With Saints Louis and Zélie, continue the mission

Mission "discovery and hope"

In February, a 10-day mission visited six parishes (Boulogne-Billancourt - Sainte Thérèse then Sainte Cécile - Clichy via Gennevilliers, Asnières, Villeneuve la Garenne). A journey marked by diversity and fervor.

The diversity

Diversity was present at all levels; sociologically ranging from a relatively homogeneous French population to a parish with some forty nationalities, diversity of ages, spiritual expectations, and ecclesiastical sensitivities.

The "Sister Marguerite" school group in Clichy, a brand new school complex, had undertaken meticulous preparatory work before the arrival of the relics. This involved the teaching staff, parents actively involved in pastoral care, and more than 250 primary and secondary school children in catechism classes, who were very receptive, engaging in relevant dialogue and dynamic interaction to discover what the saints represent for Catholics. "Intermediaries between Heaven and us who help us to pray" a fifth-grade student will say

Elsewhere, catechism groups are discovering what it means: "I believe in the communion of saints" Three evenings for couples, each with a different style depending on the location: here, a Renewal-style gathering; elsewhere, a day with the Priscilla and Aquila movement, featuring couples' testimonies, prayer, and meditation; and then, in Clichy, a parish evening with many young couples. This evening included times of praise, a talk exploring the life of the Martin couple, and an observation that while saints belong to a specific era, their way of life speaks to all times. Veneration and a blessing concluded the evening.

From the usual Sunday Masses to the one in English for the Filipino community in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, we experienced the full spectrum of emotions! The Filipinos' fervor before the relics was palpable, with the congregation composed mainly of young families. Even more striking were the hours spent, in pairs, blessing with the relics those individuals and couples burdened by all kinds of ailments or driven by life plans currently beyond their reach. You have to experience it to understand how liberating it is to entrust one's emotional, social, and health suffering, and extreme loneliness—a paradox in cities teeming with people. More than 700 prayer intentions brought back to Alençon and the promise to continue praying demonstrate that, even though the event is over, it hasn't been forgotten… the connection remains, the prayer continues.

Guy Fournier, assistant to the rector

Testimonial

The encounter: how beautiful!

“I usually like to say: as missionaries, we don’t so much go out to evangelize as to be evangelized. This was certainly true on this mission. One thing that should first capture our attention is people’s thirst for God and the welcome that flows from it. We received an excellent welcome everywhere we went, and we observed the strength of the faith of the people we met. And that’s where we must begin. We found hearts sometimes steeped in human distress, yet they remained open to welcoming those they received. This is a lived Gospel reality: missionaries go out to proclaim a message and they are received. This welcome allowed them to discover that the Martins, contrary to what one might think, are not very far from us, because they have faced the same situations.

Perhaps this is the culmination of evangelization through the veneration of relics: the encounter—how beautiful it is! In the act of discovery, through the intercession of the saints, we are able to lay down all the burdens we carry within us. How many suffering people we saw! Through this opening of the heart, we feel that it is Jesus Himself who comforts us. This happened through encounters with people, listening, speaking, and teaching. There are three levels to this encounter: the encounter with oneself, with those who are sometimes lost and no longer know where to turn; the encounter with the other, who listens to them; and finally, the encounter with Jesus through the intercession of the saints. I am deeply moved by the quality and depth of faith of those who welcomed us, especially the children. They demonstrated a simple yet profound faith. I return edified by the testimonies received from people who, despite the difficulties, never cease to hold onto hope, nurturing their faith in Christ.

Brother Jean-Victor