Letters written in 1847
To the Reverend Mother McMullen, Superior of the General Hospital of the Grey Nuns, in Montreal.
Bytown, January 11, 1847
My very dear Mother,
There is much conversation about a new Bishop for Bytown. Some say, people think, it will be Rev. Father Guigues. All the better. But, if they were to take away our very dear Father Telmon, Oh! Too bad. We would be so happy to have Rev. Father Guigues along with our Father Telmon. If the latter were to be taken away from us, it would be a heavy cross to bear. This good Father should be traveling to Montreal these days. Sr. St. Joseph is not aware of it and will be surprised. I would very much like for Sr. St. Joseph to see Rev. Father Guigues. When you see this Rev. Father, please ask him to keep our Father with him in Bytown. You can even promise that we will be very good and well-behaved.
Bishop Phelan has not yet written. He was never that taken up with us, but since it has been decided that a new Bishop will come to Bytown, he takes note of us even less. Sr. St. Joseph will note your advice regarding the land for the Hospital. If we could have a place to build we would be well endowed, but if we build on our own land, goodbye to the revenue since we would have to take the twelve most advantageous lots. Our Father has taken much pain in procuring that land for us, and it is to him, after God, that we owe it all. It would certainly be a great loss if we eventually lost it all.
My dear Mother, for the love of God I consent to your not writing us more frequently, but that no one give us any news of your health is a sacrifice too hard to bear. Since Sr. Ste-Croix spoke to us of your illness we have not received any other word of your health, and this is too dear a topic for us to leave aside. Even if we are far from you, you are no less our Mother and our very dear Mother. Your daughters of Bytown pray very much for you. I embrace you with all my heart in the Sacred Heart.
Always your child,
Sr. E. Bruyère
Sr. St-Joseph will give you some news.