In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort
"Footsteps Online"
Christmas 1997 (Volume 3, Issue 1)
Give Thanks!
This year has once again been a memorable one for the followers of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, as we have taken the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his canonisation to recall what it is he offers to us and to the Church as a whole. July 20th was the date; but there have been celebrations of one sort or another throughout the year, and they will continue until July 19th next year, when this extraordinary Montfortian Year will be brought to a close at Pontchâteau. Let us recall a few of these celebrations.
The year began with a celebration at Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre,
where St. Louis Marie died and is buried. As well as a solemn
Mass celebrated on July 20th by Mgr. François
Garnier, the Bishop of the diocese of Luçon, and about
120 other priests and a large crowd of about 5000 people, there
was a sacred concert given on July 18th by the Organ
School of the Vendée, a forum of witness and encouragement
for the three Montfortian Congregations, and a musical presentation
of the life of the Saint by the students of the two schools in
Saint-Laurent. This was the official opening of the Montfortian
Year, but it had been anticipated in various Provinces beforehand.
Here in our Province of Great Britain and Ireland, for example,
as many of you will recall (and as reported in the last issue
of "Footsteps"), we gathered at Walsingham, the National
Shrine of Our Lady, on Saturday June 7th, for a pilgrimage
with many of our friends. In Holland, the members of the three
Congregations from Germany and Belgium as well as Holland itself,
gathered together with Fr. William Considine, our Superior General,
to celebrate at Oirschot. Pilgrimages were also organised to Banneux
and to Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre. In Canada, six Montfortian
Retreats were given between 27th April and 11th
July to prepare for the year.
As the year began, so it continued. In this issue of "Footsteps", we share with you some of the extraordinary moments of the year, and some of the conclusions that have already been drawn, as well, perhaps, as some of those that we might try to draw from our continuing reflection on the heritage handed on to us by St. Louis Marie. In his letter to us for this year, Pope John Paul encourages us: "make this treasure bear fruit; it must not remain hidden." Let us pray for one another in this mission given to us.
