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¥ vacant by the death of archbishop d@’ Aviau, whose piety, pru-
joined a strict silence in relation to.those subjects. Such {:
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55
During Lent bishop Cheverus preached three times a}:
week in his Cathedral; and, on the occasion of the jubilee
in 1826, his instructions were much more frequent. At
that time, he had tho happiness of reclaiming from his dis-
orders a religious who had broken his vows during the
revolution, and seemed to be reckless of his eternal welfare.
He visited him several times, induced him to sign a re-
tractation of his faults, and afterwards delivered a very
impressive sermon on that consoling topic.
In the month of July, 1826, the see of Bordeaux became
dence, and amiable disposition had justly won for him the
highest esteem and veneration: ‘The distress of the inha-
bitants in being deprived of so valuable a man, was extreme;
and it was thought by the minister of France, that the best
compensation for so great a loss would be the appointment
of bishop Cheverus to that important station. He was ac-
cordingly nominated to the see of Bordeaux before the end
of July, and shortly after he was promoted tu the peerdom;
a favor the more distinguished as no one shared with him
the honor of his elevation. Archbishop Cheverus arrived
at Bordeaux on the 14th of December; but his reputation
had long preceded him, The affliction of all who belonged.
to his former diocess, the glowing colors in which they re-
presented his virtues, his charity, his amability, his sim-
plicity of manner, had prepossessed every mind in his
tavor. But the kind disposition of the prelate, the great
tact and wisdom he exhibited in the first acts of his admin-
istration, far surpassed the expectation of the public, who
seemed to have found in their good archbishop another
Aviau, so affable was he at all times, and so zealously de- {-
voted to their welfare.
Archbishop Cheverus was the father of his clergy. He not
only received with kindness the priests of his diocess, when
they visited Bordeaux, but expressly declared his desire
that they should have no other table than his, unless their
friends or relatives in the city invited them elsewhere. He
was equally pleased.in entertaining his friends in Bor-
deaux, and strangers who called to see him; deeming it a
great point to keep up a friendly intercourse with his dio-}
cesans, and particularly with his clergy, who were all per-
fectly well known to him. Politics were discarded from }:
his parlour: even before the revolution of July, he had en- }
was his prudence that, notwithstanding the diversity of
opinion and the warmth of party spirit; the most inflam-
matory papers of the times did not dare to animadvert upon }
his sentiments or conduct.. Only once was he represented $:
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