In his letter of 21st May 1837, whose first part we reproduced in the introduction to L. 112, the bishop of Autun went on to say:
I also want to entrust to the Brothers of Mary another establishment which I intend to found soon. I have no doubt, Father, that you will do all you can to help me to carry out a project which greatly arouses my solicitude. Please assure me that I have not fostered this hope in vain.

In his reply, Fr. Champagnat limited himself to stating that the brothers will always be at the service of the bishops, without making further reference to this project, which he no doubt considered too remote. But sixteen months later, on 23rd September 1838, the bishop informs him, I have just bought the old château of the Marshal de Vauban. My intention would be to put it at your disposal if you wanted to establish a novitiate of your brothers there, and I would leave its direction entirely to you. It is a choice location, in the middle of the most religious townships of my diocese, very close to the mountains of the Loire; you can easily make it a central house. Please give me a prompt reply....

Everything points to the letter which follows being the requested answer. However, the copy bears the date of 20th August 1838 in the margin. That leaves us with an insoluble problem. There must be an error someplace, but it is hard to attribute it to the bishop, because even if he had his months mixed up, the dates do not correspond either. The error could easily be that of the secretary-copyist, unless we admit that our hypothesis is false and that this letter is not the reply to the bishops. Since we have no other information to help us resolve the problem, we will hold to the date given, although with reservations.

My Lord,

I am truly upset that I cannot respond to your zeal for the instruction of the people of your diocese by acceding to the esteemed request you have addressed to us.

We are leaving unfilled several posts in our area, which are fully endowed, which always guarantees their success. The same lack of subjects once again obliges us to postpone until next year the setting up of a novitiate in the south of France where we will furnish only the personnel, and which however will be an integral part of the one we direct in the diocese of Lyons. But we would very much like, if we could, to contribute to the good work you are contemplating for your diocese.

Please accept my best wishes, which I express with heartfelt sincerity, for the work you are planning, and also accept the assurance of the profound respect with which I have the honor to be Your Grandeurs most humble and most obedient servant,

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 la minute, AFM, RCLA 1, p. 98, nº 112