Number 215 - February 2003

One of the urgent calls of the Vatican Council: to be an apostle
Father Finet

Taizé in Paris - Christmas 2002

Testimony: Lay people engaged in the family of the Foyers de Charité

One of the urgent calls of the Vatican Council: to be an apostle

Father FINET

From the beginning of this conference I'm anxious to underline to you your vocation, which is indicated to you by the Council. And that is something of intense gravity. And you know what the Council has told you, or maybe you don't know it enough, the accent must be put on that, it's that in reality, the People of God, and you are called the People of God by the Council, must give witness to the faith it carries. Note carefully the word: MUST give witness to the faith it carries.

And I add, all the same, still on the same line, what is extremely important: up until now, I had been told that the Church was the faithful as a whole, under the direction of legitimate pastors. At present there is a term that the Council on one hand, and Pope Paul VI on the other, give to us: what do you call yourselves? Yesterday I called myself one of the faithful, and today you must call yourself an APOSTLE. There, perhaps is one of the principal revolutions of the Council. It is in that.

And I insist on that point in quoting the Speech of Paul VI to the members of the Congress of the Apostolate of the Laity, last year (67):
"The principle is set down, and that already says its importance, in the very text of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church: "The lay people, brought together in the People of God and organized in the unique Body of Christ under one head, are called, whoever they are". (note well the term: "whoever they are"). Don't go saying: "but me, I don't know much, I only received one piece of money", alright, then you're going to give back two! You mustn't put it in your pocket handkerchief and bury in the earth..."whoever they are".

Those who are often the most at risk of not being apostles are those who haven't received much, because they say: "We don't know much, we don't dare". And what about the Holy Spirit? "They are called, whoever they are, to co-operate as living members in the progress of the Church and in its permanent sanctification".

There's your vocation! Whoever you are, you must "co-operate as living members in the progress of the Church and in its permanent sanctification". These terms are of an extraordinary force. Personally, I think it will take about a century to bring out their full force. But starting from now we must already turn ourselves in this direction.

"Consequently, on all lay people falls the noble charge of working so that the divine plan of salvation may come more and more to all men, of all times, throughout all the Earth" (Const. Lumen Gentium n° 33).

Ah, the vision is worldwide, and the Pope goes on: "The Church then recognizes the lay person, not only as one of the faithful, but as an apostle". That sentence will dominate all our retreat. You come here to discover your vocation as an apostle and to answer your vocation as an apostle... You know, we have much more to do than being simply members of the faithful. Or, if you like, let us give to the word "faithful" its full meaning. But I wouldn't like there to be any kind of reducing. That is why you come here, not just as the faithful but as apostles.

And on opening before him an almost unlimited field, the Church addresses to him with confidence the Gospel parable: "You too, go and work in my vineyard" (Mat. 20,4).

This work will be varied and manifold. The Council decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, after having in its turn set down firmly the principle that "the Christian vocation is also, by nature, a vocation to the apostolate", (there, that is another sentence to remember) consecrates two entire chapters to relating in detail "the different fields" and "the different ways" of this apostolate. (Speech of His Holiness Paul VI at the 3rd World Congress for the Apostolate of the Laity, 15th October 1967).

So, you have come here for a session for apostles, that is to say that you realize more and more your vocation to the apostolate.

... Look for a moment at the new Council, that is to say that which, like the first did not condemn but which launched Vatican Council II. At the heart of this Council we see Peter, who is Paul VI, and who calls Mary, "the Mother of the Church"... According to the preaching of St. Louis de Montfort, Mary is going to give Jesus to the world again, to the whole world; she is going to give Him His second birth, which will be the effusion of the Holy Spirit over the whole world: A New Pentecost of Love. And we will have throughout the world the unity of the language of Pentecost, that is to say, charity.

So, we must give witness of the language of love, and you will go like that, throughout the world, supported by Mary, the Mother of the Church, bearing this extraordinary witness. And in order to go and bear this witness, it is necessary that you should be really bearers of the essential, of this Credo which Paul VI gave us... this Credo which has renewed us... so that you may be bearers of truth throughout the world.

It is necessary then for us to deepen this message. How important it is today, your vocation! Be really convinced of something, that is, that you are not here simply for your little personal spirituality, but you are here for the great radiation of the Church in the world, and you are responsible, as apostles, for the whole world.

(Extracts of a conference 1968)

O.R.	Taizé in Paris Christmas 2002

Nowadays, when we live in constant rush and it might seem that we have abandoned all the higher values, yet another time young people from Europe (but not only) managed to find time to stop for a while and in the prayer concentration contemplate their lives and problems of the contemporary world. The schedule of the meeting lasting a few days included morning prayers in the parishes, gatherings in small groups when we discussed for example topics of Social Problems or Living Your Faith Day to Day. After lunch we would meet in the Paris Expo Halls to pray. Later everyone could choose workshops in different parts of Paris that they found the most interesting. In the evenings once again we would gather at the Expo to eat dinner. The beautiful ending of each day was the prayer and contemplating words of Brother Roger. We would like to focus on a few aspects of those exceptional days: the special dimension of the prayer, the atmosphere of trust, and the blessing brought by meeting another person.

Paraphrasing St. Augustine's words: the one who sings prays twice as much. What makes the Community of Taize so outstanding are their melodies of chants, each of them is translated into several languages. That builds the unity of Christians and enables everyone to consciously participate in the prayer. Very often we find it hard to pray, to find the right words, to express our thoughts, longings and how much we praise the Lord. Then the simplicity of the songs proves to be most helpful. The Expo Halls usually reigned by materialistic and down to the earth matters transformed into a significant place, the place of the prayer, filled with the power of ubiquitous Holy Spirit. Prayers in the halls were for us, a precious source of strength and consolation coming from Brother Roger's words. He spoke of hope giving the will to live and of love thanks to which we can give joy to the people we meet. Love which helps us overcome doubts, which teaches us how to forgive and heals our relationships with others.
Taize meetings are called pilgrimage of trust through the world. This trust can be seen when people open their homes to pilgrims, even though they are strangers. That is the realization of the words from Matthew 25:35, "For I was a stranger and you welcomed me"Thanks to the hospitality and cordiality of our host, we could feel the spirit of community. Every year thousands of people come to Taize meetings. This is connected with the necessity of finding them accommodations, providing food, and ensuring safety. Crowds can paralyze the city, they can be burdensome, they may cause danger-- especially in means of the public transport. The whole undertaking would not be possible and wouldn't be perceived as something good neither by participants nor by the city dwellers if it was not for Providence.
What is most crucial are the pilgrims. They come from different countries bringing richness and diversity of their cultures into the meeting. We come from Poland when over 90% of the society are considered Catholics. For us, meeting young Christians was unique experience of ecumenism. No matter whether we are Roman, Greek Catholics or Protestants, we all gathered to pray for peace. We were able to reach understanding. Then it gives us hope that the same could happen throughout the world, at any time, and in any sphere of life. It has a special significance in the case of simple people living in the countries that face the danger of war, whose fate depend on decisions taken by the authorities.
The days we spent in Paris will always be an unforgettable time for us. They gave us the strength (and confidence) to look in the future with optimism and faith because as John Paul II has once said, "Passing by Taize is like passing by the source of fresh water."

Kamila Gurdala,
Gosia Wlodarczyk

Testimony

Lay people engaged in the family of the Foyers de Charité

"I, the Lord, in due time I will hasten it" Is 60,22

What a gap between my poor Christian knowledge and the advanced scientific training I was receiving! This was the thought that was to shake up my student life in Lille. I had a thirst for a serious Christian instruction. I had been reading the Bible on my own for one year. I had to go on. I began by reading the documents of the Second Vatican Council and some other books I bought second-hand from the Catholic Institute. Gradually the Church's faith was imparting form to mine. But my increasingly personal faith was limited by a lack of prayer. Some Saints' lives would lead me on.

I used to go to mass every Sunday, but I knew nothing of intimate personal prayer. Alone, in silence, without boast nor shame, you kneel down and talk to God as a person. This is what I did. He was for me the unknown God; but was He not able to listen and to answer? "O Lord, if you do exist, please, reveal yourself to me." Thank you, my God, for these chapels where you first opened my lips and after that taught my heart to stay with you.

Then, some friends of mine decided to say the rosary once a week. I joined them, even if that type of prayer was still unusual for me. One or two months later Mary had won me over. Thus I discovered the rosary: Mary making home gently in my heart. Mary's presence and action had been enlightened for me from the beginning by the teaching and the consecration of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. And he was to lead me all the way. But for now I had to go to confession... It is amazing how quickly, with Mary, my heart had been made ready to welcome God's call! And for ten years my heart would harbour that same clear call, longing for a yet unrevealed home

I left Lille for Toulouse. There, I took part in a good student group of prayer and Christian instruction. The sharing of our faith fostered real friendship. Then came the time, which I appreciated, to do my military service. After that I decided to enter the seminary in Ars. I spent there five good years of training. But a question came and remained with me: if I became a priest, how would I be able to teach and live the mystery of Christ if I still understood nothing of his Cross? I would like more time given me to first become a Christian.

The last year was at hand. I knew I would leave the priesthood way, but I didn't know yet for what else. Finally I had to make a decision It happened on 4th August that a friend told me with assurance that I should absolutely go on a retreat in the Foyer de Charité of Châteauneuf. I couldn't refuse this last opportunity of making things clear, so I took the plunge.

Monday evening. In my retreatant's room I found on the table the "Alouette" presenting the Foyer: adult Christian instruction, silence and prayer, Mary, the rosary, St Grignion de Montfort, humble service in a family spirit, the schools and finally, in Marthe Robin, a living word on the mystery of the Cross. There was the answer to my inner call. It was clear now.

On 15th August I met Father Michon: "we need someone for the boys' school of St Bonnet; you're welcome". Ten more days to set everything in order and break the news to my parents and there I was, in the work of preparation before the new school year. Since then has often come back to my mind a word from Isaiah I received at my last birthday in the seminary: " I, the Lord, in due time I will hasten it."

The Church, mystery of missionary communion.

On 7th December 2002, in the midst of the pupils finishing their annual retreat by the solemn mass of the Immaculate Conception, I made my commitment in the Work of the Foyer. I didn't want this act of my admission to the Foyer to be celebrated without the pupils. We are a community of prayer and work; now in the schools, our prayer and our work are realized with and for the pupils. So, the "yes" I was to say to Foyer life, I couldn't imagine but in the impulse ­ and as a crowning ­ of the four years then spent with the children.

That commitment into action reminds me of these nice Annunciations by Blessed Fra Angelico where, behind the Holy Virgin saying her "Fiat", lies an open door: the Visitation is in the immediate radiance of the Annunciation; the call of God always inclines us to service. It is why I am sorry for those who couldn't see me after mass, but I had first to take care of the pupils; was it not the meaning of the commitment I had just made publicly? Then, after they had all left school, I came back to meet the guests and the family. Life in the Foyer is simple ­ just as Christian life is ­ one does one's duty first and everything else follows.

By prayer, many were close to me on this occasion. I thank them with all my heart. It has really been a time of grace, especially through that family spirit so essential to the Foyer and to which we all have been so sensitive.

That community of prayer and action, that family with the Foyer father, that mystery of communion in Christ and communion at the service of the same mission, there lies the heart of the Foyer. The mystery of the Communion­Church is at the center of all the teaching of the Council*, and it is inseparable from missionary efficiency. It is in that communion of prayer, of work and of self-offering that our baptismal vocation is realized and that we are efficient. In the Foyer, one can do nothing good if one does it alone. That communion with God, and that communion among us and with the father must ever be sought; then grace is given. On their part, the father and the person responsible have to care about the good growth of the members, giving each one the opportunity of assuming their responsibilities at their level, to realize their vocation. There is our way to "belong to the church" according to the spirit of Vatican Council II.

O Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of the Foyer, you really are our heavenly mummy who gives us the Spirit of missionary communion; I beg you, keep us faithful, in prayer and service, to our wonderful vocation and give us yet many other brothers or sisters ­ whether tall or not.

Patrick Berger
"Poor pilgrim your charity accepted to receive"
Member of the community of Saint-Bonnet

* cf. Christifideles laici n°18-19