Françoise and her husband come every year to Montligeon to pray for the deceased. Françoise is a mom who has lost her son, and for her, the deceased are still alive and should not be forgotten.
We cannot forsake our loved-ones and we think fondly of them every day. They are still alive. In today’s society, a number of people consider that there is nothing beyond death but that’s not true at all. They are not “gone”. The links are not severed. We are in communion with them daily, and they are a source of help for us.
Let’s not forget the deceased
For a long time we’ve been living next to a small cemetery. On one of the pillars of the gate, we could read: “We were once like you” and on the other “You will be like us”. Which means that we must not forget them.
Are your deceased a source of help for you?
They are indeed. Sometimes they give me a little sign during my day. For instance, when some day I feel down, I pray them and, almost instantly, I feel better. I do believe in a communion between the living and the dead.
I have lost a child. I could very well have collapsed, just like that other bereaved mom I know. Since her son’s death, she gave up looking after her other children. Far from that, my husband and I carry on living in the peace of Christ in order to bring joy to our children. We continue to pray to receive strength. Indeed, we believe that nothing has come to an end and that our child is still with us.
“You’re never done with the mourning process”
Françoise, November 2023.
What advice would you give to someone who has lost a child?
Most of all, don’t cut off your links with them, continue to talk to them as if they were around and always be next to them. Personally, I found support in prayer. Otherwise I would not have coped. But one should not say that one is done with the process of mourning. You never really come to an end with it because our departed loved-ones are still with us. They help us and we help them to ascend into the blissful light of Christ.
Why come to Montligeon on Nov.2, the day of prayer for the dead?
All Saints Day is a day of joy, a celebration for everyone. November 2 is specifically for the deceased that should not be forgotten. It is a day just for them, when we pray for their souls so that they rest in peace. They need our prayers. We must not forsake those we used to know.
Today in Montligeon we are going to attend Mass, go to confession and celebrate this day with our deceased. It can be helpful to them, just like alms, prayers and offerings. One example: offering something you feel like having but which you choose to forgo, or doing something you do not like. All this helps the deceased to get closer to the light.
Coming here in November is essential for us because there is no other shrine like this in the world. Here we feel closer to all our deceased as well as to our brothers and sisters who are here too today and who suffer.
