16^th Meeting of the International Coordinating Team of the Lay of the Chevalier Family and the Executive Committee of the Association “Lay of the Chevalier Family in Europe” February 16^th -17^th in Lyon

Present: Rita Cleuren (Belgium), Marie-Blanche Cordonier (Switzerland), Nick Harnan (Cor Novum), Louis Joly (France), Sue Kimberley (England), Sister Stephani Orlowski (Germany), Ana Sanmartin (Spain), Mimi van Poppel (Netherlands), Sister Kateia Tenako (delegate of the 3 Generalates)

1. WELCOME AND TIME FOR SILENCE AND PRAYER

2. GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the “Lay of the Chevalier Family in Europe”:

Report of the president Rita Cleuren:

- 21-04-2007: 1^st general assembly in Issoudun

- Actual members of the assembly:

- Representatives of the provinces with right of vote:

* Germany: Stephani Orlowski, msc sister

* England: Sue Kimberley

* Belgium: Rita Cleuren, president

* Spain: Ana Sanmartin

* France: Louis Joly, treasurer

*Netherlands: Mimi van Poppel

* Switzerland: Marie-Blanche Cordonier, secretary

- The delegates of the 3 Generalates who will be represented by one delegate:

* Father Mark Mc Donald, msc

* Sister Bonaventura Kim, msc

* Sister Rosalia Kunmaryatin, fdnsc

- Representing Cor Novum:

* Father Nick Harnan, msc

- Mimi van Poppel, Rita Cleuren, Hannie Jansen (Netherlands), Jerôme Pongi (Congo) and Yan Petrus Pontoan (Indonesia) participated in the International Congress on the centenary death of Father Jules Chevalier. The congress took part from Sept. 30^th until Oct. 22^nd 2007 in Issoudun.

- On Oct. 27^th and 28^th the International Committee had its 15^th meeting at Saint Cyr in Mont d’Or (near Lyon). We were happy to welcome Jerôme Pongi there.

The agenda:

· Evaluation of the congress in Issoudun.

· The International Meeting of the Lay, which will be held in the Dominican Republique from November 15^th until 24^th 2008.

· The financial situation of the association.

- Our association is being challenged: functioning as European Committee and at the same time arrange activities and international contacts.

2.2. Report from the treasurer Louis Joly:

* cf. documents of 1.1.07 to 31.12.07 (Annex Ledger/Global Balance/Association “Lay of the Chevalier Family in Europe”

* Gift of the Lay Board France-Switzerland: € 5741, 31

* Gift of the Lay Board France-Switzerland: € 10.000 for Santo Domingo

* Proposition: each country should try to raise funds with people who are willing to support our mission

* Unanimous approval of the report

2.3. Contribution:

- € 10, a small amount, as it should not be the means to assuage our needs

2.4. Members of the Board:

- Same persons as in the previous period. However, from Sept. 2008 Elisabeth Hartmann will replace Zr. Stephani Orlowski.

- There is one delegate per province, but it would be good when everyone were to have a substitute in case he or she cannot be at the meeting.

- The annual meeting will be with 1 representative of the 3 Generalates and one representing Cor Novum.

2.5. Renewal of the office:

- The office of the Board has to be renewed each year and the names have to be known to the prefecture. Louis proposes he will continue this year. The proposition is accepted by the committee.

3. APPROBATION OF THE PV of 27/28-10-2007

The PV is accepted.

4. INTERNATIONAL MEETING IN SANTO DOMINGO:

4.1. Pre-inscriptions: 79 provisional participants, 20 of whom have asked for help.

4.2. Budget:

* The former Budget has been adapted. It is now 30 to 35 US$

* Points to clarify: Nov. 19^th (visit to town + meal) and Nov. 22-23 (Mount Oration). Does one pay for the days when not being in the centre?

* Simultaneous Translation: US$ 4536: exceeding the budget

* Secretarial costs in Europe: US$ 3400 according to Issoudun 99. The important part would be the making of a songbook. That could lessen the prize.

* Costs for 2 persons for 2 preparation voyages. Eventually one will suffer in order to diminish the costs.

4.4. Translators:

To be discussed with the Venezuelan Provincial: father Nick Harnan (Spanish-English)

Luc Lafleur (French-Spanish)

Sister Clara (English-Spanish)

4.5. Program:

- Nick will meet with Rita in August to exactly finalize each day

- Each country is asked to bring information (pictures, music,) about their lives

5. MESSAGE FROM THE 3 GENERALATES

There will be discussion time about the Lay movement. There are still difficulties with the word “Associates”. We have to look for a name that satisfies the 3 congregations and their lay members.

The Lay are the future, but not without the congregations. We have to work together.

6. SHARING THE LIVES OF OUR GROUPS
• Germany: election coming up to choose a representative for the groups. This will principally be Elisabeth Hartmann who also will come to the Coordination Committee. At Whitsun there will be a meeting in Bruges with the groups of Belgium and the Netherlands.
• England: 2 days with MSC + Lay + Nick Harnan: result is that more people become interested. Sue hopes to be able to invest more time. She is the only lay person in the retreat centre. Sister Ursula forms a group with 3 or 4 persons. There are also other groups in Wales, but there is no connection among them. Nick proposes to get these groups together and start with small things. Mimi and Rita will take part in a meeting with these lays to help them, give them support, to resource. Sister Kateia will contact a couple whose husband is from Kiribas.
• Netherlands: The lay people are working to become completely independent, as the religious are old. There is now the question of the “spiritual heritage”. The lay groups had a visit from father Fons Meijers and Jacqueline van Marion (lay) to learn about their lives, their expectations. On March 9^th the MSC house will be closed and they will move to the sisters.
• Spain: In Spain there are solidarity funds thanks to the activities. These funds are destined for the ONG where they are involved (Argentina + Guatemala). How can we help the participants who need help for the meeting in Santo Domingo?
• France/Switzerland: Louis reads the report of the Board of the lay people of France and Switzerland. This Board has been dissolved. The community Alain de Boismenu will join the MSC Fraternity. The balance of the lay board has been redistributed: 1/3 to the Fraternity and 2/3 to the International Committee (which is € 5797, 52).

Many questions are being posed about this decision:

- Are there connections/relationships with other groups?

- Are there connections/relationships with the International Committee?

- What about the charter of the lay people?

What hurts most members most is the absence of any “remarks” from the Provincial.

Louis and Nadette will not go to Santo Domingo. However, Louis will help with the meeting and with our committee. Louis and Nadette will donate their travel fee to the support fund.

Louis and M.-Blanche will stay representatives until Santo Domingo, and then it is most probable that the Alain de Boismenu community will close down.

Attention: the address of the social seat is in Miribel: This was requested by the Generalate.

Nick and Kateia will put this issue on the agenda of the coming meeting of the 3 generalates

• Belgium: weekends (formation – families) meeting with the lay board.

Father Germaan and some lay people are going to work in a parish and the office of the lay will move from Herent to Bierbeek (near Louvain).

May: meeting in Belgium – Bruges – (Germany + Netherlands + Belgium).

Contact with father Fons Meijers and Jacqueline van Marion (lay) about their spirituality project in the Netherlands.

Lent activity of Broederlijk Delen (sharing), help and fraternity: “koffie stop” (coffee break) in the various lay groups.

7. INTERNET
• first: meeting in Santo Domingo: where – when – program – contact address
• during: report in 3 languages to be sent to Louis who will put it on the site.

NEXT MEETING

20-21 Sept. 2008

Saint Cyr au Mont d’Or

LYON