Chronicles of Notre Dame du Lac
Edward Sorin, CSC -- Translated by John M. Toohey, CSC, 1895

---

1844

pg 65             In the month of November 1846 the Brothers' novitiate was 
Transfer to  transferred from Notre Dame du Lac to Indianapolis, where it 
Indianapolis remained only till the following spring.  It was at the request, 
             or rather the imperative urgency of Mgr. Dela Hailandiere that 
             this change had been made.  Mgr. J.S. Bazin was of an entirely 
             different opinion, and the novitiate was brought back to St. 
             Mary's island, after having occasioned an expense of 4000fr. 
             without any result, not to speak of the house purchased for 
             25,000fr. which has not been yet disposed of.
What kind of      Not only are vocations rare, but one third of the time they 
people       do not present the qualities necessary to put the men to study.
present      One half are too old and the others are too ignorant to begin the 
themselves   necessary studies.  And then they have less desire than they seem 
             to have in France to become teaching Brothers.  During the first 
             years at Notre Dame du Lac it was almost impossible to form and 
F. Sorin     maintain a regular novitiate; but as soon as the house was 
passes six   finished in 1844, F. Sorin fixed his own residence amongst the 
months there novices and applicants for six months, when his place was taken 
Replace by   by F. Granger, as soon as the latter could make himself 
F. Granger   understood in English.