DECREE

    Since 1947, many Catholics come in pilgrimage to the “SAINT-GILLES” Parish Church, in the township of L'ILE-BOUCHARD, in order to venerate the Virgin Mary there. These pilgrimages have borne many fruits of grace. Without yielding to the attraction of sensationalism, they develop a spirit of prayer, while contributing to the growth of the faith in the participants.

    After carefully studying the facts and seeking the counsel of competent individuals, I hereby officially authorize these pilgrimages, as well as the public worship celebrated in the Parish Church of “SAINT-GILLES”, in L'ILE-BOUCHARD, to invoke OUR LADY OF PRAYER, under the pastoral responsibility of the legitimate Pastor of this Parish.

 Tours, December 8, 2001,
Feast of the Immaculate Conception

André VINGT-TROIS
Archbishop of Tours

Monseigneur FIOT, Les faits mystérieux de l'Ile-Bouchard, Tours, Gibert-Clarey, 1951, 44 pages. Imprimatur de l'Archevêché de Tours. Dernière réédition de 2001 sous le titre L'Ile-Bouchard (8 au 14 décembre 1947), en dépôt à la Paroisse de L'ILE-BOUCHARD 37220, 52 pages. (disponible dans l'église Saint-Gilles).

This first English publication by Paul RHOADS relies principally upon the translation in english of Mgr Fiot's boolket, but the author also benefited from contacts with people close to the events, including Jacqueline Aubry.   format .DOC (564 Ko)       format .PDF (671 Ko)