Letter. To St. Vincent de Paul, at Pans

My very honoured and dear Father,—Oh! how kind and fatherly you are to me, and how for my own comfort I like to think that you will faithfully continue to remember me before the divine Goodness, for I have an extreme need of God’s help in my old age and amidst the turmoil in which I live.

Eternally blessed be the divine Goodness for the mercies He has been pleased to bestow upon souls through the sweetness and the power of our most holy Father, His true and faithful servant. I agree with you that our worthy and true brother [M. de Sillery] has certainly been caught in his trap [St. Francis’], for I do not believe any other hand than that of our Bienheureux could have led him, so wisely, gently, and strongly as it has done, to this complete retirement, since it is an absolute separation from the world and gives universal edification and consolation. Moreover, it greatly glorifies God and is a solace to our brother’s own soul, while for the daughters of the Visitation it is undoubtedly anfhonour, a profit, and a pleasure, and puts them under infinite obligations to him. Our sisters of the town are particularly privileged in having him so near them. Ah! my God, give us the grace faithfully to correspond to this good nobleman’s sincere friendship and whole-hearted charity!

I assure you, my very dear Father, my affection, esteem, and reverence for him could not be greater.

I see you are making a longer stay in Paris. Don’t fail, I beg of you, to look after this dear deserving person, and do not let him lead too austere a life. I know he has great confidence in you. It seems to me that I am getting harder as I grow older. I must conclude, for I have to go to this wearisome parlour. May God make you more and more after Hisown heart! Pray earnestly that His goodness may have mercy on me, so that with our Blessed Father and all of you, our dear friends, I may eternally praise Him. Amen. I remain, my very honoured Father, your affectionate, very humble and very obedient daughter and servant in Our Lord.

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To M. Noé Brulart, Commander de Sillery, at Pans.

Sir, my very dear Brother,—As God has made you so good and devoted a son of our Blessed Father, and as you wish to be aggregated to our little Congregation, we most willingly admit you, in so far as we have power; so that henceforth you will have a share in all the merits gained by our Congregation of the Visitation. We thank God for having given you for our consolation and spiritual benefit this desire. For we trust that in your kindness you will make us participators in your Mass and in your good works, daily offering to the divine Majesty all your little daughters and sisters of the Visitation; but, above all, according to your promise, her who is truly your very humble daughter in Our Lord.