Peter’s Life:
What did he not do for the poor when they were ill! The best and choicest butcher’s meat was bought for them; he had soup made from it and sent it to them by someone especially engaged for that, and on feast days he had white bread and wine taken to them as an extra. To the poor ashamed to beg he sent corn secretly, getting it left at their door. It is impossible to tell all his schemes for building up stocks for the poor.

There was one terrible affliction which Pierre Fourier neither as parish priest nor as officer of the law was able to spare his people. That was the succession of prosecutions for sorcery covering several decades. The best he could do while he was resident at Mattaincourt was to prevent cases going as far as the death penalty.

Peter – though he was broken down he went to schools every day and took over the beginners, the more stupid, the difficult and the awkward. He entered happily into the dust of the classrooms, gave lessons to the little ones, and got them to spell out their letters with admirable assiduity, patience, charity, gentleness and humility.

Peter was ridiculed by the Canons of St. Augustine because of his conscientious observance of the rule: “Through it all Peter never lost his gentle manner, his kindness and consideration for others and his great love of prayer and very special devotion to Our Lady.”

Peter’s words:
“I am looking for means of nourishing a great charity among you, and of ensuring that the rich have pity on the poor and assist them.”

Peter encouraged the sisters to celebrate a parish feast. “I have just asked someone to buy you a little joint of mutton, so that tomorrow you will have on your holy and temperate table a nice roast over and above your ordinary fare, in consideration of the Mattaincourt feast, but on condition that you say a few little prayers for our parishioners.”

Peter speaking to a new superior: “There are certain characters from whom one must be content to take what one can with gentleness, without using violence or too great constraint, for fear of breaking them altogether by pulling the bonds too tight, or making their nose bleed by wiping it too hard.”

Peter warns against judging: “It is for that reason, they think, that God has given us two ears, so that we may hear both sides, with understanding in between them to make a judgment, and a tongue to pronounce the decision.”

In keeping with his theme of “Harm None, Help All”, Peter said: “It is the duty of a Christian soul to return good for evil. All the more, then should that be the duty for supereminent souls – such as yours – who profess that you lead the life of an apostle, an angelic life immersed in God, not motivated by earthly goals.”

When dealing with a difficult pastor, Peter advised the Sisters: “If you only knew the worth of patience, charity and humility in all matters, but especially in winning over of those who wish us evil! These are the arms of Christians, and, most particularly, of persons like yourselves who profess by your life the desire to imitate the Apostles. Endure everything from this good person, I beg you in God’s name.”

In the Constitutions, Peter writes of the importance of Mary in their lives: “They shall not dare do anything, nor say anything, nor undertake anything, nor write anything that may be of any importance whatsoever without first having told her about it and earnestly recommended it to her. They shall take her for counselor and guide in all their actions, and imagine that they are in her presence, see her and ask her counsel, direction and assistance.”

Peter advised the teachers: “Do just as much for the poorest as for the most esteemed. Treat gently, gently, gently all your little girls who come to you, whether poor or rich.”

Peter, upset by the treatment of women religious by the Roman hierarchy writes to Father Guinet in Rome: “It’s such a pity that people of this century should do this! Even though we have all the Bulls that can be desired, men simply will not leave off treating Sisters as though they needed Protectors. Believe me, it’s a sad situation.”

He encouraged the Sisters to stand on their own feet, not always to rely on him: “You are burdening me with the task of doing your thinking and rethinking, your searching and researching, and, perhaps, failing and failing again in maters at which you could better come to a decision than I.”

Advise to S. Isabeau in Chalons: “In order to acquire momentum in the works of God, one must not be afraid to risk. Often enough, those who wish to be too wise, too circumspect, do not gain the most, and allow good opportunities to escape, because they don’t know how to use correctly the wise advice Holy Scripture gives us to moderate our prudence. It is not well-regulated prudence to want everything assured so that no mishap can occur in any way at all. In seeking God and doing God’s work in good faith, one must really leave something to God’s powerful and wise prudence.”

Peter also speaks to calmness and deliberation in planning and action: “I have said before to several persons in different kinds of endeavors: 1. that we should never submit to the haste of others, 2. that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, 3. that things rushed without great necessity are most often not well done and are followed by some regret…”

Peter’s prayer and reflections:
“My soul, would you seek anything outside this divine essence? What do you long for? What do you desire? What are you seeking? Enter into the heart of your God.”

“Never let me, God, seek for any joy apart from you. You, Lord, are the joy of my heart and my soul thrills and leaps for joy at the very thought that you are my God.”

“O Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Mother of grace and mercy, I beseech you, in the name of your dear Son, to help me and bless me and grant me the grace, the help, the guidance and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that he may take possession of my heart, and fill it and govern it and strengthen it the better to serve God’s Holy Majesty.”

“God is Father, Mother, Spirit, Pastor. (This goes far beyond what the human mind can grasp.) It will give rise to a signal confidence which will impel me to seek God…Because of this I shall be of good cheer, assured, courageous, whether it means undertaking something for the glory of God or whether it means suffering and endurance.”

“…humbly have the hardihood to ask great things of God.”

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