Following a page of the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel

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QUESTION: Over the entrance doors of the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, “Our Lady of Good Help”), a church in Montreal, Quebec, is an inscription: “Si l’amour de Marie / Dans ton cœur est gravé / En passant ne t’oublie / de lui dire un Ave. If Mary’s love / Is engraved in your heart / As you pass by, don’t forget / to say a Hail Mary to her. We know that the text came from the Pont-Joubert Chapel, a small Catholic place of prayer located on a medieval bridge in Poitiers, but who decided to have it over the door in Montreal, Marguerite Bourgeoys or someone else?  

ANSWER: While St. Marguerite Bourgeoys originally founded the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in 1855 and rebuilt it in 1875, she did not decide to place that famous inscription over the entrance.

The decision belongs to Monseigneur Ignace Bourget, the highly influential second Bishop of Montreal, during a major mid-19th-century restoration of the chapel (around 1848).

Here is how a medieval Poitiers quatrain made its way onto a Montreal church facade:

The Montfortian Connection

The text originally adorned the Pont-Joubert Chapel in Poitiers, France. In the early 1700s, St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort—a famous French missionary who spent significant time preaching in Poitiers—frequently used this exact four-line poem (quatrain) during his missions to encourage passersby to pray. He even had it engraved on other ancient structures he restored, such as the Temple Saint-Jean in Poitiers.

Bishop Bourget’s Vision

Fast forward to the 1840s:

• The Rediscovery: In 1842, St. Louis-Marie de Montfort’s theological writings on total devotion to Mary were rediscovered in France and swept through the Catholic world.
• The Inspiration: Bishop Ignace Bourget became deeply moved by this Montfortian Marian spirituality. At the same time, the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel in Montreal had fallen into neglect after structural damage and political upheaval.
• The Restoration: Bourget set out to revive the chapel as a grand pilgrimage site. In 1848, as part of his massive revitalization and beautification of the sanctuary, he borrowed the Poitiers/Montfortian quatrain and ordered it inscribed over the entrance doors to invite Montrealers and passing sailors to pause and pray.

“Si l’amour de Marie / Dans ton cœur est gravé / En passant ne t’oublie / de lui dire un Ave.”

Whenever you see this inscription on the door today, you are looking at a physical footprint of Bishop Bourget’s 19th-century religious revival, deeply inspired by the spiritual traditions of western France.

Connection: No coincidence, they say and everything is connected to everything.

• Always interested in Holy Mary, Brother Eric (me), received the call to be consacrated to Mary by the Heralds of the Gospel on November 11, 2023, using the way of Louis Marie Montfort

• Attracted by Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel
• I discovered an inscription that spoke deeply to me: “If the love of Mary / Is engraved in your heart / As you pass by, do not forget / to say a Hail Mary to her.”
• How had that inscription been added to the chapel? Monseigneur Ignace Bourget, the highly influential second Bishop of Montreal, during a major mid-19th-century restoration of the chapel (around 1848)
• Monseigneur Ignace Bourget, like myself, Bishop Ignace Bourget, became deeply moved by this Montfortian Marian spirituality
• When Ignace Bourget took possession of the diocese of Montreal, it was immense. It included not only the Montreal region but also the Montérégie, Estrie, Lanaudière, the Laurentides (where I presently live), and the Outaouais regions. (I am a native of Gatineau), and, to the north, it extended to Hudson Bay.
• During the 1840s and 1850s, Bishop Ignace Bourget made his first three trips to Europe (he would make seven in total). With clergy and religious still few in number in the Canadas, he went there to seek reinforcements. He needed personnel to carry out his plans for the Church in Montreal and for the Church as a whole. In France, his efforts were fruitful. He succeeded in bringing the Jesuits back (1842). He also convinced the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (1841) (My Parish Our Lady of Grace), the Holy Cross (1847), the Clerics of Saint Viator (1847), the Ladies of the Sacred Heart (1842), and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (1844) to cross the ocean. In Ireland, he recruited several English-speaking priests. In Montreal itself, he persuaded, often under pressure, Émilie Gamelin-Tavernier, Marie-Rose Durocher, Rosalie Cadron-Jetté, and Esther Blondin to found new congregations: the Sisters of Providence (1843), the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (1844), the Sisters of Mercy (1846), and the Sisters of Saint Anne (1850). Vocations began to increase significantly. Numerous benefactors, including the Berthelet brothers and sisters, endowed the Montreal congregations with land and buildings to help them establish themselves.

• Marie Anne Blondin, Burial site, Saint-Jérôme Cathedral, (my Cathedral), Saint-Jérôme

• Franciscan Ecumenical since 2020, A long walk with St Francis
• History of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. The Indiana area was part of the French colony of New France during the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. It was explored by French fur traders and missionaries under the auspices of the Bishop of Quebec. I was born in Quebec and descend from French settlers who immigrated to New France in 1640 (Pierre Gagnon, my ancestor)
• I am an Affiliate member of the Confraternity of Penitents in the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
• The Confraternity of Penitents was refounded in 2023 in honour of Mary’s Queenship.

• The following obligations must be fulfilled for Affiliate CFP status: Being consecrated to Our Lady and praying a daily Marian Consecration prayer of their choice.
• I am the common point of the connection of this list of places or events and the Roman Catholic Church

Someone posted a painting of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour on Facebook, and I was wondering if she was the same as Our Lady of Good Help. Both are Holy Mary, but their representations are not the same.

Notre-Dame du Perpétuel Secours est une icône byzantine très ancienne (souvent attribuée au XIVe siècle) représentant Marie avec l’enfant Jésus et deux anges. Elle symbolise l’aide constante et le réconfort.

Notre-Dame du Bon Secours (ou de Bon-Secours) est un titre lié à la protection, particulièrement vénéré par les marins. Au Québec, cela fait le plus souvent référence à la célèbre Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours située dans le Vieux-Montréal.

Our Mother of Perpetual Succour (Latin: Nostra Mater de Perpetuo Succursu), colloquially known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a 15th-century Byzantine icon and a purported Marian apparition. The image was enshrined in the Church of San Matteo in Via Merulana from 1499 to 1798 and is today permanently enshrined in the Church of Saint Alphonsus of Liguori in Rome, where the novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is prayed weekly.

Pope Pius IX granted a pontifical decree of canonical coronation, along with the official, formalized title Nostra Mater de Perpetuo Succursu, on 5 May 1866. The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, Cardinal Ruggero Luigi Emidio Antici Mattei, executed the rite of coronation on 23 June 1867.

The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer serve as custodians of the icon. The image is also known as the Virgin of the Passion in Eastern Orthodoxy. Novena prayers are held before its feast day on 27 June every year. Due to promotion by the Redemptorist priests, the image has gained popularity among Western and Eastern Catholics. Modern reproductions are often displayed in residential homes, commercial establishments, and public transportation.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor

The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel (chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, “Our Lady of Good Help”) is a church in the Old Montreal district of Montreal, Quebec. One of the oldest churches in Montreal, it was built in 1771 over the ruins of an earlier chapel. The church is located at 400 Saint Paul Street East at Bonsecours Street, just north of the Bonsecours Market in the borough of Ville-Marie

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the first teacher in the colony of Ville-Marie and the founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame, rallied the colonists to build a chapel in 1655. In 1673, returning from France, Bourgeoys brought a wooden image of Our Lady of Good Help; the stone church was completed in 1678. It burned in 1754, the reliquary and statue being rescued and placed above the entrance of the rebuilt church of 1771.

Settlements

• Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, Quebec, Canada; a municipality in Outaouais; formerly Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours-Partie-Nord, formerly Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours-de-la-Petite-Nation
• Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, Quebec, Canada; a former municipality, merged into Richelieu in 2000

Churches and chapels

1. Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, Old Port, Old Montreal, Ville-Marie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2. La Chapelle de Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours (Chapel of Our Lady of Good Help), St. Norbert, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
3. Église de Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, L’Islet, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec, Canada; see List of historic places in Chaudière-Appalaches
4. Notre-Dame du bon secours Church, La Désirade, French West Indies, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean; in overseas France
5. Basilica of Notre-Dame de Bon Secours, France; several basilicas, see List of basilicas in France
6. Basilique Notre-Dame de Bonsecours, Bonsecours, Rouen, Seine—Maritime, France
7. Église Notre-Dame de Bon Secours, Bercy, Paris, France; the 17th century predecessor to the 19th century Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité de Bercy
8. Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours de Salsignac, Antignac, Cantal, Auvergne, France
9. Notre Dame de Bon Secours chapel, Saint-Jérôme Church (Toulouse), Toulouse, France
10. Chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours, Granges de Dauban, Banon, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
11. Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, Angles, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
12. Notre Dame de Bon Secours chapel, Le Parcq, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France
13. Notre-Dame du Bon Secours, Estocq, Monsures, Sommes, Hauts-de-France, France
14. Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, Chapel of Saint-Barthélémy, Château de Châtillon-d’Azergues, Châtillon, Rhône, France
15. Chapelle Notre-Dame de bon-secours, Tréguier Cathedral, Tréguier, Côtes-d’Armor, France

Schools

• Collège Notre dame du bon secours, Pignon, Saint-Raphael, Nord, Haiti
• Lycée privé Notre-Dame de Bon Secours [fr], Perpignan, France; see List of schools in France\

Other uses

• Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bon Secours de Blauvac, Blauvac, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France; see List of Cistercian monasteries in France
• Notre Dame de Bon Secours, or Our Lady of Prompt Succor, a devotional sculpture in Louisiana

Wikipedia

Church votive candles are small, deliberate offerings representing intercessory prayer.

Lighting one is a tangible extension of a believer’s petition, gratitude, or memory of a loved one that continues to “watch and pray” in the church long after the person has physically departed.

The tradition spans centuries, primarily within Catholic and Orthodox spirituality, and carries profound theological and personal significance:

Meaning of the Name: The word votive derives from the Latin votum, meaning a vow, promise, or desire. The act of lighting the candle serves as an outward symbol of this internal promise or prayer.

Symbolizing Christ: The candle represents Jesus, the “Light of the World”. By lighting it, the believer asks to be filled with God’s light and acknowledges their desire to reflect Christ’s teachings.

Extended Prayer (Vigil): Historically, these are also called vigil lights, a term derived from the Latin word vigilia. It symbolizes a vigil kept, a continuous prayer offering for a specific intention, while the believer must go about their daily responsibilities.

A Shared Experience: Lighting a votive candle is widely considered a highly cathartic and comforting practice by churchgoers seeking peace. The multitude of lit flames represents the unified, ongoing prayers of the community.

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The rosary itself does not have a specific set of prayers meant only for the Stations of the Cross. However, the two practices are frequently combined. The “Sorrowful Mysteries” of the Rosary cover the Passion of Jesus, and the decades are often prayed as one moves through or meditates on the 14 Stations.

Prayers Specific to the Stations
When moving through the Stations of the Cross, a traditional pattern of prayers is typically used at each of the 14 locations rather than the standard Rosary format:

1. The Opening Prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”
2. Station-Specific Reflections: At each station, a specific scripture or meditation is read about the exact moment in Christ’s Passion (e.g., Jesus falling or meeting his mother). This is usually followed by a short personal prayer for strength, repentance, or grace.
3. The Closing/Station Transition Prayers: After the reflection at each station, or at the very end of all 14, standard prayers like the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be are recited.

How the Rosary Fits In. When the Rosary is used alongside the Stations, participants usually pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, which align closely with the events on the road to Calvary:

• 1st Mystery: The Agony in the Garden
• 2nd Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar
• 3rd Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
• 4th Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross
• 5th Mystery: The Crucifixion and Death

Because a full Rosary has 5 decades, it is a perfect way to anchor your mind on Christ’s sacrifice, either as a meditation before beginning the physical walk of the Stations or as an extended devotion afterward.

You can pair the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross by using the Rosary beads to count prayers while you move between the 14 Stations.

While there is no single “official” way to blend them, people usually combine them using one of the three methods below.

Method 1: The Walking Rosary (Most Common)

This method spreads the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary across the 14 Stations as you walk from one to the next.

The Start: Stand at the first Station. Say the introductory Rosary prayers (The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, three Hail Marys, and Glory Be).

At Each Station: Read the title of the Station and say the classic opening prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.” Spend a moment in silence.

Moving Between Stations: As you walk to the next Station, pray three Hail Marys.

The Math: Walking through all 14 Stations this way equals 42 Hail Marys. To reach the 50 Hail Marys of a full Rosary, you can pray the final 8 Hail Marys at the altar after the last Station.

Method 2: The “Three Stations Per Mystery” Style

This method groups the Stations by theme to match the 5 Sorrowful Mysteries. You pray one full decade (1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be) after looking at a group of Stations.

• Decade 1 (Agony in the Garden): Pray this at the 1st Station to start your journey.
• Decade 2 (Scourging at the Pillar): Look at Stations 2, 3, 4, and 5 (Jesus takes the cross, falls, and meets His mother). Pray the decade.
• Decade 3 (Crowning with Thorns): Look at Stations 6, 7, 8, and 9 (Veronica wipes His face, Jesus falls again, and meets the women). Pray the decade.
• Decade 4 (Carrying of the Cross): Look at Stations 10, 11, and 12 (Jesus is stripped and nailed to the cross). Pray the decade.
• Decade 5 (The Crucifixion): Stand at Stations 13 and 14 (Jesus is taken down and buried). Pray the final decade here.

Method 3: The Bookend Method
This is the simplest method if you find it hard to walk and count beads at the same time. You keep the two devotions separate but do them back-to-back.

The Prep: Sit in a pew and pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. Use this time to quiet your mind and think about Jesus’ suffering.

The Walk: Stand up and walk the 14 Stations of the Cross. Focus deeply on the pictures or statues on the wall. Use the traditional Station prayers without holding your Rosary.

Text Google AI

The humeral veil is one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Rite and is also used in some Anglican and Lutheran churches. It consists of a piece of cloth about 2.75 metres (108 in) long and 90 centimetres (35 in) wide, draped over the shoulders and down the front, normally of silk or cloth of gold. At the ends, there are sometimes pockets in the back for hands to fit into, so the wearer can hold items without touching them.

The humeral veil is of the liturgical colour of the day on which it is used, or else it is white or cloth of gold

A priest wearing a humeral veil under a processional canopy for the repositioning of the Blessed Sacrament after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

The humeral veil is also seen at the Catholic Church’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It is used when the Ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament is taken in procession to the place of reposition, and again when it is brought back to the altar without solemnity during the Good Friday service. The ritual for Requiem masses does not require a humeral veil.

Important Notice:

At EMMI Manse’s Chapel, we will not use the humeral veil because:

• We will not go out
• We will not bless anyone
• We are independent of the RCC