Letter 1029. To Sister Anne Catherine de Sautereau

My good and dearest Daughter,—Most willingly do I answer your long letter. I feel under an obligation to you for the memoir you sent me containing your remarks on our book of ‘Answers,’ and want to make some return for your kindness. Yes, indeed, my daughter, I desire, with the help of God, to retrench some things, as much in order to make it entirely conformable to the ‘Book of Customs’ as because I have been too rigid on some points.

But for two reasons I have not applied myself much to this curtailment: first, because it is usually better for us to be a little too tight in all points of our observance than too elastic; and, secondly, because in all things and everywhere the superior has, according to the Constitutions, absolute power to do and command whatever she judges necessary or useful, and no one has a right to question it. You give me pleasure in mentioning, as an imperfection in yourself, this little adverse criticism of your good Mother, because she so simply had a little entertainment in the presence of the good and virtuous M. d’Aoste,1 a true son of our Blessed Father. If I am not very much deceived, our Blessed Father would have asked this Father to accompany him when he took part in these childlike, harmless recreations, as, with his holy and wonderful good-nature, he used to do sometimes.

I myself call M. d’Aoste Brother, so do not think it strange if your good Mother calls him the same. And I consider myself very much honoured that he deigns to look upon me not only as his sister but as his very humble daughter. Do you not see, dear child, that you are a little scrupulous?

Never cease, I beg of you, to impress on your novices the necessity of faithful but simple observance, so that all scrutinising the actions of others, above all of the Superior, will by this means cease. A very striking thing was said in the sermon here yesterday, which I will tell you: it was, that Mary of the Old Testament, because of a little rivalry and murmuring against Moses, her brother and superior, was struck with leprosy. Alas! my daughter, if all those who censure now became lepers, what a lot of lepers we should have in the world! I do not say this on your account, knowing full well that your little remarks only come from too constrained a conscience. Try to bring up your novices in a spirit of holy liberty. Don’t worry yourself to give them a number of recommendations. Teach them with affectionate solicitude all the Institute teaches, and that will be enough. Great patience is needed in ministering to these dear souls, and as you do so bring your thoughts back

LETTER 105¹ TOI

Yes, of course, my dear daughter, you may well call our sister, the Superior of Chambéry, Mother. I have found several little notes of our Blessed Father to justify these great first daughters being called Mother, and with this testimony they ought to be given the title. Indeed, they well merit it, having received the first-fruits of the Spirit and borne the labour of pioneer work.

Now I think I have answered carefully each point in your letter. Take this as an assurance of the desire I have to be of service to you and to be entirely yours.

Footnotes

1. M. d’Aoste became later Bishop of Gap. frequently to Him without whom all our labour and eagerness is mere loss of time. ↩