Maintenance, Embellishment and Landscaping of the Notre

NOTRE-DAME BASILIca
of montréal
LA FABRIQUE DE LA
NOTRE-DAME-des-neiges
PAROISSE NOTRE-DAME
CEMETERY
DE MONTRÉAL
Newsletter of La Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal
Vol. 10 No. 22 April 2008
Maintenance, Embellishment and Landscaping
of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery
“A social responsibility undertaken by our institution without
any financial obligation from outside sources nor our clientele.”
ur cemetery is not only the largest cemetery in
Canada but also one of the most beautiful. Its mission is to ensure the burial of the departed by offering vendibles and services that relate to its significance.
The cemetery must manage its operations in a manner
that ensures financial balance, securing its durability. It is
a Catholic cemetery belonging to La Fabrique de la
paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal.
O
Its invaluable patrimony, importance, notoriety, and cemetery
management assumes its role in the maintenance, observing
the embellishment of its beautiful grounds on Mount Royal.
Yet, the maintenance carried by a team comprised of 130 people, and the embellishment that demands millions of dollars in
investments, are essentially founded on the philosophy of the
management team in the pursuit of their mission. Families that
choose the cemetery for themselves or family members as their
“garden of memories," do not have to pay annually for the maintenance of this luscious park.
Once our clients have secured their concession, land or mausoleum, there are no other payments to be made, except for
the burial fees of any new deceased person on their lot or crypt.
The price of land, crypts or any other form of concession inland or in a mausoleum, is rigorously
maintained at a high standard, comparable to that of any other largescale cemetery.
Though the financing for embellishment and maintenance of the site is
not paid by clients, the cemetery’s
administration takes social responsibility for this patrimonial jewel and
draws from its reserves.
We are one of the institutions that
have the largest hold on Mount
Royal. For this reason, we will continue to act in a respectful way not
only towards our privileged environment, but also in a way that conContinuing on page 2 >
Thanks to all our readers
who contribute comments
and suggestions.
Please keep writing.
La Fabrique de la paroisse
Notre-Dame de Montréal
> Continued from page 1
tributes to the enrichment of the mountain
by maintaining equilibrium between nature
and infrastructure.
A Master Plan of Maintenance
and Embellishment
To this effect, we have elaborated on a master
plan that will make 2008 a year to plant thousands of trees, replacing others, creating landscapes and even fountains.
Moreover, we fund large sums in the conservation and restoration of our heritage structures
(buildings, plot sites, monuments) to protect the
historic value important to us as well as to future generations.
All the necessary investments will be provided
by the cemetery’s administration, as we are not
requiring additional support from any subven-
tion or other type of aid or contribution from
public funds.
We are proud to undertake these responsibilities willingly, as a citizen of the country, of the
city, as administrators in place for centuries,
as a socially responsible institution, so that the
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery will remain
or become even more, the most beautiful in
Canada and of the most beautiful in the world.
And that, without asking the contribution of
our clients or our valued visitors! u
COLLABORATORS:
Jean-François Breton,
Daniel Cyr,
Johanne Duchesne,
Raymond Laliberté,
Réal Lévêque, p.s.s.,
Françoy Roberge,
Yoland Tremblay
COORDINATION:
François Campagna,
Director of Administrative
and Promotional Services,
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery
514 340-4050
[email protected]
GRAPHIC DESIGN
AND PHOTOS:
Michel Archambault
www.grafismack.ca
We invite all our readers to contact us
with any questions or comments at:
attention of François Campagna
Dialogue Newsletter
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery
4601 chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges
Montreal, QC H3V 1E7
Yoland Tremblay, General Manager
www.cimetierenddn.org
[email protected]
D ON ’ T
MISS
Monthly Masses
at the Resurrection Chapel
at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on these following dates:
May 3, June 7, July 5,
August 2, September 6, October 4,
November 1st and December 6.
A commemorative mass will be celebrated
for Mother’s Day on May 11,
and Father’s Day on June 15 at 11:00 a.m.
The annual mass will be celebrated
on September 14 at 11:00 a.m.
Notre-Dame-de-Fatima: May 12
Free parking
2
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges
Cemetery and
Notre-Dame Basilica
Booth:
Montreal
Baby Boomers Show
April 12 and 13
2008
Palais des congrès
of Montréal
F UNERARY R ITUALS
for people in mourning
André Bouchard, Philosophy Professor (retired)*
Reflection guide for the understanding
of funerary rituals
H
uman life is anything but a
tranquil flowing stream.
Humans must earn their livelihood. Life is filled with tremors
which calls into question the gains
that bring a better future but lack a
foundation other than the experience of its predecessors. Yet, the
unknown always brings its share of
anguish.
We have identified in humans four great
existentialist questions, that which society
calls passages, and a passage is always
narrow. The passage of life in the womb
to birth including childhood, the passage
from childhood to puberty (the youth), the
passage from adolescence to adult life
and finally the passage from life to death.
To soften these passages from the known
(the acquired) towards the unknown (distressing yet fascinating) societies have invented rituals or passages to reassure the
initiated by having it accompany skillful,
competent and wise people.
Understanding the meaning
of passage rituals
Passage rituals as valuables are “social
constructs” invented by humans and
transmitted generation by generation in
the goal of “founding” human existence
and reassurance. Passage rituals were invented to civilize human needs. They are
the memory of an act and the search for
sense (direction and cohesion) in action.
Through baptism, confirmation, marriage
and funerals, the Christian religion managed to institutionalize (enthronization)
various passage moments that mark human life. They did not invent these rituals. The lengths that people went in
Occident and here in light of organized religion, that is, the institutionalization (enthronization) of passage rituals, should not
make us lose sight of the importance of
these rituals that overflow from a religious
context and the risk that they could take
in disappearing… while other religious
confessions still remain.
The importance of communication
in passage rituals
We always have the need to welcome and
publicize an arrival in this world of a new-
born through the usage of rituals
as in dinners, the giving of gifts, an
official presentation, public announcements… in that way we ritualize their passage towards maturity
which brings social and professional insertion and love engagement. We also
search the means to mark the human
passage from life to death…
Passage rituals are there to soften the
feeling of “loss” which is assured by providing a glimpse of a future with a betterment of existence. With a child born, the
environment prevents the shock of birth
by preparing in advance - a material and
emotional environment to lessen the
shock; a crib, diapers, clothing, food,
care, warmth, welcoming, protection…
The passage from protected childhood towards adolescence is more complicated
because the young person feels and lives
the physical and psychological transformations they undergo and hence the need
for the awakened presence of advised
parents and teachers to reassure them.
The passage from adolescence to adult
age leaves a sense of loss from a certain
worry-free and dependent life to one of
autonomy, challenges, financial independence, love, political engagement, and
adult sexuality; hence, the necessary
presence of significant adults in the
youth’s environment.
It is at the moment of personal death for
a loved one that everything becomes more
tragic. With death, the feeling of loss
seems irreversible. We cannot deprive
ourselves of love, friendship, comfort, but
also the ability, knowledge, competence,
financial resources… All in all, of any human contact.
Continuing on page 11 >
3
S PIRITUAL
expression
M. Réal Lévêque, p.s.s., pastoral team member of the Paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal
Notre-Dame Basilica:
The quality of reception is the heart of our actions
he Notre-Dame Basilica is
an architectural, patrimonial and tourist cornerstone
of Montreal. It is also a parish, one
o f t h e o l d e s t i n t h e c i t y.
Nevertheless, the importance held
in the number of visitors, beauty of
the grounds and its location in the
heart of Old Montreal give it a notoriety and fame that makes it a
church in itself - a reunion of
Christians sharing the same faith,
consisting of “parishioners” coming
from all areas of the Montreal region and even from all corners of
the earth.
T
Photo : Stéphan Poulin
Besides, it happens frequently that even
visiting tourists who attend masses or cer-
“It is becoming more difficult to create a
reunion of people sharing certain interests, aspirations and living in the same
place,” affirms Réal Lévêque, one of four
Sulpician priest members of the pastoral
team at the Notre-Dame Basilica and the
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. “We
have parishioners who clearly tell us that
they count on us in their daily religious
life, masses, sacraments and celebrations. We also have people who come to
the Basilica from the metropolitan region
to attend masses or special celebrations,
in the large sanctuary or in the Sacred
Heart Chapel.
emonies confide in us. Some people ex-
The number of baptismal and marital
ceremonies has greatly increased to the
point that we have had to entrust priests
on our team with all the specific responsibilities included in baptisms and marriages. Without counting burials both at
Notre-Dame and Memorial Chapel of the
cemetery, the Notre-Dame pastoral team
has never counted so many priests as
now.
Sunday of the month for mass since
4
press their marvel at the beauty of the
church. At times, some confide in us personal information that they dare not entrust to a priest where they live, as the distance reassures them. Many people tell
us specific things that they would like us
to pray for on their behalf.
Furthermore, the Basilica welcomes people of different ethnic origins whom we
communicate with in both official languages of Canada and occasionally in
other languages. A group of Latvian believers have gathered here every third
1951. Regrettably, with age, their numbers decrease, but many remain faithful
to meeting.
For all these reasons, to create a sort of
harmony, the uniqueness in this vast
group of believers, we try hard to improve and to strengthen the quality in
our reception.
Guides and sacristans welcome the visitors and believers in the church entrance. The priests are there to greet at
the door at the end of the liturgy, to socialize and listen.
It is the same in the Notre-Dame-desNeiges Cemetery. Quite like the Basilica,
it is about a major patrimonial place, in
the heart of Montreal, on Mount Royal.
Clients come from everywhere in the
metropolitan region. That is why the
cemetery service team and all the pastoral team attach a considerable importance in the quality of reception, for a
warm welcome and offering compassion.
We, the priests, do everything in our ability to connect with people, both with visitors and employees. We do not want
priests to be placed on a pedestal, but
they are above all, in spite of their mission in direct contact with the Divine, humans on earth and a part of a diverse
human family.
“Reception is the heart of our ministry
and our concern every day,” concludes
Mr. Réal Lévêque. u
F INDING
WAYS
to serve you better
Jean-François Breton, Director of Customer Service
An improved service thanks to synchronized schedules
“Burial is a time of strong emotion, and now we will provide more time for families
and their loved ones in their “goodbye ceremony.”
otre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery is the largest in
Canada and one of the three largest cemeteries in
North America. The cemetery receives the largest
number of deceased persons for burial. Normally, most
processions arrive at the gates and at the reception pavilion during restricted hours. In fact, a well-established tradition dictates that religious services as well as commemorative ceremonies in funeral homes generally takes
place in the morning. This accounts for the large volume
of people in late mornings at the heart of this immense
garden of memories at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery.
N
Mr. Jean-François Breton, Director of Customer Service, affirms
that, “in 2008 we will try to better distribute the burial schedules, allowing more dignity and serenity to accompany each
one. Our reorganization of services will enable us to devote
even more attention to families to enable them to better assume this point of saying their final goodbye. Because of various constraints related to the size of the cemetery, the importance of organization and the number of employees, it is
impossible to extend the hours of service to clients.
“On the other hand, we determined that it was possible to
make the schedules more flexible by requesting the collaboration of funeral homes to distribute appointments in a more synchronized way, between 9:00 and 3:00 p.m.. As well, in 2008,
we will be able to better distribute ceremonies and burial services so that families will be given extra time to devote to those
final moments of saying goodbye. It is a difficult moment,
which requires a proper amount of time for grieving.
“This is why we will do everything to surround and unburden the mourning of families of our deceased. In synchronizing our schedules, we aren’t looking to increase the
number of services, though the volume of visitors to the
cemetery will increase, but to maximize the quality of the
service.”
Religious services on-site: Increasingly popular
Everywhere in Quebec, an increasing number of religious services, short religious ceremonies or commemorative services
proceed in the funeral home or, when the infrastructure allows,
at the cemetery. The Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery is able
to offer high quality surroundings for such ceremonies or services, or depending on the case, a simple farewell prayer. In
fact, there is a patrimonial funerary chapel, the chapel of resurrection, a place devoted to funeral services and religious ceremonies, since a Catholic cemetery is an extension of the
church with three reception chapels, the holy spirit, the annunciation and the visitation; and of elegant and peaceful
spaces favourable with the final farewell in the mausoleums,
including the very recent Esther Blondin mausoleum.
“Having a consecrated chapel gives us the advantage of offering a place for ceremonies or funeral services,” says Mr.
Breton. “Our pastoral team is made up of priests, deacons and
non-religious deacons and are available for all clients - all year
round. Our pastoral team offers assistance and compassion to
our clients, in French, English and Italian, completely without
charge.” In 2008, we intend to exceed our current standards
to offer clients a service even more flexible, cordial and impeccable.” Mr. Breton concludes.
This “continuing improvement” in physical and landscape capacities as in customer service will always be our concern and
have consequences. Indeed, the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges
cemetery is open all year. Coffin burials are done all year round,
except in certain rocky areas of the cemetery during a few
weeks of the winter. The burial of ashes is made in an uninterrupted way, as well as the crypts and niches in the ground.
And the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery will continue to accommodate the deceased of many generations to come. Its
size and structures ensure the perenniality of its use as a “garden of memories” for decades. u
5
R ELIGIOUS
legacy
Par Raymond Laliberté, Operations Foreman
Notre-Dame Basilica gets a facelift
Complete Windows Restoration 2007-2008
Notre-Dame Basilica is the oldest
parish of the diocese of Montreal. It
is also the oldest monumental church
of its size in Montreal and even in
North America.
Considering that the parish served since
1657 by the Messieurs de Saint-Sulpice
is quite old, then the current church,
raised to the rank of basilica in 1984 by
Pope Jean-Paul II had been inaugurated
in 1830. Built between 1824 and 1829
under the direction of James O’Donnell,
New York architect of Irish descent, he
converted to Catholicism on his
deathbed. It was for quite some time the
largest religious building in North America and remains one of the jewels of
Québécois religious heritage.
This neo-gothic monument, with the interior reconstructed in 1870 under the
direction of Victor Bourgeau, has a character and splendor of origin that has
been preserved for decades throughout
major restoration work.
In 1996 and 1997, the exterior jointing
was entirely reconstructed, on par with
repairs to the original stone exterior. In
2003, the copper roofing was remade
with a 100-foot slope thus allowing extended ledges to avoid water infiltration
during periods of frost and thaw.
In 2007 and 2008, the original fenestration underwent meticulous and complete
restoration.
“The Basilica counts more than one hundred windows,” comments Mr. Raymond
Laliberté, foreman and in-charge of the
restoration work. “And not just any windows! There are large ogival windows
6
covered with stained glass and immense
rosette motives. Some of the windows
and rosettes are more than 100 feet tall
made from wood and date back to the
construction of the church in 1828 and
1829.
“The restoration is heavy work, in the
same way as work of a silversmith’s
trade, which requires an accuracy and
skill of highly specialized entrepreneurs.
It is necessary to protect the authenticity
of the wood, to remove all the successive
coats of paint (in height, on windows often several times taller than the average
person.) Then, repair damaged wooden
details, to completely redeem the wood
to restore its luster of that period, and finally, repaint the woodwork according to
the original color by respecting the commission’s standards for historical buildings.
“And as there is a lot of exterior work, it
must be temporarily interrupted by the
most difficult winter months. It is also
necessary to consider the amount of visitors to the Basilica - one million each
year to whom we owe constant safe access. Besides, recent years have been
marked by a change in Montreal’s
weather. There are more frequent periods of frost and thaw, meaning that the
exposed woodwork suffer more during
these recent years. It is time to do some
work in depth.”
At this stage, the Basilica requires repairs
for an investment of one million dollars.
“This work will finish a phase in the almost complete restoration of the Basilica’s exterior,” concludes Mr Laliberté.
“Following, we will begin repairs of rood
screens and interior passageways and
will proceed with the repair of gilts and
plaster, and finally the restoration of the
stained glass.”
It is necessary to care for and preserve,
protect and embellish this patrimonial
jewel. But, the beauty, the significance
and the majesty of the place are worth
these constant efforts. After all, like Mr.
Laliberté says, “Notre-Dame Basilica for
us, is a little like our own Eiffel Tower or
our ‘Notre-Dame of Paris’.” u
A LWAYS B ETTER
to serve you
By Daniel Cyr, Director of Operations
“We are guardians of the past,
players of the present, all for future generations.”
ast spring, the Fabrique initiated a plan for assuming responsibility of its heritage, which was entrusted
to us. The first example of this plan’s importance was
to assign a resource to this important mandate. Various
work was thus completed: restoration of the roof of
Saint-Claire d’Assise Mausoleum and Resurrection
Chapel according to the original methods and materials
and a complete restoration of the monument for the
Patriots. Further, an installation project of our new operational zone began in accordance with our plan elaborated in 2006.
L
Last year, we also started a second project of our five-year plan
relating to the Montreal Notre-Dame Basilica and the NotreDame-des-Neiges Cemetery. These complimenting projects
serve as a phase in the larger picture of our sustainable development strategies and policies, of which these two projects
are complementary. We will thus endeavour to be guards of
the past, players of the present, all for future generations, because our institution conceals many types of inheritance. They
can be architectural, religious, funerary, natural and even archaeological. It is in this context that we began publishing a
collection entitled “Mémoire et histoire” which contributes to
the knowledge and development of these inheritances. The first
work of our collection to
be published in spring
2008 will address the
monument for the
Patriots.
With regards to the sustainable development,
we recall that its foundation is the development
which can meet the
needs of the present
without compromising
the capacity of future
generations to respond to their needs. To illustrate this fact,
we retain actions like the establishment of a purchase policy for equipment and environmental products intended for
domestic maintenance of our buildings and the acquisition of
safe and effective equipment for entombment. Therefore, all of
our actions, minute or large in scale, must be in conformity
with this concept.
2008 will be the year of implementing many recommendations
of the master plan:
Tree-dwelling intervention program: conservation of the historical and heritage landscapes, integration of the biodiversity of vegetation and the renewal and growth of the arboreal park and eco-forest environment.
Restoration of the architecture of Jarry-dit-Henrichon House.
Updating the master plan and providing the new version of
these regulations to those responsible for the historical and
natural district.
Fine-tuning of our policy for durable development.
It is clear that 2008 will be another year of important projects
which will contribute to maintenance and development of recognized historical and national importance and particularly for
a place favourably linked
with commemoration and
serenity. All the suggestions for improvement of
our services connected to
the concessions held by
our clients are appreciated and considered.
It is with your collaboration that we will continue
the implementation of the
means favourable to the
protection of the funerary
inheritance which is the
responsibility for each one
of us. u
7
WE
ARE THERE FOR YOU
...for everything
By Johanne Duchesne, Sales Director
The new Esther Blondin Mausoleum
Timeless Elegance, Beauty and Serenity
After 21 months of construction, the Esther-Blondin Mausoleum (named after the blessed founder
of the Sisters of Saint Anne community) has welcomed numerous visitors since November 2007.
Built in the heart of the cemetery and surrounded by beautiful landscape and magnificent historical trees, it is a modern building of sober and sophisticated elegance. This contemporary architectural work is timeless, as it is situated perfectly
within a framework of greenery, constituting a jewel in
Montreal’s heritage.
The building is covered in precast concrete elements of warm
dyed pastel. Of triangular form, it allows light to penetrate
abundantly, thanks to a generous fenestration running on all
interior surfaces and a part of the external surfaces of the
building.
A wide canopy covers the entrance, protecting funeral processions from the elements and parking is provided within close
proximity. The hall, majestic and marked by serenity, welcomes
mourning families who can collect themselves there, a time of
personal importance. Celebrant services are gracefully offered
on-site to families to accompany them in this commemorative
time.
8
Majesty, Light, Comfort, and Gentleness …
The omnipresent light in the mausoleum contributes to an intimacy for family and friends to come visit their loved ones with
a comfort to reminisce and reflect upon life. In the the monumental entrance of the grand hall, a breakthrough of space
and light run through both floors of the building and will greet
visitors with a statue of Mother Marie-Anne (Esther Blondin) to
be in place on May 2, 2008.
Installed in the center of this space is a large, laminated glass
mobile illuminated by ground projectors to diffuse a light of
colour seamlessly changing in rhythm to the random movements of the mobile. Reference to the religious character of
the stained glass, this chatoyant mobile is almost magical, suggesting a time "of another place" yet near and elevating, considered in many societies as a symbol of the transport of the
soul towards some celestial place, life after life ... It is the
Capteur de mémoires, available for viewing from May 2, 2008.
Added to this enchantment is the presence of religious sculp-
tures, creating an atmosphere appropriate for meditation,
serenity and spirituality, for any who seek it.
The mausoleum consists of more than 6000 crypts and niches
to respond to a diversified client need for accessible prices in
every budget. These spaces, fitted for the mausoleum, make
it possible to accommodate from one to four coffins, according to the crypt, as well as one to four urns, according to the
niche. Each crypt is sealed and covered with a marble plate,
inscribed with the name of the deceased and whenever possible, includes commemorative text in the native
language of the person.
The facades are always
clearly identified and can
accommodate beautiful
exclusive bronze ornaments such as photographs, discrete luminaries, flower vases, and
even, the famous and exclusive Memory Medallion,
making it possible to virtually communicate with the
memory of a loved one
and even adding a per-
sonal message of affection to it. You
can easily judge the high quality of these
ornaments which are installed on display
units in the mausoleum
and Administrative pavilion.
All of the mausoleum walls are
covered in three rich variations
of marble and an array of motifs
originating in Italy and Turkey that
cannot be seen anywhere else in
Quebec. Each characteristic enable
us to serve our ethnocultural clients
of Quebec from an estimated fifty origins, of which many have their own specific funerary tradition to follow.
E s t h e r- B l o n d i n
Mausoleum adds to
the cemetery’s heritage a true " temple
of memory " among
the most sophisticated in Canada. u
ESTHER BLONDIN (MOTHER MARIE-ANNE)
Messenger of Life
Born in Terrebonne in 1809 into a farmer’s family, Esther Blondin learned to read and write at 20
years old. In 1833, she became a teacher at l’Académie Blondin in Vaudreuil. Sensitive to the
needs of young people, she prepared them for life, cultivating their intelligence and passing
on the values of the Christian faith to them.
In 1850, she founded the community of Sisters of Saint Anne, she becoming the Superior
under the name of Sister Marie-Anne. Their mission was to educate disadvantaged youth,
both boys and girls. Forced to leave her position following an agiotage on behalf of the
chaplain of the community, she accepted the retirement and, being devoted now to humbler tasks, she lived out an intense and non-materialistic, yet satisfying, private life.
At her death on January 2nd, 1890, she had forgiven those who had anguished her and
signed a victory of kindness and serenity over violence and death. On April 29th, 2001, Pope
Jean-Paul II proclaimed her Blessed Maria Anna Blondin.
Esther Blondin Mausoleum testifies to the evangelic dynamism of this remarkable woman of
Quebec. Her spirit comforts with faith and hope for the Afterlife. u
9
E VENT
not to be missed
Special Commemorative Mass
for the Inauguration of the
Esther Blondin Mausoleum,
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.
You are invited to join us
at the Esther Blondin Mausoleum
inauguration service
on Saturday, May 3rd at 11:00 a.m.,
held under the canopy.
The celebration will be held in an atmosphere of conviviality, remembrance and respect. A musical presentation will be held for your
enjoyment from 10:00 a.m. Coffee and a light snack will be served.
A guided tour of the mausoleum will be organized after the mass.
The Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
presents
CELEBRATE THE FOUNDING
OF MONTREAL AND THE
NOTRE-DAME BASILICA
with the city’s most spectacular
sound and light show!
Tickets
Notre-Dame Basilica
Montreal 514 842-2925 ext. 226
Outside of Montreal area 1-866-842-2925
www.therewaslight.ca
Admission Network
514 790-1245 — 1-800-361-4595
www.admission.com
Ask about our
educational programs!
10
> Continued from page 3
The ritual of death and its social and cultural significance
Death is a natural phenomenon that has social and cultural implications. A casket, an urn, is always heavy - heavy in the physical sense but also in affectionate, historical, cultural, political,
spiritual and religious aspects. We function in a domain of emotions, feelings, and losing control is not difficult. An excess of joy,
of love, can be just as fatal as an excess of hurt or hatred. The
excess, whatever it may be, can be understood, but it is a phenomenon that should not last.
Rituals were invented precisely to render one’s existence to an
acceptable (normal) level; hence, the need of a competent entourage to allow the access to these rituals with a listening aptitude, empathy, a presence that evokes trust. Here is where ritual services personnel intervene. Their expertise testifies to their
competency. Those in mourning, though destabilized, notice initially the treatment they give towards their deceased where they
recognize the absolute value and dignity and respect of their integrity.
The values associated with funerary rituals
This respect will also result in measured and respectful gestures
shown in the way they physically gather and not “collect” the deceased person, as well as in the identification, transport, and
transfer to a specialized location and in the application of the
care they take in the embalming process or other care that could
be given to the person.
They will also do it through proposals that celebrate and recollect the history of the deceased, his contribution to society and
culture, the way in which he lived his life, as well as the heritage
of values that live on and the continuation of projects for those
who survived him. All considered, to
provide him with a future in accordance
with his beliefs, convictions and achievements.
From this point, those in mourning could conclude
that the treatment provided to their deceased person
can be a source of stimulation to give the best of themselves during their own lifetimes. The service enterprise in
funerary rituals must ensure that their personnel, location,
equipment and rooms are available to close ones and visitors interested in giving a last homage to their loved one. Also,
they accompany them in their approach so that the deceased
person may receive a final destination in accordance to the respect due to all people.
They will offer to their clientele, a psychological, professional and
spiritual support for the steps that follow the funeral - which could
be very useful to those in mourning. That is the task and responsibility of these professionals for bereavement and funerary rituals. The sense of loss felt by close ones, friends and other individuals when there is a death can contain the beginning of a
solution with competent individuals who are the personnel and
management of the funerary rituals’ service industry. u
* Concerning the approach of The Corporation des thanatologues du
Québec (C.T.Q.) within The Bureau de normalisation du Québec (B.N.Q.),
and in a standardization project, Mr. Andre Bouchard, a retired philosophy professor, was asked by the B.N.Q. to take part in the forum which
he set up to analyze the request prior to his acceptance. The group asked
Mr. Bouchard to create an introductory project for the document that
would constitute the body of standards which would then define the work
of service enterprises of ritual services in Quebec.
La Maison Monbourquette
La Maison Monbourquette is a nonprofit organization that offers assistance in bereavement. The organization opened its doors in November
2004 after the founders spent nearly 15 years developing the project.
Their motivation and mission: to offer a place where those in mourning
can go to seek listening or face-to-face support. This service is currently
only available in French.
Maison Monbourquette
150 L’Épée Street, Outremont, Quebec H2V 3T2
514 523-3596
Toll free: 1-888-423-3596
[email protected]
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D ON ’ T
MISS
In remembrance...
a thought, a memory
of your precious one.
Each of us hope that our journey through life will leave
those we love with special memories of us. Isn’t preserving
those sentiments the wish of us all? To provide you with the
best service, a diverse collection of commemorative
keepsakes is available at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges.
See a sample of our selection here.
For more information, visit one of the counsellors at
our offices. If you prefer, home visiting services are available
for your convenience. All our vendibles and services are
also available for prearrangements.
Graphic design: Michel Archambault
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