“Montligeon represents many things,” confided Bsp Stanislas Lalanne, then Bishop Emeritus of Pontoise. Every two years, he and his diocese came to Montligeon for a pastoral retreat. Over a hundred lay people, priests and clerics took part in these intense days.
The retreats were not simple spiritual pauses, but a time when everyone had important pastoral responsibilities. “We have always been extremely well received, and it was a joy to come and spend four or five days here. In this sanctuary, supported by the prayers of priests and nuns, everyone found a solid place to nourish their spiritual life. Montligeon thus becomes a unique space where silence, prayer and Christian fellowship come together.
Praying with those who came before us in faith
At Montligeon, All Saints Day and the Day of the Dead take on a special dimension. “On that celebration, we pray with all those who have come before us in faith, all those who are already with the Lord. According to Mgr Lalanne, this prayer expresses a profound communion with the whole Body of Christ. The Church is not limited to the faithful of assemblies visible in churches. It also includes the saints and the dead, Being already near the Lord, they are before us, they show us the way and intercede for us. Praying for those who are near the Lord widens our perspective: it is a recognition that the life of the Church transcends time and space, and that the Christian family extends into eternity.
A universal Church experience at Montligeon
The bishop underlines the link between Montligeon and the experience he had in Rome: “I’ve just come back from Rome, I was with the Pope yesterday. The experience of the universal Church that we have in Rome, we also have it here, I find.” In presiding over the Mass, he rediscovered this impression of unity in diversity.
The faithful came from different regions, with different histories and sensitivities. “There were young people, old people, different skin colors – so is the Church. We don’t choose each other although we are called to be brothers.” This multicolored assembly makes Catholicity visible: a diverse people united by the same faith.
The joy of celebrating All Saints’ Day together
The All Saints’ Day liturgy left a deep impression on Monsignor Lalanne. “The liturgy was very well prepared, and the texts from the Word of God are truly inspiring. It’s a true Church experience, where each member of the faithful shares in the common joy of celebrating. The gathering then becomes a living image of God’s people on the move, in all their sensitivities, enlivened by the same hope. This experience nourishes the desire to come back. “It is really the people of God who were there, with faith and the joy of celebrating. I really fell like coming back.”
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