The Rules of the Congregation and Establishment of Missions : Part 1

Life of Venerable Sister Margaret Bourgeois
by Anonymous

(Page 9 of 17)

After having formed and established her community at Ville-Marie, as we have seen, and provided suitable buildings and funds to sustain them in the exercise of their duties in a newly-settled country; having also secured and registered the letters patent that confirmed their right, as a legally authorized Congregation, she next turned her attention to three things, still necessary to the perfection of her Institute, namely, to procure a sufficient number of subjects, to provide for them approved rules, and to establish missions.

At first it was not difficult to procure subjects, as they presented themselves from all parts, being attracted, not by temporal interests, or any selfish motive, but simply by the odor of the virtues of Sister Bourgeois and her first saintly companions. But she did not receive indifferently all that presented themselves. She was quite insensible to such advantages as high birth, riches, and the brilliancy of natural or acquired talents, which are sometimes more dangerous than useful, preferring that those she received should have good common sense, an unblemished character, and solid virtue, without which qualifications she received no one. If she did not exact from her subjects the most sublime perfection, she required at least that they should have a desire to acquire it in proportion as God was pleased to bestow it on them.

Let us hear her own words on the subject, as found in a letter, in which with simplicity she first addresses the ever Blessed Virgin: "My good Mother, I ask from you neither wealth, nor honor, nor the pleasures of this life for our community. I only beg of you to obtain for me, that God may be well served in it, and that we may never receive proud or presumptuous subjects, who keep the world and its maxims in their hearts, who are scoffers and untruthful, and who do not study to reduce to practice the maxims of your Divine Son, maxims which He taught us from the pulpit of the Cross, and which you have observed with so much exactness." Then, addressing those who presented themselves for admission, she adds: "Yes, all who wish to be received into this community, must resolve to renounce not only the principles and maxims of the world, but must also resolve to renounce themselves, and overcome their bad habits and inclinations. They must try to sever the natural ties that bind them to friends and relatives, as merely human attachments uselessly preoccupy the mind. I warn them that they will be employed in lowly occupations, which are painful to nature; that they will be sent on missions with a Sister who will be charged to contradict them in many things, and treat them like little children - in one word, to humble and mortify them on every occasion. I desire that they learn to obey promptly any one who may be appointed their superior; that they be poor in spirit; that their words, gestures, and whole deportment be neither frivolous nor dissipated, but that they act under all circumstances with modesty, reserve, and devotion; that they mortify their senses; avoid unnecessary conversation, and always endeavor to keep themselves in the presence of God."

Such were the first lessons she gave her postulants, and she rigorously exacted the execution of them. Yet, notwithstanding these requirements, from which she never departed, she soon assembled a numerous community, that came up to her standard. We behold entering into the Congregation, from its very commencement, young girls of every state and condition of life, noble and simple, rich and poor, daughters of private citizens, merchants, mechanics, and even the savages, charity and humility making all equal, and as such they were received without distinction. It was truly a school of virtue and sanctity. Many members of the families of Lemoine and St. Ange entered; also the celebrated Marie Barbier of the Assumption and Sisters Dennis, Bourbo, Jousset, etc., more than forty being received in less than two years. We should also add the name of Jeanne Leber, who became afterwards the famous recluse, of whom more anon, with many others quite remarkable for sanctity from the beginning. Nor must we forget to mention Marie Theresa Gannensagouach, an Iroquois, who, after having held the office of school teacher at the mountain for thirteen years, died in the odor of sanctity, November 25, 1695, on that mission, where her epitaph may be seen to-day.

Gannensagouach was not the only person of her tribe who became remarkable for virtue in the Sisters' school, and on whom the illustrious Foundress lavished care, labor, and money. Her particular desire was always the conversion of the Indians. This was the chief motive that induced her to bring young persons from France to Canada, representing to them the glory and merit of converting the Indians to the true Faith, for which sublime end they ought to sacrifice their lives, if necessary. She appointed two of her first faithful band to the Mission of the Mountain, near Ville-Marie, which was exclusively an Indian mission. At that time, it was a rather difficult task to go from the city to the mountain, as they had to pass through thick forests interspersed with marshes and wild savannahs, through which there was neither road nor track.

A priest from the seminary devoted himself to the instruction of the savages, and the two missionary Sisters were obliged to lodge in bark cabins for a long time, as the Indians erected no better dwellings, until the time of M. Belmont, who had stone houses put up for them at his own expense. He also built the Fort that still exists, but the orchard and gardens were added at a later period. In 1692, the Sisters lodged in a little tower to the right of the entrance of the Fort, the tower at the left serving for a school and a bakery. The savages of this mission, after the death of Sister Bourgeois, were transported to Sault-au-Recollet, in 1731, and again in 1732 to the lake of the two mountains. These Indian missions, to which the Sisters were always devoted, and to this day continue to be devoted, have contributed largely to the spread of our holy Faith among the Indians along the St. Lawrence, and have produced much spiritual good. The holy Foundress supported at this mission several Iroquois girls, free of charge, forming them to habits of virtue, and inducing them to inspire their companions with similar sentiments.

She also kept a certain number of these children of the forest among the boarders at Ville-Marie, one or two of whom afterwards became members of the Congregation, and were most useful on the mission schools. It was in compensation for these benefits to the state and to religion, and to refund in part the expense sustained by Sister Bourgeois and her community, that the King of France, in 1676, ordered an appropriation to be made by the Canadian Government, to give annually to the Sisters the sum of two or three thousand livres. The pension was punctually paid until the year 1756, at which time it was withdrawn, as Canada had passed under British rule, after an heroic but unsuccessful struggle against the English in 1670. However, the change of royal masters, and the suppression of many Catholic charities consequent upon it, did not lessen the love of the Sisters for the poor Indians. These daughters and followers of Christ continued to support the Indian missions at their own expense, as they do at the present day in many instances.

Foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame.