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

---

1855

pg 264       Mother House.  The two weeks spent by those ten persons at the 
             Lake changed all the sympathies and compassion for the Mother 
             House in its distress, into indifference and even disgust.  In a 
             word, all they said went to show that Ste. Croix was on the point 
             of falling and that it would be hardly any wonder; that the money 
             sent from here had not been used in paying a single debt and that 
             nevertheless there was a sum total of 240,000fr. to be paid.  The 
             lack of administration, the reckless expenditures of the Brothers, 
             the strange means employed to raise funds--all was painted by them 
             in such colors that the wonder was that Ste. Croix was still in 
             existence.  But how is it that they were allowed to say all those 
             things?  In a half day a few tongues that were charged to say 
             nothing, will say a great deal.
                  When F. Sorin learned of this strange conduct, he would have 
             wished to sent them all back to France; but besides the expense, 
             it would have been a new cause of complaint and censure at Ste. 
             Croix.  We had to make up our minds, though, with a sigh, to keep 
             them such as they were.