Janvier 25, 2026

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January 23, 2026

Well, I have to tell you something about the reading of the day.

First, I want to give special thanks to Warren Wood for the post about Scripture in our EWTN Missionary group. I appreciate this so much; it brings the group to life.

Today, January the 23th of the year 2026, Warren posts John 15:4-8 (KJV) Abide in me, and I in you. That is perfect, but I viewed his FB profile page, and I didn’t find which denomination he is part of. Is it OK to post a Protestant Bible passage in a Catholic group?

For those who do not know, the daily readings depend on multiple factors.

Keep in mind that the Bible is the Bible, no matter which denomination prints it. It is not because the Catholics have more Books, even the Orthodox have more than the Catholics and the Ethiopians, well, you get the meaning…

I will not go to review all the protestants, reading it will be too long, we will go only for the Catholics, and to make it more authentic, I will use only the Roman Catholic, the one that has a Pope in Rome.

As a Canadian in churches, I note that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) officially approves the New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (NRSV-CE) for liturgical use in Canada.

The daily verse or reading varies, even though we are all Roman Catholic. On my website, we use the American Universalis readings (https://franciscanseucharist.ca/reading-of-the-day/) and also the RCC France version, AELF, which publishes: “Méditons l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui”. (https://franciscanseucharist.ca/lecture/). They don’t have the same readings. Furthermore, many priests in Quebec whom I observed use readings from a Novalis publication titled Prion en église, and that book contains more than one version of the readings.

More to it for myself: I use the Verbum readings of the day, which propose three or four versions to read, depending on whether the Parish celebrates a Saint or not.

In a resume, which one to read? You choose your own, your denomination or organization’s readings, and we all believe the same:
The Bible: We believe the Bible (Old & New Testaments) is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God, our ultimate guide for faith and life, without error in its original manuscripts.

God: There is one true, eternal God, existing in three distinct persons: God the Father (Creator), God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit (Comforter/Guide).

Jesus Christ: Jesus is fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, ascended to heaven, and will return in glory.

Humanity & Sin: All people are created in God’s image but fell into sin, separating them from God.

Salvation: Salvation is a free gift from God, received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by works; it brings forgiveness, new life, and eternal security.

The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, regenerates believers, indwells them, empowers them for godly living, and seals them for eternity.

The Church: The Church is the spiritual body of all believers, united in Christ, practicing baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Future: Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, with believers receiving eternal life and unbelievers eternal punishment.

January 23, 2026

Eh bien, je dois vous parler de la lecture du jour.

Tout d’abord, je tiens à remercier tout particulièrement Warren Wood pour le passage biblique qu’il a partagé dans notre groupe missionnaire EWTN. J’apprécie énormément cela ; cela dynamise le groupe.

Aujourd’hui, le 23 janvier 2026, Warren a publié Jean 15,4-8 (version King James) : « Demeurez en moi, et je demeurerai en vous.» C’est parfait, mais j’ai consulté sa page Facebook et je n’ai pas trouvé à quelle confession il appartient. Est-il acceptable de publier un passage biblique protestant dans un groupe catholique ?

Pour ceux qui l’ignorent, les lectures quotidiennes dépendent de plusieurs facteurs.

N’oubliez pas que la Bible est la Bible, quelle que soit la confession qui l’édite. Ce n’est pas parce que les catholiques ont plus de livres ; même les orthodoxes en ont davantage, et les Éthiopiens aussi… Vous comprenez l’idée…

Je ne passerai pas en revue tous les protestants ; ce serait trop long. Nous nous concentrerons donc sur les catholiques et, pour plus d’authenticité, j’utiliserai uniquement la version catholique romaine, celle qui a un pape à Rome.

Au Canada, la Conférence des évêques catholiques du Canada (CECC) approuve officiellement la Nouvelle Version Standard Révisée, Édition catholique (NRSV-CE) pour la liturgie.

Le verset ou la lecture du jour varie, même si nous sommes tous catholiques romains. Sur mon site web, nous utilisons les lectures de l’American Universalis (https://franciscanseucharist.ca/reading-of-the-day/) ainsi que la version de l’Église catholique romaine de France (AELF), qui publie « Méditations sur l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui » (https://franciscanseucharist.ca/lecture/). Les lectures ne sont pas identiques. De plus, j’ai remarqué que de nombreux prêtres au Québec utilisent les lectures de la publication Novalis intitulée Prion en église, qui propose plusieurs versions de ces lectures.

Pour ma part, j’utilise les lectures du Verbum du jour, qui proposent trois ou quatre versions, selon que la paroisse célèbre un saint ou non.

En résumé, laquelle lire ? Chacun choisit les siennes, celles de sa confession ou de son organisation. Nous croyons tous la même chose :

La Bible : Nous croyons que la Bible (Ancien et Nouveau Testaments) est la Parole de Dieu inspirée, infaillible et faisant autorité, notre guide suprême pour la foi et la vie, sans erreur dans ses manuscrits originaux.

Dieu : Il y a un seul vrai Dieu éternel, existant en trois personnes distinctes : Dieu le Père (Créateur), Dieu le Fils (Jésus-Christ) et Dieu le Saint-Esprit (Consolateur/Guide). Jésus-Christ : Jésus est pleinement Dieu et pleinement homme, né d’une vierge, a vécu une vie sans péché, est mort sur la croix pour nos péchés, est ressuscité corporellement, est monté au ciel et reviendra dans la gloire.

Humanité et péché : Tous les êtres humains sont créés à l’image de Dieu, mais ont péché, se séparant ainsi de Dieu.

Salut : Le salut est un don gratuit de Dieu, reçu par grâce au moyen de la foi en Jésus-Christ seul, et non par les œuvres ; il apporte le pardon, la vie nouvelle et la sécurité éternelle.

Le Saint-Esprit : Le Saint-Esprit convainc de péché, régénère les croyants, demeure en eux, les fortifie pour une vie sainte et les scelle pour l’éternité.

L’Église : L’Église est le corps spirituel de tous les croyants, unis en Christ, pratiquant le baptême et la Sainte Cène.

Avenir : Jésus reviendra pour juger les vivants et les morts ; les croyants recevront la vie éternelle et les incroyants le châtiment éternel.

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January 22, 2026

Pour le groupe: Passeurs d’Histoire – Nouvelle-France, Histoire et Descendants

On ne peut pas parler de Nouvelle-France sans parler des missionnaires pour la Nouvelle-France, en premier lieu les Franciscains-Recollets, qui furent invités et amenés par Samuel de Champlain dès 1615, dans le cadre du projet de colonisation et d’évangélisation des populations autochtones mené par la France, puis les Jésuits.(Le pape Francois est Jésuit)

Et il y a eu des morts. Ils furent tués lors des guerres entre les Hurons et les Iroquois. Les Iroquois, dont l’endonyme est Haudenosaunee (« le peuple aux longues maisons »), connus aussi sous les noms de Cinq-Nations ou Cinq Cantons, puis Six-Nations, constituent un regroupement de peuples autochtones d’Amérique du Nord appartenant à la famille linguistique iroquoienne, à la manière d’une confédération. Ils comprennent effectivement cinq puis six nations, soit les Mohawks, les Onneiouts, les Onondagas, les Sénécas, les Cayugas et, après 1722, les Tuscaroras, vivant historiquement dans le nord de l’État de New York, aux États-Unis, ainsi qu’au sud du lac Ontario et du fleuve Saint-Laurent, au Canada.

Les martyrs canadiens sont six missionnaires jésuites et deux laïcs à Sainte-Marie-au-pays-des-Hurons (NOTE: voir le film “The Black Robe” sur YouTube), qui furent tués au XVIIe siècle au Canada. Ces saints catholiques sont liturgiquement commémorés le 19 octobre par l’Église catholique.

Les martyrs canadiens, sept jésuites et un « donné », sont :

Jean de Brébeuf († 16 mars 1649), prêtre
Noël Chabanel († 8 décembre 1649), prêtre
Antoine Daniel († 4 juillet 1648), prêtre
Charles Garnier († 7 décembre 1649), prêtre
René Goupil († 29 septembre 1642), frère
Isaac Jogues († 18 octobre 1646), prêtre
Jean de La Lande († 18 octobre 1646), donné
Gabriel Lalemant († 17 mars 1649). prêtre

Les photos qui j’ai prises de l’église Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf quand ma copine et moi on a fait le tour du lac Saint-Jean en 2019.

People don’t know that you do not need to be a member of the Catholic faith, or Christian, not even a believer, to visit one of the sanctuaries or churches. In Montreal, we saw muslims and Indians, even atheists, visiting our shrines; they recognize the arts that were made to teach and beautify a church. Everyone knows the St. Joseph Oratory or the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, as well as the Vatican, the Saint James Convento in Santiago de Compostela, or Lourdes in France. I saw many small shrines in Canada, and one of the nicest is Our Lady of Assumption in Acadia, New Brunswick.

Our Lady of the Assumption in Rogersville refers to two significant religious sites in Rogersville, New Brunswick, Canada: the Monument National Notre-Dame de l’Assomption (a Provincial Historic Site) and the Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption (a Trappist nun monastery).

Monument national Notre-Dame de l’Assomption

This site is a significant pilgrimage site for Acadians and was designated a Provincial Historic Site to honour the legacy of Monsignor Marcel-François Richard, a key leader in the Acadian renaissance.

Significance: Mgr. Richard was instrumental in the adoption of the Acadian flag and national anthem (“Ave Maris Stella”) and the selection of August 15 as the National Acadian Holiday.

Features: The site includes a chapel where Mgr. Richard’s remains are interred beneath a large mosaic of the Virgin of the Assumption, an entrance arch, outdoor Stations of the Cross, and grottoes dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fatima.

Location: East of the Saint-François-de-Sales Church in the center of the Village of Rogersville.

Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption
This is a contemplative community of Trappistine (Cistercian) nuns.
History: The abbey was founded in 1904 by Trappist sisters who had been forced to leave their monastery in Lyon, France, following an invitation from Mgr. Richard.

Location: In the forest near the village of Rogersville.
Both sites are central to the religious and cultural heritage of the Acadian people in New Brunswick.

On ignore souvent qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’être catholique, chrétien ou même croyant pour visiter un sanctuaire ou une église. À Montréal, nous avons vu des musulmans, des Indiens et même des athées visiter nos lieux de culte ; ils apprécient les œuvres d’art créées pour instruire et embellir nos lieux de culte. Tout le monde connaît l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph ou la basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal, ainsi que le Vatican, le couvent de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle ou Lourdes, en France. J’ai vu de nombreux petits sanctuaires ici au Canada, et l’un des plus beaux est Notre-Dame de l’Assomption en Acadie, au Nouveau-Brunswick.

Le nom « Notre-Dame de l’Assomption à Rogersville » désigne deux sites religieux importants de Rogersville, au Nouveau-Brunswick, au Canada : le Monument national Notre-Dame de l’Assomption (lieu historique provincial) et l’Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption (monastère trappiste).

Monument national Notre-Dame de l’Assomption

Ce site est un important lieu de pèlerinage pour les Acadiens et a été désigné lieu historique provincial en hommage à Monseigneur Marcel-François Richard, figure emblématique de la renaissance acadienne.

Importance : Monseigneur Richard a joué un rôle déterminant dans l’adoption du drapeau et de l’hymne national acadiens (« Ave Maris Stella ») et dans le choix du 15 août comme fête nationale acadienne.

Caractéristiques : Le site comprend une chapelle où reposent les restes de Monseigneur Richard sous une grande mosaïque de la Vierge de l’Assomption, une arche d’entrée, un chemin de croix extérieur et des grottes dédiées à Notre-Dame de Lourdes et à Notre-Dame de Fatima.

Situation : Il est situé à l’est de l’église Saint-François-de-Sales, au centre du village de Rogersville.

Abbaye Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption

Il s’agit d’une communauté contemplative de moniales trappistines (cisterciennes). Histoire : L’abbaye a été fondée en 1904 par des sœurs trappistes contraintes de quitter leur monastère de Lyon, en France, à l’invitation de Mgr Richard.

Situation : Elle se trouve en forêt, près du village de Rogersville.

Ces deux sites sont essentiels au patrimoine religieux et culturel du peuple acadien au Nouveau-Brunswick.

A Winter Vacation Story

The story starts with the Blue Nose II, a replica of the fishing and racing schooner Bluenose, commissioned by Sidney Culverwell Oland and built in 1963 as a promotional yacht for Oland Brewery. Sidney Oland donated the schooner to Nova Scotia in 1971, and it has since operated as a sailing ambassador and promotional device for Nova Scotia tourism. In honour of her predecessor’s record, Bluenose II does not officially race. I sailed twice on the Blue Nose, the last time in 1981 with my brother Gilles, his girlfriend Gaétanne, her sister, and my girlfriend Lisette (pictures below). But for this story, we will use the 1976 version, the first time that I sailed on the Blue Nose with my friend André Branchaud during the Summer Olympics. After the tour, we went to the souvenir shop, and I purchased a T-shirt with the tails side of the 10 cents; of course, the boat on the dime is the Blue Nose II.

In June of 76, I met a woman named Helena, who would be my girlfriend for a few years. I went with André on a Maritime trip in July. Now we need to fast-forward to March 1977 in Acapulco, Mexico. There, we live at the El Tropicano Hotel with my girlfriend, Helena. As I am a big fan of Elvis Presley, I wanted to visit all the places Elvis was filmed in the movie “Fun in Acapulco”, a 1963 American musical comedy film starring Elvis Presley and Ursula Andress. Between 1963 and 1977, hotels changed owners and names. Still, the buildings remained the same, so we visited the El Presidente, the Holiday Inn, the Hilton, and La Quebrada, which is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Acapulco, Mexico. Divers entertain tourists by jumping off either of two ledges on the cliff: one is 40 feet (12 m) high, and the top one is 80 feet (24 m) high. The divers must calculate the right moment to jump to catch an incoming wave and avoid serious injury or death. Occasionally, jumpers dive with a torch. Most of the divers come from the Quebrada family. Although cliff diving at La Quebrada had taken place for many years, it was not until 1934 that the La Quebrada Cliff Divers was formed.

One day, we decided to go to the Bullfight. Acapulco historically hosted bullfights, notably at the Caletilla Bullring, featuring matadors like Javier Bernaldo and Amado Luna, as seen on old postcards. Still, traditional violent bullfighting is largely phased out in many Mexican cities, with Mexico City even moving towards non-violent versions. In contrast, bullfighting exists in Mexico, but Acapulco’s scene isn’t a primary modern draw like Mexico City or Spain’s Madrid, focusing more on cultural nostalgia and, if any, smaller events. So we took a taxi to get there. After the corrida, Helena and I decided to walk around. The place is entirely on the other side of the Bay, and from our hotel, we usually go around the downtown, called the Zocalo, and the hotel. While walking, I noticed a yacht club. Is it the one where Elvis anchored at the beginning of the movie? I wanted to go in, but a guard stopped us, saying it was a private yacht club and only members could enter.

Disappointed, and it is starting to get late for supper, so we spotted a restaurant where we could have Canadian or American food. After the meal, on our way out, a guy stopped me and said, “I know this boat.” Of course, I was wearing my Blue Nose T-shirt. We chat about the Blue Nose when I declare my deception about the Marina Yacht Club, and he replies, ” Hey, I am a member. Come with me, I’ll take you guys to the club.

In the 1963 Elvis Presley film Fun in Acapulco, the Tropicana is a hotel and club where Elvis’s character, Mike Windgren, negotiates a singing job.

Role in the Film: Mike’s young manager, Raoul (played by Larry Domasin), secures him a performing fee of 1,500 pesos at the Tropicana.

Filming Location: While exterior shots of Acapulco were used as background photography, all of Elvis’s scenes, including those supposedly at the Tropicana and the “Acapulco Hilton” (now the Emporio Acapulco Hotel), were actually filmed in Hollywood studios. Replicas of hotel pools and cabanas were used for studio filming.

Real-World Connection: A character actor, Martin Garralaga, is credited as the “Manager of the Tropicana Hotel” in the film’s cast list. There is a famous Tropicana Cabaret in Havana, Cuba, which is a well-known entertainment venue, but the references in the movie are to a fictionalized Acapulco location.

So now you know our hotel, the El Tropicano, exists, but not Elvis’ Tropicana.

Brother Eric Michel or JEM Gagnon

The Quebrada

Photo: Arturo de Albornoz from México D.F., México

We pronounce Lizette, but we write Lisette.

The El Tropicano Hotel

With Helena

Photos Album

The bulls were little veals that didn’t want to charge, then somebody told us that the dead veals are sent to the butcher for poor people.

Note:

Pictures of the marina and the guy at the restaurant are in slide format; one day, I will convert them to JPGs.

Christmas Day – The Lighting of the Christ Candle

Today, on this sacred celebration of Christmas Day, the fifth candle of the Advent wreath was lit—the Christ Candle. After a season of prayerful waiting and preparation, this candle signifies the fulfillment of God’s promise and the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Placed at the center of the wreath, the Christ Candle symbolizes Christ as the Light of the World, whose coming dispels darkness and brings hope, peace, and salvation to all. As Scripture proclaims, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

As we rejoice in the Nativity of the Lord, may the light of Christ dwell within our hearts and guide our lives in faith, humility, and charity. May this holy day renew our commitment to live as bearers of His light in the world.

Wishing you a blessed and joyful Christmas.

Bro. Eric Michel

The Armour of God is a metaphor from the Bible (Ephesians 6:10-18) for spiritual protection, representing six key spiritual virtues and practices for Christians to use in spiritual battles: the Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God). It’s depicted using Roman soldiers’ equipment to illustrate how believers can stand firm against evil through God’s strength.

The Six Pieces of the Armour:

• Belt of Truth: Girding oneself with truth to be firm and stand against deceit.
• Breastplate of Righteousness: Protecting the heart (emotions and will) from evil through living righteously.
• Shoes of Peace: Being prepared and ready to share the Gospel of peace, enabling stability.
• Shield of Faith: Using faith to extinguish the fiery darts (temptations, accusations) of the enemy.
• Helmet of Salvation: Protecting the mind (thoughts) with the hope and assurance of Salvation.
• Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God, used both defensively and offensively in spiritual combat.

How to “Put It On”:

Believers are encouraged to actively put on this armour daily through:
Prayer: Communicating with God and asking for His help.
Knowing Scripture: Meditating on and applying God’s Word (the Sword).
Living Righteously: Choosing truth and Righteousness in daily actions.
It’s a call to be spiritually prepared, relying on God’s power to withstand challenges and stand firm against spiritual forces of evil.

The phrase “Armour of God” (Ancient Greek: πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, panoplian tou Theou) is derived from Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (King James Version). As a biblical reference, the metaphor may refer to physical armour worn by God in metaphorical battles, or it may refer to vigilant Righteousness in general as bestowed by the grace of God (Romans 13:12, King James Version): “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” In Islam, the concept of spiritual armour is best represented by Taqwa (God-consciousness/piety),

The Apostle Paul wrote Ephesians while under house arrest around 61 and 63 CE. Ephesians was not initially addressed to the Church of Ephesians but rather “to the holy ones who are faithful in Christ Jesus”. This was later changed to say “to the holy ones in Ephesus who are faithful in Christ Jesus”. In Chapter 6:10 -18, Apostle Paul focuses on the idea of believers and members of the Church resisting evil and keeping firm in their faith. In these verses, Paul instructs the Church to put on the whole Armour of God to prepare for the spiritual battle coming against Satan and his wiles; however, Scholars have different interpretations of what this means. Some believe that the Armour of God referenced is the same spiritual armour that he and his messiah wore in battle. In contrast, others believe the Armour is Christ himself and equipping oneself would be to metaphorically “put on Christ himself”.

The following biblical texts in Ephesians chapter 6 mention six pieces of armour:

1. helmet
2. breastplate
3. belt
4. footwear
5. shield
6. sword

These pieces are described in Ephesians as follows:

Helmet of Salvation, breastplate of Righteousness, belt/girdle of truth (loins girt with truth), shoes of peace (feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace), shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit/word of God.

The helmet of Salvation and the breastplate of Righteousness also appear in Isaiah 59:17

The New Testament employs several military metaphors in discussing Christianity, especially in the Pauline epistles.

In Philippians 2:25 and Philemon 1:2, Paul describes fellow Christians as “fellow soldiers” (in Greek, συστρατιώτῃ, sustratiōtē). The image of a soldier is also used in 2 Timothy 2:3–4 as a metaphor for courage, loyalty and dedication; this is followed by the metaphor of an athlete, emphasizing hard work. In 1 Corinthians 9:7, this image is used in a discussion of church workers receiving payment, with a metaphorical reference to a soldier’s rations and expenses.

Ephesians 6:10–18 discusses faith, righteousness, and other elements of Christianity as the armour of God, and John Bunyan echoes this imagery in The Pilgrim’s Progress and by many different Christian writers.

Related imagery appears in hymns such as “Soldiers of Christ, Arise” and “Onward, Christian Soldiers”

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Previously posted on September 8 at https://franciscanseucharist.ca/