Letter 312. To Mother Anne Mane Rosset

Superior at Bourges. [Paris, 1621.]

Vive > Jésus!

My dearest Sister.—May our good God guide you and your little flock, whom I singularly love and whose names, I assure you, are imprinted on my heart.

Accept humbly all the alleviations that the Archbishop orders you. You will have given the habit to our good Sister Anne.¹ Before you give it to the other I think it would be well to see that she perseveres somewhat in her good resolutions; nevertheless, I always like to yield to the advice of the good fathers, and I have a very special esteem for the Rev. Father Principal. Salute him for me, and remind him of my miseries, that he may procure for me the assistance of my God.

I have spoken to the Rev. Father Rector. Thecomplaints about the living must come from good Sister I don’t know, but it seems to me the ordinary food suits sisters in health well enough, and as to the infirm, they are provided for according to their needs; nevertheless we must take advice and do all with discretion, while patiently putting up with their prattlings. However, I can bear testimony to this, that throughout all the houses the sisters are in good health and satisfied, and although they may not have better food, one never hears these complaints elsewhere. So much talk of this kind somewhat surprises me. In a word, while doing what is right, you must bear with it all; it will pass. You ought to tell the father so that he may question the sisters, and I am persuaded he will find them satisfied with the exception of Sister ——-. Do this once, and then go your own way, and say boldly that it is a temptation, and that we must keep to our custom, since the food is good and the sisters content, and that when there is need they have all they can wish. Then abide in peace. But consult also the assistant and the counsellors as to what is best to

The good religious could not have meant us in what he said, for we have never constrained the sisters to tell their sins. This has been said for a long time about the Carmelites, but it is no more true of them than of us, and on this point it seems to me that we govern alike. You ought not to doubt that our method is good, since his Lordship approves of it, but it is impossible that all minds should think alike. Experience has taught us the utility of our way and how profitable it is to those who make their interior life known with simplicity; nevertheless we must use great reserve with postulants until love attracts them and gives them confidence. The good Carmelite Mother made no difficulty in telling their methods—which, besides, I am aware that they keep to strictly. In short, my dearest sister, the sisters should always be left absolutely free to mention or not to mention their sins. What the Directory says about speaking to them as to their confession, means only to teach them the proper method and to enlighten and instruct them as to the manner of accusing themselves in regard to such things as they may themselves ask instruction about, so that their confessions may be as clear and as concise as possible. Anything they do not wish to say you must not ask them. Now, if you refer to the twenty-fourth Constitution, you will see that it does not encourage the sisters to tell their secret sins. The Directory is, or ought to be, conformable to that. Inquiries must never be made on this point, but if the sisters themselves mention things it is allowable to help them. I hope through the goodness of Our Lord such innocence and uprightness of soul may be theirs that they will persevere in that simplicity and confidence they have always had, and by which they have progressed so holily. But in what regards their sins they must be left free to say what they wish, without letting them think that you know more about them, trying, nevertheless, discreetly to help them.

If five ounces is not enough, make it six, but you must not exceed that. On Mondays and Wednesdays it would be well to have boiled meat for supper, and soup as at dinner.

For God’s sake, my child, do not be so easily affected. We must take no notice ofall this talk, and go our own way, which, thank God, is a good one. Be joyous, courageous, cordial, open-hearted, and vigilant with your flock; speak freely about everything to Sister Frangoise Gabrielle and make plenty of use of her, both in business affairs and for your own relief. In short, bring her into everything, for she is a good, sensible sister.

Now, my dear child, be very generous, open-hearted, and joyous. May God guide you.

I dearly love our sisters; say a word apart to my little sheep, to her heart and to her mother’s, and a thousand salutations to all our friends.

Footnotes

1. Sister Anne Marie de Lage de Puylaurens. do. I beg of you, my darling, speak freely about everything with them, and do what seems to you in accordance with custom and necessity, as well as what will help to satisfy. This done, let people talk. ↩