On April 28, Archbishop Christian Lépine celebrated a very special Mass in Laval, markingr the dedication of Saint-Louis-de-Montfort church.

“Yes, this is a beautiful church, but most of all it is filled with people!” noted Archbishop Lépine. It is true that many generations of parishioners were there to witness the dedication of their church. “Like a thermometer, you express the vitality of this church,” said the parish priest Edgar Phongi Myubu. “The dedication of this church by Archbishop Lépine means that this building will, from now on, be exclusively and permanently used to serve the Lord. It brings an element of stability that a benediction cannot bring,” explained the priest in his words of greeting.

“Enter the door of the Lord.”

Dedicating a church requires a unique ritual. At the beginning of the celebration, Archbishop Lépine and the celebrants, deacons and altar boys went up into the sanctuary. After singing Veni creator, the procession went out of the church and back into it through a side door in order to stand in front of the main doors, which were closed. Surrounded by the Knights of Columbus, Archbishop Lépine said the following words: “Open up, eternal doors. Let the King of glory (…)”. Then the main doors opened up. On the threshold of the church, the Archbishop traced a cross with his crozier.

During the penitential prayer, once the water was blessed, Archbishop Lépine sprinkled the assembly, the walls and the altar. He also blessed the salt and divided it up in three stoups.

“It is the Body of the Church, the People of God, which is dedicated.”

All through this celebration, the choir of the Saint-Michel prayer group fervently sang. The celebration was joyful and the faithful, praying. During the sermon, Archbishop mentioned again the reasons leading to the dedication of a church. First and foremost, he stressed that the wish is first brought up by the community. It is a real act of faith and hope to ask that one’s church be dedicated. “God is always at work within the society.” With this dedication, the church becomes the gathering place for community work, because “believing and getting involved is worthwhile”. Missionary work can therefore take place in the church: “there is a desire for it to shine and to meet with God on personal and community levels, as one serves”.

“This holy oil will mark this altar.”

After his homily, Archbishop put down his chasuble and took the gremial (square cloth), to anoint the altar’s entire surface. The Archbishop spread the sacred Chrism in the middle of the altar and on the crosses located at each of its four angles, and proceeded with the anointment by making twelve crosses with the sacred Chrism on the walls of the church. The anointment ritual concluded with the burning of incense grains and the incensing of the altar, the walls and the assembly. Before the Eucharist, candles were lit as a pledge of joy and set where the anointments took place; the church suddenly brightened up. The choir sang the wondrous, “Réjouis-toi, danse de joie, Jérusalem, cité de paix.”

For Father Edgar Phongi Mvubu, this dedication served as a unifying project. “The parishioners pray together, but also work together.” What they are and do is what they have to offer.” Still filled with the joy of Easter, he mentioned how much the parish was now involved in building the mission from new grounds. This is a new start.”

Parishioners gathered after in the parish hall to share a sumptuous dinner in the presence of the Archbishop.

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Mass times at Saint-Louis-de-Montfort Church