SAINT LAURENT DE GRANDIN;
THE MISSION AND THE SHRINE
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In 1882, the pioneers of Saint. Louis travelled fifteen miles to attend Sunday mass at Saint Laurent where Father Fourmond o.m.i. resided. This is how the mission of Saint Laurent came to be.
As early as 1874 Father André, o.m.i. organized and built the new mission. The site was a sandy plain very poor for cultivation, but there was a spring of good water half-way up the hill and a river ford which led to the other shore. To the north it was bordered by a deep ravine, flanked by a steep escatpment, "the buffalo pit".
In the spring of 1874, Father André's five or six log buildings plastered with clay and whitewashed and thatched with hay sprang up in spite of many difficulties. The shed-life church could barely hold sixty persons.
In 1879 Brother Piquet o.m.i. arrived at Saint Laurent to help Father Fourmond. He was from Arudy which is located about twenty miles from Lourds in France. He had often seen Rock Massabielle, where the Blessed Virgin had appeared. He even knew Bernadette who was only four years his senior.
When he beheld the source of water for the mission -- the spring in the side of the hill, he was reminded strongly of Lourdes. He conveyed his impressions to Father Fourmond, and they both formed the habit of going to the spot to pray.
In 1881, Father Fourmond placed the picture of Our Lady of Lourdes under a glass in the bark of a tree, near the spring. The picture could not withstandthe elements, so Miss Dorval repainted a small statue of Our Lady and firmly fixed it in the tree. The teacher and her pupils tended the sanctuary and the residents of the mission went to say the Rosary before the Madonna.
Then, Brother Piquet directed his life toward the double goal of teaching the children and of erecting a grotto where Our Lady would be glorified. The arrival of Father Soullier on his Canonical visit put an end to the Brother's endeavors since he emphatically disappproved ofthe work undertaken. He observed the era of pilgrimages had not yet begun for the North West. But Mary wanted her Grotto and would get it.
Mr. Charles Nolin, a former minister of the Manitoba Lergislature and influential member of the Colony did not live far from St. Laurent. His wife Rosalie (born Lépine) had a wasting sickness for ten years and physicians could not check the progress of the disease. When reading the Wonders of Lourdes by H. Lasserre, he became convinced that Our Lady of Lourdes was willing to cure his wife. He was fortunate to find some Lourds water at the convent of the Sisters at St-Laurent.Brother Piquet advised Ropsalie to begin a novena and promise something, for example a statue. Mr. Nolin immediately pledged a statue. So on December 16, 1884 the novena began with a gathering of neighbours. They first sang a Marian hymn of invocation, recited the Holy Rosary, chanted the hymn of Our Lady of Victoriers, and the litanies of Loretto. Confident and full of fervour was the atmosphere in which the youngerst member of the family passed the Lourdes Water over the ailing limbs of the patient. Wherever the child's hand passed, a burning sensation was felt, soon after to befollowed by immediate comfort. Seeing herself this suddently restored to perfect health, Mrs. Nolin wanted then and there to set out for the spring to offer her thanks to the Blessed Virgin. Her husband dissuaded her from going due to the lateness of the hour. They went the next day and continued the novena in Thanksgiving till Christmas. Hence forward she enjoyed the most flourishing health till she died on May 22, 1927 at the ageof seventy-nine.
For Father Fourmond and Brother Piquet, this unexpected cure was the answer of the Blessed Virgin to calm their anxiety.
Mr. Charles Nolin even more grateful towards Our Lady for the protection with which she surrounded him during the countless dangers of the Civil War. hastened to fulfill his vow, and at great expense ordered the Votive statue. It was temporarily placed in the chapel and blessed on November 1, 1885.
Many of us vividly remember seeing Pantaleon Schmidt, son of Louis Schmidt, our first pioneer, stand on the front pew of the shrine to lead the Pilgrims to sing Ave, Ave, Ave Maria. He would put him whole heart into it.
A century has passed since the first Pilgrimage took place at Saint Laurnt de Grandin 1879-1979. To mark the occasion and honour our Heavenly Mother Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine Centennial Celebration were held on July 14,15,16 1979.
ref: History of St-Louis and surrounding areas - pages 11-12
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