1. LETTER PS 006 To Monseigneur GASTON DE PINS ; Lyon, Rhône ; Original letter : AFM 132.2, P.168 Published in: OM,I, P.435

2. 1.BACKGROUND OF THE LETTER  The Institute is only 10 years old.  Brothers are young and not well trained.  TERRAILLON left the HERMITAGE.  COURVEILLE also left the HERMITAGE.  People were talking about what happened at the HERMITAGE.  There are more than 80 Brothers at the HERMITAGE.  More than 2000 children in the schools.  16 establishments.  Brothers must be visited at least every 2 months.  Correspondences Cfr: Letters PS 003 and PS 004

3. 2. SITUATION REVEALED BY THE LETTER The letter is written by Father Champagnat to Bishop GASTON DE PINS, apostolic administrator of the archdiocese of Lyons about the matter stated in letters PS 003 and PS 004. Father Champagnat confided in him as his bishop For protection and support of his work. Champagnat is submerged by external problems and tried by all means to contact diplomatically some influent priests. First, he wrote to Father Philibert GARDETTE, superior of the Major Seminary of Lyons. Then, to Father CATTET, vicar general in charge of everything concerning religious congregations in the diocese.

4. 3. SUPPLEMENTARY DATA ABOUT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED DE PINS, Jean – Paul Gaston (1766 – 1850), apostolic administrator of the archdiocese of Lyons. Birth: February 8th, 1766 Place: Castres, Tarn in a noble family from Languedoc region. Minor orders: May 21st, 1785 Ordination: Exact date is unknown. Certainly before August 18th, 1789. Vicar general of Castres: July 11th, 1795 Bishop of Limoges: February 15th, 1822 appointed by the king. Archbishop of Amasea and apostolic administrator of Lyons from 1824 -1839. GARDETTE, Philibert (1765 – 1848), priest of the archdiocese of Lyons. Birth: May 7th, 1765 Place: Hamlet of Villeneurve, parish of Saint Romain – d’Urfé, Loire. Philosophy: 1784 – 1786, Saint Irénée. Minor orders: 1787 professor in the seminary of Clermont – Ferrand. From his years in the major seminary, Marcellin Champagnat found a “supporter, an excellent counselor, and an experienced director in the person of Father GARDETTE.

5. CATTET, Simon ( 1788 – 1856), Vicar general of Lyons Birth: October 4th, 1788 Place: Neuville – Sur – Sâone Minor Orders: July 22nd, 1809 Ordination: December 21st, 1811 Vicar general: December 28th, 1825 in Lyons. COURVEILLE, Jean – Claude (1787 – 1866), promoter of the project Society of Mary and Benedictine monk. Birth: March 15th, 1787 Place: Usson – en – Forez (Loire) During the French revolution his parents hid the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Chambriac in their home and he used to pray before it. At the age of 10, he contracted smallpox, which affected the corneas of both eyes and made it impossible for him to study normally. He lost his father at the age of 18 on April 26th, 1805.

6. In 1809: He was cured of his blindness in the cathedral of Le Puy. In 1810: He decided to consecrate himself to Mary’s service. From 1810 – 1811: He apparently tried the minor seminary of Verrières, then probably continued his studies at the home of his uncle Father Mathieu Bynieux, parish priest of Apinac. August 15th, 1812: In the cathedral of Le Puy, he acquired a deep certitude that the Blessed Virgin wanted a society bearing her name. In fact, this “revelation of Le Puy was to be the starting point of the history of the society of Mary. At All Saints, 1812: He began his philosophy at the major seminary of Le Puy. Ordination: July 22nd, 1816. 1814 – 1815 academic year: He twice shared his idea for the Society with Etienne Declas. 1815 – 1816: Before the end of that academic year he had them sign a written commitment. July 23rd, 1816: during his first mass at Fourvière, he gave communion to his companions. Fall 1816: He was appointed curate in Verrières. It seems that he was already making plans for a Marist Third Order. Father Bochard gave up on trying to win him to his own project.

7. August 1817: Courveille was transferred to River – de – Gier. He remained there 2 years and immediately became involved in the different branches of the Marist project staying in touch with the Colin brothers in Cerdon and becoming co – purchaser with Father Champagnat of the brothers’ first house in LaValla. Courveille tried to persuade a number of lay teachers who had been together with Father Lancelot, the parish priest of Rive – de – Gier to become Marist sisters. May 12th, 1824: Bishop De Pins authorized Courveille to join Father Champagnat to help him with the foundation of the brothers. The next day Courveille and Champagnat became co – owners of the property on which the HERMITAGE was to be built. From then, he called himself Superior general of the brothers, gave them a rule and began the negotiations for opening a school in Charlieu. Summer 1825: He tried in vain to get the brothers to elect him officially as their superior.

8. At Christmas 1825: Father Champagnat fell ill. Courveille took over the direction of the house. When Champagnat recovered, Courveille provoked a canonical visitation by Father Cattet sometime between 18th and May 24th, 1826, after his episode of immorality, he had to make a retreat at the Trappist abbey of Aiguebelle. September 25th, 1866: Death at Solesmes. TERRAILLON, Etienne (1791 – 1869),Marist Father Birth: April 16th, 1791 Place: St – Loup, Rhone, to Guillaume TERRAILLON, a farmer and Agathe CHIRAT. 1807 – 1808: Finished his primary school. 1813: He entered Saint Irenée. January 6th,1814: Minor orders and subdiaconate

9. During his last year, Etienne DECLAS told him about the projected Society of Mary. He became one of the first adherents and took part in the meetings of the apirants. July 22nd, 1816: Ordained priest with most of his companions and ont he following day he took part in the ceremony at Fourvière, assiting Jean Claude COURVEILLE at the altar. March 11th, 1819: Curate to Father BAROU at St – Pierre in Montbrison. December 14th, 1820: Chaplain of the Hospice de la Charité in Montbrison. October 31st, 1824: Bishop De Pins refused him the permission to leave the diocese. August 25th, 1825: He was authorized to join the Marist community at the HERMITAGE. During Father Champagnat’s serious illness in early 1826, he refused to become his only heir. May 1826: It is he who discovered Courveille’s transgressions and persuaded him to go to the Trappists. At All Saints 1822: He requested an apporoval as preacher of the jubilee year. He left the HERMITAGE and never came back. November 5th, 1826: Death at Bon – Encontre.

10. 4. ATTITUDES OF MARCELLIN Courageous: “This upsets me, but is does not discourage me”. Patient: “ I will wait calmly to know God’s will in this matter” Diplomatic: “The fatherly goodness with Your Lordship welcomed me at your arrival in this diocese gives me the courage to beg you in the name of Jesus and Mary, …”. “I know that Father superior of the seminary will gladly explain you my situation”. Prayerful: “Jesus and Mary are all my hope”. “Jesus and Mary will always be close to us to support us”. Humble: “I no longer dare to appear before Your Lordship to make you listen to my sad voice”. Respectful and upright: “The unfortunate incident which took place, involving the one who appeared to be its leader” Marian attitude: “Jesus and Mary will always be the solid support of my confidence”.

11. 5. MENTALITY OF MARCELLIN OVER CERTAIN TOPICS He is a man of faith “Jesus and Mary are all my hope” “I always have a firm belief that God wants”, “But Jesus and Mary will always be close to us to support us”. “God wants this undertaking”. “Jesus and Mary will always be the solid support of my confidence.” “to beg you, in the name of Jesus and Mary,” “I will wait calmly to know God's good will in this matter”. He is a realistic man “I am the only priest here; this upsets me, but it does not discourage me”. He has a deep concern for his work “ I am the only priest here” He goes straight to the matter He has a balanced personality “This upsets me, but is does not discourage me” He teaches by examples

12. 6. BIBLICAL ALLUSIONS Bible PS: 127: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain”. PS: 112: “Happy is the person who honours the LORD. PS: 62: “I wait patiently for God to save me”, “He alone protects and saves me”. Lk: 14, 11: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.“ Lk: 9, 23: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”.

13. B. Constitutions C.40: Among the other mediator are the hierarchy of the church, and our religious family”. C.39.In whatever he undertook, Father Champagnat was primarily concernedFatherChampagnatprimarilyconcerned to do God's will. This he sought in prayer, in consultation, in theGodprayerconsultation mediation of his superiors, and in heeding the signs of the times. Nomediationsuperiorssignstimes matter the circumstances, and despite all contradiction and opposition,mattercircumstancesdespitecontradiction he obeyed his superiors, seeing in them the person of Jesus Himself.superiorspersonJesus C.45.The exercise of evangelical obedience gives expression to our freedomexerciseevangelicalobediencegivesexpressionfreedom and to our readiness to serve in the Church's mission. It makes usreadinessserveChurchmission strong, even in our weakness.strong

14. 7. PHRASES THAT IMPACT YOU  “I no longer dare to appear before Your Lordship to make you listen to my sad voice”. diplomatic language  “Jesus and Mary are all my hope” (Reference to Mary and Jesus (4)  “The unfortunate happenings that took place in the one that appeared to be the leader is a hideous effort of hell” high respect for human dignity  “The unfortunate incident which took place” Incidence not specified  “He who sustains me is called the strong God”. Reference to God (4)

15. 8. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS Champagnat is example of constancy for me. Even if he undergoes serious problems, he does not loose temper. He is aware of: Perversity in the world It is the relevant moment God wants him to work hard. Diabolic efforts to destroy support of Jesus and Mary his work May be God wants other Blessed be His Name people to establish his work Purification is needed.