Emilie and the First Companions, #2
Early History of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix will be presented in four sections.
Below is Part 1.
1854
On December 31, 1854, at 6 in the morning, Emilie and “all her people” boarded the train that would take them from Liege to Paris. Today this route takes a little over two hours; it probably took Emilie and company many hours more.
The previous August, Emilie had brought her two sons, Adrian, and Edmond, to school in France. She also had rented a large apartment at Rue Grenelle St Germain 18 (photo), in the hotel Bon La Fontaine. As was her costume, Emilie converted a room into a chapel where the Eucharist would be kept.
That apartment was to be the “nest” of the congregation. It housed Emilie; all the household help that traveled from Belgium; her two daughters, Olympe and Marguerite; their teacher Henriette Benett, and Emilie de Saint-Martin. A few months later, Lydia Benett joined them. Henriette and her sister Lydia were British and recent converts from Protestantism. Francisca Coleridge, also a new convert, was introduced to Emilie by Henriette and Lydia. After meeting with her several times, Emilie suggested she rent an apartment next to hers. Shortly after, Father Petit introduced Julia Bell and Caroline de Cambourg to Emilie; they also decided to join the small group. Still, Emilie had no plans to begin a congregation. She kept looking for one where she could fulfil her call: reparation for offenses against God and adoration of the blessed sacrament.
Finally, on July 4, Emilie decided to share with Fr. Petit SJ her experience of December 8, 1854. He was deeply moved and asked Emilie’s permission to share it with the provincial, Fr. Studer SJ, who after meeting with Emilie, committed himself to help the new foundation.
The first step was to find more appropriate accommodations. After much searching, a house was found at Rue Monsieur 4, where there was a second small house on the premises with an independent entrance, Rue de Babylone 69. The two houses shared a large garden. After some renovations, the second house became the Small Convent.
On October 11, 1855, (her 38th birthday), Emilie met with Emilie de St Martin, Henriette, Lydia, and Francisca. They all promised to share the efforts and hardships of their mother while she in turn, promised to surround them with tender solicitude and continual protection. Julia Bell soon added her consent.
In the afternoon of November 8, 1855 everyone, including Julia Bell and Caroline de Cambourg, gathered in the chapel in Emilie’s apartment. Fr. Studer and Fr. Petit were present. Fr. Studer reminded them briefly of the purpose of the foundation they wanted to establish and the spirit of reparation and devotedness which they ought to have toward Jesus and Mary. The day concluded when they made a promise to offer themselves to work wholeheartedly for the glory of God and their Immaculate Queen.
As was customary at that time, Emilie gave a new name to each: Emilie de St. Martin, became Marie de Sainte Anne; Henriette Benett, M. de St. Jean; Lydia Benett (who left the congregation in 1874), M. de St. Joseph; Anne Francis Coleridge, M. de St. Ignace; Julia Bell, M.de Ste. Madeleine; Caroline de Cambourg (who left in 1859), M. de la Croix.
Julia Bell, who wrote the journal The Beginnings, ends her notes for November 8 in exultation: “Blessed day! Happy hours! Those who saw you will not forget you. Yes, blessed day when Jesus received the intimate promises of the future religious of Mary Reparatrix.”
On November 13 Emilie moved from Rue de Grenelle to Rue de Monsieur with all her personnel, her own daughters, and her spiritual daughters. Fr. Petit transferred the Blessed Sacrament to the new chapel. Only Olympe, Marguerite, the consecrated women and a few servants had known Emilie’s plans which were otherwise secret.
On November 21, feast of the Presentation, the first daily schedule was established. In the evening Fr. Studer gave them a consoling talk full of encouragement based on the text: “Here I am, Lord, to do your will.” Julia Bell wrote, “We all renewed our promises and commitment to contribute to the work”. The following day, the “little novitiate” started on its course.
During the month of December, two young women, Isabel Dégobert, a former directee of Fr. Petit, and Madeleine Dumesnil, known to Emilie, joined the group as coadjutrix sisters.
From November 29 to December 7 Emilie made a retreat at the Visitation, during which she redacted the Petit Écrit sur l’Institute which Fr Studer later revised giving it a more theological style.
Concepción González Cánovas, smr
Look for Part 2 in upcoming Living Stories Gem………