Abbadie, S.J., Father J. Francis, Grand Coteau, Louisiana, to Bishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1847 October 3

Last Wednesday Abbadie lent Father Anthony Désiré Mégret, upon a letter he brought from Blanc, 400 piastres. He said he would pay it back himself but Abbadie told him that he was afraid he would leave it up to his obliging endorser. Mégret already owes $560 payable next January. At St. Charles College all seems to be going well. They have only 75 boarders and 10 day students. There are 11 or 12 former students who are delayed either by sickness or the fear of it. At the convent he heard the confession of 43 children. In this he is replacing Father Joseph Soller, S.J. . At 4 o'clock Abbadie is going to Lafayette . The pastor told him last Wednesday that the day before he had heard confessions of the children who came to his assistant. The next day, fearing that the hosts were getting too old, he consumed them. So the children could not receive Communion. The result was a scene with the Superioress. Abbadie told the Superioress who wrote to him to be taken out of this difficulty that they could not choose their confessor who was given them by their bishop but the children were free to go to whom they pleased. When Father Hyacinthe Tumoine asked him for advice, he advised him to be very prudent and to limit himself to strict necessities without mixing in the little troubles between the Sisters and the pastor. :: V-5-h A.L.S. French 3pp. 8vo.