The Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie "An Apostle in our times..."

Fraternite Notre Dame started numerous humanitarian missions around the world.

First of all, in Paris and New York City in 1990 (free restaurants for the needy in neglected areas); Martinique [F.W.I.] also in 1990 (erection of a chapel, help to those most in need); Cameroon in 1992 (a dispensary in the bush country); Haiti in 1993 (an orphanage, a school and a dispensary); Mongolia in 1995 (the Hospital of Charity, a soup kitchen, an orphanage, public baths); Niger in 1996 (orphanage, school and health center) Chicago, Illinois in 1998 with a church, a soup kitchen, assistance to the most destitute…

Other missions will be opened as opportunities and support become available to the Most Reverend Bishop. He also knows how to send his religious to various spots where the world suffers: like in Romania (1990), former Yugoslavia (1991), Rwanda in 1994, Croatia, Albania (1999), El Salvador (2000), etc.

This great mystic knows how to place himself at the level of everyone. Gifted with a superior intelligence and a great practical spirit, he has all qualities required by his position:

Rapidity in decision making; incredible power for work; exceptional courage; all this blended with a natural distinction which charms all those who might think he is touched by the honors of the earth. For Heaven's triumph is the one thing that drives him, and submission to God's will is his constant food.

Many prominent figures however have known how to acknowledge this man of prayer and compassion. In him they saluted a genius in humanitarian action:

Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor of the City of New York; Mr. Richard Daley, Mayor of the City of Chicago; various representatives of the government of the United States and other countries; US Congressman Danny Davis.

He is a friend to many Ambassadors and Diplomats who requested him to start Missions in their own countries.

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THE MOST REVEREND BISHOP JEAN MARIE AND MARIE ANGE ONE OF OUR ORPHAN FROM NIGER, AFRICA!

Such as St Vincent de Paul; he deploys a wealth of services to benefit those most in need. But his person pays the toll of this crushing task. Overwhelming work keeps him as if crucified to his duty.

His days are made of perpetual dedication, visits to the Missions, time spent in giving some good pieces of advice, consoling the sick, blessing, encouraging.

He always wishes "to do more", never wants to waste any time, but he goes straight to the aim. When he hears of a sick person, quickly he rushes to pay him or her a visit in person, or he commissions his religious there to bring care and comfort.

He had some young children fly from Mongolia or Niger to the USA, for them to get medical attention under better circumstances; he saved the life of many a person through his advice and warnings. How many people, because they followed his advice to the letter, helped themselves out of desperate situations.

How many persons can testify that he knows their conscience and reads in their heart as he would in an open book. Often, in fact, he gives you the answer before you even ask the question. Such charisma, if we may put it this way, is not given to him free of charge, and his life of permanent sacrifice and abnegation corresponds to the graces he receives. But he is faithful to Our Lady, faithful always.

In the United States

Fraternite Notre Dame deployed with a peculiar facility in the United States of America. In 1990, the Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie sent his first daughters to New York City to open a soup kitchen.

Furbished only with a handful of dollars but armed with their courage and their faith, the Sisters found a small storefront for rent in East Harlem, NYC and started to feed hundreds of homeless persons there. With a special foresight, the Most Reverend Bishop would guide them from afar in their ways of dealing with every new day.

It was as if he were "there, on the spot", for he would arrange the problems that arose, down to the details. Everything was new for these young Nuns: learning the language; getting used to the American spirit; running on a quest for food to feed the poor; looking for vehicles and supplies of all kinds, etc.

Without any support from the Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie, the nuns would never have defeated so many obstacles!

The success of such a mission was also brought about by the generosity of the American people. Again, Our Lady blessed the arrival of her Servants upon this land…

"I bless the United States of America for having accepted my Most Holy Mother, through my Sons and Daughters from Frechou. I shall spread abundant graces on each of the States where my Most Holy Mother is represented by my Sons and Daughters, for it must be manifested to the world how much I love my Mother, and how much I wish that through Her, people come to My Sacred and Merciful Heart."
Our Lord to Most Rev. Bishop Jean Marie, March 14, 1992.

She worked lots of changes in hearts, restored courage to those in despair. The very presence of the little Sisters and Brothers, the Priests from the Congregation of the Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie would put some balm on their bruised hearts, for they knew they were there "for them", wholly dedicated to their needs.

In 1998, the Most Reverend Bishop started another adventure, such as we read of in the lives of the saints. He cast the anchor in Chicago to open a soup kitchen. Beginnings there were very poor, but Providence intervened at all times: food donated in extremis when everything was lacking (this happened several times), donations of supplies and equipment at the very moment when it was mostly needed, etc. Heaven was watching, hour after hour.

The Most Reverend Bishop, however, because his vision goes far and wide when the glory of Mary Immaculate is at stake, was looking for a larger space.

During one of his investigations in the Austin area, he came across an abandoned church, and he complained to the Sister, who had not mentioned this matter to him at an earlier time.

"Sister, what are you doing with the House of the Lord"!

THIS IS A SMALL REPRODUCTION OF THE LIFE-SIZE MIRACULOUS STATUE ON THE PLACE OF THE APPARITIONS IN LE FRECHOU, FRANCE, AND CHICAGO, IL (USA), SUCH AS THE BLESSED MOTHER HAS BEEN APPEARING SINCE JUNE 10, 1977, AND EVERY 14th OF THE MONTH TO HER CONFIDANT, MOST REVEREND BISHOP JEAN MARIE. HAND-MADE OF PLASTER, ENTIRELY HAND-PAINTED BY THE NUNS. SIZE IS: 13 1/2" TALL (35cm) x 5" WIDE (12.5cm) x 6 1/2" DEEP (16.5cm). WEIGHT: ABOUT 7 lb.
Statue of Our Lady of Frechou, Mother of Mercy and Mother of the Church
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Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie
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THE MOTHER HOUSE OF THE ORDER : 502N CENTRAL AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60644 USA

Even though he was completely deprived of any money, Providence allowed the Bishop to acquire the church, through the medium of generous benefactors.

In record time, he had it renovated by all the religious and volunteer friends. He himself participated in the task. The Ceremony of Consecration, scheduled for the end of October, only left 3 months for the sanctuary's refection.

The Mistress of Novices and another nun painted magnificent frescoes. The Priests, Brothers and Sisters worked day and night in three shifts, relaying one another to finish the important work. This makes you think of St Teresa of Avila, fixing herself her churches by night in order to have Mass celebrated at dawn and take possession of the place.

The beautiful church offered the opportunity to design a fair shrine to Our Lady of Frechou. The statue is a replica of the one in the Forest of the Apparitions in France. It represents the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, during one of the visions with which the Most Reverend Bishop was gratified: she is holding the Child Jesus on her lap, a symbol for the two Holy United Hearts.

The Ceremony of Consecration of the Church and Crowning of the Statue occurred on October 21, 2000, in the midst of an impressive throng of faithful that had come from Europe as well as New York and Chicago.

The statue in Chicago is miraculous: it granted numerous privileges, obtained cures and worked conversions… Many come to lay their requests at her feet, and they are heard.

The Most Blessed Virgin Mary promised that this little church in Chicagoland would be a land of miracles, and She proves it constantly. Let us just mention here some manifestations that occurred in Chicago and which give proof to both the character of holiness of the Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie and the blessings granted by Our Lady of Frechou:

- A lady affected with breast cancer was cured after she came to the church of Our Lady of Frechou in Chicago and after receiving Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie's blessing. Indeed, shortly after, she had a special x-ray taken, and there was no trace of cancer left whatsoever. The tumor had completely disappeared.

- The same thing happened to a young lady, very worried because of her pregnancy, which was not evolving properly. The doctors advised her to have an abortion, because a serious tumor had been detected close to her child's heart. After she received the Most Reverend Bishop's blessing on December 8, 2001, the future mother had x-ray taken. It revealed that the tumor had nearly disappeared. The child was born without any problems and is now very healthy.

- A small boy was run over by a golf car weighing over a ton, without being physically hurt, thanks to the protection of the miraculous Medal of Mercy.

- A 15-year-old young man was cured from stomach cancer after applying some blessed oil.

It would be too long to report all the graces of healing obtained through this oil, both in the United States and in all the countries where Fraternite Notre Dame has missions.

On November 14, 1991, Our Lady requested Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie to bless some oil:

"The oil I requested you to bless must be used for all those who suffer in their body or in their heart". The blessed oil is available in all the Shrines or houses of Fraternite Notre Dame.

- On July 14, 2003, Sister Marie Chantal of the Holy Family of Nazareth, a Tertiary Religious with Fraternite Notre Dame, was given the grace to see the Most Blessed Virgin Mary instead of her statue.

This was the day before her death, and while she was no longer able to walk nor move, she rose from her wheelchair and crossed the church to come near the large miraculous statue; then, she bowed deeply before her, to later fall back into a sort of lethargy, after having entrusted to her son, a priest, that she had seen the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, and that She was very beautiful.

The next day, she returned to the Father, after a very edifying death, completely lost in God and Our Lady, surrounded with her 4 religious children.

SIZE: 8.3x7.3" - PAGES: 310. VARIOUS COLOR PICTURES. LARGE PRINT. VERY FAIR GLOSSY COVER. A SELECTION OF PRAYERS IS INCLUDED.
The Messenger of God Told Me
Messages from 1969 to July 2007.
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On the 14th of each month, in union with the Holy Forest of the Apparitions, a solemn Mass is celebrated at 5 a.m. (which corresponds with 12-noon in France). Numerous faithful attend the Mass, when one can feel something special that just cannot be defined, the passage of Mary Immaculate amongst us.

Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie often celebrates the Mass of the 14th in Chicago. Then one can be sure that Our Lady is really there, appearing to him and speaking of each one of us in a familiar way. What a special grace to attend this early Mass! And how could we not be deeply moved by the sermons of Father Jean Marie!

An outstanding preacher, you can listen to him for hours on end without ever getting bored. His words come from the heart, they are strongly persuasive, to change you and cause you to return to God.

He knows how to touch the most hardened hearts, and represents to us our short passage on this earth, and our one aim, which must be to go to Heaven. There are always in his mouth some words of love for the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, or the devotion to her Rosary.

He is a mystic that speaks to you; a spiritual Father addressing his children; he is a simple Priest, reminding people of eternal truths.

To this rapid portrait sketched about Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie, something would be missing if we did not mention his burning love for the Holy Eucharist. You need to see him at least once, celebrating Holy Mass, to be convinced that he experiences the Eucharistic Presence.

In him there is a kind of special majesty and easiness. His recollection proves that he is no longer quite present on the earth; and however, he pays attention to the smallest detail in the ceremony.

Holy Mass in the traditional rite of St Pius V sends us into meditation. The vestments are impeccable, magnificent; and actually the Bishop takes very great care in all religious vestments, which are usually handmade by the Nuns themselves. Attending a Mass celebrated by the Bishop was enough to convert many a person that had not seen such ceremonies before, and they discovered or re-discovered the grandeur of the Catholic liturgy.

Presently, the Chicago location has become Fraternite Notre Dame's Mother House. Novices and young professed Nuns are trained there. Mother Marie Faustine, Mistress of Novices, watches with a quite special care over each one of her daughters, along with Mother Marie Marthe, the Mother Superior.

Nothing is more beautiful than giving one's live for God in purity, obedience, silence, prayer, attendance to religious services and the magnificent ceremonies!

At Fraternite Notre Dame's, religious souls are given an opportunity to respond wholly to their vocation. A life given at the service of the poor, in communal joy: those who tasted of it would not trade it for anything else in the world!

Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie's work is in full bloom. What is more beautiful than these strong moments of contemplative prayer, when all the nuns get together in the Sanctuary, to love the Lord in their hearts.

Then, they stand up again, ready to face a thousand daily fights: the cooking to accommodate 250 people; pick ups of food, sometimes by the ton; taking care of poor children and orphans; running to perform different tasks and praying all together: the life of a missionary is filled with charms and will never lead you to dullness!

Additionally, the Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie is a guide beyond compare for his Sons and Daughters. You can be sure of his guidance, which nowadays is a rare thing.

His concerns are that all his religious Priests, Friars and Nuns sanctify themselves, become humble and faithful in order to rekindle the life of Holy Church.

He communicates his own concern for the salvation of souls and relief of suffering bodies. He is a jewel the good God has sent us in this time of the end times.

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Whoever interested may request the Pilgrim Virgin statue to be brought to his or her place.

They are small replicas of Our Lady of Frechou, circulating around the world, and going from family to family, reviving fervor and bringing peace.

To cite but a few examples, a family in New York recovered peace after receiving the Pilgrim Virgin for a novena of prayers; the mother testified that all arguments had come to an end after her passage.

A lady in New Jersey was healed from cancer after having received Our Lady in her home, while another family secured the sale of their house during the novena, a thing they had tried to do for a long time.

Let us bless God for the intervention of his Most Holy Mother upon our present world, and let us bless Him for having given us such a saint in the person of Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie. Let us not hesitate to go to the Blessed Virgin through her confidant, and benefit from the graces Heaven wants to give us through this good Father.

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THE MOST REVEREND BISHOP JEAN MARIE.

As a conclusion, let us quote the message Our Lady gave to Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie on August 14, 2001, that is, one month before the tragedy of September 11:

"I am Mary of Nazareth, Mother of the Savior, the Virgin immaculate in her Conception. Today I want to tell America: your mission is to give the example to the other nations, even if they do not want to look at you. Will you be faithful…? Your faithfulness must be exemplary… always be a guarantor of liberties, do not let yourself be influenced. Glorify your God, and God will keep you with tenderness; He shall keep you despite your enemies, and you shall defeat your enemies if your faithfulness to the God of Love is unreserved. O America, I watch over you, I extend my immaculate mantle over you, for in you my Divine Son has planted his Cross, a sacred standard, the standard of victory.
My little children, you have to pray a great deal the Holy Rosary, with your rosary beads in your hands, you have to place all your trust in my motherly and Immaculate Heart. I watch over you with love. May the peace of the Savior of men be with you.
I bless you with all my heart
".

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Fraternite Notre Dame
502 N Central Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60644 -USA-


Copyright FND January 2005