A Cave of Candles / by Dorothy V. Corson
The two mysterious letters I chanced upon in Fr. Corby’s correspondence became the catalyst that sent me down another “road less traveled” looking for more evidence. The first of these two letters was handwritten and undated. It was drafted by Fr. John Zahm and appears to have served as a model for the second letter, dated March 28, 1895 which was modified and mutually agreed upon, by the Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross (Fr. Gilbert Francais, C.S.C.) and Mother Superior General, (Mother M. Augusta, C.S.C.) of the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It was then sent to His Excellency, Monsignor Satolli, Apostolic Delegate, to be submitted to the authority of the Propaganda [a committee of cardinals established by the Pope Gregory XV in 1622 to supervise foreign missions].
These two, seemingly misplaced, letters in Fr. Corby’s files also supplied the names of those directly involved before and after Fr. Sorin’s demise: Superior General Fr. Gilbert Francais, Mother General Augusta, Fr. Corby, Provincial; Fr. Walsh, President and Fr. Zahm, vice president of Notre Dame; Bishop P.J. Hurth, Bishop of Dacca; Monsignor Satolli; and Cardinal Simeoni.
Working backwards in Fr. Corby’s correspondence also brought forth the names of others involved. Mother Ascension in charge of the Sisters of the Holy Cross on the campus of Notre Dame, who, in poor health herself, tended Fr. Sorin during his last days when he was dying in his Presbytery rooms and Sr. M. Cherubim who watched over Mother Ascension throughout the ordeal as her health began to decline as well. Also, Professor James F. Edwards and Father Daniel E. Hudson, whose correspondence with the Sisters was a special comfort them.
Professor James F. Edwards took charge of the Lemonnier Library after the death of Father Auguste Lemonnier, President of the University. It was Father Lemonnier who brought the first library, which he named the Circulating Library, into existence at Notre Dame. Before he died, in 1874, he wisely appointed Professor James F. Edwards to take charge of the library which was named the Lemonnier Library after his death. Professor Edward’s attention to detail and the preservation of documents may explain why many of the letters he received during this crisis survived to document this story. Father Daniel E. Hudson was the editor of the Ave Maria which was started by Sorin and published at Notre Dame.
The first letter, written by Mother Ascension, describes the election of 1889. Similar sentiments exchanged throughout the last two years of the conflict -- following the deaths of Fr. Walsh, Fr. Granger and Fr. Sorin in 1893 -- are contained in excerpts from just a small portion of those letters of evidence I collected. I will conclude these excerpts with a complete transcript of the history-making letter mentioned in the first paragraph that became Fr. Corby’s Favor Granted.
Fr. Sorin was to die in the midst of the turmoil, never to know whether his beloved University would survive what was deemed the worst threat to its continued existence. He died in the Presbytery, where his rooms overlooked the Presbytery gardens which were created for him.
An excerpt from one of the first letters to surface alludes to impending problems on the Notre Dame home front. It was written to Professor James Edwards by Mother Ascension, in charge of the Sisters of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame, who were ever loyal to Fr. Sorin. She is speaking of the result of the 1889 elections of the Sisters of the Holy Cross at St. Mary’s. The following letters have been placed in chronological order.
You know the result of our elections which may be considered disastrous to Very Rev. Father General and to Notre Dame for Mother General Augusta is at liberty to remove any or all the Sisters from here, and her sentiments towards Notre Dame border on hostility. The Bishop too, has made himself more than ordinarily busy, has conducted the sessions of the Chapter himself, and presided over them, absenting Very Rev. Father General. . . .
All this, and the consequences that are yet to come, have left traces of anxiety [among the Sisters at Notre Dame], and I tell you this, in order that you may use your influence in behalf of Very Rev. Father General with your Rt. Rev. Friend Mgr. Simeoni. The only thing I see is to make a Province of Notre Dame and for this we pray. Of course, you must be prudent and cautious, and, as it were, “feel your way” before speaking, for it is of a most serious nature. . . .
Please destroy this letter considering it strictly confidential! M. M. A.
. . . things have assumed a menacing appearance since last Sunday, . . . some of the Sisters from here went to St. Mary’s. And there they learned strange things, with a hint from M. General to spread the novel thing among the Sisters here, namely that we were to be cut off from St. Mary’s, the Habit changed, that we would don a sort of secular uniform, and be as servant girls, working for and in the College, doing up the rooms of the priests and Brothers in the College, etc. You may imagine what a furor this created. Immediately it spread like wild-fire all over the House, and a committee was appointed to take down the names of all that would oppose the “underhand design of binding them against their will.”
08/17/1893 -- Mother Ascension to Professor James Edwards -- Indiana Province Archives Center
Last 14 novices taken to St. Mary’s for year’s novitiate. The house [at Notre Dame] is now deprived of strength. So many strange rumors are going around that it nearly makes us wild. The suspense is 10 times worse than anything to come. Pray for us. Father Sorin is crushed. If nothing is soon done, I fear he will not survive many weeks.
This has been a week of most serious anxiety . . . Mother Augusta received a letter from Rome saying they will never grant a novitiate to Notre Dame. Satolli will be warned to let the Sisters of the Holy Cross alone and Fr. Sorin will receive a decree to stop his interference.
08/25/1893 -- Mother Ascension to Professor James Edwards -- Indiana Province Archives Center
St. Mary’s sent for Fr. Morrissey to settle about a contract. He told them he could do nothing without Fr. Corby. So the latter was sent for. For 4 hours they contended -- in Fr. Corby’s own words they ‘had it hot and heavy.’’ At last they came to terms. St. Mary’s will leave 105 Sisters [temporarily]. . . Fr. General [Sorin] seemed to be getting out of his late spell, but had you seen him on Wednesday evening, you would not count on many hours for him. We are not sure of his life now for one hour. He is in constant expectation of something to come and thus is kept in a continual state of nervous disappointment.
8/25/1893 -- Sr. Cherubim at Notre Dame describes the situation to Professor James Edwards -- Indiana Province Archives Center
She [Mother Ascension in charge of the Sister at Notre Dame] is in just as critical condition as poor Fr. General, and a greater sufferer, physically and mentally. She has had great endurance, but her strength is giving way, and if a change of affairs will not come within a short time Father General nor Mother will ever see it. To me it is a wonder how amid all the anxiety of the past four years she has lived. It would have driven an ordinary person out of her mind, but prayer sustained her. To be honest , dear Professor, I have little hope anything will be done for us. There is no one now to take hold of anything.
Mother Madeleva’s chronicle ended with these ambiguous words, after Fr. Walsh’s death in 1893. “Before the election of 1895, adjustments had generally been made.” The letters that follow take it from there:
I met the Rev. Mother General [Augusta] in N.D., I advised her to go often to the house of Notre Dame, and to act herself, as the lawful Superior, in order to put an end to all the troubles, partially originated from want of accord between the two houses. No change should be done which would not be thought to be necessary for the peace and welfare of the communities. Certainly, if an end can be put to all there. I am glad to learn that the Very Rev. Father Superior General [Francais who replaced Sorin] will come to N.D. in the near future and I hope that then he will make a thorough investigation of the whole matter and together with the Bishop settle all things.
07/06/1894 -- Satolli to M.G. Augusta -- Corby Box 1.09 -- Indiana Province Archives Center
A decision has been received from the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith that the Sisters of the Holy Cross should be separated from the Fathers of Holy Cross; and that the Mother Superior [Augusta] should recall the Sisters employed by Reverend Fathers of the Holy Cross for domestic services. The Sacred Congregation allows six months [January, 1895] for the time in which this decision is to be carried into effect . . . . [Order from Rome].
08/10/1894 -- Fr. Zahm to Fr. Hudson from France -- Marked Confidential! CHUD X-4-A, UNDA
It is a month since I left N.D. and not a word about the affair of the Sisters. Father General (Francais) knows nothing about the matter except what I have told him and he cannot understand why he has not been notified by the proper authority before this. He has already written twice to Fr. Corby to have you come to France, and will telegraph next week to have you come at once. He realizes that we are confronted by a calamity and we must act at once if we would keep the ship afloat [N.D.] I wrote to you from New York and hoped to hear from you before this. Write me immediately and tell me how things are. Fr. G.’s project is that we both go to Rome at once. I am satisfied that if we do we can still avert this impending disaster. God grant it! . . . .
Hastily, Fr. Zahm
10/02/1894 -- Fr. Corby to Professor Edwards after his arrival in France – Marked – “Keep this to yourself!” CEDW XI-1-L, UNDA
Keep the Sisters question quiet just for the present. Without Sisters we cannot run N.D. and from all I can learn here it depends on St. Mary’s. No Bishop or even Cardinal can help us unless St. Mary’s is willing to hold the place at N.D. . . . Every move now is dangerous. It is even said Rome will remove the Sisters from all the educational establishments in America!
Faithfully yours, W. Corby
How sorry I feel for N.D. and yet I cannot believe that dear Fr. General [Sorin] whose faith and zeal placed the Blessed Virgin sole Mistress of his great monument is doomed to see his work crumble down. We all believe him to have more power with God than he had 12 months ago [before his death]. Let us trust in God.
10/15/1894 -- Corby in Rome to Professor Edwards
Nothing satisfactory yet, in fact it is too soon.
10/31/94 -- [Bishop Hurth in Rome to Corby in France who would have been in France to visit the Lourdes Grotto. Peter Hurth, CSC, former President of St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas -- Made Bishop of Dacca September 16, 1894] -- Indiana Province Archives Center -- Corby Papers 1:10 (excerpts)
Rome, Oct. 31, 1894
. . . I am sure Very Rev. Fr. Beaudet told you all about the audience with the Holy Father and with Card. Ledochowski: With the latter I am sure that my visit did more good than I could have done had I been with you in an ex professo visit for the purpose of pleading the Sisters question. He himself began with it and I had a chance to say more than I would have had in company with you. There is no doubt but that he is very favorably disposed and without any direct request on my part -- I was only exposing the state of affairs -- he said positively that the question will be placed again before the L. Congregation as soon as possible and that something must be done for us. At the same time I must say that the Secretary of the Propaganda has undoubtedly been prejudiced against Notre Dame by some enemy or enemies. He regards the question as absolutely finished but I am sure that at the time he spoke he had not seen the documents which you placed in the hands of the Cardinal [Cardinal Ledochowski]. He shows some determination to ignore the real state of the question and the disastrous consequences of the decision.
I spoke with the Holy Father himself about Notre Dame and about the difficulty. . . Had I known what I know now I think I could have helped to hasten the adjustment of the affair.
Devotedly yours, P. J. Hurth
November 17, 1894 -- [Rev. W. Corby returns from Rome and arrives in Montreal. He writes to Prof. Edwards] -- CEDW XI-1-L, UNDA -- Keep this to yourself!
I can not say much now -- will tell you all when I get to N.D. I got here last Monday and am like a ‘hen on hot ashes.’ I want to be home yet I do not like to go to Notre Dame without the General [Father General Francais]. Father Zahm is in the east ready to come here at a moment’s notice to take the General to Notre Dame. I had a talk last night with the General about going on to Ind. I think he will hurry up some but in any case I scarcely think he will reach there before two weeks hence.
November 21, 1894 -- [Sr. Cherubim to Professor James Edwards after having been sent from the Sisters at Notre Dame to St. Edwards University, Austin, Texas] -- Indiana Province Archives -- Sorin Era
. . . What have we not gone through! I shall never withdraw my heart from Notre Dame. I sigh like a captive for my return. They have taken away the adoration from Notre Dame the lost institution of Father General and one as dear to him as the apple of his eye.
December 6, 1894 -- [Sr. Cherubim to Professor James Edwards from Austin, TX.] Indiana Province Archives -- Sorin Era
. . . We could see a good result but there is very little hope entertained that the question [Sisters remaining at Notre Dame] would ever be settled. No matter in what trials and under what circumstances we may find ourselves this holy time sanctified by faith must make us happy.