The Fondeville Notebook (11)

...At the end, His Excellency gave the absolution and Monsignor Boutoey led the mortal remains to the top of Calvary where they were buried next to the sanctuary in the Chapel of the Resurrection...

In the evening, the Monsignor summoned the priests of the Congregation, invited them to follow the example and virtues of the Founder and promised to reunite us in a General Assembly in the month of October to preside over the election of the Superior and his Council. Before that, he made Mr Chirou responsible for fulfilling the duties of the Superior and appointed Messrs Perguilhem, Cazaban and Fondeville as his Councillors.

The ordination of the Most Holy Trinity gave Betharram Messrs Etchégaray, Casau, Estrate from Géronce, Basilide Bourdenne from Buzy, and for America Messrs Sampuy and Serres, who left in 1859. These gentleman had made their novitiate at Betharram and knew all the other teachers. In the month of September, the Monsignor came back to Betharram: the whole Assembly, under the direction of His Grace, made its annual retreat. In the last days, the Monsignor presided over the election of the Superior and his Council. America had sent its sealed vote. The result of the ballot made Mr Chirou the Superior and Messrs Romain Bourdenne, Mouthes and Fondeville the Councillors. Mr Bourdenne was nominated Assistant and Mr Fondeville the Cashier and Supplier. (…)

In 1864, the novice teachers Messrs Berdoulet from Montgaillard (Tarbes), Victor Bourdenne from Buzy, Saubatte, Faur from Lagos, Gaby from Ainhoa, Miro from Ferrières (Tarbes), Jean Vignolles from Serre-Casters, Peyret from Orthez, and Castainhs from Pau were ordained Priests; the latter was already in America.

In 1865, Quillahauquy, brought up by the Superior and other teachers, became a Teacher and Study Mentor himself, at Orthez and Oloron. Mr Cescas, another Betharram pupil, sent by the Parish Priest of Bellocq, was ordained a Priest in America and left with two Basque Priests who were going to join Messrs Harbustan and Sardoy, to collaborate in the work in our Congregation: These Basque Priests were Messrs Sallaber from Mendz and Laphitz from Issary. They were going to replace Mr Guimon, who had already passed away, and Mr Barbé, Mr Larrouy and Mr Irigaray, whom God would soon take away from this world. Mr Harbustan, during his journey to France, took these gentlemen. Irigaray, in 1869, joined Mr Mindivil d’Arberoue and Mr Péré from Pontacq ordained. He came, as it were, to take his replacement.

In 1868, Betharram had sent Mr Souverbielle with Mr Serres from Orthez on his return to America. Ten members of the Community who had done their novitiate, and had all come out of our schools, were ordained Priests between 1867 and 1871. (…)

However, despite there being so many members of staff, the available missionaries fell in number.

The residences, the schools, the Minor Seminary of St Mary, the management of Igon, principally the Institution of Betharram took in a high number of religious. In this way, the missionaries were very tired and the work done seemed more or less to decrease. Then the Virgin Mother and Lady of Betharram spoke to Messrs Larraillet from Bizanos and Pomès from Coarraze, students of the Major Seminary, and opened the door of the novitiate to them. Mr Perguilhem, nephew of Mr Perguilhem Senior, a pupil of Betharram, listened to her voice. Mr Claverie from Sarrance, pupil of Oloron, the two Barrère brothers, Mr Abos from Escuri, Mr Bignalet from Coarraze, Mr Cazaban (nephew of our late colleague) all heard her voice too and they said “Here we are”. Their faithfulness had already responded to the call and resounded in the hearts of 4 or 5 pupils who intended to present themselves in the same year 1872. These unexpected and enduring recruits, born of the compassionate tenderness of Our Lady allowed within 2 or 3 years to 6 or 7 priests to leave the (teaching) profession and strengthen the body of missionaries. Since the foundation of the Congregation in 1841, Our Lady wanted almost everyone who worked for her to get ready for her works and make a foundation of virtue through the suffering of the (teaching) profession.

As the number of confessors rose in the Chapel where each day the daily attendance grew. Invalids, those in despair, those abandoned, those suffering immense loss or terrible internal sorrow have arrived, as it were, in Betharram every day since 1860 and the number will always rise. These people come to claim the prayers of the Church, they come to give thanks for the healing or consolation received, many devote themselves to the Virgin with their family, others come to make offerings: money, silver gilt, bouquets, altar pieces. Any marriages to bless (and anything that presented a difficulty to the priests) were sent to Betharram. With their authorisation, we widely used the powers given to us, saving the poor the expenditure they could barely afford, cutting short disturbances while strengthening the parishioners respect for their Pastors.

One evening – or who knows, perhaps it was morning, Fr Simon Fondeville closed his notebook on these words. The following day, or a few days later, on 22nd October 1872, he died in Betharram.
Our brother didn’t stand out for the casualness of his style; he didn’t have the talent of a storyteller. We also forgive his lack of exactness – he wasn’t a Historian. On the other hand, we are grateful to him for recording the chronicle of Betharram life, marked by so many memorable events in the lifetime of Michael Garicoits, priest.