Campus priests renew vows in France

A group of Edmundites renew their vows in the Pontigny Abbey. (Pontigny, France) PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURIE SABENS

It was a cold, wet day in Pontigny, France on May 16, as 34 faculty, staff and alumni shuffled into the vastness of the Abbey to witness a group of Vermont Edmundites renew their vows. The group included, Brother Tom Berube, Brother Frank Hagerty, Fr. Richard Berube, Fr. Stanley Deresienski, Fr. Stephen Hornat and Fr. Marcel Rainville. 

“I think the concept of the Edmundite order being around for 175 years is what attracted people” said Rev. Marcel Rainville, S.S.E, who was asked to plan the trip to France around the celebration of the anniversary. Although he had made this trip a handful of times before this, he had never gone with such a large group “It was all about going back to our roots” he said. 

The Edmundites took Saint Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, as their patron saint because his life was filled with self-sacrifice for others. His final resting place is in the Abbey, of Pontigny, France, where the Society of Saint Edmund first began its ministry in 1843. 

For the anniversary, faculty, staff and alumni watched as each priest or brother recited the words, “I, ______ , may renew and deepen my consecration to following Christ for the Glory of God the salvation of neighbor and my personal sanctification.” 

Being in the Abbey, “it was like walking through history, but the smell was horrible,” said Laurie Sabens, Administrative Assistant to Campus Ministry who described the damp, musty air of the twelfth century monastery. Along with other witnesses Sabens watched while each of the seven Edmundites, humbly knelt before the altar on the cold, stone floor to renew their life’s promise in the place it all started.