On August 5, 2026, the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows and the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the Abbey of Sainte-Marie des Deux-Montagnes celebrated an extraordinary moment in its history: the solemn abbatial blessing of Mother Bernadette Marie Roy, the fifth Abbess of this Benedictine community.
The ceremony, presided over by the Most Reverend Raymond Poisson, Bishop of Saint-Jérôme–Mont-Laurier, possessed the grandeur and solemnity of an episcopal celebration. Several Catholic bishops, priests and Benedictine monks took part, surrounding the new Mother Abbess with their prayers and fraternal support.
Mother Abbesses travelled from Europe, Africa and Asia to attend this historic occasion. Other Benedictine communities whose abbesses were unable to be present sent representatives, making the gathering a beautiful expression of the worldwide communion of monastic life.
As a longtime friend of this cloistered community, I was deeply honoured to be among the distinguished guests. Over the years, I have come to appreciate the hidden yet powerful vocation of these Benedictine sisters, who offered their life to God, manifested in prayer, silence, work and loving service. To witness this new chapter in their history was both a privilege and a profound joy.
At the celebration there were also representatives from two Oriental and one Orthodox Churches: His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, His Grace Bishop Boulos of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Ottawa, Montreal and Eastern Canada, and His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, accompanied by clergy and Orthodox nuns. Their presence witnessed to Christian fraternity, mutual respect, and friendship.
Celebrated in Latin, the liturgy unfolded its timeless beauty. Sacred chants accompanied by the delicate sound of the harp created an atmosphere of profound peace, while a magnificent organ concert filled the abbey church with music that invited us all to contemplative prayer.
The architecture of the church, the white and gold vestments of the clergy and the quiet presence of the cloistered sisters all contributed to the splendour of the occasion. Yet beyond its impressive ceremonial character, the service remained deeply spiritual. At its centre stood a woman receiving a sacred responsibility: to become a spiritual mother to her community and to guide her sisters in faithfulness to the Rule of Saint Benedict.
As a visible sign of the continuity of her community’s spiritual leadership, Mother Bernadette received the historic pastoral staff first entrusted to the Abbey’s founding Abbess Mother Gertrude Adam in 1946. Presented to her by the Bishop during the solemn rite, the staff symbolizes her calling to guide, protect and care for the sisters entrusted to her.
She also received the pectoral cross worn by her predecessor, Mother Isabelle Thouin, during her years of service as Abbess. Passed from one spiritual mother to the next, these symbols unite the Abbey’s past with its present and mark the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Benedictine community.
Following the service, all the guests were welcomed into the abbey’s grand parlour for a fraternal agape. There, we had the joy of speaking with the Benedictine sisters, who remained on the other side of the decorative grille that marks the boundary of their cloister. Far from creating distance, the grille made each conversation feel more precious. Smiles, blessings and words of friendship passed freely through its delicate branches and flowers. The parlour was filled with warmth as Catholic and Orthodox hierarchs, clergy, monastics and lay guests shared in the happiness of the community. Those conversations reminded me that genuine friendship is not limited by walls or grilles. It is sustained by prayer, faithfulness and the quiet affection that grows through many years of spiritual closeness.
The abbatial blessing of Mother Bernadette Marie Roy besides the installation of a new leader, it was a celebration of vocation, continuity and hope. It honoured the hidden life of a cloistered Benedictine community. It was a truly wonderful event, solemn yet joyful, majestic yet intimate, rooted in ancient tradition yet filled with hope for the future. I left the abbey grateful for the privilege of having been present and carrying with me the peace of that special day.
May God grant Mother Bernadette Marie Roy wisdom, strength and abundant grace as she begins her service as the fifth Abbess of Sainte-Marie des Deux-Montagnes. May God continue to bless and protect this beloved community of Benedictine sisters, whose faithful prayers remain a quiet light for the Church and for the world.
