Letter 819. To the same

Vive > Jésus!

I have at last received the Life of our Blessed Father and the letter, both well packed. How is it possible, my dearest daughter, that that good sister has taken in such bad part my advice to her to read the chapter in Pére Rodriguez On the knowledge of oneself and on humility, and those on other virtues of which his book treats admirably, and certainly usefully for souls seeking God! Of instruction in all this that good sister has much need! She is seeking not true virtue, but herself. We can but hope that age and, still more, grace may, in time, give her the spirit of true wisdom. You do very well not to let her go very much with the novices or postulants, and also in not excusing her in any manifest disobedience. If she feels being deprived of Holy Communion it is well to deprive her of it, and to give her such other mortifications as most humiliate her. The one you gave her was very suitable.

Yes, dearest daughter, it would be a very good thing to remind your Archbishop of the consecration of your church } and of dedicating it to Our Lady and St. Joseph. If our Blessed Father were beatified we should have to see what to do.

Certainly the sister you speak of must obey and subject her vivacity of spirit to the Rule, and if she will not submit I should, having first often warned her, forbid her to read what she has not learned to practise, and besides, you should deprive her of all opportunity of conversing with persons she is so fond of and is so eager to see. Believe me, my daughter, frequent intercourse with such persons should be avoided—I have no time to say more.

Please send us two pieces of good white fustian and six white covers, like those you sent to Nessy last time. They were very good and well chosen; let those you now send be the same. God be praised.