Margaret Bourgeois Sails for Canada : Part 4

Life of Venerable Sister Margaret Bourgeois
by Anonymous

(Page 8 of 16)

And poor weary Sister Bourgeois did depart, but she went on her way rejoicing to suffer reproach for the cause of Jesus, and entered a neighboring church, where, at that very hour, was being held a procession in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. She assisted devoutly at the ceremony, and as she was not easily disconcerted by the repulses which were now becoming familiar to her, and also being fortified by prayer, she coolly determined to pay another visit to Mme. le Coq. Being an utter stranger to the strong-minded woman, she was severely reproached for permitting a young man to carry her package, but as M. le Coq himself then came in sight, the harangue upon propriety suddenly came to an end.

He made the necessary explanations to his irate lady, and Margaret was received and entertained with cordial hospitality. The great day of the final embarkation was now approaching, and God had yet another trial in store to test the fidelity and constancy of her vocation. While she awaited the arrival of M. de Maisonneuve she had a strong desire to approach the Sacraments once more before leaving France, and as she always preferred a Carmelite confessor, she sought one, and was successful, as there was a Carmelite church in the city. It was one of her lifelong principles to do nothing by halves; therefore she once again related her whole past experience to the good Father, who unhesitatingly advised her to remain in her native land, and become a Carmelite nun. Humanly speaking, it was natural he should so advise her. But his suggestions threw her into a dreadful state of perplexity.

On leaving him, she entered the Capuchin church, where the Blessed Sacrament was still exposed, and prostrating herself in the presence of God, shed abundant tears in the bitterness of her soul, protesting that her only desire was to know His will, and do it. During this hour of spirit trial and loving colloquy with her divine Lord, a light from heaven suddenly enveloped her, her heart was replenished with the sweetest consolation, and she was made clearly to understand, at once and forever, that God willed she should go to Canada. Yet, although she was thus divinely reassured, she would not neglect the duty of holy obedience, and as her last confessor directed Her to write to those persons in Paris who had manifested an interest in her vocation, she did so, rather to thank them for what they had already done, than to ask them to renew their exertions.

But during the three weeks she still remained in Nantes, she received no reply from these friends. It seemed now as if the devil had left no stone unturned to destroy her vocation for Ville-Marie, yet true to his old malice, he made one more attempt, and this time the trial came from M. de Maisonneuve himself. As soon as he arrived in Nantes, in order to hasten the preparations for their departure, he received an anonymous letter, in which it was alleged, among other unpleasant things, that Margaret Bourgeois was unfit to accompany him to Canada, as her vocation for the order of Mt. Carmel was evident, and that this preference would render her useless to him across the Atlantic.

But as he was an upright man, who could not be terrified by shadows, nor influenced by the assertions of persons who would not honorably give their names, he contented himself by showing the cowardly communication to Sister Bourgeois, and calmly awaited her reply, which, when given, entirely disabused him of any doubts that might have lessened his confidence in her, and so he decided to set sail for the New World in July, 1653. During their stay of three weeks at Nantes, she completely won the esteem and friendship of M. le Coq and his family. Not only did they refuse to receive payment for her board, but eagerly pressed her to accept an outfit for the sea voyage, which they saw she took no care to provide. The kind-hearted merchant thoughtfully procured a comfortable bed for her, which she never slept upon, the ship's cordage being her only hammock during the voyage. He would also have given her a supply of wine, but knowing she would not use it, he substituted a few casks of fresh water, the lack of which often causes such frightful sufferings at sea.

These were useless precautions for one who was determined to suffer in the flesh a portion of the mortifications of Jesus Christ. The water was stored in the ship, but she did not use it, as she drank only once a day, from a little leather cup that she carried by her side. She never deviated from this measure, and used only the tainted water, which was the ordinary beverage of the common sailors. M. de Maisonneuve wished her to eat at his table, but to this she would not consent; therefore he sent her daily a portion of the food prepared for himself, which was more delicate and better cooked than the ordinary mess. She took it thankfully, to divide among the sick, using herself only a small share of the common ship rations. During the voyage she carefully instructed the soldiers and sailors in the sublime though simple lessons of the catechism. She served the sick day and night, as there were many invalids to be found in a raw regiment of one hundred men.

She solaced them in their sufferings with unwearied assiduity, and gave them the delicacies she received from the commander. Each day she read a lecture on the practical duties of Christianity, and induced all to recite aloud the morning and night prayers. Her courage and strength never failed during the inconveniences of a stormy sea-voyage, which was remarkable, as she had never been to sea before. She was really the guardian angel of the ship, and in the exercise of such heroic acts of charity did she arrive in Canada.

However, in spite of her self-sacrificing virtue, she was the subject of uncharitable criticisms, as M. de Maisonneuve, who knew her worth, paid unceasing and deserved attention to her wants, and she testified the most humble and respectful submission to his wishes. Some who observed this wickedly construed it into hypocrisy to mask lost virtue, and although the lynx-eyed slanderers did not dare to assert as much openly on board, yet she knew it was discussed in private. But she endured the humiliation in silence, as was her custom when calumny of any kind assailed her.

Foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame.