Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, has issued a special plenary indulgence to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of St. Magdalene of Canossa, founder of the Canossian Daughters and Sons of Charity.
The Daughters of Charity of Canossa (known as the Canossian Sisters) have been present in Richmond since 1988. There are currently two sisters helping in different ministries at Canadian Martyrs Parish.
Sister Elisa Grignoli is involved in PREP, RCIA, the Legion of Mary, and other parish ministries. Sister Cecilia Cham works with the Cantonese Youth Group and the Legion of Mary and is a chaplain at Vancouver General Hospital.
The indulgence, announced in a decree dated May 10, is available to the Christian faithful of the Archdiocese of Vancouver from May 10 to Oct. 7, 2024.
Signed by Archbishop Miller and Archdiocesan Chancellor Father Joseph Thoai Le, JCL, the decree notes that the plenary indulgence can be obtained by the individual or for the benefit of the souls of the faithful in purgatory and invites the Christian faithful to benefit from this unique opportunity for grace.
To obtain the indulgence, the faithful must visit Canadian Martyrs Parish in Richmond, meditate in the church in reverence for an appropriate amount of time, and offer the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the following Prayer in Honour of Saint Mary Magdalene of Canossa:
O God, Father of goodness,
Who wanted to show your love to the humble and to the children
by raising in your Church Saint Magdalene of Canossa
as a servant of the poor,
grant us to seek you above all things
and to serve the poor and the little ones
in a spirit of charity and humility.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen
St. Magdalene of Canossa, Pray for us.
Mary, Mother of Charity at the Foot of the Cross, Pray for us.
‘Look at Jesus Crucified’ and at ‘eyes and wounds of the poor,’ Pope tells Canossians
In Rome, Pope Francis addressed the Canossian Sons of Charity (also known as Canossian Fathers) and the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel who gathered for their respective General Chapters.
The chapters are taking place as the two religious congregations celebrate the anniversaries of the birth of their founders, the Italian Saint Magdalene of Canossa (born in 1774) and the French Saint Louis Maria Grignion de Montfort (born in 1673).
Pope Francis highlighted how General Chapters are true moments of synodality and grace “to be lived first of all in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit,” gratefully remembering the past, paying attention to the present in mutual listening and in reading the signs of the times, and looking to the future with an open and confident heart.
“Past, present, and future come into a Chapter, to remember, evaluate, and to move forward in the development of the Congregation,” he said.
Then, pointing to the theme chosen for their General Chapter, “He who does not burn does not set fire,” Pope Francis urged the Canossian Fathers to carry out their mission of serving the poor through education and charity with fervent ardour: “It makes me sad,” he observed off-the-cuff, “to see religious people who look more like firefighters than men and women with an ardour for setting fires.”
He further encouraged them to overcome the new challenges their mission faces today by fixing their gaze “on Jesus Crucified and on the eyes and wounds of the poor,” as their foundress did in her times.
“Saint Magdalene,” he said, “showed you how to overcome difficulties: with your eyes turned to the Crucifix and your arms open to the least, the little ones, the poor and the sick, to care for, educate, and serve our brothers with joy and simplicity.”
“Look at Jesus Crucified and look at the eyes and wounds of the poor, and you will see that the answers will slowly make their way into your hearts with ever greater clarity.”
Turning to the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel, Pope Francis then spoke about listening and acting with courage, which is the theme of their Chapter.
The Pope remarked that these two attitudes require “humility and faith” and well reflect the spirit and action of their co-founders, Saint Louis Marie de Montfort and Saint Gabriel Deshayes, who, he recalled, also “left you a precious triptych as a compass for your decisions: ‘Only God,’ the ‘Cross’—carved in the heart—and ‘Mary.’”
The Brothers of Saint Gabriel number over 1,000 members engaged in pastoral assistance, human and social promotion, and education—especially for the blind and deaf—in 34 countries. Noting that its international makeup has enriched their institute, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of diversity as a “precious gift” to be shared: “Uniformity in a religious institute, in a diocese, or a lay group kills,” he remarked off-the-cuff. Instead, “diversity in harmony leads to growth.”
“The One who creates harmony among diversities is the Holy Spirit, who is the Master of harmony.”
Pope Francis concluded by thanking them for their work, again reminding them that a General Chapter is a “family event, but also a Church event and a salvific event.”
