Girard0357

25 December 1844 – Letter from Brother Claude-Marie (Jean-Baptiste Bertrand) to Jean-Claude Colin, Kororareka

Based on the original document, APM Z 208.

A sheet comprising four pages: two written, one blank, and the fourth containing only the address and a note from Poupinel.

Translated by Merv Duffy, January 2025.

[Page 4][Address]

To the Very Reverend Father Colin, Superior General of the Society of Mary, at Pilata, Montée Saint-Barthélemy, No. 4, Lyon, France

[In Poupinel's handwriting]

New Zealand, Hokianga, December 25, 1844, Brother Claude-Marie

[Page 1]

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Very Reverend Father Superior,

[1]

Reverend Father Forest has just announced that in a few days, letters will be sent to Europe. Thinking that it has been about 11 months since I last wrote to you, I resolved to send you a few words.

[2]

I am more or less the same as I was when I last wrote. My piety exercises are done with much coldness, and I still have a strong inclination to indulge the children, which causes me much distress.

[3]

In September, Reverend Father Baty spoke to me about going to Hokianga with Reverend Father Petit. However, reflecting on the dangers I had faced in the past and the many hardships I had endured, all of this made such an impression on me that I gave many reasons to avoid it and managed to have another sent in my place. Yet, I must confess that I was not at peace. When I revealed this to Reverend Father Forest, he strongly reprimanded me for having disobeyed in this way. As a penance for the scandal, he ordered me to ask forgiveness from the Reverend Fathers and dear Brothers, which I did. A week later, Reverend Father Baty repeated his request, and not daring to resist any longer, I said yes and departed the next day.

[4]

It was not long before I saw the children with whom I had become familiar in the past. Two of them even remained at the establishment! You can imagine the danger I was in. I wrote to Reverend Father Forest three times to share my struggles, once to Reverend Father Baty, and I had another message conveyed to him through a native who was traveling to the Bay of Islands. I am including his reply in this letter. I was deeply mortified by it, and without a doubt, if Reverend Father had fully understood my struggles, he might not have written so harshly. I regretted having caused him pain and resolved from then on to say nothing further and to patiently endure whatever came to me from the hand of God.

[5]

My situation did not remain the same for long. Dear Brother Luc came to replace me, and I returned to the Bay of Islands in December, where I was very happy because, being in a kind of community, I faced far fewer dangers and occasions to offend the good Lord.

[6]

Eternal thanks to you, Very Reverend Father Superior, for sending us the good Father Forest to alleviate our suffering. In the past, we were overburdened, or at least some of us were, with manual labor. Now, Reverend Father Forest has put things in order. He wants us to work, but not to the point of exhaustion, so that everyone is content. During my recent stay in Hokianga, my only duties were cooking, caring for the poultry and livestock, maintaining the house, and looking after the sacristy. Certainly, I was busy, but it was nothing compared to before, as you may have read in the letter I sent you in 1843. Reverend Father Petit no longer scolded me, and I lived in peace.

[7]

Father Petit is still working on large fields and pursuing grand plans. At his place, you would see seven cows, 18 goats, at least 150 chickens, 10 geese, 24 ducks, and more. It feels like being on a European farm. However, most of this work is carried out by the natives, and I had no involvement in it, following the instructions given to me by Reverend Father Forest before I went there.

[8]

I do not know how to write, Very Reverend Father Superior, and I express myself, alas, so poorly. Please be kind enough to forgive my lack of respect toward you and believe me to remain always,

Your most submissive and humble child in Jesus and Mary,

Brother Claude-Marie

Kororareka, December 25, 1844