Short Report about the Laity-General Promoter s visit to some Fraternities of Germany (Teutonia) and France (Province of France)

Transcription

1 Shrt Reprt abut the Laity-General Prmter s visit t sme Fraternities f Germany (Teutnia) and France (Prvince f France) ( January 29 February 16, 2011 ) GERMANY (TEUTONIA) Funded in 1221, the Prvince f Teutnia includes the nrthern and eastern part f Germany, except fr the federal cuntries f Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria (They belng, tgether with Austria, t the Prvince f St. Albert the Great, funded in 1939). In six different cities within the Prvince f Teutnia there are 13 Fraternities ttalling apprximately 400 members. I visited the Fraternities f the tw Rhenish cities f Clgne and Duesseldrf at the end f January and the middle f February (The tmb f St. Albert the Great is in the crypt f St. Andreas/Clgne, the church entrusted by the Archbishp t the Dminican friars as pastral centre.) Clgne The Fraternity Katharina-vn-Siena, funded in 1947, nw has nly 5 elderly members. This was nce the nly Fraternity. The Fraternity St. Albertus, funded in 1980, cnsists f 21 members wh meet twice a mnth (nce in smaller grups and nce a mnth as a whle cmmunity). They cme tgether nce a year fr a spiritual weekend and twice a year fr the celebratin f the Eucharist. The Fraternity St. Dminikus, funded in 1973, has 9 members. Sme years ag they funded the Fraternity Thmas vn Aquin (5 f them made their Final Prmises). The Grup Jhannes-vn-Keln has 5 members. Three friars are the Religius Assistants. The members f the different Fraternities are invlved in pastral activities f their parishes, including in the city parish church St. Andreas, entrusted t the Dminican friars. They are als invlved in scial wrk and participate in varius assciatins. Visits t the elderly and the sick, care fr the hmeless and prisners, are still pssible, despite the advancing average age f the members. Tw f the Fraternity members are in leading psitins in a natinal sciety fr Christian-Mslem dialgue. Duesseldrf Attached t the ld cnvent f the Friars at Duesseldrf (fr 150 years) was a III Order grup. Its successr, the Fraternity Katharina-vn-Siena ceased t exist sme years ag because f the advanced age f the members, deaths and the lack f new vcatins, It was declared extinct recently. Tday there are tw Fraternities in Duesseldrf in clse cntact with the pastral activities f the city church St. Andreas, entrusted t the Dminican friars: The Fraternity Las-Casas, funded in 1977, with 21 members, and the small Grup La-Pira, cnsisting f 5 yung adults. Bth cmmunities meet weekly fr prayer, frmatin, scial exchange and prject planning. =====================

2 FRANCE (PROVINCE OF FRANCE) Within the state territry f France are tw prvinces in the rganisatinal structure f ur Order, the Prvince f Tuluse and the Prvince f France. The Lay Dminican Fraternities f the Prvince f Tuluse are gruped in fur regins: Suth- West and Suth-East, the island la Réunin and the Antilles (I was able t attend the Lay Prvincial Chapter f the Prvince f Tuluse n July 3 5, 2009, held at Fanjeaux). T the Prvince f France (cmprising 2/3 f the state territry) belng als the vicariate f Dacia, that is, the Scandinavian cuntries f Denmark, Sweden, Nrway and Finland (I attended the Lay Dminican reunin f the fur Fraternities f Dacia, held at Osl, Nrway Nvember 6 8, 2009), the vicariat f Equatrial Africa (ne Fraternity in Camern) and the vicariate f the Arab Wrld (ne Fraternity in Iraq). Inter-Prvincial relatins with the Prvince f Tuluse are mst marked during the pilgrimage t Lurdes in Octber each year; many Lay Dminicans f the tw Prvinces are cmmitted t serving the sick and disabled peple in particular. The Presidents (in French: Respnsables ) f the Dminican Family members f bth Prvinces meet fr an exchange f infrmatin and fr imprving c-peratin, fr instance, agreement n the annual themes f the Dminican Jubilee Nvena t the year In the Prvince f France itself, there are 30 Fraternities and 5 Fraternal Grups (=Fraternities in Frmatin), rganised in five Regins ( Paris-Ile de France-Nrmandie/Nrd-Pas-De-Calais/Est- Franche-Cmté/Ouest/Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne). Tw thirds f the apprximate 500 members have made Final Prmises. The Presidents f the five Regins, tgether with the Prvincial President and the Prvincial Religius Assistant, cnstitute the Prvincial Cuncil. It meets fur times a year. The Cuncil is enhanced by the participatin f the Prir Prvincial and the Reginal Religius Assistants nce every yrear. Fur Prvincial Chapters have taken place since 1998; each Chapter elects the Prvincial President fr a term f fur years. The Prvincial President is invited as bserver t the Friars Chapter. The decisins taken in 2010 by the last Prvincial Chapter f Lay Fraternities f mre than 60 Fraternity delegates are t be implemented: drafting f updated written and electrnic infrmatin media, reviewing the effrts in the last six years: the new Directry and reflecting n Prmises and frmatin; the imprvement and develpment f the website ; cntinued reflectin n the receptin f new members and the preparatin f a frm fr discernment and evaluatin f newcmers ; Fraternet : abut ne t three hurs a day, fr three years during Lent, jint grups f friars and lay persns share the Scripture n the Internet, with the pprtunity f interacting electrnically with interested peple (a mre detailed descriptin abut Fraternet by Mrs. Catherine Massn will be presented in ne f the 2011 issues f IDI); Summer Schl : a prject f frmatin, tgether with the nuns, planned fr mid-2012; attentin t be given t the cnnected vicariates (Central Africa, Dacia, Iraq), imprvement f the flw f infrmatin; cntacts t the Équipes du Rsaire (prmting the Rsary ), t the Grupements de Vie Evangélique (a reunin f spiritual mvements f different Orders, Cngregatins and grups), t Justice and Peace activities and, nt least, t the ther Eurpean Lay Dminican Fraternities;

3 In additin t these discussins initiated by the Prvincial Lay Chapter and the Prvincial Cuncil, each Fraternity has its special wrk prgramme. At least nce r twice a year, the Fraternities f a Regin fr instance meet fr a Reginal Retreat weekend r a cmmn prject. The Regin Ile de France-Nrmandie als rganises in additin three days f frmatin by inviting a speaker (the last years, fr instance: Br. Brun Cadré, speaking abut The fraternal life and Br. Jean-Claude Lavigne abut The missin f Dminican laity ). Reflectin is imprtant fr each Fraternity and everyne is attentive t the Prayer f the Liturgy f the Hurs. The cmmitment t the missin is very diverse (hmeless peple, prisns, labur unins, plitics, assciatins, parish receptin service...). Prvincial President ( Respnsable ) f the Prvince f France is Mrs. Catherine Massn, elected in Religius Prvincial assistant is Br. Reginald Blndeel (Rennes). During February 4 13, I was able t visit quite a number f Dminican Family members in fur cities in three f the five Regins. My thanks t Mrs. Marie-Odile Cusin, Reginal President f the Regin Nrth Pas-de-Calais and Mrs. Mnique Peters, Reginal President f the Regin East Franche-Cmté fr rganising the arrangements in their respective Regins. Abve all, heartfelt thanks g t M. Jean-Michel Slente, Reginal President f the Regin Paris Ile de France and member f the Eurpean Cuncil f Lay Fraternities: He supprted me extensively in the preparatin fr my visit and gave me plenty f useful backgrund infrmatin. I enjyed meeting the Prvincial President, Mrs. Catherine Massn during my stay at Lille, and I d nt frget the kind hspitality f the friars cmmunities f Lille, Paris/Annnciatin and Strasburg. In Paris, the newly elected Prir Prvincial, Br. Jean Paul Vesc (successr f Br. Brun Cadré), affrded me the pprtunity f cnversing with him and the Prvincial Cuncil members. In Strasburg I was invited by the nvice master t tell the nvices f the Prvince f France abut the wrldwide situatin f Lay Dminicans. Visited Lay Fraternities: Lille In and arund Lille, there are five Fraternities and tw smaller Grups f Lay Dminicans; they usually meet nce a mnth. Funded 40 years ag, the Fraternity Jean-le-Baptiste numbers abut 20 members, wh are invlved in parishes and assciatins, pastral wrk with families, children and thse living alne. The Fraternity Fra Angelic, with abut 14 members (8 f them being retired), was funded in 1997; their apstlate cnsists f Christian rientatin fr cuples and charitable wrk. The recent frmatin themes f the Fraternity Las-Casas, f 13 members, was the Gspel f St. Mark and reflectin abut Mercy. The apstlate f the Fraternity Jurdain-de-Saxe, with abut 12 members, cncentrates n scial and parish activities; their recent frmatin subject has been the reading and discussin f Br. Timthy Radcliffe s bk Why G t Church?. At Hardelt, 100 km away frm Lille, at the seaside, there has been a Fraternity fr 15 years, the Fraternity Pierre-Claverie with 12 members. There are als sme fraternal Grups: Maître Eckhart (since 2002) with 8 members, sme f them wrking in Paris. In additin t the mnthly meetings, nce a year they jin tgether fr a whle weekend. Funded in 2008, there is anther Grup named Girgi-Frassati with 8 members, their last frmatin tpic was n the Gspel parables. Like the ther Fraternities within France, the members are cncerned with the questin f hw t preach the Gspel in an indifferent sciety? Hw t get in cntact with the islated peple and thse alienated t the Christian cmmunity? Sme f the Fraternity members are invlved in the

4 Fraternet -prject and Retraite dans la ville, a friar s internet apstlate during Lent (with hits last year!). Members f the Fraternities are als in cntact with the Équipes du Rsaire f Lille, funded in 1955, cnsisting f 15 grups having a cmmn meeting nce a mnth. Paris Within the Regin Paris-Ile de France-Nrmandie, there are at present 127 Lay Dminicans, in ten Fraternities and tw fraternal Grups: Saint-Albert-le Grand, Saint-Dminique (the largest f them, with 16 members), Saint-Martin-de Prrès, Saint-Pierre-de-Vérne, Saint- Catherine-de-Sienne (which will celebrate in 2012 its 100 th anniversary!), Saint-Esprit, Saint-Catherine-de-Sienne (Le Havre), Saint-Dminique (Pnt-Sainte-Maxence), Hsannade-Mantue, Pierre-Claverie, Grup Luis-Jseph-Lebret (Évry), Grup Girgi-la Pira. The preaching pulpits f the Fraternity members are situated mainly in their families, their neighburhd and in their prfessinal life. They are invlved in parish wrk, such as liturgy, catechesis, care fr the sick, in accmpanying families in murning, in encuraging biblical grups and evangelisatin. Furteen members f the Fraternities and Fraternal Grups f this Regin are invlved in seven Fraternet teams during Lent. Fr all the Prvince, there are 22 Fraternet this year, with tw Lay Dminicans as cmpanins ( accmpagnateur ) in each fraternet (= 44 Lay Dminicans); each f the grups can receive 15 peple. As with Lay Dminicans f the Regins Nrd-Pas-de-Calais and Est-Franche-Cmté, the members f the Regin Paris-Ile-de France-Nrmandie have gd cntacts with the Dminican Family members f Iraq, wh are suffering s much because f the extreme scial upheavals in their hme cuntry. Besançn The Fraternity Jurdain-de-Saxe was set up in 1945, as part f the Regin Burgundy. There were nce fur Fraternities: Dijn, Tryes, Pary-Le-Mnial and Besançn; nly the Fraternity f Besançn survived until 2002 having a Dminican friar as Religius assistant. There is nw n presence f any friars. Since 2003 a dicesan priest, Abbé Jean-Luc Ballanche has been the Spiritual Assistant. He was very intensely invlved befre, and still is tday, in the Équipes du Rsaire. The 15 members f the Fraternity are invlved in parish pastral wrk as catechists and in the preparatin f the receptin f the Sacrament f Cnfirmatin, als in funeral arrangements, by visiting the families, preparing with them the liturgy r/and acting during the ceremny f crematin. During my shrt stay I had the pprtunity t meet the Archbishp f the Dicese, Mgr. André Lacrampe. He is a gd friend f the Dminicans and their Spirituality; He is respnsible fr the Beatificatin f Père Marie Jean-Jseph Lataste, whse tmb is situated nearby, at the Dminican mnastery f Mntferrand-le-Château. Befre meeting the Fraternity f Besançn, it was very imprtant fr me t have had the pprtunity t visit the tmb f Père Lataste, the apstle f the prisns and t meet the cmmunity f the Dminican nuns. Strasburg There are tw Fraternities at Strasburg in clse cntact with the cnvent f the Dminican friars (-the nviciate f the Prvince f France is here als), situated in the centre f the university district. The apstlate f the Fraternity Jean-Tauler (wh lived and died in that twn!) extends t university life, inter-religius dialgue (Jewish-Christian-Mslem), visits t prisns and slidarity with migrants and asylum seekers. Every 30 th day f the mnth sme f them take part, at the Grand Place, in a circle f silence shwing signs f encuragement by praying fr Justice and Peace in public. The secnd Fraternity Pierre Claverie is als invlved in pastral and scial wrk, fr example, with Rms (previusly called gypsies ) and ther marginalised peple. Fur f the members f bth Fraternities (like tw f Besançn) are actively

5 participating in the Fraternet -prject f the Prvince f France. Originally, in 1927 there was nly ne Fraternity at Strasburg; in 1996/1997 they split int tw. Nw, twice a year, they meet tgether fr a time f retreat. Sme delegates f the Fraternity Ntre-Dame-du-Chêne f Nancy participated at the meeting f Strasburg. The first cnvent f friars was funded in this twn after the revlutin, at the time f the re-establishment the Dminican Order in France by Br. A.V. Jandel and J.-B. H. Lacrdaire. The rigin f the Lay Fraternity ges back t the year 1900! Tday there are 12 members invlved in apstlic activities at the Christian Radi Jerich, with l Équipe du Rsaire, in pastral care fr sick and care in the palliative unit f a hspital, in parish wrk and in jining the Christian Assciatin fr Ablitin f Trture (ACAT). During my visit I als cntacted representatives f the Secular Institutes ( ) and Assciated Grups ( ), represented in the Prvincial Dminican Family cnferences: Institut séculier dminicain d Orleans Frm its fundatin in Orleans in 1891 the Institute has helped its members t live as cnsecrated lay peple in the spirit f St. Dminic. In 1941 it was affiliated t the Dminican Order and in 1948 it was cannically established. At the mment abut 150 members (bth wmen and men) belng t the Institute, living in: France, Great Britain, Belgium, Pland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Hungary, Vietnam, Ivry Cast, F.D. Cng and Haiti. Prvincial President ( Respnable ) is Mlle A. Massn, General Mderatr Mrs Ann Hamiltn, living in Suthern England. Missin Ntre-Dame-de-Béthanie, Assciatin SEVE Funded in 1948 in Besançn by a sister f the Bethany Cngregatin, it was aggregated t the Order f Preachers in Accrding t the apstlate f Père Lataste, the members want t live and preach the message f Gd s Mercy and Hpe in the wrld. Once with abut 100 members, tday there are nly 16 living in France, tw in the U.S.A., ne in Switzerland and ne in Belgium. President ( Respnsable ) f the Missin N.D. de Béthanie is Mlle Jeannine Laurain; Br. Claude Bnaïti is their Religius Assistant. Institut séculier Saint-Dminique United in 1994 frm three ancient assciatins, the Institute tday has 36 members, 30 f them living in France and 6 in Canada (Mntréal, Ottawa, Trnt) and the U.S.A. (Chicag). There is a news bulletin twice a year. All three Secular Institutes c-perate via a Bureau de l assciatin des Instituts séculiers Dminicains ; President f the assciatin is Mlle. HenriettePaquay, Br. Bernard-Dminique Marliangreas (Lyn) is their Religius Assistant n behalf f the friars f the Prvince. Fraternité Lataste assciated with the sisters f Bethany Funded in 1950 by a secular priest, Jaques Nurissat/Dijn, this assciatin has fur Fraternities in France, cmpsed f abut 50 members (many f them in the regin f Lille). They have an annual General Meeting and retreat and they publish a magazine called Trait d Unin three times a year. Natinal President (Respnsable) is Mme Simne Bresdin, Natinal Spiritual Assistant Br. Jean Pierre Brice Olivier. Rme, Santa Sabina, February 2011 Br. David M. Kammler OP