Meeting of the Council: Poitiers and Lourdes

SAINT LAURENT-SUR-SÈVRE, France - Tuesday, October 3, 2017 is a special day for us, members of the General Council of the Company of Mary (Montfort Missionaries). You know that we are holding a meeting of the Council in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre.

Now, in the morning, we are honored to welcome the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Poitiers, Father Jean-Paul Russeil. He is a former student of Saint Gabriel and even entered the Juvenat of Saint Gabriel as candidate to become a brother of Saint Gabriel. So he knows well Father de Montfort, Blessed Marie Louise and Father Gabriel Deshayes... he knows the Montfortian Family well. He came to convey to us the greetings of the Archbishop of Poitiers, Mgr. Pascal Jean Marcel Wintzer. According to Father Jean-Paul, Poitiers and the Montfortian Family are inseparable. It is therefore important to refresh what he calls the "montfortian memory" in Poitiers... Father Jean-Paul remained with us until lunch.

Then, in the afternoon, Mr. Jean-Louis POIRIER, President of the Montfortian Hospitality, invited us to take a snack and an aperitif with the members of the Board of Directors of the Montfortian Pilgrimage who, too, are having their meetings. On this occasion Fr. Luizinho was formally invited by Father Pierre Grosperrin, Director of the Montfortian Pilgrimage, to preside over the annual Montfortian Pilgrimage in Lourdes next year, which will take place from Sunday 22 to Saturday 28 April 2018. Then, Mr. Joseph POIRIER, General Delegate of the Montfortian Pilgrimage gave each of the Councilors the text of the prayer that contains the theme of the pilgrimage of next year: "all that He will tell you, do it!" Finally, Father Luizinho gave the words to encourage the members of the Montfortian Hospitality in their mission, especially with the sick, under the watchful gaze of Our Lady of Lourdes.