This chapter is inspired by non-walkers who wish to be a part of this event and at the same time, take advantage of the graces available through pilgrimage. Christian and Catherine Chauvière are French and have created and organized this beautiful new chapter for Notre-Dame de Chrétienté. And in their invitation to their American brothers and sisters to join them this year, which they have asked us to extend to you, they wrote the following:
"The Church teaches that 'In the communion of saints, none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself' (Rm 14, 7). 'If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.' (1 Co 12, 26-27). In this solidarity with all men, living or dead, which is founded on the communion of saints, the least of our acts done in charity redounds to the profit of all.
"Moreover, moved by the Holy Spirit and by charity, we can then merit for ourselves and for others the graces needed for our sanctification, for the increase of grace and charity, and for the attainment of eternal life (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n° 2010). Thus in the communion of saints the prayers and sacrifices done by the “Guardian Angels”, wherever they are and united to God in charity, will merit new graces for the pilgrims, while on the other hand the prayers and sacrifices done by the walkers will merit graces for the Guardian Angels.
"That reciprocity makes the “Guardian Angels” real pilgrims of the Chartres pilgrimage. The Chartres Pilgrimage “Guardian Angels” Chapter is meant for people who can’t be physically present during the three days or who aren’t able to walk.
"The Guardian Angels Chapter is for the religious, the parents of young children, the invalids and persons too old to walk the pilgrimage— prisoners, expats, sailors and soldiers on a mission. In short, all people who love the Catholic Faith throughout the whole world. By creating this huge chain of prayer, we want to involve as many people as possible and to enable everyone to be part of the Chartres pilgrimage.
"In these times where the Christian values are directly threatened, it’s urgent to spread and intensify the movement of prayers and penance that is the Chartres pilgrimage. No Christian should be prevented from taking part in this movement. The prayer of the “Guardian Angels”, united with that of the walkers, will rise to God to implore his mercy, intercede for the Church and our society, and convert souls, so that the graces of the pilgrimage reach everybody. Just like for the walkers, the “Guardian Angels” Chapter is based on the three pillars of Tradition, Christendom and Mission.
“We are dwarves on the shoulders of giants”, Bernard de Chartres said in the 12th century: thus based on the doctrinal, liturgical and sacramental Tradition of the Church and the Tridentine Rite which we are attached to – we can ourselves add our stone to the edifice of the 21st century.
"That is possible above all with the restoration of Christendom. It is not an outdated idea to relive a time gone by. Christendom is the realization of “the kingship of Christ over all creation and in particular over human societies” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n° 2105). The philosopher Gustave Thibon saw it as “a civilization where the temporal is constantly irrigated by the eternal”.
"The Guardian Angels of the Chartres pilgrimage make simple and clear commitments adapted to their situation: daily recitation of a special prayer calling to mind their brothers and sisters on pilgrimage, and depending on one’s possibilities: rosary, mass, confession, charity work or acts of penance.
"The pilgrim’s prayer is recited by all and is thereby an obvious tie between the “Guardian Angels” and the walkers. They will pray for the intentions of the pilgrimage and can conversely entrust the chapters of walkers with their prayer intentions.
"In the present circumstances it is urgent to pray. Praying is within everyone’s reach, whatever one’s situation may be. Therefore we encourage you to recruit “Guardian Angels” in your area and family: if one isn’t able to walk, one is always able to pray! Join us!" ... C. Chauvière
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The Remnant's U.S. chapter will be connected to the Guardian Angels. So, here are some unifying points:
The theme this year is “In the Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth”. The actual dates are June 7, 8 and 9. And here is a rough run-down of the daily schedule for those who wish to pray and organize private meditations along the general lines listed here:
Saturday 7th June 2014 :
“God and the creation of man”. The Patron Saint for the day is Saint Thomas Aquinas
The Rosary will be prayed in the morning, afternoon and evening. Holy Mass will be celebrated at midday
Meditations
- The Mystery of God
- The Creation of Man
- How Man Can Know God
Sunday 8th June 2014
“Creation for the adoration of God". The Patron Saint: Saint Francis of Assisi
The Consecration to Our Lady can be done according to whatever devotion is most appealing. Eucharistic Adoration will take place all night long on Sunday. Mass will be in the morning, and the Rosary will be prayed morning, noon and afternoon.
Meditations
Divine order and the beauty of Creation
Man towards Creation: the respect that he owes.
Evil and disorder opposed to the beauty of Creation.
Faith and Reason
Monday 9th June 2014
“Society as the image of Divine Order.” The Patron Saint of the day is Saint Thomas More
Meditations
There is a divine law over and above civil laws.
You will worship one God
Prayer and action
Song and hymns to be sung every day, all day, will include Come Holy Ghost, Salve Regina, the Ave Maria, Faith of Our Fathers, Adoramus te, and Immaculate Mary, among many other standards.
The generous readers of this newspaper who sponsored 10 young American pilgrims this year will be remembered each and every day on the Pilgrimage by name. And we will be reminding the American pilgrims about all of the “Guardian Angels” who will be with us in spirit.
The Chartres Pilgrimage is all about young Catholics—10,000 or more, in fact. Very few things matter more to the future of our world than putting all of our energies and recourses toward encouraging young Catholics to keep the Faith against seemingly impossible odds. What difference do our efforts make if in the end we fail to keep the next generation in the trenches fighting for the preservation of everything that matters?
We at The Remnant place so much emphasis on the Chartres Pilgrimage because nothing impacts young people more immediately and with greater spiritual force than the Pilgrimage to Chartres. It is making a big difference, and is well worth the many sacrifices that go into making it happen and bringing so many young Americans overseas to be part of it.
For the first time ever this year, it will be possible to watch the final High Mass live on the Internet. Celebrated on Monday by Bishop Aillet, it will be broadcast on the Notre-Dame de Chrétienté website: http://www.nd-chretiente.com/ The Mass starts at 3:15 pm CET but there will be an uplink on the website at 9:15 Eastern Standard time.
And, finally, the Abbot of Clear Creek Monastery has given a special blessing (translated from French) for all those who are to take part in this year’s pilgrimage through the efforts of the organizers of the Guardian Angels Chapter in France:
"With all our heart, we bless you and support the meritorious efforts of Notre-Dame de Chrétienté. I gladly pass on your letter [asking for blessing] to my monks here at Notre Dame Clear Creek. We pray especially for the pilgrimage to Chartres, which will take place soon. May God bless all the pilgrims and their families and may Our Lady of Christendom take us all under her immaculate veil, that strongest defense in a time of unprecedented spiritual conflict. I send my blessing. + Fr. Philip Anderson, abbot"
The pilgrimage is a major victory, and it reminds us that total victory will be ours in the end—so long as we keep the old Faith. Please, join us over the three days of Pentecost pilgrimage this year. Let us unite in prayer and penance, and let us resolve anew to keep the Faith always, come what may. Nothing else matters. ■
Please watch The Remnant's Facebook page for daily updates. We will also be providing Pilgrimage updates here on our site every few days.
