So much goes on at the shrine of Montligeon! It offers a wide range of spiritual activities based on 7 main topics. Scheduled in various setups, they are distributed over 50 dates throughout the year, with at least two events per month. For more information, check below.
(Although presently the shrine activities are solely carried out in French language, English-speaking constituted groups are most welcome: we can help organize your retreat, and provide a full presentation of the shrine and and of the spiritual Fraternity of Our Lady of Montligeon. Bilingual speakers. Do not hesitate to email us for further information: reception@montligeon.org
Bereavement support
Eternal life and faith-related topics
The core vocation of the shrine of Montligeon is to offer support to bereaved people. Consequently two types of sessions are featured:
- The mourning breaks:
on a 2 days & 2 nights basis, these short retreats offer special tuition on the various bereavement phases, counselling intervals and present easily accessible guidelines to help handle grief.
- The rising sun sessions:
carried out over 5 days, these sessions aim at people affected with bereavement for at least a period of nine months.
Tuition sessions and conferences on the Roman Catholic faith, during weekends or longer periods. The tutoring covers general topics as well but mainly focus on death and aft-life related issues, Christian eschatology and eternal life.
Significant short retreats
Work related halts:
To feel fulfilled at work is a true issue. The shrine of Montligeon endeavours to offer a space for reflection to people needing to step back from their overbooked agendas, or to people experiencing work-related distress…
Dedicated to mothers:
Mothers’ 24-hour Breaks (2 days,1 night) … offer mothers rest and reflections
For students:
Revisions and exams preparations
For professionals:
Weekends to take stock of one’s professional life
Family targeted activities
The shrine offers several activities devoted to families:
- Family respite sessions, especially in the Summer time
- Various week-end sessions for married couples, or for people undergoing separation, for grand-parents, etc.
- 24-hour Breaks specifically devoted to dads, or mums (see above)
Plus, once a year, the special “Mothers’ Pilgrimage” or the “Fathers’ Pilgrimage” allow mothers and fathers to experience peer support and valuable sharing of experiencing, during the spiritually facilitated and adapted hikes from the shrine, and back to be re-united with their respective families at Sunday Mass.
Pilgrimages and liturgical agenda
Pilgrimages at the shrine celebrate the festivals of the Roman Catholic Church liturgical year. In addition, the shrine offers Eucharists for special intentions, such as for deceased mothers (observed on Mothers’ Day), deceased farmers (1st Sunday of September), deceased bikers and, throughout November, “Heavens Pilgrimages”.
In addition, every year, the shrine offers retreats to prepare for the major liturgical solemnities (Easter and Christmas).
Culture
The shrine supports the major regional or national cultural events so as to enable public at large to come and discover the unique religious art legacy at the Basilica. So many exquisite pieces! Take a look around and appreciate the works of art gathered under one roof! Glass-stained windows, mosaic pavement, sculptures, statues and furniture are bound to get you in rapture.
Retreats, pilgrimages, or spiritual vacations
The shrine is open 365 days a year, receiving people seeking to partake in a pilgrimage, a retreat or enjoy a spiritual family vacation.
Pilgrims and visitors are most accommodated at the shrine, in a quiet environment, surrounded by the bucolic hills and forests of the Perche Region. In the vicinity, many leisure activities and places of interest are on avail: religious-related tourism trails such as Alençon (birthplace of the Little Flower, where she was christened and raised until the family’s removal to Lisieux, the shrine of Lisieux, WWII beaches, the Trappist Abbey of Soligny, etc.). Special trails for hikers, bicycle and horseback riders…
For small groups or families seeking autonomy, the shrine also provides self-catering cottages throughout the village whilst still benefitting from a full access to liturgy and spiritual activities on offer at the shrine.
Constituted groups are most welcome. They can benefit from the shrine comprehensive services and infrastructure; whilst following their own programmes, and prayer schedule.
You will find full catering facilities on the premises, within the main building beside the Basilica.
Praying, counselling, comforting
From Lauds (morning prayers) till Vespers (evening prayers), you are most welcome to join in the various prayers and celebrations taking place daily at the shrine, facilitated by the chaplains, assisted by nuns de la Nouvelle Alliance (of the New Covenant). Morning prayers, Holy Mass, Rosary, Holy Hour, and confessions are on avail every day throughout the year.
Furthermore the chaplains and the nuns are at your disposal for counselling (by appointment).
For further information on the shrine schedules, please click on:
We look forward to receiving you at the shrine of Our Lady of Deliverance of the Holy Souls in Montligeon. Do not hesitate to contact us for any query you might have, use our online contact form.
