XCIV.
To Sister Paule Jéronyme de Monthoux, Sister Deposed,[A] at Blois.
Vive ✠ Jésus!
Annecy, 1633.
My dearest Daughter,
Your letter by which I see that you are in the midst of suffering fills me with compassion. However, the Superior[B] being such as she is, I do not think it desirable to remove you at present, for your absence would, I fear, make matters worse.
You ought to follow faithfully the attraction you mention in your last letter of wishing to live in profound humility in order to imitate more perfectly the divine Saviour who was subject not only to His Father but to His children, to His creatures. As you know, they did not treat Him well, but with infinite contempt and opprobium, and all this suffering He bore without complaint. If, then, you have the courage to suffer in humility, sweetness, patience, silence, all that presents itself to you, I most truly believe that by so doing you will become holy, that your service will be agreeable to the divine Majesty, will work great good to the Institute, and in particular to your own house.
These little things you mention to me, that the Mother does not wash the dishes, and does not sweep, I should take no notice of, except to bring them to her notice just once in a casual way and humbly. But when you remark important things, tell her of them with gentleness and affection, and try to win her heart, for if you once gain that you can do as you will with her. Neglect nothing that you think could further this end. With my pen as with my whole heart I beseech you to do all you possibly can to remedy this evil. You see how it is, beloved daughter; the older Sisters do not like to be the fault-finders. I gather this from their letters, and I see also that they fail in humility and respect towards the Mother. Certainly when a Sister, whoever she may be, is in charge as Mother, the same obedience and respect should be given to her as to her predecessor. To act otherwise is to prove that we have no virtue and that we do not, as is our duty, regard God in the creature. So should it be when she is in office. And when she is no longer Superior let us cherish her as a sister, and keeping ourselves in humility, meddle as little as possible with anything. If it is requisite to admonish it ought to be done with such respect and charity that no harm can come of it. In a word, as you would wish that others should act towards you if you were Superior, so do you to them. I assure you, dearest daughter, it grieves me more than I can tell you when I know that the newly elected Mothers and the Sisters deposed are not in harmony; for it is clear as noon-day that this comes from a want of humility. Wherever such a misfortune exists it is the ruin of peace and of the observance of the Rule, and that house is no longer held in good esteem.
May God put His hand to this reformation. If I outlive my term of office I am resolved to keep myself so much in the background, and so ignorant of the affairs of the house that I can give umbrage to no one. Should I see wrong I shall certainly speak of it, but with all possible gentleness and humility, and having done so, if it is not put right I shall hold my tongue until the [Ecclesiastical] Superior's visit, then I shall simply represent the matter without exaggeration to him. To conclude, dearest daughter, do everything God suggests to you for the good of your Convent and for peace. Charity remedies all things. I am writing a long letter to the (Mother) Superior. Receive all I say as coming from a heart that only desires your good, and is entirely,
Yours, etc.