Marie-Rose Centre Offers Two Outdoor Activities

Religious Heritage Days – September 6, 2 to 4 p.m.

The Marie-Rose Centre (MRC) offers you a unique opportunity to experience the link between heritage (historic buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries) and history, that of the pioneers of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), closely linked to the development of education in Longueuil and the Province of Quebec  Quebec.

As part of the Religious Heritage Days (RHD), the Marie-Rose Centre will be welcoming visitors to the SNJM heritage site in Longueuil on Friday, September 6, between 2 and 4 pm.

Some will discover how the objects on display speak… they are even chatty, especially during an animated presentation. Between looking at life in the past and reminders of the historical context, visitors will discover the audacity and determination of the foundress, Mother Marie-Rose Durocher, and her companions, determined to give young girls a chance at an education.

Objects that belonged to the pioneers will be on display in an outdoor mini-exhibition that will be held under a canopy. Visitors will see a representation of an old-fashioned classroom. Artifacts related to the educational mission, such as an ancient abacus, will be on display. Books, maps, medals and other memorabilia will also be available.

Follow the guide at 2:30 p.m.

Architecture and history buffs are invited to take part in a complete tour of the SNJM heritage site. Led by an SNJM Sister, this tour is an opportunity to appreciate the main features of the stone building.

The evolution of the main building, which dates back to 1740, will be explained. Next door is the former school of the Fabrique, now the SNJM Congregation’s foundation house. And there, the remains of a long-gone stream alongside the Congregation’s first cemetery.

A whole past is revealed on this animated tour, which encourages discussion through details and surprising anecdotes.

Self-guided tour

You can also take a self-guided tour of the SNJM heritage site by consulting the posters installed along the sidewalk on rue Saint-Charles. Equipped with a QR code, they give access to a short history linked to the image presented, a virtual approach to discovering some interesting information about several historical elements of this place. There is even one about the Marie-Rose Centre, giving access to many of the attractions inside the buildings. These posters will be available until November.

For history buffs, with a particular interest in the role of the SNJM Congregation from past to present, a visit to the Marie-Rose Chapel is a must. It is located in the right transept of the Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue Co-Cathedral, just a few steps from the MRC. Three exhibition counters with a variety of artifacts and six posters (with QR codes) reveal the many facets of the SNJM mission, still in action today.

Meet us on Friday, September 6, 2024, between 2 and 4 p.m. at the Marie-Rose Centre, 80 rue Saint-Charles Est, Longueuil. Free of charge! Please note that in case of heavy rain, the event will be cancelled. However, light or intermittent rain will not prevent the event  from taking place although some artifacts may not be displayed.

MRC is a founding member of the Sanctuaires du fleuve and of the new Montérégie religious tourism circuit “À la découverte de nos audacieuses”. (In French only)