Meanwhile, I saw seating in front of the big table of the kitchen, Madame Robin, Marthe's mother who was preparing lunch. Her father was seating on a chair with a wounded toe, an injury sustained on the farm. Realizing that the Parish Priest delayed in coming out, I untied the cord, then the paper that enveloped this painting.

[ Marthe Robin had asked this particular painting representing our Lady Mediatrix of all Graces to be brought and Fr. Finet a priest of the Diocese of Lyon who had a car a car was asked to bring the painting to Marthe ].

Finally, coming out from Marthe’s room, Fr. Faure told me “Marthe is asking that you bring the painting yourself”. I believed I was carrying the Blessed Virgin Mary to Marthe ; in fact it was the Blessed Virgin Mary who carried me to Marthe.
Marthe admired the painting and then we prayed together.
Having agreed to come back to see Marthe at 2pm, I then went down to the Parish House for lunch.
I went back alone at 2pm to Marthe for “my visit”; at the first Vespers of Our Lady of Lourdes. Our conversation was to last about 3 hours at a stretch. During the first hour, Marthe talked to me solely about the Blessed Virgin Mary. I realized that she knew the Blessed Virgin Mary much better than I did although I had been teaching about her in the Cenacle ( a Parish in Lyon) for several years.
In the second hour, changing the tone of her voice, she spoke to me about the miserable and joyful events that were going to take place. I skip the miserable events. Here now is what she told me of the joyful events. She announced to me notably a new Pentecost of Love which would be preceded by a deep renewal of the church, marked by a great missionary zeal, where many Lay people would commit themselves in this new apostolate.

“But who will form these lay people?”
“In many places” she answered me, “notably in the Foyers of Light, of Charity and of Love”
For the first time I had heard this term. I understood later on that, the Light was the teaching of the priest, which was to lead us to God who is Love. But in order to realize that we first have to live fraternal Charity. That is what we have summarized in calling them Foyers de Charité.
It was now 4pm, Marthe looking at me with assurance told me:
“Father, I have a request to make to you coming from God: it is you who will have to come over to Châteauneuf to found the first Foyer de Charité”
In my surprise, I responded:
“but I am not from this diocese!”
“What has that got to do with it, since God wants it”
“Ah! Sorry, I never thought of it! But to do what?”
“A lot of things, she told me, especially to preach retreats”.
“I do not know how to do it”.
“You will learn it”.
“Three days retreats ?”
“No, she replied, for in three days you cannot change a soul. The Blessed Virgin Mary requests five full days”.
“But to whom will these retreats be preached?”
“To begin with, to women and young girls ”.
I replied : “But then, between each conference, I will organize workshops so that the retreatants can share their impressions?”
“No! She told me emphatically. The Blessed Virgin Mary demands complete silence”.
“But how could I ask women to be quiet for five days?
“But since God demands it” she told me.
“Ah! Excuse me, I never thought of it”. I could do nothing but accept.
“Where will I preach this retreats?
“To begin with, in the Girls’ School”
“Is the place prepared for that?”
“No, she told me, it would need a lot of renovation”
“But who will do this work?”
“It is you yourself”
“But with what money?
“Do not torment yourself, the Blessed Virgin Mary will see to that”
“But how can I make retreatants come to this unknown village?”
“It is the Blessed Virgin Mary herself who will send them to you”
“Now on which date do I have to preach this first retreat?
“You'll start on Monday 7th September and finish on the following Sunday”
“I could not refuse, but again I have to ask the permission of my Superiors”
“Oh yes, you have to submit to obedience”
Leaving Marthe’s room, I thought to myself, ‘what an adventure!’ But faith is it not often an adventure?