LIII. To Mother Marie Hélène de Chastellux, Superior at Moulins.

Vive ✠ Jésus!

Annecy, 1623.

Glory be to God, dearest Daughter, that this disagreement between you and our Sisters of Nevers has come to an end. I have known of it for a long time. Henceforth, I conjure you, live together in perfect and sweet union, for such was the desire of our Blessed Father.

I shall write to our Sister the Superior of Paris, and if she can leave you the dowry of Sister M. Marguerite I am sure she will do so, for she is no lover of money, but justice must be maintained.

For God's sake keep far from you all desire of being well off. Love poverty and God will make you abound in true riches: this is the spirit of our Blessed Father. He could not tolerate any eagerness in us for temporal goods, or that we should be solicitous at all about them. It consoled him to see souls love and esteem poverty. Surely it is but reasonable that we who are vowed to it should no longer hold dear the riches we have renounced. And it is with the great Master that this contract has been made. Oh! my daughter, be not angry with me for speaking thus. I do not accuse you of this evil, but I speak because I have an extreme desire to see holy poverty honoured and cherished amongst us, and my heart's wish is that every soul in the Institute should love it.

O Jesu! never burden yourself, daughter dearest, with girls who have no religious vocation, nor fitting dispositions for our manner of life. After having exercised charity for some months towards this girl, if God does not truly touch her heart and if she does not genuinely desire to be a Religious, you ought in all humility to ask these gentlemen, her relations, to take her away: for how does it look, I pray you, to keep girls in the convent who are simply boarders and must have their meals apart? Certainly, daughter, this must not be done, and I feel confident that Sister Marie Aimée (de Morville) is too good-hearted not to help this girl to overcome herself, and send her to eat with the community while she is with you. My God, how we must guard ourselves against this miserable world, and take every precaution, lest its spirit enter into our monasteries. May God in His mercy preserve us from it!

I have the greatest aversion to this title Mère ancienne, because it is against the Rule and therefore against the spirit of our Blessed Father. You will see a little reference to it in the last conference he gave at Lyons. I should like to see our Sisters hold in such reverence his memory, and the Rule, that in comparison to them they could give no thought at all to their own silly fancies and inclinations, and I am sure Sister Jeanne Charlotte (de Bréchard) would agree with me, as she ought to in this. Alack! what honour is there in such things? Rather is honour to be found in perfect observance. I am very sorry for poor Sister M. Catherine (Chariel), but she ought to be faithful to the exercises, in as much, at least, as depends on herself, by the exterior observance of them, and she should refuse to consent to those evil reflections, resisting them with the sword of the spirit. This much God has put in our power, and never can we fall except by our own will. If she is faithful to this, God will be satisfied, but she must submit herself absolutely. I will write to her.

Be most careful to let no coolness exist between you and the Jesuit Fathers, and give them no excuse for keeping away from you. Our Blessed Father would not have approved of it. Soon, please God, you will see in the Directory what he said to me at Lyons on this point. Recall them gently, daughter, and give them your former confidence. Although the good Father you mention did not take the matter rightly the Jesuits are too wise and too good to keep up a grudge against us.

I think I know Père de Géney, if it is the same; he is a very good Religious in whom you can confide. Converse in a trustful spirit with them all, but above all with the Jesuits and their Rector. He spoke the truth to you in saying that the Sisters are satisfied and feel the improvement. Keep your courage ever higher, my most dear daughter, and always, I beseech you, govern in a spirit of extreme gentleness. Look sometimes at the advice I give to Superiors, and although I am worthless Our Lord has allowed Himself to speak through me in this. May He be blessed for ever!

If Sister M. Charlotte (de Feu) is eighteen or twenty let her in the name of God follow the community, and if on that account she suffers somewhat she will be very happy. At least do not let her be the judge of her own needs, and she should submit herself to you. Give her plenty to do, and then be at her side to help her. You ought not to have sent out that letter that you did not understand, though it is true when written to one of ourselves there is less danger.

Bear with the old woman, I beg of you, and you will gain her to God. I rather prefer your writing during recreation than in the evening. I do this, and in the midst of our Sisters. Get Sister Jeanne Charlotte or someone else to help you in this, and write little except to our monasteries; but you should read a good quarter of an hour every evening after Matins, for this will be useful to you. We should wear ourselves out in the service of our neighbour, and doing so we shall be happy.

Certainly, daughter, the dormitory ought not to be made into an infirmary: if doing otherwise gives a little more trouble to the sisters they will have all the more merit. Alas! my God, the poor have far more than this to put up with. Our Blessed Father's maxim was to refuse no inconvenience, and to ask for no relief, yet if relief was given him he accepted it. Oh, daughter, great courage is needed to seek God alone, bearing all for love of Him.

I am a little surprised to have no news of Sister Jeanne Charlotte, and Sister Marie Aimée. Had I time I would send them a note to waken them up, and assure them that I belong to them, but for this time give them my message and tell them that I wrote to them when I was at Moulins the last time, at least to the elder sister. May God in His goodness hold you in His holy hand. I am devoted to you more than I could ever put into words. God be Blessed!

I salute all our sisters, especially Sister Assistant, for whom I have a great affection, but I wish she would write to me once more, then I would answer her fully. It is because I have not had time that I have not done so. God be Blessed!

P.S.—It has occurred to me that I ought to send you the first sheet of the Directory—all that is yet out—in which is set down how the Office ought to be performed on the great feasts of our Lord. His Lordship will be satisfied at its being performed in this manner. The change must be effected quietly and imperceptibly. Our Sisters are very much pleased with it.