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

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1857

pg 306       forty at the college and sixty at the academy.
                  But what made this year forever memorable in the annals of 
             the Congregation is the twofold approbation by the Holy See:  the 
             first, dated [?] announcing the approbation of the Congregation of 
             the Holy Cross; and the second dated [?] that of the Rules and 
             Constitutions.
                  Thus a society that had been in existence for only a few 
             years was raised to the rank of one of the religious orders of the 
             Church, and such an early encouragement was a pledge of other 
             special favors from heaven.  Such was the surprise caused within 
             and without by this unexpected approbation of the Sovereign 
             Pontiff, that many months after is promulgation there were found 
             unbelievers who denied it.  Certain discontented spirits took 
             occasion from this to come back again to the list of their 
             grievances against the society and its venerable founder, thereby 
             to justify their suspicions as to the fact of the approbation; but 
             all they gained was the shame of having made a last effort equally