On Easter Monday, the Montfort Hospitallers and pilgrims were on their way to the shrine of Lourdes. Silence gradually fell over our group on the bus. It was around 10 a.m. when a shocking message circulated: Pope Francis had died. A wave of emotion swept through us. Very quickly, the words of Laudato Si, published 10 years ago, resonated in our hearts. This encyclical, a landmark teaching of his pontificate, came back to us as a renewed call to bring this momentum for integral ecology to life.
It is precisely this spirit that has been driving the Laudato Si Center at Calvary since 2021, which was created to open this spiritual place to the world and reach out to people on the margins of the Church.
A missionary intuition that has become a concrete reality through three founding principles
– in conjunction with the Village Saint Joseph, a shelter and community center for people in need, we accompany the most vulnerable
– and, with the association Mère de Miséricorde, families bereaved by the loss of a child in utero, through the Chemin de Consolation (Path of Consolation), a spiritual journey with the opportunity to gather around a plaque bearing the first name of their child, created by the Village Saint Joseph.
– Highlights include the annual meeting with the association Eau Vive, for people suffering from alcoholism, and the welcoming of the Travellers.
All this gives a concrete face to fraternity.
– by preserving the biodiversity of the site, with the help of various partners including the Brière Regional Nature Park
– by raising awareness of climate issues through various training courses: Fresque du Climat, “The Week” evenings.
– And new projects will soon see the light of day: a spiritual labyrinth, an arboretum, an open-air theater…
– ‘People on the Move’ by Anne and Astrid Mandeville
– ‘The Path of God’s Tenderness Through the History of the Bible’ by Riccardo Scotti.
– In addition, there are frescoes based on the Bible or the life of Father de Montfort, which are regularly restored, as well as musical performances by the Voix de Montfort, a group of 17 singers and musicians led by Father W. Selman, who perform reharmonized excerpts from Father de Montfort’s hymns. and soon a “path of light” will be added as an extension of the Way of the Cross, with a view to nourishing the spiritual dimension of the place.
A growing mission
Our bishop of Nantes, Mgr Laurent Percerou, wanted to make the Calvary a shining center of evangelization. This project is being carried out jointly by the diocese and the Montfortian family. But this project would not be possible without the commitment of more than 100 volunteers who count on the presence of Montfortian religious men and women to remain faithful to the intentions of our founders: Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, Blessed Marie-Louise Trichet, and Father Gabriel Deshayes. Together, let us continue this dynamic of Laudato Si, in the service of beauty, justice, and peace. Together, let us contribute to reconciling the four bonds proposed by Pope Francis: the bond with ourselves, with others, with our common home, and with God.
“Let us walk singing that our troubles and struggles for this planet do not take away the joy of hope.” Pope Francis.
Olivier Renaud – For the Laudato Si Group of the Pontchâteau Calvary Shining Center
