Augustine Le Roy de la Potherie de Neuville
As his name would indicate, he belonged to a family of the ancient Angevine nobility,
mentioned in the records since the 14th century. We are not going to go back to this distant
time. Augustine de Neuville was born in Angers on 28th February 1779, the only heir of his
family.
As a young boy, he was sent to the Jesuit College in Liege in what is now Belgium. He
remained there until the Revolution forced the closure of this house in 1794. Augustine de
Neuville, with eleven of his fellow pupils followed his masters to England where one of
their old pupils, Sir Thomas Weld1 had generously put his beautiful residence of Stonyhurst
at the disposal of the religious and the young French noblemen. At the same time, in his
manor of Lullworth he welcomed 60 French émigrés and a “colony” of Trappists on a
neighbouring part of his estate.
Augustine de Neuville was then one of the Stonyhurst pupils in 1794. In 1795, he became
secretary of the Congregation of Our Lady. Throughout his life he spoke with great
veneration of the Jesuits, his masters, their knowledge, their doctrine. His library was rich
in works of the Company of Jesus, not only in French, but in Greek, Latin, German, Italian
and English. “English” he used to say, “is my favourite language.” Later he often wrote to
the first English-speaking religious of the Good Shepherd and sometimes he would add a
little poem at the end of his letter. What touched the young student most of all was the care
the Jesuits took of their pupils who had nothing with which to pay their expenses as
boarders at Stonyhurst. Augustine remained there until 1797. It was the time of the
Revolution in France. Rose-Virginie Pelletier was one year old!
Pierre Leroy de la Potherie de Neuville and his son Augustine, returned to Maine-et-Loire
some time between 1802 and 18042. The de Neuville family, stripped of everything during
the exile, lacked even the necessities of life. One day, in conversation with Mother
Pelletier, Augustine de Neuville recounted an anecdote which explained just how reduced
his circumstances had been.
One day in Stonyhurst, having had the misfortune to break the glass he used at
table, one of the servants said to him roughly:
“Sir, whoever breaks a glass pays for it!”
Augustine said that he did not have four coppers to pay for the glass and did not
even know, at that time, whether or not his family could provide them for him.
It is a little detail, but it inspired a big decision. The remark of the servant wounded him
deeply. Augustin always kept a grateful memory towards the priest who, that day, had
understood his embarrassment and expressed a word of comfort.
1
Grandfather of a Religious of the Good Shepherd: Mary of St. Ignatius Weld and Sr. Mary of the Good
Shepherd Weld
2
On October 20, 1800 a government decree authorized the return of noble emigrants to France on condition
that they promise fidelity to the Constitution.
My dear Masters comforted me with such a delicacy of which I have a grateful
memory. That same day, I promised God never to refuse to give alms.
In fact, thirty or forty years later, he will encourage Mary Euphrasia never to refuse a
woman in distress or any poor postulant on the matter of money. Several times and very
discreetly, he will take responsibility for any expenses incurred.
After the emigration, the de Neuville family returned to settle in Anjou. They recovered all
their assets and only had to deplore the loss of a large estate they had possessed in SaintDomingue. Having been widowed soon after the return from exile, Madame de Neuville3
actively pursued her desire to found a house in Angers where “Fallen women” could be
received. From 17th Century up to the French Revolution, Angers had had two houses
where women and children in difficulty could be received. Both had the same goal of
rehabilitation but pursued it in different ways: the House of Penitents and the Good
Shepherd.
Madame de Neuville heartily regretted the disappearance of these beautiful works which
has been suppressed by the Revolution, and which for more than a century, had done so
much good in the town of Angers. They died at the very moment when the need for them
made itself so imperiously felt, when it needed religious vowed to this apostolate to repair
the moral ruin accumulated during 10 years of social upset, demoralizing wars, public
impiety, education without faith or religious principles, of a new social, economic,
industrial order, not to mention the attraction of popular centres with the desertion of the
countryside. All this engendered numerous causes of perdition for the youth. Madame de
Neuville, by her generosity, would revive, in a single monastery, the two works of the
House of Penitents and the Good Shepherd. But she died on 6th November 1827 before
being able to achieve her dream.
In February 1828, in order to accomplish his mother’s last wishes, Augustine de Neuville
put thirty thousand francs left by his mother, augmented by eight thousand francs from his
own personal economies, at the disposal of Mgr. Montault des Isles, the Bishop of Angers,
for the opening of a “House of the Good Shepherd”. To appreciate this gift, it is enough to
know that, at the time, the daily wage for a workman was four francs.
Mgr. Montault decided to wait, judging that the social and political situation of the country
was too uncertain. However, he was conscious of the preoccupations of his clergy faced
with the growing number of young women and children living in immorality. Finally, the
Good Shepherd business was concluded: an abandoned factory was purchased by five
parish priests of Angers, M. Augustine de Neuville assumed the expenses for repairs and
Mme Genevieve d’Andigne directed her efforts in the choice of Religious who will manage
the House.
When the first Mass was celebrated at 3, rue Brault at six o’clock in the morning, feast of
Corpus Christi, 18th June 1829, M. de Neuville assisted and offered several gifts for the
new little chapel and sacristy.
3
Madame Marie Innocente de Lantivy de la Potherie de Neuville
After the arrival of Mother Pelletier on May 21, 1831, one of the first, and greatest services
that he rendered to the House, was to get, a chaplain: the abbot M. Perché, he ensured his
salary starting as of May 28,
Some days after her arrival in Angers, at the urgent request of Mgr. Montault, Mother
Pelletier agreed to continue the work of “The Providence”. On 10th June 1831, the Superior
of the Good Shepherd received twenty little girls. M. de Neuville had a house built for
them and bought a piece of land next to the Good Shepherd. In the same manner, he also
shared in the opening of a small community of the “Sisters Magdalens” during the summer
of 1831. He assumed the expenses for their installation and insisted that a community of
“prayers” need to live in a house.
The chapel soon became too small for the needs of a population that was growing rapidly.
To Mother Pelletier’s great joy, M. de Neuville decided to build a church. She therefore
prepared a modest plan for a choir capable of containing forty members of the Institute.
But M. de Neuville who foresaw the extraordinary development of the work said to her:
“Know this Madame, that you will count three hundred religious here … Tear up that
plan!”
So, a new plan was prepared. The church would be cruciform: the Sisters’ choir, seventy
feet long and twenty-eight feet wide, would be the head of the cross. The right wing would
be destined for the Magdalens, the left wing for the Penitents; above there would be large
tribunes for the other sections. The part reserved for the faithful would open onto rue
Brault. The double sided altar would be placed so that the priest could be seen by all the
groups.
Gradually, Augustine de Neuville would give his whole fortune to the Good Shepherd. He
lived poorly and until his death in December 1843, he would remain the faithful friend and
supporter of the Mother House of Angers. Like Madame d’Andigne, he will form part of
the Good Shepherd family, interested in all and preoccupied with all the problems of the
House: repairs, regular supply of food, wood for heating, but also works for the library. We
know, and at that time, the whole town of Angers knew it, that Augustin de Neuville was
the constant, universal and daily provider for the needs of the Works of the Congregation
which he had adopted totally. It is for this work that this dear friend would end up selling
the principal chateau which he had inherited from his maternal ancestors.
It was the Chateau de la Fresnaye where M. de Neuville lived before the death of his
mother in 1827. After Mme de Neuville’s death, he lived in a house in the rue Saint-Gilles
(now rue Toussaint), behind the Cathedral.
One day, a priest who, himself, would later become a religious, said to Mother Pelletier:
When I think of the great lifestyle of the house of Madame la Comtesse de la
Potherie de Neuville … and then I see her worthy son dispossess himself of all
that for the love of God … I ask myself, what must have been his secret …
This great benefactor to the Congregation did not wish to have any mark of distinction at
the Good Shepherd. One day he wrote a sad letter to Mother Pelletier who had wanted to
put the de Neuville coat of arms on the walls of the convent:
Madame,
In the name of the friendship that unites us, renounce the plan that you did me
the honour of speaking about. Otherwise you will force me to break with you.
This would make me very unhappy.
A coat of arms in the house of the humble daughter of David! Ah! Good God,
how awful! … Lord Jesus, have pity on this unfortunate whose sins you would
like to forget in consideration for the Good Shepherd! …
Madame, if there has already been some expense incurred for these arms, my
purse is there to pay for them. But I will no longer have the pleasure of seeing
you or writing to you until you have given the counter order …
In addition to his financial assistance - and it was considerable – M. de Neuville brought a
strong moral support to the budding Congregation: he signed the request for the Generalate,
he intervened with his relatives and close relations, he will go even to represent the Good
Shepherd before the courts in 1842 in a case of false accusation. He informs Mary
Euphrasia of new regulations, trends of opinion...
In a very important document in the Vatican Archives, Fr. Kohlman, Consultor for the
Congregation of Bishops and Regulars, cited M. de Neuville as the great benefactor of the
Good Shepherd.
This house of Angers … was erected by the most noble and rich lady MarieChantal de Jesus, widow Cesbron de la Roche, to whom, in order to undertake
this magnificent work, the Lord of all mercy gave for help, the distinguished
benefactor, the Count de la Potherie de Neuville …
Several times, he will give advice... which will not be followed! For example, he advised
Mary Euphrasia Pelletier against the foundation of Algiers (realized in 1843) or that of
London (1841), considering them to be premature because of the situation of the country
and thus presenting too many risks for the foundresses of the communities. The two
foundations were carried out, which showed that their friendship did not hinder the freedom
of each one.
M. de Neuville was almost always present at the ceremonies of Profession and Clothing.
On March 19, 1839, aware of the richness of the event, he addressed this words of humour
to the happy Superior General in the form and historical context of the time:
You have more crowned heads; I congratulate you, for you need them to occupy
so many thrones. If, as I hope, you are destined for a long career, you will end
by establishing as many trading posts for the heavenly traffic as the English
have established for commerce in this lowly world.
He was generous but he wanted, above all, that the Religious of the Good Shepherd be
faithful to the charism of the founder, Father Eudes. He would like to see in them what he
admired most in their foundress: she had only one concern: young abandoned people whose
life was wounded. He advised Mother Pelletier to start by making each postulant aware of
the life which they would have to live, with its fatigue, ceaseless labours which await them.
This good father, she recalls, often said to me that I must not leave out anything
about what is painful in our vocation, in our obligations. If after that, he adds,
some acknowledges to you that her goal is not to devote herself to so many
work, because she likes better meditation and rest in God, say to her very
quickly: "My daughter, blessed you are. Go, ask to be received at Carmel or the
Visitation: it is not here that the Good God wants you.
At the heart of the relationship between Mary Euphrasia and Augustin de Neuville was a
spiritual bond. Both devoted their whole existence in the service of God for the women and
young people in suffering. They shared a great confidence and encouraged each other in
their difficulties. Mary Euphrasia as a `spiritual companion' attentive and strong, called M.
de Neuville `her father’.
M. de Neuville suffered from fragile health throughout his life. He died on 3 rd December
1843. Mother Pelletier would have liked to conserve the body of this distinguished
benefactor in the secular church of the convent. But she could not get the authorisation of
the Lord Chancellor, even though she made use of the influence of a senior councillor of
state, a friend of the house, M. Leon Cornudet.
So, how can we talk about M. de Neuville as a Good Shepherd Associate?
• He shared his whole fortune so that the work would not be held back because of
questions about money. It is the first thing we evoke when speaking about M. de
Neuville. He was a benefactor.
• He put all his “talents” at the service of the Good Shepherd:
- Having studied in England, he was fluent in this language and served as a
bilingual secretary for Mother Euphrasia, even if he had a different opinion
than that of the foundress.
- he used his network of relations to support the Good Shepherd in one way or
another;
-
he would represent the Congregation, victim of a false accusation, in Court.
• He was very close to M. Euphrasia; in Angers there are more than 700 “little
notes” from him with daily details of the area, little health problems, details of
the life of this or that sister. A few examples among many: M. de Neuville was
concerned about the menu for the visit of such and such Bishop… He sent a
bottle of wine to clear up the voice of the choir for the vigil of an important
feast, a cart-load of wood when the time was growing cold… One could really
talk about a fraternal friendship between them.
•
Finally and above all, they shared the same vision of “God’s Work”, of the plan of
God for the young and less young in distress.
Thus he wrote to M. Euphrasia on 17th February 1842:
“You are vowed to save the unhappy victims of shipwreck and not to instruct the
young sailors …”
Odile Laugier, RBP
Conférence aux Associés Laïques de France
2002