Letters 63–74

Letter 63

To the Priests of his Congregation who were giving a mission at Honfleur. Thansgiving for the sanction of the seminary at Caen, granted on December 2, 1657 by His Lordship Francis

Servien, Bishop of Bayeux

December 1657 His Lordship(1) drew up authentic letters patent confirming the letters of the King(2) and of Bishop d'Angennes(3) and he had them all recorded in his secretary's office in Bayeux, and in the registry of the ecclesiastical court of Caen and of the ecclesiastical insinuations. Then he ordered the pastor of St. Julian's Church(4) in Caen to proclaim it publicly and to send notices last Sunday to all parish priests and preachers, so that they might announce to everyone that the establishment of the Bayeux seminary in our house had been confirmed, and that the ceremony would take place in our chapel on the same day with all possible solemnity. All of this was done. We sang a high Mass in the morning and vespers in the afternoon, both with great ceremony. The pastor of St. Peter's Church,(5) the canon of Bayeux, came expressly to say the Office after the Vicar-General and I had invited him to do so.

Father Larderat(6) had written me, on behalf of his Lordship, that I should invite the Abbé de Brissac to preach. The Abbé was unable to accept, but the rector of the Jesuits,(7) substituting for him, gave an excellent sermon, and so many people kept coming all day long that our chapel would have been filled even if it were as large as the church of the Abbey of St. Stephen. Blessed be Our Lord and His most holy Mother, who are the true and sole authors of this work. For we, on our (1). Bishop Francis Services of Bayeux. (2). Louis xiv. (3). James d'Angennes was Bishop of Bayeux from 1606 to 1647. (4). Reverend Father LeGrand for twenty years superior of the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge. (5). Father Gabriel Jacques, rector of St. Peter's Church in Caen from 1624-1661. (6). Bishop Services's secretary and a devoted friend of St. John Eudes. (7). The rector of the Jesuits was Father Francis Pinchereau, who held that position in Caen from 1655 to 1658.

part, did nothing, either by ourselves or through others, to petition his Lordship of Bayeux. On the contrary, he had been strongly importuned by a congregation(8) to which he was bound for many years by the ties of a very special friendship. This congregation made every effort to prevent, as did other persons who offered him signal advantages for his seminary, and who overlooked nothing that could possibly be done by themselves as well as their friends, to persuade him to reject us and ally himself with them. Nevertheless, he elected to ignore all these solicitations, and after having broken with all the others, he chose poor nobodies like us to take charge of his seminary. "He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble." (9)

It is true that Father Larderat and the pastor at Saint Julian worked hard in this affair, but that was through an inspiration instilled in them by God, and not through anyone's request.

Let us all, therefore, feel a profound humility at the sight of so many favors. Let us give sincere thanks to God, and proportionately to the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph and the other patrons of our Congregation, as well as to all the holy bishops of Bayeux.

For this purpose we have decided to choose the octave of Christmas for our thanksgiving, to expose the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel on the first three days, in accordance with permission granted us by the Vicar General, and to invite all our friends to adore and thank Our Lord with us.

During those eight days we shall say our Masses according to the order of the Church. I n addition, we shall offer them on the first four days in honor of the Holy Trinity, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin; on the fifth, in honor of the holy angels; on the sixth, in honor of St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, St. Joachim and St. Anne; on the seventh, in honor of the holy Apostles, martyrs, priests and Levites, virgins, innocents, bishops of Bayeux and all the saints; on the eighth, in honor of Our Lord and His most holy Mother.

To these we shall add three intentions: the first, for his Lordship of Bayeux and those others whom God used as instruments to accom (1). The Congregation of the Oratory. (2). Luke 1, 52.

plish His holy will in this matter; the second, for all those who opposed it; and the third, to obtain all we need to do well what He asks of us.

We shall also say a daily rosary which will be divided among us, and every evening the Te Deum and a Sub tuum praesidium.

I leave it to you to choose your own devotions, but I should like very much to know what they arc . . .

My third recommendation to you is that you convince yourselves that, in order to know what God demands of you on this occasion, you must be mindful that the Congregation has been established by God in His Church and that He has granted you the grace of calling you to join it for these three ends:

First, to give you the means of arriving at the perfection and sanctity compatible with the ecclesiastical state.

Secondly, to labor for the salvation of souls through missions and other sacerdotal functions, which is the work of the Apostles and Our Lord Himself; a work so great and divine that there would seem to be none greater nor more divine, divinorum divinissimum.

Nevertheless, there is one function which does surpass it, and this is to labor for the salvation and sanctification of ecclesiastics, which is to save the saviours, direct the directors, teach the doctors, feed the shepherds, enlighten those who are the light of the world, sanctify those who are the sanctification of the Church, and perform in the hierarchy of the Church what the seraphim and cherubim perform in the heavenly realm. That is the third end for which God has deigned to establish our little Congregation in the Church and for which He has summoned us to join it, through an incomprehensible mercy of which we are infinitely unworthy. He wishes to place in our keeping the most precious, the most illustrious portion of His Church, dearer to Him than the apple of His eye, which is the heart of His mystical body, that is to say, the ecclesiastics. It is the holy family whose care and guidance He wishes to entrust to us.

Judge from that, my dearest brethren, the extent of our obligations, and what perfection He asks of us. He wishes priests to serve as models and examples for the faithful, but He desires us to serve as models and patterns for the priests.

Let us humble ourselves at the sight of all these considerations which are so weighty, acknowledging our unworthiness and infinite incapacity for such a task. Let us, finally, cultivate a great mistrust of ourselves, while preserving the utmost confidence in Him Who calls us, for He has extraordinary graces to bestow upon us which are in proportion to our vocation. With His grace there is nothing impossible for us. Let us, however, conceive an earnest desire to place no obstacle in its way, but rather to prepare ourselves to receive it. Then let us resolve anew, as we offer ourselves to Him, to perform in a holy manner all our ecclesiastical functions, to carry out faithfully all our duties in the Community, to put all its orders into prompt execution, to obey our superiors to the letter, to love one another sincerely, and above all, to humble ourselves constantly in all things.

As for the ecclesiastics that God sends us, let us resolve to do three things: 1. to set them an outstanding example of piety, modesty and an the other virtues; 2. to receive and treat them with the utmost charity, sincerity, civility, courtesy, meekness and forbearance, omitting nothing we can do to help train and cultivate them in all that pertains to ecclesiastical life, customs and duties; 3. to pray a great deal for them, in our Masses and other prayers, that God may give them the true spirit of the priesthood.

That, my beloved brethren, is what God asks of us-great things which completely surpass our ability, but: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, do manfully."(10) "Be strengthened in the Lord and i n the might of his power."(11)

I implore our most bountiful Jesus and His most worthy Mother to accomplish their all - holy wills perfectly in us.

In the sacred love of their most Holy Heart I remain sincerely, unreservedly and always, to each and every one of you, whom I embrace with all respect and affection, my very dear and honored brethren, Your most unworthy servant, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest of the Congregation of the Seminaries of Jesus and Mary. (10). Cor. 16, 13 (11). Eph. 6, 10.

Letter 64

To the Superior of one of his houses. On the value of humiliations, with

respect to an ordination which had edified the entire city of Caen

1658 Among all these successes I clearly perceive that periods of humiliation, trouble, suffering and crosses are much more desirable, pleasing, advantageous, useful and precious than those of eulogy, exaltation and comfort. However, we must accept the one with the other from the hand of God, endeavoring thereby to accomplish His most holy will.

Letter 65

To Madame de Bois-David de S oulbieu , ( 1 ) then a Postulant at the Monastery of Our Lady of Charity at Caen.

1658 My dearest daughter:

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

I thank you for your testimonies of sincere and cordial charity. I assure you, my dearest daughter, that my heart is filled with charity for your soul, and that I desire most earnestly to serve you to the best of whatever ability it may please God to grant me. All that is happening with regard to your affairs is for the best; do not doubt that. For you have a Spouse and a Mother who are all - powerful in heaven and on earth, who love you more than you yourself do, and who are most wise and thoroughly capable of managing all things in the best possible manner. Take care then, my dearest daughter, not to allow yourself to become anxious, but trust fully in Our Lord and His Mother. Annibilate at their feet all your thoughts, plans, desires, inclinations and in (1). Born at Montmartin, in the diocese of Coutances, of a most distinguished family, Madame married Simon de Bois-David, a Captain of the Guards. After the death of her husband, she entered the Monastery of our Lady of Charity and took the habit on April 2 9 , 1658. She received the name of Sister Mary of the Infant Jesus. Ory, op. cit., p. 83.

tents, and resign yourself completely, sincerely and unreservedly to their most holy will , supplicating them to arrange all things in the way most pleasing to them. Remember that they will do everything that is useful and advantageous to you, beyond your fondest desires.

My most affectionate regards to our dearest Mother, together with all her daughters, m y dearest~ Sisters. I remain, in the sacred love of the most holy Heart of Jesus and Mary, my dearest daughter, Devotedly yours, JOHN EUDES, missionary priest.

Letter 66

To Father John Dupont,(1) Superior of the Seminary at Coutances. The Saint reminds him that the occupations of the Community must be given preference over outside works, and

admonishes him to place all his trust in Jesus and His most Holy Mother

1658 I will do what I can to send someone to help you with duties of the Community. However, with things in the condition that you describe to me, Father Yon' will have to remain at the house if he i s needed there to help with confessions and in singing Vespers. For this is a maxim that must be observed: the interests of the Community have preference over anything that can be done outside of i t . If you think, then, that he is needed in the house, have him give up his preaching elsewhere.

Your letter would grieve me if I did not know that we have a very good Father and Mother who have absolute power over all things in heaven and on earth. They have provided very charitably so far for all our needs and they will always do so if we try to serve them and place (1). Father Dupont was born at Dieppe in 1619. He entered the Congregation of Jesus and Mary i n 1658 and became superior of the Coutances Seminary in the spring of 1658. He died in 1685. Cf. Les Fleurs de la Congrégation de Jésus et Marie, Vol. 1, pp. 98-103. (1). See Letter 58, now 8

all our trust in them: "Casting all your care upon (them) for (they) have care of you." (3) (3)1 Peter 5, 7

Letter 67

To Father John Dupont, Superior of the Coutances Seminary

On obedience

November 2, 1658 I am well aware of the prudence that God has given you, and of the sincerity and integrity of your intentions. But you and the other superiors of our houses must allow me to speak my thoughts to you on those occasions when I deem it necessary. If I suggest things to them which they find difficult, they may write me about it with simplicity and deference, but then they must give their attention to my next request in the matter without consulting this one or that one. Each one should feel free to write me whatever he thinks necessary for the good of the house.

Letter 68

To Father John Dupont, Superior at Coutances. Concerning the acquisition of a site in the

Place des Petits Prés(1) for the erection of the Caen seminary

December 16, 1658 The business regarding the Place des Petits Prés is all settled, thanks be to God. The contract is drawn up and signed by everyone concerned. And it is the almighty hand of Our Lord which has performed this wonder: "This is the Lord's doing: and it is wonderful in our eyes."(2) I entreat all our dear brethren to thank Him for it, as also His most (1). Place des Petits Prés later became the Place Royale, and today is the Place de la République i n Caen. (2). Ps. 117, 23.

Holy Mother, and to implore Him to raise up someone now who will build a church on this spot i n honor of the most Holy Heart of the Blessed Mother of God.

Letter 69

To the Priests of the Seminary at Lisieux. On their refusal to accept

Father Anthony Bernard ( 1 ) as their superior. ( 2 )

January or February, 1659 My very dear and beloved brethren:

You are aware that all priests, especially missionaries, are obliged to practise all the virtues with a view to perfecting themselves as models of holiness for the faithful. You know, consequently, that their obedience for all the orders of their superiors must be unquestioning.

If you had practised it in that way, you would have done something very pleasing to Our Lord and His most Holy Mother, very advantageous to your souls and very comforting to me. But if you did not have enough virtue for that, you should at least have been satisfied to acquaint me with your feelings in a spirit of humility and deference.

If I had sent you the lowliest of our lay brothers to govern you, you should have submitted to it because for your sakes Our Lord was obedient to Herod, Pilate, the executioners who crucified Him, and the forces of darkness. I have sent you a man who is one of the first to have entered our Congregation, extremely wise, virtuous and charitable. Yet you scorn him, you reject him, thereby condemning the superior of your Congregation in the choice he has made and preferring your own judgment to his. But what is worse, one of you writes me for the (1). Father Bernard, a former parish priest entered the Congregation of Jesus and Mary in 1652. He was Superior of the Lisieux Seminary for one year. (2). At the time of the foundation of the Rouen seminary, Father Manchon, who was in charge of the Seminary at Lisieux, was summoned in take over its direction. St. John Eudes replaced him at Lisieux with Father Bernard, whose appointment dissatisfied the priests of the Lisieux seminary. It was then that the Saint wrote the letter we reproduce here. It was written near the end of 1658 or the beginning of 1659.

others that this is a provocation not to be endured, that he is giving up his function as bursar and the others arc threatening to withdraw from the Congregation. What sort of language is that? Is that the way for priests, missionary priests, to talk? Where is the humility, the obedience, the sacrifice of self, of one's own reasoning and will? Where are the fruits of so many meditations, spiritual readings and Masses?

Open your eyes, my dear brethren, and see the errors you have committed.

1. You have opposed the most holy will of God which was made known to you through him who acts in His place.

2. You have saddened and grieved your poor Father who loves you more than his own inmost parts.

3. You have scorned your brother and injured him immeasurably, for how will he be regarded henceforth in the Congregation? If I carried out your desires, he would be a man completely discredited and ruined, and that would be sufficient to force him to withdraw from the Congregation.

4. You have done incalculable injury to the Congregation through your very pernicious example, the aftermath of which is highly dangerous. For whenever the Superior of the Congregation sends a house a superior who is not acceptable to the bursar or someone else, they will have only to announce that they are resigning from their office and threaten to withdraw. In short, my dear brethren, it is like placing a dagger at my throat to force me to carry out your wishes. It is even like stabbing me in the heart, for it fills me with a most lively sorrow to see so little virtue among you, specially since I wrote you that it was to be only for a short time.

I hope that all these considerations may help you to recognize your errors, to humble yourselves and implore pardon of God for them, to resolve never to do such a thing again, and to submit yourselves willingly to the most adorable will of God which is made known to you by him who acts in His stead.

I am with all sincerity, my beloved brethren,

Letter 70

To Father Thomas Manchon, Superior at Rouen. On the conduct to

follow with respect to the Jansenists

February to, 1659 My dearest brother:

I received two letters from Paris on the same day, from two eminent persons who are friends of ours.

One writes me that he was present at a very select gathering where two men of rank said that it was on our account that His Lordship of Rouen(1) issued his order for peace, meaning that we were inveighing too violently and indiscreetly against the Jansenists.

The other writes me as follows: "I shall tell you simply that the complaint was made to me in a well-known Paris residence that for some time now it has been noticed in Rouen that there is a great deal of communication between some of your Congregation and those who are only too justly associated with the group. This is particularly true of the one who is in charge of the house, whose virtue I myself do not question but who, apparently lacking sufficient firmness and vigor to oppose these people openly, might be capable, though quite unintentionally, of arousing marked prejudice against your seminary and preventing all the good that it could accomplish. He might prejudice even the subjects seeking to enter there, who would attribute such conduct to him who is in universal charge of the Congregation." That is what they wrote me; it should teach us to keep careful watch over our conduct. I know no better secret than to follow our own broad path without becoming involved in anything save to keep the commandments of God and of the Church, follow the rules of our calling and urge everyone, in our private conversations as well as our sermons and exhortations, to do the same. Let us avoid as far as possible any mention of controversial questions of the day, whether they concern faith or morals, and especially in our sermons. (1). Archbishop Harlay de Champvallon.

I also entreat you, my dearest brother: 1. to shun, whenever possible, the society of those who profess false doctrines: "Their speech spreadeth like a canker."(2) Our friendliness with them would cause us to be suspected and do us considerable harm; 2. always to evince the greatest possible charity and friendship for the Reverend Jesuit Fathers and all other religious. (2). 2 Tim. 2, 17

Letter 71

To Father John Dupont, Superior of the Coutances Seminary. On the

opening of the seminary at Rouen. ( 1 )

February 1659 After many trials and obstacles, not only from outsiders but even from our friends, the Rouen seminary was opened last Sunday on the octave of the feast of the Most Holy Heart of Our Bountiful Mother. There was great solemnity and joy on the part of all our brethren and friends who, after having disagreed in this affair, became reconciled very admirably, according to what Father Manchon wrote me, so that everything is peaceful now. Help us to give thanks to Our Lord and His most Holy Mother, as well as to all the angels and saints, and pray God to pardon those who opposed it and bless those who contributed to it, particularly Mr. de la Boissière.(2) It is to him, after God and our heavenly friends, that we are most highly obligated in this matter, since he worked on it for nine months with zeal, patience and wonderful perseverance. (1). The Rouen Seminary was opened on February 8, 1659 (2). Mr. de la Motte-Lambert who, after having been of Parliament, became a priest and later, vicar apostolic in China with the title of the bishop of Berytus.

Letter 72

To Father Thomas Manchon, Superior at Rouen. On his difficulties.

1659 Since God has chosen you to establish a seminary as important as the one in Rouen, you should consider these crosses and obstacles as a very precious gift from His divine bounty and thank Him as for a very special favor, for it is a sign that the seminary will yield great fruits.

If I beheld you surrounded by prosperity and contentment, I should fear greatly for you and the work entrusted to you; but seeing you afflicted with crosses and persecutions, I rejoice and give thanks to God that He is making you travel the road He traveled, and that He is building His house on the same foundations as those on which He established His Church.

Listen, my dearest brother, to these words of the Holy Spirit: "Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame ... think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds. For you have not yet resisted unto blood . . ."(1)

In conclusion, my dear brother, "Believe firmly in God, and place yourself entirely in His hands." Those are the words of St. Augustine, to which I shall add these of the Church: "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee."(2) Let us abandon ourselves to His divine will with full and complete resignation, having boundless confidence in His infinite goodness and in the unrivalled charity of our most bountiful Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. (1). Heb. 12, 2-4. (2)PS. 54, 23.

Letter 73

To Father Thomas Manchon, Superior at Rouen. On the poverty of

his seminary

1659 "Do manfully and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord."(1) For he hath said: I will not leave thee: neither will I forsake thee"; (2) and He is faithful to His words and promises: "Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass."(3) "Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you."(4)

Our Lord and His most holy Mother, Who had foretold the establishment at Rouen a long time before, and Who did so in such a wonderful way, will not abandon their work. They have not given their sons a house to lodge them without intending to furnish them with food; but they wish to afford us an opportunity to exercise patience, obedience to their most adorable will, love of poverty and trust in their great goodness.

We must guard well, my dearest brother, against losing that confidence which the Holy S pirit recommends so highly to us in Sacred Scripture, for it is very pleasing to His Divine Majesty. Distrust binds His hands and prevents Him from bestowing the fruits of His holy generosity.

In short, God never forsakes the needy, but He wants us to pray to Him with trust and perseverance. Make a novena, then, for that intention. (1). Ps. 26, 14. (2). Heb. 13, 5 (3). Matt 24, 35 (4). 1 Pet. 5, 7

Letter 74

To Father Thomas Manchon. On another occasion

1659 I am constantly mindful of the needs of your house, but I cannot believe that our most bountiful Father and our admirable Mother will withhold their generosity in this urgent necessity. No, no, no, my dearest brother, they will not abandon their poor children, however unworthy and unfaithful; heaven and earth would sooner come to an end. What would become of those divine words: "Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever"?(1)

He Who lavishes His gifts on so many Turks, blasphemers, godless persons and atheists, will He forsake His own true children? It is impossible! It is utterly impossible! We have but one thing to fear, and that is to be too fearful and not have enough confidence.

The need is urgent, but I trust that help is not far distant. For my part, I am sparing no effort or endeavor to do all that I reasonably can in this matter, but, thank God, without haste o r uneasiness, and without any reliance on what I am doing. Do as much on your own part.

But above all, I beseech you to see to it that God is well served and honored through faithful and literal obedience to all the orders and rules of the Congregation and all the things that God has been pleased to inspire me to establish in it. Know, my dearest brother, that by observing and having them observed as much as possible, you will be doing something very pleasing to Our Lord and His most Holy Mother, and you will bring down their holy blessing upon us and our Community. "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." (2) (1). Ps. 135, 25. (2). Psalm 54, 23