Mary Euphrasia PELLETIER and reconciliation

Sr. Odile Laugier RGS Angers, Session “Reconciliation” 12th Aug – 1st. Sept 2004

It is with joy that I begin these four days with you on the theme of “Reconciliation” which concerns us all, in our personal lives and in our mission to sew peace and pardon. Four days at the school of Mary Euphrasia and her way of reconciliation.

I have chosen three periods of time in a life, three stories which are spread over decades and are complex, like all human adventures.  Today, the journey of one Sister, Mary Mechtilde Flosse, in the Congregation and her relationship with Mary Euphrasia.  Tomorrow, a look at Mary Euphrasia’s relationship with Mgr. Angebault.  Next Saturday, 21st August, we will look a little more closely and what happened between our two religious families: Our Lady of Charity and the Good Shepherd.  Finally, on Sunday 22nd, I will try to look at the whole of our foundress’ life from the angle of reconciliation.

We are beginning on the feast of Maximilian Kolbe, a giant of pardon and reconciliation.

Mary Euphrasia PELLETIER and Mary Mechtilde FLOSSE

Their common history is spread over 34 years with many episodes, happenings that were sometimes difficult and even painful that we will follow step by step. It all began with the arrival of the Sisters in Metz.

1. Beginnings of the house in Metz

The house in Metz was one of the first foundations1 of the Angers community, even before the approbation of the Generalate by Pope Gregory XVI. At the Bishop’s request, the Good Shepherd took over and developed a “workroom” directed by two laywomen: Jeanne Flosse and Marie Talard. It was a workshop that allowed young girls who had no work to learn a trade and support themselves. The undertaking was very positive, and the two young women who had had the initiative proved they were courageous, had organizational skills and generosity. However, this action was limited to a small number of workers who were not able to be housed at the workshop. The Bishop wanted to enlarge the workshop and above all the work for the young girls from isolated villages. Through the intermediary of a Jesuit father, Fr. Barthès, whom Mary Euphrasia had met in Poitiers, the Bishop of Metz, Mgr. Besson, turned to Angers. Three Sisters left Angers on 15th August 1834 to go to Metz, a four day journey. At the end of the month, they took in 15 young

1 The first four foundations from Angers: Le Man (1833) Poitiers and Grenoble in 1833 then Metz in 1834 1 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation girls, for the most part, workers from the original workshop and they took the name of St. Anne’s Class. As for Miss Flosse, once the handover had been completed, … she arrived in Angers on Friday 9th January 1835 at 3 o’clock in the morning to enter the noviciate!2 And that same day, Mary Euphrasia wrote: “Since this morning, the noviciate has been full of joy …They are asking me to bring the postulant from Metz …to talk about our dear Sisters from Metz … I said yes and I assure you that the time was well used!” Jeanne Flosse was clothed on 3rd February 1835 and on 28th February 1835, Mary Euphrasia wrote to Metz: “Sister Flosse is now Mary of St. Mechtilde, she is a charming subject, and is doing well.”

2. First years in religious life

Some weeks after her religious profession on 4th February 1837, Mary Euphrasia wrote of Mary Mechtilde: “…one day she will found, she is making progress in everything: 15 months ago we took her away from all the “charges”3 so that she could be formed in our holy Rules, in Scripture, history and French. I think she will be a consolation to you and to us too. Blessed be God”4 Intelligent, brilliant even, gifted in several areas, Mary Mechtilde had however some difficulty in “entering into the spirit of the Institute”, according to one of Mary Euphrasia’s secretaries.5 On 15th May 1837, Mary Mechtilde left Angers for the foundation of Strasbourg; she was named Assistant there. It was a first responsibility in the setting up of a new implantation that was proving difficult. Mary John of the Cross had been to Strasbourg several times to prepare for this foundation: “she found the town in such a condition of impiety that she was obliged to leave off the religious habit in order to cross the town and visit the site … the population being made up of Jews, heretics and foreigners … The language most widely used was German …! On 4th February 1837, Mary Euphrasia wrote: “Strasbourg requires heroic courage! It is said that it is a terrible town from every angle … Pray to God that He will choose the foundresses. I do not know who they will be, I assure you.” That Mary Euphrasia chose Mary Mechtilde to be one of the founding group shows the esteem and trust put in this young professed Sister.

15 months later, a letter from Mary Euphrasia dated 16th September 1838 mentions confidentially the possible nominations for the first foundation in Germany and Mary Mechtilde’s name is mentioned: “We will give you the Assistant from Strasbourg because she speaks German well …”6 This plan did not come to fruition and in September 1838, Mary Mechtilde returned to the Mother House, following some difficulties with the Jesuit Fathers. In January 1840, after a brief stay in Amiens where she was instrumental in saving the financial situation, she was named superior of the house in Clermont.

2 M. Euphrasia Pelletier, Letter 200 of 9th January 1835 (Tome 2) See also the letter of 30th January 1835. Marie Talard also entered the noviciate a little later on 14th April 1836. 3 Here, all participation in material work, such as the kitchen, laundry, sewing room, garden … 4 Letter 378 of 28th February 1837 (Tome 2) 5 Letter of 15th March 1836 6 Letter 515 of 16th September 1838 to Mary John of the Cross 2 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation 3. The adventure of the House in Clermont: from 29th January 1838 to 12th December 1840

The house in Clermont has been founded on 29th January 1838 on Mary Euphrasia’s own initiative, a fact that was exceptional and would go against her later on. She had heard talk of Mgr. Louis Charles Féron’s project in favour of women in difficulty. Besides this, in August 1837 she had sent the superior of Le Puy to make the Congregation known to the Bishop of Clermont. He accepted the foundation and the group of 5 Sister foundresses left Angers on 9th January 1838. Two years later, in January 1840, Mary Mechtilde became the superior of this House. Six months later the situation was rather sombre: - the unrest among the “Penitents” necessitated the removal of 10 of them; - the community had to cope with the sickness of several of the Sisters and their replacements, so there were several changes, a cause of instability; - a kindergarten – at that time it was called a shelter – had been opened and catered for 40 infants, boys and girls from 2 – 6 years of age. This had been done unbeknownst to Mary Euphrasia who had always disapproved of this kind of activity. - The major difficulty was financial … In a letter of 6th June 1840, Mary Mechtilde outlined her worries and, to cope with this situation, the plan to establish a boarding school, plan strongly supported by an ecclesiastic, Fr. Martin, Priest in charge of the Cathedral. This suggestion had already been made several times and in several different places and Mary Euphrasia was always against it. She was of the opinion that this work did not really come within our charism and mission. She had two definite objections: the lack of religious trained for teaching and above all the fear of seeing the work of the “Penitents” abandoned in favour of an easier apostolate.

In order to relieve the House in Clermont, 4 Sisters from Angers would arrive as reinforcements on 13th July and two Sisters from the General Council, Mary Chantal Cesbron de la Roche and Mary Vincent Cornet, would make a visit so as to study the situation. They were sent packing … Things got nasty, the community was divided and Mary Mechtilde became stubborn. Certain Sisters affirmed that the Priest from the Cathedral ruled the house, others were delighted that someone had taken the situation in hand …

On 31st August, the Bishop, after having examined the situation at hand, wrote to Mary Euphrasia asking her to “tell him formally her latest wishes” and asking her with some insistence to reimburse the money that had been advanced by Bishop’s House to pay for the House.

Mary Euphrasia’s reply7 is both firm and conciliatory: I followed the wise advice you gave me …I had to reflect very carefully before God over the sad business of our Sisters in Clermont and I am in agreement with all your views in all that our holy Rules allow for. But there is one thing we could never agree to, and that is that Sr. Mary Mechtilde be superior in Clermont, despite the fact that this Sister has told me she will remain there, inspite of the Pope himself … We have sent to replace her,

7 Letter 670 of September 1840 to Mgr. Féron 3 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation your Grace willing, a very virtuous and capable religious who was for a long time Mary Mechtilde’s superior…”

And indeed, Mary Helen Baudin, ex-superior of the house of Strasbourg arrived in Clermont. On 14th September, Mary Euphrasia herself went to Clermont to see exactly what solutions were possible for the debts were mounting. After having consulted the Sisters and the different protagonists, she returned to Angers on 9th October … with Mary Mechtilde and her Assistant. What had really happened? What was Mary Mechtilde’s status in this month of October 1840? How did she live this month in Angers? What was her relationship with Mary Euphrasia? These are questions that have no answers.

One indication all the same: On 21st October, Mary Euphrasia wrote to Mary Stanislas Bédouet, the superior in Poitiers about a Sister in that community who was in difficulty: “ I feel it necessary to separate Mary Sophie from Mary Augusta for a time …If you cannot wait until next week, we permit you to send one of them to Saumur …but not to Angers where we are worn out with work and where we have Mary Mechtilde at the moment, … It would be unfortunate if she perceived the least misfortune. Let us try to keep a deep secret. We must take the greatest precautions … Clermont is saved …”

It seems that Mary Mechtilde was unhappy, fragile too, looking with hindsight at the Clermont situation and her own conduct. However, Mary Euphrasia appeared confident about the future. She also places her confidence in Mary Mechtilde: to the surprise of the Sisters in Clermont and at Mary Mechtilde’s request, the latter went back to Clermont where she was no longer superior. It was a risk that was taken: that Mary Mechtilde, with the backing of her Superior General, manage the evolution of the House “in the spirit of the Congregation”

Alas! We learn from a decision of the Chapter that the house closed and the community left. In fact, the Sisters from Clermont returned to Angers on 12th December 1840 … without Mary Mechtilde. We learn from a handwritten letter from the Bishop that Mary Mechtilde refused to join her companions and that she requested to enter an enclosed Order … What happened exactly? A letter from Mary Euphrasia to Mary John of the Cross David, dated 3rd January 1841 tells us a bit more: My pain is so great that you will have difficulty in reading these few lines! Clermont sold8 and the money that belonged to the poor and our founders stolen … (As a p.s.) For you alone … How our Sisters of the Council have hurt me! Should I say it, my beloved daughter or keep quiet? My soul is in peace, but my heart is wounded for all eternity! While I was away in Paris9 the Sisters of the Council gave the Clermont letters to Bishop’s House. There was still time to remedy the situation … God alone knows what heartfelt tears I have shed! Ever since this time I have lived alone, with God alone.

8 The Mother House had invested 8000Fr. In the acquisition of the house and it was necessary to sell it to reimburse the rest of the money that had been advanced by Bishop’s House. 9 Mary Euphrasia was in Paris from 30th November to 6th December 1840 to discuss a foundation in the town. 4 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation The position taken by the Council in these circumstances requires a development that goes beyond Mary Mechtilde’s story: Did the Councillors take fright when faced with the rapid development of the Congregation? Did they find Mary Euphrasia too patient or did they want the Bishop of Angers’ opinion? As for Mary Mechtilde, she did not return to Angers; as far as the Congregation was concerned, she took no steps towards obtaining exclaustration or leaving the Institute …. From spring 1841 onwards we have no information on her life … until November 1847

4. Return to the Congregation in 1847

1847 in France was a year of great misery after two harvests had been lost through bad weather. The price of bread had risen sharply and the Mother House was in debt for the purchase of flour to the tune of more than 100,000 gold francs. Poor families came to the doors of the convents, bringing the children they could no longer feed. In so great a distress, Mary Euphrasia gave the future of the Congregation over to the Virgin Mary by the vow of 1st January 184710. On 22nd, 23rd and 24th February three days of violent revolution broke out and several Good Shepherd Houses were destroyed; the Sisters were seen as disloyal rivals of the dressmaking workshops at a time when unemployment was so high. On 26th April, Mary Euphrasia wrote: “We are here – in Angers – several hundred without work, without gifts, without benefactors … We already have 400 Penitents chased out of our Houses; 500,000Fr. lost, set alight, stolen; sixty professed banished, they come to us by day and by night.”

It was in this context that the letter from Mary Mechtilde, requesting reintegration, arrived in Angers.

Let us look at the text of the Mother House Council Book

The Mother General and the religious of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, assembled in Chapter at the sound of the bell and having invoked the light of the Holy Spirit, a letter was read from our dear Sr. Mary of St. Mechtilde Flosse who had left the Congregation in 1841, a short while after the destruction of the monastery in Clermont of which she had been the Superior. In this letter she expressed sincere regret for the past and she begged with the greatest insistence for her re-entry into the Congregation. She had written in the same vein to Monsignor our Bishop, admitting that her great pride had been the cause of her fall. The Ecclesiastical Superior has given permission for her to be received on condition that her re-entry does not cause any trouble or inconvenience. All the capitulants were of the same opinion as our Mother General to accede to her humble prayer and to admit her once again into the Congregation. Our venerable Mother took upon herself the task of tell her this good news.

Here is the letter in its entirety:

10 Following this vow, all the Sisters were committed to taking the name of Mary. 5 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation Letter from Mary Euphrasia to Miss Flosse c/o M. Gavy, menuisier (carpenter) in Metz. 4th November 1847

The Charity of Christ urges me You are asking me, by the adorable Blood of Our Lord, for your readmission into our Congregation. Well, my very dear daughter, how could I refuse you? Your touching letter bore the imprint of repentance, of submission, of the bitterest sorrow; could we abandon you? Heaven forgives you, and my heart accepts you, my dear daughter, and knowing yours, I do not wish to make it pay for the happiness of returning. I also leave it to grace to move you to the reparation you believe you should make. I have, however, one desire, my good daughter; that is, that you should write to the worthy M. le Curé of Clermont stating your real sentiments, as you have written to me. Then, afterwards, come, me dear child. Hear you will find God, peace and happiness. Not a single reproach will be made you! On your side, my dear daughter, never speak of the past, will you? You will find the community calm and always blest; the Blessed Virgin governs and supports it. She will receive you with the greatest tenderness. Assuring you of this same sentiment, I am, in His Sacred Heat, my very dear daughter, Yours affectionately in Our Lord, Mary of St. Euphrasia.

P.S. I’m afraid, my dear daughter, that I may be absent next week, but you could come the week after, from the first day.

Mary Mechtilde arrived at the Mother House on 20th November where she was received with open arms… The next day, Feast of the Presentation of Mary, she publicly renewed her vows at the grille with the community and once again took her place in the House.

She would live in the community for the next six years, doing various sorts of needlework.

5. Sending on mission to Tripoli

We learn Mary Mechtilde’s new obedience from the Council Book. On the 15th September 1853, at her own request, she left for Africa, to Lybia as Assistant in the house of Tripoli. The evening before she left, Mary Euphrasia wrote to the superior of Tripoli:

My courageous Sisters, at last! You are saved! Our three Sisters bring you consolation and help. St. Augustine, having a rare capacity is named as Assistant and first needlewoman of your classes. She is indeed one of the best needlewomen in France. Her work goes to the Court. She was called St. Mechtilde. Let her keep this name. Your Sister is perfectly disposed.

She found a few Magdalen Sisters there who had been on this mission for the last 5 years. It was 6 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation a very solid community who would manage the difficult situation of this mission. Mary Euphrasia would write to them in September 1854: Courage my dear daughters. With God’s help you could be saints and make a magnificent house for us. I ask you on bended knee, convert souls …

But the house in Tripoli had to close despite the efforts made in Italy by the Superior and her Assistant, both closely united in their desire to save the mission in Lybia.

6. Death at Nazareth, 13th September 1891

At the closure of Tripoli, Mary Mechtilde (Mary Augustine) returned with her Superior to France. She lived for another 35 years in Nazareth. Her death notice speaks only of her fraternal spirit, her confidence and her courage.

7 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation I have just heard the story of one of our first Sisters, Mechtilde FLOSSE

What has touched me in this story?

What do you think about the way Mary Euphrasia behaved with regard to this Sister?

What do I retain from our Foundress for my own life?

8 Session 1-Sr. Odile Session 2004 on Reconciliation