Visit to Jeunesse Mariale of France

On May 21 -22, Fr. Pedro Castillo and Tomas Aznar (member of VMY Spain) went to Paris to finalize with the JM National Council of France some details about the upcoming 2nd General Assembly. On Saturday morning, they meet with the persons-in charge of accommodation in the Mother Houses of the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity and the National Council of France. On Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning, they participated in the Workshop of members from the different parts of France who were selected as volunteers for the Assembly. The theme of the said encounter was, “I came from a local team, sent by the Regional, to be of service to the International.” There were 15 people who attended: young members, adult animators and the National team. The encounter was facilitated by Valerie Rodriguez from the Federation of the Movement against Hunger and Development who, together with Marie Carmen and Sr. Bernadette, presented in a very pedagogical manner the attitudes needed to assume this service: warmth, service, acceptance, openness… This first activity was reinforced by a power point presentation that the International Secretariat prepared in order to present the development of the VMY International since 1997 until 2005. Then, they shared each ones’ fears and hopes about the Assembly. Later in a solidarity meal, in which the dynamics of unjust food distribution among the continents was focused, the group’s attention was directed to the necessity of being attentive to the needs of others. The participants had role-plays that placed the members in different situations: how to meet someone at the airport, how to go about in the places of stay and how to move around Paris by night.

The members committed to learn the basic words and phrases that they need in the four official languages of the Assembly so as to make the participants feel their desire to communicate. The highlights of the activity were the Dominican Eucharistic Celebration presided by Fr. Markus Moon, National Priest Advisor, and the sending-off of volunteers by Fr. Pedro.

On Sunday afternoon, they had a meeting with the General Councillor of the Daughters of the Charity, Sr. Marie Berbard, on how to go about with the young pilgrims in Rue du Bac and the preparation of the service camp that shall be done a week before the Assembly.

It is wonderful to see how JM France is doing their best to welcome all the participants that will go to Rue du Bac to trace the roots of the Association!

Let us give thanks to God for this visit and pray so that the seeds that were sown may grow and take root.