The day after the fire, the Governor and the Father Superior brought us to see that great furnace which no one yet dared approach […] Rebuilding on these ruins seemed entirely unlikely […] It was thought that the only thing we could do was to return to France […] but not one of us showed any inclination to return to our former country.
Letter 132, from Quebec, to a Jesuit Father, September 1651
The decision was made that, without further delay, we had to rebuild on the original foundations. Since our courage had not yet been weakened […], our vocations were as strong as ever, or even stronger, and the girls in this country, French and Indian, needed our help.
Letter 133, from Quebec, to her son, September 3rd, 1651