5th Edition of the "Marian Days with Montfort"
[FR] [Portuguese]
FATIMA, Portugal - “Hope is a deeply ingrained human characteristic in the culture of peoples: ‘While there is life, there is hope!’; ‘Hope is the last thing to die!’ However, hope limited to human reality is quite fragile and narrow.” With these words, Bishop Manuel PELINO, Bishop Emeritus of Santarém, opened the latest Marian Days with Montfort, organized by the Montfort Missionaries of Fatima, on the theme “Virgin Mary, Mother of Holy Hope,” which took place on the weekend of October 25 and 26, 2025. The gathering, organized under the direction of Fathers Carlos VIEIRA, Luís OLIVEIRA, and Luís FERREIRA, was held at the House of the Conceptionist Sisters of Fatima.
Over these two days, approximately 225 participants were able to deepen their understanding of the Marian spirituality of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort and pray in groups. As is their custom, the organizers sought to create an atmosphere of closeness between words and actions. In addition to the speakers' reflections, the Eucharist was presided over on Saturday by Bishop Manuel PELINO and on Sunday by the Patriarch of Lisbon, Bishop Rui VALERIO, SMM. Also on Saturday, a time of Marian prayer was offered by the Fatias Douradas choir. After dinner, the Rosary was recited in the Chapel of the Apparitions.
The first reflection, led by the Bishop Emeritus of Santarém, focused on the theme "Hope Does Not Deceive." The second reflection was given by Father Ricardo FIGUEIREDO of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, who drew upon de Montfort's motto, "With Mary, in Mary, through Mary, and for Mary," to explain how to bear witness to hope today by imitating the Virgin Mary.
As is tradition, we had a time of sharing, a roundtable discussion of testimonies on the fruits of Montfortian consecration. This year, we welcomed Fátima, a doctor originally from Cape Verde who has lived in Portugal for many years. In addition to her consecration, she shared the story of her pilgrimage with the Montfort Missionaries to the places where Father de Montfort lived. João, from "Fatima Pastries," and his wife Elvina, originally from Crimea, also shared their Montfortian Marian experience.
The third reflection was given by Sister Filipa PEREIRA ASM: "Hope in the Message of Fatima." On Sunday, the Patriarch of Lisbon, Archbishop Rui VALERIO, delivered the fourth meditation: “Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort: Apostle of Hope.” In conclusion, the Patriarch addressed the participants: “Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, through his life and work, invites us to be men and women of bold hope.” After two days of sharing, the conference concluded with the renewal of the Montfortian consecration of all participants. At the closing ceremony, Father Carlos VIEIRA, SMM, Superior of the Delegation of the Montfort Missionaries in Portugal, expressed his sincere gratitude to the confreres who contributed to the organization, the speakers, the Fatias Douradas Choir, and all the participants, as well as to the sisters who hosted the conference.
Paulo VICTORIA
Ex-Montfort seminarian
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