On the initiative of Father Marivin, parish priest of Vannes cathedral – a city in Brittany, France – the religious men and women of the Vannes-Arradon deanery were invited to gather at the Collège de Saint-François-Xavier to celebrate the day of 2 February (the cathedral was closed for repairs).
At 11am, we gathered at the back of the impressive 600-seat chapel for the blessing of the candles. Then, all sixty or so consecrated people, followed by Christians from the parish, go up in procession and sing:
‘Lift up your eyes, here is the true light
Our Saviour is among us’.
In his homily, Father Marivin shares his thoughts on the three vows.
– In a world fascinated by money, power and ‘everything for me’, you show us what your wealth is. Your vow of poverty encourages us to resist the law of calculation and competition, to become free in order to live the charity of Christ, which cannot be measured. It means being on the side of the poor and the excluded, and discerning people’s needs and expectations.
– Through chastity, you show us that there is a beautiful way to love in spirit and in truth. It lightens our hearts and bodies so that we can follow Christ in this way of loving that he demonstrated throughout his life’.
– To obey is to listen, to welcome, to discern, to accept that another says to you ‘we have discerned that this path is good for you’, and to recognize that we are not indispensable and that others can do as well or even better. This attitude of Christ the servant is a fundamental constant of consecrated life. What is beautiful about you is your community life: you have not chosen yourselves’.
After this exhortation, with candles lit, we renewed our vows according to a common formula prepared by a team at the initiative of Sister Marie-Andrée Servel, Daughter of Jesus of Kermaria. The Eucharist was prayerful and festive, accompanied by the bombarde (a wind instrument). We then headed to the school canteen for the meal offered by the parishes of the deanery. The meal was served by a team of volunteers, to whom we extend our warmest thanks. The aperitif, served standing, provided an opportunity for a wide variety of enriching encounters. During the meal, a ‘pilgrim of Hope’ appeared with the question, ‘Do you have any signs of Hope to share?’ A game-like presentation invited the different entities to introduce themselves: date and place of foundation, spirituality, evolution, etc., in a joyful and good-humoured atmosphere. An appropriate song, very popular, allows the voices to ‘boast’. To round off the day, we gathered in the chapel to sing Vespers. We left with a souvenir card marking the event.
This meeting gave us a boost and encouraged us to pay each other ‘visits’.
Yes, there is still life and dynamism among the consecrated!
‘I too will be consecrated! ‘said a little girl to Father Marivin.
By Bernadette DERRIANT, Daughter of the Holy Spirit. Community of Vannes
Published on 12 February 2025
