Issue 37 of Marist Notebooks is the last one to be prepared by the Patrimony Commission appointed by Brother Emili Turú. We have not attempted to shape an issue around a specific theme. Nevertheless, in the four articles on Marist origins, two of the authors, working quite independently of each other, chose the same image of the forge to describe how Marcellin was shaped by St Francis de Sales and by his formation in the Seminary of St Irenée. The same image of the forge suits the following two articles. In these, we can see similar intensity in the little-known rivalry between Fathers Courveille and Champagnat over the foundation in Charlieu and also – and this seems to me more pertinent – the disagreement between Brother Louis and Fr Champagnat on the nature of the Society of Mary.

The final article, on the recent history of communications in the Institute, written by someone who was a major player in this topic, provides a balance to the focus of the previous articles concerned with the years 1817-1840.

In the Documents section of this issue, I provide a fairly extensive presentation on an unpublished letter from Father Champagnat from 1837. Albeit not of great importance, it does give us the opportunity to recall the links between the Founder and the Diocese of Viviers before the merger with the Brothers of this Diocese.

Brother François devoted a large part of one of his notebooks to his stay of several months in Rome during 1858 where he was working to obtain approval of the Congregation. Brother Antonio Martínez Estaún shows us the places and chronology of his visits to holy sites which, along with his many insights, gives us a fresh view of Brother François.

In the brief news items at the end of this issue, we focus on the opening of the renovated cemetery at l'Hermitage, a major monument in our patrimony. And we seek to honour in a special way the memory of Brother Louis Richard, recently deceased, who worked so hard to make Marist documents accessible.

We extend our best wishes to the new Commission that has been appointed by the General Council.

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