From the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine: SPECIAL EVENT for St. Louis’ 250th Anniversary At Old St. Ferdinand Shrine Archbishop Thierry Jordan of Reims, France to visit Old St. Ferdinand Shrine Tuesday, August 26, 10:30am All are invited to attend. Archbishop Jordan is the archbishop of Reims, France. St. Louis IX was crowned King of France in the Cathedral of Reims. Archbishop Jordan is also a descendent of the same family as St. Philippine Duchesne. Mother Duchesne lived and taught at the school she established at Old St. Ferdinand. Archbishop Jordan will be in St. Louis for the saint's feast day and the 800th anniversary of the saint's birth. He will participate in a number of large Archdiocesan celebrations at the Cathedral and at the Tomb of St. Philippine Duchesne in St. Charles. However, Old St. Ferdinand Shrine was selected for a smaller more intimate celebration because of his association with St. Philippine Duchesne. The Archbishop will receive a private tour of the shrine then we will conclude his visit with a public celebration of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 10:30am. You are invited to attend. One of the many special aspects of this visit will be the monstrance (liturgical vessel used for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament) that was given to Old St. Ferdinand by the Spanish Bishop of New Orleans, Penelvar y Cardenas, in 1799. The monstrance would have been well known to Mother Duchesne, Fr. DeSmet, and all those of the era. It would have been used weekly for Sunday Benediction and for the annual Corpus Christi Procession. The same monstrance has recently been returned to the shrine and will be used for this celebration of Benediction. Thanks, Fr. Thomas Keller |
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