Marianist Pilgrimage

We began our Marianist pilgrimage on Tuesday, November 7th when we left Rome for Bordeaux, France. We flew to Lyon, then to Bordeaux where we were met by Fr. Robert Witwicki who resides at the Madelenine in Bordeaux. The five of us were greeted by the community and met Fr. Bernard Vial who introduced the members of the Madeleine community. They treated us to a great French meal after a presentation by several members of the community. We introduced ourselves and our background along with our ministries. After the meal Fr. Witwicki showed us around the city of Bordeaux where Fr. Chaminade first resided when he came to Bordeaux in 1801. In 1804 Archbishop d'Aviau made the Madeleine available to Fr. Chaminade. Fr. Chaminade used only the chapel for the meetings and gatherings of the Sodality. However, in 1809 the Sodality was suppressed by Napoleon as a result of his excommunication by the Church. The return of the Bourbon Monarchy in 1814 permitted a new development. Fr. Chaminade was able to rent the building which gave him two more rooms on the ground flooer, the chapel of the sisters, and upstairs where a large room which still exists today. The apostolate of the Sodality was reactivated and thrived in the city especially the State from which came the Society of Mary in 1817. We visited the Basilica of Saninte Eulalie, which was the parish closest to the Madeleine, the Cathedral of Bordeaux and surrounding areas of the Madeleine. Later that evening we celebrated Eucharist in Fr. Chaminade's room; it was a blessing to be there and to give thanks for the gift of Chaminade to the Church. We visited the tomb of Fr. Chaminade at the La Chartreuse Cemetery in Bordeaux. Fr. Chaminade was beatified in Rome on September 3, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.