Page 166 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

patience of the superior wae taxed to the utmost in an effort to maintain
harnionious relations with Bisbop Charbonnel. The Superior avoided
irnpatiencc and while doing and saying everything poasjble to obtain a
separate house, was always prudent enough not to Say a word that couId
be misconstrued hy the energetic and zealoue hishop. Patient w~iting
and CO-operation wilh episcopal au~hority was to be rewardd.
The single purpose of Bishop Charbonne1 waa the good of hia dio-
cme, and this good admitted of various lcvels. Unfortunatcly for the
success oi the Basilian Comunity, the bjehop felt that greater goods
than scconda ry and collcge edncation exieted and of neccssity muet bave
a priority.
Foremost in the mind of Bishop Charbonne1 was the need of prieiits.
Added to this problem the bishop was confronted with the diocesan
financial situation, thc need of Catholie separatc schools, the ercction of
a Catholic hospilal. and a Housc 01 Providence for the aged. In addi-
tion "the bishop maintained a constant vigilance against the inroads of
divorce and wrct so~ieties."~'~) For the Basjlian Fathers, the prime
aim of their foundation was, ol course, the educalion of young men for
the prjesthood; BO it seenid that the aims of boih prineipala coincided,
bu1 when circumstances jntervened to thrust the growing number of
non-aspirants on the Basilians, the Biahop was niit slow to show his
reluctance to foster snch an undertaking. The fear that St. Michael's
might gradually lose ita seminary tharacter was one of the reasons for
the reten~ion of the Community at the Palace when the members yearned
for a house of their own. We see, mcire clearly, the capabilii). of Father
Sonlerin in preventing any breacti of good relations between his irns-
trated conirfras and the bishiip. To realize the aims and prohlems of
the bishop is essential il we are to have a clear grasp oi thc dilhcultiea
surrounding the position oi the Fathers.
ln hi6 educational program the bishop had cxpended one lhousand
louis in ciinstructing the building adjacent to ~he Cathedral. The
contemplated vacating oi this edifice hy the BasiIians would be a aerious
hIow to the bisilop's economy, and jt is littb wonder lhat he could not
concur wholeheartedly wit1i the desires iif the Coniniunity.
Bishop Charboiinel was prornpted to detain the Basilians in hjs
palace from religious reaoons also - the need of priests to act as mission-
aries. Tliroughout the leitera of the Basilians written to the Superior
General the lack oi prirsts tri carry out the Sacred Ministry in the Toronto
dioccse waa a constant tiipic. Falher Soulerin mentiond ihat there wcre
oiily four priests iii iIie city at the time of hie arri~al.'~~) serious was
So
the situation that Father Soulerin, for a very short period, con~emplated
the feasibility oi employing solrie of the BasiIians iii a mission capacity :
"Basilians are needed in Canada far more than in a little piecc of France
- Fattiers Vincerit and Flarinery would do very weli in a rnissi~n.''~~~)

1) Editotid hin The Cutholic Fretmn of Tamnto August 26, 1859. p. 2., c. 1.
(20) Rev. 1. Soulerin, Letter {O Rtn. P. Tourvieille, Ociober 1, 1852, p. 2.
(21) Rev. J. Soulerin. Lettrr io Rm. P. Too.rr]ieille, Seplember 5, 1854, p. 2.
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