No sooner have the difficulties created by Fr. Douillet in La Côte been settled, than the superior of the minor seminary began creating new ones, by demanding that the brothers pay pew-rent for their students places in his chapel (cf. AA, p. 295). The Founder takes advantage of the occasion to request the creation of an oratory in the school itself. We have no documentary evidence to tell us whether or not he won his case, but the presence of Fr. Douillet leads us to presume he did.

Father Vicar General,

Ever since His Lordship was good enough to accept our brothers for the instruction of the children of La Côte-St-André, they have been free to attend vespers and the other solemn ceremonies in the church of the minor seminary, with their boarders, free of charge. They are totally separated from the seminarians there by a very high barrier, and occupy only the upper part of the section reserved for the faithful of the city.

Now Father Superior is thinking of asking the brothers to pay 50 francs a year for those seats. Since one of the conditions of our prospectus is that the brothers and the children have free seating in church, we are bold enough to beg you to please obtain for us from His Lordship that it may be the same in La Côte-St-André in this respect as in all the other localities to which our brothers are sent. Since their salary is incomplete in free schools, and the boarders fees are definitely minimal, we hope that in the interest of this work and for the good of the diocese, His Grandeur will be good enough to continue this favor to us.

If His Lordship were willing to permit it, perhaps it would be possible in the future, in order to put an end to any inconvenience, to find a suitable place in the brothers house for the celebration of the solemn ceremonies and the singing of vespers. You know, Father Vicar General, that the distance from the parish church, and the restricted area reserved there for the children, make it impossible for the brothers boarding students to go there. Besides, discipline would suffer greatly, and there do not seem to be any other inconveniences at the seminary apart from the payment, since Father Superior has raised only that objection.

I hope, Father Vicar General, from the fatherly benevolence you have always showed the Brothers of Mary, that you will be good enough to discuss this with His Lordship and to inform us of His Grandeurs intentions.

Please, etc….

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, pp. 152-153, nº 193