A new chapter opens for the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and the Catholic community of Fontenay-aux-Roses. The Diocese of Nanterre has officially announced the appointment of Father Guillaume Charbonneau as vicar of the Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul parish. He will take on this role alongside his already strong pastoral presence at the chapel-sanctuary of Sainte Rita.
Originally from the Nice region and ordained a priest almost two years ago, Father Guillaume is appreciated for his simplicity, his ability to listen and his sincere commitment to the faithful. His arrival as part-time curate at Fontenay-aux-Roses has been enthusiastically welcomed by parishioners, who see in him a pastor who is both close to them and rooted in their spiritual life.
A dual mission to serve two places of faith
In his new role, Father Guillaume will work alongside the parish priest to accompany sacramental life, lead liturgies and support the local pastoral dynamic.
But his mission also extends to the chapel-sanctuary of Saint Rita, where he will continue his already regular presence since his presbyteral ordination in 2023. This much-frequented place of prayer welcomes many faithful each week, who come to recharge their batteries or entrust their deepest intentions to Saint Rita – the saint of desperate causes.
“It’s a great joy to join this lively community, and also to be able to continue accompanying the pilgrims and pray-ers who pass through Saint Rita’s chapel,” confided Father Guillaume.
A commitment at the heart of local Christian life
This dual mission illustrates the joint desire of the Diocese of Nanterre and the superiors of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, to which Father Guillaume belongs, to meet the spiritual needs of a varied population, both local and visiting.
With his availability, his youthfulness and his ability to listen, Father Guillaume is destined to become an important pastoral figure in Fontenay-aux-Roses, between parish roots and spiritual influence.
It will be officially presented to the parish community on Sunday, September 14, at the 11am mass on the feast of the Glorious Cross.
We wish him a fruitful ministry, deeply rooted in the joy of the Gospel.
