St. Sophie
132
136
142
149
152
154
156
159
161
162
169
173
177
178
179
182
184
September 2, 1834
September 8, [1834]
[October 1834]
October 17, [1834]
October 18,[1834]
October 23, [1834]
November 1, [1834]
November 9, [1834]
November 10, 1834
November 16, [1834]
November 22, [18341
[December 3, 1834]
December 6, 1834
December 8,1834
December 14,1834
December 14,1834
LE GRAND, Sister Mary of Calvary
30
September 3, [18341
November 11, [1834]
Sunday [About December 17,]
MAYOR of the City of Angers
32
[February 3, 1832]
MONASTERIES of OUR LADY OF CHARITY
11
12
May 1828
December 11, 1828
MONTOIS, Sister Mary of St. Augustine
1
2
3
4
5
7
10
21
26
May 30, 1825
December 16, 1825
April 9, 1826
June 6, [18261
October 21, 1826
February 2, 1827
April 12, 1828
January 25, 1830
December 12, 1830
MOREAU, Monsieur
99
103
May 30, [1834]
June 7, 1834
NEUVILLE, Monsieur de
41
[June 8, 1833]
ODESCALCHI, His Eminence, Monseigneur
166
November 12, 1834
POPE GREGORY XVI, His Holiness
195
[December 30, 1834]
RICHARDON, Sister Mary of the Holy Heart of Jesus
8
May 27, 1831
276
October 27, 1827
ROYNE, Sister Mary of St. Louis
SISTERS of the Community, METZ
56
57
58
62
65
67
69
70
73
75
77
78
83
85
88
90
91
93
100
105
110
113
115
118
120
123
126
129
134
137
140
143
147
151
157
160
171
176
180
181
189
190
194
139
141
Sunday, noon [postmark December 29, 1833]
December 31,1833
January 9, [1834]
January 20, 1834
January 30, [1834]
February 9, 1834]
February 12, [1834]
[February 26 1834]
March 11, 1834
Sunday March 16
[March 19, 1834]
[March 1834)
April 8, [18341
April 15, [1834]
April 21, 1834
[April 27, 1834]
May 2,1834
June 3, [1834]
[June 10, 1834]
June 29, [1834]
July 3, [1834]
July 16, [1834]
July 27, [1834]
[July 311, 1834
August 9, [1834]
[August 21, 1834]
August 25, 1834
September 6, [1834]
September 18, 1834
September 25, 1834
October 1, [1834]
October 14, [1834)
October 28, [1834)
November 3, [1834]
November 19, [1834]
[November 24, 1834]
[December 8, 1834]
December 9, [1834]
December 22,[1834]
December 24, [1834]
December 30,1834
SISTERS of the Community, POITIERS
53
60
76
191
55
October 25, [1829]
SISTERS of the Community, GRENOBLE
92
96
December 23, 1833
December 6, [1833]
March 15, [1834]
December 24,1834
TESTON, Monsieur
SISTERS of the Community of the Good Shepherd,
ANGERS
17
April 29, [1834]
May 22, [1834]
277
278

Volume I

Transcription

Similar documents

Sisters of St. Joseph Vocation Brochure

To Chile and Back - Duluth Benedictines Home

LATE NITE CATECHISM MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS HILARIOUS It will

Coining and Joining: Lightning and Strikes

Knifeworld: Dear Lord, No Deal

Newletter janfeb 04

Holiday Party at The Rinx - Hauppauge School District

In my daughter`s eyes I am a hero I am strong and wise and I know

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR Hospitality a Way to Happiness

Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Live Your Life In