On Saturday, July 20, 2024, hundreds of faithful from local Italian-speaking parishes gathered at the shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, just outside Quebec City, for a pilgrimage. 

Indeed, it's a tradition in Montreal's Italian-speaking parishes to honour Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary and patron saint of Quebec, and of grandparents. What is a "pilgrimage" in the Catholic Church? It's a personal or communal journey made by the faithful to a holy place for religious reasons and in a spirit of faith. 

This event reflects the spirit of direction and synodality of the Archdiocese of Montreal. It also brought together non-Italian-speaking faithful, in this case English-speaking. Each parish organized its own transport, by renting a large bus for its members. The Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m., presided over by Father Jean-Marie Bilwala Kabesa and concelebrated by Father Donbosco Mawdsley, SMA, in both Italian and English. Father Jean-Marie encouraged everyone to journey together as an ecclesial family of God's children towards holiness, following the example of Saint Anne.

Immediately following the Mass, some pilgrims had the opportunity to go to confession. A communal lunch followed, with contributions from all attendees. This meal was also a time for sharing and fellowship with faithful from other parishes. At 1:30 p.m., we all gathered in front of the shrine to walk the Stations of the Cross. What an extraordinary day we experienced! The joy of this moment of grace was visible on the faces of the pilgrims.

Father Jean-Marie Bilwala Kabesa