In the years immediately following ecclesiastical approval, Fr. Debrabant worked tirelessly to obtain legal recognition in France as well, particularly regarding the work with schools. Fr. Debrabant was convinced
"that we would not encounter any difficulty since we could meet all the requirements laid down by the law of 1825. All the documents were assembled and sent to Paris to the Ministry of Public Instruction and Culture."
Yet their request was deferred for three years, until 1845. Investigating more deeply, he discovered the reason for these delays — though he chose to keep it silent:
"Then we undid the Gordian knot, that is to say, we discovered the hidden enmity which accompanied our petition to the Ministry, and which charity does not allow us to disclose."
Having recognized the force of opposition against their request, and also on the advice of the Archbishop of Paris, the founder of the Holy Union decided to wait for a more favorable moment. It was only after the revolution of 1848 that Fr. Debrabant renewed the petition for legal recognition to the new Government. He himself writes:
"Our documents were re-examined even more carefully on account of the previous difficulties. Nevertheless, everything was found to be authentic and in order, and La Sainte Union des Sacrés Coeurs (The Holy Union of the Sacred Hearts) was approved as a Congregation having a Superior General, with all the privileges accorded by law. Later, an effort was made to resurrect old enmities by spreading falsehood and calumny. Silence was our only answer — silence, patience and prayer, and La Sainte Union des Sacrés Coeurs continued to develop in the number and importance of its houses."
Yet difficulties continued, with challenges raised regarding the authenticity of the Congregation's origins. In the end, however, the testimonies of contemporaries helped overcome this obstacle, and the Holy Union continued to flourish:
"Confronted with this proof, the veracity of which was confirmed by several testimonies, the weapon of opposition was broken. Hatred was confounded and destroyed. The Congregation of La Sainte Union des Sacrés Coeurs enjoyed a very great prosperity, in France, as well as in England and Belgium”.
“The number of houses already exceeds two hundred. There were 1,000 Sisters, and more than 40,000 pupils, including the numbers who attend Sunday school. Considering the number of new pupils who have been coming each year for half a century since the foundation of the first house, we should count them by tens of thousands. In such a way God draws good from evil. May He be a hundred times blessed and glorified."
Excerpt from a circular letter by Fr. Debrabant, 1876
In such a way God draws good from evil. May He be a hundred times blessed and glorified.