The story of the rediscovery
From Elise’s hidden life to the opening of the cause, this page follows the stages of a memory gradually recovered.
“Joy entered my life: I was little at than time! Had I been looking for or following it? It took me, and there you go!”
“I consecrated myself to the Lord at the age of eleven, accepting both to be sick all my life and therefore not to marry.”
“In the past, I believed that I would be desperate if I could no longer draw, sing, compose poems…”
“You haven't forgotten the day you arrived in Mailly either, I'm sure… Father, from that day on I placed my soul in yours.”
“And yet, even separated, I find myself so happy to be able to count on your affection, and to think of you as my only “real” little sister.”
“Do you know what was my first concern, when I realized that I was immobilized for a long time? My little ones.”
“For a month, things had been better, because the priest of Châtel had come… When the priest says something, now everything is said.”
“Will you think about this, Father, and pray for me?”
”He will help me, him Dominican, to become Dominican, but I remain Élise; let's say he adds some colors to the canvas.”
“Here, the parish comes back to life because we have the great grace of having a priest - truly 'priest': that says it all, and you know what I mean by that…”
“When I got involved, I wanted the Blessed Virgin to force my hand, in a way, so that I could be sure I wasn't wrong.”
“I believe I am in a state of surrender and abandonumberent.”
“We suspect the greatness of this soul.”
“In the school of her Lord, she learned to love and to spread joy.”
“In some time (a few years maybe) I think that we will publish a brochure «A sainte from among us»!”
“You must read the poems; it is important ! Élise was a sainte; I knew her.”
“My motto since the age of 13 (I think): smile to everything and to everyone, out of love for Jesus.”
An invisible hand will never stop guiding research and providing answers.
“I am sure that my very suffering will be of use to my dear little sisters; deep down, as long as I hadn’t suffered through them, could I boast that I really loved them?”
“Even though Élise was often absent, she remained at the top of the class. She never got angry.”
The old reputation for holiness on the part of the clergy resurfaces, 46 years later.
“On the occasion of the funeral mass for Miss Élise Bisschop, 38, a priest who had known her for a long time quoted letters written by her.”
A film with the reading of Elise's texts is made.
We suggest that he write an article on Élise; it appears at the end of July.
He arrives a few days later. He brings the best photo of Elise. The cover of the new edition of the collection is changed.
“I went with my godmother to the church to prepare the church for the Sunday morning mass, made by Father André Générat, priest of Mailly.”
“I discovered by chance on the internet the research you are doing on Elise Bisschop. She was a great friend of mother's; they corresponded a lot when she left Mailly after her marriage.”
Mgr. Hervé Giraud asks for a report “on what you have done.”
The bishop requests a second report, this time on “Elise’s reputation for holiness.”
Amazement, mixed with gratitude, is general.
Father Bochin had kept the medallion of the pilgrim of Elise as the only copy in the archives.
“You should now take Communion at each Mass, especially if you cannot have Mass every Sunday: there is so much strength there!”
“While telling me that she is happy now, that she is no longer in pain… It is nonetheless true that it is terribly hard! I'm so far from worthy of her !”
I entrust to your prayer (as I entrust you to her prayer!) Elise Bisschop, one of our patients of the 1962 Pilgrimage. Father Jourdain Bochin, dominican
“I would be so happy if my absence gave someone the idea to replace me. Maybe this is what was needed; basically, as long as I'm here, no one will show up.”