Paris Celebrates Its Newest Saint!

At least 4,000 people thronged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to celebrate and give thanks for our new saint, Marie Eugenie. The October 13th celebration highlighted the fact that St. Marie Eugenie considered her experience of listening to Fr. Lacordaire's sermon at Notre Dame as the beginning of her vocation.

Sr. Diana, Superior General of the Religious of the Assumption, said as much in her opening remarks:

"An old song from the Bible expresses very well what we're living at this moment :

It seemed as if we were in a dream
Our mouths were filled with laughter.
We cried out with joy!
What marvels the Lord has done for us!
We are filled with joy!

Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
Carrying the seed for the sowing,
They come back, they come back, full of joy,
Carrying their sheaves!

In 1836, Marie Eugnie left this Cathedral in the light, affirmed in her vocation. She would always say: "My vocation dates from Notre Dame."

And today we are many, returning to Notre Dame, with our sheaves and our vocation in the Church. We have come back to give thanks for her life, for her holiness, for her canonization.

Thank you, Monsignor Vingt-Trois, for welcoming us and celebrating this Eucharist with us.

And as for these same walls, which, 171 years ago, welcomed a young woman in search of meaning: I would like them now to resound with our joys, our pains, our questions, our doubts -- all the movements of the human heart in search of happiness, justice and peace."

Cardinal Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris, gave the homily at the Mass.

Among the many pilgrims at Notre Dame that day were Srs. Clare Teresa and Sheila from Philadelphia and Sr. Michelle from Lansdale. With them were about twenty pilgrims from the greater Philadelphia area.