On Friday 19 March, our community pilgrimage at Pontivy in France, turned out to be rather special, when someone invited herself.

 

All the Daughters of Jesus know that the 19th March, the feast of St Joseph, is an important day for us all.

 

In the garden

At 6.30 pm, the community gathered in the garden to begin the prayer. We are fortunate to have a beautiful statue of St Joseph there.

 

So it was next to it, that we began our pilgrimage. Our companion “Kitty”, who had invited himself for the occasion, was sitting at the feet of our Patron Saint. I was not surprised, because the Sisters had told me that she was a pious cat.

 

En route

After an introduction by Sister Annick, we went towards the house singing :

 

“Blessed St. Joseph,

To you we have recourse,

Protect your children,

Keep them always from evil.”

 

While we were walking, our Kitty was following us. If she could have, she would have gone up to the oratory with us! In any case, she knows the oratory very well, because we often find her there in the morning, when she has sneaked into the house.

 

A prayer united to all the Daughters of Jesus

 

Our pilgrimage continued at the Oratory with the singing of the psalms and the reading of our Provincial’s prayer written for the occasion. This prayer allowed us to be united with all the Daughters of Jesus.

 

Our pilgrimage ended with the song of Jean-Claude Gianadda “Je vous salue Saint Joseph“:

 

“Hail Saint Joseph, protector of the great mystery,

Saint Joseph, protect us, pray for us.

Hail Saint Joseph, true guardian of the light,

Saint Joseph, protect us, pray for us”.

 

Sr Agnes, fj, Pontivy, France