Bonniot, Father James Mary, Montpellier, France, to Father Stephen Rousselon, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1856 May 1

Bonniot hopes that his February letter reached Rousselon. He would have immediately answered Rousselon's letter of last July if he had not wanted to study the dispositions of a young man whom he wished to propose to Rousselon. This young man has been preparing himself for admission to the Carmelites. If Rousselon has time Bonniot would like to have details of the progress of religion in his diocese. That country where Bonniot labored so long has first place in his affections. It is too bad that Rousselon does not have a place to suit Bonniot as his health has never been better. He thinks he would be better at Bordeaux. The Bishop of Montpellier has at least six vicars-general. Only two, paid by the government, are official. One of them sent someone to ask Bonniot to replace a pastor who was ill. Not finding Bonniot at home, the messenger went to the pastor of Notre Dame who lives on the first floor of the same house. This pastor said that Bonniot holed up like a bear and did not want to see anyone. It is not surprising that the pastor, Father Vinas, replied in such a way to Father Rainaud ?, the vicar-general. Vinas has said so much against the Carmelites. Vinas does not look too kindly on Bonniot in his church; he wanted to set the time of Bonniot's Mass but Bonniot resisted. Since then he has said Mass in the church of the White Penitents nearby. Rousselon can see that other places besides Louisiana have their Anduzes, their Mauxnods?, Maenhauts, Maurisots, Francais, Masculets!, and Jameys. Bonniot holds no rancor toward them. Bonniot learned from the Carmelites that the Bishop of Montpellier is far from satisfied with Vinas who is an irremovable pastor. Why does Father Rouquette look cross-wise at Bonniot? Bonniot will not go into personalities. Among the nuns of Montpellier, not the Ursulines, nor the Madames of the Sacred Heart, some of the cloistered religious fancied that their chaplain had become too old and asked the Bishop for another. The portress was the one who spread the gossip about the chaplain who in addition to his duties in the convent, also did much good in the area, and was much revered by the mothers of these families. The Bishop sent them another chaplain, older than the first, and gave the first chaplain a place much more comfortable. The women of the area resolved to give the portress a punishment which they administered one night. So the persecuted triumph. They say that the Bishop of Pamiers of Carcassone has just gone through a similar storm. Bonniot has just been told that the Bishop of Montpellier, who is repairing the devastation of the cathedral caused by Protestants, repairs for which he added 100,000 francs to the enormous sum given by the emperor, is threatened with a like storm and that one of his vicars-general has been in Rome for two months to ward it off. They complain that he changes his priests too often. Rousselon is to instruct Rousselon's nephew to have Bonniot's annuity of 440 piastres sent to Father Mauret for Mr. Bonniot. Bonniot hopes to see everyone at New Orleans before he dies. P.S. Day before yesterday during Bonniot's Mass a cat fell from the gallery? onto the altar and ran off. Stunned at first, Bonniot later was seized with a fit of laughing which he could hardly restrain. :: VI-1-j A.L.S. French 4pp. 4to.