FRANCE: The Montfortian Month in France

All is grace! A major event for us Montfortian Novices was the preparation for our consecration to Jesus through the hands of the Blessed Virgin: this is the very heart of Montfortian spirituality.
• We, the 15 novices in 2 international novitiates in France, have had a deeper experience of this preparation during the Montfortian Month from 22 July to 22 August 2013 in Pontchâteau, a site of Montfortian pilgrimage.
For us this was a way to be open to the freshness of Montfortian spirituality. The first aim of this month was to reach the fullness of the age of Christ. According to the teaching of Father de Montfort, this means the acquisition of ETERNAL AND INCARNATE WISDOM. This Montfortian Month was divided into two parts because of the Montfortian Walk, which was a part of it.
• The first part of this month was guided by Father Olivier MAIRE, on the theme: emptying oneself of the spirit of the world. Truly, to empty oneself of the spirit of the world, one has first to know oneself.
• After the first part. we took part in the Montfortian Walk with the aim of obtaining good missionaries and ETERNAL AND INCARNATE WISDOM through the hands of Mary.
• The second part was guided by Father Georges MADORE, on the knowledge of Jesus and the knowledge of Mary. For us who have manifested a desire to follow Christ, it was in an atmosphere of prayer that we experienced this Montfortian month, while emptying ourselves of the spirit of the world through the mortification of our senses.
This month finished with a celebration of our consecration to Jesus through the hands of Mary. Now, at the end of our novitiate, we who experienced this event are ready to continue to spread this spirituality wherever we are.

-Velines VITAL, a novice from Haiti


    

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