April 2008
My dear faithful,
This
year, the city of Quebec celebrates the 400th anniversary
of its foundation, an anniversary which is obviously important
for every Canadian but especially for us Catholics, because
it’s not just a matter of the celebration of a purely
human event, but above all of the implantation of Catholicism
in North America, of the very beginning of the Catholic
Church in Canada. In fact, on July 7th, 1534, a priest accompanying
the explorer Jacques Cartier, celebrated the very first
Mass in these lands of the New World. The village of Quebec
was founded a few decades after, in 1608, by Samuel de Champlain.
It was coming from Quebec that the first missionaries adventured
into the immense lands of Canada and offered their lives,
even to martyrdom, so that the reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ
would extend through these new territories and in the hearts
of these recently discovered populations.
When
in 1658, Mgr. François de Laval was named Apostolic
Vicar to Canada – he who would later become the first
bishop of North America – he was responsible for a
territory that covered more than the present-day Canada
and United States combined. In the course of the following
centuries, the missions extended through all the territory
and dioceses were founded one after the other.
This
is therefore for us the anniversary of the arrival of the
Faith in North America. An event of capital importance when
one considers that it is the reason for which all men are
created: We have been created to know God, to love Him,
to serve Him. No-one can escape this purpose of creation
and all human events have no importance unless seen in this
light.
The
Holy Family School in Levis is organizing, on June 24th,
2008, the feast of Saint John the Baptist, a day of commemoration.
We certainly invite all those who are able to join them
on this beautiful day, and particularly for the Holy Mass.
We thus give testimony of our gratitude towards these first
missionaries, the first martyrs of the New World.
The
new school of Wilmot, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, will open
its doors this coming September. We now have the permit
of renovation for the living quarters of the priests and
the sisters and the works should begin shortly. We allow
ourselves to make an appeal one time again to your generosity
to help us to carry out this project. For any information
concerning the opening of the school, do not hesitate to
contact “Saint Michael’s Priory”.
In
thanking you for your aid and your support, I ask you to
be assured of my prayers and to receive by blessing.
Fr.
Arnaud Rostand
District Superior of Canada
