Letter 1824. To the same

My dearest Mother,—Here we are safely arrived, thanks to our good God. We left our sisters of Lyons full of courage, resolved to live peacefully in the observance of the Rule, and to correspond to the interior attractions our good God may give them more faithfully and exactly than they have done in the past: for it must be confessed that they have grown a little slack. They are also determined to do their duty by our dear sister the Superior, and she wishes to be a mother to them. I have got to know her better this time than I have ever done before. But of this, God willing, we will speak when we meet. All apparently desire most earnestly that I should stay some time with them on my return journey, and, to all appearances, it is quite necessary that I should do so. I think, my dear Mother, that it would be better for our sisters of Nessy not to write oftener than formerly, and not to seem anxious to extend their acquaintance. It looks affected, and all this expression of great joy at having you with them, and these protests to the sisters of Lyons that they shall not get you back again, and the like, only serve to multiply useless words and idle compliments. I assure you, dearest Mother, that I think it would be as well to restrict your correspondence to the mere answering of the sisters and the encouraging them in welldoing. But all this, my good Mother, you will decide as you yourself think best before God. The Mother Superior assures me that she loves you as much as ever; still, although that may not, perhaps, quite be, you will, if you take my advice, treat with her as if you believed it, and do nothing that may give her a contrary impression. It seems to me that you ought, for the love of God, so to forget all the past that, when opportunities occur, nothing that you write or say may belie, however slightly, this supposition on your part. For I assure you, very dear Mother, if we want to live in peace we must pass over many little things, keeping them between God and ourselves, and never return the blows aimed at us.

The Cardinal did not wish us to go to Antiquaille. Our sisters felt this very much, and I also; but we must say nothing about it. ... The meeting with my sister the Superior of Macon [several words here are illegible] has given rise to surmises, above all with M. Deville: so much so that it was said to Sister Jeanne Thérése that it was no chance meeting between us; and truly this good Mother would have done better not to come—all the more as I do not think her business afforded any reason for the breaking of enclosure. In fact, enclosure should be considered and observed more strictly. I have been told also of his Eminence’s great indignation against me for the letter I wrote you about having you elected in our second house of Nessy. Indeed, I laughed about it with M. Deville. In a word, dearest Mother, they are all excellent and wellintentioned people, but we must let nothing hinder us from serving faithfully our good God and carrying out His holy will. I have written so far at the inn, and do not, I beg of you, write to me at all while I am at Lyons: for I found that our Annecy tradesmen delivered the packets that were entrusted to them direct to our sisters of Bellecour, and took no notice when they were addressed to M. Cceursilly.

Good M. Duperon is leaving us. He will write all the particulars of the journey to you. It has ended very happily, thanks be to Our Lord; and assuredly, dearest Mother, God has shown me that He willed me to visit Lyons and Moulins. May it please His goodness to continue His assistance for the welfare of this house. There is every appearance that things will now be on a sounder and more stable basis. The sisters greatly desire it. The chief thing is a fitting adjustment on the part of the sisters of their relations with their Superior, and of their Superior in regard to them, for this was wanting. I found many good souls zealous for the observance amongst them; but they need instruction. God will, if it please Him, assist us, and we shall do His good pleasure. That good and most virtuous Madame de Montmorency will be a great treasure to this little Congregation. She cannot receive the habit until after All Saints’ Day, the Prince having postponed the settlement of her affairs until then. This troubles me; for I see very well that she will not be satisfied if I leave before she has made her final arrangements and taken our habit. May our good God give me the grace to do His most holy will in all things, and may He fill you all with His holy love. Yours, etc.