Father Vacher, with strong support from the town council, probably wrote first to the Brothers of the Christian Schools to obtain religious teachers for his school. Since it was impossible to obtain them immediately, he turns to Fr. Champagnat, who answers in friendly terms that he cannot do any better, for lack of available subjects. We do not know what occasioned the chatty, almost intimate tone of this letter. Is it simply affected politeness, or was there a real friendship between the two men? Research has turned up no answer to that question. On the other hand, we can understand that the Founder could look favorably on the establishment of a second community not far from La Voulte.

Father,

We have received the esteemed letter you sent us, in which you inform us of the good dispositions of your town council and its plan to entrust to our brothers the Christian and religious education of the children of your attractive town. We very much hope that it will effectively pursue such a praiseworthy project and one so worthy of its zeal for the public welfare. We would very much like to see our brothers carry out their important and difficult tasks under the protection of your fatherly goodness and thus further the benevolent plans of your wise administration, but it would be impossible for us, at present, to acquiesce to your request, because our available brothers have all been assigned, and we have promises to keep for several years to come. We could not give you brothers for at least another four or five years.

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 establish-
ment.

I am very touched by the confidence with which you honor our society and I ask you to accept my gratitude, as well as the respectful 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. 178-179, nº 223