If the hoped-for novitiate were established in Lorgues, it would not be too much to expect that one day the brothers might spread throughout southern France; but to send them from the Hermitage would be simply out of the question, given the number of requests from the center of the country. Since this novitiate never did see the light of day, the town of Cabannes had to wait until 1892 to have brothers.

Dear Sir,

We read with great interest the esteemed letter you sent us in hopes of obtaining our brothers to direct the school in Cabannes.

The establishments we have promised to open in 1841 will not allow us to accede to your request for this year. We will very shortly be establishing a major house in the little city of Lorgues (Var) and we hope that within a few years it will be like a greenhouse for good teaching brothers for the surrounding areas.

The instruction given by our brothers includes everything called for by the law under the heading of primary instruction. The conditions under which we set up establishments are almost the same as those of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, except that we allow the towns to collect a monthly fee from the well-off parents to cover part of the expenses of the establishment.

Please accept my regrets for not being able to satisfy, as you desired, the wishes of an administration which shows such praiseworthy zeal for the education of youth, and accept also the assurance of the total devotedness with which I have the honor to be,

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. 176-177, nº 220 éditée dans CSG 1, p. 315