The Rules of the Congregation : Part 5

Life of Venerable Sister Margaret Bourgeois
by Anonymous

(Page 13 of 17)

Her own words on the occasion are: "I am convinced this proceeding is an unjust one, but, as I understand, the contending party still objects. She will never forgive us for the supposed wrong we have done her. I cannot endure that we become even the innocent cause of such angry resentment. So, intending to renounce all claim to the property, I went to cast myself at the feet of Mary, my mother, and on leaving the church, a person, to whom I had not revealed our embarrassment, met me and offered a sum of money equal to what the dissatisfied parties claim, and now the matter is quietly settled, and we are the owners."

In 1692 this site was exchanged for a much more extensive one in the lower town, which the community still occupies. It was purchased from Francis Hazur, a merchant of Quebec, and a devout Christian. In order to testify his esteem for the Foundress, and the confidence he had in her prayers and those of her community, he made a considerable reduction in the price of the property, preferring prayers for himself and his descendants to a paltry earthly advantage. He would not have been so considerate, however, if the sale had been made to other parties. Notwithstanding this visit of the heroic woman to Quebec, she did not succeed in receiving the approbation of her rules, and the matter still remained in suspense.

Her next labor of Christian love was to erect a House of Providence in Montreal on the model of the one in Quebec. The Sisters took charge of it, and it lasted longer than the first. But in 1694, when she was no longer superior, the community resolved to abandon the establishment, as it had no other support than the scanty charity of the people, and even that was given coldly. Besides, the object proposed was not in accordance with the spirit of their society, and it could not be sustained without a miracle. Although it is quite certain that Sister Bourgeois established, many other successful missions, it is impossible to give the dates of their foundation with accuracy, nor is this to be wondered at, when we consider the perilous condition of Canada during her life, whether we remember the bloody atrocities of the savages on the often defenceless colonists, or the fiercely contested wars between the French and English that demoralized the whole state of society north of the St. Lawrence, or the tremendously destructive fires that swept away whole cities in whirlwinds of flame, or the pestilences that filled so many wayside graves, and not always with the dead. She was an eye-witness of these woes, and what wonder is it if her memoirs at times lack regularity.

We cannot close this chapter, however, without referring to the celebrated recluse, Jane Leber. This illustrious solitary had no sooner known Sister Bourgeois and her community, than she became devotedly attached to them, not only by a conformity of virtues, but also by their mutual devotion to the ever Blessed Mother of God. Yet she did not become a member of the Congregation, the Lord wishing to attach her to Himself in another way for His own glory. While awaiting some manifestation of the divine will, this holy girl avoided all exterior communication with the world, her only visits being those she made to the Sisters, by whose singular virtues she was much edified. Sister Bourgeois always received her with pleasure, in order to inspire her with a desire of greater perfection. During their interviews, these two children of grace conceived a lasting esteem and friendship for each other, from which Almighty God afterwards received great glory, and the Congregation great advantage, as we shall relate.

Jane Leber had renounced even the most innocent amusements after the death of a beloved friend, Marie Charly, who died in Montreal. The pious girl was so sincerely attached to the holy deceased, that the world had then no more charms for her, and she thought only of imitating the virtues of her friend, or of surpassing them if she could. Accordingly she devoted herself to prayer, and the contemplation of the attributes of God, so perfectly that she renounced all intercourse with the world, with her nearest relations, and even with the immediate members of her family, and took the extraordinary resolution of condemning herself to perpetual solitude, which she had already observed for a long time in her father's house, and which was only to terminate with her life in the house of the Congregation. This, indeed, was one of the wonderful effects of the Holy Spirit, which it is not permitted man to fathom.

We have seen that in the Sisters' residence at Ville-Marie, there was no domestic church, and that Sister Bourgeois' limited means did not permit her to build one, a circumstance she sincerely regretted. In 1692, however, she thought seriously of taking the necessary steps to procure such a chapel, and the project was soon executed. It even paved the way for the erection of schools, and brought with it several other advantages to the Congregation. Jane Leber no sooner heard that the Sisters intended to build a chapel in honor of the Blessed Virgin, than she determined to fix her abode for life in their house. She was very rich, and proposed to pay nearly all the expenses of the edifice, on condition that they would reserve for her use a room near the sanctuary, where she might end her days, with the Blessed Sacrament always in view, which request was graciously acceded to, Sister Bourgeois being the first who made the concession, and afterwards signed the contract, dated August 4th, 1695, during the superiority of Sister Assumption.

It was the holy Foundress who secured this acquisition, and who retained, in spite of herself, the greatest influence in the government of the Congregation. It was during Jane's total seclusion, and also during the life of Sister Bourgeois, that the pious recluse issued written orders for the decoration of the church, for the procuring of costly vases and other sacred ornaments, and it was owing to her great liberality that all things were in readiness for the celebration of holy Mass, on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, September 8th, 1695. This extraordinary woman rejoiced in the beauty and glory of the house of God, and only closed her eyes in death to the light of the earthly tabernacle, to open them in the better land, on the splendors of the new Jerusalem, described so wonderfully by St. John in the Apocalypse.

On the day following the ceremony that inaugurated her seclusion for life, she gave directions for founding the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as it is still observed in the Congregation, and after the death of the Foundress she donated the necessary funds for rebuilding the boarding-schools according to the plan that Sister Bourgeois had explained to her. She also endowed the new institution with royal munificence, and founded in perpetuity the Community-Mass, which has never ceased to be annually celebrated since her time. In one word, she unceasingly bestowed benefits on the community of her love. It may not be out of place here to enumerate a few of the many missions established by the holy Foundress. In her earlier archives we find the following names: "The Holy Family," in the isle of Orleans, Quebec, Chateau-richer, Pointe-aux-Trembles, l'Isle Royal, Champlain, La Prairie, and Boucherville.

Foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame.