MARILLAIS, France - A good start for the (pastoral) year that has just begun! The four international Montfortian communities of France met at Marillais, where, in 430, Our Lady appeared to the bishop Saint Maurille and who wanted the feast of her birth to be established and celebrated. There, these “true children of Mary” (PM 11) gathered together on October 30, 2023, to receive and reflect on the Acts of the 38th General Chapter. Thus, the place is more than symbolic.
MONTFORT-SUR-MEU, France - The influence of the spirituality of Father de Montfort and that of the Montfort missionaries in Montfort-sur-Meu experienced its golden age during the long years of presence of the novices at the birthplace. All of a sudden, Covid forced their departure. The birthplace tried to maintain its activities and continued to be a place of presence, visit and prayer. All of these are in perfect harmony with the life of the Saint Louis-Marie Parish in Brocéliande...
BRITTANY, France - A statue of Montfort was recently installed in the Vallée des Saints Bretons. The Valley of Saints is a large hill in Carnoët, in the heart of Brittany, where, inspired by Easter Island, a site has been created where statues of saints, sculpted by artists from around the world, have been installed. The initiators of paying homage to the saints of Brittany and the popular devotion which accompanies them, decided to raise 1000 monumental statues, between 3 and 4 meters high, in blocks of Breton granite in a project started a few years ago and which will continue in the years to come...
SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-SEVRE, France – Since January 2023, Fr. Olivier Nantenaina RAMAHENINTSOA, SMM is sent to France as a missionary. Like other confreres before him, he signed an agreement for international collaboration between entities under the mediation of the General Administration, which supports the project to relaunch the Montfortian mission in France. On June 25, Fr. Olivier was appointed as the secretary of the Vice-Province of France and a collaborator of the parish in Saint Laurent-sur-Sèvre. Here is a self-introduction of the confrere...
FRANCE, ND du Chêne - "This is my Body, this is my Blood..." "Each time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you announce the death of the Lord, until he comes" (1Co 11:26). With these words, Saint Paul reminds the Christians of Corinth that the "Lord's Supper" is not only a convivial meeting, but also - and above all - the memorial of the ransom sacrifice of Christ. Redemptive sacrifice for love...
TOLEDO, Spain - Last Wednesday, April 26, at the San Ildefonso Major Seminary of the Archdiocese of Toledo, Spain, the official presentation of the relics of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort took place for the public veneration of the seminarians of this community in their period of formation to the priesthood...
PONCHÂTEAU, France – Monday, May 1, 2023 has been chosen by the Ecclesiastical Province of Western France as a day of prayer for vocations. The choice of the place of the nine bishops for this historical event fell on the Calvary of Pontchâteau. In a superb day of grace, 3,500 faithful have arrived since in the morning with their bishops and priests. In the Hall of the Temple, the dioceses had set up their stands as well as the Montfortian Family, to present the variety and the beauty of the different vocations...
LOURDES, France - From April 16 to 22, 2023 the Montfortian Hospitality of France celebrated its 74th Pilgrimage to Lourdes. This year's theme was inspired by the instruction of the Virgin Mary to the priests of the Parish of Lourdes through the voice of Bernadette: "Let us build a chapel here".