Letter 339. To Mother Anne Marie Rosset

To Mother Anne Marie Rosset, Superior at Bourges. [Paris, 162¹.] Vive > Jésus! May the most merciful Lord be our all! I write to tell you that it is impossible to receive that good lady here.

You know it is for ecclesiastical superiors to give this permission. Now the Cardinal de Retz is not here, and if he were he would not grant it. The consequences would be too grave.

We shall not forget your good mother + when we are at Annecy, and will do all we canfor her comfort. You ought not to doubt this. May God bless your increasing numbers. Believe me, if some good subject offers herself you ought not to refuse her because she has no dowry. It would be a pernicious principle to refuse the poor who are suitable and accept the rich who are less so, and God would not bless your house. If these valiant aspirants have the courage to await my arrival, I will try to gain over the ecclesiastical superiors. My daughter, you should be firmer about spiritual things than about temporal, whatever the world may say. Never will Our Lord fail those who seek first the kingdom of God—that is, spiritual riches. No, dearest daughter, let there be nothing showy nor useless in your building. It should be substantial, of good material, but simple, without ornament, like those of the Capuchin fathers.

Tell your mother to get what she likes for you according to your necessity, but not according to vanity, which you have no right to study. This is the truth of the matter. We have repaid his Lordship of Bourges the thirteen hundred and seventy-seven francs. Send us a receipt for all the money we have received and sent on to you, and we will give you up all your papers.

They tell me that you are always so weakly, that you do too much and eat too little. For the love of God do not follow your inclinations. Under the pretext of virtue we often do our own will. Humble submission is the touchstone and the fine gold of perfection. Submit then without regarding from whom the order comes, or what it is that is prescribed for your relief, and say no more about it.

My very dear daughter, may God bless you and your little flock.

Footnotes

1. Madame de Jars, temporal benefactress. ↩