| Origins and development | Gathered together by the Lord |
The "Foyers de Charité" are communities of the baptised, men and women, who, following the example of the first Christians put to common use their material, intellectual and spiritual goods, live their commitment in the same Spirit, in order to realize, with Mary as Mother, the Family of God on earth under the guidance of a priest, in an incessant effort of charity between them, and who, by their life of prayer and work in the world, bear witness to Light , Charity and Love, according to the great message of Christ, King, Prophet and Priest.
The aim of the Work of the Foyers de Charité», which started in France in 1936 under the initiative of Martha Robin and her spiritual director Father Finet, is to form lay people in adequate centres - the Foyers - thus preparing them to contribute to the renewal of the Church, in view of the evangelisation of the world.
The privileged means of this formation is the retreats, where the participants receive the teaching of the Word of God, and live strong times of liturgical celebration - in particular the Eucharist - of adoration of the Holy Sacrament and of prayer to Mary.
The "Foyers de Charité" welcome and receive fraternally, without distinction of nation, race or social situation, all those who, in good health or handicapped, believers or non-believers, come to seek the light of Christ and to receive the teaching of the Church.
The "Foyers de Charité" may also have other branches of activity and other forms of apostolic radiation according to the needs of the local Church and the competences of their members.
Although each Foyer is part of a diocese and integrated into the local Church, all the "Foyers de Charité" form a single big spiritual family, living the same mission according to the same Spirit. The tangible sign and guarantee of this unity is the manifest attachment of each Foyer to the Centre Foyer of Chateauneuf de Galaure in which the grace of the origin took shape, and which remains the visible symbol of the charisma of the Work.
On the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of its foundation the Work of the "Foyers de Charité", rich with the graces received throughout its history, and desirous to root itself even more deeply into the Church in order to better fulfill its mission for the world, has asked the pontifical Council for the laity to recognize it officially, and to approve its statutes.
Having carefully studied the documentation presented by those in charge of the Work of the "Foyers de Charité", received a positive opinion from numerous Bishops having a Foyer in their diocese, and having submitted the demland for recognition to His Holiness Pope John Paul II,
The pontifical Council for the laity
according to the nonns established by the can. 321-326, and approves its canonical structures ad experimentum.
DECREE
On the 1st November 1986, the Pontifical Council for the Laity recognized by Decree the Work of the Foyers de Charité as a private international association of the faithful by approving its Statutes for a three year period ad experimentum; (Prot. 2006/86/S-61/B-12).
Then, by letter
on the 14th February 1989 the Dicaster granted a lengthening of
this period ad experimentum util November 1993;
(Prot. 314/89/S-61/B-12).
By letter
on the 29th March 1996, the Pontifical Council for the Laity lengthened
again this approval ad experimentum, for five years.
(Prot. 402/96/S-61/B-12).
And now,
Taking in consideration the request of the Father in Charge of the Work of the Foyers de Charité to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, by letter, on the 15th August 1999, in view of the permanent approval of the Statutes of the Work of the 'Foyers de Charité';
In view of the numerous letters supporting this request from Ordinaries of the dioceses where 'Foyers de Charité' have been established, giving witness to the quality of their evangelical life, their firm rooting in the Church and the spiritual radiation of their service;
Taking into account that, in recent years, new 'Foyers de Charité' have been opened, and often at the invitation of the Bishops themselves, and that the life of the 'Foyers de Charité' on the different continents has been enriched with new vocations;
Finally, having
appreciated the effort of deep reflection which has been made
by the 'Foyers de Charité' these last few years concerning
the charisma of their origins, as well as several key questions
indicated by the Dicaster,
The Pontifical Council for the Laity confirms the recognition of the Work of the Foyers de Charité as an international private Association of the faithful of Pontifical law, endowed with a juridical personality, according th Canon norms 298-311 and 321-329 of CIC and
DECREE
the permanent approval of its Statutes, whose original text has been authenticated and placed in the archives of this Dicaster.
Given at the
Vatican, on the 8th December 1999
at the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Father Jacques Ravanel.