Letter IX. To a Superioress of the Visitation

On a difference as to ecclesiastical precedence. Monasteries to be content with moderate dowries. On self-love in austerities.

nth January 1620.

MY DEAR DAUGHTER — I confess that I cannot at all understand these considerations of ceremony, because I have never thought of them. Quite four times, at least, I have preached at Paris for the reception of nuns, and a simple priest has performed the service: once I made the reception and a Jesuit Father preached, and under both arrangements I did not cease to be what I atn. Whoever preaches, the good M. N. takes the place and performs the function of the Bishop; wherefore if he perform the office I do not see that another person may not preach, whatever he may be. Neither my Lord the Bishop of Nantes, nor my Lord the Archbishop of Bourges, makes any difficulty about

1 it at Paris, nor have I ever made any here at St. Clare's or St. Catherine's.

But all the same I also admit that it truly shows a little human nature in good M. N. to think that it affects his reputation whether he performs or does not perform the office, even though he has not the talent of preaching; and for my own part I think quite the contrary: but at last what can be done? — for to turn his mind away is to upset it altogether. It will then be well that if our good M. N. can persuade his relatives to be satisfied, he should give the exhortation, and I can not imagine what reason they can have to be dissatisfied since it is so good and so honourable a thing; and at the same time there will be more distinction about the affair in this way than in any other. But if this cannot be done, you must ask some Religious Father; for what can one do with all these fancies? Time is short, and there seems no chance of inducing my Lord to act otherwise. I assure you, my daughter, that when a young person of quality entered the Car melites, I gave the exhortation, and M. du Val, doctor of theology, performed the office; whereas he would have preached better than I and I better have per formed the ceremony than he. Alas! what trifles are we tied to!

Well then, such is my advice. But if even this cannot be, then the office will have to be before dinner and the exhortation after dinner. Meantime, my dear daughter, this is true, that he who has his heart and his intention in God feels little, at least in the superior part, of the agitations of creatures; and he who has it in heaven, as St. Gregory said to two bishops, is not blown about by the storms of earth.

Not only do I consent, but I approve, yea with all my heart exhort, that when rich parents give reason ably, according to their condition and means, they should not be teased to give more. As, for example, with the daughter who is making her trial, I would a hundred times rather have a thousand crowns quietly, than twelve hundred with bitterness and long vexatious struggling. God's spirit is generous, sweet, and humble: one would perhaps gain two hundred crowns by disputing, but one would lose four hundred in reputation; and we take away from the rich the desire of letting their daughters come when we exact so avariciously all that we can. That is my opinion; that is what I have done here.

She is right, undoubtedly, this good daughter, in thinking that her fasting humour is a true temptation: it was, it is, and it will be, so long as she continues to practise these abstinences. It is true that by them she weakens her body and its sensuality; but by a poor exchange she strengthens her self-love and her self-will; she starves her body, and she overcharges her heart with the poisonous growth of self-esteem and self-pleasing. Abstinence which is practised against obedience takes away the sin from the body to put it in the heart. Let her give her attention to cutting off her own will, and she will soon quit these phantoms of sanctity in which she reposes so superstitiously. She has consecrated her corporal strength to God; it is not for her to break it down unless God so order it; and she will never learn what God orders save by obedience to the creatures whom the Creator has given her for her guidance. This is what is required, my dear daughter; you must help her against this temptation by the advice of some true servant of God; for more than one person is required to uproot this self-satisfaction in exterior sanctity, dearly esteemed by the prudence of self-love. Do this then, ask M. N. to instruct and fortify her against this temptation; and if he thinks well let it even be in your presence.

Is it in real earnest, my dear daughter, that you say: we are quite poor, thank God? Oh! if it be so, how gladly would I say: happy then are you, thank God! But I scarce dare to speak of a virtue which I only know by the infallible description of the king of the poor, Our Lord: for as to myself I have never seen poverty close.

Keep to what I told you as to Communion, and let your intention be to unite your heart with that of him whose body and heart you receive both together. Afterwards do not occupy yourself in thinking what are the thoughts of your mind about this, since of all these thoughts there is not one which is your thought, save that which you have deliberately and voluntarily accepted, which is to receive Communion for the union and as the union of your heart with that of the Beloved. Your very affectionate servant, &c.

LET. x.] Later Letters to Visitation. 185