Following the decision of the French Prime Minister to allow gatherings in places of worship, public Masses were possible again at the parish of Our Lady of Holy Cross, starting Friday May 29 at 9am. It was two days before the Solemnity of Pentecost, the 8th day of the Novena to the Holy Spirit.

That night, at 8pm, we proposed to the faithful a time of prayer through the mediation of the Rosary and Eucharistic   Adoration.

On Saturday 30, the 9am Mass was followed by another time of Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation.

Three Masses of Pentecost (instead of the usual two), were proposed to the parishioners: Saturday Vigil Mass at 6:30 pm, Sunday Masses at 9am and 11am. In order to respect the sanitary rules, the capacity of the church was reduced to 110 people and the capacity of the chapel to 40 people.

This reopening was like a new Pentecost for our Faith community. Two weeks earlier, the diocesan leaders had permitted the priests to hear confessions in compliance with the sanitary rules. Several parishioners had made appointments by phone or email to relive this sacrament that they had missed for more than two months.

Baptisms, marriages and funerals are now allowed, in compliance with the sanitary rules and depending on the capacity of the worship places.

Congratulations to all the volunteers, particularly to the members of the parish team and to the liturgy teams, who have prepared this reopening.

We give thanks to God for the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, of Blessed Basil Moreau, of Saint Joseph, of Saint André and of all the saints who accompanied us during this particular time of crisis.

In a spirit of Communion in Christ, I wish you all a holy, creative and courageous time of containment! Let us be inspired by those words from Blessed Basil Moreau to his spiritual sons and daughters in 1849 during a time of cholera epidemic, in France:

“Prayer is like a health zone which we must set up around our homes and schools. Moreover, it can heal souls. It is this spirit of prayer which gives me confidence that the plague will spare Holy Cross, which is so visibly under the protection of Divine Providence. Put your confidence in prayer, therefore, but at the same time, do not neglect the precautions recommended by doctors and other officials.”
Blessed Basil Moreau, Circular Letter #37

Ave crux, spes unica! (“Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope !”)