Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes on D'Hoppe

source: Montfortblog

In the year 1888 Baron Lefèbvre started to build a church on D'Hoppe at his own expense, mainly driven by his wife, who was very religious and felt sorry for the poor population, in a hamlet far from the villages of Brakel, Schorisse and Vloesberg. She was especially concerned about the mental well-being of these people. It was probably also a memento from a personal devotion to what had happened in Lourdes 30 years earlier. After all, in 1858 Mary had appeared to Bernadette in the cave of Massabiel. The church was dedicated to Notre Dame de Lourdes. On August 15, 1888, under great interest of the local population, the church was consecrated by the delegate of the Bishop of Tournai.

In 1938 it was 50 years ago that the church on D'Hoppe was built. It was also 80 years ago that Mary appeared in Lourdes. To commemorate this occasion, Father Hubert Claes, montfortaan, had a beautiful Lourdes grotto built between the monastery and the church. The cave was consecrated on Sunday 21 August 1938 by Monsignor Rasneur, Bishop of Tournai.

After the construction of the Lourdes Grotto, the construction of a park with stations of the cross and Calvary began. The founder of the Congregation of Montfortans had a large cross or calvary erected in all the parishes where he held a mission as a lasting reminder of his preaching. For Father Claes, the Lourdes Grotto and the Calvary formed one whole to recall Montfort's motto: Through Mary to Jesus. Since the foundation and construction of the church in 2012, 124 years have passed. It has been 74 years since the Cave was built and consecrated and about 62 years since the Stations of the Cross and Calvary were erected.

Over the years, something has changed here and there about the church. The cave used to be inside the church. Under the influence of the Second Vatican Council, the chancel was modified and the altar brought forward. The interior was repainted. The tower was restored and equipped with a new rooster, which reflects the first sunlight at dawn.

No matter how modest the sanctuary is, some objects in the chapel are worth seeing. There are mainly the 15 painted Stations of the Cross by painter Camerlinckx. Then there is the sculpture group of the dying Saint Joseph, which was beautifully restored by Mrs. Johan Penne. A beautiful monumental antique seat adorns the chancel next to the altar. This was donated in 1949 for the choir of the church by, probably his widow, Léonce Van Damme, who died 18 June 1949.

Since 1903, the care of this sanctuary has been in the hands of the Montfortan Fathers. The monastery was built in 1906, after the fathers had stayed at the castle for three years. On the other side of the church, the convent of the Sisters of Wisdom was built in 1910, who set up a school there for many years.

You could say that the sanctuary and monastery represent the oldest Montfortan presence in Belgium.

In 2010 the beautiful cave was restored. Numerous ex-votos testify to the many favors obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin.

August 15 is always the high day with a solemn Eucharist. It is always a party that is talked about.

The many tourists who enjoy nature in D'Hoppe will certainly not fail to become pilgrims for a few minutes and visit the cave and the Calvary.

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