“I desire to know Him more and more and make Him known to others.” (RME Pg. 45/1)

“In all that happens to me I see the disposition of Divine Providence; Thus, I am at rest always.” (FA Vol 1, Pg. 305, para 1)

What gives me the greatest courage is the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. After all. What can they make us suffer that He has not suffered Himself? (WMC: Pg.4)

“As for me, I am always calm, the good God will be satisfied with good will... I realize that me cheerfulness, the calmness of my soul edifies them’’. (WMC: Pg. 6)

They can take away our lives but they cannot take away God from us against our wish. (WMC: Pg. 7)

My tongue cannot express what I feel within myself. I offer my heart to Him but it is too small. I wish to enlarge it in order that He may be less uncomfortable and more at ease. (WMC: Pg. 8)

Poverty, hard work, affliction, and misfortune had not affected her adversely. They were for Claudine a vehicle for deep spiritual growth and maturity.

The spirituality of Mother Echernier and of her sisters was centered mainly on the love of the Cross of Jesus and of the crosses of community life. (RME Ch. XI Pg.87/1)

At the prescribed time, they said the Rosary while working; if it was possible, they recited it aloud and some good people often prayed with them; at other times, they said it softly. At the end of the day, they returned to the house and if they were late, they said their evening prayers on the road. (FA Vol.I Ch 4 Pg. 74/1)

Mother Francois Grandchamp strongly insisted that the prayers in community be said attentively and distinctly. (FA II Part II Ch. IV Pg. 80/1)

It is the good God that directs my path. (FA Vol.1 Pg. 68)

Faith was her driving power, her consolation and her hope. (FA Vol.1 Pg.326)

I have my Jesus and my good Mother Mary: under their gaze my days pass by quickly and peacefully. People of the world, you cannot understand my happiness. (FA Vol.1 Pg. 5)

The daughters of the Cross are in the midst of the world; their modesty must serve as a fortification, as an enclosure, and he wished that be accompanied with courage. (WMC: Pg.76)

I tell Him that if I were the Mistress of all hearts, I would sacrifice them all to Him. (WMC Pg.9)

I can tell you that I feel at ease and I don’t feel embarrassed neither in front of people nor even with priests. I praise the good God who wants it thus and does it for His glory. (WMC: Pg.16)

“Both of them (Fr. Mermier& Claudine) were aflame with divine fire with which they would have wished to inflame all hearts. Not content with making the sisters advance on the path of perfection, they wanted to make them instruments whom the good God would use for the sanctification of the neighbour”. (FA Vol.I Pg.91/ 3 line 8)

Mother Claudine’s only aim: secure the glory of God and salvation of souls... (FA Vol I Pg.65/2; 91/3; 120/1; 292/3)

Mother Claudine’s only aim: secure the glory of God and salvation of souls by her good example and edifying words

Mother Claudine’s concern: Fear of losing sight of the mission-vision (FA Vol. I, Ch I, 272/1 & 3)

Fr. Mermier’s vision-mission plan of founding a Congregation of poor girls: -They would apply themselves to their own sanctification while procuring, at the same time, the glory of God and the salvation of the neighbor, by the two fold means of edification and instruction

Veronica Pollien provincial 1886-1934) She responded to the needs of the time in India – colonization & caste and patriarchal system - poverty, illiteracy . (MVP: XXVIII, p. 118-119)

“She was a woman for others she spent herself, inch by inch for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden, giving the merciful love of Jesus to the sisters, the orphans and the needy…burnt out on 13 Feb. 1934.” (MVP Ch XXVIII, Pg.121)

“In the speech …. Carry out his works.” In her election speech, she shared her programme emphasizing the importance “to regard oneself as an instrument of God in order to carry out his works” (FA Vol. IV Ch IV, Pg.21)

In one of her letters to teaching sisters Mother Louise Moynat writes: take preferential care of those students of yours who are the least amiable and the most repulsive. Jesus reached out to the little ones, to the weak, to the infirm. (FA Vol. IV Pg.24)

COMMUNITY……... A place to live the Paschal Mystery

You heard the voice of the Divine Spouse who in the depth of your heart said: Salvation, Perfection will not be found in the soul of one who does not renounce all that it possesses: “He who loves father. Mother, etc… is not worthy of me etc.”

As for my dear Sisters in Jesus Christ, I love them all ever more and I bear them all in my heart and I recommend them to God. (RME Pg.15)

Introduction says “Founded on the Trinitarian communion, the religious community is gathered around Christ, to participate in His Mission. Our community life is an essential element of our religious life”. (ROL Art/24)

“The fidelity of each sister encourages and fortifies the fidelity of the others. Thereby we build the fraternal communion.” (ROL 24/2&3)

Mother Claudine says “I desire to know Him more and make Him known to others. He is almost alone while the demon has many disciples.” (RME Ch. 5, Pg 45/2)

“Our Mother never criticized other Religious communities; she did not allow her daughters to do so. On the contrary, she said that the Daughters of the Cross must keep themselves very small, because their community is less ancient and they must greatly esteem the other religious. (FA I Ch. IV Pg. 316/2)

Mother Claudine carefully instructed her sisters to be in union with God and to try in all the ways to bring people closer to God through compassionate love and forgiveness like Christ Crucified.

‘The Foundress on her art wished to form them, first of all, as Sisters of the Cross. “Our happiness, the glory of God and the good of the neighbour do not require that we be numerous but that we be filled with the spirit of Jesus Christ.”

"There is no love without forgiveness. Being aware of the obstacles which we encounter in our interpersonal relationships we take care to foster the spirit of reconciliation by personal efforts and community meetings” (ROL 25/4)

Rev. Sr. Louise Morel felt and expressed, that she was the happiest person in the world.....She was imbued with it, so that, whenever an occasion presented itself she spoke highly of the community and of the devoted kindness of Superiors, who did all they could to alleviate her sufferings. (FA Vol. II Part I Ch. 3 Pg. 15/ 2 last few lines and 3)

You heard the voice of the Divine Spouse who in the depth of your heart said: Salvation, Perfection will not be found in the soul of one who does not renounce all that it possesses: “He who loves father. Mother, etc… is not worthy of me etc.”

To receive many candidates to be formed? As you see, we lack the essential: which is the practices of virtue... (WMC Pg.18)

She did not expect postulants and Novices to be perfect at their reception, but she wanted souls of quality, humble and generous with a relish for virtues that are acquired through the Cross. (RME Pg.88)

She said that she would be a novice till her death meaning that she would need to be formed even when she was old.

All the more when Claudine had become the Superior of this Congregation she deeply felt that it was her duty to form her daughters into imitating Christ Crucified.

Mother Claudine took all measures possible to take care of her own formation and the formation of her daughters. It took place in Mission and for the Mission.

The Holy Spirit Himself formed the spirit of Claudine Echernier by His divine inspiration. (FA Vol.1 Pg.49)

He chisels her as the goldsmith chisels a chalice; He makes her pass though the crucible of difficulties and humiliations; He inlays her soul with the virtues necessary for her mission and He makes of her the artisan of His mysterious will.” (FA Vol. III Pg. 110/1)

God does not call the equipped but equips the called

Her house at Feternes was a formation house. All the experiences prepared her for her future task as leader of the Congregation.

He is preparing the young Shepherdess to be the Shepherdess of the Sisters of the Cross.

When Claudine suffered – because of her aunt who behaved in a scandalous /disgraceful way. Claudine tried to influence her to change her ways and even begged her to lead a better life. (RME Pg. 12)

“Brought up in poverty, accustomed early in life to hard work, tried by affliction and misfortune, she had acquired a maturity of judgment beyond her age and condition.” (F.A. Vol.I Pg.54)

She wants to give more and more. (Magis – Ignatian Spirituality) Mediocrity in the service of God and neighbour displeased her. (RME Pg.88)

This passionate commitment to a cause made her a leader. A leader who is not passionately committed to a cause will not draw much commitment from others.

In all her actions she wanted God’s glory. We know from her life she sought always the will of God. Her maxim and rule of conduct was to do the “Will of God in everything.”.In order to communicate God’s love and compassion to others she never missed any opportunity to make God known and Loved.

“She did everything possible so as never to give room for anyone to offend the good God......to console Him and make amends.’ (FA Vol.I Pg.299)

A leader is one who forms others to become leaders. She was slowly transmitting her spirit to her sisters by setting an example.

“We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our effort should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.” (A.P.J.Abdul Kalam)

About Mother Louise Moynat after her death the newspaper gave this at the head of the flourishing Congregation of the Sisters of the Cross, the Reverend Mother had, for many years, carried out well, the heavy task entrusted to her. With an ardent spirit and a heart on fire with apostolic zeal, she gave to her dear Congregation a fresh impetus. (FA VOL.IV Pg.98)

Energy once let loose cannot be stopped. Mother Celine brought all her ardour and dedication to the animation of the Region. To encourage unity among all the sisters was one of her most cherished desires. (FA Vol.IV, Ch.III, Pg111)