Spirituality of Dina Bélanger

We share with you an article recently written by our beloved Sr. Lourdes Rossell RJM on "THE SPIRITUALITY OF DINA BÉLANGER".

Sr. Lourdes prepared this writing with great enthusiasm and affection. We thank her very much for this work and her interest and dedication to deepen Dina's life and make her known. It is certain, that from  heaven, she will have discovered many more things about Dina.

Read: Spirituality of Dina

September 4: FEAST OF BLESSED DINA BÉLANGER

On this, the 25th Anniversary of the Beatification of Dina Bélanger, the event was commemorated in a special manner. During the Mass, which was celebrated in the chapel of Sillery (Québec), the site of her tomb, the presence of the choir of Beaumont created a festive atmosphere. Father Gerard Busque, of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the priest responsible for the three parishes that will be amalgamated in January under the patronage of “Blessed Dina Belanger”, was the celebrant. Many parishioners attended and filled the chapel. Doctor Canuel, for whose recovery we are praying through the intercession of Dina, was also present, serene in spite of his illness. This was indeed a special moment of prayer and fraternity.

The inauguration of the parish of “Blessed Dina Belanger” will take place at the church of the Blessing Sacrament (one of the three churches that will be united under her name), on Friday January 11th 2019, from 17h30 to 20h00. 

Blessed Dina Belanger - Parish

In  Canada, as in other countries, the shortage of priests has made it necessary to merge existing parishes. In our case three parishes are concerned:

- Saint Michael of Sillery, erected in 1852 by the architect  Goodlatte Richardson Browe and the first chapel to be built in Sillery, in front of the Jesuit house.

- St. Charles Garnier, a church established by Cardinal Villeneuve on the August 7^th 1944 as a new parish in Sillery and inaugurated in 1947.

- The Most Holy Sacrament, a parish founded in 1921 by Father Auguste Pelletier and opened in 1924. The  Blessed Sacrament Fathers had previously built  a small wooden church.   

Last March, the Religious of Jesus and Mary were invited to propose a name for this new parish to be established in January, 2019. The following April Father Busque sent these suggestions, together with those of the parishes of St. Charles Garnier and St. Michael, to the Archbishop of Quebec. His Auxiliary Bishop,  Mgr. Pelchat, replied on April 19^{th .} The following is an extract from his reply:

“ I  received your lettet of April 11^th, which was part of the consultation carried out among the parishioners of St. Charles Garnier and St. Michael of Sillery, with reference to the judicial merger to take effect on the 1^st January 2019. After consultating Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec, concerning the proposals received  in the consultation, it is with pleasure that I confirm that the chosen name is that of BLESSED DINA BÉLANGER.

Let us rejoice to have the name of one of us – entitled  Blessed by the Church – as the name of our new parish and let us pray to her for our respective Christian communities.”

The three parishes are asking their new patron to obtain for them the grace of unity and communion.

DOCUMENTATION SENT BY POST

    The Dina Centre responds by post, to requests for information. Furthermore, apart from what is sent by post, every visitor or pilgrim receives an envelope containing information, while further material is available near Dina's tomb and in the churches of Sainte Anne de Beaupré, Saint Roch-Qc, Saint Michel de Bellechasse, Herbertville and Lamèque.

    The following is a list of the number of books, leaflets, holy-pictures, medals, relics etc. that were sent out, by post, in the period 1993 – 2017. The figures are approximate as no records were kept in the years 2000 to 2005, inclusive. The distribution of this material is in French, English, Spanish and Italian.

Autobiography                               1415                                                                      

Courage to Love                               553

In the Footsteps of Dina               1972

Dina, Great Friend of Jesus           57

Song of Love                                      104

Strip Cartoons                                  2161

Spiritual Itinerary                               2

CD In the Garden of Love               29

Pictures, Icons, Posters             17182

Eucharistic Mission                         45

Pray with Dina                                  64

Prayers, Novenas                            537

Leaflets                                          8354

Brochures                                      4374

Medals                                            3682

Information – various                    75

Relics                                               4353

Total of items sent by post          46,934

Relics (encased), Relics (medals)                   264

Relics  ( ex-ossibus)                                             115 

Night- lights (Dina)                                           100

Stickers (Sayings of Dina)                                  48   

The Story of a Young Girl                                      5

The musical compositions of Dina                      6

CD Musical Compositions                                  121      

Statue                                                                      64  

Dina rosary                                                            165  

With Dina on the path of Trust                            89  

Sheets of Dina stamps                                       728      

Collection ( Agate Lagueux)                               16  

Sparks                                                                    155

Pins                                                                          31  

DVD                                                                          32

In the Depths of Love                                        10  

At the Heart of the Trinity                                 24

CD Courage d’aimer                                         2                           

REPLIES BY POST

The “Dina Centre” is responsible for making Dina known. People who come to pray are offered an envelope containing the documentation. In the 25 years since the beatification, at least 5355 envelopes have been distributed. Moreover documentation is also placed near her tomb. One important task is that of responding to and sending replies to the requests that are received. 1970 replies were sent by post to 5 continents in the period 1997–2017.The number is indicated below ()

AFRICA: 1 reply to 1 country  

ZAIRE : (1) reply to 1 place in 1 country of Africa

Kinshasa (1)

NORTH AMERICA : 1720 replies to 3 countries

CANADA: (1504) replies to 327 places of the 10 Provinces of Canada

Alberta(13) –British Colombia(19) –Prince Edward Island(1) – New Brunswick(59) –Nova Scotia(2)

Manitoba (16)  –  Ontario (84) – Quebec (1272)  -  Saskatchewan (36)  Newfoundland (2)

UNITED STATES: (207) replies to 125 places in 31 of the 50 States of the U.S.A.

Alabama (1) – Arizona (1) - California (9) – Northern California (2) – Colorado (2) –Connecticut (6)  South Dakota  (2) – Florida  (16) – Idaho  (2) – Illinois  (1) – Iowa  (3) – Kansas  (9) – Kentucky  (1) Louisiana  (4) – Maine  (7) – Maryland  (6) – Massachusetts  (14) – Michigan  (18) – Minnesota (15)  Mississippi  (1)  – Nevada  (3)  – New Jersey  (10)  – New York  (33)  – Ohio  (3) – Pennsylvania (7) Rhode Island (5) – Tennessee (2)  -  Texas (13) – Virginia (3)  – Washington (5)  – Wisconsin  (3).

MEXICO : (15) replies to 8 places in 7 of the 32 States of the Mexican Republic

Mexico  (DF)  (3)  –   Jalisco  (4)  –   San Luis de Potosi  (1)   –   Guanajuato  (1)  –   Michoacan  (2)  Quintana Roo (3)  –   Yucatan (1)

CENTRAL and SOUTH AMERICA : (79) replies to 53 places in 9 of the 20 countries of Central and South America

 GUATAMALA : (1)                        COSTA RICA  (1)                                MARTINIQUE (1)

BRAZIL: (68) replies to 42 places in the 27 Federal Units

Bahia (2)  –  Ceará (15)  –  Espiritu Santo (1)  – Maranhao (3)  – Mato Grosso (4) – Minas Gerais (7) Pernambuco (5) –  Piaui (2)  -  Paraiba (4) – Paraná (1) – Rio de Janeiro (5) – Rio Grande (4) – Santa Catarina (3) –  Sao Paolo (12) .

ARGENTINA: (1)      COLOMBIA : (1)       CHILI :  (1)      PERU: (3)      VENEZUELA:(2)

ASIA:  (63) replies  to 32 places in 6 out of 47 countries

INDIA: (3)         INDONESIA: (3)      JAPAN: (1)          MALAYSIA: (4)         VIETNAM: (1)

PHILIPPINES:  (51) replies to 23 places in 21 of the 80 provinces

Aklan (4)  –  Bloilo (3)  –  Bulacan (7)  –  Camarines (1)  –  Cavite (3)  – Davao (3)   –  Lepgazpi (1)  Llocos (1) –  Makati (1) –  Manila (8) –  Makail (1) –  Marikina (1) –  Mindanao (1)  - Pampanga (5)  Pangasinan (1) -  Paray (1) – Quezon (4) – Rizal (1)  - Sasmuan (2) – Tanguig (1) – Zamoanga (1) .

 EUROPE: (94) replies to 70 places in 16 of the 50 countries of Europe

GERMANY: (7)  ENGLAND: (5)   AUSTRIA : (3)  BELGIUM: (8)   CROATIA: (3) SPAIN: (8)

FRANCE: (30)  HOLLAND: (1)  IRELAND: (2)  ITALY: (7)  LUSEMBOURG: (1) MALTA:(2)

POLAND: (6)  PORTUGAL: (2)  SLOVAKIA: (1)   SWITZERLAND: (8)

OCEANIA:  (7) replies to 3 places in one country of Oceanie

AUSTRALIA:  Mordialloc (2) – Speatwood (4) – Melbourne (1)

CENTRE DINA

After the Beatification of Dina Belanger, a “Dina Centre” was set up at the Provincial House of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, at Sillery, Quebec, in order to deal with everything relating to her.

A team of six Sisters of Jesus and Mary is responsible for the various sectors; visits to Dina’s tomb, the reception of visitors and pilgrimages, responding to requests for prayers and reports of favours received, correspondence and the circulation of information of all kinds, the promotion of activities, the maintenance of the archive and records of the establishment of the Dina shrines and of everything that is being done to honour Dina and make her better known .

It is very important that Dina should become well known, as her witness offers a special message to the world of today.

To young people who are seeking for meaning in their lives and have not yet found the right path.

To artists who wish to enjoy success, but without being blinded by short-lived applause.

To consecrated persons who are seeking a more radical gift of themselves to Jesus Christ and to the service of their brothers and sisters.

To the sick who need to open a window of Hope towards Him who awaits them as a loving Father.

To those looking for happiness and who, thinking that it is to be found far from God, look there where it is not to be found.

Do not hesitate to send your suggestions to the Dina Centre, the team will be very grateful.

Religieuses de Jésus-Marie

Centre Dina Bélanger

2049, chemin saint-Louis

Québec (Qc)

G1T1P2 Canada

Phone: 1-418.687.92.60

centredina1870@yahoo.com

THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN ROME

On the 25th October 2007, on the occasion of the General Chapter of the Religious of Jesus and Mary in Rome and at the Pontifical University of the Lateran a n International Symposium on Blessed Dina Belanger was organized by Mgr Bruno Gherardini, at the time postulator of the case for her canonization. Four speakers contributed brief, thirty minute, conferences : Sr Enrica Rosanna FMA on « Dina Belanger, the woman », Sr. Madeleine Laliberté RJM on « Dina Belanger, the religious of Jesus and Mary », Father Francis-Mary Léthel OCD «  Dina Belanger, the mystic » and Mgr Bruno Gherardini «  Dina Belanger, the icon »

A large audience from many different countries filled the hall of the University. Pope Benedict XVI sent a telegram of blessing to those participating in the Symposium.