Beccard, Améé Assumption Seminary,, Louisiana, to Archbishop Anthony Blanc, Baltimore, Maryland?, 1852 May 2

Beccard apologizes for writing in the midst of a meeting which is no doubt a holiday for Blanc. But Blanc's kindness, even in his reproaches, encourages him not to wait for Blanc's return. After 17 months of interior pushing and goading, which has always advised him not to be discouraged and to keep on in his vocation and to regard it only as an expiation, he no longer knows where to put his hopes. But God will not permit him to abandon the state to which He has called him. On his departure from St. Martinsville he had very advantageous offers, which he refused. After his first letter to Blanc was unanswered, he began to yield to a natural worldly dissipation, but he was soon remorseful. In his first letter, when he went into the question of coming here, Beccard told that on his leaving the seminary at Lyons, Voluntarily, he had "put out to sea" but lasted only a short time. In their last interview they talked of the evil little boarding house; he only lived there 3 weeks. Although he has had some moments of consolation, 10 years of expiation, mingled with some happy days in his church at St. Martin. He sees in Blanc's letter that a very unfavorable thing came to Blanc about Beccard from Attakapas. Father James Fontbonne gave him a certificate saying that he and the whole parish testified to his moral conduct. He suffered from calumnies from two people at New Iberia, Mr. C. and Po. He has seen the time when all of Father Julien Priour 's enemies cast a stone at Beccard. Leaving the latter's house where he got nothing, February 1847, Beccard lived six weeks at New Iberia which cost him dearly. He passed years elsewhere without having a single word. He went every day to hold a class in a good house where Mr. ? C. was having an affair, but Beccard did not know it. He was much attached to the brother of the deceived husband, a good man, the only one Priour had permitted him as a companion. Mr. C., to justify himself, accused his brother-in-law. It was said that Beccard was paid not to divulge the motive for his visits in this house and the public laughing about it, as Priour told Beccard later. Beccard did not go to the café and since Mr.? Po. was always there, he believed he was insulted. A young girl of 13 said Beccard has asked her to marry him. Finally he went into the church at St. Martin as an employé. His three years at St. Martinville gave the lie to all the stories. He lived apart from the world as much as possible, spending the days in the church and his nights in a little room in the church. At New Iberia, there was a family who had known Beccard since his arrival in the country, having lived at first at the father-in-law's house. It is Pierre Cabrol . Would Blanc be kind enough to write to Cabrol? Beccard is confident that Blanc will not send him out again into the world where he has suffered so much for 10 years. If Blanc wishes him to continue his vocation, he asks for reply. :: VI-1-c A.L.S. French 4pp. 4to.