Forty-nine Viatorian associates and professed delegates from sixteen countries, and fifty additional Viatorians, arrived in Vourles, France, on August 29th, 2009, to honor the memory of their founder, Fr. Louis Querbes.  It was in Vourles in 1831 that Fr. Querbes founded, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Lyons, the Parochial Clerics of St. Viator, known today as the Viatorian Community.       

Within five years, Fr. Querbes had opened parish elementary schools in five rural dioceses of France. His religious institute, dedicated “to teaching Christian doctrine and service for the Holy Altar,” was given approval by Pope Gregory XV in 1838. By that act, his small religious group was accorded universal status by the Church. Today, the Clerics of St. Viator, now more commonly known as the Viatorians, serve in sixteen countries

Viatorian associates, brothers, and priests arrived from the Viatorian Provinces of Canada, Chicago, Chile, France, and Spain.  Delegates from the Province of Chicago included: Provincial, Fr. Thomas R. von Behren; Assistant Provincial, Br. Michael T. Gosch; former Provincial, Fr. Robert M. Egan; former Superior General, Fr. Thomas G. Langenfeld; Br. Leo V. Ryan, Querbes Commission; pastors, Fr. Richard A. Rinn and Fr. John N. Peeters; associates Karen Cutler of Arlington Heights, IL, and Maggie Saunders of Las Vegas, NV. The Chicago Foundation of Belize was represented by Br. Moises Mesh, the first Belizean vocation. Father Edgar Suarez represented the Chicago Foundation of Colombia.  Viatorians also came from the Foundations of Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Japan, Peru, and Taiwan.  Moreover, the Superior General and the General Council, together with Fr. Jose Antonio Lezama, Promoter of the Cause of Fr. Querbes, were present from Rome.

The immediate occasion for this Viatorian world assembly was to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the death of Fr. Querbes on September 1st, 1859. Viatorians gathered to honor his memory, to enrich their knowledge of his life and spirituality, to renew their commitment to his ideals, and to pray for his beatification and canonization.   They participated in a three-day program of spiritual renewal, walking in the foot-steps of Fr. Querbes, praying at his grave site, attending lectures, and celebrating the Eucharist at the two churches of his ministry, St. Nizier in Lyons and St. Bonnet in Vourles.

On Sunday, August 30th, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyons, presided at the opening Mass in the Vourles parish church of St. Bonnet, honoring Fr. Querbes.  He was assisted by former Viatorian Superior General (1984-1987), Bishop Jacques Berthelet, CSV, of Saint-Jean-Longueul, Canada; Bishop Bellino Chirard, of Rodez; and Bishop-Emeritus Didier-Leon Marchand, of Valence. Concelebrants were the superior general, Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, and the provincial superiors of Canada, Chile, France, Spain, and the United States.

The Lord Mayor of Vourles and the Village Council were honored guests at the Mass. At this Mass, a new organ, presented to the parish by the Town Council, was inaugurated. The church, built in 1826-28, was especially renovated for this celebration, under the direction of Fr. Jacques Houle, CSV, pastor and professional artist, on loan from the Province of Canada to serve as pastor of St. Bonnet.

Cardinal Barbarin announced at the Mass a three-year program for the Archdiocese of Lyons (2009 to 2012), entitled “Serving the Whole Person” and dedicated to the whole human person--body, soul, and spirit--with health, education, and prayer/spiritual life as concurrent themes. Each year, the Church of Lyons will recognize “two distinguished Lyons personalities” who exemplify these characteristics. Fr. Louis Querbes has been selected, for the 2010-2011 year, for his quintessential embodiment of and witness to the qualities of “soul” and “education.”

Likewise, two of Fr. Querbes’ advisees, while he was Parochial Vicar at St. Nizier, Lyons (1816 - 1822), have also been selected:  Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (for body/health), and Venerable Pauline Jaricot, the founder of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (for prayer/spiritual life). The Jaricot family’s summer home was in Vourles. Pauline Jaricot continued to be closely associated with Fr. Querbes, particularly assisting in his efforts in Rome to secure papal approbation for his new Congregation.
             
After a civic reception and banquet, guests toured the International Querbes Museum located in one of the original buildings of the community, the Berceau (cradle), located behind the Church of St. Bonnet. A new film, Viator Today, had its world premiere at the museum. The community concluded the day’s events with Vespers, a light meal, and a dramatic presentation of the Beatitudes, written by Fr. Michel Chabert, CSV.
                                                                                                                         
Monday, August 31st, was a day especially designed for Viatorian professed and associates to deepen their knowledge about Fr. Querbes and his ministry as pastor and founder. Members met for two lectures about the life of Fr. Querbes and his role in society. The first lecture was presented by Br. Robert Bonnafous, CSV, author of Louis Querbes and the Catechist of St. Viator (1993) and the three-volume definitive biography, Louis Querbes: Un fondateur contrarié (2004). The second lecture was presented by Fr. Jean Comby, a distinguished French historian.

Afterwards, a pilgrimage was made to St. Nizier, the parish church of the Querbes’ family, located in Lyon.  It was at St. Nizier that Louis Querbes learned his catechism, received his First Holy Communion (June 1805), entered the Choir School (October 1805), and was confirmed in 1807.   Upon his ordination in December 1816, Fr. Querbes was assigned here--his home parish. He served as Parochial Vicar at St. Nizier until his appointment to Vourles, on October 25, 1822. 

Superior General, Fr. Mark Francis, CSV, presided at a Mass at St. Nizier, concelebrated by Viatorian priests from each province and foundation. Also present were representatives of religious orders of women religious, brothers, and priests with whom the Province of France is closely associated.
           
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009, will always remain a historical turning point in the history of the Viatorian Community. The morning began with a prayer service outside the window of the room where Fr. Querbes died, now the chapel of College Louis Querbes, in Vourles.  The service concluded at the founder’s grave site a few blocks away.

Later in the morning, the community gathered to discuss new ways of continuing the charism of Fr. Querbes, before they returned to St. Bonnet for a Mass and the official launching of the “Year of Fr. Querbes”. The Querbesian Year began September 1st, 2009, and will be celebrated throughout the community until August 31st, 2010. Each province and foundation will undertake educational and spiritual activities and programs to make Fr. Querbes better known and will launch a crusade of intercessionary prayers for his beatification.