Merv at 03:13, 25 July 2026

2026-07-25T03:13:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:13, 25 July 2026
Line 8:		Line 8:

	'''[In Poupinel’s hand:]''' Wallis, 6 December 1843 - Bishop Bataillon, Bishop of Enos		'''[In Poupinel’s hand:]''' Wallis, 6 December 1843 - Bishop Bataillon, Bishop of Enos


			{\|border=1; style="width:100%"
			\|+
			\|-bgcolor=lightblue
			\|[[Girard0295\|'''Previous LRO Letter''']]\|\| align=center \| [[Contents#1843\|'''LRO List of 1843 Letters''']] \|\| align=right\| [[Girard0297\|'''Next LRO letter''']]
			\|}


	;[p. 1]:		;[p. 1]:

Merv at 02:52, 25 July 2026

2026-07-25T02:52:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:52, 25 July 2026
Line 36:		Line 36:
	;[10]: Up to now I have had only reason to congratulate myself on Bishop of Amata. Would it not be right to claim from Bishop Pompallier the objects that are addressed to us or belong to us by title? If you think so, would you write to His Grace on this subject?		;[10]: Up to now I have had only reason to congratulate myself on Bishop of Amata. Would it not be right to claim from Bishop Pompallier the objects that are addressed to us or belong to us by title? If you think so, would you write to His Grace on this subject?

	;[11]: I thought it would please you to have a collection of objects made in the country. I am sending you a bundle of them. It is offered to you by the devout neophytes; at the same time you will find their letter.<ref>Cf. [Girard0295\|doc. 295]].</ref> Our intention, if you judged it appropriate, would be to distribute it to the principal benefactors of the mission and to those who would kindly show their gratitude toward the donors. It will easily be guessed that it was not without reason that I had the names of the persons placed on the objects they are sending.		;[11]: I thought it would please you to have a collection of objects made in the country. I am sending you a bundle of them. It is offered to you by the devout neophytes; at the same time you will find their letter.<ref>Cf. [[Girard0295\|doc. 295]].</ref> Our intention, if you judged it appropriate, would be to distribute it to the principal benefactors of the mission and to those who would kindly show their gratitude toward the donors. It will easily be guessed that it was not without reason that I had the names of the persons placed on the objects they are sending.

	;[12]: I have the honour to be, with profound respect and in union of prayers and sacrifices,		;[12]: I have the honour to be, with profound respect and in union of prayers and sacrifices,

Merv at 02:49, 25 July 2026

2026-07-25T02:49:32Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:49, 25 July 2026
Line 3:		Line 3:
	From the copy, [[APM]] OC 418.1.		From the copy, [[APM]] OC 418.1.

	Sheet forming four written pages, the fourth also bearing Poupinel’s annotation. In the register of letters, ED 1, it bore the number 138. On the date of this document, see the introduction to doc. 295.		Sheet forming four written pages, the fourth also bearing Poupinel’s annotation. In the register of letters, ED 1, it bore the number 138. On the date of this document, see the introduction to [[Girard0295\|doc. 295]].

	;[p. 4]:		;[p. 4]:

Merv: Created page with "==c. 8 December 1843. — Bishop Pierre Bataillon to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Wallis== From the copy, APM OC 418.1. Sheet forming four written pages, the fourth also bearing Poupinel’s annotation. In the register of letters, ED 1, it bore the number 138. On the date of this document, see the introduction to doc. 295. ;[p. 4]: '''[In Poupinel’s hand:]''' Wallis, 6 December 1843 - Bishop Bataillon, Bishop of Enos ;[p. 1]: :Central Oceania. Wallis Island, Dec..."

2026-07-25T02:49:07Z

Created page with "==c. 8 December 1843. — Bishop Pierre Bataillon to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Wallis== From the copy, APM OC 418.1. Sheet forming four written pages, the fourth also bearing Poupinel’s annotation. In the register of letters, ED 1, it bore the number 138. On the date of this document, see the introduction to doc. 295. ;[p. 4]: '''[In Poupinel’s hand:]''' Wallis, 6 December 1843 - Bishop Bataillon, Bishop of Enos ;[p. 1]: :Central Oceania. Wallis Island, Dec..."

New page

==c. 8 December 1843. — Bishop Pierre Bataillon to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Wallis==

From the copy, [[APM]] OC 418.1.

Sheet forming four written pages, the fourth also bearing Poupinel’s annotation. In the register of letters, ED 1, it bore the number 138. On the date of this document, see the introduction to doc. 295.

;[p. 4]:

'''[In Poupinel’s hand:]''' Wallis, 6 December 1843 - Bishop Bataillon, Bishop of Enos

;[p. 1]:

:Central Oceania. Wallis Island, December 1843

:My very Reverend Father,

;[1]: These lines are from the least of your children, from the one who was pleased to be unknown on his distant little island and who suddenly sees himself forced by his father himself to receive on his shoulders a burden wholly beyond his strength, and thus to be suddenly placed as a spectacle before angels and men.<ref>Cf. 1 Cor. 4:9: “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, in the last place, like men condemned to death: we have been made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men.”</ref>

;[2]: Bishop of Amata arrived at Wallis on 30 November on a state vessel. He handed me the bulls from the Court of Rome, together with your letters in which you declared to me that it would have gone against the will of God for me to oppose the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff. Well then, my Reverend Father, I have obeyed you, and here I am a bishop; but you are responsible for it. You are obliged to pray for me so much and to watch over me so closely that I may be able to save myself in the formidable position in which you yourself have placed me. I feel as if I were in a dream, or as if in a labyrinth from which I do not know how to get out. May God assist me, and you, my Father, pray for me, that in all things and everywhere and always I may do the will of Our Lord.

;[3]: I was consecrated bishop in the church of Saint Joseph on the first Sunday of Advent, 3 December, the feast of Saint Francis Xavier, the same day on which, six years earlier, I had celebrated holy Mass in these Wallis Islands. It was in the presence of four Marist priests, several officers from the ''Bucéphale'', the king of the island and all the chiefs, as well as the entire population of these islands, which is now wholly Christian.

;[4]: Some priests and Brothers have not yet come. They should arrive here in some time, and it will be then that I shall give you details. But being pressed by the departure of the ship, I only inform you here that I have been, and that I always wish to be, the least of your children; that I always wish to preserve the right to be warned, reproved, and corrected by you, my Father, or by anyone else who will represent you. I desire always to be a true Marist and to take the interests of the Society in all things and everywhere. I feel within myself, God is my witness, an ardent desire and, I dare say, a firm will: first to save my soul, and then to save those who will be entrusted to me. I ardently desire to procure the glory of the Church of Rome and that of the Society of Mary. I desire to procure the happiness of all the peoples entrusted to me, and especially that of the priests and Brothers who will be given to me as collaborators. Such, my Father, is my ardent desire; but I conjure you, by your love for Our Lord and by the interest you bear toward your missionaries, to think of me constantly at the holy altar, so that God may preserve and perfect the desires that he places in me.

;[5]: I have great pleasure in being able to give you, in all truth, news that could not be more consoling for your fatherly heart. Three missions have been founded in our vicariate, not counting the one that Bishop of Amata is going to open in New Caledonia or elsewhere. The first is that of Wallis. I am consoled to be able to tell you that they are all Christians, and fervent Christians. Every Sunday we have from 400 to 700 communions; on the great feasts, we have as many as 1,500. Most of the young people know how to read and write, etc. I reserve the details for later. The second is that of Futuna. They are all converted and partly baptized. Fathers Servant and Roulleaux are in charge of it. The third is that of Tonga, directed by Fathers Chevron and Grange. It offers, they say, the finest hopes. A large number of conversions is already counted there. We also have a neophyte in Viti who, it is said, has formed several proselytes. I shall send priests there as soon as possible. But please pay attention to my request and send us priests, but good priests: pious, zealous, learned, bold, and robust priests. After Tonga and Fiji, I would like to be able at once to found missions in the Navigator Islands and on Rotuma Island. We are on the best possible terms with all the commanders of the South Seas, who are very numerous at this moment and who take pleasure in carrying us from one island to another whenever they can. I think that we are touching the time when the Lord must make his mercies shine forth upon the peoples of Oceania.

;[6]: As for the Brothers, knowledge is sometimes of little importance, but we need solid virtue, good character, health, vigour, and at least a slight knowledge of the principal trades. A virtuous and even skillful Brother, but one who was slow, indolent, or fussy, is almost a burden to the mission. For the main establishment there would be needed a good Brother tailor, a shoemaker, and a doctor. We lack these. It would be desirable for each Brother to have at least a slight knowledge of medicine, and for him to bring with him medicines and a medical book, which he would study during the passage.

;[7]: Father Viard, whom Bishop Pompallier had left here, is preparing to go and rejoin his bishop. I have left him free, however much I wished to keep him.

;[8]: I am writing to Bishop Pompallier to urge him to send me the precious remains of the Venerable Father Chanel. They belong by right to Central Oceania. Would it be an effect of your kindness to claim them from him for me? If they reach me, I would send you a portion of them with all the details I could gather about his life and martyrdom.

;[9]: In sending your priests and your Brothers, please always tell me what you think about each of them.

;[10]: Up to now I have had only reason to congratulate myself on Bishop of Amata. Would it not be right to claim from Bishop Pompallier the objects that are addressed to us or belong to us by title? If you think so, would you write to His Grace on this subject?

;[11]: I thought it would please you to have a collection of objects made in the country. I am sending you a bundle of them. It is offered to you by the devout neophytes; at the same time you will find their letter.<ref>Cf. [Girard0295|doc. 295]].</ref> Our intention, if you judged it appropriate, would be to distribute it to the principal benefactors of the mission and to those who would kindly show their gratitude toward the donors. It will easily be guessed that it was not without reason that I had the names of the persons placed on the objects they are sending.

;[12]: I have the honour to be, with profound respect and in union of prayers and sacrifices,

:my very Reverend Father,
:your very humble and very obedient
:servant and unworthy child,

:::+ Pierre, Bishop of Enos and Vicar Apostolic
:::of Central Oceania

== Textual Notes ==

* §3: The edition notes that “feast of Saint Francis Xavier” was inserted above the line.
* §4: The edition notes a correction involving “will represent.”
* §5: The edition notes that “feasts” was inserted above the line, and corrections involving “Tonga” and “Viti.”
* §6: The edition notes that “sometimes” was inserted above the line.
* §8: The edition notes that “-ce” was inserted above the line.
* §12: The edition notes that “and” was inserted above the line.

Girard0296 - Revision history

Merv at 03:13, 25 July 2026

Merv at 02:52, 25 July 2026

Merv at 02:49, 25 July 2026