The pilgrimages of Tradition
Canadian pilgrimage to Midland, Ontario
On Saturday September 25, vigil of the feast of the Canadian martyrs, around 300 faithful from all over Ontario, from Quebec and the states of New York came to Midland, Ontario, on the Georgian Bay, two hours drive north from Toronto, the location in 1649 of the Jesuit Fathers Mission, Sainte Marie des Hurons. It was in this region that in 1648, five of the eight Canadian Martyrs, Jean de Brébeuf, Gabriel Lalement, Charles Garnier, Antoine Daniel and Noel Chabanel were put to death by the Iroquois. Sts. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Lalande and René Goupils were martyred at Auriesville, today in the state of New York.
The 40 seminarians from Winona, under the direction of Frs. Le Roux and Doran, arrived on the Friday after a 19 hour bus journey.
Every year for more than ten years, we have celebrated the Mass at the place of martyrdom of Saints Jean de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalement. This year, the Jesuits having forbidden us, we had to hire the nearby protestant campsite.
The Solemn Mass was celebrated under a somewhat threatening sky, by Fr. Stephen Somerville, a friend of the Society, suspended by his bishop for the crime of having helped the priests of the Society in their aposolate.
The Mass was followed by a meal, after which the pilgrims walked about 5 kilometers to the sanctuary of the Martyrs. Despite threats by the Jesuits, we were able to venerate the Martyrs relics, after which the Creed was sung. The whole thing passed off peacefully, under the gaze of several Jesuits, amazed to see so many people and young families.
The seminarians were afterwards able to visit the reconstruction of Sainte Marie des Hurons, accompanied by Frs. Violette and Sulzen.
Lisieux: Pilgimage on October 9
Extract from a pilgrims notebook
10am The car park of the basilica of Lisieux resembled a beehive. Many vehicles were parking, whose passengers were bustling about: bags on backs, banners tucked under their arms, raincoats on their shoulders then we filled the bus which was to take us to Firfol, from where the walk was to start.
10:45am Statue of St. Thérèse at the head of the procession carried by four young men, the column of pilgrims moves off, while a canticle to Our Lady resounded in the hedges of the countryside. The walk through sunken lanes, under leafy corridors, bordering the vast meadows where the famous racing stallions snort, is sustained by the meditations on the Rosary, and an explanation of the spirituality of St. Thérèse.
12:30pm New pilgrims join us for the family picnic
1:30pm While the morning was dry, the rain started to fall the moment we set off again, and did not stop until we arrived at the basilica, as if to show us that the rain of roses (of graces) promised by St. Thérèse was definitely with us!
3pm Procession of the clergy enters the basilica, then the vaults echo with the pure sound of Gregorian chant sung by the Fra Angelico choir.
Msgr. Lagoutte, rector of the sanctuary, said a few words of welcome to the Traditional pilgrims,encouraging us to have a missionary spirit, as St. Thérèse showed us during her life and even now, through the voyage of her relics all over the world; he then assisted in the sanctuary, wearing the stole, at the Solemn Mass of St Pius V, receiving the kiss of peace from the sub-deacon.
Fr. de la Motte, the organizer of the pilgrimage, gave the sermon, in which he urged all the faithful to center their lives on the essential: the presence of God in our souls, which we must transmit by the practice of charity and recourse to the sacraments.
Two days later: The daily Ouest-France ran the headline: 2000 faithful at Traditionalist Mass. God grant that on Saturday October 8, 2005, we will be 3000, hoping to obtain through St. Thérèse, the special graces which God grants, through her intercession: The missionary impact through personal sanctity founded on the absolute confidence in our Father in Heaven.
Lourdes: Record crowd at 2004 pilgrimage
From our special envoy
On Saturday October 23, 2,500 faithful followed the great Way of the Cross at the opening of the pilgrimage, preached by the Capuchin Fr. Antoine. At the same time, 1,500 faithful were following the Way of the Cross for the sick, led by Fr. Fernandez. Then the Solemn Mass, celebrated by Fr. Pinaud, brought together 5,000 faithful. The torchlit procession which took place between 8:30 pm and 10 pm in the basilica of Saint Pius X was attended by more than 6,000 people.
On Sunday 24, 6,000 people assisted at the Solemn Mass, celebrated by Fr. de Cacqueray, District Superior of France, which was followed by the Rosary at the Grotto. The liturgical service and the singing were assured by the pupils of the schools Saint Michel from Chateauroux and Saint Joseph des Carmes, who were all present. Through the kindness of the authorities of the Sanctuary, two golden roses given by the popes were taken from the safe of the basilica and placed on the altar for this Mass. Likewise, the vestments worn by the ministers during the ceremony were those of Mgr. Laurence, Bernadettes bishop, used during the first solemn Mass celebrated in the Grotto.
In the afternoon around 7,000 people took part in the Eucharistic procession, in the streets of Lourdes. After the singing of Vespers, the blessing of the sick around 250 was the high point of this pilgrimage. Afterwards, the secretary general of the Sanctuaries spoke to our pilgrims. In spite of the rift which separates us, he spoke of his joy at receiving us at Lourdes, united in the same prayer, and he presented the Director of the pilgrimage with a piece of rock taken from the Grotto during the work carried out in 1958. And he warmly invited us to return next year. The night adoration from 8pm to 10:30pm was attended by more than 2,000 faithful. For this vigil, the large monstrance given by France in 1887, was loaned to us by the authorities of the Sanctuary.
On Monday 25, there were again 2,500 pilgrims assisting at the Solemn Mass celebrated by Fr. Sim, a Redemptorist, and the preacher was the Dominican Fr. Raymond. The pilgrimage drew to a close with the praying of the Rosary at the Grotto in driving rain!
Around fifty priests were present over the three days, as well as the following communities: the sisters of Rafflay, showing admirable devotion to the 150 sick people received at the Notre Dame House, the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X, the Capuchins of Morgon, the Benedictine monks of Bellaigue, the Redemptorists led by Fr. Sim, the Dominicans of Avrillé and the Fathers of the Transfiguration of Merigny.
Please note: the international pilgrimage to Fatima will take place from August 20 to 22, 2005, and not at the end of August as was announced previously.
