A haven of peace among the woods and fields, the Basilica of Our Lady Liberatrix in Montligeon, France, stands tall and beautiful, rising up toward the heavens as a sign of hope for thousands of pilgrims who come every year. In a small village of little more than 500 inhabitants, it’s quite an impressive sight. Why do people, and especially families and couples, flock to this quiet little place in the French countryside?
Since the late 19th century, Catholics have come here to ask the Virgin Mary for her intercession. They come to her with the hope of finding peace and healing. Our Lady Liberatrix is the place of pilgrimage for those who are hurt, and especially for those who are grieving.
You can discover and experience the Montligeon spirituality by clicking hereand praying a free online novena, run by the sanctuary of Montligeon.
Rooted in the grief of a holy priest
In 1876, having tragically lost his brother, who was crushed by a falling church bell, and then his two nieces, who died in the midst of grieving their father, the parish priest of La-Chapelle-Montligeon started a long period of reflexion on death and the souls of the departed.
He was moved to create a fraternity of prayer within his parish, in order to pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Many of his parishioners joined the project, and a real devotion developed. People started coming from all over the country in order to pray for the souls of their loved ones, and to find peace and healing.
The impressive neo-Gothic basilica was built when his parish church became too small.
The success of the parish’s new ministry was such that the old church was becoming much too small for the thousands of pilgrims who would flock to the village. A basilica was built, as well as large buildings to provide lodging for the prayerful travelers.
The priest had discovered something that we all desire: Peace after trauma or loss, and a way to intercede for our loved ones.
Even today, the shrine is a place of solace especially for parents who come for peace and prayer after the loss of a child. The souls of the departed are included in the prayer intentions of daily Mass at the basilica, as well as at some partner abbeys like Saint Michael’s, Farnborough, in England.
A special chapel in the Montligeon basilica is dedicated to the souls of those who died as little babies: those who departed naturally, but also, to all those killed in the womb in the great tragedy of abortion.
The popularity of the Shrine of Montligeon speaks for itself. Many people have come to pray to Our Lady Liberatrix, and the many ex-voto plaques express the gratitude of those who have been consoled. More importantly, several enormous books contain the names of thousands and thousands of pilgrims who have signed up to the fraternity.
What have they signed up for? To pray for the souls of the former members who have died, knowing that when their time comes, others will pray for them too.
You can join this beautiful community of people praying for you as you pray for other people: Click here and join the world-wide prayer network on hozana.org.
Pray for peace and healing, and entrust your loved ones to Our Lady Liberatrix by joining a free novena here. You can turn to the guidance and powerful intercession of Our Lady Libertrix by joining an online novena, directed by the community of Montligeon.
Our Lady Libertrix, pray for us!
This article is sponsored by Hozana.org.
And today we celebrate...