Jewels from Jane, January 30

"...the devotion of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, at first exercised only in the prisons of Lyons, had gone beyond the city. Everywhere their influence had produced such improvements that the Supervisory Commission was struck by it and conceived the project of prison reform. It drew up a report which was printed and addressed to the Minister of the Interior. This report, quite full of praise for the Sisters of Saint Joseph, gave an unexpected expansion to the work of the prisons...

"Three months after the publication of this report, the Prefect of Bas Rhine asked for six or eight Sisters of Saint Joseph for the central prison of Hagueneau, where only women were imprisoned. Some time later, the Prefect of the North asked for some for the prison of Lille. Since these requests had not been foreseen, the Superiors were not prepared to answer at once. In the Chamber of Deputies, everybody agreed that the reform of the prisons was needed, especially in the prisons for women where men supervised. But not everybody wished the reform to be made in the same manner. Hence, the different systems, and the hot discussions which ended in one decision,--the need of immediate action and the finding of supervisors who possessed all desirable qualities.

"'Give me five hundred Sisters,' exclaimed M. Thiers, 'and I will undertake to reform all the prisons in the kingdom. With their rosaries on their sides, they will certainly have more influence than the keepers with their swords.'

"'That is possible,' somebody answered, 'but where shall we find these five hundred Religious who will consent to enclose themselves with the prisoners day and night.?'

"A member of the Assembly spoke of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and the well-conducted prisons of Lyons. The Inspector General of the prisons, Charles Lucas, was commissioned to ascertain the state of affairs for himself, to see the Superior of this convent and to ask her if she would accept the supervision of all the prisons of France, beginning with the central houses. The offer was accepted, in principle, but on the condition that the prisons would be served according to the possibilities of the community.

"At once, the Minister of the Interior asked for two hundred Sisters. These would have been given willingly but the community did not have them. The Superior asked for time and as God wanted this work, He bestowed vocations. The Novitiate of the Solitude was filled and it was with the greatest care that these young subjects were prepared for this special mission which requires as much firmness as kindness and supernatural spirit.

"Demands came from every quarter. On January 30, 1840, the Inspector General announced that the Minister of the Interior sanctioned the Prefect of Herault, who made an agreement with the congregation...

"The prisons suddently assumed an unforseen importance. This work had already necessitated a special training. The unexpected growth of this second division could harm the good progress of the Institute, the unity of spirit and the entire observance of the Rule. That was a subject of great anxiety for Mother Saint John [Fontbonne]. This useful and fruitful apostolic movement must not be stopped, but the other works of the community must neither be submerged nor compromised. One way alone would settle all difficulties: that is, to have two different congregations. The Archbishop having approved this plan, the Sisters worked at once to realize it and to look for a place where they would locate the novitiate for the Sisters who were to have the service of the prisons. [It was decided to locate it at Haute Vienne.]

"Cardinal Fesch died in Rome, in 1839. The Bishop of Le Puy, Monsignor de Boland, succeeded him as Archbishop of Lyons. On January 30, 1841, he issued an ordinance which permitted the Sisters of Saint Joseph to choose freely between the community for the prisons or the community for teaching and other charitable works. Those who chose the prisons were authorized to leave the diocese under the direction of Mother Saint Augustine Quinon.

"The new congregation retained the name of Saint Joseph, but it added that of Mary. The Sisters also kept the original habit. The black underveil was replaced by a white one; over this white underveil was in turn placed a blue one and the black veil was pinned over these two. One could soon see a few of the Sisters Marie-Joseph in all the prisons. Those who desire to know them will still find them in the Prison Saint Lazare, Paris. The Sisters of Saint Joseph continued their work in the prisons of Lyons until the Sisters of Marie-Joseph, having satisfied the most pressing needs, were in a position to furnish subjects for Lyons.

"We can admire here the supernatural disinterestedness of Mother Saint John, as we can throughout the entire course of her life. She never tried to draw profit from a situation. Interest for souls was the only motive of her deeds and her decisions. She never put God at the service of her Institute; she put her Institute at the service of God."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, January 5

"The year 1839 was marked by...memorable events for the congregation. His Eminence, Cardinal Fesch, father and benefactor of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, died in Rome. Archbishop de Pins was relieved from his duties as administrator of the diocese...At the same time Father Cholleton resigned his position as Vicar General and Superior of the congregation...On this occasion Mother Saint John opened her heart about her sorrow to her daughters in America and exhorted them to have absolute confidence in God in their trials. 'That has been,' she said, 'all my resource in the troubles, miseries and tribulations of my long life. God can do all things. Without Him, we can do nothing. We must cast ourselves like little children into His arms.'

"Shortly after his installation, Archbishop de Bonald visited the motherhouse and saw her whom he already knew in the retreat of her own choice. He did not approve of this obscurity which, though inspired by humility, might produce an unfavorable impression. Mother Saint John had to leave this room and take one more suitable to her dignity in the convent. The Sisters keep, in the treasury of the motherhouse, a magnificent cross of massive gold in which precious relics are encased. We do not know whether this cross was given to Mother Saint John by Archbishop de Bonald at this visit or under other circumstances.

"Some rather troubled letters arrived...from America. Mother Saint John answered in 1842: 'Do not be uneasy. Thank God, I am enjoying all my faculties as well now as if I were but fifty, although I am eight-three. I rise with the community; I assist at all the exercises; I write, read, sew and knit without using spectacles. Help me to bless God for the time and strength He is giving me to prepare for eternity.

"Bishop Rosati had to return to France on account of his health. On January 5, 1842, she wrote: 'For three or four months, I have hoped that Bishop Rosati of Saint Louis would come to Lyons. I have waited for him until now, but, since he has not arrived, I can wait no longer. I have a great desire to write to you.'

"One day during the winter of 1843, Mother Saint John fell on the ice in the yard. As she was unable to rise, her daughters ran to her assistance and carried her to her room. After examination, it was found that besides several bruises, she had dislocated her shoulder. The doctor considered an operation necessary. He added that it would be long, hard and painful and asked to be assisted by another doctor. The operation was performed. Doctor Bonnet, chief doctor of the Hotel-Dieu, and Doctor Berlioz performed this painful task. She, with eyes fixed on the crucifix, offered no complaint, nor uttered a single moan. 'It is very good to deal with saintly people,' Said Doctor Bonnet, 'one can operate as he wishes.' This good Mother in the midst of great suffering has just given her daughters an example of heroic patience and sublime resignation.

"The operation over, Mother Sacred Heart [Mother Saint John's successor as Superior General] continued her care for the patient in the most delicate manner. She and her community persevered in prayer to obtain the recovery of the dear one. God was not deaf to these supplications. Mother Saint John recovered more quickly than they had expected and one could see the venerable convalescent walking again through the corridors of the house, though now she had to use a cane to make her step more steady. At length, laden with years and merits, the Mother bent like the sheaf of wheat that is ripe for the harvest. Sadly realizing that the end was more and more imminent, Mother Sacred Heart sent a letter to all the convents.

"'I regret to tell you that the health of Reverend Mother causes us great uneasiness.' Later she wrote: 'Since our last letter, the state of Mother Saint John alarms us, although she is somewhat better. Let us continue to ask of Our Lord the prolongation of a life which is so dear to us.'"

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, January 4

"About 1834, Bishop Rosati, the first Bishop of Saint Louis, was in double perplexity. He had neither money nor priests. To obtain both, he wrote to Father Charles Cholleton, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lyons, hoping, through his agency, to obtain help from the original work which a Lyonnaise, Mademoiselle Pauline Jaricot, of the parish of Saint Polycarp, had just founded in that city. The work of distant missions had appealed to this virtuous Christian and she interested the young working-girls in it. Every Saturday, Mademoiselle Jaricot asked them for an alms of one cent for the missions. It was from this humble beginning that the Society for the Propagation of the Faith developed--a work solemnly approved in 1813 by Pius VII. Bishop Rosati came to it as a petitioner through the mediation of the Vicar General. Father Cholleton answered the prelate: 'It is in quality of your vicar that I presented myself to the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and that I hope to obtain abundant help. I do not doubt that Archbishop de Pins will also send you priests.' He might have added that the Superior General of the Sisters of Saint Joseph would find Religious for the schools. Father Cholleton did not then know that someone was thinking of endowing America with communities of that congregation. This person was the Countess de la Rochejaquelein.

"Even at that time, the 'Annals' of the Propagation of the Faith gave an account to the associates of the use of the sums received, of the progress of the work and the requests made. The reading of the 'Annals' had revealed to the countess the great poverty of the mission of the Mississippi. Her heart was touched and at once she thought of the Sisters of Saint Joseph to convert and teach the Indians. She felt that Religious are indispensable wherever missionary labors are to be performed. There are so many works created around a mission which the Sisters alone can efficiently accomplish. After obtaining the promise from Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] that she would give the Sisters for America, if His Lordship desired them, Madame de la Rochejaquelein asked Father Odin to propose them in her name, saying that she would defray the expenses of the first foundation.

"The Bishop of Saint Louis saw at once the increase of burdens which would result from the opening of schools, and delayed his answer. [But after receiving a letter from the Countess he] accepted the offer and even asked that, to the six Sisters proposed, they send two more, specially trained to teach the deaf and dumb. In the meantime, Mother Saint John was preparing her daughters for the uncertain mission that might be confided to them. Instructions and counsels were given to these souls destined for this special apostolate. She reminded them that they would often be without spiritual help, when circumstances required it. The priest, obliged to traverse long distances in the vast forests to carry the consolations of religion to the sick and the dying, would not always be with them in the morning to give them the Eucharistic Bread. It might happen that sometimes he would not be present on Sunday to celebrate Mass. In these days of spiritual poverty they will have to remember that they carry their temple within them and that God has more than one way of giving Himself to souls. In these days, also, when all will seem to be lacking to nourish, enlighten and console them, they must remember that grace is never wanting, and that they have all the necessary means of sanctification in the actual state of things. Deprived of all exterior help, they can, by means of interior assistance, increase in themselves the life of God which will sanctify them and make their own lives fruitful.

"Bishop Rosati's answer settled all doubt and the Sisters of Saint Joseph accepted the invitation to the American missions. As Mother Saint John did not wish to impose this exile on anybody, she made an appeal to her daughters, recommending them to pray, to consult their director, to weigh the matter well and, after that, to follow Divine inspiration. Divine inspiration grouped a goodly number. When the Sisters came to offer themselves to the Superior General, the latter saw, foremost among them, her two nieces, Sister Febronia and Sister Marie Delphine Fontbonne, daughters of her only brother, Claude Fontbonne. This sight afflicted the heart of the venerable Superior, but she generously accepted the sacrifice.

"From this numerous group, seven were chosen. Six were to leave within a short time, Sisters Febronia and Delphine Fontbonne, Sister Febronia Chapellon, Sister Saint Protais Deboille, Sister Philomene Vilaine and Sister Marguerite Boute. The Christian name of the countess was added to that of the last. She was thenceforth called Sister Felicite. The seventh, Sister Celestine Pommerel and Julie Fournier, a postulant, began at once to study the language of the deaf-mutes and would depart for America when they were capable of teaching it.

"Archbishop de Pins asked for volunteers. From them, he chose a priest and two seminarians, as the needs of the diocese would not permit greater sacrifices. The priest chosen was Father James Fontbonne, Mother Saint John's nephew. The immolation was complete.

"At the motherhouse, everybody was edified at the sacrifice and the simple, sublime manner with which it was made. One of the Sisters inspired by the circumstances, dramatized the biblical scene of the father preparing to sacrifice his son. Abraham's sacrifice was represented in the novitiate a few days before the departure. The allusion was too striking not to bring tears; they flowed abundantly, but hearts were comforted by them.

"All was ready. Father Cholleton appointed Sister Febronia Fontbonne Superior of the little colony. Through delicacy and fear of acting from natural inclination, Mother Saint John did not wish to make the choice. She even felt sorrow in signing the new Superior's letter of obedience. Since the Vicar General had decided and regulated everything, the virtuous aunt gave the niece, whom she cherished, counsels full of wisdom and affection.

"The departure was fixed for January 4, 1836. On the eve of this day, the six chosen ones said goodby to the assembled community. There was a scene of touching humility in this last reunion. The six missionaries casting themselves at the feet of their Sisters begged them to bless them and to pardon them for the trouble they had caused them and for any bad example which they had given. With great overflowing of heart, Mother Saint John blessed the six valiant missionaries and the Sisters whom they were about to leave."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph of Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, Jan. 3, 1836

3 Jan. 1836

We, Superior General of Sisters of Saint Joseph

Have given and by these testaments we give obedience to

Sister Febronie, nee Fontbonne
Sister Marie Delphine, nee Fontbonne
Siser Marie Febronie, nee Chapellon
Sister Marie Felicite, nee Boute
Sister St. Protais, nee Deboille
Sister Philomene, nee Vilaine

For the parish of St. Louis America

Diocese of St. Louis

Department of

Given at Lyon, the third of January in the year of our Savior Jesus Christ 1836.


Mother Fontbonne Superior
(signed)

Sealed for legality of the signature and witness of Mother Fontbonne, Superior General of St. Joseph, Lyon, 3 January 1836

Cholleton, V.G. [Father Charles Cholleton, Vicar General of Lyons]
(signed)

Seal of Motherhouse
Seal of Archdiocese of Lyon

The above named Sisters left this day for the American mission.

Jewels from Jane, January 1, 1829

"God blessed the works of the Institute in such a visible manner that appeals came to the Motherhouse of the Chartreux from all sections. Whenever she could do so, Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] answered these requests; but, though subjects came in large numbers, it was impossible to satisfy everybody. Besides the local parishes of the Diocese of Lyons, always the first supplied, convents of Saint Joseph were opened in many other dioceses...

"A priest wrote to Mother Saint John: 'There is, in my parish, a group of devout women who are called Sisters. They live in community and have a Superior although they have taken no vows. They occupy themselves with the schools and the children. Send us a Superior from Lyons, to teach and train them.'

"We have in our possession a collection of letters full of praise for these modest workers; almost all have come from priests whose apostolate they assisted. Let us quote a few of them: 'Since I have had the happiness of having this convent in my parish, I have had the greatest consolation; and I see that the Lord is pleased to bless my people. With the assistance of a religious community, priests can do something; without them, their ministry is paralyzed.'

"from another: 'With this spirit of humility and perfect self-denial which distinguishes them, the Sisters have done immense good.'

"and again: 'M.P. is surprised that two Sisters have been able to do so much and to be sufficient for so many employments.'

"another writes: 'They are more loved and respected than the priests.'

"If from some places, the motherhouse was congratulated with the reports of the affiliations, in others subordination was not wanted. Each bishop was anxious to have a motherhouse and novitiate for his own diocese. Mother Saint John was not surprised by that. It was the original idea of the founders and, until the Revolution, each convent had its autonomy. The constitutions...say: 'The Sisters of the congregation will recognize as their lawful Superiors, the bishops of the dioceses in which they reside. They will always have for them a deep respect, a great submission and a very exact obedience in all things which they command them, considering them as holding the place of Jesus Christ, invested with His character and His authority over them. The bishops can visit the houses and the Sisters in their dioceses, and demand an account from the Superiors, of both the spiritual and temporal state of their houses. They can make rules for the general good of the house and the conduct of the Sisters, in order to maintain or renew the full observance of the present constitutions. They may also, if they deem it useful or necessary, change the Superiors and Sisters from one house to another, and even send them out of their dioceses when other bishops ask for them.'

"The Archbishop of Lyons had been wisely inspired in introducing into the Institute a central government which attached the communities to one another and placed them under the direction of a Superior General, who, knowing the needs and resources of each, could establish a wise balance, which favored the good functioning of the works of the congregation. He had been wisely inspired in prescribing a single novitiate in which all the members of the congregation would be imbued with the same spirit and find the necessary means for the proper religious training..

"This indispensable reorganization, the two founders, Bishop de Maupas and Father Medaille, would have surely exacted if they could have foreseen that the 'Little Design' would assume such great proportions and that the Sisters of Saint Joseph would one day cover the globe. Nevertheless, the Archbishop could not take from the bishops their rights of jurisdiction over the communities in their dioceses. To decide all difficulties, there was an understanding among the prelates and it was agreed that henceforth the communities established by the Motherhouse of Lyons would remain attached to their center, and thus disputes and demands were closed.

"When everything was settled, Archbishop de Pins issued the following ordinance:

"...Wishing to assure to all and to each of our dear daughters, the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the valuable and important fruits of a complete novitiate in the motherhouse where they will draw at the same time the spirit of their state, a solid piety and the knowledge necessary to them;...we have decreed what follows:
'1. Dating from January 1, 1829, no Sister of Saint Joseph, without exception, will be admitted to holy profession until after spending an entire year in the Novitiate of the Motherhouse of Lyons, so that everyone will spend there two or three months before the reception and nine or ten months after the reception in the space of two years prescribed by their constitutions from which we do not intend to deviate in any way.
'2. We authorize the Superior General to shorten this trial, even by six months, when she will judge it suitable in favor of the lay Sisters.
'3. Copies of the present decree will be sent to Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] who will have them entered on the registers of the congregation and who will testify for us, at least every three months, the execution of the present ordinance...

"The Vicar General who was to give an account of the execution of this ordinance was, in 1828, Father Charles Cholleton, nephew of Father Claude Cholleton, of saintly memory. The nephew, like the uncle, had great love for the community. He assisted Mother Saint John in her delicate and painful task. The Novitiate of Saint-Pons was closed in spite of the regrets of the Bishop of Montpellier, who did not wish to oppose the Archbishop of Lyons in removing the novitiate from his diocese. Montpeyroux, Bedarieux and Meze, which opened shortly after, received their subjects from the Motherhouse of Lyons and had to send their postulants there.

"The means of communication becoming easier from day to day, the difficulty of traveling was lessened. 'Holy souls increased and flourished at the motherouse under the impetus and influence of the worthy Superior General.'"

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph of Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, December 17

Carondelet, December 17, 1838

Right Reverend Joseph Rosati

Your Lordship:

You will pardon the liberty I take in writing to report to you that I had the votes taken for my dear Sister St. John [Fournier]; she received all of them, which gives me great pleasure. We ardently desire that if Your Lordship judges proper you come to receive her vows on the 27th of this month, which is her feast day.

Please, Your Lordship, honor us with an answer in order that we may prepare the Sister for the day you will designate.

If I am not being indiscreet, I beg Your Lordship to be kind enough to come and examine the Sister.

I have the honor to be with the highest consideration,

Your very humble and obedient daughter in J.C.

Sister Marie Delphine [Fontbonne]

Copied from the original in the archives of the Archdiocese of St. Louis by Sister Monica Corrigan
Translation from the French

Today is also the day that Jeanne Fontbonne, Mother St. John, received the habit in 1778.

Jewels from Jane, Nov. 22

"This improvement did not last long. Mother Sacred Heart [Mother Saint John Fontbonne's successor as Superior General] had to write soon: 'The health of our venerated Mother Saint John has been failing for some days. This causes us grave fears, since her great age renders her unable to fight against the sickness. We must hope in God. Let us redouble our prayers for her preservation. You know how justly she is entitled to our filial love. She has been, so to speak, the maker of our congregation. Her long administration has been remarkable for the wisdom of her acts, her counsels and the fruitfulness of her works. There is scarcely one among us, whom she has not received to her holy vows. Her goodness, her great perfection and her admirable regularity have made her, and still make her, at the age of eighty-four, a model for all. Should not these memories excite in us an ardent desire for the restoration of her health? With what fervor ought we not united in prayer to God that He leave to us for our imitation, our gratitude, and our love, one so full of experience, virtues and merits?'

"This letter, dated March 11, 1843, evoked in the congregation a redoubling of prayers. God showed that He heard them, by prolonging the life of the dear invalid for several months. The time was drawing near when Mother Saint John was to depart to see Him for Whom she had suffered. She languished for several months. Her daughters flocked around her. Each one wished to lavish cares on her, and to receive her counsels, because they felt that they were the last. Mother Sacred Heart spent herself and spared nothing to prolong those precious days.

"The dear patient was more than ever admirable. No complaint and no moan came from her lips; and the peace of her soul radiated her countenance. With perfect calmness, she spoke of her death. 'Have I much longer to live?' she asked a few moments before her death. 'Your chains will soon be broken,' was the answer. At these words, a celestial smile shone on her face. Calmly and peacefully she waited, wishing only to do the will of God. She did not wait long. With an almost imperceptible sigh, she left the earth... Mother Sacred Heart wrote: 'Our Reverend Mother Saint John is no more. After sixty-three and a half years of religious profession, God called her to Himself, on the morning of November 22, 1843, aged eighty-four years and eight months. Her last moments were as beautiful as her life had been. Patience and her usual sweetness accompanied her to the end. She died the death of the just, full of years and merits. Her obsequies took place on the twenty-third, with a religious pomp, worthy of her who was its object. All the Sisters, who were able, came to take part in the ceremonies. It was very consoling to see them, in the name of the whole congregation, pay a last tribute of regret and love to her whom we had so long venerated as a most perfect Religious, the wisest and most prudent of Superiors and the most tender of mothers. We are happy to express our gratitude to them. Let us remember in our prayers the soul of our beloved Mother and may the ardor of our supplications in her behalf correspond to the benefits we have received from her, and to the rich heritage of religious traditions she has bequeathed to us.'

"Mother Saint John is no more. To her daughters of the two worlds, who venerate her, what remains today? There remains her portrait which they are happy to contemplate. There remains her memory which brings them back to the source of their Institute and renews their fervor. The last years of Mother Saint John, with all their sufferings and humiliations, are a fitting close to a life which, from earliest childhood, was spent solely in the service of God. Without those years, which were the real test of her virtue, Mother Saint John's example to the world would have lost much of its lustre, while her soul would have been deprived of great merit before God. Without those years, the crowning proof of her pure, unselfish love ..., the blessings obtained by their holy Foundress would not have enriched, during all these years, her Religious family throughout the world...

"We read in Canon Rivaux that Mother Saint John had received from the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII, a brief in which she was appointed Superior General of the Congregation of Saint Joseph for life; but her modesty kept it constantly hidden. It was found when she changed her room. However great a distinction is this brief, in our opinion it does less honor to Mother Saint John than the beautiful, dignified and simple manner with which she bore her trial. 'A great suffering is a great majesty.' God wished to add this to all the other dignities of His Chosen One.

"'Three months after the death of Mother Saint John, when one of her daughters, who was quite devoted to her, offered to the Cure of Ars an honorarium for Masses for the repose of her soul, the holy priest refused, saying: 'Your Reverend Mother does not need them. She is high in glory. I know it.'

"When the humble Mother Saint John gave an account of her stewardship, she could show to her Judge more than three thousand Religious and two hundred forty-four convents of Saint Joseph founded or restored to unity from 1807 to 1838."

from Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, November 5

"After founding the American mission, three years of labor still remained to her [Mother St. John Fontbonne]...

"In 1836, when she saw the names of her nieces on the list of missionaries for Missouri, she felt that a fiber of her heart had snapped and a sweet dream had vanished. Although her soul was young, her body was worn out; and she had decided to free herself from the responsibilities and cares of administration. She intended to spend the remaining years of her life in retreat and prayer. She had already prepared the place of this retreat in her mind. Her authority of Superior General would end in 1838. Before that date, she would appoint one of her nieces Superior in a small house of the Institute. At the assembling of the General Chapter, she would resign and retire to the house governed by her niece--there to live and die in peace.

"That was her plan. It was not God's, however...While waiting for the time of the elections, she continued her noble task. According to the precepts of the Rule she visited her communities and, among them, that of Grand-Lemps, near Grenoble in the Department of l'Isere. This visit, which took place the day after the departure of the missionaries to the New World, brought great consolation.

"After the signing of the Concordat, Father Caillet, Confessor of the Faith and parish priest of Grand-Lemps, had established a little association of pious women who lived in community without taking vows. This association had for its aim to help the priest in his ministry with the sick and with the children. Later, Father Caillet, named Vicar General of Grenoble, left Grand-Lemps. After his departure, those who were called 'Sisters' were dispersed. Seven, however, did not want to be separated. These women were exposed to all kinds of annoyances. They would have succumbed if Divine Providence had not sent Mademoiselle de Virieu to their assistance...

"Touched by the trials of these pious associates, who rendered excellent services in the parish, Mademoiselle de Varieu bought them property not far from the manor, and advised these virtuous women to affiliate themselves with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyons. The steps which were taken toward this end succeeded. Mother Saint John sent two Sisters to teach them the Rule which would govern them henceforth. This new state of affairs brought several recruits and, on November 5, 1836, Father Caillet presided at the first reception of the habit. There were five choir and two lay Sisters. Five of the former associates did not consider themselves able to conform to the Rule of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. They remained in the house as assistants and were the objects, on the part of their companions, of consideration and most affectionate care.

"Mother Saint John came to visit this community toward the end of her life. She would never have her portrait taken despite the entreaties of her daughters. Mademoiselle de Virieu knew of this refusal. She resolved to make this portrait the next time the venerable Mother came to her community; because, on occasions like this, Mother Saint John never failed to visit their benefactress. When the visitor presented herself, the countess received her hospitably and began a long conversation, during which Mademoiselle Stephanie sketched the features of the Mother, without her suspecting that the artist was reproducing her countenance on canvas. When she noticed it, the outline was drawn. She had to pose a few minutes until the portrait was finished.

"It is to this visit to the Manor of Virieu that the Sisters of Saint Joseph owe the consolation of being able to contemplate the features of their venerable Mother. Mother Saint John was seventy-eight years old when she took this journey. It is rather late for a portrait, but let us regret nothing. If age no longer shows the graces of youth, it, by contrast, makes resplendent the traces of sanctity."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, Oct. 7

"Amazed at the work in Philadelphia, the Bishop of Toronto, Right Reverend Armand Charbonnel, asked for Sisters and obtained them. His Lordship, on his return from Rome in the autumn of 1851, visited Bishop Kenrick in Philadelphia. While there, he met Mother Delphine whose aunt, Reverend Mother Saint John [Fontbonne], was well known to the Charbonnel family. The Bishop, esteeming the young kinswoman as a valiant woman and capable of undertaking a work which he had in mind, begged the good Bishop Kenrick to allow her, with three other Sisters, to come to his aid in Toronto, where they arrived on October 7, 1851.

"In a letter addressed to Father Denavit, director of the Grand Seminary of Lyons, Bishop Charbonnel said, with reference to the Sisters of Saint Joseph:

'I could make use of one hundred of them at once, if I had them. The Sisters are called to do immense good here. They give everything but absolution.' Mother Delphine went from Toronto to establish a mission in Hamilton. Returning to Toronto to assist in caring for the victims of a typhus epidemic, she contracted the disease and died a victim of her devotion on February 7, 1856."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, Oct. 6

"In 1809, Father Coccard, parish priest of Sury-le-Comtal, Department of the Loire, asked Father Bouchard for Sisters. His request was so earnestly made that the Vicar General felt he had to demand an immediate acquiescence from Mother Saint John. At that time, the community was quite in its beginning. Mother Saint John had no available subjects. What could she do? Sury needed Sisters. The perplexed Mother had to take teachers from the establishments in Saint-Etienne and send them to this other school. Three Sisters were then chosen for Sury. Sister Marcoux, the Superior, was among the number. The little colony set out on October 6, [1809] and soon arrived in a place where nobody awaited them, not even the one who had requested them, since he did not count on their arriving so soon. Neither house, classes nor resources were ready for them.

"The worthy priest, grieved at their discomfort, offered them his rectory, which they did not accept. They had already decided to return to Saint-Etienne, when an unusual settlement of their difficulty was proposed to them. While the situation was being discussed with the priest, some pious Christian women of the parish, hoping to overcome the difficulty, had gone in quest of a lodging. The proverb says: 'What women want, God wants.' Not only the women but the whole community wanted the Sisters. They were there, they must not let them go. Here is what these zealous Christians suggested.

"'There is a stable not far from here. The proprietor promises to quarter his horse in another place and to give you the stable, if it suits you. Will you accept it?'

"A stable was something that resembled so closely the manger of Bethlehem, that it was deemed most suitable for the Sisters of Saint Joseph. They accepted and slept on the straw. The next day, after consoling themselves with a fervent communion and pious prayers, they set to work. It was a question of transforming this place into a convent. The stable was large. One corner served as a dormitory, another as an oratory, a third as a kitchen and refectory, and a fourth as a parlor. The kitchen had no fireplace; two disjointed stones did instead of it. Glass was lacking in the windows; oiled paper replaced it. One charitable neighbor brought potatoes, another lent a kettle, some others gave covering to put over the straw. In short, everything was arranged and the Sisters found the food and the poverty of their Bethlehem delightful. Finally, the parish priest secured a site for the school and everything was satisfactory."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, Sept. 29

Mother St. John Fontbonne dispersed the community because of the French Revolution September 29, 1792.

Jewels from Jane, Sept. 4

"At times as close as possible to one another, warm rays of the sun, piercing the Lyonnais fogs, were directed to America. The letters from the Chartreux addressed to Cahokia or to Carondelet were indeed rays of sunshine. Once, one of these letters announced to both communities, the reception of Mademoiselle Fournier, to whom Mother Saint John had given her own name, to recall to her dear missionaires that she did not forget them. The young novice was to leave with Sister Celestine Pommerel and both would soon join them. There was a great feast in the two convents the day this news arrived. It was the beginning of 1837, when, calculating according to their own voyage, the Sisters remarked that surely the two Sisters would be with them before the end of May. It was not so. May passed, then June, July and August. No Sisters and no news--only a letter from Lyons stating that the travelers had embarked at Brest, on the frigate Hermione which had on board six hundred soldiers and forty officers. At Cahokia, at Carondelet and at Saint Louis everybody was very anxious, and, without daring to voice their fears, they believed that the travelers were lost at sea.

"On September 4, [1837] the two Sisters disembarked at Saint Louis and presented themselves at the episcopal residence, stating their names. His Lordship, agreeably surprised, received them at once. The Sisters had resumed the secular dress, therefore there was nothing to prove that they were Sisters. He invited them to converse together in signs to assure himself of their identity. The Sisters, who were suffering from hunger and fatigue, would have preferred to put that off until later. They had to submit however. Sister Celestine asked Sister Saint John in the language of the deaf and dumb: 'Of what are you thinking, Sister?'

"'I am thinking of the good bread we ate in France and which I need so much at this moment.'

"At this unexpected answer, Sister Celestine lost her gravity. The Bishop, seeing her laugh, asked the reason. Sister Celestine repeated her companion's answer. At once, the good Bishop crossed the room, opened a closet, took food and obliged the Sisters to eat. Their hunger ended the examination.

"Father Cholleton had given a letter to the Sisters for the Bishop: 'It is a great consolation for me to present to your Lordship the two Sisters for whom you asked last year. The first, Sister Celestine, twenty-three years old, is professed. The second, Sister Saint John, a novice, is twenty-two years old. She will esteem herself very happy to make her profession into your hands when you find her sufficiently prepared. Both are animated with the best dispositions, are capable of assisting your plans and of bringing your work to a good end. Madame de la Rochejaquelein has given them three thousand francs. If you wish to thank her, her address is: Lausanne, Switzerland.'

"After narrating their voyage to the Bishop, it was decided that the Sisters would remain some days in Saint Louis; and then, Doctor Rodie, a Catholic native of San Domingo, would lend his carriage, and Black Margaret would take them to their convent. Black Margaret was the doctor's colored servant. She spoke excellent French and, on the way, entertained the Sisters with the history of Saint Louis and its surroundings. She told them that Carondelet was originally called Prairie a Catalan, the name of the one who first occupied it; then it was called Louisburg; and finally, in 1796, Carondelet, the name of the last Spanish governor of Louisiana. The inhabitants of this country were called, jokingly, Vide Poche (Empty Pocket); while the trappers named Saint Louis, Paincourt (Short-of-Bread) because the inhabitants were not rich.

"The travelers arrived at Carondelet during the evening recreation. As the Sisters had not been notified, there was great surprise and still greater joy at seeing again, in the flesh, those whom they had no longer expected to see. Astonishment reached its height, when the Sisters learned that the newcomers were better informed than they about the history of the country and the past and present conditions of the village.

"The Sisters had been three months on sea, never suspecting the anxiety they caused on both sides of the ocean. After [they narrated their experiences on the water] the Te Deum and the Magnificat burst from all hearts. Sister Celestine gave Mother Delphine a letter from Father Cholleton: 'You will be pleased at my promptness in sending you these two zealous and well-instructed aids, so capable of helping you...'

"At once the large trunks from Lyons were opened. They found clothes for the Sisters and the orphans, and beautiful things for the chapel which, until then, existed only in a dream. Then everybody felt that the great heart of Reverend Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] was beating quite near theirs, and that the power of her love threw a bridge over the ocean and abolished distances."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, Sept. 3

"Twelve novices made their vows in Carondelet during 1854, the largest number that had yet been professed in one year; but Mother Celestine still found the number too small to meet the growing needs of the Congregation, and appealed to the Mother House at Lyons for recruits. Lyons could not spare subjects for America at that time, but aid came from an unexpected quarter. In Savoy, in a Seminary of the diocese of Tarentaise, was Abbe Miege, brother of John B. Miege, Vicar Apostolic of Indian Territory. Abbe Miege was a friend of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Moutiers, and through him his brother in America entered into correspondence with these Sisters. The result of the correspondence and also of a consultation between Bishop Miege and Mother Celestine in the summer of 1854, was an arrangement made by him with the Superiors in Moutiers, who promised to send Sisters from that place to Carondelet, with a view to undertaking later the education of the Indian children in his vast territory. [The jurisdiction of Bishop Miege extended over Kansas and Nebraska, and included all the Indian tribes west to the Rocky Mountains. He was then residing at St. Mary's Kansas, in the neighborhood of the Potawatomi settlements.]



"Mother Therese Buisson was Superior of the pious community of Moutiers, which had become deeply interested in the foreign missions through the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith. The zeal of the Sisters was stimulated by the recent departure from Savoy of many priests and religious for the East Indies, among the latter, members of the neighboring communities of Annecy and Chambery. [The first Sisters of St. Joseph to go to the Indies left France in 1848. In the fall of 1853, another band of six left, accompanied by several Fathers of the Society of St. Francis de Sales.]



"Mother Therese had no difficulty in getting volunteers for America and from them she chose Sister Euphrasia Meiller, late Superior at St. Sigismond, Sister Saint John Facemaz, Sister Gonzaga Grand, and Sister Leonie Martin. The most fervent daughters of Moutiers, Abbe Bouchage calls this first missionary band of a community which he describes as composed of 'select souls whose names should be inscribed on the tablets of history for the edification of the faithful and as an example to the religious of the future.'



"Leaving Moutiers on September 3, 1854, accompanied by Mother Therese, the missionaries made brief visits to the communities of St. Sigismond and Chambery, and then proceeded by stage to Lyons. Here they were warmly received by Mother Sacred Heart Tezenas, successor to Mother Saint John Fontbonne. At Lyons, they parted with Mother Therese, and placing themselves, as did the missionaries of 1836, under the protection of our Lady of Fourvieres, proceeded to Paris, where they remained for a short time at a house of the Congregation in the Rue Monceau. They sailed from Havre on October 21, and by a strange coincidence, the name of the vessel was Heidelberg, the same as that on which the first Sisters came in 1836. [The first Sisters came on the Natchez.] On board was Right Reverend Augustus Mary Martin with four priests and several seminarians for his diocese of Natchitoches, Louisiana.

"The Sisters landed at New Orleans December 7, the same date on which another band, as yet strangers to them, arrived in Canandaigua. After a few days spent with the Tertiary Carmelites in New Orleans, they proceeded by steamer to St. Louis, which they reached December 21, and where they were welcomed with open arms by Sister Felicite [Boute] at St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum. On the following day, Mother Celestine, who had come in to meet them, conducted them to Carondelet. Brave and courageous souls, who had obeyed literally the Gospel precept to forsake home and country, whey entered at once into the active life of the community, to which at least three of them, were to render long and faithful service. [Sister Euphrasia Meiller died in March 1859. The Sisters of St. Joseph did not go to Bishop Meige's diocese. On the occasion of that prelate's visit to St. Louis during the Provincial Council of 1858, the Superior of a colony of Sisters of Charity from Nashville, looking for a home in another diocese, appealed to him on the advice of the Jesuit, Father De Smet; and with the permission of Archbishop Kenrick, was received with her community under his jurisdiction.] Though young in years, they were all women of unusual ability, thoroughly imbued with the principles of the religious life, and animated by the spirit of sacrifice that characterized the pioneers of 1836. In Sister Saint John, who was in her thirtieth year and had spent eleven years in the convent, Mother Celestine, herself a woman of deep piety, was quick to recognize the strong and enlightened faith that measured temporal things only in the light of eternity, and the remarkable spiritual insight that rendered her peculiarly fitted for the guidance of others. Sister Saint John was chosen a member of the Council at the Mother House, and in that capacity, rendered invaluable assistance to Mother Celestine."



From The Congregation of Saint Joseph of Carondelet by Sister Mary Lucida Savage.

Jewels from Jane, August 17

"The chaplain of this prison [Prison of Saint Joseph], Father Besson, had met some truly interesting souls among the young women prisoners. If they had done wrong, it was because they did not know the good; and, since they had discovered the sweetness and charm of virtue, they were attached to it. Knowing the world and the dangers that awaited them there, these poor women were seized with fright at the thought of their freedom. Their misfortune was in not having any family or, what was still worse, in being obliged to live in the midst of an unworthy one.

"The prudent chaplain understood these terrors. He felt, then, for these sheep, who, in a short time, would fall again among wolves. He knew that he must protect them from danger; and he begged his confreres to come to his assistance. Aided by their alms, in 1812 he rented a small apartment in Rue Poits d'Ainay and brought there six of these young women whom he placed under the direction of a Sister of Saint Joseph. The latter found work for them, thus providing for their support. Others who were freed came to join these six. Soon there were so many that the house was too small.

"People of means interested themselves in this work of rescue...and gave a house in a retired part of Montauban...as a shelter for the penitents. The Lyonnais charity completed the liberality. Other gifts permitted the buying of looms, spindles and land around the house. The property admirably located on the slope of Fourviere, was quite suitable. The Virgin, enthroned on the summit, watched over these rescued sheep. Nothing disturbed the peace of the place. They called it The Solitude, and in 1824, the young women were transferred there.

"Mother Saint Polycarp was appointed Superior of this house. She came to live there with the Sisters mentioned above. The prisons were not neglected, but this work, which was the complement, assumed great proportions. Soon more than one hundred penitents peopled The Solitude, and the requests were always increasing. Soul and body were well cared for in this sojourn of peace. Work, prayer, pure, holy and healthy joy made virtue easier every day. No one was there through force. Honest homes were formed for these regenerated souls, when they felt themselves strong enough, either to return to their families or to be placed in Christian workshops.

"With a maternal eye filled with interest, Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] followed the progress of these works which were complementary one to the other. She admired her daughters, but she was uneasy about the crushing labor that devolved on each one. She understood that, though the formation given in the Novitiate of the Chartreux was excellent for the Sisters engaged in teaching or in the care of the sick, it was not perfectly adapted to the care of prisoners. Another training was needed for this very different work.

"With the consent of Archbishop de Pins it was resolved that the Sisters would open at 29 Chemin de Montauban, near The Solitude, in newly constructed buildings, a special novitiate where aspirants who felt themselves called to this work might be trained in the religious life. As a consequence, by virture of her title of Superior, Mother Saint Polycarp was named 'Provincial of the Division of the Prisons,' but always under the obedience of the Superior General of the Chartreux. With all necessary liberty for initiative, they left her the entire responsibility of this novitiate and the work for which it had been created. This innovation was so much the more opportune as the needs manifested were very great. Until 1824, the Sisters of Saint Joseph were concerned only with the prisoners of Lyons. In October, 1824, at the request of the Municipal Council of Montbrison, some Sisters were sent for its prison. About the same time Villefranche-sur-Saone made a similar request, offering the Sisters a home in the prison.

"This permanent residence seemed to Mother Saint John and to Mother Saint Polycarp a great advantage for the prisoners. The Sisters could help these unfortunate people at night. During the day, they could watch over their needs and, by soothing their moral sufferings, render easier the task of consoling them and bringing them back to God. Mother Saint Polycarp went to these places to examine the situation. The good Mother did not expect to make a triumphal entrance into the prisons. She knew too well the mentality of those who lived there and the prejudices this type of people harbored against those who wore the religious habit.

"It often happened that she was received with insults and threats. This did not annoy her. The Sister who accompanied her said that she often asked the guard to remove momentarily the chains which hurt the prisoners. Then, on her knees, she removed the worms, dressed the wounds, lifted the poor sore feet and wrapped them carefully with the white linen that she had brought. These sullen hearts, which did not know the workings of Christian charity, were amazed and very often repented. The relief resulting from these charitable visits soon made them desired; and a touching confidence was sometimes established between the prisoner and the one who had brought a little sunshine into his heart. It must have been thus in the prison of Villefranche, for one of the prisoners, in gratitude, painted the portrait of Mother Saint Polycarp. When it was finished, he wrote on the back of the canvas:

"Elizabeth Duplex, born in Lyons, on August 17, 1780. She commenced the work of the prisons on October 15, 1807, and entered the convent of Saint Joseph, where she received the habit and the name, Sister Saint Polycarp. She was the first Provincial of the Sisters of Saint Joseph for the Prisons. 'Mother of orphans, mother of the unfortunate, Model of virtue, her kind beneficence alleviates the sufferings of the poor prisoners and transforms a place of horror into a haven of happiness.' By an inmate of the Prison of Villefranche, 1829"

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, August 12

"Cahokia, as well as Carondelet, had its joys and consolations. In 1838, a stone chapel was built. The countess had supplied part of the money, a rich woman of the country gave the rest and Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] sent, God knows with what joy, stations of the cross, candlesticks, candelabra, ornaments, flowers and a bell made in Lyons. On August 12 of that year, Bishop Rosati blessed the bell and the chapel. The same day, Sister Saint Protais made her vows.

"The good Canadians were delighted because they loved their 'Abbey,' and the peal of the Catholic bell on the river bank and the edges of the forest had a great charm for them. The Sisters were saints who had come from France to teach their children, to help their poor and to assist their sick. They venerated and loved them as their mothers.

"From Switzerland the countess wrote: 'On what are you living? Is your health good? Answer me quickly because I wish to send you a package. Tell me the things you need. Give me details of your establishments, of the good they do and the resources you have.' She gave them information about the convents of Touraine, Vendee and other cities.

"Mother Saint John, from afar, sustained her dear, generous missionaries by most encouraging exhortations: 'All here recalls to me the memory of my well-loved children; and I still meet you in all the places where I saw you so many times. It seems to me, that it is a century since I have heard from you, and I do not know how you are. The affection I have for you does not permit me to remain waiting any longer; for the distance which separates us, far from lessening my affection, makes it only more intense and tender. If the ocean separates us, eternity will unite us. I cannot express to you perfectly the joy I experience in this thought. Eternity will unite us, gives me consolation. What joy on our first meeting in Heaven. We will then be united, never more to be separated. Write to me at the first chance. Give me details of all you do or suffer. Pour into the heart of a Mother, who loves you tenderly, your sorrow, your cares and your joys, if you have any. I will share all. Do not let me think that America makes you forget your old Mother, who embraces you all in Our Lord Jesus Christ. In whatever part of this world we may be, we are never exiled, never far from the eyes of our Heavenly Father. In Europe, as well as in America, He is everywhere witness of our works and struggles. When I think that you are separated from me in another world, I am consoled by the thought that we are all united in the bosom of God. My entire wish is that you be saints, and that your communities be regular and edifying. I implore God to pour down upon you His choicest blessings and to assist you always with His grace.'

"In the American communities, each word of these precious letters was received with religious respect; and the ocean only apparently separated the Mother from her daughters. Her daughers found the venerable Mother's heart in her letters and in all the little packages she sent them from France--money, pictures, crucifixes, rosaries and medals for the pupils, the novices and their relatives. Since her daughters had left Lyons, in spite of her great age, she multiplied her visits to Fourviere. She used to say: 'I must bring my children's needs to the Blessed Virgin.' The following words express the value the Sisters placed on her motherly interest: 'Her prayers have been a gentle, fruitful rain on our American mustard seed, as her example, virtue and advice have been for us a torch and a rule of perfection.'"

"...the Mississippi was a bad neighbor for the convent of Cahokia and for the inhabitants of the country. Without considering the harm it might do to the people of its vicinity, it suddenly overflowed its banks and flooded the country. Mother Febronia had warnings of this danger on several occasions and was forced to seek refuge with the Sisters in Carondelet. When the waters subsided, the Sisters returned to their plague-stricken neighborhood, which they found ravaged by fever, the aftermath of the flood.

"In 1839, Mother Febronia was so seriously ill that Mother Delphine asked to be relieved from her duties in Carondelet that she might take care of her. She spent almost a year in Cahokia and left it to go to Saint Louis, where His Lordship confided to her the direction of the schools.

"Floods again visited the ill-fated Cahokia, compelling the entire population to flee. The Sisters, entrapped in their convent, saw the waters reach the first floor and continue to rise. Death seemed inevitable when suddenly a boat, sailing over the fields, the palisades and the enclosures, approached the convent. A plank, thrown from the boat to the window, served as a footbridge. The Sisters were saved. Once again Carondelet was a refuge.

"As a result of this flood and of the fevers that followed in its train, Cahokia was completely depopulated and the mission was abandoned. Mother Febronia contracted an illness from which she suffered so intensely that she and her namesake, Sister Febronia, who was also in poor health, were ordered by the doctors to return to France."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography translation adapted from the original French edition by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, August 14

"On August 14, 1807, Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] was, for the first time, in the presence of those whom Heaven destined to become her daughters [The Black Daughters]. She did not know them, nor did they know her. At once, however, a supernatural feeling drew them together and a bond of love united them. In a transport of faith, the daughters cast themselves into the arms of their Mother, and trembling with emotion, the Mother pressed the children to her heart, an affecting scene which fills one with admiration...

"These twelve Black Daughters [To teach them to crush human respect Father Cholleton, their founder, made them dress in a costume which was neither religious nor secular]who renounced, at the desire of the Cardinal [Fesch], their first formation, to submit to the demands of a Rule which they had not chosen, to an authority which had given no proof yet of devotion nor of ability, and to a direction of whose wisdom and gravity they were as yet ignorant, were also admirable.

"With a simplicity above all praise, she, who had been directress of the group, immediately resigned her authority and became the humble disciple of the new Superior [Mother Saint John Fontbonne]. She was Anne Matrat, of Valla-en-Gier, in the Department of the Loire. She was the first to enter Maison Pascal. We do not know whether or not that was the motive for placing her at the head. We rather believe that it was on account of her rare qualities...

"Mother Saint John wanted to know and to study thoroughly the life these pious women had lived in order to adapt them, as gently as possible, to the one which would replace it...The fourth floor of Maison Pascal was a home of fervor. Seeing this, Mother Saint John was overwhelmed with sentiments of humility and gratitude towards Him Who had led her into the midst of these cheerful, frank and generous souls, who showed neither defiance, annoyance, nor reserve with respect to a Superior whom they did not know and to whom they opened their hearts as children to their mother. An affection full of confidence and charity was established between them and it never relaxed.

"The Rule of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, composed by a priest of the Society of Jesus, Father Medaille, is full of the spirit of Saint Ignatius. It is wise and, at the same time, firm. This Rule was written, keeping in view the apostolic life that was the life of Jesus Christ Himself, the perfect Model of Religious.

"Every religious life, even every Christian life, must have its portion of penance, expiation and reparation; but there are different ways of doing penance, of expiating and of making reparation. The mortification, at times very hard, of the mutual living of a common life; the fatigue of service; the demands of the sick; the ingratitude of those who are the objects of our devotion, and a thousand other things have an expiatory and a reparatory value. Are they not more difficult to bear than the penances of one's choice?

"Mother Saint John tried to make her dear daughters understand this truth. One day she made them bring her all the instruments of penance they had for their use. These fervent souls had to make the sacrifice of them through obedience, and, gradually, the wise, prudent Mother abolished from their life what might have endangered their health. At the same time she carefully preserved the character of austerity that gives nobility to the religious life and a redeeming value to the simplest deeds. The community of Maison Pascal kept this character of fervor and holiness so well that it is still called with good reason "The Pearl of the Institute."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography from the original French edition adapted by a Sister of Saint Joseph of Brentwood, NY

Jewels from Jane, July 27

"Mother Saint John [Fontbonne] was neither frightened nor saddened at the thought of leaving this earth, and her example inflamed the Sisters with supernatural courage.

"The greatest suffering of the little family of Saint Joseph was the deprivation of religious assistance. The Sisters had been in prison for several months without any notice as to the term of their imprisonment. One day the jailer said brutally to Mother Saint John: 'Citizeness, it is your turn tomorrow.' 'Thanks be to God!' answered the noble Mother, trembling with joy.

"The jailer had addressed Mother Saint John only, but her daughters thought that their fate would not be different from that of their Mother. All prepared to climb the steps of the guillotine. 'Tomorrow,' said the prisoners among themselves, 'will be the most beautiful day in our lives, we must get our garments ready.' The little community still possessed a small amount of money. The Sisters decided unanimously that it should be spent in the preparing of their modest clothing for the great festival of the morrow. These resolutions taken, they all waited in prayer, picturing the Heaven which was about to open for them.

"We should note, however, that our prisoners could not be guillotined the next day, for no executions had taken place in Saint Didier. 'Tomorrow your turn' meant 'tomorrow the departure for the court without appeal, in Le Puy, and the day after that, the execution.' The law stated that condemned persons had to be put to death within twenty-four hours.

"...Yet, Heaven did not open. Mother Saint John's work was not finished. In order that she might accomplish her task, Divine Providence gave an unexpected turn to events. Those whom Robespierre desired to send to the guillotine, sent him there and, let it be said in passing, the tyrant did not go gracefully. His death did not end the Revolution. There were still many sad days after his death, but the disappearance of this creature of blood permitted people to breathe again. At any rate, many prisoners indirectly owed their freedom to him. Mother Saint John and her companions were among the number. When their dungeon opened on July 27, 1794 all stood ready to go forth to death.

"God willed otherwise. Instead of having chains put on their hands, they were told that they were free. 'At this news which brought so much joy to the others,' Canon Rivaux tells us that Mother Saint John cried out sorrowfully: 'Ah, my Sisters, we are not worthy of the grace to die for our holy religion. Our sins have been an obstacle to this great favor.' The saintly Mother, during the remainder of her life, regretted having lost the palm of martyrdom, which had escaped her at the moment she believed herself about to hold it.

"When in later years, people spoke to her of this heroic epoch of her life and of what she had suffered in prison, she adroitly turned the conversation to speak of those Sisters who had not been spared and of their glorious martyrdom. For her, all suffering was as nothing because she had not received the crown of martyrdom."

Below is a quote from part of the document releasing the sisters from prison. The deed is in the archives of Bas.

"The citizenesses, Jeanne and Marie Fontbonne (ex-Josephines) of the above-mentioned convent of the Sisters of this community, originally of this commune of Bas, have requested the registration of their discharge from the prison of Montfranc."

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from a translation of the original French edition by a Sister of St. Joseph, Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, July 14

"In 1805, the wearing of a religious costume was permitted by law. Clothed in secular dress, they [The Black Daughters] had been living the life of Sisters of Saint Joseph in Maison Pascal for almost a year. The time for wearing its habit had come. On July 14, 1808, the twelve postulants were clothed in the habit and received a religious name. The Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyons was just restored. Here are the names of the first Sisters:

“Mother Saint John, Superior and foundress

Anne Matrat, Sister Saint Francis Regis

Jeanne Marie Matrat, Sister Saint Claire

Anne Marie Didier, Sister Saint Paul

Suzanne Marcoux, Sister Saint John Baptist

Jeanne Poitrasson-Gonnet, Sister Saint Francis de Sales

Philippine Menard, Sister Saint Teresa

Benoite Perrin, Sister Marie

Antoinette Monteillier, Sister Saint Michael

Marie Anne Pitiot, Sister Saint Augustine

Antoinette Cessier, Sister Marie Joseph

Marie Louise Foret, Sister Saint Madeleine

Elizabeth Placon, Sister Saint Agnes

“From that day, no longer existed the Society of Black Daughters; it was now the Society of Saint Joseph. They had taken care not to say ‘Congregation,’ as that term would have been sufficient to make the society suspected in the eyes of the Revolutionaires. It was not of importance to let the public know that they were reviving the Institute. The important thing was to revive it. Under a different name the Sisters continued to occupy themselves with the same works; and not only were the Sisters themselves appreciated, but their habit was saluted with veneration wherever they went.

“With respect to the dress, let us say that it underwent a transformation at that time. In the first Rule, printed with the permission of Monsignor de Villars, Archbishop of Vienne, in 1693, we read: ‘The Sisters of Saint Joseph shall be dressed as virtuous, modest widows.’ The head-dress of the widows of the seventeenth century, the epoch of the founding of the Institute, consisted of a hood of white linen, joined under the chin and partly covered with a cap of black silk. When, after the Revolution, the Sisters of Saint Joseph could resume their religious habit, widows no longer dressed in that fashion. Mother Saint John thought it possible, without deviating from the spirit of the founders, to replace the cap by the veil. In 1650, widows wore a white fichu over their shoulders; the Sisters had adopted this fichu. After the Concordat, the fichu was replaced by the guimpe. The habit then assumed a monastic tone which is suitable to virgins.”

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A Biography adapted from the French by a Sister of Saint Joseph of Brentwood, NY

Jewels from Jane, June 17

June 17, 1794

“On June 16, 1794, five brigades of soldiers led a convoy of twelve prisoners from Craponne to Le Puy. There were three men, eight women and a child. Among the eight women was Jeanne Marie Aubert, a Sister of Saint Joseph. The next day, June 17, another Sister of the same Institute joined the twelve prisoners in the chief town of the department. She was Marie Anne Garnier….

“…during the morning of June 17, the judges found time to question the thirteen prisoners, to deliberate, to draw up the writ of condemnation and to execute it on the same day.

“Six were condemned to death: Father Mourier, Barthelemy Best, his wife, his sister and the two Sisters of Saint Joseph. Marguerite, the daughter, was fourteen years old, but she was so little that she seemed eleven. She was in the convoy, but the judge dared not condemn a child. The acquitted child was compelled to walk around the guillotine twice as her parents’ heads fell. This experience so deeply affected her that she died three months later.

“…a few days’ later posters told … that two of their Sisters had gone to increase the phalanx of virgin martyrs in Heaven. However great this glory, it did not keep their hearts from feeling the wounds. That of Mother Saint John bled often,--it was so tender, so good; but her ardent, faith, coming to the aid of her sorrow, gave courage to herself and to the others. All, united in fervent prayer, cast themselves into God’s arms and prepared with confidence and love for whatever might come.

“Once, out of prison, the venerable Mother [St. John Fontbonne] made, in the form of a litany, a list of the martyred priests of her acquaintance. We find in her notebook the names of twenty-one priests either guillotined or shot. Father Clavel is one and Father Mourier follows next. Mother Saint John, without wishing to anticipate the judgment of the Church, took pleasure in invoking them in the hours of distress. We seem to hear her cry mounting to Heaven:

‘Saint Clavel, pray for me!’

‘Saint Mourier, pray for me!’”

From Mother Saint John Fontbonne: A biography by a Sister of Saint Joseph Brentwood, New York

Jewels from Jane, March 31

"In the year 1759 and on March 31 was born Jeanne Fontbonne [Mother St. John Fontbonne], daughter of Michel Fontbonne and Benoite Theilliere, residents of Bas-en-Basset, Haute-Loire. She was baptized the aforesaid day by Father Page, parish priest; Gabriel Dupont, godfather; Jeanne Dupin, godmother; as follows from the records written in the register of births placed in the archives of the civil authority of this commune, the said record numbered and signed by Jean Baptiste Callemard, lawyer to the Parliament and Bailiwick of Chauffour, in execution of the declaration of the King, April 9, 1736"

Transcript from the Register of Births of the Commune of Bas-en-Basset for the year 1759