Fraternite Notre Dame
Encyclopedia
Fraternite Notre Dame is a Traditional Catholic Order of Bishops, priests, Friars and Nuns. There is also a Third Order attached to them.
that were reported in Frechou
, France
. They are led by Bishop Jean Marie Kozik, a Frenchman of Polish origin
who was consecrated by Vietnam
ese Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc.
, New York
, Ulan Bator and Chicago
. Additionally a hospital for the poor has been opened in Mongolia
and they have also operated humanitarian convoys to benefit those victimized by war in Croatia
, Bosnia, Kosovo
, and Rwanda
.
In 2000, The movement opened its Mother House
for North America
in Chicago's Austin
neighborhood in the former Gammon United Methodist Church, a structure built by noted Cleveland architect Sidney Badgley
and featured in a number of books on Chicago architecture
, notably "The AIA
Guide to Chicago" by Alice Sinkevitch (Harvest Books 2004). Fraternite Notre Dame uses the complex as a Novitiate/Seminary for religious friars and future priests, as well as a Novitiate for religious nuns out of the complex.
Since then Fraternite Notre Dame nuns have become a fixture at numerous Chicago area farmer's markets selling traditional French pastries to raise funds for the group..
neighborhood of Chicago
in 2000.
A religious retreat operated by Fraternite Notre Dame in suburban Marengo
was vandalized in 2006. Many neighbors were reportedly opposed by the presence of a religious complex in their area. Racial epithets and slurs had been spray-painted on the statues including the words "KKK", "Leave" and "go away", while the face of the Virgin Mary was blackened.
The order found itself in the news again as one of its members, Sister Marie Marot was charged in a car accident at the intersection of Randall Road and Illinois Route 72 on October 7th, 2007. The prosecution had contended that the Fraternite Notre Dame nun had run a red light which resulted in the death of 16 year-old Keith Forbes. Sister Marot was found not guilty in May of 2009.
Origins
The origins of Fraternite Notre Dame lay in the apparitions of the Virgin MaryMarian apparitions
A Marian apparition is an event in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed to have supernaturally appeared to one or more people. They are often given names based on the town in which they were reported, or on the sobriquet which was given to Mary on the occasion of the apparition...
that were reported in Frechou
Fréchou
Fréchou is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France. The town is known for being the site of the apparitions that led to the founding of the Traditionalist Catholic schismatic group Fraternite Notre Dame.-See also:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They are led by Bishop Jean Marie Kozik, a Frenchman of Polish origin
Polish minority in France
Poles in France, or the Polish community in France is one of the oldest in Europe.About one million people of Polish descent live in France, concentrated in the Nord-Pas de Calais region, in the metropolitan area of Lille and the coal-mining basin around Lens and Valenciennes...
who was consecrated by Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc.
Rite
The general religious practices of followers of Fraternite Notre Dame are in line with other Traditionalist Catholics.The church today
Fraternite Notre Dame operates religious and humanitarian missions on four continents. The church operates soup kitchens and weekly food pantries in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Ulan Bator and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Additionally a hospital for the poor has been opened in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
and they have also operated humanitarian convoys to benefit those victimized by war in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Bosnia, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, and Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
.
In 2000, The movement opened its Mother House
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
for North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in Chicago's Austin
Austin, Chicago
Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line...
neighborhood in the former Gammon United Methodist Church, a structure built by noted Cleveland architect Sidney Badgley
Sidney Badgley
Sidney Rose Badgley was a prominent turn-of-the-century Canadian-born architect. He was active throughout the United States and Canada, with a significant body of work in Cleveland.-Biography:...
and featured in a number of books on Chicago architecture
Chicago architecture
The architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected the history of American architecture. The city of Chicago, Illinois features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects...
, notably "The AIA
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
Guide to Chicago" by Alice Sinkevitch (Harvest Books 2004). Fraternite Notre Dame uses the complex as a Novitiate/Seminary for religious friars and future priests, as well as a Novitiate for religious nuns out of the complex.
Since then Fraternite Notre Dame nuns have become a fixture at numerous Chicago area farmer's markets selling traditional French pastries to raise funds for the group..
Controversies
The church has faced controversies since entering the Chicago area with the opening of its mother house in a former Methodist Church in the AustinAustin, Chicago
Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line...
neighborhood of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 2000.
A religious retreat operated by Fraternite Notre Dame in suburban Marengo
Marengo, Illinois
Marengo is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,355 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Marengo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Major Streets:...
was vandalized in 2006. Many neighbors were reportedly opposed by the presence of a religious complex in their area. Racial epithets and slurs had been spray-painted on the statues including the words "KKK", "Leave" and "go away", while the face of the Virgin Mary was blackened.
The order found itself in the news again as one of its members, Sister Marie Marot was charged in a car accident at the intersection of Randall Road and Illinois Route 72 on October 7th, 2007. The prosecution had contended that the Fraternite Notre Dame nun had run a red light which resulted in the death of 16 year-old Keith Forbes. Sister Marot was found not guilty in May of 2009.