Letter 21-To his sister, Mary Sibyl (1)

J. X. P.
St. Paul's Retreat, Harold's Cross, ount Argus, Dublin.
27th July, 1888.

My dear sister, Sibyl,
From your letter of 27th June .1 see that you my dear sister, my other brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, all our relatives, and Father Gobbels, are all well. I too am keeping fine, thank God. I received the ten. marks you sent and have offered mass for your intentions. I also received a letter from any nephew Godfrey and. was delighted to hear that he has joined the Society of Mary, which is a wonderful order.

Please give him my good wishes; also my niece, Sister Mary Germana, my nephew at St. Troud, and my nephew Leopold at St. Joseph's College, Weort.

I hope you have a. copy of that lovely book on. true devotion. to the Blessed Virgin Mary, written by Blessed Louis Marie de Monfort; he also wrote "The Secret of teary",(2) I have both books in English.
In English money ten marks is worth nine shillings and sixpence; we don't know if German money has the same value as Dutch money.

I send my best wishes to you, and to my other brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces. Remember me in your prayers. I pray for you all, and I remember all of you every day at Holy Mass. Give my regards to the rest of our family, to father Gobbels and the curate, and, to our other friends. My superiors send their good wishes. I hope this letter finds you all well.
We will not be separated for long: we will meet again in heaven; that is what we must hope for.

May the almighty and merciful Lord bless and protect you all, and may his blessing be always upon you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holv Spirit. Amen.

Pray for me. I remain in the sweet hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Your loving brother,
Fr. Charles of St. Andrew, Passionist.

Letter 21-Notes

1. Summ. p. 383, L. 69.
2. Charles encourages his sister to read the works of Blessed (now saint) Louise Marie de Montfort. In his sermons Charles exhorted the people to pray to Mary and also to imitate her example of faith and love: "We should love and serve the Blessed Virgin, and imitate her virtues. She ought to be our book, our model, our mother."