Letter 982. To Mother Jeanne Charlotte de Bréchard

Truly, dearest daughter, it is very trying not to be able to hear news of each other more frequently, but we must accept these things as coming from the hand of God, as you know how to do. I write enough, and more than I mean to do in future. Still I will always, every two months, send a little note to my great and old daughter, which will be quite enough unless something important or unforeseen happens. Now I see very well that you have received the letter in which I told you, as from myself, the opinion of others, but not that in which I told you simply my own opinion touching our union: for, had you received it, you would not have taken the trouble to write me this long letter about it. You will find in a letter which I wrote for our monasteries all I have to say on this subject. It is all conformable to my ‘ Answers,’ which I thoroughly reviewed last Lent. You will, I think, soon receive them. I add nothing to all that is there, because I have nothing more to say. Having said what I think, I leave our union and all that concerns our Institute to the care of divine Providence. You have not, I am sure, accepted the foundation of La Chatre without knowing that the conditions laid down in the ‘Book of Customs’ can all be observed there. It will be a consolation to me to know that it is progressing, since it is for the glory of God. As to yourself, the Bishop of Geneva is not here, so I cannot speak to him about you; but I am quite sure that he will be satisfied that you should serve God on this occasion.

As to the future election of a superior, since you have capable sisters in the house, you ought to do as it is set down in the ‘ Book of Customs’ and as I say in my ‘Answers’: which is not to take from elsewhere without absolute necessity— unless you wish to put a third on the election list with the two you have. In that case you could put Sister Fran¢oise

Gabrielle [Bally], who is deposed at Bourges. But, dearest daughter, you have given me no answer touching the history of this foundation here. I beg of you to set about writing it, so as to send it to us up to the time you left this house, that we may finish the rest.

See how prompt I am in answering your letters, for I have but just received them. I have not had time toread the one from our dear sister the Superior of Montferrand, to whom I should like you to communicate what I write regarding our union. In conclusion, if you have not yet received the letter on this subject, you will see the only opinion I hold in the ‘ Answers,’ and it is one from which I have never deviated, notwithstanding what so many great servants of God have proposed to us on the subject. They tell us that we cannot subsist without the means of which I have so fully written to you; and as for me, I believe such means would ruin us, and that God will maintain what He has established. In short, I can have no two opinions about it, and I have a firm confidence that divine Providence will Itself rule in this matter, provided we are faithful to the observance.

Good-bye, my most dear daughter, and good-bye to our sisters. May God bless you all, and may He be blessed!