by Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon
Translated by Joseph Roy, SM, Edited by Joseph Stefanelli, SM
Vol 1 = 383 pgs; Vol 2 = 544 pgs. $20.00 per set
Monograph 41
To order a single volume of Letters of Adèle de Batz de Trenquelléon, visit the listing for (volume 1) or for (volume 2).
Father Joe Stefanelli, SM, says the number of letters from Adèle was “certainly in the thousands. Of them, only 737 have come down to us.” Because her companions in service were scattered over a large geographical area, she developed a system of letter writing. She wrote, “It is not so much the style that should preoccupy us, but rather our own improvement.”
We gain insights into Adèle’s personality, her spirituality, her deep faith, her mission, and her desire to live for God alone. Although her life was short—she died when not quite 39—Adèle worked diligently to spread the faith to all around her. The primary work of the Daughters of Mary continued to be the development and guidance of young women of the Sodality and the Association. During her life as a religious, she founded convents at Tonneins, Condom, Agen, Arbois, and Bordeaux.
***Interested in a little bit of commentary on one of Adele's letters as a "window in" to her inner life and her role as a religious leader? Check out this episode of our podcast series, Sharing Our Marianist Stories, where we talk about one of Adele's letters in great detail, both the humor, the grief, and the daily ups-and-downs of community life! Click here to listen on our website.