Carmel de Lisieux Lisieux (Calvados)
August 28, 1923
The Mother Prioress of Lisieux to M.______________
My Dear Sister Ignatius,
Doubtless you will think that I use a queer paper to write to you. Well, we owe this paper to one of our “fournisseurs.” [suppliers] I think you say tradesman in English but I am not sure. The good man thought that we used such poor paper to write to him that he wanted to do us the service to supply us with paper worthy of our “Rev. Mother’s personality.” So he sent us quite a lot of these sheets of paper which of course we use only “en famille.” (in the family). Some years ago a printer who did not understand anything of the religious poverty had sent splendid cards with the name of our Rev. Mother engraved.
T thank you dear Sister for your so kind letter and the draft also of the bank note. I send you herewith your receipted accounts. Many thanks to the donors for the generous donation sent. All their intentions will be prayed for during the novena for Sept. 8th.
I suppose you had news of the Tridium of August. Cardinal Dougherty has won the hearts of all those who have seen him and he was delighted with all the ceremonies and the reception made to him. He said the Conventual Mass on the Monday and he celebrated in the Infirmary of our Blessed one on the Thursday. He has edified everyone by his piety.
I have no time to give you details but later we will send you an account. On the Monday we had in our chapel 120 masses, on the Tuesday 140, and on the Wednesday 170, not including the masses said by the cardinals, bishops, and some privileged priests accompanying the cardinals, in the infirmary and at Les Buissonnets. And all said the Mass of the Beata. [beatified one]
Now the feast is fixed to September 30th under the rite Double 2nd class for the Carmel of Lisieux; double major for the other monasteries, and double minor for the diocese of Bayeux., with a mass and an office “propres.” [with its own office]. It is such a great privilege as since the new rubrics they do not accept special offices. The Holy Father himself revised the Office as he did the Mass and he added some text. We have the copy corrected by him and we keep it as a treasure.
You are very kind to offer me not to reply to your letters; I will occasionally take advantage of your offer, but I hope Our Lord will not always ask this sacrifice of me and that I may have sometimes the leisure to write you, as it is rather a pleasure for me.
When you have your Tridium I hope that you will send us the account of the same.
Please continue to pray for us all, for me specially, also for our dear Sister M. du Scare Coeur [Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart] who suffers very much from rheumatism.
All your order has been sent except the helios which are still missing, but we expect them at any date now. I am glad to say that the rotogravures (intaglio printing process] will sell at 4/per 100 net for our Carmels. As the demand has been large enough we had a larger edition made and it is cheaper.
I hope you received all the goods in perfect condition.
With sisterly love and ever in union of prayers I remain,
Dear Sister Ignatius, yours affectionately in Our Lord,
Sr. Anne of Jesus