Texts by Ozanam

The "I" is truly importunate and hateful, that selfish solitude does not suit the needs of my character; I need the moral accompaniment of the family, the feeling of the "We." You are good and charitable in allowing it, and I will take you for your word. From now on...

All Catholic countries have placed charity in the law, but what has saved them is that they have not extinguished it in their hearts. The ordinances of the kings of France would never have relieved the provinces of the misery that followed the wars of Louis XIII if...

We are useless servants: such is the testimony that must give those who unite to serve God and men. [...] Not to show ourselves, but let us to be seen: such could be our formula and is, more or less, among the maxims of a great apostle of charity, Saint Francis de...

Our century has forgotten to such an extent the Christian language of our parents that it is difficult to speak without involuntarily flattering the passions of bad citizens, and without hurting the timidity of honest people. When we are moved by the advances of...

Citizens of every condition, You, to whom the rigor of the times has taken away you the superfluous, you, who lack what is necessary, can do more than others, because of the evils you know. All who have the experience of public charity know that no one succours the...

Representatives of the people, Do not plead want of money. If the ordinary resources should come to fail you, if there should be nothing more to hope for from credit and reserve funds, hope everything still from the generosity of France. Openly announce the measures...

Representatives of the people, Do not say that you lack time. Under the shootings of the insurrection, the National Assembly asked the night for the hours denied by the day. I saw you on all the barricades, haranguing the factious, encouraging the defenders of order,...

Representatives of the people, Do not say that you lack inspiration. [...] We do not ignore the obstacles or the rivalries, nor the imperfections that stop each project and that perpetuate the debates. But we have never seen that great powers were instituted by easy...

Representatives of the people, We respect the magnitude and the difficulty of your task. We are not those who, by the temerity of their accusations, have the misfortune to weaken the last power capable of saving society. You continue, with just slowness, your work, by...