Friday, 19 February 2010

Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2010: Rural France: The first Mass in our village Church for 17 years.

Saint Bernadette's day in France

We were given very little warning, just under two hours to be exact, although a notice had been put in the village shop window in the morning (in amongst all the Lotto adverts), which we had missed. Fortunately our attention was drawn to it in the late afternoon and we were able to go.

A new priest has been assigned to our Canton and will have the care of 24 paishes, including ours! What an assignment! He is very young and I think may be a Dominican on loan to the Diocese. Please pray for him. His name is Fr Florian Marchand. In spite of the large number of parishes, he told us after Mass that he is determined to get to them all on a regular rota, so our next Mass will be sometime round about Easter. When you have lived in a village for all this time and had thought that Mass would never be celebrated here again, his assurance was music to the ears. I wished him a happy Year of the Priest and his eyes lit up. We are still walking on the air of joy and thanksgiving. What a wonderful gift from Our Lord, His Blessed Mother and Saint Bernadette with which to begin Lent.



More details as time allows.

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful news, Jane, but it is so upsetting to hear the number of Parishes makes for such a big rota (and such a long gap)...

    still, bright young things can achieve miracles! :D

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  2. Yes Mark, I know, but better a long gap which you know will end, than the seemingly interminable one which we have endured for so long. You can be sure of one thing. Our young Cure will be supported by the fervent prayers of everyone who attends his Mass in those 24 parishes and also by their hospitality and whatever practical help they can give, particularly in the far flung and isolated ones like ours.

    God bless,
    J

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  3. "Please pray for him."

    I am praying for him and for your community.

    God bless.

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