7th Meeting of the
International Coordination
of the LAY MSC of the Chevalier Family
Present: Mark Mc
Donald, Sister Suzanne, Sue KIMBERLEY, Angeles FONDEVILLA, Mimi van POPPEL,
Rita CLEUREN, Marie-Blanche CORDONIER, Louis and Nadette JOLY.
Excused: Sister
Stephanie and Sister Melanie (Germany)
Louis announces
that the MSC Province will cover the accommodation expenses of all
participants. We sincerely thank the Province for this gesture.
Daniel AUGUIE
asks to leave out point 2 in the report of November 9/10: “and without passing
via the Lay Council”.
EXCHANGING
INFORMATION WITH THE WORLD.
a) France/Switzerland:
In the MSC Fraternity: dissolution of the Moulins group (due to the advanced
age of the members). Only one group in Switzerland and one smaller group in
Paris will continue their activities.
b) The Netherlands:
4 groups continue to meet every two months. Eight persons will renew their
committements on March 23. They held a meeting with the 20 religious congregations
having Lay people as partners: they do exchange experiences, although most
Lay groups have the statutes of the Religious. This is not the case for the
MSC Lay!
c) Slovakia:
the Lay movement has started eight years ago. Two new engagements and four
renewals were pronounced during the Formation weekend of January 18.
d) Belgium:
Lay Chapter was held in July 2002. New members were welcomed in the Lay
Council.
Important
question: how to reduce the costs, which are very often too high for certain
people (weekends, contemplation…)
December weekend:
theme: “mercy for oneself.”
Six engagement
renewals as well as two new engagements.
In February, a
meeting with the Netherlands was held: “How can we be Church amidst the
people?”
Two MSC Lay
participate in the Spiritual Committee of the Province and are preparing the
15Oth anniversary of the Congregation. They are also reflecting on making the
texts of the Father Cuskelly book “Following the path of Jesus” more
intelligible for people.
e) Australia:
a high number of associates; Engagement of three Lay aboriginals.
f) England:
Five MSC Lay and three fathers are working closely together; small steps, but
indeed very positive!
g) Spain:
no great changes. In the Madrid group, there were only 6 new engagements.
h) France:
The Alain de Boismenu Communion has moved all its activities to Mas-Rillier
(Parish of Miribel)
Gilbert BONNEMORT
conducted the weekends of February 15-16, in the spirit of the Heart of Christ.
24 persons participated and during Sunday Mass, 3 persons renewed their vows
and 7 persons received a lifetime project for a community engagement (with the
mission to support the actions of a person that takes care of those in need).
Every Friday
afternoon, time for worshipping and praying for peace in this world; mass every
first Friday of the month.
Following weekend
in May: Cuskelly Symposium.
i) News from
Quebec:
Father Gérard
HAMEL has given us some information on the Lay group participating in the
activities of the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. They have a “life
book” and a newsletter to keep in touch.
In December, all
provincials and Coordination members received a first information letter in
which the provincials were asked for help.
The MSC Generalat
asked us whether we had special MSC Lay projects for the Development Bureau. We
sent them our plans. Father Philippe SEVEAU let us know that Father Francesco
is trying to find financial means for the European meeting in the month of
August.
Donations made to
the Alain de Boismenu for the MSC Lay vocations will be transferred to the MSC
Lay Council account of the France/Switserland Province in order to cover the
expenses of the European Meeting and the Lay Formation. The Provincial had no
objection.
Preparation of
the French, English and Spanish brochure; inscriptions are due before May 31!
Evaluation of the
pre-inscriptions: about 70 participants.
Development: define the exact role of Cor Novum
Role of the
Coordination members:
Sister Gerardine
of Cor Novum will moderate the talks.
It would be
advisable to provide a map with timings, informations; songbooks…Rita will ask
one of her sisters to sew bags with the Issoudun Logo.
PROGRAMME
Tuesday 5: reception
and lunch
Evening: time to get to
know one another: very informal
Wednesday 6: morning: presentation of the groups and
exchanging experiences (preparation by one of the groups)
Afternoon: visit to the
Chevalier places and Museum
Mass
in the Basilica
Thursday 7 and
Friday 8: morning:
Spirituality of the Heart
How will we procede?
Themes:
It is essential
for Sue, Mimi and Rita to be able to talk about their experiences in the
Symposium: in what way were they touched and how do they live with that
experience?
Friday 8: afternoon:
visit to the city “In Jules Chevalier’s footsteps”, mass at St-Cyr.
Saturday 9: Formation
Presentation of
the things that already exists. What are the expectations and needs of the Lay?
Presentation of
the various forms of engagements
How to install a
group? (Contribution of Father José-Maria)
Organisation of
the European structure.
Festive evening.
Sunday 10: final session and the
sending…(representation of the three congregations and one Lay person). We need
2/3 persons to take notes during the whole week, so that we can give a final
message at the end of the meeting. We suggest Spain to take up this task, with
Angeles, José-Maria…
Father Mark and
Sister Gérardine are preparing a programme that they will send to us for
approval.
Translators: it
is important for the translators to have the texts prior to the meeting.
Father ALOMA
Juan: Spanish –
French
Father Mark?: French –
Spanish
Roland DOULCHIN: French – English
? English
– French
? English
– Spanish
? German
– English
As the Alain de
Boismenu Center has been closed, we have to think about how to update the site.
A new name has been introduced: http://www.laymsc.org.
Louis has talked
about our meeting to Mister LEPINE, a legal advisor. M. LEPINE received a
complete file on the Lay Movement since the foundation of the MSC Fraternity.
This information
enabled him to make a first suggestion on February 28th 2003. Questions to be asked:
All MSC Lay
groups are to be present in the meetings and not only the individual members!
The members of the association are indeed the groups and it is up to them to
delegate representatives.
In the preface,
two lines on the FNDSC and the MSC Sisters should be added. Louis will write a
new text and will send it to the members of the Coordination (for modification
or correction).
Titel “European
MSC Lay”
Subject:
Other
stipulations
Social seat: 38, Place du Sacré-Coeur
36100 ISSOUDUN (to be discussed
with the Provincial)
Members: only one
category: active members
- 1 or 2 delegates per country
- 1 delegate of Cor Novum
- 1 delegate of the 3 congregations of the Chevalier Family
Powers/Competences:
the roles will be defined in the Charter of the MSC Lay of the Chevalier Family
Objective: to
give a legal statute to a small team enabling it to function in a legal
framework.
NEXT MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION
NOVEMBER 8-9, 2003 in BIRMINGHAM