From Sister Geneviève to Brother Siméon. April 25, 1897.
+ Jesus
JMJT
25 April 1897
Mr. Director,
I would like to begin by thanking you and yet I want to tell you what a great sacrifice you made me make when I arrived at Carmel in Lent. During this time visits are prohibited. Fortunately, the Visitor came from afar! more fortunately still, it was expected by the whole community! as such the door was opened to him with two leaves. He toured the community and the charm of a recreation. Do you know what was said, Dearest Brother? You looked like a Roman prelate! I applauded.
The beautiful and kind letter that you addressed to me was read, accompanying the photograph, [lv°] needless to say how much it gave pleasure and how the very dear Brother Simeon is loved and venerated here. It is thanks to this that the torture of Tantalus was not imposed on me until Easter.
You say, dear Brother, that you cannot refuse me anything. These words really touched me, I would have liked to fight again and my heart would have liked to invent something to please you, but I admit defeat, your generosity confounds me and leaves you the last word. (For gifts, but not in the Heart of Jesus!!!...)
The health of your other little Carmelite Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus is in serious danger, she is feeling a little better just now, however the cough has not subsided, she has had blister after blister, and the doctor order another one today. Although the chest disease has not yet been declared, everyone expects to see the divine Master pick [2r°] this beautiful flower. She is ripe for Heaven and yet the earth calls for her: she is only twenty-four years old and already because of her ability, her precocious holiness, our Mother has taken her to help in the charge of novices. I, his eldest, who will turn twenty-eight on Wednesday, am very happy to be under his guidance, ah! may I be like him! Our life together has been so united that it will not, I believe, be long separated by death. When she is with Jesus she will call me... I would not like to ask anything, because above all I want to do the will of the good God, either in life or in death, but I keep repeating that if I I have seen two beautiful days: my First Communion and my Profession, I still have one more beautiful, it is the day of my death... O happy day! when will he have him for me and for all those I love!
Very Dear and Venerable Brother, pardon you [2v°] for discussing my thoughts in this way, but when I am on this subject I do not know how to stop. The earth is so sad, we see so much baseness, so many defections in the world that disgust seizes the soul. We are nevertheless privileged and the good Lord has put us in a greenhouse, our exile is happening with chosen souls, oh! what a great grace the religious vocation is! What beautiful examples we have every day! The one you have put before us is very edifying, the life of Dear Brother Leo of Jesus (Pro-Director of the College of Rome) is one of those that leaves a sweet perfume in the soul, he was a saint! ... I knew Father Tissot having heard him preach at Paray (on October 15, 1890, in the company of Léonie) and I have an indelible memory of him.
Thank you, Dear Brother, for everything you have sent us, including “My Devotions” (Collection of poems by Br. Salutaire, sent by the latter to Thérèse on March 16), we never tire of reading and meditate on everything that comes from Rome...
Please accept, Very Dear and Venerable Brother, with the most religious memory of our Mother, the most affectionate respect for your two little Carmelites.
The most unworthy
Genevieve of Ste Therese
(r.carm.ind.)
[2v°tv] PS With this letter you will receive, Mr. Director, an image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel that our Mother is sending you.
