Cerdon was not on easy place for the women to make their home. It was surrounded by rugged mountains, almost hemmed in -so different from Coutouvre where they could look out for miles around. And the people there spoke differently and had different customs. Also they could not begin their proper life as religious sisters yet or start a community because they had no permission from the Bishop. So, they stayed with another religious group but did not feel very welcome.
Just when they were wondering what to do next, they received a message from Fr Courveille -the one who met Jean-Claude Colin in the seminary and and that special experience of Mary asking for a society in her name. He was seen as the leader of the Marists at this time and was living in another place quite a long way from Cerdon. Fr Courveille had gathered a few women together too, hoping they would become Marists. It seems they were running a school and needed someone to teach the children how to write. Marie Jotillon had been well educated. so she was asked to leave Cerdon and come to help them.
We can imagine how hard this must have been for the two friends. However, it did make the situation in Cerdon a little easier because. at the same time. the housekeeper for the priests became ill and could not continue to work for the Colin brothers. Jeanne-Marie was free to offer her services. She was able to leave where she was staying and live in her own tiny flat on the ground floor of the presbytery
For the next three or four years while Marie was away at Fr Courveille's school, Jeanne-Marie helped Pierre and Jean-Claude Colin. She not only managed the house and helped care for the church. but also supported them in the difficult work of getting permission to begin the Society of Mary. The three were disappointed time and again, but they never gave up hope. When the priests were down-hearted, Jeanne-Marie would cheer them up. When she felt flat, they would help to lift her spirits. When they all felt discouraged, they would go to the church and pray quietly for an hour or so and always came out feeling better.
After a long time, there were some changes in the church arrangements and a new Bishop was appointed. It was this Bishop Devie who told Jeanne-Marie that she and her companion could begin to live as a community in the name of Mary.
Cerdon was not on easy place for the women to make their home. It was surrounded by rugged mountains, almost hemmed in -so different from Coutouvre where they could look out for miles around. And the people there spoke differently and had different customs. Also they could not begin their proper life as religious sisters yet or start a community because they had no permission from the Bishop. So, they stayed with another religious group but did not feel very welcome.
