125 Years Since the Arrival of the Montfort Missionaries in Denmark
[FR]
ROSKILDE, Denmark - On May 4, 2026, the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the Montfort Missionaries in Denmark was celebrated in the parish of Roskilde during a three-day event in various places aimed at spreading Montfortian spirituality in this country. Here is a report from the diocese's website.
Some had already arrived in advance at the cemetery at the graves of the Montfort Missionaries and the Daughters of Wisdom, where a short devotion was held under the leadership of Fr. Stephen Holmes, and where the order's vicar general Fr. Marco Pasinato sprinkled the priests' graves and the graves of the sisters of superior of the Netherlands Fr. Charles Leta with holy water - 24 graves in total. All the crosses had been freshly painted by the two sons and one grandson of an ex-Montfortian. It is wonderful that the connection is maintained.
At the festive mass, the two members of the “Maison Montfort” stood around the altar, the two priests from Rome and Holland, as well as the current parish priests in Roskilde and on West Zealand.
Fr. Marco preached, and Ida Koefoed played the organ. That the beginning in Denmark was made by Montfortians from South Holland (Limburg), was evident from the fact that the prelude was the national anthem of Limburg, that Annelies van der Meer sang "Sterre der Zee", and that the postlude was the Dutch Montfortian folk song "Animés de l’amour".
That the future lies in God's hands was expressed through Montfort's "Prayer for Missionaries” for zealous missionary priests, which was prayed with fervor.
After the almost two-hour service, which ended with a message from the Montfortians in the Netherlands by Fr. Charles and from the Superior General of the Daughters of Wisdom in Paris, there was a distinguished reception in the parish hall, arranged by Niels Holbek and family, before the rosary was prayed over Zoom.
It was a lovely evening.
Fr. Stephen HOLMES, smm associate
0
reviews
Your opinion is important to us and helps us improve our service.