Girard0290

26 November 1843 - Brother Attale (Jean-Baptiste Grimaud) to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Tonga

Summary

The missionaries in Tonga were close to death when the naval vessel came. Appeals for more Brothers to be sent, to safeguard the priests. Tonga a real Sodom, he says.

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Document 290 — 26 November 1843

Letter of Brother Attale (Jean-Baptiste Grimaud) to Jean-Claude Colin

Source: APM OC 208 (Tonga), Grimaud.

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Editorial Description

Sheet of “Bath” paper forming four pages, of which only the first is written; the second and third are blank; the fourth contains only the address and Poupinel’s annotation.

• • Address:**

Monsieur — Monsieur Colin — Superior — Lyon

• • Annotation (Poupinel):**

Central Oceania — Tonga, 26 November 1843 — Brother Attale

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Text

J(esu)s M(ary) J(oseph) Tonga, 26 November 1843

My Reverend Father Colin,

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[1]

Yes, it is true. I have remained too long without writing to you. I beg you, my Reverend Father, to forgive me. I hope that I shall be able to do so more often now.

I am in Tonga, my Reverend Father, with Fathers Chevron and Father Grange. Our miseries are sufficiently great; without help from above, I would no longer exist, and probably Monseigneur the Bishop, who has just arrived by the corvette, would not have found anyone in this station.

I had a serious illness in the month of February. I was cured—I do not know whether it was through the help of your prayers, or whether it was our good Mother or some saint—but what I do know is that I was cured without knowing how.

Our temporal miseries are very great, yes, my Father. Up to now they have been very great, especially for the Fathers; but for myself, the spiritual ones have been greater than the temporal ones. The island of Tonga is a Sodom… Pray for us, my Reverend Father.

One observation that I have to make to you—you will do what you judge appropriate: if you wish to preserve your Fathers, send each of them a brother if possible; if they continue to live as we do today, they will not grow old. My principal occupation is the care of the sick.

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Your poor brother and son who is in Tonga,

pressing your hand, embraces you with all his heart,

Brother Attale

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