This blog will periodically offer you short episodes of Dina Bélanger’s life. If you want to liven up your life, don’t fail to read them… or write your comments.

The REPUTATION OF THE SANCTITY of Dina Bélanger became universal after her beatification.

Wednesday 26 December 2018

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. 

Thursday 30 August 2018

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 7th 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 19th . The following is an extract from his reply:
“ I  received your lettet of April 11th, 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 1st 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.

Sunday 22 July 2018

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                           

Sunday 8 July 2018

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)

Tuesday 19 June 2018


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

Thursday 7 June 2018

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.


Saturday 26 May 2018

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DINA BELANGER


Dina wrote her autobiography in obedience at the request of her superiors and it has now gone through several editions. The original is in French. Translations also exist in English, Spanish, Italian and German.  In this way the words of Jesus, «You will do good by your writings » are fulfilled.
On the 29th of September 1995, the fifth edition of the Autobiography in French was launched at the Provincial House of the Religious of Jesus and Mary in Sillery, Canada and on the 29th of July, 1997, the third edition of that in English.
These new editions are preceded by a presentation by Father Francis-Mary Léthel, Carmelite, and Professor of Theology at the Teresianum in Rome.  He analyses Dina’s account and brings out the salient points of her spiritual journey.


Monday 14 May 2018

POSTAGE STAMP IN HONOUR OF DINA BELANGER


On the 4th September, 2007, the 78th anniversary of her Dina’s death was marked by the Religious of Jesus and Mary of Sillery, Quebec with a Mass which was concelebrated by Father Christian Beaulieu , 25 priests and some deacons.
After the celebration, about 500 people gathered in the Dina Belanger Hall to watch the film, « To know and admire Dina », followed by the song, « Beggar of Love », which was interpreted by Madame Sonia Laliberté and the composer, her husband, Mr Louis-Martin Lanthier.

This was followed by the official launch of a memorial stamp of Dina, designed by Mr Daniel Abel, painter and photographer.  This stamp has been adopted as a permanent stamp by Canada Post.  In this way Dina continues to travel across Canada, for it is still in use, the price being established by Canada Post.

Wednesday 2 May 2018

APPRECIATIONS OF BLESSED DINA BELANGER


It was remarked that after the beatification of Dina Belanger, given the fact that she is the first person recognized as Blessed to have been born in Quebec, that she was particularly recognized and appreciated by various groups.
8th October 1996, a copy of the picture of Dina, which had been displayed in Rome for the beatification, was placed in the entry hall of the Diocesan Office in Quebec.
29th September, the “filles d’Isabelle” unanimously agreed that from thenceforth their group would be known as Etat Dina Belanger
11th June 2009, under the presidency of M le Cardinal Ouellet, then the Archbishop of Quebec, the banner of Dina, as a Eucharistic witness, joined that of the founders of the Church of Quebec in the Eucharistic procession that went round the streets of Quebec during the Eucharistic feast that took place after the Eucharistic Congress.
24th January 2011 Father Louis Martin Cloutier SJ, on the occasion of a talk about the Apostolate of Prayer, announced that Dina Belanger had been chosen officially as a patron of the Movement for Canada and Haiti.
In the College Dina Belanger of St Michel de Bellechasse, at the Jesus and Mary School of Beauceville and at the College of Jesus and Mary of Sillery, Quebec, an annual  “Dina prize” has been created as an award to a student  for high achievement in art. 


Friday 20 April 2018

INTERNATIONAM YOUTH - SUMMIT DINA BELANGER


On the 26th of June 1997, at the Provincial House of the Religious of Jesus and Mary at Sillery, Quebec, the official opening of the “International Youth Summit of Dina Belanger” took place. This was an international meeting of students of “Jesus and Mary” from 15 to 20 years old, organised in the context of the centenary of the birth of Dina and in the hope of sharing a joyful celebration and  international friendship, in living faith and commitment to those in need, all this in the light of the witness and example of the life of Dina Belanger.
123 young people, accompanied by some Sisters of Jesus and Mary, from 15 countries took part in the meeting, coming  from Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, England, France, Gabon, India, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and the USA.

During the meeting there were displays by the different delegations, conferences, visits to the places where Dina had lived as well as to the old city of Quebec, boat trips; work-shops, times of prayer and sharing, Eucharistic celebrations and visits to the poor and needy. There were cultural presentations, which underlined the multi-cultural aspect of the Summit, as well as a concert from the Music School of Jesus and Mary at Lauzon, with performances with the clarinet and saxophone, songs and interpretations of some of Dina’s compositions.
The Summit ended on the 2nd of July with a Farewell Celebration so as to take  something of this experience of walking in the footsteps of Dina out to the whole world. All the participants were given a certificate of participation as they left for home.

Sunday 8 April 2018

ACTIVITIES AND APPRECIATONS: PUBLICITY STALLS


Throughout the celebrations of the birth, death and beatification of Dina Belanger various activities have been organized to make her better known, above all in Canada, by means of liturgical celebrations, the creation of shrines, publications, conferences, power points, videos, stage productions, festivals, the unveiling of plaques, commemorations, programs on Radio Galilee, Radio Canada and on the television about her life and spiritual journey. 
There were also a few greatly appreciated stalls where all kinds of information could be obtained:
From the 16 to 22 June 2008, during the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec, an event of great importance in order to make her better known,  a stall for Dina was set up in the Exposition Hall.
Other stalls should also be mentioned :
28th October 1993 in the Mall of St Roch, accompanying the film of a life of Dina, « The garden of Love »
15th February, 2000, at Lameque, New Brunswick, on the occasion of an exhibition about « The religion of our ancestors »
26th April 2001, at the Jesus and Mary School at Beauceville, for a fortnight during the mid-day break.
18th June 2006, at the Convent of the Dominican Adorers of Beauport, Quebec, on the occasion of the diocesan celebration of Corpus Christi.
26th September 2008, at Beauceville at the request of the Committee of Culture of the town, on the occasion of the week of culture.
16 – 17 May 2014 at the College Garnier at Quebec on the occasion of the Youth Festival.

Tuesday 27 March 2018

MUSICAL THEATRE


On the 22nd January a press conference was held in order to launch to the general public, as an official event of the 400th anniversary of the City of Quebec, the “Musical  Dina”, both words and music by Mr Louis-Martin Lanthier.
The announcement was made with the words “It's official, Dina Bélanger will be the star of a musical play for the 400th Festival. It was on the occasion of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress that the play would be first presented, from the 12th to the 22nd of June 2008, to be later repeated from the 25th September to the 5th October, all in the Dina Bélanger Hall of the Jesus and Mary College of Sillery.
The producer, Bruno Marquis, was responsible for the completion of the project, which included twenty or more singers and actors, accompanied by an orchestra of ten members  and with Myriam Brousseau in the role of Dina Bélanger”.
The Dress Rehearsal of the musical play Dina took place on the 12th June in the presence of His Emminence  Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Bishops Mgr. Maurice Couture and Mgr. Pierre André Fournier, as well as dozens of priests, the civil authorities and a large audience.
The opening night was on the 14th! The play was performed to capacity audiences for a total of 15 performances, to the enthusiastic applause of about 6000 delighted  spectators : adults – young people – religious – seminarians – priests - bishops         

Thursday 15 March 2018

MUSICAL ALBUM


On the 10th November 1997 in the Dina Bélanger Hall of the Jesus and Mary College in Sillery, the CD of the musical works of Dine Bélanger was launched; Ricordanza, The Bells of the Abbey, Dream on the Saguenay, Cantique of Thanksgiving as well as the Mass 'Ricordanza', the work of Sr Cecile Kirouac RJM (a former piano pupil of Dina) on the theme of the piano piece of the same name, in  praise of the Adorable Trinity - this work was in homage to Dina on the occasion of the Beatification in 1993.  These pieces were played by Sr Rachel Fournier RJM, Pianist – Sr Annette Haché RJM, Soprano  - Sr Cécile Kirouac RJM,  Organist – Veronica Mathieu, Violin and the Jesus and Mary choir of Lauzon,

On the 22nd May 2005, in the Dina Bélanger HaLL of the Jesus and Mary College at Sillery a musical album, entitled “The Courage to Love” was launched,  both the words and music being the work of Mr Louis- Martin Lanthier and provides an agreable account of Dina's life.

Saturday 3 March 2018

DINA BELANGER YOUTH FESTIVALS


 On the 2 November 2003, from 9h00 to 22h00, at the Jesus and Mary College at Sillery, the first “Dina Bélanger” Youth Festival was celebrated for young people from 16 to 30 years of age. 

This activity was jointly organised by the Pastoral Youth Commission of the Diocese of Quebec and the Pastoral Committee of the College. The object was to promote christian music with a programme of youth music and religious songs in French and in Quebecoise: “Let us sing to God in every tone”.

In the following years, every November until 2008, the festival was repeated in the Dina Belanger Hall in the College, and greatly  praised  for its aim to evangelise and bear witness in song.


Monday 19 February 2018

DINA AND MUSIC


The beatification of Dina Bélanger, on the 20th March 1993 was followed by several concerts  - above all on the anniversaries of her birth and of her beatification as well as on the 4th  September the day of her liturgical feast - in honour of the, now Blessed, musician.
In the period 1994 -1997 groups of artists sought to place themselves under her  protection and named Dina “patron of  artists” . On several occasions they took part in the preparation or animation of a special mass in Quebec, especially in the Church of Notre-Dame de Jacques-Cartier and the “God of the Arts” Centre (Fide-Art), including in their programmes some of Dina's musical compositions. These celebrations were often preceded by a brief concert, on an organ or other instruments.



On October 1st 1998, the World Day of Music, Mr Roland Martel, leader of an orchestra, placed a poster of Dina at the entrance to his music store. He made Dina a “Director” of his business, so that financial considerations would not restrict his charitable activities.

Wednesday 7 February 2018

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AT NEUVILLE
 On the 5th September 1993, at the invitation of the families Matte and Bélanger, more than 800 people came together in the parish church of Neuville for a celebration of the Eucharist that was presided over by Mgr Roger Bloisvert, Vicar General.
After the Eucharist a commemorative plaque, on a lawn near the church, was unveiled and blessed. This plaque is placed on a stone brought from the ancestral home of the family of Dina's mother.
Following this and to great acclamation, 70 doves were released into the air in order to tell the world that Dina Bélanger has a special place in the heart of the parishioners.

After an open-air meal, twenty artists, descendents of the two families, together with some of the Religious, gave a concert in honour of Blessed Dina Bélanger, which included several of her own compositions.

Friday 26 January 2018

THE COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE

THE COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE IN THE CITY OF QUEBEC
On  the 22nd of April, 1997, representatives of the City of Quebec and the Ministry of Culture and Communications of Quebec unveiled a commemorative plaque in homage to  Blessed Dina Belanger in the context of the hundredth anniversary of her birth. In this ceremony, which was held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall of Quebec and presided over by Mr Jean-Paul  Lallier, Mayor of Quebec, homage was rendered in the presence of a large number of invited guests, including Madame Cecile Renaud Crépin, the god-daughter of Blessed Dina Bélanger.
On the 27thAprii after the solemn Mass, celebrated in the Church of St Roch, by the Parish Priest Father Mario Dufour, at the end of a tridium in preparation for the celebration of the centenary of the birth of Blessed Dina, the plaque was installed on the facade of the Dina's birth-place at 168 Rue Notre Dame des Anges. A large number of local in habitants, religious, relatives, friends and  others from the diocese were present and took part in the homage offered to the first native of Quebec to be named Blessed.
         


Sunday 14 January 2018

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AT  ST – MICHEL  DE BELLECHASSE


In 1988, the Convent of Jesus and Mary, which was founded in 1865 at St Michel de Bellechasse, Canada, was extended with the addition of a third secondary level. This projecr coincided with the final preparations for the beatification of Dina Bélanger, a former teacher of music at this school and it had been decided to change its name  and would be known in future as "Dina Belanger College".

On the 5th June, 1993, a commemorative plaque on the outside wall of the school was unveiled, recording that Dina Belanger had lived in this house. Many of the religious of the two Canadian Provinces were present on this occasion, as well as a large delegation from the rest of the Congregation: France, Italy, Mexico, the United States, Pakistan and Gabon. The celebration was continued at Sillery, where an evening concert was offered by present and former teachers and pupils of the College, in order to honour, through beauty, our musician who had been   beatified on the 20th March 1993.