Letter 1816. To a Superior of the Visitation

My very dear and beloved Daughter,—The account you give me of the good dispositions of our sisters, your daughters, has certainly been an immense consolation to me. What a grace when God sends us guileless souls who fear Him, love their vocation, and desire to advance in virtue! With such qualities, only patience and courage are needed to train them, as, thank God, you are doing, with every prospect that hearts so disposed will bring forth the fruit of solid perfection. God, I consider, gives to you many opportunities of pleasing Him by means of them, and to me an incredible consolation in seeing you so careful and attentive. What power it puts into your hands to draw down heavenly favours on your dear self and upon your whole blessed family! for God loves those who work generously and willingly, however painfully, to increase His glory and the good of souls. I hope, through His mercy, that three more years of your government will have so cultivated this little family as to establish it solidly. In short, your house belongs to God and His Blessed Mother. He will maintain you in it and provide for all its needs.

Take special care, I beg of you, of our two professed. Emancipate them from their defects. Both are essentially good, and your kindly encouragement and charitable admonitions will make them see their faults without bitterness or discouragement, and the beauty of the contrary virtues, to which you urge them from no other motive than the longing God has given you for their advancement. Such will, I am sure, profit them. I would give my eyes to purchase their perfection, so keenly do I desire God to be glorified and your house strengthened thereby: for when all the stones are solid the edifice is stable. Yes, it is true that I do not usually see the letters our sisters write, because I am overwhelmed with business. As I have the power for legitimate reasons of dispensing myself from assisting at the Office in choir, even so I am entitled to use the same liberty in regard to seeing letters. Nevertheless, if not quite sure of the writer I have them sometimes read, but not those of sisters in whom IJ have entire confidence. However, the sisters know nothing of this, and if they made any reflection as to whether or no I read their letters I would not tolerate it, and would look upon it as a serious fault. We must never let it be seen that we have any suspicion of a sister, for to perceive in us any doubt of her sincerity is harmful to her, and hinders her from receiving correction with due profit to her soul. But when a religious feels quite confident that she shares the affectionate love of her superior, this conviction makes all corrections, admonitions, and directions penetrate, like a smoothly polished needle, sweetly and effectually into her heart. I hope, my daughter, that you will lend a willing ear to what I say to you solely out of zeal for the glory of God and for the good of all.

You have, I see, your full share in the common loss, and indeed you cannot expect to be exempt from it. Yet may God be blessed for holding your heart high amidst it all, and inspiring you to place everything under His care. My daughter, remain tranquil, and try to practise gentleness interiorly in the management of your own spiritual life, and exteriorly in the guidance of others. Then you will see that Our Lord will bless your path by a holy progress in true virtue. You always complain of dryness, but by the grace of God I do not think you are so dry, since you have a deep spiritual instinct that leads you to unite yourself to God and to shun all that can displease Him, and that is worth more than any amount of devotional feelings. Be content, and let your training of yourself in gentleness, and in bearing with characters whose inclinations, humours, and ways are at variance with your own, be firm. Such is necessary for your perfection, and for the consolation and spiritual profit of those with whom you live, so that each one may receive her due and what is for her good.

Just one word more of advice to your Charity and to all our dear sisters as I am on the point of setting out for our monastery of Moulins, and to beg of you not to be uneasy about me, but to keep me company on my journey, all of you, by your prayers. I am leaving in good health and spirits, and hope, if nothing happens, to be back, God willing, in four months. My unutterable consolation is that I am leaving this dear house in the hands of so good, wise, and estimable a Superior as our Mother de Blonay. I always thought her extremely virtuous, but now I can only say that her virtue and suitability for this community is simply unparalleled.

Have I not reason to bless God, my true daughter, that in relieving me of the burden He has placed it on such excellent shoulders as are those of this dear Mother! May He be eternally blessed! JI remain in His divine love more and more entirely yours.