Brother Isidore (Jacques Poinard) probably replaced Brother Gonzague, who went to La Côte-Saint-André in late October 1831. For reasons unknown to us, he had to leave either before or at the time of the reopening of school in 1833. He probably never returned, because he had definitely left the congregation by 13th July 1834, when Jean-Pierre Petit received the same religious name. Father Champagnat had no choice but to replace him with a novice, Brother Théophile, who had just received the habit the preceding 14th June; he was already twenty-four years old, but his academic baggage was rather light.

J.M.St.J.

Notre Dame de lHermitage, 10th November 1833

My very dear Brother Antoine,

While waiting for Brother Isidore to return, we are sending you Brother Théophile. The mayor cannot require of him any other documents than the one he is carrying. The principal in Saint-Etienne told me that, according to the Moniteur, a teacher who has his certificate of competence and his authorization can take on another teacher for whom he is responsible. They assured me in Lyons that this was so. In any case, find out for yourself about this. None of our establishments is having any trouble, even though we have only one brother with his certificate of competence in each place.

A Dieu, my dear friend, pray for me; I have many problems.
But everything is going all right, none the less.

Champagnat

Edition: Translation from: Lettres de Marcellin J. B. Champagnat (1789-1840) Fondateur de l?Institut des Frères Maristes, présentés par Frère Paul Sester,1985.

fonte: Daprès lexpédition autographe - AFM, 111.10