Letter 356. To St. Francis de Sales

LETTER 356 To St. Francis de Sales.

[Paris] 7 December, 162¹. Vive > Jésus!

My very dear Father,—May the holy name of God be blessed for all, and may it be specially blessed in that He has been pleased in His goodness to keep you well. M. de la Pesse brought me your dear letters, and I have not seen

LETTER 356 9 him since. Nothing has yet been concluded about Dijon, but the latest letters say that they think all will be settled in eight days. Madame de Boissieux wrote telling them that you wished to send our Sister [Marie Jacqueline] Favre because I could not stir from here. This has caused great commotion, but our dear Archbishop will quiet it down. If we do go I will make good use, please God, of your counsel.

As regards the first President, verily, is not this the natural man? His Lordship of Bourges is looking out for a letter from you to know what your opinion is of his changed position. Give him this consolation, I beg of you, and also console his Lordship of Langres by a letter, for he is so good and has such an esteem and affection for you.

You have only mentioned to me about the entrance of women in trouble; but those who wish for a few days’ retirement to prepare for or further their eternal salvation, can they alsocome? Yes, the Directory for such receptions ought to be apart; we will certainly, please God, see to this. I do not know when we shall get a bound copy of the Rules to send you; I am longing for one.

The sisters do not like M. Duret’s grand-niece. I it was who advised that she should be put off, for I felt convinced that if allowed to come too soon she would, without the smallest doubt, have to be sent away. I offered to receive her in six months, three of which are passed. They are quite mistaken in having any fears about us, for I have always told them that they ought to trust us, as your recommendation will secure her coming. There is no doubt about her being received, but I cannot say that she will persevere, for she is stupid and has but little vocation, unless with years God may increase it. This was my reason for counselling delay.

I shall take care, my very dear Father, not to leave until I have copies of all the letters of instruction that you have written here.

Good Madame Boudeau was no longer living at le Pont when it was burnt, so she had no part in that disaster; but she has been very ill with the spotted fever. She caught it going to the galley slaves with our poor Sister de Gouffier.

Ioo SAINT JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL

I let her know your fatherly anxiety about her. Pére Binet has certainly received your letter, for he sent it to me to read, with an injunction to return it quickly, which I have done, for I at once took a copy of it. He saw our dear Madame de Port Royal again; he is all on her side, and has promised her to win over the other fathers. I fear obstruction from here in regard to her affair at Rome, but so many servants of God approve of her design that God will doubtless obtain it for her. Her good mother and M. d’Andilly will, I think, offer no hindrance, for they are already inclined that way, and her brother [M. d’Andilly] can be of great assistance to her. I advised her to make use of him. He thought he was dying in the army, but is now quite cured, and he has the good Mademoiselle Le Maistre,t thank God. They have obtained permission from Rome always to enter here once a fortnight. Certainly it cannot be allowed until the dear daughter is here, for, without this pretext, there would be great discontent amongst several of our friends who would like to have the same privilege, and this would be a great constraint upon us in Paris.

We must then give the black veil to dear Angélique Lhuillier, who desires it so much. But henceforth, I very humbly beg of you, my dearest Father, to leave nothing to my judgment, unless, of course, it is your wish that I should do so; for, in a word, it is at any rate obedience, and this manner of obeying is the best for me, as I have such a great objection to it, and infinite ease of heart in being simply commanded by you. But, if it can be done, let me have this consolation from the time of my departure from here. Our daughter will, we hope, make her holy profession on the 12th of February; after that it seems to me there is nothing legitimately to keep me here. Oh! I ask God to grant me the grace and the honour always to have His holy will signified to me through you, my very dear Father, and followed and carried out byme. I wish and desire this with all my heart, without reservation, without an ‘ if.’

Now this is the chief thing I have to say. You will

LETTER 356 IOI

You know that Pére Arnoux is no longer with the King.t M. de Luynes sent off Pére Seguiran, S.J., to replace him.

Pray tell me if the entrance of subjects, of which you speak in the first chapter on their reception, is in order to see something of them before giving them an assurance of being received; and that you mean us then to send them away, until such time as, with the advice of the ecclesiastical superior and the counsellors, the superior may have decided upon their entrance into the noviceship. This, I think, would be a good arrangement, but I should like to know if it is what you mean, for of course we could take them and not send them away again. However, one gets to know them better by two or three days’ visit in the house

Pardon me, but only answer me through M. Michel, although I long for a little news of your dear heart. May the Blessed Virgin keep her holy Conception and the Infant Jesus His birth therein. Amen.

My very dear Father, it seems to me that all this is done through the infinite grace of the sweet Saviour, whom I beseech to grant to your dear soul and to mine a plenitude of blessings. Good-bye. Eve of your consecration. God be praised. Amen.

Extract from a Letter of St. Francis de Sales to Mother de Chantal. Annecy, 23 January, 1622.

I likewise consider it a little rigorous and unfair to make the comparison between the perfection of the Rule of St. Benedict and the Institute of the Visitation, for it is the Rule of St. Benedict and the Rule of St. Augustine that ought to have been compared;} and even if the Rule of St. Benedict were still considered of higher perfection, still,

LETTER OF SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES 103

From St. Francis de Sales to Madame Angélique Arnauld, Abbess of Port Royal, at Maubuisson. Annecy, 24 January, 1622.

What can I say to you at this moment, my very dear daughter, if not that amongst the very great consolations to which I look forward in seeing our good Mother once more is that of getting news from her of your heart.

But to hear about this dear heart I do not intend to await her return. Let me know then, my daughter, who art every day more dear to me, how it fares now that it knows the resolution taken by these six or seven great servants of God who met to discuss it.

Well, you must tarry the decision of Rome, and while doing so, abide in peace, and when it comes, abide in peace, and whatever the decision may be, abide in peace, and always, with all your strength, abide in peace. The passport of the daughters of Jesus Christ is peace, the joy of the daughters of Our Lady is peace.

It is quite true, my very dear daughter, that you have no heart more fully and truly devoted to you than mine.

God be blessed. Amen. FRANCIS, BIsHop OF GENEVA.

To the same. Annecy, end of February, 1622.

My very dear Daughter,—You shall have no more long letters, but only little notes until you give me the news I desire. Truly it is the constant wish of my heart that you should write your heart out frankly to me, but its news will be in accord with my heart when you tell me the result of this affair in Rome. Whether God wills it to have been settled there according to your wishes or not in accordance with them, in either case remain tranquil; and for your consolation take advantage of the permission already granted. Other reliefs which, if the decision is adverse, I will, with the help of God, recommend, you can make use of as the sovereign providence of His divine Majesty will inspire you, while employing me to convey to you its suggestions.

Methinks that my spirit will speak to yours, my very dear daughter, in a new way, once I know that your affair has been quite definitely decided upon. Meanwhile humble yourself under the hand of God, who has in His mercy drawn you to Himself.

I am longing to see our good Mother again for several excellent reasons: one is that I may have your more intimate news, and she will bring it to me folded up within her heart. In the meantime I very humbly salute your good Angel, my dearest daughter, and I beseech him to shield you under the favour of his heavenly love.

(Zeuvres de St. F. de Sales, letter 1899, vol. xx, p. 274.)²³

Footnotes

1. The Visitation is founded on the Rule of St. Augustine. the comparison would prevent all contempt for the Visitation; that is to say, all tendency to contempt. But all I say to you in regard to this consultation ought in no way to be quoted, but only simply considered with humility and the decision left confidently to Rome. However, it is quite necessary to warn this dear daughter not to bring into play the vivacity of her spirit in her answers and replies, so that, at least, in that she may follow the Institute of the Visitation. And whatever the result may be, she can always, from time to time, relieve her mind by staying at the Visitation, having the permission to do so; and if, as I hope, she will gently acquiesce in the good pleasure of God, He will in the end console her. (From letter 1885, vol. xx.) (Geuvres de St. F. de Sales, letter 1890, vol. xx.) ↩

2. Catherine Arnauld, Angélique’s eldest sister, married M. Le Maistre. remember our poor deceased Sister de Gouffier writing to you on the part of M. de Jocelin. He has been here again to know finally from you if there is any chance of your establishing a congregation of men, just like ours, as there are a number of good subjects for it here and ample temporal conveniences. They wish to observe our Rules and Constitutions and to be religious. I told him that you would willingly give yourself to such an undertaking, but that your living at such a distance would be the great difficulty, as to acquire your spirit was the chief advantage to be gained. I dared not, if I remember rightly, tell him that you would have to come here, not knowing whether you would approve of this, but I suggested sending the most suitable amongst them to be trained by you. He replied that it would be better if they had some one sent to them who had been brought up with you and who was capable of governing. He has incessantly been begging of me to make you this proposition. I think he is himself one of those who wish to undertake the life, for he has been a widower for about six months. Now should you find this proposition practicable, please tell me how I ought to proceed with it and what answer you wish me to give about it all. I think before assembling together they should have a licence. If the idea is from God He will guide all. ↩

3. Pére Arnoux, S.J., confessor to Louis XIII, had been sent away by the Duc de Luynes, who looked upon this religious as a suspect. to2 SAINT JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL than by three months in the parlour outside. Tell me also, please, if we should have permission for them to enter this first time even when it is to keep them; for frequently here we have no opportunity of speaking to the ecclesiastical superiors about receiving subjects. And, must we get leave for the out-sisters to come in although the Rule orders that they should? ... I have seen the account of the consultation in reference to our very dear daughter, Madame de Port Royal, on which there is nothing to remark save that I think the examination marvellously searching and they consider that on account of the length of time and the innumerable acts of superiorship this daughter, notwithstanding her protestations and her continual interior disavowal, may be so far under the obligation of remaining where she is that she cannot do otherwise; but though this may be in accordance with the rules of casuistry, yet all are not of that opinion, and, what is more, the Pope can dispense. ↩