Thank you very much.
To all the people who, over the years, have made Champboisé a place of welcome, prayer, and solitude, I am deeply grateful.
I first visited Champboise in the winter of 1997, when I was a college student, and the Eudists still lived there. It was such a memorable experience—hauling my firewood by sled, tending my fire, and walking along the snowy paths, accompanied by chickadees. I still remember what I ate, who I was with, what I read, and my walks through the forest.
After college, I moved out of the province, and life went on.
More than fifteen years after my first visit, I was back in Quebec and got in touch with Champboise again. I was very grateful to discover that it was still a place of retreat. For the next four autumns, I spent at least a few days in the silence of Champboise. It has been a very important ritual for me. It has been a time to reconnect with God, with myself, and with silence. I would draw, take photos, write, reflect, read, sit quietly on my porch, feed the birds, walk, and visit La Source, Le Vieux Chemin, and Les Cascades. I wrote poems about the centennial tree and the cycle of death and rebirth.
A few years ago, I brought my sister there during a time of great stress in her life, and it refreshed her.
Champboise holds a special and unique place in my heart.
As Champboise now undergoes a new transformation, it’s an opportunity for me to look back and to pause in gratitude. Even though my experiences there have been ones of solitude and silence, I know many people have invested time, effort, and love into Champboise, making it a welcoming place. I am truly grateful to everyone who, over the years, has made it their calling to care for the land and to share it with people like myself.
I pray that God will bless everyone and guide the future of Champboise.
Sincerely,
Paola Bresba
Champboisé—40 Years of History
The first Eudist presence in the Outaouais region began with the construction of the St. Jean-Eudes Seminary in Limbour. Built in 1959, it was closed and sold in 1969. This initial experience in the diocese prompted the community to seek another way to serve the local community. It then built a house on Claire Street in Pointe-Gatineau to enable its residents to take on various commitments within the diocese: teaching, assisting neighboring parishes, supporting our seminarians, and welcoming people seeking a time of retreat, renewal, and personal guidance.
In the Outaouais region, in collaboration with the Church in Hull and the Eudist family, to promote—in both individual and collective contexts—renewal and the growth of individuals and groups, particularly through sessions of guidance and reflection based on life experiences and in accordance with the spirit and values of the Gospel.
In 1977, Father Michel Hébert discovered Edmond Cosgrove’s farm. The Eudists purchased the property. Then the development work began. Little by little, as limited funds became available, construction began on two small cottages and the renovation of the “pain du jour,” a former dairy. The following year, six more cottages were added, and in the fall, the ground floor of the barn was renovated (fall 1979–winter 1980).
On June 1, 1980, Bishop Adolphe Proulx, in the presence of the Eudist Provincial Council, officially blessed the site.
Over the years, the community humbly continued its investments: converting the second floor of the barn into the community residence (1983) and building three new cottages. It is worth noting that it was only at this point that a permanent team moved into the residence.
In 1985, the current meeting hall was built on the grounds and inaugurated on August 19 by the Superior General of the Eudists, who was visiting Canada.
With the aim of contributing to youth ministry, the center launched a “youth program” in 1990 for high school-aged groups (ages 16–18) based on the “24 Hours of Silence” format.
In addition, to support individuals already involved in pastoral ministry in deepening their spiritual motivations, the center offers the option of “extended stays” (ranging from a few weeks to a few months).
Beginning in 1995, in response to recent sociological changes, the center began welcoming a higher proportion of those described as “distant” from religious practice, who can thus experience solitude and contemplation there.
The Blessing
June 1, 1980
The splendor of the surroundings throughout the seasons
A few landscapes and rural scenes
Champboisé’s 25th Anniversary
A silence that speaks volumes
The Chickadees of Champboisé
All you have to do is reach out.
Champboisé’s 30th Anniversary
Along the way, I came across: a bird’s nest, on the ground, in the middle of a field, with no eggs inside; a skull left behind, a reminder of an animal from long ago; woodpecker nests, carved into a tree; a spiderweb and a tiny spider, trying to look scary to protect the bouquet of violets on which it was perched; a little Swiss cheese cake looking at me with a mischievous air, having done me the favor of showing me the tip of its nose; a tiny blue butterfly, like a little corner of the sky, come to visit the humble meadow flowers; a new song every day that a bird sings to me, like another verse of a song that never ends. And when I pray in nature, I feel that suddenly it surrounds me, as if, together with me, it were coming to pray and give thanks to the Father who created us.
I arrived here, Lord, torn, anxious, and weary. Little by little, You brought me peace. I cried out to You; I went through every mood… patiently, You loved me to the very depths of my being, where I don’t even dare to look, for fear of seeing my shortcomings and flaws all too clearly… but You, just as I am, You have loved me. Calmly, patiently, You have woven Your Love within me so that I, too, may love You, with the very love of which You are the source. This is indeed what You are doing with me, Lord; You are always reshaping me; You continue to make me Your child.
Anonymous
Looking to the Other Side, a sculpture by Béla Simo
In tribute to the Eudists at the magnificent Champboisé site in L’Ange-Gardien
Installation of a public artwork by sculptor BÉLA SIMÓ as part of the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais’ “Parcours de Collines et d’eau” (Hills and Water Trail), which aims to highlight and promote the cultural and natural heritage in each of the seven municipalities that make up the region.
Let’s go for a walk with poet Jacques Gauthier in Champboisé
“Writer and poet Jacques Gauthier takes us on a pilgrimage through nature in the Collines-de-l’Outaouais region, a fertile place where words mingle with peaceful solitude.”
Radio-Canada
Published on March 10, 2021
Talking About Champboisé
The Hermitages of Champboisé: A Sanctuary in Nature
Pierre Valiquette and Liliane Bertrand—Hosted by Ginette Gratton
The Municipality of L’Ange-Gardien Acquires the Champboisé Site
In 2012, the Eudists and the Municipality of L’Ange-Gardien reached an agreement on the sale of the Champboisé site.
As of October 31, 2019, the Municipality of L’Ange-Gardien has owned the 165-hectare site, which is intended for recreational, tourism, and cultural activities.
Read the article from the daily newspaper leDroit by clicking on the link below.
Find Champboisé
1521 Rte 309, L’Ange-Gardien, QC J8L 4C2
Map of the site provided by the Municipality of L'Ange-Gardien ↗