XXIV. To a Benedictine nun of Tyburn Convent

From 1908 onward, Dom Marmion maintained a regular correspondence with the venerable prioress of this convent, a holy nun of French origin, Mother Mary of St. Peter Garnier. She had founded a congregation, the Adorers of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, of which Tyburn was the first foundation in England. In January, 1914, this congregation was affiliated to the Benedictine Order, and the advice of Dom Marmion had greatly contributed to this development.

Dom Marmion had preached the annual retreat there in April, 1909, and when he passed through London he was always welcomed at the convent. When forced to leave occupied Belgium in disguise in September, 1914, Dom Marmion succeeded in reassembling his young refugee-monks in a property that a generous gift had enabled him to acquire at Edermine, in County Wexford in Ireland. But resources were lacking, and Dom Marmion had to go in search of means of subsistence. It was thus that he asked the charity of the Tyburn nuns to obtain clothing.

The chief interest of these letters, however, lies in the grave anxtety revealed by the author concerning hts difficulty in corresponding with Maredsous in Belgium while it was occupied by the German armies; his ardent destre to return to his monastery; his fear lest this prolonged absence be misunderstood. It was for this reason that he tried to get in touch with his friend Cardinal Mercier, who was the soul and bulwark of Belgian patriotism at that time.

• Major seminary.

Pax Edermine, Enniscorthy. 3 May [1915]. MvadearsSreEL «| 3: ]

. . . Please tell dear R. Mother I am still suffering greatly from influenza, obliged to remain in bed most of the day. Tell her also, I got as yet no answer from Card. Mercier, but one letter from Count de Grunne’? tells me it will be practically impossible for me to get back at present; Mgr. de Wachter” writes me the same. Nevertheless, if the Cardinal advises me to return, I shall get out in God’s name. Of course I shall pass by Tyburn.

May God bless and love you all as I do in J.C.

Columba Marmion, Abb.

Pax Edermine, Enniscorthy. 7 May [1915]. My dear Sister H [. . .|

Many thanks for your kind offer. May God bless and love you.

I send you a rough estimate of our wardrobe, though of course I know you can’t do more than fill up a gap here and there. We are getting on splendidly, and God is very good to us. I have been suffering a deal from influenza, but am on the mend. | can’t assist at the Office, and speaking at once gets me coughing.

Besides this, I hear I am looked on at Maredsous somewhat as a pastor who has deserted his flock. This is very painful to bear; it is so far from the truth. Most of my letters get stopped, and so I can’t explain. I wrote the Cardinal Mercier explaining my position, and asking his advice and help; but I fear my letter never got to him. The Count de Grunne, to whom I wrote, writes that he, and all the persons he has consulted, consider it impossible for me to get back to Maredsous at present.

Perhaps you could communicate with his Eminence by Mrs. Mercier. Note the following points: 1) I left Maredsous 14 Sept.,

Count Willy de Grunne, of the Belgian Legation in London, a graduate of

Maredsous Abbey school. ? Of the Nunciature at The Hague, and a friend of Abbot Marmion. when all danger had ceased in that part of Belgium.’ 2) I left on unanimous advice of Seniors, and the Bishop of Namur. 3) As soon as I had assured existence of my monks here, I sought to return, and have received official information from Nunciature at Brussels, and Légation Belge at London that my return is impossible. I beg Cardinal Mercier to explain this to my Community; and if he considers I ought to return, to help me to do so; as it would greatly compromise my Community later, were I to seek a passport from the Kaiser by way of our Primate.”

Pray for me, as I daily do for you all. These pains of body and heart are bringing me daily nearer to God, and detaching me from the world.

May God bless and love you all.

Your Father, Columba Marmion, Abb.

P.S. The H. Father Benedict XV has sent a magnificent letter to Cardinal Amette, in which he openly espouses the cause of France.

Pax Edermine, Enniscorthy. 17 May 1915. My dear Child,

Your letter was a great joy and consolation to me. I can say with St. John (III Epis. 1,3): Majorem horum non habeo gratiam, quam ut audiam filios meos in veritate ambulare. “I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth.”

Our life is agreeable to God just in proportion as we are united to the Word by love and resignation. The Sacred Humanity gave a special glory to God during His weakness at the hour of the Passion. Deus gui in assumptae carnis infirmitate jacentem mundum erextstt. “O God, Who didst raise up the fallen world by the weakness of this assumed human nature.” * Our Divine Lord associates each

• Abbot Marmion wishes to make it clear that it was not from fear that he had left Maredsous, but only in order to find a refuge from the enemy for his young monks.

• The Abbot-Primate of the Benedictines was at this writing a German, Dom

Fidelis von Stotzinger, former Abbot of Maria-Laach. * Prayer from the Mass of Palm Sunday, quoted with a slight modification. one of His elect with one of these states which He has sanctified and deified in His Divine Person. Some are united to His infancy, others to His hidden life, others to His apostolic life, others to His passion, some few are associated with the weakness of His agony, and these give Him the most glory.

In our activity, we are so apt to substitute our human natural activity to God’s action. But when God strikes us down, despoils us of our activity, He takes full possession of that person, and deifies all his activity, which flows from Him. This is what God has done for you. Your prayer should be to sink deeper and deeper every day in that Divine Will. Place your heart in that of Jesus, and let Him will for you. I daily pray that God may give you the grace to bear, and love, the cross He places on you. Blosius says: “A soul which gives herself up without reserve to God, allowing Him to operate in her as He pleases, does more for God and for souls in one hour than others by their activity in long years.”

I got a letter from Cardinal Mercier telling me not to go back to Belgium at the present, and promising to explain all at Maredsous. I am now much better. I shall soon write to R. Mother.

VOULrsaticm@ing iG. Columba, Abb.

P.S. I need much prayer and expiation. I daily offer you to God. Do so for me.