Julie-Marie Malville 1820-1892
Peace and most humble greetings in Our Lord Jesus Christ, whose ever adorable will removed from our religious affection, at the time when we had just celebrated our joyous feasts of the Crib, Our dear Mother Sub-Prioress; Sister Fébronie of the Holy Childhood, aged 72 years 2 months, and of religion 49 years 6 months.
This beloved Sister, my Mother, was born in Paris, of very Christian parents.
Orphaned at the age of 2, her excellent father, who remained a widower with two children, one of whom was only a few days old, entrusted these two delicate little plants, Julie and Pauline, to a friend. of their virtuous mother taken so young from the affection of her husband, and from the tenderness of the two Angels!... They received under this friendly roof the most maternal care. However, after a few months, the Father of our little Julie felt the need to give his poor children a second mother, who truly deserved this name by the kindness and delicacy of her heart.
The new family came to live in Rouen. Julie and Pauline were then entrusted to religious souls and they grew in age, wisdom and knowledge. Our dear and beloved Sister above all loved study and applied herself to it to the point of preferring her books to games, which are usually so attractive to any boarder. Reading even became a passion for her; but God never allowed one bad book to fall into his hands.
Divine Providence, my very worthy Mother, who always watches lovingly over her children, soon inspired the head of the family to leave Rouen and come to live in Lisieux. One of the young girl's first concerns was to choose a Director. God whose designs are admirable, directed his steps towards Father Sauvage who had just founded our dear little Carmel, barely 1 years ago. This wise and enlightened spiritual father was not long in recognizing in his young penitent a religious vocation which he experienced for several months, seeking to divert her from her desire to embrace an austere rule; but the dear child persevering in her charms, Monsieur Sauvage yielded to her entreaties. Notifying her respectable father, she entered the blessed Ark, very few days after the death of Our Reverend Mother Elisabeth, of holy memory, and was received by our much-missed and beloved Mother Geneviève de Sainte Thérèse.
Our very dear Sister Fébronie, my Reverend Mother, appeared as soon as she entered a model of regularity, silence and piety; he was a truly interior soul, loving the solitary and hidden life in God. Our good old ones. Mothers, recognizing in the young nun a subject filled with the qualities which give joy and hope to a Community, received her with happiness by the grace of taking the habit and making Holy Profession in ordinary times.
Our good Sister, after being bound to Jesus, successively filled the jobs of nurse, seamstress and dressmaker, with great charity, remarkable skill and boundless devotion.
Her profound knowledge of the rubrics made her very precious to us in the office of Sub-Prioress which she filled for 14 years on several occasions. It was there above all, Reverend Mother, that she made the happiness and joy of her Mother Prioresses, always remaining united to them in the same views and the same sentiments.
But we were not the only ones to be able to appreciate the profoundly religious spirit of our very dear Sister. united to ours, where in a particular circumstance she had spent several months, learning of her so prompt departure, a few weeks ago, we received, from the Reverend Mother Prioress, a new proof of the good memory that we keep of her in this beloved Community.
That we were far from expecting, My Reverend Mother, the disaster we have just suffered. This terrible epidemic which wreaks so much havoc everywhere, had just taken away Our Venerable Dean, 12 of our very dear daughters were already affected, when Our Good Mother Sub-Prioress was also taken on December 31, while returning from driving to the. conventual door our excellent Doctor, whose indefatigable devotion leaves us a debt of gratitude which you will kindly, my Reverend Mother, help us to discharge?
The most intelligent care was immediately given to our dear Mother, but they could not ward off the evil. Held ourselves in the infirmary for several days and condemned, it was said, to leave exile, we handed her over to our dedicated nurse... Alas, the seeing of our souls will now only be in heaven.
This beloved Mother slept gently in the Peace of the Lord on January 4 at 8 a.m., after having received the paternal blessing of Our Venerable Father Superior, appalled by the successive voids that were made in her little Carmel, and the Extreme Anointing of the hands of Our Worthy Chaplain, who never ceased during these days of trial as on every occasion to give us touching marks of his limitless devotion.
May we be permitted, my very worthy Mother, to tell you just a word of our pain; in 6 days, we saw the three oldest of our Community leave without having had the consolation of lavishing our care on them, of assisting them, of giving them the last maternal kiss. What heartbreaking! We heard the echo of our daughters' desire, calling us to their bedside to console and strengthen them at the supreme moment of departure... But, alas! we had to stay away from them.... Our good Mother. Sub-Prioress, heroically accepting the ordeal, cried out in her agony: "One more Sacrifice!... O my Jesus, I offer it to you..."
We do not doubt, my Reverend Mother, that the Adorable Heart of the Good Master has had as pleasant the double sacrifice of the daughters and of the Mother.... Ah may he have opened Heaven immediately, to these souls beloved.
However, as one must be so pure to appear before God, we beg you, My Reverend Mother, to add to the suffrages already requested, a communion from your fervent Community, the indulgence of the Via Crucis, of the 6 Paters and what your charity will suggest you.
Our beloved Mother Sub Prioress and her two dear companions will be very grateful to you as well as to us, who have the grace to tell us in the love of Jesus‑crucified; My Reverend and Most Honored Mother.
Your most humble Sister and servant.
St MARY OF GONZAGUE,
RC ind.
From our Monastery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception
of the Carmelites of Lisieux, January 6, 1892
PS. We ask our good Mothers and Sisters to receive the expression of our deep gratitude for all the marks of sympathy received in these days of such painful trials. It is a great consolation for broken hearts to feel part of the great Carmel family to which Our Mother Saint Thérèse bequeathed her tender and compassionate charity.
We are asked from all over for the circular of Our Venerable Mother Geneviève; the sad days that we have just passed have prevented us from taking care of it, but we hope soon to respond to the wishes so fraternally expressed.
