Tertianship pilgrimage to France
22/05/2026
During their international tertianship in Rome, sisters went on a pilgrimage to France:
From April 23 to May 1, we made a pilgrimage to France to encounter the history of the Roman Union and to meet Saint Mary of the Incarnation. We visited Paris, Beaugency, Blois, and Tours.
In Paris, we were warmly welcomed by Sr. Marie-Thérèse Le Goc, the Provincial, and Sr. Laëtitia Pennec, who is responsible for the Serviam Institute, which we visited. On a terrace overlooking the beautiful panorama of Paris, we enjoyed a traditional French breakfast with delicious croissants and coffee. Afterwards, we attended Mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral and visited several interesting places in the city. Guided by Sr. Armida Veglio, we also learned about the area that once belonged to the Ursulines. Although our stay in the French capital was short, it was deeply meaningful.
In Beaugency, we had the opportunity to share daily life with the community for several days, and we were welcomed with great openness and kindness. There, Sr. Armida led a session for us on the Roman Union. A particularly special moment of the programme was our visit to the General Archive in Beaugency, where we saw many historical objects and letters written by Saint Mary of the Incarnation. We also had time to absorb the atmosphere of this historic convent and town. During our stay, we experienced the beauty of French nature and architecture as well — we visited the Château de Chambord, one of the most beautiful royal residences in the Loire Valley.
With gratitude to the superior of the house and the entire community of sisters in Beaugency, we continued our journey to Blois. There, we visited the buildings that once housed the Ursuline monastery and now serve as Collège Sainte-Marie and the diocesan pastoral centre. Sr. Marie-Odilia Jaugey showed us historical photographs of the sisters taken in those very places. Afterwards, we arrived in Tours, the city of Saint Mary of the Incarnation.
Warmly welcomed by the community of sisters, we experienced another beautiful session led by Sr. Armida on the life of Mary of the Incarnation and visited key places connected with her life. Guided by Sr. Françoise Vidal and Sr. Anne Leroy, we explored these important sites. The session concluded with a moving evening prayer in the former monastery where Mary of the Incarnation once lived, now transformed into a museum and prayer space.
The culmination of our stay in Tours was April 30, the feast of Mary of the Incarnation. We participated in a beautiful celebration both within the community and in the cathedral in Tours. It was a great privilege to be present for this feast.
We would like to thank the Sisters in France for their warm hospitality and generous support during our experience of discovering the history of the Roman Union and encountering Mary of the Incarnation.
We continue to entrust ourselves to your prayers as our tertianship will soon come to an end and we prepare to return to our respective countries with much gratitude.
sr Katarzyna Słowik OSU
