Christelle’s son, Quentin, killed himself aged 21. Christelle discovered Montligeon three years ago and came back in November 2023 to entrust her son to its care. She told us her story and how she came to accept the unacceptable.
When Quentin died, the earth stopped turning. I was completely devastated. At that time, I was alien to faith but I was working in a religious setting. So when he died, I asked the priests to pray for me. Which they did and this brought me back to Mary.
At my working place, there was a statue of the Blessed Mother. I stopped before her to gaze at her, but I did not know the prayer Hail Mary. So I went to a priest and I said: “Please, quick, give me the prayer Hail Mary!”
Every morning, before hiring people, I would say that prayer and I realized that it brought me peace. Then I decided to go to Mass at the basilica of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre and I was mesmerized by the choir. I found it very beautiful. So I asked the choir members if I could join them. That was an opportunity to meet people.
At that time I enrolled in a parish team in charge of the liturgy. I went to Lourdes to help with the sick. Then I discovered St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort’s treaty about the devotion to Mary and did my consecration to Jesus by the hands of Mary. This is what allowed me to accept the unacceptable.
How can we accept the unacceptable?
For a mom, the suffering is like loosing your guts – I don’t know how I could explain. Some people will tell you they understand. However, you cannot understand unless you have experienced the same thing. You have to let the Lord guide you and really be with him. He will give you peace and help you go through this painful time. You must trust him and surrender to Jesus because he helps you.
I think that Quentin brought me to Jesus, because I was completely outside religious practice. Today, I coach families in mourning and support them. I can help them since I suffered the same thing. There is nothing to say, all you need to do is listen and make them feel that you are close to them through eye contact and compassionate gestures.
My advice is to pray and come to Montligeon, where you will be well looked after and helped. You can register your loved ones as well as yourself with the Montligeon Fraternity.
Montligeon, a place of communion with my son
I discovered Montligeon through someone in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre. I came here and realized that I was really in communion with my son and with my dad who had died. l felt my stays in Montligeon were really bringing me a lot of support. Back home, I felt the good it did to me and how it helped me. I have now been coming here for three years.
Yesterday at the prayer vigil, I was very moved to see that the sisters were reciting a decade of the Rosary for the people who committed suicide. As far as I can see, things are changing in the Church and indeed, praying for them is important because there are increasing.
A prayer group for the deceased
Last year, something extraordinary happened. I discovered that you could create a prayer group for our local deceased l. I mentioned this to the priest in charge of my parish. He gave me his agreement and I set up a group to pray for the deceased in the parish.
