Family Rosary Pilgrimage to Canada: Day Two

Welcome back to our HFCM pilgrimage journey! If you thought Day One’s bus ride was an adventure, Day Two in Quebec City raised the bar completely. Yesterday, the real exploration began, and we quickly learned that when you travel with a group ranging from energetic toddlers to wise grandparents, God doesn't just work in mysterious ways; He works in highly entertaining ones.

They say the soul cannot absorb what the feet cannot endure, but on a family pilgrimage, the body also cannot survive on an empty stomach. Fortunately, our first morning in Quebec kicked off with a hotel breakfast buffet for the ages!

We are talking about a spread that had everything:

• Freshly made omelets and flaky, buttery croissants.
• Smoked salmon for the sophisticated palates.
• A steady stream of hot chocolate, smoothies, and, to the absolute delight of the kids, wee donuts.

Even with a 12-year-old, a 9-year-old, and a highly active 2-year-old in tow, everyone ate their fill. Managing three kids at a buffet is usually a high-stakes sport, but with bellies full and spirits high, we piled out of the hotel ready to conquer the day.

As we drove out of the city, the kids suddenly pressed their faces against the windows. Just off the highway, a massive, roaring waterfall came into view, cascading down a cliff. To the littles' absolute delight, this wasn't just any waterfall; it was the famous Montmorency Falls (Chute Montmorency).

Montmorency Falls is actually 275 feet high? That makes it a whopping 98 feet taller than Niagara Falls!

Seeing that powerful rush of water felt like a natural prelude to where we were heading. For the deep thinkers in the group it was a visual reminder of the living waters of faith and the sheer abundance of God's grace that we were about to encounter. For the parents of small kids it was a sign of the organized chaos that lay ahead.

About 20 miles east of Québec City, resting peacefully along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the horizon shifted. From a half-mile away, two massive twin spires pierced the sky. We instantly knew: that had to be Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.

At first glance, the towering, ornate Basilica looks like a grand, newly built masterpiece. But as we stepped closer, we began to uncover the deep, 17th-century roots of this holy ground. What started as a humble wooden chapel built by shipwrecked sailors in 1658 has transformed over centuries into a monumental sanctuary that welcomes over a million pilgrims every single year.

As we walked up, the generational significance of our own tour group hit home. Our retreat is a mix of generations, from tiny toddlers to loving grandparents. How incredibly fitting, then, that our first major stop was to honor St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus!

When we think of St. Anne, we naturally think of the baby Jesus resting in her family's care. Seeing our grandparents side-by-side with toddlers scaling the basilica steps felt like a living icon of the Universal Church… generational faith, right before our eyes.

From the very first step inside the Basilica, meaning and holy symbolism surrounded us. But as we walked through the nave, the atmosphere grew spiritual… crutches, canes, walkers, and braces left behind.These aren't props; they are testimonies.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people arrive here with a distinct mission: to beseech St. Anne to intercede for a sick relative, a broken heart, or a failing body. The historical weight of answered prayers hangs heavily in the air. It forces you to pause. You realize very quickly that you aren't just looking at beautiful architecture; you are in a space where heaven touches the earth.

Around 10:30, we headed down to the Crypt Church. While the upper basilica is grand and soaring, the crypt is intimate, and deeply reverent. It is the solid foundation of the shrine, representing the enduring, quiet faith of the centuries.

It was here that we experienced a very minor modern-day miracle of our own.

A light show that lasted about 15 minutes started. For the outside observer, it was an impressive, artistic display which shed light on our Blessed Mother and the Tabernacle. But for my wife and me? It was 15 glorious minutes of absolute, uninterrupted peace.

Our very active, 2-year-old was so utterly mesmerized by the lights that she sat completely still the entire time. In fact, it made such an impact that when she woke up this morning, one of the first things she asked was if we could go to the “Light Mass today.” As luck… or divine providence, would have it, Day 3 holds yet another spectacular light experience for us. But we'll save that review for the next post!

As our group gathered in the quiet space, waiting for our intimate retreat Mass to begin, our two-year-old decided she was the official tour guide.  Hand-in-hand, she led me on a brisk, toddler-paced exploration of the chapel’s perimeter.

Everywhere we looked, there were constants: artwork, icons, and references to Saint Anne and her husband, Joachim, alongside their daughter, the Blessed Mother, and Saint Joseph. It was an intriguing visual loop of the Holy Family. But as we zipped past the side altars, my tiny guide pulled me to a halt in front of a statue of Saint Anthony. As I stood there trying to keep a toddler from climbing the rails, it struck me: this statue is a direct link to the ancient, mystical roots of the French spirituality that built this very province.

As a fan of Father Boby John’s homilies, I enjoyed how effortlessly he connected everything we had experienced throughout the morning. He focused his reflection on the early life of the Blessed Mother and her parents, anchoring the mystery of the Mother of God by bringing in the Protoevangelium of James (frequently called the Gospel of James).

The Gospel of James is a second-century document. While it isn’t part of the official four Gospels of the New Testament, mostly because it was written later than Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John… the Church recognizes it as an authentic historical document. It’s actually where we get the very names of Jesus' grandparents, Anne and Joachim!

As Father Boby John spoke, a clear historical picture began to emerge.

This is the world where monastic leaders emerged, completely devoted to imitating Christ. So, how did Egyptian desert monks influence a basilica in Canada? Through a chain reaction of holy events. A monk named John Cassian brought these desert traditions to Europe, passing the spiritual fire to Saint Martin of Tours, who championed a deep devotion to the family of Jesus. This quickly resonated in France due to an ancient, pious tradition..

It is said that in the first century, Saint Anne’s remains were actually brought to the shores of southern France (to a town called Apt) on the exact same boat that carried Saint Lazarus, Saint Mary Magdalene, and Saint Martha as they fled persecution in the Holy Land.

To protect her holy relics from barbarian invasions, a local bishop named Saint Auspicius buried them deep within an underground crypt. The location was lost to history for centuries, but the spiritual roots remained buried deep within the psyche of the French people. A bone from Saint Anne’s arm is located on a side alter in the Basilica which we were lucky to visit later in the day.

For centuries, France proudly bore the historical title of "The Eldest Daughter of the Church." And when French explorers and settlers sailed across the Atlantic to Quebec in the 17th and 18th centuries, they didn't just bring their language and their recipes; they brought this deeply engraved faith.

In a beautiful twist of divine timing, this faith was planted in the soil of the New World just in time to escape the incoming trauma of the French Revolution and the destructive, secularizing waves of the so-called "Enlightenment" back in Europe. God preserved the raw, vibrant, traditional heart of French spirituality right here on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.

Stepping back into the present moment, watching our large, intergenerational retreat group celebrate Mass in that quiet chapel felt like the culmination of a 2,000-year-old family tree. From the deserts of Egypt to the shores of France, and finally to a side chapel in Quebec, the faith survived.

With our spirits lifted and our historical curiosities satisfied, we stepped back out into the warm Quebec air. After a quick lunch to refuel, we gathered about 100 yards from the main Basilica to conquer what the little ones dramatically dubbed "a mountain".

Our ascent began at a replica of the Scala Sancta (the Holy Stairs), representing the very steps Jesus climbed to face Pontius Pilate. Climbing them set a tone of deep reverence for the adults and introduced the kids to the concept of physical sacrifice on a pilgrimage.

Once at the top, we began weaving up the steep incline, praying the Stations of the Cross together.

As we moved from station to station, we were captivated by the stunning, life-sized bronze statues. The artistry demanded that we stop and look, capturing a striking emotional contrast in the metal:

• The deep, agonizing sorrow etched onto the face of Jesus.
• The raw, unbridled anger twisting the features of the Roman soldiers.
• The cold, haughty pride of the Pharisees standing over Christ as He fell for the third time.

Surrounded by our retreat family of toddlers and grandparents, looking at those faces made the Passion feel incredibly immediate and real.

A day of such spiritual meaning deserved to be capped off in the best way possible: a short trip into the heart of Old Quebec City for some legendary local treats. For our crew, that meant authentic French-Canadian Poutine and fresh, warm BeaverTails loaded with sweet toppings. If there is a better way to end a long day of walking than with melted chocolate and fried potatoes, we haven’t found it yet.

Tomorrow, we say goodbye to Quebec City and point our buses toward Montreal. Rest assured, we fully intend to prepare for the road with another hotel breakfast of absolutely epic proportions.

HFCM Pilgrimage: Day 2 Complete.
Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin and Grandmother of Jesus… pray for us!