The Shrine of Blessed Basile Moreau at Notre-Dame de Sainte Croix Parish Church in Le Mans, France, hosted the famous French TV program Le Jour du Seigneur for Mass on April 7, Divine Mercy Sunday. Fr. Paul-Elie Cadet, C.S.C., Rector and Pastor, presided at the Mass, which was broadcast live on “France 2,” the nation’s second public station.

In addition to a large turnout from the parish’s parishioners, other members of the Congregation’s Mother Province in France also joined in the Mass, including Fr. Paul Valentin, C.S.C., Superior of the Mother Province.

It was a real honor for the Shrine to be featured for the Mass, as Le Jour du Seigneur is the oldest TV program in France, having broadcast its first mass live from Notre-Dame de Paris for Christmas in 1948.

Learn more about the Shrine of Blessed Basile Moreau

The program draws between 600,000 and 800,000 viewers every Sunday, thus giving the Shrine a wonderful opportunity to share about the Congregation’sfounder, Blessed Basile Moreau, during this year celebrating the 150th Anniversary of his entry into eternal life. In fact, in the days following the broadcast, the Shrine received many messages from people who watched the program. Some have even come to visit the Shrine.

Leading up to the broadcast, there was a lot of work for the Shrine’s pastoral team of Fr. Cadet, Fr. Joseph Gonsalvez, C.S.C., Assistant Rector and Assistant Pastor, and Ms. Tiphaine Hamerel, Administrator. The TV crew of Le Jour du Seigneur came in advance to gather footage of the pastoral life of the parish and shrine, which was then featured in the broadcast.

This is the second time in less than a year that Le Jour du Seigneur has featured a Mass hosted by the Congregation. On September 10, 2023, the show aired the Mass live from the Shrine of Notre-Dame de Garaisonin the south of France, where the Mother Province ministers a school and Marian shrine.

You can watch the Mass here.