Final Testament of Basil Moreau

August 3, 1871. Isolated from his Community, Father Moreau spent his final years living with two of his sisters in Le Mans, near the Solitude of the Marianite Sisters. This document shows Moreau's steadfast belief in the work he had accomplished, in spite of the trials of his final years in administering the Congregation.

August 3, 1871

I declare before God, who will soon judge me, that I have never regretted my resignation as Superior General, and that I never took steps to either take back or hinder the administration of the congregation; that I never even so much as thought of refusing to go to Rome at the request of the Pope, as soon as I had assurance that His Holiness did not accept my excuses...

I declare also that I never diverted to the foundation of Sainte-Croix anything given me for the house of the Good Shepherd.

Neither have I ever enabled my family to profit by any public alms I received for the Good Shepherd, Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix, or any other good work.

I declare before the Sovereign Lord who searches our consciences, that as I was satisfied with receiving only free-will offerings, I never sought out any legacy of donation in favor of the foundations which Providence entrusted to me, aside from the public subscriptions for the Good Shepherd and our conventual church of Sainte-Croix.

I beg all creditors of Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix to be convinced that at the time of my resignation as Superior General, I left the congregation with more than sufficient assets to pay off its debts and that I have never ceased to defend their interests in the meantime.

With all my heart I pardon and humbly beseech the Divine Mercy, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, to pardon all those who have harmed my reputation or the goods which I held in trust, thanking God for having found me worthy to suffer something on the occasion of undertakings which I accepted for His glory.

Basil Moreau

The bed in which Father Moreau died. He probably wrote his final testament in the room adjoining this room, on the second floor of the house belonging to his two sisters.

 

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