marist places - marist brothers

MARIST PLACES

The Hermitage

Let us reclaimthe spirit

of Hermitage!

Brother Seán D. Sammon, FMS6th June 2007

Seán D. Sammon SG Let us reclaim the spirit of the Hermitage!Rome, June 6, 2007

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Institute of Marist Brothers General House Roma - ITALIA

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1 Seán Sammon, FMS. Closing address at the 7th General Conference, Negom-bo, Sri Lanka, 2005.

2 A word of thanks to Brothers Luis Garcia Sobrado, FMS and Alain Delorme,FMS, who helped greatly with the research necessary to write this letter.

LET US RECLAIMTHE SPIRITOF THE HERMITAGE!1

6th June 2007

Dear brothers and friends, From the days when he

called the Hermitage “home”right up until the present, thehouse that Marcellin built hashad a special place in the heartsof so many of us2. Whether wehave visited what is also affec-tionately referred to as the“Mother House,” read an ac-count of its construction andsubsequent history, or simplyviewed pictures of it during oneor other of its various metamor-phoses, we could not help butsense something of ourselves inits solid stone construction, richsoil, and simple and pragmaticdesign.

In building the Hermitage,the founder showed signs of

true leadership: he stepped out,took a risk, looked to the future.I write to ask all of us to do thesame today.

This letter comes with threeaims in mind. First of all, to ex-plain the details and discuss theimplications of a joint decisionmade late in 2006 by membersof the General Council and theCouncil of the Province ofL’Hermitage to refurbish someof the buildings that make upNotre Dame de l’Hermitageand to transform others.

Next, to encourage you tojoin us by taking up the spiritthat drives this project and mak-ing your own the mind, heart,and vision of Marcellin Cham-pagnat and his first followers.

Finally, to ask for your col-laboration and support for whatwe have come to call the Her-mitage Project.

To realize these aims, the let-ter is divided into five distinct

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parts. The first includes someintroductory remarks about ourMarist places, while the secondconcentrates exclusively on thehistory of Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage from the time of its con-struction up until today. Partthree follows with a description

of the project itself and partfour discusses each of the sitesto be renewed. The final or fifthpart includes three requests: forstudy and reflection, forprayers, and for support. Let’sbegin with Part I: Marist places.

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MARIST PLACES

Many of us who are brothersor Marist lay partners havemade the Champagnat Pilgrim-age. At each step along the way,we were moved by the events re-called and sensed the presenceof people like François, Lau-rent, Sylvester, Jean-Baptiste,Louis Marie, Marcellin himselfand so many others. In time, webegan to understand that wewere moving through placesfilled with Marist charism.

Four sites in particular, re-ferred to as “Marist Places,” aredear to those of us who call our-selves Marist: Le Rosey, La Val-la-en-Gier, Les Maisonnettes,and L´Hermitage.

a. Le RoseyThe first place, Le Rosey, is

the small hamlet near Marlheswhere Marcellin was born in1789. Today we are in posses-sion of two rooms in the housein which his family lived. Theupper one is the place where the

Let us reclaim the spirit of the Hermitage!

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Four sites in particular,referred to as “Marist Places” are dear to those of uswho call ourselvesMarist: Le Rosey, La Valla-en-Gier, Les Maisonnettes andL´Hermitage.

founder rested and studied dur-ing his holidays from the semi-nary while the lower one con-tains the oven in which hismother and others would havebaked bread for the family.

A free-standing chapel, whoseconstruction to celebrate thefounder’s beatification was fi-nanced by donations from Mariststudents throughout the world,stands nearby and to the left ofthe house. Marcellin’s familyhome, the chapel, and a hostelcomplete this first of our Maristplaces.

In visiting Le Rosey we meetMarcellin the child and adoles-cent and come to understand theways in which his parents, JohnBaptist Champagnat and MarieChirac, shaped his open and hon-est character, business sense, andlove of work. Most importantlywe begin to appreciate the foun-dation they laid for his life offaith and consecration to God.

b. La VallaWe move on to La Valla, the

second of our four Maristplaces, to find the first house of

the Little Brothers of Mary,known also as “the cradle of theInstitute.” Entering on theground floor, we walk throughplaces dear to any Marist heart:Marcellin’s bedroom, the firstcommunity’s oratory, a smallkitchen and a dining room withthe table used by the founderand our early brothers. Thistable has become a symbol ofsorts for the family spirit thatlies at the heart of Marist life.

On the first floor we arestruck by the functional designof the dormitory in which thefirst brothers slept. During theInstitute’s early years this build-ing in La Valla also housed thepostulants who slept in the attic.The simplicity of the house andits furnishings has a way of mak-ing all who pass through it feelwelcome and at home.

La Valla is also the site of thefirst Marist school. Marcellinopened it within a year of gath-ering together his initial groupof aspirants. He began with asingle classroom and added asecond within the first year. In1820, working with our early

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brothers, the founder under-took a major expansion, build-ing two dormitories and a din-ing room so as to be able to re-ceive boys from the hamletsaround La Valla. In schoolfrom Monday to Friday, thechildren returned home for theweekend.3

Today, this first Marist com-munity, school, and boarding fa-cility are set within a series oflarger buildings added at a laterdate to meet new needs. In1892, the entire complex be-came a juniorate and remainedso until 1965 when, once again,it served as a school for the chil-dren of La Valla and the sur-rounding area.

La Valla is that Marist placewhere we can most easily con-nect with the spirit of our be-ginnings: a life marked by sim-plicity, family spirit and a pas-sion for making Jesus knownand loved among poor childrenand young people.

c. Les MaisonettesLes Maisonnettes, situated

on one of the numerous hillsfound on the left side of the Banriver, is the hamlet where Broth-er François was born. Some-what isolated geographically, itis within sight across a slight val-ley from La Valla.

The young Gabriel Rivat, laterFrançois, was brought by an old-er brother to one of Marcellin’scatechism lessons. His piety soimpressed the founder that heasked the boy’s parents to allow


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Similar to the relationshipbetween a father and son,over time a profound bonddeveloped between Marcellin and Gabriel who became our first Superior General.

3 Cf. Pierre Zind, FMS. Sur les traces de Marcellin Champagnat, tome 1. Rome,2001, pp. 99-100.

him live with the brothers so asto benefit from a good educa-tion. Similar to the relationshipbetween a father and son, overtime a profound bond devel-oped between Marcellin andGabriel who became our firstSuperior General. La Valla andLes Maisonnettes constitute to-gether a special Marist place ofbeginnings.

d. Notre Dame de l’HermitageOf all four Marist places, how-

ever, the Hermitage is at the heartof our story. Marcellin spent thegreater part of his life here. With-in the walls of the house and onthe surrounding property, thefirst generations of brothers gaveshape and character to the Maristway of life and mission. The im-pressive building left to us as alegacy by the founder and his ear-ly recruits continues to inspire ustoday because of the project’s au-dacity and the circumstances sur-rounding its realization.

At the Hermitage we find thefounder’s tomb and reliquary aswell as the graves of brothers

whose names have become a fa-miliar reference for every genera-tion of Marist brothers and laypartners that has followed.

While there are four Maristplaces, in this letter I plan toshare a reflection solely aboutNotre Dame de l’Hermitage.My reason for doing so is quitepractical. After three years ofstudy and planning, the mem-bers of the General Council andof the Council of the Provinceof l’Hermitage have decided tobegin the initial phase of ourwork of renovation at this site.

Though Le Rosey, La Valla,and Les Maisonnettes are im-portant parts of the renovationproject we have planned, nowork will begin in connectionwith any of them until the proj-ect at Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage is complete. I will cer-tainly let you know when we areready to begin the second phaseof our work. Before turning myattention to the details of theplanned renovation at the Her-mitage, permit me to explainthe spirit that motivates us toundertake it.

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NOTRE DAMEDE L’HERMITAGE«LOOK UPON THE ROCKFROM WHICHWE WERE CUT!» (IS 51,1)

The story of Marcellin’s Her-mitage begins long before thefirst stone was cut. When walk-ing between La Valla and St.Chamond he often passed aproperty in a sheltered sectionof the Gier river valley. Bound-ed on the east and west by steepmountain ridges, they were ri-valed in height only by the oaksthat fell between.4

On May 13th, 1824 he andFather Courveille went to the of-fice of Mr. Finaz of St. Chamondand there bought the propertyfrom Mr. Montellier. An area of206 acres was purchased for5000 francs payable in one year,with interest at five percent.5

All the brothers gladlyhelped the builders and masonswith the construction of thehouse during their next summervacation. The founder rentedan old house on the left bank ofthe Gier to house them. Mar-cellin slept on an open balconyduring the summer while hisbrothers slept as best they couldin an old garret. All gathered atfour o’clock each morning andmade their way to a spot amongthe trees that had been set up asa make shift chapel. And so thework began.

Marcellin Champagnat con-structed more than a building atNotre Dame de l’Hermitage; healso began to shape the charac-ter of his Little Brothers ofMary. He did so by lending hishand to the construction of thebuilding and organizing our ear-ly brothers to work with himand the few professionalbuilders he had hired. For morethan a year they labored in the


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4 Brother Stephen Farrell, FMS. Achievement from the Depths, Drummoyne,NSW: Marist Brothers, 1984. p. 96.

5 Farrell, p. 97.

quarry from sunrise to sunset,prayed regularly, and shared alifestyle that was austere.

With what result? Memo-rable events and stories becamethe threads in a tapestry thatcaptured the spirit that sur-rounded our foundation: the ev-ident protection of Mary, dailyEucharist, the “chapel in thewoods”, Marcellin and hisbrothers breaking rocks withenergy and enthusiasm whileone among their number readaloud a text on spirituality, sim-ple food, and nights spent sleep-ing in the old barn. These andother elements shaped the rela-tionships of those involved andgave unique form to ourcharism. What it meant to beMarist became clearer with eachpassing day.

Recalling the story of theconstruction of the Hermitage, Iam struck by two elements.One, the intensity with whichthe work was carried out; two,the realization that constructioncontinued throughout the life ofthe founder. The fact that heand our early brothers were able

to complete the initial construc-tion in just over twelve months(between May 1824 and August1825) despite the scarcity ofmeans and the small number ofprofessional builders involved isnothing short of remarkable.

And in the midst of it all,they were still able to developand manage the schools at LaValla, Marlhes, Saint-Sauveur,Tarentaise and Bourg-Argentaland open two new ones at Char-lieu and Chavanay. Their evi-dent enthusiasm for the workand the excellence of what theyproduced caused the people oftheir day not only to admire thefruit of their labor but the spiritthat animated it as well.

Construction at Notre Damede l’Hermitage continued throu-ghout Marcellin’s lifetime. It in-volved both the renovation ofparts of the house’s interior,such as the dormitories, as wellas the demolition of sections ofthe original building includingthe first chapel.

New buildings were alsoadded with a bakery and the sta-bles being completed in 1827, a

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new chapel in 1836 and a newkitchen the following year.

Today, from the vantagepoint of history we are chal-lenged to reclaim the spirit thatbuilt the Hermitage and tomake it our own. Those in-volved in the construction ofthis treasure built with the fu-ture in mind. Their dreams were

daring, their actions bold, theirhearts on fire. Yes, they tookrisks but what they accom-plished, having so little to beginwith, should inspire and moveus to do the same.

Mother House and Formation Center

Notre Dame de l’Hermitagehas had a number of lives andserved as many purposes. Whenthe brothers at La Valla movedthere in August 1825, the placebecame the Mother House Itwas also Marcellin’s home untilhis death in 1840. During theyears in which François servedas his successor up until 1858,when in order to be closer to Ly-on the Superior General and hisCouncil moved to Saint Genis-Laval, the house continued toserve as home for the GeneralAdministration.

Throughout this period, theHermitage was also a postulan-cy and novitiate and served asan infirmary for brothers whowere retired or in ill-health. Intime it became a juniorate aswell, though the location of theprogram alternated between theHermitage and a house nearbyin Grange-Payre.

In 1848 Brother François ini-tiated a scholasticate as part ofthe initial formation of MaristBrothers. During its first years


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The thirty-three yearsduring which Marcellinand François led ourInstitute from Notre Damede l’Hermitage were anintense time in our history,one that helped give uniqueshape to our charism and formed our spirit as a group.

the program, like that of the ju-niorate, moved back and forthbetween the Hermitage and thehouse in Grange-Payre.

Sylvester was appointed firstMaster of Scholastics and whennot in residence there, he andhis charges spent weekends atNotre Dame de l’Hermitage.The spontaneous character oftheir Master as well as the inter-action that took place betweenthe scholastics and the elderbrothers brought from time totime some welcome excitementas well as a few frustrations intothe lives of all who lived at theMother House.6

The thirty-three years duringwhich Marcellin and Françoisled our Institute from NotreDame de l’Hermitage were anintense time in our history, onethat helped give unique shape toour charism and formed ourspirit as a group.

As we walk through the prop-erty we sense in the walls of the

building, on the paths along thebanks of the Gier, and in therocks situated close to the houseand in some instances toweringalongside it, the mysterious pres-ence of Marcellin and our firstbrothers.

Who can spend time in thissacred space and not feel an urgerising up within to reclaim – forourselves and our brothers andlay partners, for our communitiesand works, for the young peoplewhom we are called to serve – thelove these men had for one an-other and for our mission, theirability to live in God’s presenceand their joy in so doing, their re-liance on Mary, and their untiringdevotion to bringing God’s GoodNews to the poor children andyoung people of their day?

Provincial HouseAs 1858 came to a close, with

but a handful of brothers livingthere, the Hermitage becameonce again the Provincial House

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6 Pierre Zind, FMS. Sur les traces de Marcellin Champagnat et du Fr. François,tome 2, Roma, 2001, p. 183.

of the Province of Notre Damede l’Hermitage. It served thatpurpose for the next 12 yearswhile continuing also as a for-mation center and infirmary.

In 1876 and 1877, during themandate of Brother Louis Marieas Superior General, the chapelof the house was extended andrefurbished, witnessing to the im-portance that Marcellin and thefirst generation of brothers gaveto celebration of the liturgy.More than 20 years later, in 1898,the building known today as LeRocher was officially opened as ascholasticate and became in timea symbol of the significanceplaced on this stage of initial for-mation.

During the nineteen-fiftiesthe brothers took the farmbuildings that Marcellin hadbuilt in 1839 and transformedthem into a complex that be-came known as Le Cèdre. Thisrenovation allowed the commu-

nity to welcome a greater num-ber of children and young peo-ple for catechism classes andsessions of spiritual formation.

The apse on the North-Westside of the main chapel that weso admire today was construct-ed to mark the beatification ofMarcellin in 1955 and to pro-vide a home for the reliquarycontaining his remains.

As we consider the history ofthe Hermitage as a whole, it be-comes evident that Father Cham-pagnat and our first brothersnever stopped building the place.The generations that followeddid the same. Perhaps herein liesthe origin of the phrase mal de lapierre7, a phenomenon that ap-pears to have accompanied theLittle Brothers of Mary in one sit-uation after another.

Difficult timesPolitical events also helped

shape the history of Notre


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7 A French expression that literally means the “sickness of stone.” In the pastit has been used to refer to those Provincials and school Directors who were con-tinually developing Marist institutions by constructing new buildings.

Dame de l’Hermitage. Recallthat the singing of the SalveRegina became a tradition thereand throughout the Institute asa consequence of the social up-heaval brought about by the1830 uprising of in France.

In 1903 as a result of theCombes Law, then SuperiorGeneral Theophane Durandand his Council moved the Gen-eral Administration from France(St. Genis) to Italy (Grugliasco).The novitiate was also relocatedto that country and set up in thetown of San Mauro. At the sametime, to avoid possible desecra-tion, Marcellin’s remains weretransferred to a discreet place inLes Maisonnettes. They were re-turned to the Hermitage in1920.

On August 13th, 1925, thenew Superior General, BrotherDiogene, traveled from Gruglia-sco to Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage to celebrate a centenarysince its official opening as ourfirst Mother House. There he

was welcomed by Brother Stra-tonique, a former SuperiorGeneral and for 25 years Supe-rior of the Hermitage communi-ty, and well over a hundredbrothers who had gathered forthe occasion.

Stratonique, the main speak-er, summarized in a few wordsthe growing conviction amongthe brothers of his generation:“the heroic spirit that animatedFr. Champagnat and the novicesand brothers that began thisventure in 1825 reached out toevery house and school in theInstitute with admirable fertili-ty”. He defined the historicalbuilding as “a masterpiece ofsimplicity and endurance”8.

With all that it had faced in acentury of life, the Hermitagehad yet to be tested by fire.When that occurred in 1940 theflames consumed the fifth floorroof of the northwest side wingin which the novitiate washoused as well as most of therooms situated under it. The

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8 Cfr. Bulletin de l’Institut, volume XXIII, pp. 144 and 147.

overall structure itself, however,remained intact. For their part,the Brothers quickly repairedthe damage and used the occa-sion to improve some otherparts of the house.

A new identity for NotreDame de l’Hermitage

The many changes that oc-curred in religious life during the1960s and the years that fol-lowed understandably had animpact on Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage. As time passed, its build-ings and the property were putto new uses.

With the number of those en-tering growing ever smaller, theSuperiors judged it best to con-solidate the various houses of for-mation throughout France. As aresult, there was to be one nation-al novitiate at La Cabanne and ascholasticate located at St. Genis.

For its part, Notre Dame del’Hermitage ceased to serve as anovitiate in 1960. The scholasti-cate located there closed itsdoors in 1964 and the junioratein 1969. With its role once againreduced to that of a Provincialand retirement house, both theGeneral and Province adminis-trations begin to plan a futureuse for the house’s vast spaces,so dear to the brothers but nowleft practically empty.

Fortunately, planning coin-cided with a growing awarenessof our need to make an institu-tional response to Vatican II’sinvitation that we return to thespirit of our origins. The giftthat Father Champagnat andour early brothers had made tous was quickly rediscovered andour appreciation of it was deep-ened by the pioneering work of


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As the Hermitage took on an identity moresuitable for the age thathad dawned, it began to welcome adolescentsand young adults from the Marist Schoolnetwork throughoutFrance.

researchers such as BrotherPierre Zind and those who fol-lowed him during subsequentyears. As a consequence, Maristplaces became increasingly cen-ters of pilgrimage for brothersand lay Marists alike.

As the Hermitage took on anidentity more suitable for the agethat had dawned, it began to wel-come adolescents and youngadults from the Marist Schoolnetwork throughout France andfrom the Diocese of St. Etienne.By 1973 the house and surround-ing property had establishedthemselves as a Youth Center.

Two years later an interna-tional community was appointedand given the role of welcomingand guiding the ever increasingnumber of pilgrims visitingMarist places. Eventually ourGeneral Administration and theProvince Administration of NotreDame de l’Hermitage entered in-to a written agreement to shareresponsibility for the buildingsand property as well as the com-munity residing there. In 1987following several evaluations, adecision was made to replace the

international community withone made up of brothers fromthe Province of Notre Dame del’Hermitage and to integrate thiscommunity into that of theProvincial Administration.

The bicentenary of Marcellin’sbirth was celebrated in 1989.Brothers from the Province ofNotre Dame de l’Hermitage,with the support of the GeneralAdministration, marked theevent in a number of ways. Aparticularly memorable celebra-tion was the European MaristYouth gathering that brought to-gether several thousand youngpeople who were connected toour Institute in one way or an-other. It was a joyous experienceof prayer, as well as of faith-shar-ing and Marist family spirit.

About the same time, the mainchapel, bedrooms and meetingrooms as well as the visitors’quarters were refurbished inboth the historical building andLe Rocher. This work was aimedat better accommodating the everincreasing number of brotherswho were visiting the Hermitageas part of programs of renewal.

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The restructuring of admin-istrative units that occurredthroughout most of our Insti-tute during the last decade gaveMarist Europe a fresh geo-graphic face. The new Provinceof L’Hermitage brought togeth-er the two former provinces ofFrance, the former Province ofCatalonia as well as our founda-tions in Switzerland, Algeria,Hungary and Greece.

With the formation of thisnew Province in 2003, NotreDame de l’Hermitage ceased tofunction as a Provincial House.Once again, we were challengedto find thoughtful and creativeways in which to transform therole of this important propertyand its buildings to meet theministry demands of the future.

A Center to welcome and to accompany Marist pilgrims

For more than 30 years now,Notre Dame de l’Hermitage hasserved both as a center to wel-come and accompany Marist pil-grims and visitors and as aProvincial and retirement house.

During the last decade and a half,however, more and more layMarists, groups of brothers andothers, not associated with ourMidlife and Third-age sessions,have swelled the ranks of thosecoming to the Hermitage seekingto deepen their knowledge andappreciation of the sources of ourInstitute and its mission. Indica-tions are that this steady streamof pilgrims will only increase dur-ing the years ahead.

To ensure that the placewould have the wherewithal tocontinue its ministry of wel-come and to accommodate theneeds of an increasing variedgroup of pilgrims (children,couples and families, as well asbrothers), a study needed to beundertaken to assess the facili-ties and programs at NotreDame de l’Hermitage. With thispurpose in mind, the GeneralCouncil and the Council of thenew Province of L’Hermitageset up in 2004 an InternationalCommission for Marist Places.Its mission was quite straight-forward: to help both councilsdevelop an overall plan for


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Notre Dame de l’Hermitage.That plan was to be called “TheHermitage Project”.

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THE HERMITAGEPROJECT

The Hermitage Project in-cludes both the renewal of per-sons and of places and has twoaims:1. Developing a new program

of welcome and animationfor visitors to Notre Dame del’Hermitage;

2. Planning and carrying out therenovation of the buildingsand other significant spacesthat are part the property ofNotre Dame de l’Hermitageso that they will facilitate theimplementation of the abovementioned program.This project is the fruit of

considerable reflection andwide-ranging consultation. Notonly was it submitted for reviewto the two councils involved but

also to the communities ofL’Hermitage. Taking advantageof the 7th General Conference inSeptember 2005, members ofthe General Council presentedthe main elements of the proj-ect. In turn, they received anumber of helpful recommen-dations and overwhelming sup-port for the plan.

The Province of L’Hermitagehas committed itself to pay twothirds of the overall cost whilethe General Council pledgedthe General Administration,with the help of the Provincesand Districts of the Institute, tocover the remaining third.

I am grateful to the brothersof the Province of L’Hermitagefor their generous support.Without it, I doubt we wouldhave the courage to undertakethis work.

The project’s heart Places of foundation play an

important role in the develop-ment of religious feeling and be-lief. During times of rapid andprofound cultural change, suchas the present, they are particu-

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larly significant serving as an es-sential reference point for thegroup’s work of rediscoveringand defining anew its spirituali-ty and identity.

In our Marist tradition, bothof these elements took theiroriginal charismatic shape fromthe interaction of Marcellin andour first brothers and foundtheir expression in the ways inwhich these men related to God,to Jesus and Mary, to one anoth-er, and to the poor children andyoung people of their day.

François described the his-torical building of Notre Damede l’Hermitage as “the reliquaryof the Blessed Founder, whereeverything speaks of him.”9

This description is no less truetoday for it continues to be theplace where we come face-to-face with the founding experi-ence of Marcellin and his earlyrecruits. The Hermitage Projectaims at assisting brothers andlay people realize their hope ofencountering today this same

foundational experience. For ifthe Hermitage has somethingunique to offer, it is the specialpresence of Marcellin and hisfirst followers. The building andits surroundings are truly an ex-ceptional expression of theirlives and works.

Co-responsibilityThe documents of recent

General Chapters have beenclear about this point: any fu-ture for our Marist life and mis-sion will be the fruit of effortson the part of both brothers andlay Marists. Those of us who arebrothers should welcome thisdevelopment and be thankfulfor the fact that so many of ourlay colleagues and friends arekeen to deepen their ownMarist identity and are attractedto the spirituality of Marcellinand our first brothers, as well asto the tradition to which it hasgiven rise.

In renewing the spaces atNotre Dame de l’Hermitage we


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9 Bulletin of the Institute, Volume X, p 146)

have no intention of creating amuseum in which to display theachievements of the past. Ratherwe want to take one step furtherthe dream that Marcellin had inmind when he built the place.

What do I mean, then, whenI use the expression “reclaimingthe spirit of the Hermitage?”Nothing more and nothing less

than entering into an encounterwith Marcellin Champagnat andthose who were his contempo-raries and making our own theirfaith, their vision, their courage,and their boldness of action.This spirit of the Hermitage isand will continue to be the basisfor our unity in the midst ofwhat will be the increasinglyrich and international nature ofour Institute and its mission.Having been an internationalInstitute for well over a hun-dred years, now is the time tobegin acting like one.10

I am convinced that greaterinternationality in our communi-ties and works is an essential in-gredient for bringing about theincrease in vitality for which weall long. The renovation of thebuildings that make up the Her-mitage will help everyone whovisits there – regardless of na-tionality, race, or cultural back-ground – to feel truly at home.

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So, while respecting the past, this project isundertaken with the future in mind. The work of renewal is serious business andrightly so we shall be heldaccountable by futuregenerations for the wayin which we embraced it.

10 Seán D. Sammon, FMS. Revolution of the Heart: Marcellin’s Spirituality anda Contemporary Identity for his Little Brothers of Mary, Roma: Fratelli Maristi,2003, (31)1.

Truly, if we are ever to renewour Institute and its works thespirit of the Hermitage must beours beyond question. Takingon the mind and heart of thefounder is an important step inthis direction. So also is contin-ued bold and courageous actionon the part of us all.

No exercise in nostalgiaThe Hermitage Project, there-

fore, is no exercise in nostalgia,an attempt to reclaim an imag-ined glorious past. While the re-mains of the founder and ourearly brothers are well-placedthere, the house and its environsare more rightly thought of asliving memorials to these menand their dream.

So, while respecting the past,this project is undertaken withthe future in mind. The work ofrenewal is serious business andrightly so we shall be held ac-countable by future generationsfor the way in which we em-braced it. The time has come tostop tinkering with one or an-other element in the process ofrenewal and to give our hearts to

it completely. If we are unwillingto address that challenge, weshould be honest enough to sayso and to step aside so as not toget in the way of those who be-lieve in a future and our ability,with God’s grace, to realize it.

Today we are also more awarethat brothers and Marist laymenand women share responsibilityfor our mission and its vitality.The spirit of Notre Dame del’Hermitage is a resource to us allin our search for fresh and com-pelling answers to the new callswe are facing in our Church to-day as well as our way of life andmission. Arriving at these an-swers, however, will require farmore than simply spending a fewdays on pilgrimage and then re-turning to our place of work. Achange of heart is never easy tocome by. It occurs only over time,and entails sacrifice and self-tran-scendence. The transformationof our communities and families,our mission and our works willrequire no less effort.

A pilgrimage to Notre Damede l’Hermitage is but a first stepof a much longer journey, some


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moments in a place of initiationthat help connect us vitally withour origins. We come away in-spired and with renewed energyfor the work that lies ahead. Je-sus, though, is the only one whocan set our hearts on fire, openour eyes, provide us with freshinsight into our life together andour mission of bringing hisGood News to the poor childrenand young people of our timeand place.

The programsFrom time of its foundation

Notre Dame de l’Hermitage hascarried out the task of initiatingcandidates into Marist life andmission. And while it has alsoserved as a renewal center attimes, its programs of on-goingformation were soon moved toalternate sites in France andeventually to other parts of theInstitute such as Switzerland,Italy, and Spain.

Beginning in the 1970s andduring the years thereafter, theHermitage became once againthe site for short sessions of re-newal in Marist spirit and

charism. Participants were al-most always brothers involvedelsewhere in longer programs ofrenewal. For the last fifteen yearsor so, however, their ranks havebeen complemented by layMarists coming to the Hermitagein increasing numbers and oftenenough organized groups.

Many provinces and districtsalso are making remarkable ef-forts to further the formation ofbrothers and Marist lay men andwomen, with a significant num-ber of programs currently inplace aimed at both groups.Those participating come awayfrom these experiences with re-newed interest in deepeningtheir knowledge and apprecia-tion of Marist charism and spiri-tuality. A number of those fortu-nate enough to make a pilgrim-age to Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage arrive with significantknowledge about the founderand our early brothers. Aware ofthis situation, the Hermitage Pro-ject plans to develop and offerprograms to visitors that consoli-date and further develop previ-ous formative experiences.

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The programs we are develop-ing for use with those who travelto the renovated Hermitage haveat their heart an encounter withMarcellin and his first brothers.At the same time, we must tailoreach program so that it is sensi-tive to the reality of the lives ofthose who come on pilgrimage.For example, people from a di-versity of nations and culturesnow visit the center, as well asthose of different ages. The timethat some have available is limit-ed; while others, perhaps using aperiod of sabbatical or profes-sional leave, arrive with a moreopen ended schedule. Some whocome on pilgrimage do so for thefirst time; others are seasonedveterans who know the place andits riches well. A few arrive to doresearch, others to understandbetter what is meant by Maristculture and charism. All come topray in their own way.

To accommodate these in-evitable differences, we will obvi-ously have to put into place ateam with the capacity to adaptand be empathetic to the differ-ent sensibilities and needs of

those who arrive at the center. Atthe same time, we are in theprocess of developing a numberof what we call spiritual itiner-aries. They vary in content andlength but share the same overallgoal.

The work of renovation is, inpart, influenced by the nature ofthe programs that we are puttinginto place. For example, withinthe historical building the plan ofrenovation calls for the develop-ment of structures that will facili-tate different tours for visitors asopposed to those who come aspilgrims. Plans are on the draw-ing board also to develop furtherthe Champagnat and other walk-ing routes in the region of La Val-la and Le Pilat.

Those making one or other ofthese pilgrimages will walk in thefootsteps of Fr. Champagnat andsome of the first brothers as theywent about in their challengingwork in conditions far less agree-able than we find today. Our planincludes organizing some Marialpilgrimage routes as well.

The vision guiding the Her-mitage Project also stretches be-


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yond the confines of the buildingand property and includes a well-developed extension effort. Itwill allow persons, groups, andcommunities at a distance geo-graphically to have access to thesame spiritual itineraries that areavailable to those able to travel toNotre Dame de l’Hermitage.

This aspect of the programwill be implemented in twoways. First of all, by taking ad-vantage of recent developmentsin communication and technolo-gy, and, second, by making avail-able periodically to provincesand districts some members ofthe new Hermitage community.Their absence from the center it-self will have to be planned care-fully, though, so as not to disturbthe work of welcome, animationand formation that lies at theheart of the program we are de-veloping.

Spiritual growth Marcellin Champagnat’s can-

onization reminded us all thatthe charism that came into theChurch through him belongs tothe People of God and not sole-

ly to his brothers. In embracingthat charism we allow the spiritthat was so alive and active inthe founder to live and breathein each of us today.

Marist charism, therefore, is acatalyst for both human and spir-itual growth and, more impor-tantly, for our developing under-standing of our place in theChurch’s mission. And herein liesthe full meaning and purpose ofthe Hermitage Project. The spiri-tual itineraries that are so muchof the Project itself, working to-

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Those making one orother of these pilgrimageswill walk in the footstepsof Fr. Champagnat andsome of the first brothersas they went about in their challenging workin conditions far less agreeable than we find today.

gether with the experience oftouching, first-hand or at a dis-tance, Marist places, routes, andhistory can only serve to deepenthe journey of faith in which somany of us are involved today,and to do so in a particularlyMarist way.

Each of us is engaged in a life-long pilgrimage of conversionleading to reconciliation withGod, with ourselves and one an-other, and with the world at large.The fruit of that journey is seen atits best when it is the source ofour zeal for apostolic life and rad-ical gospel living.

Like Marcellin and his firstfollowers, over time we come tounderstand and experience morefully the presence and love ofGod, give Jesus and Mary im-portant places in our lives, andmake the virtue of simplicityour own. Consequently, the ex-pressions Marist identity, Maristapostolic spirituality, and Maristworks take on ever greatermeaning.

A Center that welcomesMarist pilgrims and visitors

The spirit of welcome that isa central characteristic of theHermitage Project is essential forthe effective implementation ofwhat we have in mind overall.There can be no doubt on thepart of anyone that Notre Damede l’Hermitage is a place whereeveryone is welcome and ismade to feel at home. Only inthis way will those coming tothe Hermitage be able to deep-en the experience of Maristidentity and spirituality as wellas the family spirit that lies atthe heart of each and finds itsinspiration in the attitudes of


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In taking leave from the Hermitage, any visitoror pilgrim should carrywith him or her the memory of havinglived during their timethere in a Christiancommunity that is Maristin name and in fact.

Mary, the mother of Jesus andwife of Joseph.

This welcoming attitude andatmosphere will show itself inthe way in which the residentcommunity relates to visitors andpilgrims as well as in the designof the house and its programs.The Hermitage Project aims atmaking sure that everything andeveryone associated with NotreDame de l’Hermitage is touchedby a sense of welcome and madeto feel at home.

Based on this principle, a num-ber of decisions have been made.First of all, the spaces and facilitiesthat will make up the house havebeen designed to create an atmos-phere in which the presence of theresident team will be evident in adiscreet but clear way.

This set-up does not, however,preclude a situation in which aProvince or institution, whetherMarist or not, comes to the centerwith its own program and groupof animators. Rather our aim is tocreate an atmosphere that is dis-tinctly Marist, one in which therecan be no question that the “styleof Mary” is quite evident.

A community that welcomes and accompanies visitors

The Hermitage Project, there-fore, seeks to create an atmos-phere of welcome and hospitalitywherein an encounter with Mar-cellin and our first brothers is pos-sible. A community lies at theheart of this effort and takes re-sponsibility for the tasks of wel-coming, accompanying, and ani-mating all who come to the center.

In taking leave from the Her-mitage, any visitor or pilgrimshould carry with him or her thememory of having lived duringtheir time there in a Christiancommunity that is Marist inname and in fact. And todaythat means one that welcomesdifferences in nationality, race,culture, and standards of living.It also means one in which allthe members have a passion formission. For if the experience ofspending time at Notre Damede l’Hermitage is to mean any-thing, it should send us out onfire with the desire to bringGod’s Good News to poor chil-dren and young people. Quite

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simply, to long as Marcellin didto tell children just how muchJesus Christ loves them.

The specificsWe are planning to appoint a

community to Notre Dame del’Hermitage that is made up oftwelve members: eight Brothersand four laymen and women.Fifty percent of the communitywill come from the Province ofL’Hermitage while the other halfwill have their origin in other partsof our Institute and will bring aninternational and multicultural di-mension to the community.

Those Brothers who belongto this initial community willcommit themselves in principlefor a period of no less than sixyears. The laymen and womenin the community will pledge aminimum period of two years.

A community finds its lifeonly through the day to daystruggle to truly be a communi-ty. And that involves fallingdown and getting up again anddoing so more than once! Totruly be in communion with oneanother takes the commitment

of time and honest exchangeamong the members of thegroup.

If the new community atNotre Dame de l’Hermitage tru-ly wants to become what Mar-cellin had in mind – people unit-ed in heart and mind – its mem-bers will need to take up themethods he proposed forachieving that end: mutual re-spect, prayer, forgiveness andreconciliation, simplicity of life.

They will also need to take upfor themselves some of the itiner-aries that will be used with visi-tors and pilgrims. In this waythey can foster their own en-counter with the founder and thefirst community at La Valla andlater the Hermitage. Quite possi-bly, the overall effectiveness ofthe Hermitage Project will de-pend eventually upon the abilityof this new community to liveMarist spirit and life fully andtheir ability to communicate toothers exactly what this means.

The scheme below summa-rizes the vision we have for thesoon to be appointed communityat Notre Dame de l’Hermitage:


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A final word about the com-munity we plan for the Her-mitage. Throughout the historyof the place, from the time ofMarcellin and up to the pres-ent, we have had one communi-ty after another that excelled atmeeting the challenges of theirtime in history and in the histo-ry of our Institute and its mis-sion. Perhaps what is new at thepresent time is the appointmentof a group whose sole task will

be to welcome and accompanythose who arrive as visitors andpilgrims.

As in the past, we see thecommunity as developing theirimportant apostolate in com-munion and coordination withthe communities at La Valla andLe Rosey. It is my hope, as well,that this new community willopen its hearts and its door tosmall groups of young peopleseeking to deepen their experi-

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Marcellin Champagnat and the First Brothers History and charism

Future oriented:listening to the signs

of the time

WELCOMING

COMMUNITY

Spirituality Center:In the manner

of Mary

Formation Center:Itineraries

and experience

ence and appreciation of Maristcommunity, life and mission.Some might very well be includ-ed in the overall life of the com-munity for a period of time.

PP AA RR TT II VV

The work of renovation

In February 2007, after incor-porating a number of sugges-tions from the Provincial Coun-cil of L’Hermitage, the GeneralCouncil gave its approval to aplan for the renovation of thebuildings and external spacesthat make up Notre Dame del’Hermitage. During the weekssince some brothers throughoutthe Institute have expressedtheir concern that a project ofthis magnitude might actuallytake away from the building’ssimple Marist character.

To dispel these fears I willshare with you the criteria beingused to make judgments as wellas the basic plan of renovation,leaving the explanation of more

specific details about the projectto the CD and other audio-visu-al resource materials that youwill receive in each Provinceand District.

As illustrated in the pictureabove, Notre Dame de l’Her-mitage is made up of three setsof buildings. There is the socalled historical building at thecenter, the group to the leftknown as Le Cèdre and, finally,in the forefront, Le Rocher.

The renovation of the “Historical building”

Marcellin Champagnat wasthis building’s first architectand the memory of his life andwork is to be found almosteverywhere throughout. Thisfact inspired the renovationplan that we are about to imple-ment. We are determined notonly to keep alive his memorybut to actively promote thebuilding as a gift to the Churchand young people, while at thesame time bringing the facilityup to date so that it may servethe needs of today and thosethat arise in the future.


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Five criteria have guided usin our planning: 1. To highlight those spaces

that were a part of the life ofthe founder by restoringthem, as much as possible, totheir original state.

2. To preserve the building’straditional style while alsoincorporating those facili-ties necessary to adequatelywelcome the increasingnumber and variety of visi-tors, (e.g., married couples,

families with children).3. To reinforce the structure

overall and correct construc-tion problems where theyhave developed (e.g., thewarping of some floor spaceand ceilings).

4. To reduce the number of lev-els that exist on any one floorthus increasing safety andease of movement.

5. To improve acoustics in thebedroom area and in desig-nated meeting rooms.

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HISTORICAL

BUILDING

LE CÈDRE

LE ROCHER

Notre Dame de l’Hermitage

The building of Le Rocheror the former scholasticate

This building is being reno-vated with three objectives inmind: 1. To double the number of

bedrooms on the property.2. To have the ability to accom-

modate two different groupsat the same time with pro-grams employing two differ-ent dynamics.

3. To have the capacity to wel-come adolescents and youngadults. Consequently, the three up-

per floors will be transformedinto bedrooms while the groundfloor will be organized in such away that the needs of groups ofyoung people and adolescentswill be met.

The group of buildingscalled “Le Cèdre”

This group of buildings willbe demolished and replaced bya new building designed to pro-vide the following necessary fa-cilities:1. A reception area where all

those coming to Notre Dame

de l’Hermitage will be wel-comed.

2. A dining hall with a capacityfor 200 people.

3. A fully equipped conferencehall with the same capacity asthe dining area surroundedby smaller meeting places.

4. A central kitchen.

The plan foresees a simplestructure for this new building.It will be of low height and con-temporary design, and aimed atenhancing the prominence ofthe historical building while alsorespecting the local environ-ment.

The entrance to Notre Damede l’Hermitage and parking fa-cilities will be organized in suchway that access to the historicalbuilding will be from the south-west section of the property.Arriving visitors walking towardthe historical building will havethe steep forest slope and theundeveloped areas on their leftand back respectively. The Gier,the vegetable garden, theChapel in the Woods and thecemetery will be to their right.


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PP AA RR TT VV

THREE REQUESTS

The work of renovation isscheduled to begin no laterthan May 2008 and to be com-pleted by May 2009. That 12month period will be a time ofintense activity aimed not onlyat completing the constructionon time but also, and more im-portantly, finalizing the pro-gram of animation and begin-ning to form the communitythat will be responsible for thatprogram.

The Brothers and the layMarists who will make up themembership of this first com-munity will be occupied as wellwith learning languages, deep-ening their knowledge of Mar-cellin and our first brothers, get-ting to know one another, devel-oping a Community Project andstarting to form a true commu-nity, becoming acquainted with

the program of animation, for-mation, and accompaniment de-signed for those coming to theHermitage.

My first request to each ofyou involves an invitation tostudy and reflect. Joining withthose who will make up the firstcommunity at the refurbishedHermitage, let us all make a spe-cial effort to deepen our knowl-edge and love of our founderand his early recruits.

You will soon receive someprinted and audio-visual materi-al explaining the Hermitage Pro-ject. I encourage you to usethese resources individually andas communities and in yourplace of ministry. I also inviteyou to read once again Chapter12 of the first part of the “Lifeof Joseph Benedict MarcellinChampagnat” (Rome, 1989) byBrother Jean Baptist.11

My second request involvesan invitation to pray. As soon asthe names of those who will

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11 Jean-Baptiste Furet. Life of Blessed Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat,Roma: Fratelli Maristi, 1989 [Bicentenary Edition], Chapter 12.

make up the new community atNotre Dame de l’Hermitage arefinalized, I will send a note toour Provincials and District Su-periors. Please pray for each ofthem by name every day person-ally and in your communitiesand families.

And finally I count on yourgenerosity in helping us financethese works of renovation andrenewal. Together with this let-ter I am sending a note to eachProvincial and District superiorwith a suggested amount that aProvince or District mightpledge toward the project. Ileave it to each administrativeunit to decide how best to raisethe money and to involve asmany people as possible in theproject. I am very grateful foryour efforts in both regards.

ConclusionBefore closing this letter, I

wish to express my gratitude tothe members of the Internation-al Commission of Marist Places.Appointed early in 2004, theyhave dedicated a great deal oftime and energy to developing

the project as we now know it.Throughout they were in dia-logue with the General Counciland the Provincial Council ofL’Hermitage and were a greathelp to both groups in their owntask of reflection.

Thank you to: Brothers Jean-Pierre Destombes, Maurice Gou-tagny, Alain Delorme, MichelMorel and Josep Maria Soteras ofthe Province of L’Hermitage andto Brothers Onorino Rota (Medi-terránea), Javier Espinosa (Amé-rica Central), George Fontana(USA), José Pérez (Compostela)and Albert André (West CentralEurope).

This Commission was suc-ceeded in 2006 by a secondgroup given the name of CentralCommission. Their task hasbeen to help the two councilsimplement the Project. Theirwork will continue throughSeptember 2009.

The renovation plans that arepart of the Hermitage Project arethe result of the hard work ofMr. Joan Puig-Pey and his teamof architects from Barcelona.They have listened attentively


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throughout to our ideas, ourhopes, our suggestions and rec-ommendations. Our relation-ship has been blessed by thequalities of dialogue, mutualtrust and a forthright approach.

The result is a plan thatmeets the approval of both par-ties and one that will certainly,we hope, meet your expecta-tions and those of generationsto come. To all involved, I ex-press my gratitude and pray thatthe work of renovation takesplace without incident or acci-dent as was the case in Mar-cellin’s day.

Thank you for your interestin this project and for your will-ingness to share in its spirit.

May the work about to takeplace be but one more step inour efforts to reclaim the spiritof Marcellin’s Hermitage and tomake it our own. And may thateffort give us his fire and his zealfor bringing God’s Word to to-day’s poor children and youngpeople. May Mary, our GoodMother, and the founder him-self be our guides in that effort.

With prayers and affection,your brother,

Brother Seán D. Sammon, FMSSuperior General

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Personal notes:


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Ended to print, July 2007

marist places - marist brothers

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