16th September 2002

Popular devotion

in the life andwritings

of Mary of the Passion

GC. 2002

- Sayo M. Mawatari R. fmm. -

Why speak of popular devotion in Mary of the Passion?

  1. Because we are missionaries and popular devotion is a pastoral priority in the Church in the light of the proliferation of sects and the increasing dechristianisation of our world.
  1. Because popular devotion is related to the inculturation of the Gospel and it was one of the options taken at the Chapter of 1996.
  1. Because Mary of the Passion also lived a popular piety, that nourished her faith and that she transmitted to the Institute.
  1. What is popular devotion? How do we understand it?

Popular devotion is an privileged expression referring to the inculturation of the faith. It refers not only to religious expressions, but also to the values, criteria, behaviour and attitudes born of Catholic dogma that constitute the wisdom of our people, and forming their cultural matrix.[1] Although this definition of the bishops of Latin America in Santo Domingo refers specifically to the reality of the Church in Latin America, it can also be extended to the European countries that have inherited a Christian tradition, and also to those where the Good News has been announced and has taken root.

Cardinal Lustinger, Archbishop of Paris, says that “Religion lived throughout a generation, leads to its being expressed and translated directly or indirectly in its works, aesthetic and literary, philosophical and scientific, as well as in its lifestyle….”[2] Religion therefore embraces the culture of a people and the manner in which they concretise this in their daily life.

Pope John Paul II says that “ Popular piety cannot be ignored nor treated with indifference or scorn because it is rich in values, and expresses in itself, the religious attitude of the people before God, but, be aware, this piety “must be continually evangelised, so that the faith it expresses may gradually become more and more mature and authentic.”[3] Nevertheless, we know that faith is not measured by the intellectual knowledge one has of it, but, rather by the manner in which it is practised in the concrete circumstances of life.”[4] “Popular piety always plunges its roots into the mysteries of the Christian faith…” and “ finds its expression, especially in devotion to Our Lady, in pilgrimages to shrines, and in religious feasts made meaningful by the Word of God.”[5]

These statements of the contemporary ecclesiastical magisterium, might have been pronounced prior to the reality experienced in France, in the 19th. century. Spirituality and devotions were marked at that time by sentiment and the influence of the romanticism of that period, without excluding, the deepening of a life of faith, as we see confirmed in Mary of the Passion.

During the 19th. century, called the century of Mary, the Marian cult was encouraged by numerous apparitions of the Virgin. That of the miraculous medal took place nine years before Helen’s birth. La Salette and Lourdes took place during her infancy and childhood, while those of Pontmain and Pellevoisin, during her stay in India.

  1. Popular Devotion in Mary of the Passion

Mary of the Passion, like each one of us, was influenced by tradition, not only socio-political and cultural, but also religious tradition. In general, each country and region has its own devotions and the people remain lovingly attached to these. Mary of the Passion was no exception. She evoked more than once “devotions practised in Nantes.” These devotions nourished her since her infancy and in them we discover signs of a popular piety, expressed throughout the course of her life.

She notes that on a certain occasion her Confessor, a Jesuit priest, after having had her enumerate in simplicity all the prayers and little devotions she practised while young, said with an incomparable and ironic smile, “Yes, yes, quality is substituted by quantity.”[6] We can verify, nevertheless, that to the quantity of her devotions, Mary of the Passion added the quality of an authentic faith that was in tune with the Church’s tradition and a personal journey of perfection, combined with a passionate missionary zeal. The strength of her spirituality is revealed in this phrase. “ Many find consolation in sentiments and pious and spiritual words. As for me, I lean more towards concrete actions.”[7] The romanticism of her century is seen to be very adequately overcome by this statement.

I shall try to share with you, how Mary of the Passion lived some of these indications of popular devotion, confining myself to the Marian aspect. I shall begin with popular devotions in Nantes and continue with those she encountered on life’s journey, especially during her childhood. I shall also refer to the ones related to the charism that she bequeathed to us, and some devotions particular to other countries that lead to acculturation, concluding with other devotions that are universal in character.

  1. Popular Devotions in Nantes
  • Our Lady of Mercy and Mary in the Cenacle

In the diary of a Mother to her Daughters, we read “ We are in a week that I like very much possibly because it prepared me to enter religious life and it is one of the most important devotions in Nantes.

I think it was St.Similien, one of our first bishops, who, with Mary’s help killed a dragon who inhabited our beautiful river Erdre. An ancient statue of the Miraculous Virgin was called Our Lady of Mercy. The custom in Nantes was to visit her shrine between the Ascension and Pentecost. Everybody including the poor, the rich, the young, even the worldly-minded, soldiers, and sinners visited the shrine of Our Lady of Mercy. They have done so since childhood and they cannot refrain from paying her this tribute now. I wished to finalise this devotion before entering religious life and immediately afterwards I left for the convent on the Monday of Pentecost. It seems to me that this time of the Cenacle is a very appropriate one for receiving light, in a word, all the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.[8]

Two years later, she again wrote about this devotion. “ To unite oneself to Mary in the Cenacle was a very important devotion in Nantes…May Our Lady of Mercy take me in her arms, into her heart from today until Pentecost..May she ask Jesus to show me his most holy will, since I wish to accomplish it.”[9]

In these quotations, Mary of the Passion’s love for the religious traditions of her people adopted, no doubt by her family, are very evident. She practised them until her entry into the Society of Marie Reparatrice. Although she could no longer visit annually the shrine of Our Lady of Mercy, during her years as a religious, nevertheless, her devotion continued. The origin of this devotion has legendary nuances, a “dragon,” who inhabited the river Erdre, near her house, was destroyed with the help of Mary. She communicates this legend to us exactly as she learned it herself. The message she shared was as follows. Mary freed the people of Nantes from a threat, and in the same way she delivers us when we are in danger.

Frequenting this sanctuary, Helen saw with her own eyes the universal dimension of love for Mary manifested there. People came from all walks of life – rich, poor, others whose convictions were different, the devout, sinners, and even worldly young people. Another group, namely the soldiers, thus proving that even men of arms have recourse to Mary. She could have added the nobility, every possible social class, age-groups, professions, etc, but all of these were included in the expression, “everybody.” This comes to life in Evangelii Nuntiandi 57. “The message of the Good News is not reserved solely for a small group of privileged or chosen ones, but rather it is intended for all. One of the characteristics of a religion of the people is its capacity to bring together very large groups. The environment created by popular piety that the Church fulfills in its mandate to become universal…brings about this extensive capacity to draw multitudes to its sanctuaries and religious feasts.”[10]

Mary of the Passion situates this event in a liturgical period, namely from the Ascension to Pentecost, and in her own personal experience “before entering the convent.” Gifted with great sensitivity and with an excellent memory, she lived every event intensely, because, for her, everything had a meaning. Liturgical feasts, anniversaries of either happy or sad events, always found an echo in her heart and in her prayer. For her, time was not just a chronological phenomenon, a succession of moments, but rather a gift form God, a theological space. Her sensitivity was for her a source of joy or sorrow, then combined with the memory evoked, awoke in her the sentiments and impressions connected with it. Memory, sentiment, and will, illumined by the gift of intelligence generously granted her, united harmoniously, and permitted her to re-read past history, and, bring it forward to the present time, making it a reason for praise, intercession, and gratitude. She brought everything she was, to bear on her devotion.! In these accounts Mary of the Passion alludes to mysteries of our faith related to Christ and the Holy Spirit Ascension, Pentecost), besides the mention of Mary in the Cenacle, this is an invitation to unite ourselves to Mary who with the newborn Church awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. In her Marian devotion, Mary of the Passion tried to relate the Holy Spirit to Mary, thus proving that she was ahead of her times, since this aspect was not, as yet, emphasised.

  • The Statue or picture of Mary in the houses of Nantes

It was customary in Nantes to place a statue or a picture of Mary in the wall of their home. On one occasion when Helen was still very young, she was admonished by her mother who said to her. “Get accustomed to being poorer than others…” She felt sad, but going outside her eyes were directed to the Virgin who was placed in the outer wall and she thought. “It is the Virgin who loves the poor” and her sadness disappeared. These images do not merely fulfill a decorative function but they try to put one in contact with the person represented, in this case, Mary, making one recall her life and her message to us…

  1. Devotions she encountered throughout the course of her life

Throughout her life, Mary of the Passion encountered the maternal figure of Mary who received her petitions, her vows, novenas, votive offerings, consecrations, etc.

2.1.Devotions acquired within her family.

  • Our Lady of la Salette was venerated in her family and she knew of her since infancy. Her statue can still be found in the Chateau du Fort.
  • When her mother became seriously ill in January 1859, Helen and her brother Charles took care of her, giving her in turn a little soup and La Salette water. They trusted perhaps that this water would make her better, but God’s will proved otherwise.
  • Mary of the Passion had preserved a great devotion to the Virgin of Miracles who appeared in Rome to Alphonsus of Ratisbon, whom she knew in Vannes as a Jesuit novice. She thought to herself. “How he must love the Virgin in order to have seen her.” In crucial moments at the time of the foundation of the Institute this Virgin was invoked by her. “ Three hours in prayer at the feet of the Madonna of Ratisbon preceded the permission for the founding of the Institute.” Cf. Memorias Ineditas, chap.1).
  • Mary of the Passion, as Sr.Christiane recalled in her last letter,[11] “ learned to love and venerate the picture of Mater Admirabilis, in the convent of the religious of the Sacred Heart in Nantes. One of her cousins, a religious of this congregation also had great devotion to her. Mary of the Passion said goodbye to her sisters in the oratory at Ootacumund in November 1876 in front of a reproduced fresco of the statue of this Virgin. She sought encouragement and help at the Sanctuary of Mater Admirabilis in Rome. She returned again to her while she was awaiting the decisive response for the foundation of the Institute. She had Mass offered for her intentions in this sanctuary on January 4th., 5th., 6th. 1877, expressing the intention to make a votive offering if the foundation of the Institute took place. On the anniversary of mater Admirabilis, the beatification of Mary of the Passion will be the most significant votive offering that the Institute can offer Mary in her name. Surely, she will exclaim once again from heaven. Divine Harmony!

2.2 Devotions related to the Charism

  • In December 1900, in the light of the political situation in France, she wrote. “Recalling the problems in France at the present time, we cannot but remember the words of the Virgin of La Salette, when, already 50 years ago, she said.” I cannot restrain the arm of my Son any longer.” From then onwards, in Lourdes and Pontmain, Mary Immaculate has tried to invite us to do penance. The same request was made by her in the grotto of Massabielle. The Catholic world did not listen and therefore the time of real struggle is fast approaching.”[12]
  • In 1904, she wrote from Fribourg .”Two of my daughters passed through Salette and they sent me a picture of the weeping Virgin. I have it on my desk. I have strong reasons for believing that the Institute must enter in one way or another into the secret of La Salette. Mary’s attitude exactly mirrors the situation in which God has plunged my soul, since diplomatic relations between the Holy See and France were broken off. Even more, I feel that this should be the attitude of the entire Institute. Let us bow under the hand of God, covering our faces with our hands to avoid seeing all that is happening, and weep, begging Him for mercy. This weeping Virgin is, moreover, Mary Immaculate, the Missionary Virgin of Guadalupe. I do not know what she will do, but I have great hope that I have not wished in vain for her humble cohort of Missionaries, and that if we know how to pray, work, and remain faithful as she did, she will lead us to victory.”[13]
  • Always preoccupied by the situation that existed between France and the Church, she wrote. “Catholics need to become stronger in truth and charity. Ask for this grace, for them. Nothing has changed in this type of devotion that hardly pays attention to God’s commandments, and now the words of the Virgin of La Salette are being borne out.” I cannot restrain the arm of my Son any longer.” God’s justice is being made manifest. We who, by vocation, are victims for the Church and for souls, must not cease to implore the Lord’s mercy, through the intercession of Mary Immaculate.”[14]

In these quotations that reflect the theology of the 19th. century, with Mary as Mediator before her Son, we see Jesus presented as a severe judge, ready to punish. Christology in more recent times, referring to the life and ministry of Jesus, brings a balance to the former approach, presenting a merciful Jesus who heals the sick and declares that He has come to seek out sinners. He is the only Mediator between God and humanity. Cf. Tim.2,5). Mary exercises her maternal role on behalf of all those whom He confides to her.

Contemplating the reality of her time, Mary of the Passion detected an urgent need for Catholics to become stronger in the area of truth and charity, since they lived a form of religiosity that did not take into account God’s law of love and truth. She underlined the discrepancy of such a type of religiosity. The Virgin was calling people to do penance but they were not prepared to listen. What could one do in such a situation.? “ We must bow before the hand of God so that we will not see all that is happening, and weep imploring His mercy” she said, but she was aware of what was happening and she encouraged us “to react as Mary did by prayer, work and fidelity.” Her attitude therefore was neither passive, fatalistic, nor resigned. She reminds us of our vocation of victims for the Church and the world, urging us to implore God’s mercy through the intercession of Mary Immaculate. Her love for the Church and for her native land was associated with her love for Mary.

  • In March 1865, while she was still a Reparatrix novice, Notre Dame de La Garde accepted her mission commitment before leaving for India. This “good mother” as the French people call her, bids farewell to, and welcomes travellers, and missionaries. She is the “Star of the Sea”, a sign of hope on the difficult path of life. Mary of the Passion rejoiced when the Institute was called to help with pilgrims who came to the sanctuary of Notre Dame de la Garde. From there, numerous fmm left for the missions “ad extra.”
  • Franciscan devotion to Our Lady of the Angels and St.Rose in Assisi was fully adopted by Mary of the Passion. “Twenty times a day I make the pilgrimage to Assisi in spirit, and visit the three dear chapels of the Portiuncula, the cell of the Transitus, and that of the Roses. It seems to me that I am nearer God in those places.” She invited the sisters to make the same three visits in spirit as she did, reciting the Gloria Patri three times with an invocation to Our Lady of the Angels.[15] She felt closer to God in places dedicated to Mary.

2.3Devotion to Mary in other countries.