Fr. Frederic Janssoon Museum
Museum and chapel
Frederic Janssoone Museum The Father Frederic museum talks about the life of this Franciscan, born in France in 1838 and died in Canada in 1916. Paintings, life-size sculptures, miniature reproductions illustrate his life in France, in the Holy Land and in Canada where he was a missionary. From the museum collection, visitors will learn to know this witness of the “Miracle of the eyes” at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Cape, to appreciate this tireless hiker going to meet the people to make them discover the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Frederic was beatified by Pope John-Paul II on September 25th, 1988. While the Canadian Church hopes for his canonization soon, a visit to the museum will make you discover a loving man who was loved as much in Quebec where he lived for almost 30 years, as in the Holy Land where he worked for 12 years. To visit this museum, is to discover the goodness, the generosity and the charity of this giant of our story. The descriptions are written in both French and English. Chapel and tomb of Father Frederic The Saint Anthony chapel is a place of adoration and permanent prayer for PEACE IN THE HOLY LAND. This Saint Anthony chapel, blessed by Msgr. Francis-Xavier Cloutier on May 5, 1907 is located next to the convent of the same name. It was constructed thanks to the donations collected by Father Frederic in the diocese of Trois-Rivieres, row by row, in the 67 parishes served. Good Father Frederic prayed there, presided over Masses and greeted many people in distress. Upon his death in 1916, the body of Good Father Frederic was placed under a slab of black stone in front of the main aisle. Now he rests to the left of this chapel since his beatification in 1988. This chapel is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, patron of the Holy Land. It is maintained by the Franciscans. 
St. Anthony's HermitageJust few minutes from the majestic Lac-St-Jean, on wooded grounds on the shores of Lake Bouchette, Ermitage Saint-Antoine is a destination appreciated as much by pilgrims as people on an inner quest and travellers seeking natural beauty and tranquility.
Ermitage Saint-Antoine offers an array of activities that are sure to please pilgrims and visitors alike. Every day, pastoral activities including mass, Liturgy of the Hour, Prayer Hour, Way of the Cross and Sharing of the Gospel are offered. During the year, our calendar offers you concerts, four yearly novenas, renewal or spiritual sessions, various trainings, talks, pilgrimages, Family Day, Youth Day, evening activities and much more. Ermitage Saint-Antoine offers you sixty three-star rooms, with full bathrooms. They are located in three different detached houses: Emmaüs, Béthanie and Nazareth. In the last few years, all of the houses have undergone major renovations. Three family-style cottages can be rented at Ermitage Saint-Antoine. Two of them are brand new wooden, country-style constructions and the third one is an old renovated country house. At l’Ermitage Saint-Antoine you will find 30 campgrounds with services. Our restaurant, Le Campanile, is known for its shared menu much loved by visitors and its dishes made with local products. Our home-style bakery, La Mie de Saint-Antoine, offers you a wide variety of fresh bread, made daily, and mouth-watering pastries. The bakery contributes to the Saint Anthony's Bread for the Poor charity founded by Abbé DeLamarre. When buying items at the bakery, you make it possible for Ermitage Saint-Antoine to continue helping the poor and needy and learn more about poverty in Quebec and in the world. Our Lady of CzestochowaCzestochowa, or the Black Madonna of Poland, is a very famous painting of the Blessed Virgin holding the Child Jesus. Under this title, Mary is the Patron and Protector of Poland. Since the face of Mary is very dark, she is referred to as the Black Madonna. This darkening of the image comes from centuries of being hidden and the many years of soot and smoke from candles illuminating the icon. The picture follows the traditional form of an icon. Mary gestures toward Jesus, directing the attention away from her and pointing to Jesus as the source of salvation. The child Jesus extends his right hand in blessing to the viewer of the painting and holds a book of the gospels in his left hand. As in many icons Jesus looks like a small man, reminding us that Jesus, while still a child, is fully mature in his Divine nature.
The painting of the Madonna has a long history. Legend has it that it was painted by Saint Luke on a piece of a cedar tabletop built by Saint Joseph. Some even say it is part of the table used at the Last Supper. Saint Helen found this painting when she went to Jerusalem in search of the true cross. She gave the painting to her son, Constantine. When the city of Constantinople was invaded by the Saracens, the people prayed to Mary and the city was saved. This began the great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary attached to this painting. The history of the painting is more accurately documented in 1382, when Prince Ladislaus was owner of the painting. In that year, when the Tartars were invading the Prince’s palace, an arrow hit the painting, lodging in the throat of Mary. Prince Ladislaus decided to take the icon to Opala, the town where he was born, in order to keep the picture safe. On the journey there, he stopped and spent the night at Czestochowa. The next day, as they began to continue the journey, the horses pulling the wagon with the painting of Our Lady refused to move. Prince Ladislaus took this as a sign that the painting was to remain in Czestochowa. The icon was placed in the care of the Order of the Hermits of Saint Paul at their monastery called the Mount of Light, or in Polish, Jasna Gora. The icon of the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa, is there to this day. |
Our Lady of the Cape (Cap-de-la-Madeleine
Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape
It is with joy that we have agreed to assume the Managment Team position of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape. We will assume our role in a collegial way, in a “synodal” way – that is to say a “journey together”. We want to live this “journey together” in a spirit of acceptance, respect and solidarity, so that the Shrine may remain for each one a haven of peace and a spiritual beacon. We are committed to living this “journey together” with all those who wish to make a contribution to the live of the Shrine, with their passions and talents. The challenges are immense and it is with the participation of every one that we will be able to meet them. With you, we want to work to ensure that Our Lady of the Cape Shrine remains this place where it is good to meet, to recharge your batteries, to appreciate the beauty of creation, to be inspired. In this Shrine, we can gather, pray, celebrate. We can make room for God, open ourselves to him, let him speak to us through his Son Jesus, who looks at us with love and has so much to say to us. If what we experience at the Shrine makes us taste a moment of peace, joy, consolation, healing, we can say that the Spirit as passed into our life. Whether you are on a pilgrimage or on a visit, we wish you to be able to say, with Mary, that God accomplishes beautiful and great things in your life. Skiff Lake Franciscan Shrine
Historic Shrine at Skiff LakeEvery year on the second Sunday in August, hundreds of Catholics from all over North America make their way to the Historic Shrine at Skiff Lake, in Canterbury County, New Brunswick.
A piece of land along the Skiff Lake Road was deeded by Daniel McGillicuddy to the Bishop of St. John in August of 1876. It was adjacent to a parcel of land also deeded to the Church by Dennis Donovan in July of 1876. It is believed the little church was erected about 15 years prior to that date by the Irish settlers of the area under the direction of Fr. Thomas Connolly who was the priest in Woodstock at that time. It was built near the portage route used by the Maliseets to travel from the St. John to the St. Croix river systems and the Franciscan priests undoubtedly welcomed many of the Maliseets at their Masses. The church was known as St. Joseph's Church until 1923 when Very Reverend Dean MacLaughlin established it as a shrine to St. Francis of Assisi in honour of the French missionaries, Franciscan Recollettes, who built the first Catholic Church in New Brunswick at nearby Fort Meductic. It is not a large cathedral and one, not understanding the mindset of Franciscans, could wonder what the real attraction is. It is small. It is humble. It says more about sacred ground than grandeur. There is a peace and serenity about the place that is not as easily found in more majestic cathedrals. Those who love Skiff Lake do not go there in search of priceless art, or ornate ornaments... they go to the little shrine to be one with God in the same humble surroundings in which St. Francis himself met our Lord and Saviour every day... that natural world, just as God created it to be. Skiff Lake has become widely known as a place of deep spirituality, miracles and healing. In 1999, the shrine was designated a National Historic Site, and was also declared a Jubilee Pilgrimage Site. Our Lady of Czestochowa, Gascon Avenue, Montreal
The icon was again in danger and damaged in 1430 when the Hussites invaded the monastery. Twice the painting was struck with a sword, and before it could be hit the third time, the looter fell to the ground and died. Despite trying to repair the painting, the sword cuts and the arrow wound are still visible in the painting today.
In 1655 Swedes invaded Poland. The people prayed to Mary, and Poland was again saved from the invaders through the intercession of Mary. Our Lady of Czestochowa was thus crowned as the Queen of Poland, and this icon became the symbol of national unity. There is even a modern legend from the time Russia invaded Poland in 1920. The Russian army was ready to attack when an image of Mary was seen in the clouds. At this vision, the troops withdrew and Poland was again saved. The Church honors Mary, the Mother of God, in various ways. Mary can intercede for us, as is evidenced by the many healings and miracles that have been attributed to prayers to Our Lady of Czestochowa over the years. |