Leamington,
It was a great pleasure to me to receive your kind letter, & you must have wondered at my long silence - I have been very ill with Russian Influenza, & Bronchitis. I am now getting well, but it will take some weeks, if not months I fear to get up my strength I fear, from what I hear of all those who are attacked by it – It is going about very much, & causes a great many deaths. I hope you have, & will, escape it - I will send the book to you. That you may see if it is yours, & keep it, if it is. It is a curious old book - I oughtp2to have a little one somewhere bound in brown leather, - I think I have seen it since I have been here. Mine is on “the Canticles”, & it is most amusing & quaint the way the little Saul & our Lord are represented I think I was shewing you mine that made you bring the one I now send you, for me to see - I know you brought me some books to look at. If it is not yours, it will be one left me by my Grandfather Cardinal Weld -
I am so glad to hear of the Honours conferred on you by the King - I know you will use your talents for the good of religion, & Glory of God, and in these days it makes one miserable to see the so called clever men of the days trying to disprove all that the Scriptures & the Church teaches us, & even they wish to prove there is no God! It is sad here inp3England - The poor hardly know there is a God, & the so called educated, are fearfully ignorant when you speak to them on religion.
However thank God, this state of things, is at last bringing many into the Church. Most Protestant I must soon begin making inquiries of me & of other Catholics also - I trust the long years of prayer for the Conversion of England are being heard -
I wonder what has become of a Scotch Servant I had as nurse to my two little girls called Kate - I brought her with me from England She married a young man at Bruges, who had joined the Zouaves, & returned to Bruges. I should like to hear something of her if you know anything about her. - I send you one of the Mortuary cards of my dear daughter Mary - who you will remember - She had a very great regard for you, & often talkedp4to me about you - She was quite idolized by the Nuns of the good Shepherd, they looked upon as a little Saint, she had such wonderful influence over the Penitents, they were so fond of her - She was a very great sufferer, & yet so wonderfully energetic in everything. She died from an accumulation of internal complaints.[1]
I am so fond of this little prayer to the Bd Sacrament, I thought it would be very appropriate on her Mortuary card, & be a good way of circulating this Devotion. Do pray for her sometimes, we have to be perfect before we can enjoy the presence of God! I hope she is in Heaven before this, but I still pray & ask our Lord if she does not require the prayers, if she may have the benefit of them for some poor Soul she is interested in - She was always so wrapt up in her Penitents. My son Edward, & Constance, & Blanche - all wish to be kindly remembered. Do please pray for my intentions from time to time
Jesus, Mercy + Mary, help!
¬¬_
OF YOUR CHARITY
Pray for the Soul of
Sister Mary of the Blessed Sacrament,
MARY VAVASOUR,
Religious of the Good Shepherd and
Mistress of the Penitents,
Who died November 8, 1888,
at Hammersmith,
Fortified with the Holy Sacraments,
AGED 36 YEARS,
Of which 16 years and 4 months were spent in religion,
_
Blessed and praised every moment be the most holy Sacrament. - 100 days.
Sweet Heart of my Jesus, make me love Thee ever more and more. - 300 days.
OUR Lady of dolours, pray for her.p6To Jesus
In the Blessed Sacrament.
O Divine Jesus! lonely to-night in so many Tabernacles, without visitor or worshipper, I offer Thee my lonely heart, and may its beatings be a prayer of love to Thee! Thou art ever watching under the Sacramental veils; in Thy love Thou never sleepest, and Thou art never weary of Thy vigil for sinners. O loving Jesus! O lonely Jesus! may my heart be a lamp, the light of which shall burn and beam for Thee alone. Watch, Sacramental Sentinel! watch for the weary world, for the erring soul, and for Thy poor lonely child. - Amen.