Arrival at Ploërmel
For several years the Congregation had known, through Brother Dominique Rustuel – Lassalian Brother, from Paimpol – the existence of a reliquary containing the remains of Brother Ménandre Gortais, who died in Paimpol in 1849 during the Cholera Epidemic.
Last year, Brother Denis Chamaret, in residence at Saint-Brieuc, was informed of the existence of this reliquary and spoke about it to Brother Yannick Houssay, Provincial of the Province of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Decision was made to transfer this reliquary to Ploërmel’s Mother house. As these were human remains, it was necessary to obtain all the necessary authorizations from the Public Authorities: Town Hall of Paimpol, Bishopric of Saint-Brieuc and Vannes, which was done without difficulty.
The Director of the Josselin Funeral Home, which provides the service of the Maison Saint-Martin, in the event of the death of a Brother, offered to provide free transportation, and the reliquary arrived at the Mother house on Monday, September 20th,2022 at approximately 5 p.m. The Community was present for this event. After a short Celebration, the reliquary was placed in a cupboard in the Sacristy of our large Chapel.
Celebration in the Chapel of the Mother House
Brother Ménandre Gortais’ life (Brother Jean-Marie) is widely detailed in this Month’s Novena. See : >>>
The Reliquary was placed into a cupboard of the Sacristy