Letters of Marcellin – 311

Marcellin Champagnat

1840-01-03

Since we do not have Fr. Andrés letter, it is hard to say why he has had recourse to the sub-prefect about this matter; obviously, it has not been to obtain his approval. Nor do we know anything about the attitude of the civil authorities in that department. In any case, the Founder does not give much hope that he can provide brothers for that parish, which in fact was never included among our establishments.

Father,

Right now we do not have a single brother left whom we could send to your town. The new establishments we were obliged to make this year and the growth in personnel of several existing ones put all our available subjects into the field.

Perhaps you should try to obtain a period of delay from the sub-prefect, letting him know that you are taking steps to have an establishment of brothers as soon as possible. Besides, you realize that since the sub-prefect has intervened in this matter, we could not send a brother without his approval. That would put us at great risk of offending higher authority, which by that very fact would very much jeopardize the work of the brothers in the diocese of Autun.

I am, 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. 163-164, nº 208

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