Letters 56–62

Letter 56

To the Community in Lisieux. On the death of Father James Le Duc. ( 1 ) Lingèvres, April A, 1656 I am very deeply grieved by the death of our good and beloved brother, Father Le Duc, for a good priest is an inestimable treasure in the Church whose loss cannot be sufficiently lamented. He was an excellent laborer whom God had endowed with many fine qualities, and there are very few.like him. But Our Lord and His most Holy Mother, who are the real superiors of our Congregation and are more concerned with it than we, are aware of all that. Yet it has pleased them to take him, and they can do nothing save for the best. What consoles me is that he died during the Jubilee, in Holy Week, while working for the salvation of souls. (1). Father James Le Duc (1603-1656), originally from the parish of Fourneaux, in the diocese of Séez, and later the pastor of that parish, joined the Congregation in 1652 at the age of 49. He died at Lisieux on April 12, 1656. Cf. Les Fleurs de la Congrégation de Jésus et Marie, Vol. a, p. 9.

Letter 57

To Madame Blouet de Camilly. On the unexpected cure of Father Thomas Manchon, and

various other matters ( 1 )

1656 J. M. J.

My dearest daughter:

May Jesus, the most Holy Heart of Mary, be for ever ours!

Enclosed is a letter for Madame de la Croizette.(2) It is rather long but it comforted me in m y troubles. I am trying to give her, insofar as I am able, some sound consolation in hers. I am sending you this letter unsealed. When you have read it, be kind enough to seal it and give it to that lady. Tell her, however, that I beg her to read it leisurely in her study, in the presence of God, so as to derive the most good from it.

Furthermore, my dear daughter, know that you are the mother of two good children; (3) they are surely angels. May God grant them constancy and perseverence.

Father Manchon continues to improve; he is now at the home of Mr. (1). Several days before coming to Coutances, where he was to preach the octave of Corpus Christi, Father Manchon was obliged to make a business trip for the Congregation, during which he spent several days and nights without sleep. When the business was finished he departed hurriedly in order to reach Coutances on time; but on the way be was taken with a serious illness from which it was believed be would die. The sickness was violent and obstinate, and all were fearful of the outcome. The prayers offered up for him were more efficacious than all the remedies employed. St. John Eudes, who had come to preach in his place, prayed earnestly to God to restore his preacher to him. Never was a father more grief-stricken by the illness of his son. God Who in former times had prolonged the life of King Ezechias by fifteen years for the sake of his virtues, prayers and tears was also moved, in His goodness, by the lamentations offered Him for the sick print who had been reduced to that condition only through his excessive zeal to gain glory for Him. His health was restored and he used it, as before, to labor for the conversion of sinners." Peter Hérambourg, Vie du P. Eudes, Vol. 1 , Ch. 21. This incident Occurred in 1656. (2). Wife of the Governor of Caen. (3). John James Blouet de Camilly entered the Congregation of Jesus and Mary and his sister, Mademoiselle de Camilly, "the lovely lily-bud,- became a Benedictine of Holy Trinity Monastery at Caen.

de Mémont(4). It is certain that but for a miracle he would have died. So true is this that the doctors had assured us he could not live through the third day of his illness, for it was violent and dangerous. That is what I told you and my brethren in Caen when I first heard about it, but I added repeatedly that without a miracle he would never recover, and I was not saying that at random or unthinkingly. I am telling you all this now, my dear daughter, not so that you will consider me a prophet, for you would be wrong, but in order that no one may mistake me for a false prophet. I want to testify to this truth in view of what you said in your last letter which, although written in jest, qualifies me as such. That is how most calumnies are invented; one retains part of a statement and forgets the rest, or else one gives it a different appearance, another meaning. It teaches us to be cautious indeed i n believing disparaging things about our neighbor.

They write me from Burgundy, from Arnay-Ie-Duc and Dijon, that our dear Sister(5) i s being discussed from very conflicting viewpoints. There are Jesuit Fathers who are publicizing and upholding her as a great saint; while other religious, the brethren of those who persecuted her here, are saying all around that she was a sorceress, and they are circulating astonishing things about Father Eudes, too, whom they believe to have been her spiritual adviser. I am deeply grateful to them for the honor they do me in joining my name with hers in their slanders.

They arc saying many other things, but Our Lord can answer them when He deigns to do so. Do not mention anything about all this.

I embrace our spiritual brother.(6) We are praying for our eldest brother who is at Rouen. All your children in Coutances greet you most humbly and affectionately.

It is very necessary for me to see the Rector before he leaves, but I can do nothing without the advice of our dear Brother de Bernières.

I am with all sincerity, my dearest daughter, Devotedly yours, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest. (1). One of the benefactors of the Caen Seminary. Cf. Boulay, OP. cit., Vol. 2, P. 527. (2). Mary des Vallées who died at Coutances on February 25, 1656. (3). Madame de Camilly's husband.

Letter 58

To Father Simon Mannoury, at Lisieux. On various matters concerning

the college in Lisieux and the nuns of Our Lady of Charity

Coutances, July 29, 1656 My dearest brother:

May Jesus, the most holy Heart of Mary, be for ever ours!

I forwarded your letter to Father Manchon, asking him to send you a reply concerning the Promoter's last will and testament.(1) If he has not done so, it is my opinion that lawsuits should be shunned like the plague. It would be better to have less-indeed, to lose everything-rather than go to law, unless one enters a lawsuit incidentally and not as the principal party, and unless, in that case, one is perfectly sure of Success.

With regard to the college, here is my opinion: Father Marion(2) for the fifth class, Father de Longeval (3) for the fourth, Father Saché (4) for the third, Father Franco(5) for the first, Father Doucet,(6) prefect of boarders, Father Dudy,(7) prefect of the college; or else Father Yon(8) for the fifth class, Father Marion for the fourth and the rest as above, so that in this way we could take Father de la Haye(9) and Father de Longeval from the college to employ them otherwise. But do not say anything yet (1). See Letter 55, note 8. (2). Father Marion entered the Congregation of Jesus and Mary about 1655. After teaching at Lisieux, he became one of the first directors of the Rouen Seminary. Cf. Boulay, ibid., VOL 3, P. 275. (3). Father John de Longeval later became superior at Lisieux. See Letter 121, note 1. (4). See Letter 11 p note 2. (5). Father Franco was probably a secular priest who helped the Eudists at Lisieux. Cf. Boulay, VOL 3, P. 102, who gives Francs, not Franco. (6). Father John Doucet (1620-1654) entered the Congregation Of Jesus and Mary in 1654. He spent most of his life at the Lisieux College. (7). Father Dudy became superior of Coutances Seminary, but later left the Congregation to take up parish work in the secular Clergy. (8). Born at Montcuit in the diocese of Coutances, Father Yon joined the Congregation in 1654. He died on October 3, 1672. (9). Francis de la Haye was later superior of the Caen and of the Evreux Seminary. He died in 1679.

about this latter plan. Just send me your opinion and I will confer with Father Manchon about it.

I am very sorry about Mr. de Langrie's dissatisfaction,(10) but what is there to be done about all that? If I allowed myself to follow my own inclination, I too should be strongly tempted to abandon that house; but we must forget ourselves and consider only Our Lord and His Holy Mother, doing everything for love of them. God permits all things out of goodness toward us in order to shield us from complacency and vanity, which perhaps would cause us to lose all the fruits of our labors.

I was never informed about the pastor of Saint Julian(11). That was done before I had heard anything about it. I am not sure whether he alone was responsible for it, or he and Mother together; but I do not think her daughters had anything to do with it. It is quite certain that the good Mother has not wanted anything of us for a long time. We must be patient, rely on divine Providence and travel our broad path, always serving our house to the best of our ability for the love of Our Lord and His most holy Mother. I told Mother, and also wrote her since my arrival here, that we must send a man purposely to Rome, but she has not answered me on that. There is no doubt that the course advocated by the pastor of Saint Julian is not a good one, and that it will not be successful. I am writing all these things to Mr. de Langrie, begging him to retain his good will. I hope to make a trip some time to Caen, where I shall see the parish priest of Saint Julian to state my reasons to him, and I shall ask him to call a meeting in order that we may decide what is best.

I am writing Mr. de Langrie that he should choose from our Sister Mary des Vallées, either some linen soaked in her blood or a medal that she wore for many years around her neck, or that be should say what he wants and I will gladly give it to him if it be in my power. (10). Mr. de Langrie was Royal Councillor and president of the Normandy parliament. He was also one of the benefactors of the Cam Seminary. When Bishop Francis Servien was appointed Bishop of Bayeux in 1654, he took the superiorship of the Order of Our Lady of Charity from St. John Eudes, the founder, and gave it to Father Le Grand, the parish priest of St. Julian's Church in Caen. This change did not please Mr. de Langrie and be threatened to withdraw his support. Cf. Matthew Russel, Life ol Blessed John Eudes, p. 114. (11). Father Le Grand. See preceding note.

You have been too strict with the poor child. There are many reasons why she can do that. I am writing to her so that she may do so without fear.

I embrace all our dear brethren and greet all our friends, particularly our good Mademoiselle Ozenne. With all my heart, my dearest brother, I am Devotedly yours, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest.

Letter 59

To Sister Mary of the Assumption Eustace.(1) The Saint assures her of

his unchangeable charity toward the Community

Coutances, August 12, 1656 My dearest daughter:

May Jesus, the most Holy Heart of Mary, be for ever ours!

In the sacred love of this divine Heart, the furnace of immortal love, do I love unchangeably and equally, without preference, all my dearest Sisters, the beloved daughters of my most honored Mother.

What shall separate my heart from the holy love I should feel for the most cherished house of such a good Mother? Will it be tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or the sword, or any other thing? No, I am certain, with the help of the grace of God, Who has chosen me to take charge of it for Him, that neither the angels, nor the Principalities nor Virtues, nor the heights nor depths, nor life nor death, nor any creature, will ever be able to separate me from the charity I should have toward Our Lady of Charity, for I will always do with my whole heart whatever I can to serve that blessed house of my divine Mother. And no matter what happens, neither heaven nor earth, nor hell itself, shall ever hinder me from doing in its regard, as in all else, the most adorable will of my God, which alone is what I desire, aspire to and seek. (1). See Letter 16, note 1.

I should like with all my heart to do what our good Mother and you and our dear Sisters wish, but just now I am suffering from a slight indisposition of such a nature that I cannot travel without the risk of becoming ill along the way, as happened to Father Manchon while coming here. I need urgently to take medicine but must wait until the dog days are over. So I do not think I shall be able to go to Caen until September, but at all events, I assure you that it will be as soon as possible, with the help of Our Lord.

Nevertheless, I will recommend both you and your interests to Him with all possible affection, as I do each day. Offer to Him and His holy Mother, on your part, him who is ever, in truth , in the love of their most amiable Heart, my dearest daughter, Devotedly yours, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest.

P. S. My very humble and cordial regards to our dearest Mother(2) and her good daughters, m y beloved Sisters, one and all. I ask her to give you a penance for having written in a worldly fashion-a fashion which daughters of the most Holy Heart of Mary ought to abhor and shun more than the plague itself, as much in this instance as in everything else, since all worldly fashions are highly displeasing to her and her Son. (2). Mother Margaret Frances Patin, superior of Our Lady of Charity of Caen.

Letter 60

To Mother Margaret Frances Patin. The Saint thanks her for her de

votion to the work of Our Lady of Charity; he informs her that he has

letters from the King (1)regarding their business at Rome; (2) and he in

structs her how to act toward the sheriffs of Caen in a difficult situation

where their opposition is feared (3)

Paris, March 7, 1657 My dearest Mother, and, in truth, beloved in Him Who is eternal love: I thank Him with all my heart for having imbued your own with such great zeal and charity toward the house of His most Holy Mother, and with such great kindness toward one who is so unworthy of it as I am. And I thank you a thousand times, my dearest Mother, for your many testimonies of it in the cordial letters you write us. I can assure you, too, that Our Lord has given me sentiments in your regard which words alone cannot express.

I am very happy about what you wrote me concerning our dear Sisters, and I bless Our Lord and His most Holy Mother with my whole heart for all the graces they are bestowing on them. I beseech all my dear daughters to be most faithful to them, and to labor in competition with one another to imprint upon themselves a perfect likeness of their most adorable Father and most amiable Mother through a conscientious and continual imitation of their holy virtues, particularly their humility, obedience, charity, forbearance and overwhelming love for the Cross. (1). Louis X1V of France. (2). This pertained in the approbation of the Order of Our Lady of Charity. (3). Toward the end of 1656 Mother Patin purchased some property along the wharves where she planned to establish the Community, then temporarily installed in a house belonging to Mr. de Langrie. When everything was ready for the installation of the Community, it was feared that the sheriffs of Caen might be opposed to the establishment. In perplexity, Mother Patin referred the matter to St. John Eudes, who replied to her from Paris on March 7, 1657 by the above letter. The affair was righted and the sisters were able to move into the property they had purchased. Later they built 2 spacious convent on the same site, where the Community of Caen was housed until the destruction, of their house in June, 1944. Cf. Ory, OP. cit., P. 98

Quite some time ago I procured letters from the King for our business at Rome. I hope, God willing, to bring them to you soon, for I am feeling much better, thank God, and am waiting only until I have regained sufficient strength for the journey.

Fear nothing, my dear Mother, for God is with you and on your side; and if He favors you, who can oppose you? Time and time again you have felt the effects of His protection of the little house of Our Lady of Charity. Why, then, are you afraid? Rest assured that He will finish what He has begun. It is true that we must always do, on our own part, what we can. Now of three things, it is possible to do one of them. The first is to proceed with such secrecy that you will be housed before it becomes known. The second is to have Mr. de Bernières write to Madame de Longueville(4) and ask her in turn to write to the sheriffs that they should not interfere with you on this occasion; or, if he thinks i t timely, I can make this request of her on my way through Rouen, but I should have to have his opinion. The third is to speak to the sheriffs and those persons close to the King, beseeching them to consent to your taking possession of this house. Since this last method is one of submission and humility, God would bless it, and the outcome could not fail to be successful; if they refused, we could then have recourse to Madame de Longueville.

Nevertheless, do not be satisfied to accept my thoughts alone on the subject, but ask the friends of the house-- Mr. de Bernières, and Mr. and Madame de Camilly--to meet together and discuss the best way to proceed, for Our Lord will inspire them with His holy will.

In the sacred love of the most Holy Heart of Jesus and Mary I greet our dearest Sisters, one and all. I remain, in truth, ever and unreservedly, my dearest Mother, Devotedly yours, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest. (4). Wife of the governor of Normandy.

Letter 61

To Mr. Augustine Le Haguais.(1) On submission to the will of God during a

time of suffering

Caen, April 26, 1657 J. M. J.

Sir, our very honored and dear brother:

When I look upon you through human eyes in your present condition, I am indeed deeply moved to the point of great compassion. But when I consider you through the eyes of faith, I am prompted to bless and praise our divine Saviour for the singular effects of His infinite goodness toward you, for I see quite clearly that everything which is taking place is a command and inclination of His mercy i n your regard. He wishes you to do penance for your sins in this world in order to pardon you in the next.

We are indebted to His divine justice for a hundred thousand bushels of wheat, and He lets us off for a portion of it. 0 great favor I We have merited eternal torments, and He is satisfied to let us suffer a few small temporal afflictions. I call them small, very small, in comparison with those our offenses deserve. All, what goodness! What an obligation we have toward such goodness! What care should we take to make good use of our afflictions! That is what I exhort you with all my heart to do, my dearest brother, that you may not thwart His plans for you at this time. He intends for us to be cleansed and purified of the filth of our sins by that lye-bath of suffering which may seem very strong to us; but the stronger it is, the more will it whiten us and make us pure and pleasing in the sight of His Divine Majesty, provided we, on our part, cultivate the necessary dispositions which are chiefly these four:

The first is to accept our sufferings from the most adorable Trinity and the most amiable Heart of our heavenly Father Who chastises us, not as a harsh judge, according to our merits, but as a very kind Father, and infinitely less than we deserve. If we accept them as coming from (1). Brother of Madame Blouet de Camilly and Counsellor of State.

the latter, we shall not attribute them in any way to our fellow creatures who are but the rods used by this good Father to punish us.

The second is to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, considering ourselves not as just and innocent, but as guilty criminals who time and time again have deserved the wrath of God and all His creatures. But let us be convinced that the humbler we become in our nothingness and lowliness, the more will God be exalted therein, and the more, too, will He take care to protect us and convert all things to our welfare.

The third disposition is to regard sin as the sole author of all our ills, and consequently to turn all our hatred, indignation and vengeance against this monster which is our only enemy; to employ all our forces to persecute and destroy sin by true penitence; and to banish it henceforth beyond the doors and avenues of our souls. Let us remove the cause, and the effect will cease.

The fourth is to guard well against allowing ourselves to subscribe to pagan sentiments, which are to hate those who hate us. Rather should we follow those of our gentle Leader Who gives us this commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you, and by that shall they know that ye are M y disciples." I implore you, my dearest brother, to consider all these things seriously in the presence of God, that you may savour them, impress them on your heart and put them into practice, with the help of His grace which He will not refuse you if you recognize your infinite need of it and sincerely ask i t of Him.

It is what I do for you each day, with as much affection as I am, in truth, unreservedly and always, Sir, my very honored and dear brother,

Letter 62

To the Professors of the College at Lisieux.(1)Advice concerning their

employment and conduct

Caen, October 15, 1657.

May Jesus, the most Holy Heart of Mary, be your heart, your mind and your strength in the employment you arc undertaking in the diocese of Lisieux for love of Him-employment of the greatest importance. It is the work of God and of Jesus Christ, because it concerns the salvation of souls! It i s the work of the Mother of God, the Apostles and the greatest saints! It is a mission of very great consequence to which the Son of God, the sovereign Missionary, sends you with these words: "As the Father hath sent me, I also send you."(2)

You are going to perform this mission for children, in whom you must lay the foundations of God's reign and in whom there arc generally far fewer obstacles to divine grace than in adults.

They are children who belong to God through baptism, who were redeemed by the blood of the Son of God and created to see the face of God, to possess and bless Him for all eternity; children who are so dear to the heavenly Father that He has given each of them a prince of His court to serve as guardian angel and, in a certain sense, as a servant. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?"(3) Children, finally, for whom our good Jesus felt so much love and tenderness, and of whom He said: "Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such."(4) (1). In 1652 the Bishop of Lisieux offered to entrust both a seminary and a college to the Eudist Fathers. St. John Eudes ardently desired the first of these foundations, but the second had no place i n his plans. Because of the Bishop's insistence he accepted the college, and at once applied himself to make the best use of the gift, while assuring himself that in the future he would not accept any similar proposal. He no doubt was afraid lest he might follow the example of the Oratory, and allow the efforts of his Congregation to be diverted towards an object which was not that of the new Congregation. (2). John 20, 21. (3). Hebr. 1, 14. (4). Matt 19, 14

Weigh all these truths seriously, my dear brethren; they will lead you to thank God for the wonderful grace He has granted you in employing you in such a holy mission, and to search eagerly for and embrace all the means of which you can avail yourselves to do your task well.

To this end, you should:

I. Establish in your hearts a very pure intention to aspire to nothing, in all that you have to do, save the glory of God.

2. Make a firm resolution to be as diligent as possible in imparting to these children, first of all, a knowledge of salvation, and in the second place, education.

3. Take great care to preserve and increase in yourselves a spirit of piety and virtue, that you may avoid this reproach: "Thou therefore, that teachest another, teachest not thyself," (5) and imitate our Saviour while fulfilling in yourselves these words: "Jesus began to do and to teach." (6) I urge you, therefore, for the love of His most Holy Mother, to observe faithfully the following precepts:

Never fail to offer an hour of prayer together each morning before the Blessed Sacrament. The teachers and prefects, however, need make only a half-hour on class days and an hour on the other days.

The priests should celebrate Holy Mass daily, with preparation beforehand, strict attention and recollection while saying it, and an unhurried thanksgiving afterwards. Those who are not priests should hear or serve Mass every day with the proper interior and exterior dispositions.

Care should be taken to have Holy Communion distributed on die usual days.

Each one should always make his confession to the confessor assigned him.

The teachers should have the utmost respect and deference for the director assigned - them , and he should exercise great charity, meekness and vigilance toward them.

Let everyone make a daily quarter-hour of spiritual reading from Holy Scripture, and then report on a passage during the evening con (5). Rom. 2, 21. (6). Acts, 1, 1.

versation. Let the teachers do the same from the Gospel, that they may learn its chief maxims and implant them in the hearts of their pupils.

The spiritual conference and the humiliation(7) should be carried out weekly in the usual manner.

Every Saturday, in honor of the humility of Our Lord and His most Holy Mother, two of you should go to the kitchen to wash some of the dishes.

Have some poor person dine each week with the Community.

Silence should be observed strictly in the places and at the times appointed.

Outside of recreation periods, you should not waste time in conversing with one another.

Do not go into another's room except with permission or through necessity; and no one should allow the students, either boarders or day pupils, to enter his.

You should never cat outside the refectory, except in case of illness, nor outside of mealtime, save through necessity and with permission; very rarely in town, and then only with leave.

Uniformity should be very closely observed in food, drink, dress and everything else.

All peculiarities and individual characteristics should be banished from the Community as highly dangerous nuisances.

You should receive nothing from your students nor anyone else that you appropriate to yourselves, whether it be money for Masses, or linen, clothing, butter, fruit, etc. These things should be turned over at once to the superior or the bursar.

No one should either give away or lend anything that belongs to the Community except with the superior's permission, under pain of being punished for theft, as in the preceding instance.

Charity and fraternal cordiality should be carefully fostered, and each one should avoid violating it through speech or in any other way. If anything to the contrary should occur, the offender ought not to allow the day to pass without atoning for his error and becoming reconciled with his brother. (7). In the Congregation of Jesus and Mary this is a community exercise at which the members accuse themselves of the faults committed against the constitutions and rules.

You should inform the superior, in a spirit of charity, of the shortcomings of individuals when there is no other way to remedy them; and you must be prepared to be told about your own and to accept die admonition in a spirit of humility and obedience, neither excusing nor justifying yourselves. Disputes ought to be shunned like the plague, and to that end you should all strive to renounce your own opinions.

As for the students, the teachers should make every effort to impress the following things upon them: 1. a deep respect for holy places, the sacraments and other things pertaining to religion;

2. an ardent love for Our Lord Jesus Christ; 3. a singular devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary; 4 . perfect obedience to one's parents; 5. sincere charity toward one another; 6. a lively fear of vanity and pride, and an ardent love for humility; 7. extreme hatred for every kind of sin; 8. complete resignation to the most holy will of God in all things. I need not speak of the horror that must be instilled in them for everything offensive to purity, nor of the painstaking care that should be exercised in teaching them to serve Mass.

You should all honor your superiors as representatives of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and strive to make a more complete renunciation of your own wills than of all the demons in hell, that you may accept in all things and places the most adorable will of God which is made known to you through the voice of your superiors and the mandates of the Community.

But above all, strive to know yourselves, that you may learn to despise yourselves and be humble in all things, for there is nothing more important or necessary to please God, serve Him and arrive at perfection.

De caetero, fratres, quaecumque vera, quaecumque pudica, quaecumque justa, quaecumque sancta, quaecumque amabilia, quaecumque bonae famae, si qua virtus, si qua laus disciplinae, haec cogitate . . . haec agite, et Deus pacis erit vobiscum.(8) (8). Phil. 4, 8-9