I. Charism - La Salle.org

110
IV. DISCOVERING, LIVING, SHARING THE GIFT OF GOD
Brothers, the Director of Novices and the Director of the
Community of the Rue Princesse, who both punished too severely
the novices under their care. The latter complained to a priest they
knew, who was, it seems, close to Monsieur de La Chétardie.
The result was that the behaviour of the two Brothers was judged
as having its origins in the excessively harsh choices of John Baptist
de La Salle himself. The Archdiocese was requested to make an
ecclesiastical investigation. The Grand-Vicaire, Monsieur Pirot,
came to make this investigation among the Brothers of the
Grand’Maison, in October-November 1702. At the end of the
interviews with the Brothers, held in the greatest secrecy, Monsieur
de La Salle went to the Archbishop’s House to thank the Cardinal
for his solicitude for the community and heard the famous sentence
from the mouth of Mons. de Noailles: “Monsieur, you are no
longer the Superior. I am appointing another for your
Community” 71 .
A stormy expression of association.
Monsieur Pirot arrived at the Grand’Maison accompanied by a
young priest, Monsieur Bricot, the new Superior. John Baptist de
La Salle, on the instructions of the Grand-Vicaire had assembled all
the members of the community, including the novices, but without
revealing the true motive for this visit. The unvarnished announcement
of the removal of Monsieur de La Salle and his replacement
by Monsieur Bricot brought about a tumult on the part of the
Brothers present and diverse reactions.
One of the principal Brothers respectfully approached Monsieur Pirot
and said with modesty that the Brothers had a Superior and they
would ask him not to speak of giving them another. 72
71
Blain, op. cit., Book Two, p. 430. (CL 7, p. 410).
72
Blain, op. cit., Book Two, p. 435. (CL 7, p. 413).