25 July - Notre-Dame du Saguenay

[Weedy]

25 July - Notre-Dame du Saguenay / Our Lady of Lac Bouchet, Quebec
(1920)
The Saguenay Fjord is an ancient glacial valley that has been overrun
with sea water. In the year 1828 a surveyor, Joseph Bouchette,
ventured into the region for the purpose of collecting data for
topographical maps. It was during this expedition that he found a
suitable site for a future village, which Pascal Dumais and his family
later settled. This marked the founding of the village of
Lac-Bouchette, with more and more people coming to settle in the area
until the village had 300 inhabitants by 1888.

Our story actually begins with a man named Charles Napoleon
Robitaille, a salesman who travelled the roads in and around Quebec.
During the winters he would have to cross frozen rivers and it was in
the winter of 1878 while trying to cross the Saguenay River that the
ice broke under the weight of his horse and sleigh. Pulled beneath the
surface of the icy waters, Charles was alone and completely helpless.
Knowing he was dying, he implored the Blessed Virgin Mary to save him.

Charles miraculously survived, and managed to escape from the river
with his life. He knew the Virgin had assisted him and so to honour
Mary and her recent apparition at Lourdes, he asked Louis Jobin to
create a huge Statue of the Blessed Virgin sculpted in the image of
Our Lady of Lourdes, the Immaculate Conception. He envisioned the
Statue in the heights overlooking the mouth of the river. The Statue
Jobin sculpted became known as Notre-Dame du Saguenay.

The finished Statue is an impressive more than 10,5 metres high and
weighs 3 tons. Sculpted of solid white pine, it was then sheathed in
lead to protect it from the harsh weather. Hauling such a huge Statue
into place was a difficult task in the late 19th century. After being
constructed, it was broken down into 14 separate pieces and then
hoisted into place and rebuilt. The Statue made Louis Jobin the most
famous sculptor of the time,and it has become a regional landmark,
with visitors from all over the world assembling at her feet to sing
the Ave Maria.

In 1889 the mission Church of Saint Thomas Aquinas was built and the
next year Father Joseph Ironwood became the first Priest there. A
second Church was soon built, in 1898, as the population increased
dramatically. Now, on the north shore of Lake Bouchet, in the Province
of Quebec, there stand the buildings of a Friary and the Sanctuary of
Our Lady of the Saguenay.

In 1920, Father Elzear Delamarre built a house and a private Chapel
dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua on the site, which later became
known as the hermitage of Saint Anthony and is one of the national
Shrines in Quebec. So began the pilgrimage-shrine that has since grown
steadily in popularity.

After Father de Lamarre’s death in 1925, the Capuchin Franciscans took
over the property, built their house and Church there and minister to
the thousands of pilgrims who visit the Blessed Mother at her
Sanctuary.

https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/25/


Saint Quote:
On behalf of Christ crucified I tell you: refuse to believe the
counsels of the devil, who would hinder your holy and good resolution.
Be manly in my sight, and not timorous. Answer God, who calls you to
hold and possess the seat of the glorious Shepherd St. Peter, whose
vicar you have been. And raise the standard of the holy Cross.
--Saint Catherine of Siena to Pope Gregory XI

Bible Quote
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
charity, if any society of the spirit, if any bowels of commiseration:
2. Fulfil ye my joy, that you may be of one mind, having the same
charity, being of one accord, agreeing in sentiment. 3. Let nothing be
done through contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let
each esteem others better than themselves: 4. Each one not considering
the things that are his own, but those that are other men's. 5. For
let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:(Philippians 2:1-5) DRB


Allowing God's word to take root in our heart

God's word can only take root in a receptive heart which is docile and
ready to hear what God has to say. One lesson is clear: the harvest is
sure. While some seed will fall by the wayside and some fall on
shallow ground and never come to maturity, and some be choked to death
by the thorns; nonetheless a harvest will come. The seed that falls on
good soil, on the heart that is receptive, will reap abundant fruit.
Are you teachable and eager to learn God's truth? And do you allow
anything to keep you from submitting to God's word with joy and
trusting obedience?
[Matthew 13:18-23]

Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, help me to guard the word you have planted in my heart
that no doubt or temptation may keep me from believing and obeying
you. May I be fruitful in your service and may I never fear to speak
of you to others and to share with them the good news of the gospel."