Life of the Venerable Louise de Marillac (Mademoiselle Le Gras) foundress of the company of Sisters of charity of St. Vincent de Paul

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1917. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI To have read, or still better to have diligently studied, Louise de Marillac's letters is to know her as she really was. Her inmost character reveals itself in them at every turn. We see her single-mindedness; her patience with human frailty, in spite of her high ideals of what is asked of those who are called to the service of God; her gentleness in correction, her wise and mature judgment in matters temporal as well as spiritual; above all her love of God and man. Owing to the narrow margin we have at our disposal for extracts, and the large number of letters of hers extant--extending to two volumes in the first edition of her works--we propose limiting them to those which specially bear on her instructions to her spiritual Daughters. Some remarks made on this subject by Gobillon, who had a thorough knowledge of the life and character of the holy foundress, derived from her ten years' residence in the parish of St. Laurent, will serve as a preface to them: "Mlle. Le Gras's charity, which was extended to so many objects, was not oblivious of the congregation to which she was so closely bound. She looked upon her Daughters as subjects to whom it was specially due, and having chosen them to minister to her love of her neighbour she wished them to learn the feelings they should entertain for their neighbours by those she manifested to them in their own persons. She had a mother's heart and tenderness for them. Having received the Sisters, and as it were given birth to them in her company, she took a special care to form them after her own mind--applying herself personally to the work of training them to the service of the poor; teaching them frequently to read, and instructing them in the mysteries of the faith, as well as in the practice of prayer and...