Pilgrimage to the Tomb of Father Laval

The annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Father Laval, the Apostle of Mauritius, started on Thursday night 8 September. This year 2016 marks 175 years since the arrival of Father Laval in Mauritius. He died here on 9 September 1864. From 1835 until four days before his death, he wrote letters to the head of his congregation. 

These letters have been compiled into a book and published by Father Bernard Hym, head of the Ste Croix parish where pilgrims pay homage to the Apostle every year. News on Sunday asks Father Bernard Hym, director of the Pilgrimage to the tomb of Father Laval to tell us more of the significance of this year’s celebration and of his latest book, ‘The Letters of Father Laval,’ launched this week.

You are of the Congregation of the Spiritans just like Father Laval. What does it mean to be a Spiritan and to follow the path of the Apostle of Mauritius?

Spiritan like the Apostle of Mauritius? For me, it took me to get to Mauritius to understand all the place that Father Laval occupies in the heart of Mauritians; and having arrived a week before September 8, I quickly realized that I had to put myself in your school and enter into your love for Father Laval to understand and to follow suit of this love.

He was a Spiritan and I am a Spiritan; it made me even more responsible in my missionary life, but I was not discouraged. I deeply believe that he continues to help Spiritans to serve Mauritius, as he helps Mauritians to live their faith.

Every year Mauritians go on pilgrimage to the tomb of Father Laval. What is the novelty for 2016?

It is not worthy to make a pilgrimage by routine: 2016 marks 175 years since Father Laval arrived in Mauritius. There is the choice of texts related to the pastoral letter from our bishop, and this year, with Christians around the world, we are in the year of “Mercy”, to live the love of God in forgiveness and messages for others who despair.

This year marks a new development – restitution of memories of the old vault from 1870, demolished in 1968, and of which remains at least two doors, four columns and symbolic characters of the old vault: Christ on the cross - the way of love for men, the four evangelists, messengers of the Good News of salvation through the cross, to the four cardinal points of the world.

There is the launch of the book on the letters of Father Laval, officially released this September 7, 2016, to allow Mauritians to discover another aspect of Father Laval, even more endearing!

It is also 170 years since the opening of the first chapel of Father Laval, followed by so many others, in Petite Riviere and which was marked lately by the inauguration of a monument and a show on the history of the Chapel. All parishes who wish to enhance their relationship with Father Laval and its “secular auxiliary” can contribute (one rupee per capita for a greater unity) for the creation of a commemorative plaque to place at their respective church or at a significant place.

What struck you when you came across the Letters of Father Laval?

In the letters of Father Laval, I was especially struck by the simplicity, humility and deep humanity of Father Laval that transpires therefrom. You could feel how he suffered from the lack of priests to propagate the Gospel and how he suffered to see so many people dying during epidemic outbreaks, how he was delighted to see the arrival of colleagues to share his apostolate and how he marveled at how his lay auxiliaries work, unaware even that they are merely imitating himself in his zeal!

What does it mean for you to publish the letters of Father Laval?

For me, writing this book on the letters of Father Laval was a duty of gratitude to the people of Mauritius who showed me how to love Father Laval, their model; it was also my way of sharing the riches that have fallen into my hands, not for myself, but to allow others to enjoy the confidence of privilege that I was actually having when trusted with these manuscripts.

For a year almost to the day, from June 2015 to June 2016, I experienced a great joy of living as a confidant of Father Laval. Is it not a joy to share?