Letter 918. To Mother Marnie Aimée de Blonay

To Mother Marnie Aimée de Blonay, Superior of the First Monastery of Lyons. [Annecy] 18 March [1629]. Vive > Jésus!

My very dear Daughter,—What you said in your last letter to the Bishop of Geneva and in your letter to Sister Superior somewhat surprised me, for most certainly I have not had the very faintest shadow of suspicion about you. Look at my letters again, dearest daughter, and you will find that what I say is true. Indeed, indeed, I am far too well aware of your sincerity to call it in question. I should rather like to know what it is in this last packet that has upset you, for there is not a hint of it in any of your former letters. You asked me to tell you how you should act in regard to going away; I answered, it seems to me, that you ought to let it be seen that you were determined dutifully to obey his Lordship, your legitimate superior, and that any frustrating of this obedience would be very displeasing to you. This was, I think, the chief thing I said, and I never intended you to act contrary to duty or decorum, nor that the necessity and reasons for your withdrawal should be represented in any other way than with all possible respect and kindness. Ah, well! remain in peace and do as God inspires you; but rest satisfied that nothing whatsoever could, in the very least, diminish the love that God has given me for you. Let me not hear these expressions of

N mistrust any more, I beg of you. The letter of the Bishop of Geneva will, I think, please you: at least, when I left him this morning he was quite resolved about my true and dearest daughter. Now, having done all I can to make amends to God, I am in peace, for I leave the rest to the care of divine Providence.

I salute all our sisters, especially Sister Marie Augustine, whose letter I am unable to answer this time—but it does not, I think, require an answer. Give my very humble respects to Pére Maillan. He says my manner to him is a little changed; if it is, I can assure him there is no change in my heart, nor, by the grace of God, will there ever be. I have such confidence in his goodness that I feel sure, if he knew fully our reasons and our needs, his wise counsel would be in accordance with our desires.

Good-bye, my very dear daughter. May God make you more and more perfectly His own! Yours in His love and according to His good pleasure. May He be blessed.