Letter of Mother Jane Frances Fremiot de Chantal to Mother de Châtel on annual retreats

My very dear Daughter:

You wish me to tell you what you are to do in your retreat Ah! my child, you know that I am not capable of saying much to you on this subject. However, to satisfy your kind heart and to condescend to your humility, I shall say that on the first day of retreat, we should not begin to prepare for confession. We should occupy our mind in recollection, keeping our soul tranquil in the presence of God, so that later on, like pure water under the rays of that beautiful Sun, we may clearly see to the bottom. The following day we should 174 make our general examen very sweetly, without eagerness, effort, or curiosity, I would not advise any one to accustom herself, to write her annual confession out at length, although those who find it necessary are at liberty to do so. Since the first three or four days should be employed in the purgative way, you may take the first and last meditations of Philothea, or any others like them. On the following day, the Sisters should reflect sweetly on what our meek Saviour has done for love of us, and to redeem us. On the last days, we should make use of a book which treats of the infinite love and eternal riches of this great God; for toward the end of the retreat we must endeavor to strip our heart of all that we know may cling to it. We should place at the feet of Our Lord alt those garments, one after the other, supplicating Him to keep them, and to clothe us with Himself, and thus, naked and despoiled before the divine Goodness, we should again cast ourselves into the arms of His providence, leaving to Him the care and government of our whole being. Believe me, my daughter, nothing will be wanting to us. Never should we charge ourselves with any care, desire, affection, or attachment; for, since we have surrendered all to Our Lord, we must permit Him to govern us, while we think only of pleasing Him, either by suffering or by action.

With regard to gaining the indulgence granted to Eeligious who make a retreat, you should not have the least fear of not gaining it on account of being unable to meditate in detail, nor to meditate with the understanding during the time of prayer. God has given you a method of more simple and intimate intercourse with His goodness. But, my child, behold what you should do: you should read attentively the points upon which you desire to meditate, if you are free to do so, and on reading them, withdraw your mind devoutly to God. This reading will for you take the place of meditation. By it your mind will always receive great benefit; and though it may not be perceptible to you, it will benefit you none the less for that. Having fulfilled your obligation by this reading, later on, during prayer, in your own simple and loving method, I repeat, that you will more than fully satisfy for your meditation, and for this reason: God being infinite in greatness, comprehends all mysteries; consequently, in possessing God, you have the essence of the mystery upon which you meditate. A very spiritual, learned, and virtuous priest, belonging to a religious Order, confirmed me in this opinion. Yes, my very dear daughter, our annual retreat is a most important exercise, and we should try to make it with the utmost devotion and fidelity. I consider that it will be very useful to your daughters, to have read at table the " Exercises of Dom Sens de St. Catharine ": for, as His Lordship, that is to say, the blessed Father, who was then alive, remarked to me, it is comprehensive, and the style pleasing, for it is written in that of the saints, flying immortification and detesting the researches of self-love. "With regard to meditation, give to your daughters points that are striking, sweet, solid, and touching.

I am, in the divine love, my very dear daughter, your humble and unworthy Sister and servant in Our Lord,

Sister Jane Frances FrAmiot, of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin.

Visitation Convent, Paris, September 18, 1622.