Briscoe, Martha, Richmond, Louisiana, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1850 November 15

Ever since her return from the convent, it has been her intention to address Blanc. When she called on Blanc and expressed her desire to enter the Ursuline Convent, she entered the first day of August and confidently hoped that she was entering for life. Her residence there was one of happiness but her health failing, they could not receive her. She returned to her friends in obedience to the request of the Mother Superior although she felt her vocation was that of a religious. She has been with her friends for four weeks; they are all Protestants. There is no Catholic priest in this parish and it is 30 miles to the nearest church. They have commenced a church at Milliken's Bend on the Mississippi River. That is 10 miles from here, but they have no priest. She has 7 children learning their catechism with her and one lady has requested her to commence teaching her. Can not Blanc send them a priest? Briscoe has been a Catholic not six months. Now she is deprived of every privilege. Being poor and dependent on her brother's kindness, she cannot go to be with her church for a few days. If she can go to New Orleans at Christmas, she will receive Confirmation. Then she hopes to go to the Convent at Mobile and she believes the Ursulines will give her all the assistance they can for admittance at Mobile. Although raised a Protestant of the strictest kind, she had never seen religious devotion practised with such purity of intention. Her health was the only impediment. The Mother Superior and Father Cyril Delacroix advised her return home. Blanc is to tell her if he thinks it proper to go to Mobile; also whether he can send a priest here. P.S. Her address in Mrs. M. Briscoe, care of John T. Mason :: V-5-n A.L.S. 4pp. 4to.