Zenit has an article on Mont-Saint- Michel, which is now staffed by the Fraternity of Jerusalem.
The community believes beautiful liturgy is the best way to evangelize. Tourists’ children are asked to participate, gathered together to carry candles to the altar when the gifts are offered during Mass. Father De Froberville said, “When we ask the children if Mass was too long, they smile and say ‘no,’ while the parents look on with surprise. It is the richness of our liturgy that keeps them interested.”
As for the tourists who visit, Father De Froberville explained that “the age of anti-clericalism seems to be over. The young people are curious about us as compared to the older generations who still remember the anti-clerical attitude prevalent in France from the 1960s. But those younger than 60 are open to Christianity in a way not seen for a long time. They think its cool.”
3 comments:
A most interesting post.
I've visited Mont-Saint-Michel several times in my youth.
I cannot recommend too highly the following book :
Le-Mont-Saint-Michel : Histoire et Imaginaire
Baye, Bouet et al.
(Editions de patrimonie, 1998)
It is currently out of print, but try abebooks.com
I don't think an English language version was ever published.
And don't forget St. Michael's Mount off the south west coast of Cornwall!
I spent a few days in Cornwall in January a few years ago, and I intended to go to St. Michael's Mount, but because of the weather, they cancelled the boats.
Memo: if you go to Cornwall, try and avoid January.
I remember chatting with the Parish Priest in Penzance, who told me that the Scilly Isles is in his parish, but he couldn't get there very often. He told me that the Parish owns an apartment on Scilly, so if a priest wants a holiday on the Scilly Isles, and is willing to say Mass while there, give the Parish Priest in Penzance a ring.
Three more items:
The photo-site Flikr has lots of great pictures of Mont Saint-Michel here; and Amazon has stuff here; and the Gutenberg site has the classic Mont-Saint Michel and Chartres (Penguin Classics) by Henry Adams online entirely here (for preview).
It is such wonderful news to hear that this hallowed site is once again spiritually alive with the dedicated lives of monks. Long may they show forth the light of Christ!
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