This brief note indicates a lull in Fr. Champagnats dashing around Paris. Fr. Chanut was getting ready to leave, and the two of them had seen all the people they were able to contact to move their cause along. Now there was nothing more he could do except be patient and put his trust in God.

Paris, 12th March 1838, Foreign Missions, Rue du Bac Nº 120

My very dear brother,

Our business is right where it always was. I dont know what kind of goad to use to make it go faster. May God be blessed; this is the time when I am certainly not going to stop saying, Super flumina Babylonis…. If it were not for that, I would be very happy in my present position, since I have little to do and am in very good health. This Lent will go by without my noticing it. What worries me, and it is more than enough to poison everything, is the stifling stagnation of the business Im pursuing. Once again, may God be blessed. I have no idea what we will do about conscription, as you can well imagine.

Send me the pars verna of my breviary the same way you sent the Rule. I am going to send Bro. Marie-Jubin to the mutual school for the deaf and dumb. I intend to go there myself as soon as I can. It is essential that we not lose our time.

My best regards to all the brothers. You can see how much I always need prayers.

I have the honor to be your most devoted father in Jesus and Mary,

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 111.35, éditée partiellement dans AAA p. 238