Province of Spain – Conference on the occasion of the feast of St. Louis Mª de Montfort

On the occasion of the feast of St Louis Marie de Montfort, which was to take place on Sunday 28 April, at the Provincial Curia, members of the Grignion de Montfort Society in Barcelone and the veteran associates of the Gabrielite Shared Mission gathered on Saturday 27 April, to celebrate this important day for the whole Montfortian Gabrielite family. 

First of all, we enjoyed a conference given by Brother Alejandro Martínez entitled Mary in the life of Montfort Father. Brother Alejandro showed us the natural love of Saint Louis, from his earliest childhood, towards the one he considered his true Mother. He bore witness to this love towards Mary throughout his life as a student in Rennes and at the seminary of Saint Sulpice; in his visits to Chartres Cathedral, to Notre-Dame de Loreto and Notre-Dame des Ardilliers; in his missionary activity with the restoration of churches, dedicated to the Virgin, statues or figures made by himself, such as in La Seguinière, with Our Lady of All Patience, Our Lady of Wisdom, in the hermitage of Saint Lazarus or Our Lady of the Route whom he always carried with him.

There was also a beautiful reference in honour of Our Lady of Montserrat whose celebration coincided with the day of the meeting.  The exhibition delighted all those present.

After the Eucharist officiated by Brother José Mª Vicario, we all gathered and talked animatedly at the supper offered by the Brothers of St. Gabriel in the dining room of St. Gabriel School, in Barcelona.

May Our Lady be for all of us, as Montfort Father said, the shortest, perfect and surest way to Jesus.