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TheChapeloftheMadeleineinBordeaux,FranceOctober1st,2017

Thevicissitudesofhistory

In1585, theplaguecarriedoff14,000Bordelais,a thirdof the inhabitants,andtheentirereligious community of the hospital. It took more than fifty years before a rich donorestablished a new convent and brought sisters from the Monastery of the “ReformedDaughtersofSaintMagdalene”inParis,knownfamiliarlyasMadelonnettes.Anotherdonorcontributedtheconstructionofachapelfortheconvent.OnJuly22,1688,thefeastofSaint

MaryMagdalene,thechapelwasblessedandinauguratedbytheArchbishopofBordeaux.Thesisterstookcareofwomenimprisoned by the courts. But the nuns, refusing to besecularized, were dispersed in 1790 by the Revolutionaryauthorities, the convent and the chapel sold as "nationalproperty,"purchasedbyamerchanttoserveasawarehouseforhisgoods.

When Napoleon, wanting to reconcile the French amongthemselves,enabledeachparishtoreopenaplaceofworship,theChurchofSaintEulaliewasinsuchbadconditionthatitwasunusableforalmostayear.TheChapeloftheMadeleinethenservedtemporarilyastheparishchurch.

WhentheChapeloftheMagdalenebecameavailableagain,on August 14, 1804, Archbishop d'Aviau entrusted it toBlessedWilliam JosephChaminade, to gatherhis sodaliststhereandtocarryouthismissionaryactivities.Thenextday,theycelebratedtheretheAssumptionofMary.

TheGreatChaminadianTimes

TheChapeloftheMadeleinebecamearadiantcenter,withtheSodalityofyoungmen,theSodality of youngwomen, the "Ladies of the Retreat" (a spiritualmovement formarriedwomen), the Sodality of Fathers of Families. These Sodalities engaged in a variety ofapostolates:thelendinglibraryofgoodbooks,amissiontothe"littleAuvergnats,"inreality,tothestreets,wheretheboyslivedbychimney-sweeping,sometimesattheriskoftheirlives.Therewerealsoprojects fostering literacy,catechismforyoungandold,clothing forpoorchildren,abakers’association,LadiesoftheMission,ChristianFriends,FriendsofWisdom,visitstoprisonersandsickpeople,preparationforthesacraments....

Ablow: in1809,Napoleonabolishedall theMarianSodalities, includingthatofBordeaux.TheiractivitiesdidnotresumeuntilafterthefirstabdicationoftheEmperorin1814.

FaçadeoftheChapeloftheMadeleineonCoursPasteurwiththestatueofBlessed

ChaminadebyCallède,erectedbyFr.Kramer

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In1816,theCongregationoftheDaughtersofMaryImmaculatewasborninAgen,withAdèledeTrenquelléon.ThatbirthwasfollowedbythatoftheSocietyofMary,attheMadeleinein1817.

KingLouisXVIIIerectedtheChapeloftheMadeleineasareliefchapelbyorderofSeptember29,1819.FatherChaminadewasthenabletopurchasethechapelandtheadjacentconvent,whichwerestillownedbyCitizenLafarge.

The chapel then became the site of a "permanent mission": Sunday was the day of theSodalists,withthemorningMassandpreachingassuredbyFatherChaminade;thenintheafternoon,anopenmeetingforall,anattractivecatechesisforadults.Thefestivitiesproperto the Sodality were celebrated with great splendor: the Immaculate Conception, SaintJoseph,OurLadyoftheMartyrs,theHolyNameofMary.Throughouttheweekwereheldtheweeklymeetings,theretreatsandtheadorationoftheBlessedSacrament.

1830:JulyRevolution,veryanti-clerical,whichsoundedthedeathknelloftheSodality.Thechapelreceivedaneworientation:morningmassesanddailyavailabilityforconfessions.Thistypeofapostolate,withafewvariants,remainsuntilnow.

SuccessionsofEmbellishments

Anewaltar,surmountedbyacanopy, in1830;renovationofthesanctuary,newtile,newpulpit,sidealtars,alargeorganinthechoirloftin1835...

In1902,thechapelandespeciallythe"convent"wereamputatedbythecreationoftheCoursPasteur.

In1903,thelawofconfiscationofthegoods of religious congregations: thechapelandthefurniture,soldatpublicauction .... but redeemed by asubscriptionandreopenedonthefeastofAllSaints'Day1909.

In1950,tocelebratethecentenaryofthe death of Fr. Chaminade, a newentry was created for the chapel, abronze statue of him was placedprominentlyinanichethatdominatesthestreet.

In1978,intheaftermathoftheVaticanCouncil,totalrenovationoftheinterior,withanewaltaradaptedtothepost-conciliarliturgy.

In2000,forthebeatificationofFr.Chaminade,anewrestoration,particularlysuccessful:theblondBordeauxstonerevealedthebeautifulbalanceofthenave;therestoredsidechapeloftheMadelonnettesbecametheChaminadeChapel,withanaltarcontainingsomefirst-classrelicsoftheFounder.

OverviewofthesanctuaryoftheChapeloftheMadeleine

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Anatmosphereofprayerandpeace

WhenthefaithfulcrossthethresholdoftheChapeloftheMadeleine, they are immediately enveloped in apeacefulatmosphereofbeautyandharmony.Theyarewelcomed by the beautiful statue of Our Lady ofVictories, on the left side, and opposite it by thewoodenstatuesacquiredbyFatherChaminadeatthebeginningoftheRevolution,theAngelGabrielandthehumbleservantMary,andoverthesanctuaryaChristonthecross,accompaniedbyMaryandSaintJohn.

Iftheypenetratefurther,tobewelcomedbyapriestintheChaminadeChapel,alsoknownas"ChapelofConfessions,"theyareinthecompanyofSaintJosephandhisbeautifulicon,andofMarywith"JohntheTheologian,"andtheiconoftheFounder,beforethetabernaclethatevokestheTablesoftheLaw,andatthesideofthealtarthecandlesarrangedlikea"BurningBush."

Beingintheheartofthecity,thechapel isopenmostoftheday,frequentedbymenandwomen of all kinds,mothers of families, academics, lawyers, white-collar and blue-collarworkers,entrepreneurs,BlacksoftheWestIndiesorsub-SaharanAfricancountries,native-bornor residentAquitanians ...Anon-going,quiet,discreetandprayerful apostolate thatbringssomanywhohavebeenwoundedinlifeintoanewpathofhope.

DocumentpreparedbyB.Vial,sm

Annunciationingildedwood,acquiredbyBlessedChaminadeatthe

beginningoftheFrenchRevolution

AltaroftheChaminadeChapeloftheMadeleine,withfirstclassrelics(theskull)ofBlessedChaminade