Can We ever Come Close to Having Something Like this?

THE SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF MONTLIGEON is located in the region of Normandy, France. Every year thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine consecrated and dedicated to Mary. As described by Fr. Paul Préaux, rector of the shrine, the Shrine of Our Lady of Montligeon is a "place of peace, of meeting and of listening; where one can find consolation; a place where prayers for the dead can be sought; a place where the official response of the Catholic Church can be heard, concerning the question of the destiny of man; a place where one’s hope in Eternal Life can be proclaimed."

The role that Our Lady plays in the shrine is that of a loving mother, who never abandons her children even in the afterlife. Like a true mother she continues to take care of them, especially those who may still need a "purification" before they are allowed to experience the Beatific Vision. As the Mother of Our Lord, she is the great intercessor who desires that all her children will be allowed entry into heaven without undue delay.

Shrine and Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montligeon

The Shrine of Our Lady of Montligeon was founded by Fr. Paul Buguet (1843-1918). He was assigned in 1878 to La Chapelle-Montligeon, tending to 770 parishioners. An entry in his diary showed his strong desire "to reconcile this twin aim: to obtain prayers for the forgotten souls [in purgatory] and, in return, to obtain from them the means of providing a livelihood for the worker."

His concern for the poor souls came about after he experienced three deaths in his family: a brother and two young nieces. The question in his mind was "what about their souls"? Thru prayer and meditation, he concluded that there is need to help the souls in Purgatory, especially those for whom no one prays. What started as an idea in his mind, became a reality in what is now the Shrine of Our Lady of Montligeon.

Fr. Paul Buguet founded the "WORK of Our Lady of Montligeon." Monday was his special mass for the most forgotten souls. Encouraged and authorized by his bishop, Msgr. Tragaro, Bishop of Scez, the WORK was established in 1884. This was to be an "expiatory work for the deliverance of souls". In October 4, 1893, Pope Leo XIII established the Association of Our Lady of Montligeon as an ARCHCON-FRATERNITY. This gave recognition as a pious association, the purpose of which was to assist the souls in purgatory in every possible way.

Referring to himself as a "commercial traveller for the souls in purgatory", he begged for funds going from one place to another, even travelling to other parts of France and Europe.

In May 24, 1887, the first solemn pilgrimage to Our Lady of Montligeon was held in the parish church. It was organized to pray for the holy souls. It was attended by pilgrims from France and other parts of the world.

Concerned as he was with the departed souls, he was a just as passionate in providing livelihood for his parishioners. With the help of a former choirboy, he started with a printing machine which he installed in one of the rooms of his presbytery. At the start, it was difficult but with patience and perseverance, Fr. Buguet was able to train his parishioners to be printers. The Lord blessed this venture. From ten people that started with him, the printing shop grew into what is now a modern printing establishment with hundreds of workers. The Christian values learned from Fr. Buguet continue to be their driving force even as it is now efficiently and professionally run by lay people.

In the meantime, it was on June 4, 1896, that the foundation stone of the future basilica of Our Lady of Montligeon was blessed.

Fr. Buguet continued with the WORK of Montligeon, forming prayer groups in the continents of Europe, Americas, Asia, and Africa. This huge alliance of concerned people for the poor souls became like a "fraternity without a frontier". With Fr. Buguet as the moving spirit, it ensured continuous prayers, masses and good works, pushing the praying community here on earth, in interceding for the community of suffering souls.

Encouraged by Pope Leo XIII, Fr. Buguet became a missionary for the souls in purgatory. He died in Rome on June 14, 1918; his body was brought to rest in the Basilica in Montligeon that he helped build.

Today, Our Lady of Montligeon Prayer Groups continue to prosper, doing the WORK of Our Lady of Montligeon started by Fr. Buguet. The Shrine of Our Lady of Montligeon, or popularly referred to also as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montligeon, is part of a big complex sprawled in a vast expanse of land in the heart of the Perche region of Normandy. The basilica occupies a big part of it. The other structures include the Chapel of the Resurrection, a modern oratory that was built right next to the Basilica. Simple and austere, it exudes an atmosphere of silence. This is where the recollections are held.

There is a big guesthouse or "Ermitage" which also doubles as the center of the spiritual Fraternity of Our Lady of Montligeon. This is where retreats and other spiritual activities may be held by different dioceses, organizations, families, or even just individuals meaning to go on a private pilgrimage. A team of priests, religious sisters of the Nouvelle Alliance and lay people are bonded together to provide a warm and friendly atmosphere to its guests. They are housed in more than 100 spacious rooms.

A recent addition is a guesthouse for the youth, called "Halte Ste. Therese", situated near a lake and a forest, it is an ideal venue for wholesome activities for the young.

There is also the printing press, standing tall from humble beginnings; there is a shrine bookshop, apart from a shrine shop where souvenirs are sold; there is a village church standing a bit apart from the Basilica, but part of the complex, nonetheless.

As one views the website of the Sanctuary of Montligeon www.sanctuaire-montligeon.com  one can see that its calendar of activities for the year is quite full. One can just imagine the number of pilgrims that go and visit the shrine every year.

In the Jan-March, 2005 issue of the "Fore and Aft", featured on the front page was the heading: - Shared Dream: A PWHS Center for Prayer.

It was envisioned that "here, round-the-clock prayers will be offered for the dear departed, a chapel will be available for any priest to say mass anytime of the day (or night) for the dead, and it will have facilities to offer solace and comfort to those who come in their hour of grief."

A year and-a half later, it continues to be a dream, but now the initial PWHS Center for Prayer fund of P500,000 (approx. US$9,615) has now grown to about P1.2M (approx. US$ 23,000).

One is inspired by the words found on the website of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montligeon, which says "IF GOD WILLS IT, NOTHING WILL STOP YOUR WORK."

Out of nowhere, the Lord Almighty has made the PWHS what it is today. If He wants that PWHS Center for Prayer to become a reality, He will make it happen!

The challenge posed to the 35,000 or so PWHS members in the Philippines and in 51 countries in the world is, can we ever come close to having anything like this Sanctuary of Montligeon?