French Pilgrims Visit Dalgan and Magheramore

A group of 28 pilgrims from the parish of Luxeuil-les-Bain in France, where St Columbanus founded a monastery in the 6th century, visited both the Columban Fathers in Dalgan Park and the Columban Sisters in Magheramore as part of their pilgrim journey in the footsteps of the Irish saint.

Led by Fr Jean-François Francisco and Fr Norbert Petot, the group arrived in Dalgan on Friday 8th of May. They viewed an exhibition in the East Wing Corridor on the Columban Way and St Columban’s legacy in Luxeuil.

The pilgrims also attended Mass in the chapel in Dalgan and afterwards meet members of the community, including Fr Cyril Lovett who was one of the Columban students led by Fr Bill Halliden in the 1960s who assisted at the excavation of the Ermitage de Saint-Valbert (Hermitage of Saint Valbert) in the forest near Luxeuil.

On Thursday.7th May, the French pilgrims visited the Columban Sisters in Magheramore. After lunch Community leader, Sr Anne Ryan, explained to the pilgrims that the Sisters “have a long history of friendship with the Friends of St Columban and also with Luxeuil.”

“In 1949, Les Amis de St Columban was founded. The co-founder of our congregation, Mother Mary Patrick Moloney was invited to become a member of the European Friends of St Columban at the time.”

“In 1949 Mother Mary Patrick and our Sisters were also invited to act as the Secretariat for an international petition for St Columban’s name be inscribed on the universal calendar of the Church.”

Sr Anne recalled how Mother Mary Patrick organised a pilgrimage of the Sisters in 1950 to Luxeuil where a profoundly important meeting took place among political, civic and religious leaders of the day on the future of Europe and peace.

The participants included the Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, who was then papal nuncio to France, but later became Pope John XXIII.

“When we look back at these events, we are very grateful for the amazing connections we have between Ireland and France as people.”

“We continue to celebrate this connection at this moment – a time of huge change in France, in Ireland, in Europe and in our world – and also in our congregation.”

“The Sisters here are preparing to leave our home in Magheramore. This place has been our motherhouse for almost 70 years. It is so much more than a place or a building. We are in a big transition again – just like what is happening in our world and in our countries.”

“So let us carry in our hearts the hope and prayer that our pilgrimage of life brings God’s blessing of mutuality and interconnection and enduring friendship – and a future full of hope for us and for all people on the planet at this time.”

Fr Jean-François Francisco explained to the Sisters that in Luxeuil-les-Bains the school was called after St Columban and more recently the parish had been named after the Irish saint.

He said his aim was to help a younger generation learn about St Columban.

“It is my first time in Ireland and I am delighted to retrace the steps of St Columban and to get to know him better,” Fr Jean-François said through a translator.

Fr Norbert Petot explained that he has been in Ireland four times before. He entered the seminary in Luxeuil at 13 years old and since then – he is now over 80 – he has been very interested in St Columban.

A discussion of the statue of St Columban in Luxeuil, the work of French sculptor, Claude Grange, which dates from 1950, prompted Fr Norbert to speak about the story which inspired the art work.

It references St Columban’s refusal of a request from the Merovingian queen mother, Brunhilda (Brunehaut) for the illegitimate children of King Theuderic II to be baptised.

When Brunhilda asked, St Columban declared, “No… they shall never reign”. This confrontation led to the banishment of the Irish missionary from Luxeuil.