A Letter Instead of a Trip

It was upon Mgr. François-Xavier Bossé's request, pastor of St. Adelaide de Pabos, who so eagerly wished to have women religious in his parish, that Srs. St. Eugénie and Marie des Anges had comme from France. They realize that the season is too far advanced to visit Mgr. André-Albert Blais, bishop of Rimouski, and to request his blessing at the onset of the settlement of the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis in his diocese.

Monsignor,

Having arrived in your diocese a few days ago without having been able to meet you personally, we write you to ask Your Highness for his paternal blessing, and on behalf of our General Superior, we beg you to allow us to settle definitively in St. Adelaide, with the assurance of our whole and respectful submission to whatever you will ask of us.

Our Reverend Mother entreats you to be the Superior of our small community; we hope that thanks to our filial obedience and dedication, our request will not inconvenience you.

Mgr. André-Albert Blais (1842-1919), first coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Rimouski becomes bishop
of Rimouski in 1891.

The entire parish of Pabos seems to be receptive, and we hope to do good to such welcoming and warm-hearted people: the enthusiastic welcome we received enables us to foresee a pleasant future.

Although Mgr. Bossé had asked our General Superior to send only two sisters "to see for themselves" and added that Your Highness thought it was late in the season to comme to Canada, our Reverend Mother, according to the information received from Monsignor on the present situation at St. Adelaide, did not deem necessary, because of further expenses, "to send first two sisters to see for themselves." She has, therefore, urged us to remain in his diocese. We have, by the way, found everything just as Mgr. Bossé had said it; we could even say "better" than he had said it: the convent is spacious, comfortable, and compares with many of the French houses; the school revenues and the assistance we receive from the parishioners enable us to live easily; and we understand that the present building is not only adequate, but that it will also flourish and become self-sufficient. That is what we write in all sincerity to Your Highness and to our Reverend Mother Superior.

We ask for your blessing, Monsignor, and that you accept the homage of our deep respect from the two of us who are happy to be counted as your diocesans. (C-1)