Anniversary of the Beatification
During the fall of 2001 hundreds of Providence pilgrims–sisters, Associates, family and friends–traveled to Rome to witness the beatification of our foundress, Emilie Tavernier Gamelin. In the homily of October 7, at St Peter’s Cathedral, they listened Pope John Paul II’s concluding words: “Dear pilgrims who have come from different countries for today’s beatifications: May these new figures of holiness, especially Msgr. Maloyan and Sister Émilie Gamelin, help you to be saints in your lives, offering an eloquent witness every day of your love for Christ and for your brothers and sisters, especially the poorest.”
Among all the recouningts of that morning, today we recall the one of Sister Barbara Schamber, (originally shared in the pages of Caritas), as a reminder of the enormous joy that surrounded all the attendees of that historic event.
“We left for St. Peter’s about 7 a.m. What an experience it was to see us all in black and white (a few blues) with our yellow scarves. When we arrived at the basilica, it was beautiful to see the thousands of persons and the many colors.
At 8: 45 a.m., the bells began to ring, all the bells of St. Peter’s! We could feel the pulse of these bells in our bodies. Just before the liturgy began, announcements were made, in different languages, regarding the persons to be beatified.
The announcement for Mother Emilie Gamelin was read in French by Sr. Celine Brousseau, in English by Sr. Linda Jo Reynolds, and in Spanish by Sr. Maria Antonieta Trimpay.
The Mass began with the entrance procession. First came the acolytes followed by about 60 bishops in green vestments. These were followed by ten bishops representing the countries of those to be beatified, who would be celebrating with the Holy Father at the altar during the Mass. The Holy Father entered wearing a beautiful green vestment and mitre, a gift of the Sisters of Providence another religious community.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal read a text on Emilie Tavernier Gamelin, religious and founder. The Holy Father spoke about each person to be beatified and it was an emotional moment for us when he read, very clearly, in Italian: “Emilie Tavernier Gamelin.”
Sisters Gloria Keylor, Therese Frigon, Rollande Malo and Yannick (the man who was cured through the intercession of Mother Emilie Gamelin) received Communion from the Holy Father. At the end of the liturgy, the Holy Father said again the names of all the newly beatified. In English, he spoke to us and asked us to pray for peace, especially to say the Rosary in October for peace in the world. Then we received the Papal Blessing.
The Sisters of Providence gathered into the buses and went to the Canadian Embassy for a three-hour reception. For the first time, we 300 SPs were all together in one place and we had our picture taken.
Let us give thanks to God for Blessed Emilie Gamelin and ask her to intercede for us for peace in the world and for compassion and justice for those persons who are most in need in our world.