To Mr. and Mrs. Guérin December 6, 1896
Read this entire letter before deciphering the little note in pencil.
personal
JMJT
Jesus
My dear parents.
Our Mother allows me to write to you without showing her my letter, she suspects that this year again you will fill her alpargates (sandals with rope soles) at Christmas by the fireside... Between parentheses I ask my good Providence who is my Uncle only filling one of ours with pennies. I really need it... I thank him in advance by kissing him many times and wishing him better health.
My Aunt will choose for me, I hope, the requested toy (for a little nephew of Mother Marie de Gonzague) and also a bag of [I v°] chocolate sweets which will serve the nurse well to help our maid a little Mother to regain her appetite. For the Benjamin I would like like last year a small bag to put in his alpargates in the name of his good Parents. Sometimes you have to spoil the children a little. However, I am usually very strict. This poor little girl, I made her suffer a lot, but for her good... she recognizes it, now that her flight towards God is well taken! I am taking advantage of Our Mother's permission to confide a little secret to you: since the elections, with the permission of the Superior, I was still involved in the management of the little sister of the white veil (Sr M.Madeleine) it seemed to me several really serious reasons that she needed it. But having finally recognized that she did not take enough advantage of it to expose me to such great perils, I recently abandoned her. Sr. M. de l'Euch. being at the dishes yesterday and the day before yesterday with this poor child, never ceased to talk to her about perfection, about her own experience of the infidelities which make the soul so unhappy, about her reluctance to open up to Sr Th .of Enft J., of his triumph at last and of his present happiness. It was done, Sr. M. Madeleine seemed won over and taking the hand of her companion angel, she said to him with sincerity. - Well no, I don't want to stay alone like this, sulking in my little corner, I'll do like you: and despite my invincible repugnance, I'll go and find the one that Our Mother has, so to speak, given us for Mistress. You will take me there on Tuesday, the day of the Immaculate Conception. - It's heard. -
Here are two radiant children. Sr. M. de l'Euch. come and tell me all this, I hid my emotion from him. I thought she had accomplished a marvel, because I did not tell you and I could not even make you understand how far Sr MM is from Sr Th. bottom of the soul and consequently obliged to make good war with nature. For a year I had obliged her, being Prioress, to go to her house for half an hour on Sundays and I know what happened.
Yes, but our little hero had counted without Grapple! the night brings dark advice and the next morning, alas! the resolution of the tempted poor soul was taken unshakable not to go and see Sr. T. de I'Enft J. tell me more. When Our Mother gives her to us for Mistress openly then I will go, but not before. »
So here is my preacher very sorry and I admit, I was too ... during the silence before Matins, tears came to my eyes seeing and realizing how difficult it is to do good!
In response to a short note from Sr M. de l'E. who gave me the last details of the case, I took up my pen and replied that the good Lord would bless her, but that she don't forget to pray for me, because my heart was very heavy to see that all my efforts were coming to nothing under so many circumstances. But anyway, I added, to you my poor little one, I hope I have done some real good, because [3 v°] you have a righteous heart and we can apply v to you. of the psalm: "Light has arisen in the darkness for those who are upright in heart.
This is the second little word she replied to me, and which made me, I confess to you, shed sweet tears; I send it to you for your consolation to both of you, my very dear parents. Oh ! yes, rejoice because your dear child will become a Saint. She came yesterday evening, December 5, the anniversary of the death of Mother Geneviève, with me, to knock twice on Mother Geneviève's door, at the altar where her heart is (preserved), telling her naively: "My good Mother , don't forget me, let me be accepted for profession”... Dear little one, yes, she will stay in [4r°] this blessed asylum and I will not be surprised when later, God will entrust great things to her.
This, my dear parents, is what I wanted to tell you, don't talk to me about that in the visiting room, I don't want her to know; it is so easy to lose religious simplicity, and there is something so attractive about the candor of a soul which does not know itself! While feeling admired all these charms vanish. I don't know if I'm making myself understood, I write so quickly and I'm in such a hurry.
I kiss you very much ... I love you oh! I have no doubt that [4 v°] these intimate details are of interest to you! I hope the good Lord will forgive me for having acted cunningly to make them known to you, N. Mother being persuaded that I am writing to you for the toy.
Ah! Our Mother will forgive me herself one day! How many things will be discovered on this last day! I rejoice because while being very imperfect, I seek basically only the Glory of my Jesus.
See you soon !
Your poor child
Sr Agnes of Jesus
A big kiss to my little Léonie. Let her bring me her little layette herself.
[4 v°tv] Our Mother allows me to send you the life of Fr. Chicard. Don't miss it, it's very interesting. It will annoy my uncle. Do you still have H. Suzo?
[1 r°tv.] Do you have new documents on D. Vaughan?
