A great first! All coordinators province with a dozen chaplains and the international coordination team met in late January Lourdes. Major Henry was present as well, because it was a unique opportunity for him to meet with provincial coordinators. Here's the short word of welcome that I had prepared in the booklet distributed to each his arrival: "I am very happy welcoming you in Lourdes for the first meeting of the Council of Coordinators!
This is not a first for Faith and Light than to be in Lourdes, we're here a little "home", we have so many memories! But it is a great first experience that this meeting of all the provinces of Faith and Light!
We have implemented a little over two years of our new constitution, almost all provinces have held their Provincial Assembly, we have seen how these structures were well adapted to the Faith and Light today, how they could give life, how could they allow a good coaching at all levels. Today, we practice a little paragraph of this constitution which says
council coordinators gives life to the movement. It is run by the international coordinator. The board's role of coordinators is to be a place of sharing between different coordinators to work together for God's movement and to serve persons with mental disabilities and Faith and Light communities in the spirit of the Charter. The board of coordinators is a place of mutual support and training for provincial coordinators. It is a time of reflection where Coordinators have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the objectives of Faith and Light and the ways in which the movement operates. It is also a time where creating an international community. (Constitution # 65)
is what we'll try to do during these few days, giving life, sharing, searching all the will of God, support each other, train, think, further, create ... What a great program! And I'm sure the Holy Spirit will be present to help us, support us!
We further divide each to his province and his community to live festivals and celebrations of the 40 th anniversary of Faith and Light, a heart full of messages of joy for all! "
The Coordinator Council held in the City Saint Pierre where we were very warmly ( despite the weather very very cool!) it must be said that Bishop Jean Rodhain, the founder of Catholic Relief Services and the City of Saint Peter was the first to support the idea of Jean Vanier and Marie-Hélène Mathieu a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1971! The website of the City Saint Pierre retains traces of our passage.
The first day, the opening session was attended by Bishop Jacques Perrier, Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes: we read the pope's message received a few days ago, and we talked about the links between Lourdes and Faith and light, we said, inter alia how the pilgrimage had changed their minds at Lourdes and Faith and Light was part of the genetic code of Lourdes! I replied thanking him for his hospitality and that Lourdes was part of the genetic code of Faith and Light!
This meeting was so rich and so beautiful that it deserves more articles ... To be continued ....
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