Salesian Literature

Letters on:

Loving and Serving God in Your Daily Life

 

1.  Marriage is an exercise in mortification

To a young woman contemplating marriage

Letter 1998 to an unnamed young woman, undated

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2.  As far as possible, make your devotion attractive

To a married woman, on harmonizing family and devotion

Letter 217 to Madame Brulart, May 3, 1604

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3.  Have patience with everyone, including yourself

To a woman beset by many tasks

Letter 455 to Madame de la Flechere, May 19, 1608

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4.  Keep yourself gentle amid household troubles

To a busy housewife, on maintaining a spiritual calm

Letter 518 to Madame Brulart, mid-March 1609

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5.  Do what you see can be done with love

To a wife having difficulties living with her parents-in-law

Letter 1254 to Madame Guillet de Monthoux, November 10, 1616

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6.  Parents can demand more than God Himself

To a widow, on her duties to her mother

Letter 1778 to the Countess de Dalet, April 25, 1621

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7.  Avoid making your devotion troublesome

To a married woman, whose relatives interfere with her devotions

Letter 367 to Madame Brulart, late October 1606

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8.  Have contempt for contempt

To a woman angered by her broken engagement

Letter 1988 to an unnamed young woman, undated

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9.  Lord, what would You have me to do?

To a man wondering if he has a religious vocation

Letter 1971 to an unnamed man of Dijon, undated

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10.  Take Jesus as your patron

To a young man going to live at court

Letter 637 to Celse-Bengne de Chantal, son of Jane de Chantal, December 8, 1610

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11.  Remain innocent among the hissing of serpents

To a woman, on dealing with improper conversations

Letter 1539 to Madame de Villesavin, July or August 1619

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12.  Never speak evil of your neighbour

To Jane de Chantal, on not judging others

Letter 508 (in fragmentary form) to Jane de Chantal, 1605-1608

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13.  Extravagant recreations may be blameworthy

To a woman, on Christian entertainment

Letter 1668 to Madame de Granieu, June 16 or 20, 1620

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14.  We must not ask of ourselves what we don't have

To a pregnant woman suffering lassitude and discouragement

Letter 1704 to an unnamed woman, September 29, 1620

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15.  If you get tired of kneeling, sit down

To a pregnant woman, on loving God in her suffering

Letter 469 to Madame de la Flechere, July 16, 1608

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16.  You will not lack mortification

To a pregnant woman, telling her to eat properly

Letter 1289 to Madame de Grandmaison, late March 1617

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17.  We must always walk faithfully

To a childless woman

Letter 1861 to a woman of Grenoble, December 13, 1621

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18.  Illness can make you agreeable to God

To a woman who is ill, on resignation to troublesome things

Letter 477 to an unnamed woman, possibly a nun, September 9, 1608

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19.  You are being crowned with His crown of thorns

To a woman suffering great physical pain

Letter 738 to an unnamed woman, 1610-1611

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20.  Often the world calls evil what is good

To a woman whose husband is ill

Letter 1713 to Madame de Granieu, October 23, 1620

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21.  Rest in the arms of Providence

To a woman facing the death of her child

Letter 870 to Jane de Chantal (possibly regarding one of her “spiritual” children), April or May 1613

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22.  In confidence, lift up your heart to our Redeemer

To a woman, on how to conquer the fear of death

Letter 1295 to Madame de Veyssilieu, April 7, 1617

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23.  We must slowly withdraw from the world

To an elderly man, telling him how to prepare for death

Letter 230 to President Benigne Fremyot, father of Jane de Chantal, October 7, 1604

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24.  This dear child was more God's than yours

To a man whose son has died

Letter 2034 to Baron Prosper de Rochefort, January 20,1614

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25.  Think of no other place than Paradise or Purgatory

To a woman anxious about the fate of her deceased son

Letter 1089 to Madame de Peyzieu, mid-June 1615

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26.  How tenderly I loved her!

To Jane de Chantal, on the death of Francis’ younger sister

Letter 418 to Jane de Chantal, November 2, 1607

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27.  Calm your mind, lift up your heart

To a woman whose husband died recently

Letter 1320 to Madame de Sautereau, June 21, 1617

   

28.  Miserable beggars receive the greatest mercy

To Jane de Chantal, on humility and widowhood

Letter 238 to Jane de Chantal, November 1, 1604

 

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