After his rather brusque letter of the previous 9th January, Fr. Hector wrote again on 31st May:

Your last reply, of 9th January, while assuring me that our request had been taken under consideration and entered in the register of the house, hardly satisfied either me or the town council. I imagine that the five months which have since elapsed have evaporated the difficulty you had at that time in specifying when you could accede to our desire and grant us brothers, and that your next reply will be more explicit than the last. In this expectation, I am pleased today to inform you of the progress of the work on our house and the urging of the town council to have you as soon as possible.... Please specify a date and promise us at least for All Saints 1840. If we get that promise, we will be patient.

The answer he receives is totally different in tone from the previous one (cf. L. 237). Is Fr. Champagnat making amends, or did he take a more direct hand in its composition? Fr. Hector will reply the following 12th December:

Your last reply, Nº 150, dated 16th June 1839, finally reassured me and the town council with whom I shared it. Encouraged by your promise to give us brothers at All Saints 1840, we have taken steps, and will take still more, to see that everything will be ready at that time....

And in fact, Bro. Euthyme, Bro. Vincent and Bro. Faustinien arrived at the end of October 1840 (Annales de St-Lattier, p. 7).

Father,

We are very flattered by the confidence which you and the municipal council of your town have so kindly shown our house. We will do all in our power to further your zeal by making an establishment for which, as we see from your esteemed letter, you and your pious parishioners have made the greatest sacrifices.

If we could give you brothers this year, we would do so with great pleasure, but it is not possible. Since you will be kind enough to wait until 1840, we hope that at that time we will be fortunate enough to send our workers to labor under your direction in the field which you cultivate with such great care.

Accept the respect and sincere devotedness with which I am….

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. 125, nº 150