Faith and Light international

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Faith and Light international 3 rue du Laos 75015 Paris France

T + 33.1.53.69.44.30 - foi.lumiere@wanadoo.fr - www.faithandlight.org - http://fli-afoi.blogspot.com/

Dayshawn, founder of Faith and Light in the Bahamas? 10

Long live young people ! 11

“Faith and Light has an important place in the Church 3

The messengers of joy at Grandma Saint Anne de Beaupré 4

“Joy and Light” at Saint Anne d’Auray 5

Pilgrimage to Lourdes, testimonies 7

The most beautiful gift 9

N° 14 September 2012

Contents

Reports

Family album 16

2011-2012 celebrations

Editorial: The final sprint 2

Reader’s mail 17

A new community in Malaysia 12

To Atlanta with the Federation of L’Arche 14

Testimonies

Guidelines 2012-2013 19

International agenda 20

International solidarity 20

Page 2 Editorial: The final sprint

and the “Iberatlantic” province

one to Lourdes, the “Open Hearts”

province organised theirs to

Mexico to the Shrine of Guadalupe

and the “Canada West” province

to Winnipeg; then there was the

“Northern Lights” province that

ended its wandering pilgrimage in

Rakvere, Estonia whilst the “UK

North” province met in Sterling,

Scotland; then it was the turn of

the “Between the Seas” and

“Ukraine” provinces to meet at

Lviv (Ukraine) to go together to

Hoshiv where a miraculous icon of

Mary, Mother of God is venerated;

during this time the “UK South”

province made its pilgrimage to

Bristol; then it was the turn of the

Africans from Rwanda, Burundi,

the DRC and Kenya to go to

Kibeho; then there was the

pilgrimage of the Poles from the

“Centre East” province to Warsaw

and finally, the “ILA Trinity”

province (North Lebanon, Iran and

Armenia) went to Deir El Ahmar…

Sadly, the Gokomere pilgrimage to

Zimbabwe had to be put back to

September due to a lack of

resources; it will actually take

place to Kwekwe for one day

instead of the three originally

planned.

This amounts to twelve

pilgrimages in two months! I am

impressed each time because all

these pilgrimages demand a lot of

work, a lot of preparation work to

organise, accommodate, celebrate

and party! During this season, in a

lot of northern hemisphere

countries, it is the time for harvest

and crops and a lot of Gospel texts

proposed during this time make

reference to the work in the fields.

For two years, we have been

messengers of joy; we have sown

as much as we can of our

message of joy and hope. This

year, the Guidelines are going to

help us to pick the fruits of all this

effort and without doubt let us go

and receive medals like the

athletes in London. Let us say with

St Paul: “I have fought the good

fight, I have finished the race, I

have kept the faith. Now there is

in store for me the crown of

righteousness, which the Lord, the

righteous Judge, will award to me

on that day –me and not only to

me, but also to all who have

longed for his appearing”(2 Ti 4, 7-

8).

Ghislain du Chéné

International Coordinator

A t this end of

the month

of August,

after the “stadium

Gods” have

competed for the

gold, silver and

bronze medals at

the London

Olympics, it is the

turn of the disabled

sportsmen and

women to take

centre stage.

Even if the Paralympics receive a

lot less media attention, the

objective of each sports person

remains the same: to excel in order

to offer their country a bit of glory,

the fruit of much effort and

training! Certainly, the Olympic

spirit is very beautiful and, for a

short while, brings a bit of peace

into a world of war and division.

But the guns and canons don’t

stop everyone… in Syria

particularly where all community

members suffer in a conflict that

doesn’t seem to have a solution.

At the moment, several provinces

are still celebrating 40 years of

Faith and Light! Taking up the

sports theme again, it is the final

sprint! The number of pilgrimages

during the two months of July and

August is impressive! There was

the Irish pilgrimage to Maynooth In Lviv, Ukraine

Maria-Guadalupe in the Guagalupe Shrine!

Pilgrimages 2012 Page 3

“Faith and Light has an important place

in the Church!”

From 29 June to 1 July, the communities from Ireland

gathered in Maynooth, County Kildare, near Dublin for

a pilgrimage. Maynooth is a small town where St

Patrick’s College, the national seminary of the Church

of Ireland, has been located since 1795. It is a superb

campus with very beautiful buildings (the architect A.

W. N. Pugin also worked on the Palace of Westminster

in London); Julie, who came with Isabelle, thought she

was in a Harry Potter film (particularly in the massive

dining hall)! Four people came from the USA West

province including Eileen, the province coordinator.

This took place just a year after the pilgrimage to

Lourdes where the Irish went with the UK North and

UK South provinces. This year, they came in an

approach that I found very beautiful, a very reverential

approach, a thanksgiving for the beautiful pilgrimage

of July 2011.

I was particularly happy

to meet with Father

Brendan Kelly (now

bishop of the Achonry

diocese)! My first

contact with Faith and

Light in Ireland was in

July 1995 when we went

for a training session

together in Nairobi (with

Claude Madec, a

Frenchman from Ireland

-who was the zone

coordinator for East

Africa at that time– and

with Isabelle).

On Saturday evening, there was a very joyful party:

each person could introduce a song, piece of music, a

mime… Julie played “Ode to joy” on the piano, which

she thoroughly enjoyed except when she realised that

the end of the celebration wasn’t a break but

definitely time for bed!

The most beautiful thing that I will keep from this

pilgrimage was the presence of Monsignor John Kirby,

the Faith and Light reference bishop in Ireland who

spoke to us from his heart, telling us what an

important place Faith and Light has in the Church. He

illustrated this point by telling us about the recent

International Eucharistic Congress that was held in

Dublin in June. There were a lot of reflections,

discussions, work and exchanges on the theme of the

Congress which was: “The Eucharist: Communion

with Christ and with one another”. He told us that at

Faith and Light, we not only naturally live this theme

but also do so without question! That isn’t to say that

there ought not to be great theologians in the Church,

but that our mission has just confirmed –through

what we experience– their great debates.

A huge thank you to Mary and to all the province team

for this beautiful pilgrimage and for such a warm

welcome!

GdC

Bishop Brendan and Julie

Father Ian Fee, provincial chaplain

Dining Hall, Saint Patrick Seminary

Page 4 Pilgrimages 2012

The messengers of joy

at Grandma Saint Anne de Beaupré

During the 1998 international meeting that took

place in Quebec, several suggestions were made to

the participants to go and visit various remarkable

locations in the region: I chose to go to Sainte Anne

de Beaupré. So I joyfully returned to this place of

pilgrimage to which more than a million pilgrims and

visitors flock every year. It is indeed the oldest place

of pilgrimage in North America, visited for over 350

years.

The Canada East province organised its 40th

anniversary pilgrimage to this beautiful sanctuary, to

grandma Saint Anne, as she is affectionately known!

From 24 to 27 May, there were 271 of us including a

delegation of twenty people from the Rhone-Azur

province.

On my arrival, I was warmly welcomed by all the

pilgrims who were already there, in the crypt of the

Basilica for the opening ceremony. Led by a beautiful

orchestra, conducted by Denise Audet-Gravel,

everyone was singing joyfully! The crypt of the Basilica

is called the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception

and I had no trouble linking it with Lourdes where I

was the week before!

The following day, we washed our feet in a profound

meditation and the afternoon was dedicated to a

beautiful musical show of a very high quality: it began

with a tribute to all the messengers of joy with the

Magnificat “the Ode to joy” by Ludwig van Beethoven;

the choir and soloists played and sang with such

passion that the choir leader thanked us, saying that

he felt he was giving us a great quality show! He

explained it by saying that he had especially felt a

communion with the people with a disability!

In the evening, there was a beautiful torchlight

procession in the Basilica with the threat of rain… that

didn’t fall in the end…

The following day, there was a beautiful ceremony of

reconciliation; those who went to confession received

a message: “Messenger of joy, do not loose your

smile, others need it!”. Then we left in yellow school

buses for a pilgrimage to the Basilica of St Thérèse of

Lisieux and the Blessed Mgr François de Laval, the

first bishop of Quebec. In the evening, there was a

large celebration with the mime of the story of the

first pilgrimage, followed by a grand musical event:

there were a lot of people on the dance floor!

On Sunday, we were able to see and hear messages

from our founders to the pilgrims at Saint Anne de

Beaupré and then there was the mass and the

closing ceremony from where we all left with a

beautiful lantern to go and proclaim the joy! Finally,

everything was finished off with a large celebratory

meal with birthday cake! And soon it was time to go…

“Lord Jesus, You gave us the gift of your grandmother

St Anne. Shining with your love, she is a source of

hope to us. With You and with her, let us celebrate

LIFE!”

There are going to be fruits to harvest, be prepared!

GdC

Pilgrimages 2012 Page 5

“Joy and Light” at Saint Anne d’Auray

Arriving from Egypt, Martinique and “France West”,

more than 600 people with an intellectual disability,

their families and friends came to experience three

days (from 26 to 28 May) at Saint Anne d’Auray to

celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Faith and Light

communities. What a paradox to see so many smiling

faces whilst intellectual and physical disabilities

sadden people! “I thought I’d see sad people

someone said to me, but you are always singing”.

This is the miracle of Faith and Light.

Look at the journey taken! Faith and Light began with

immense distress: that of a family, who with their two

disabled children, felt excluded. They couldn’t even

take part in their diocese pilgrimage to Lourdes. They

confided in Marie-Hélène Mathieu who, with Jean

Vanier, launched the audacious plan of organising a

pilgrimage to Lourdes just for intellectually disabled

people, their families and friends.

It was the starting point of an extraordinary adventure

that has continued to deepen over 40 years in order

to generate this conviction of Faith and Light: “At a

time when a lot of intellectually disabled children are

aborted before or even killed after their birth, when

others are abandoned, Faith and Light makes people

aware that the life of any person is unique and

sacred. Even the most helpless person is called to be

a source of joy and peace in the Church and in the

world, to give all the wealth of their heart, affection

and loyalty”.

During the community monthly meetings, this

conviction brings vital support to parents who are fully

aware of the inner beauty of their child and discover

that it can be a source of life and unity. “But then,

wonder Bruno and Rozenn, can you say ‘blessed’

about our 14 year old child who can’t walk or sit up

and can barely hold up his head? Can you say this

little man deprived of verbal language, who has

developed a language using his body, breathe, looks,

vocalisation and touch to allow him to express the

essentials is ‘blessed’?

There is no easy road. But very soon, we all felt

carried by an energy, confidence, and a hope, not in

the curing of our son but in possible happiness… But

not idealism: the suffering and the disability are not

graces. LIFE, itself, is one. The grace is finding the

strength and joy to live, that is to say ‘yes’ every

morning and to take on this heavy life. It is

discovering that suffering does not exclude joy”.

A “friend” member shared this confidence: “The most

beautiful memory of the pilgrimage was surely the

happiness that could be read on the faces of the

people with a disability who, for the span of the

weekend, were welcoming us home.

Bishop d’Ornellas confirming a pilgrim

I was certain that this pilgrimage would strengthen

our friendship. It was a done deal: travelling by

coach, the experience of accompanying in pairs

-Joseph for Xavier, and Maïna for me while we were

in threes in Lourdes– taking part in the stages of the

celebration, sharing snacks and meals and siestas

on the lawns of the sanctuary, have all confirmed our

commitment to this simple and generous community.

However, I did not expect to receive a second gift by

discovering Faith and Light from within. I felt a

difference, but also a gentle closeness between Faith

and Light and I’Arche, similar to the ties that bind two

cousins.

This sunny weekend, outside under the clear blue

Morbihan sky, like inside, was for me a Visitation,

blessed by the Spirit.

A joyous meeting of cousins, with workshops,

dancing and singing, the simple and fervent

Pentecost Eucharist, opening and closing

ceremonies and the joyful festive evening!

I was particularly touched by the joy and spontaneity

of the guests, that of their families and friends,

despite the daily suffering – not erased, but put

aside for the celebration.

Fruitful and bursting with joy, this 2012 Pentecost

Visitation will remain forever engraved on my heart.

Your charisma –sharing friendship and celebration–

is “right and good” and confirms the good insight of

Marie-Hélène Mathieu and Jean Vanier.

Yes, your community could also be called “Joy and

Light”!

I thank you with all my heart

Blandine Dahéron

Page 6 Pèlerinages 2012

It is us, the able-bodied, who were invited to look like

them. Because to have the opportunity of seeing

faces so radiant and full of delight was worth the

trouble of doing quite a small amount”.

Father Pierre Restif

A visitation!

A volunteer at “Sénevé” l’Arche (Nantes, France), I

discovered Faith and Light at the pilgrimage to Saint

Anne d’Auray. “Sénevé” was invited to join the

celebration. What a happy gift for “Sénevé” to go

along with such an impeccable and warm

organisation.

Two delegates from Egypt

Pilgrimages 2012 Page 7

Faith and Light has existed on Rodriguez for 22 years now and has seven communities. This year the

Rodriguez communities have doubled their efforts in order to be able to take part in the pilgrimage (not to

mention the 40 hour journey to reach Lourdes!) I can say that Faith and Light is a great support to families with a disabled child, for myself I am such a mum.

It has been difficult to accept the situation. However, with Faith and Light, I am able to get over these

difficulties and draw strength to carry on with my child and other children in difficulty, in faith.

Being a member of Faith and Light has also allowed the transformation of our character, our way of seeing

things, and at the same time added value to people with a disability by giving them a place in society and in

the Church. So they have discovered that they too are the children of God who loves us.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Jean Vanier and Marie-Hélène Mathieu for

allowing people with a disability to have a voice and having the idea of organising the first pilgrimage

especially for them.

Finally, I give thanks to God for the opportunity of being here today. May his Strength and his Light guide us

always along the path of life..

Germaine Pierre-Louis

Vice Coordinator for Rodrigues

When I first went to Faith and Light, I noticed a blind

person in a wheelchair. His name was Ziad Paouli.

He was playing the piano and the others were

singing and dancing. Ziad came to every meeting

and worked in the evening to earn money. He

encouraged me.

From meeting to meeting, I got to know the

community more and more and now I have more

confidence in myself. In particular, what I

experience at Faith and Light, I cannot experience

elsewhere.

Faith and Light is the ideal model in my life and a

road that will not fade throughout the world.

Alain Habib St Vincent Naccache Community, Lebanon

I have been in Faith and Light since 1993, the date

when the first community was founded in

Manakara, the town where I was living, I was a

friend. We only had one daughter. In 2000, it was

suggested to my husband and I to take in a month

old baby boy who had been born in poverty. We

adopted him and gave him the name Tolotra,

which means a “gift”. He is a gift from God for us.

When he was eight months old, we learnt that he

had an intellectual disability.

His education has made me grow in faith, love

and charity. We encounter many difficulties but he

brings much joy to my family. We love him a lot. He

loves us too. We thank the Lord for giving him to

us.

Madeleine Ravaoarisia Vice coordinator for Madagascar

Testimonies gleaned at Lourdes during the France “Entre deux Mers” province pilgrimage Interviews by Guénaël Reynaud

Delegates from Lebanon

Delegates from “Rainbow” province

To experience a Faith and Light meeting is above all

to experience a beautiful adventure with each

person who is created in the image of God.

It is a bet on joy that is a certainty.

It is a treasure that is opened with delight.

It is to live in the presence of another and gradually

discover their needs and go along a road to

Emmaus.

Our hearts start to burn and our eyes open up to our

brothers and sisters.

When we return, we have messages of joy in our

hearts that we want to broadcast to all those around

us.

“Poussières d’étoiles” (Stardust) community France Centre

Page 8 Pèlerinages 2012

The first time that I went to Faith and Light, I was a bit frightened… I was

upset… I had been attracted by the way that the person with a disability

comes to you, smiles at you and welcomes you without looking to see if

you are good or bad, rich or poor, disabled or not. And I stayed because

gradually I was captivated by the disabled people and by God in the

disabled people.

My work as a specialist teacher was very hard, my meeting with Faith and

Light lit up my life.

It is a school that teaches a new way of living, accepting and loving

oneself and changing one’s heart.

Discover a new face of Jesus through the smallest of his children.

Faith and Light when you hold us …

Marie-Anne Virginie Ste Anne Community, Mauritius

I will leave with a treasure

received from you.

Mgr Lalanne Bishop of Coutances

Faith and Light is the

meeting of people who

would otherwise not

have met. Like the

unlikely meeting in the

“Intouchables”1. Our

society encourages

competition and

rivalry… it is based on

the desire to always

have more.

We forget the essential, being human and meeting

as children of God. Meeting, that is what Faith and

Light is. Jean Vanier

1) Very popular French movie about the unlikely friendship between a

wealthy quadriplegic man and his socially handicapped carer.

See the pilgrimage film in French at:

http://www.foietlumiere.org/rubriques/haut/video

The following day at the underground Basilica, I

found myself next to another child who I didn’t know,

Quentin, who was seven years old and he too had

Down syndrome and made a small gesture to me

with a beautiful smile. When I sat down, he put his

arms up to me so that I could lift him on to my lap.

He then put his head on my chest and his arms

around my neck.

I understood through these meetings that the Lord

wanted me to understand how much I was loved by

Him and that I should just simply let myself be loved.

These are only two of the beautiful joys received but

there were also so many others, experienced

throughout the four days. Like that of Geoffroy, a

quadriplegic person aged 34, who I had the grace of

accompanying during this pilgrimage and who

usually denied anything religious. He let himself be

led everywhere. He even experienced the sacrament

of reconciliation from which he returned radiant!

What gifts were received! Thank you Lord!

Odile Saint Dominique Community (France)

Pilgrimages 2012 Page 9

The most beautiful gift

The most beautiful gift received for the Faith and

Light 40th anniversary at the France “Entre deux

Mers” province pilgrimage in Lourdes, was that of the

tenderness of the Father! A tenderness that showed

itself to me, in a quite peculiar way, through two

meetings with children with Down syndrome! Two

children that I didn’t know and that I had never met!

Ferdinand, three years old, in his pushchair next to

his mum watching us from afar, gave us a big smile

to which both Robert and I responded! He insisted

and made a sign with his hand as well as a beautiful

wink to attract us to him!

We crouched down to his height and talked to him!

He didn’t speak but we held his hand and he didn’t

stop smiling at us. We melted.

From joy, still more joy! When he felt we were going

to leave him, he blew us a kiss with his little hand.

We returned it. What grace! And it wasn’t over.

Odile and Geoffroy

There have been so many pilgrimages these

past months that it is impossible for us to

print all the reports and testimonies here

and we apologise for that.

So… more in the next issue!

The impatient amongst you will find all the

Faith and Light summer adventures at:

http://fli-afoi.blogspot.fr/

Page 10 Testimony

surprised when I suggested that we take Dayshawn

with us; so she bent down, lifted him and took him in

the living room with us. As we sat on the sofa, she

sat in an armchair with her son on her lap.

We talked about life at home, how she ended up not

coming to church with him due to the whispering and

nasty comments. If her son wasn’t accepted, she

couldn’t come. As time passed, I asked if I could

suggest taking her son on my lap so that she could

rest a while. She was caught short because no one

amongst the “church people” had ever suggested

such a thing to her.

With Dayshawn comfortably installed on my lap, we

carried on our conversation and we asked what

would make her life easier. At that moment, I

laughed at something she said and Dayshawn’s face

lit up, he put his head back and started laughing too.

“Oh he loves laughing”, said his mum and I laughed

again and so did he. Together, we had found a little

thing that we both liked and a bond was beginning to

be created. As deacon, I have learnt that it is often

the small things that are the most important.

During the following months, we tried to find a

wheelchair that would ease his movements and also

let his mother leave the house.

Dayshawn has taken an important place in our life

on this island and as our ministry has grown over the

years, his family has been a great help in helping us

to meet other disabled children so that we can begin

to create the first Faith and Light community in the

Bahamas.

Franck Tremblay

Dayshawn,

Founder of Faith and Light in the Bahamas?

Here is a beautiful story from a former United States

East chaplain; he is now in the Bahamas and you will

see that he hasn’t forgotten Faith and Light! This

young Dayshawn is perhaps going to be the start of

the first community in this country!

When we arrived with my wife Ginni on the island of

Andros in the Bahamas, the three parishes to which I

was appointed as permanent deacon hadn’t had any

clergy for four years. When I was in Boston, a priest

posted in Nassau invited me to be interviewed about

missionary life: after two years of discernment, we

finally left! On arrival, we took a few months to get

ourselves settled in then we decided to organise

some religious teaching for the children. Parents

enrolled their children, enthusiastic about this

prospect.

When we read the registration documents, we found

one that seemed a little strange. One of the members

of the parish had enrolled a boy we had never seen.

We learnt that he had been ill. We called the parents

to visit them. We discovered Dayshawn, a 10 year old

boy, severely disabled and suffering from cerebral

palsy. He didn’t speak, his hands and feet were

severely atrophied and he spent his life in a chair in

front of the television. His mother, completely

devoted, remained sat beside him. We talked for a

long time and when I suggested to her that we would

be more comfortable in the sitting room, she was

Dayshawn and his mother

The weelchair is arrived!

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Testimony Page 11

Long live young people!

In our community “Espérance” (Hope)

from Chemillé (France), we are all

trying to be messengers of joy.

At our monthly meetings, the

place of the young people and

children is important. It is a joy

because the future of Faith and

Light is through them, through all

these young friends of Faith and

Light. We are also happy with

their presence at our weeklong

camps during August.

Our community had 30 to 35

members 20 years ago. Then, this

number rose. It was a joy to

welcome new families with a

disabled child. We also welcomed

other friends and their families.

When it was no longer possible

talk around a table (humour), we

decided to spread to the town of

Cholet. The “Poussières

d'étoiles” (Stardust) community

was born, not without difficulties

at first, its true, it was not easy to

separate ourselves. However, the

summer camp always brought us

together as well as the communal

outing in June. The Angers

diocese also gives us the

opportunity to meet especially on

the persons with a disability

pastoral care day.

The great joy for us as friends,

who would never normally cross

paths with these parents, children

and these young intellectually

disabled people, is to understand

the great insight of the founders

of Faith and Light. Jean Vanier

and Marie Hélène Mathieu were

right to think that the meeting of

these two worlds would let us

wonder: who is the disabled

one??

The friends of Faith and Light are

nurses, doctors, electricians,

butchers, farmers, priests, nuns,

teachers, professors… but all

experience the simplicity of the

Gospel due to the influence of our

brothers and sisters with a

disability because they make us

experience a “core theology”.

Elisabeth Naullet

Search for God not by looking at the stars but by bowing to those cast aside Jean Vanier

Page 12 Report

A new community

in Malaysia

Sister Bertha had helped with

the financing of the Colours of

Asia pilgrimage by putting the

women from the shantytowns,

with whom she has lived for 25

years, to work. She really enjoyed

the pilgrimage to which she was

invited so that she could see

what her fundraising was used

for and barely had she returned

when she started a new

community! It isn’t mentioned in

this testimony from Luisa Lowe,

but you can imagine the mums in

this new community are those

who, through their work, made

the beautiful Plentong pilgrimage

happen!

Sister Bertha thanks be to God

was able to take part in the joy of

the Plentong pilgrimage to Johor

Bahru (Malaysia) from 9 to 12

February.

one of our special friends joined

me that day. We opened the

meeting with a prayer. As this

was an inter-faith group, our

prayer was direct to God. Grace

led the parent sharing group

together with Sister Bertha whilst

I sat with our special friends and

got them to do some activity. I will

never forget Grace saying how

glad she was to have: “Life isn’t

as bad as I think it is. I am so

happy to have met these new

friends and I thank God”.

The new community, called

“Selayang”, is made up of two

parents (Vimala and Munimah

who are mothers), two siblings

(Abi and Nellamah who are

sisters), one grandmother

(Marysinama), four special

friends (Manga, Veeteeveeran,

Lavanyah and Mogana) and a

friend (Sister Bertha).

Valerie shared with me that she

had shared this with Anne Marie

P i k e ( v i c e in t e rna t i on a l

coordinator) who was all so

excited and when I got Anne

Marie’s email, I was so pleased

knowing the support/prayers that

Upon our return she immediately

gathered a group and invited me

to share the Joy of Faith and Light

with them. Our first meeting was

held on the 17th February. As I do

not speak the Tamil language,

Sister was my interpreter. This

was my first experience with a

new community. Getting to know

my new friends and to listen to

their stories made me feel so at

home. They were ever so ready to

share their story. When our

meeting ended, I was filled with

joy and peace and thanking God

for having chosen me to be His

Messenger of Joy. We shook

hands and even gave each other

hugs and confirmed our next

meeting.

While driving back, I was having a

conversation with myself. “Who

would I share this joy with?

Should I be open to allowing

someone else to join me in the

next meeting, someone who

would speak the language,

someone whose life would also

be changed?” and my thought

straight went to my dear friend,

Grace.

I sent Valerie Jaques (provincial

coordinator) a photograph of the

group and we spoke about the

meeting. The very next day I

called Grace to invite her to the

next meeting and she was so

pleased and immediately said

“yes”.

The second meeting was held on

the 25 March and as planned,

Grace and her son Lucas who is

Cheryl, Sister Bertha and Ghislain

Report Page 13

came with sharing our actions. We

are never alone in this.

The challenges we faced prior to

this celebration:

My daughters have lessons on

Sundays and it was my husband

who would always fetch them.

Just a few days before that he

informed me that he was to

travel outstation. I told him I had

a Faith and Light meeting but if

needed would have to postpone

it to a later date. He said that it

was not necessary as he would

ask my son Joshua to help.

Joshua usually works on

Sundays but God worked in

mysterious ways and that

particular Sunday Joshua

worked till 5pm and therefore

was able to take on his father’s

duty in fetching his sisters for

lessons.

The day before the celebration,

Reena who had earl ier

confirmed wanting to join in the

celebration called to say that her

Grandma was ill and therefore

would not be able to join.

When I called Grace that

morning, Grace was so

apologetic as she had been

confused with the dates and had

therefore arranged to have her

niece over for dinner.

I turned to God “God I leave it all

in Your hands, Your will be done”.

A few minutes later Grace called

to say that she had rearranged her

timing with her niece and

therefore was able to join me.

“Praise God”.

Celebration began with a prayer.

Each member was given an

opportunity to praise God in their

own way. We shared a little life

experience the past month then

split into our groups.

Here are just a few of the parent

testimonies:

As this is our child, we should

not abandon her, however did

not want anymore children as

wanted to concentrate on taking

care of her. But now have two

sons that are normal. She is not

that difficult after all as she is

able to do things some others

are not able to. Given her the

responsibility of mending a little

stall we have at the entrance of

our home.

No matter how poor we are and

with family members insisting

on an abortion as I had

conceived too soon after my fist

child, my husband insisted that

we carry this child which God

has given us. We will manage

somehow.

When young, my brother was

bitten up by tugs and as a result

turned out the way he is today.

My two sisters (we are all not

married) and I live together with

my brother. We have taken it on

ourselves to take care of him as

our parents are no longer alive.

He may at times be very

aggressive and we have no

choice but to lock him up at

home when we go to work.

During this time, our special

friends were told to do a drawing

expressing their feelings at that

time. They were then asked to

express in words or action:

Happy to be here - Happy to have

new friends - I like coming here

and being among all of you - I am

glad I was invited to come here

today, I now have new friends!

Then they were taught the

‘Welcome Song’. All singing

happily while clapping their

hands. I was then taught an

Indian Song and we enjoyed

ourselves. The Song expressed

the feeling of joy in knowing God

(this I was told). It brought tears to

my eyes to think that our Special

Friends never stop teaching me

the meaning of love and care, the

faith they have in God.

Luisa Lowe Vice coordinator for Malaysia

Page 14 Report

how this General Assembly works,

the religious celebrations and the

opening up and the inculturation

of l’Arche.

This week was lived as if we were

all one big l’Arche community! We

lived together on a college

campus on the outskirts of

Atlanta, we worked together (I was

in charge of a workshop about the

pilgrimages), we celebrated

together, we prayed together and

we partied together. But

especially, we reflected together

on the meaning of the new

organisation and the new

constitution of l’Arche, on the

mandate of the new management

team; contrary to our habits and

our traditions, all the debates on

this constitution, this mandate

and on the discernments of the

people to be elected took place

before the Assembly and the work

in Atlanta was more about

explanations, with great concern

about teaching, so that each

person adapts to this new way of

working. The presence, in

numbers, of people with an

intellectual disability obliged the

organisers to keep the debates

and possible tensions to a

minimum and that is why all that

took place beforehand.

Each day started with a time of

contemplation, very simply, with a

Bible text, a mime, an action

prayer and a story; and the end of

every afternoon was dedicated to

a religious celebration. There was

a Catholic mass (including a time

of prayer before an icon for all the

l’Arche members who are

Orthodox), a Presbyterian

celebration (including a time of

prayer in Hebrew for the Jewish

l’Arche members), an Anglican

mass, presided over by the

primate bishop of the Episcopal

Church, Bishop Katharine Jefferts

Schori, with Roger Heft,

archbishop of Perth, delegated

from the Anglican communion at

l’Arche (including a time of Hindu

prayer for all the members of

l’Arche from this religion), an open

air washing of the feet ceremony

on the campus lawns, which is

To Atlanta with

the Federation of l’Arche With Fred Seagren, international

vice coordinator, I represented

Faith and Light at the General

Assembly of the Federation of

l’Arche that took place from 3 to 10

June in Atlanta. I am not going to

give an in depth report of this event

here even if each moment of this

week, each person met, each

activity and each celebration does

merit being told, that everything

took place in an excellent

atmosphere of warmth and

friendship. The bonds that link us

are solid and I am able to ascertain

that what happens at international

level is also a reality everywhere

there are Faith and Light and

l’Arche communities: there is even

a shared desire of mutual aid

where l’Arche is present and Faith

and Light isn’t, and vice versa.

With Patrick Fontaine (France) and

Eileen Glass (Australia), who have

been elected international leader

and international vice leader, the

bonds of friendship and

cooperation that existed with Jean-

Christophe Pascal and Christine

McGrievy, remain the same and I

rejoice because I realise how much

we increasingly need each other!

I will only speak about three things

here: the general atmosphere and

All in the same boat

Eileen and Patrick

Bishop Katharine and Bishop Roger

Report Page 15

very impressive when there are

500 people!

I have kept an image that very

much touched me at the interfaith

celebration during which we

prayed, a little in the spirit of

Assisi, with the representatives of

the Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish,

Christian and Hindu faiths. Some

people came from Atlanta to join

us, a Muslim woman with her

disabled son and some Jews. At

the end of the celebration, a gift

was given to them, a painting

painted by l’Arche Daybreak in

Toronto. But I don’t know if it was

intentional or not that there was

only one present! I heard, with

much emotion, the two women

stood side by side a Muslim

woman and a Jewish woman: “we

don’t know how we are going to

share this gift but we are going to

talk about it and find a solution

together!” It is said that you

sometimes hear prophetic words

and clearly, on that day, yes, I

heard prophetic words!

The choice of Atlanta came after

that of Assisi with the patronage of

St Francis and that of Kolkata with

the patronage of Gandhi. This year

it was Martin Luther King Jr who

was the personality guiding this

meeting. With him, it was any

culture from the southern United

States that was present, from the

cooking to the music: a gospel

choir, who sang magnificently,

came especially from Mobile,

Alabama! On Friday, we left all

together to go to Atlanta, following

the footsteps of Martin Luther King

Jr, in his Baptist parish and to his

mausoleum. There, we heard great

testimonies of the struggle for the

civil rights of black Americans

including that of a 84 year old man

who was a school friend of Martin

Luther King Jr. L’Arche has always

taken care to keep an eye on the

outside, the communities are not

enclosed gardens whose doors

remain closed and where you feel

safe. There is a confirmed desire

to always leave the door open so

as to be able to allow conversation

with another, be it a prophet or a

poor person…

There is still more to tell but these

few lines have given you, I hope, an

idea of what is happening with our

brothers and sisters at l’Arche

International. May you be

encouraged wherever you are to

create or maintain the bonds of

friendship that unite us!

GdC

With the “Greater Atlanta” community

The General Assembly of the Federation of l’Arche programme

included a welcome on the first weekend into the Atlanta

families. When I arrived on 2 June, I was welcomed at the

airport by Joy Fuchs who is a vice coordinator in the USA East

province! I was able to share 24 hours of her family life with

her husband Jerry and Tadeusz (Ted) Wypych who, as his

name does not show, is a New Zealander! Ted is of Polish

extraction and lives in Wellington and is part of the BoD of

l’Arche Kapiti. Joy organised a meeting of the “Greater

Atlanta” Faith and Light community on Saturday evening! I

was delighted to meet the community, delighted also to

introduce Ted to a Faith and Light community.

It was a lovely evening and we shared a lot; there were also

two people who came from the neighbouring parish of the

Transfiguration where a community would soon be starting up.

The following day, we went to mass in this parish of the

Transfiguration: American parishes are very active and the

liturgies very lively; each person feels very welcome (I was

invited to stand with Ted when it was asked who was visiting

the parish).

With Joy, Fred and Ted

Page 16 Family album

My friend Monique

Monique, “my right hand” has left

us to become a messenger of joy

in heaven and, from up there, be

there for us here.

I am just looking for all the photos

of Monique on my computer, a

way of grieving…

I hadn’t seen much of her those

last days, but there were an

enormous number of Faith and

Light friends, a “star” they told

me at the hospital reception.

She loved both the smallest of

Faith and Light, and also in her

way, when she kept her

earphones in the midst of the

meetings for the results of her

hockey club! It was Monique who

sent all the birthday cards to the

disabled people in our Swiss

communities and she did it very

faithfully (something I am incapable

of doing). When we were missing

material (decoration, stamps,

envelopes) she reminded my

“little head”. We laughed a lot

together, but she experienced

quite a bit of solitude without

complaining. I had the fortune to

experience four Faith and Light

camps. Monique was very happy,

that is my consolation!

She was unique. Yesterday, I

posted the last birthday cards

that she prepared. She is going to

help me serve better.

Gabrielle Luchinger Switzerland coordinator

Sad news from Syria

Faith and Light has once more

been subject to a terrible loss in

Syria. A few months ago, one

person from Damascus was killed

in an attack; and on 19 June in

Aleppo, Marina too was killed…

Let us pray in earnest for all our

Syrian friends!

Yesterday, we had a very sad day,

we lost Marina, she was killed

because of the crisis and chaos

in Aleppo. She was the

coordinator of the “Saint George”

community in Alep. Marina was a

very active person, always

smiling, very friendly and open

and always ready to help. I have

heard a lot of people express

their sadness at the loss of

Marina who was a shoulder for

them to lean on, who helped and

supported daily and was a

devoted friend. But we are now

telling ourselves that we have a

friend in heaven, who will support

us in a different way.

Marina was the wife of Father

Georges Shehwaro who died in

2003 (he was an Orthodox priest,

a member of the Ecumenical

Council of Syria and had been

national chaplain from 1998 until

his death). They had two

daughters and two grandchildren.

We need your prayers!

M.H.

Ancillla

It is with regret that we announce

that the “Passe Rose” community

in Rodriguez has lost Ancilla

Momus at the age of 38 years.

She was one of

the oldest

person with a

disability in the

community.

Our greatest sympathy to her

mum, her family and the

Rodriguez Faith and Light family

who were all present to pay their

last respects at her funeral on 28

June.

United in prayer.

Judex and Marie-France Violette

“Rainbow” province coordinators

Cardinal Martini

The Faith and Light communities

in Italy are united by the prayers

of all those who remember their

dear Father, Carlo-Maria Martini,

with great affection. For those

with an intellectual disability,

their family and their friends,

Carlo-Maria was a father and a

friend. For many years, he was

the reference Bishop for the

Italian Church, during some

difficult times for our family and

the National Council, with a

father’s heart and the wisdom of

a great man led by the Spirit.

We thank the Lord for having

given us this great priest and we

want to speak of all our love for

this man of God who, through his

attention to the smallest and the

most fragile, was a great witness

to the Gospel that he proclaimed

throughout his life until the very

end.

Don Marco Bove Chaplain of the “River of Peace” Province

Reader’s mail

Regina

So as to support Georgette in her

awareness action in Burkina

Faso, Faith and Light

International took on the printing

of a small booklet about her

daughter Regina.

I am happy that you are interested

in this booklet and thank you. It

has encouraged me and given me

confidence in what I am doing for

disabled children here in Burkina.

This booklet was inspired by the

love of my daughter Regina. It is a

testimony and an appeal to the

parents of children living with a

disability so that they understand

that the disability isn’t a

have been part of the community

since 1999.

In order to be able to spread this

awareness message, we have

created an association for the

integration and development of

people: “Frère Handicap” (Brother

Handicap) of which I am

president. It is made up of

teachers and experienced people.

Its goal is to organise training

sessions for the parents of

disabled children and other

people.

I will shortly sent you a copy of the

recognition of the foundation that

is just being signed by our

authorities because you became a

partner for the association.

Georgette Zida

Family album Page 17

Bishop Léopold Ouédraogo

Former Faith and Light chaplain

of Burkina Faso, Father Leopold

was appointed Auxiliary bishop of

the Archdiocese of Ouagadougou.

He was consecrated on August

11th at the Cathedral of the

Immaculate Conception in a joyful

atmosphere, singing, dancing and

cheering.

In thanksgiving, dear Father

Leopold, we assure you of our

friendship and prayer for your

new mission.

Father Balon with one of his friends

misfortune, that we can live and

succeed with our children, they

are a light and a way in our lives.

The booklet also invites people to

have a positive outlook on

disabled people. I have learnt a lot

at Faith and Light, especially

about sharing and the gift of love

for our children. With Regina, we

Welcome

Jeanine Power who is mother of

two children and friend in Faith

and Light for 30 years, was

nominated vice coordinator for

Mauricius. Former coordinator of

the “Roses” community in Quatre

-Bornes, sh will accompany the

communities of the island with

Hedley and Christianne Herry.

Welcome Jeanine, and have a

great new journey !

It’s happening!

A Spanish language community

recognised in Dodge City (Kansas). A second in Denver

(Colorado) named “Community of

friendship”. Both are found in the

USA West province. A third at the

Kremlin Bicêtre, “Paris et le

Levant” province that bears the

beautiful name: “The five

continents”.

Birth of a community in

Castelnaudary (Aude), France

“Entre deux Mers” province.

Some communities in

development at Austin (Texas)

and Lake Charles (Louisiana),

USA West province and one at

Dunmore (Galway), Ireland

province.

And projects in France Centre,

France Loire Rhône Auvergne

and France West and France

“Entre deux Mers” provinces.

Good sailing!

Regina and her mother

Jeanine, Christiane and Hedley

and their daughter Christie

Page 18 Reader’s mail

“The Swallows” of Korhogo

Following the organisation of the

Day of Announcing and Sharing,

the Saint Vincent community,

from Marcq en Baroeul (France

North), wanted the proceeds to go

to the small Ivory Coast

community.

I am the guide of the “The

Swallows” community at Korhogo

in the north of the Ivory Coast. I

am just thanking you as well as

your community for your gift that

is going to really help us with the

organisation of our Faith and Light

40th anniversary pilgrimage that

we are making to l’Arche Bouaké

(another Ivory Coast town about

four hours away) next October.

We will send you news…

Again, a thousand thanks on

behalf of our whole community.

Sr Véronique de Portzamparc

Huge first for Mauritius

Eight young autistic people had

their first Communion on Saturday

14 July at the Saint Louis

cathedral. Evans, 8 years old,

from the “Father Laval”

community at Sainte Croix was to

have had his first communion in

his parish and when the other

parents indicated their intention

for their child to also receive the

sacrament, it was the cathedral

that everyone met in for this great

day.

Evans is the son of Mike and

Géraldine Aliphon who have been

with the “Father Laval”

community for two years.

What joy to also learn that Steven

Miniator, the brother of Kelvin,

who has always taken part with

him in the meetings of the “Lee

Badamier” community and then

the “Father Laval” community had

joined the community of Spiritain

as a seminarian a few days

previously. Two miracles from the

Blessed Father Laval for the Faith

and Light community.

We met Monsignor Piat, bishop of

Port Louis and had the

opportunity to speak to him about

the importance of having a

Community “The Swallows” chaplain for the Rainbow

province. We suggested that

Father Bernard would accept this

mission. His nomination will be

registered in the agenda of the

next Commission of Bishops of

the Indian Ocean meeting.

We are impatiently awaiting the

next issue of “Up Sails!” to get

news of each country.

Let us remain united in prayer!

Judex and Marie-France Violette

“Rainbow” province coordinators

On September 10 2012, we went, with Marie-Hélène Mathieu, for what has

now become a traditional event: a time of sharing and a meal with Jean

Vanier and the international leaders of l’Arche. However, on that day, two

things were not as usual:

The leaders of l’Arche had changed… Jean-Christophe Pascal and

Christine McGrievy have passed the baton and I was torn between

nostalgia for the good times of friendship spent with them and the joy of

welcoming Patrick Fontaine and Eileen Glass, the joy of also seeing that

these shared meals would to continue!

This lunch took place on 10 September, a special day for

Jean! Like the prophetess Anne, Jean is now 84 years old!

We celebrated this birthday fittingly and on behalf of all the

Faith and Light communities, we gave him a rose bush to

plant beside the Lazare house where he is now living very

happily.

This rose bush felt amazingly good: Jean is going to take care of it and all these buds that are

promises of renewal and hopes for a flourishing future, are going to flower: the beautiful roses

that are going to appear will be the sign of the vitality of our movement! Happy birthday Jean!

Ghislain, Eileen, Jean, Marie-Hélène, Patrick

Mike and Géraldine

with their children

Evans and Anaïs

Guidelines 2012-2013 Page 19

The Guidelines 2012-2013 is arrived!

Faith and Light has celebrated 40 years of life by

“bearing fruit and a fruit that stays” as Jesus asked

of his apostles when sending them on a mission (cf

Jn 15,8 and 20,23) and carrying the flame lit in

Lourdes in February 2011 to each province. All

those who had an intense experience became

missionaries and apostles.

Let us look at Mary who hurried to the hills to share

her joy with Elisabeth (Lk 1, 39-45); the shepherds

announcing what they had seen and heard all over

the region (Lk 2, 20); the Samaritan who ran to her

village after meeting Jesus at the well to say to all

the men: “Come, see a man who told me everything

I ever did” (Jn 4, 28-29). And finally, so as not to

give endless examples, let us look at the Emmaus

disciples who, after their meeting on the road with

the Risen Jesus, returned to Jerusalem that very

evening, despite the dangers of the night and the

exhaustion from travelling, to announce this good

news of the victory of Jesus over death to their

brothers (Lk 24, 33-35).

The 2011-2012 Guidelines helped us to better

explore the fruits of joy that we have been given

and how to communicate them to others. This year,

we are going to experience concrete fruits of this

Easter experience with some lively witnesses. We

will meet them through the Acts of the Apostles, that

marvellous account where, step by step, not only is

the spreading of the Gospel felt but the work of the

Holy Spirit is also so visible.

If we have made this choice, it isn’t only to explore

and discover the history of the Church, but also to

recognise ourselves in each of these people and to

experience our Christian faith and our love for Jesus

with the same enthusiasm as them in the midst of a

world filled with violence and destruction.

We are going to begin with a woman, Mary

Magdalene, the first to be sent to announce to her

brothers the unbelievable Good News of the victory

of Jesus over death. The second will be Peter,

chosen by Jesus and his brothers to be the rock and

the leader despite his sad denial. After him, it is

Saul, who converted to Paul and became the

apostle of Nations. Then we continue with the first

missionary couple in the Church, Priscilla and

Aquila. In January, we will follow Philip, the deacon

filled with the Holy Spirit. Then, will come James, the

first of the apostles to be martyred by Herod, as the

Bishop of Jerusalem. We will spend Lent with

Stephen, the first martyr who gave his life for Jesus.

We will celebrate Easter with John, the disciple

Jesus loved and who cared for Mary before dying on

the island of Patmos. We will welcome Cornelius

the centurion, the first Gentile to enter the family of

the Church. As women, colleagues of the apostles,

we will go and meet Tabitha and Lydia. And we will

end the year with the disciples and companions of

Paul, Barnabas and Timothy.

All have been models of enthusiasm, faith and

courage. And thanks to them, and to so many

others, the Good News has spread across the world.

Today, in the midst of a world of violence where the

poor and weak are crushed, may these first

witnesses communicate their fervour to us so that

like them, we will be tireless messengers of the joy

and strength of the resurrection.

Father Hans Putman

Former Chaplain of Sudan

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Page 20 International solidarity

Editorial direction: Ghislain du Chéné - Chief editor and layout: Corinne Chatain

You want to make a donation ?

In several countries, Faith and Light is a recognized and registered charity

association.

As in France, you may be entitled to a tax deduction for each donation

made locally. Check with your provincial association.

Online donation: www.faithandlight.org

What have your contributions been used for since June?

Ivory Coast, community pilgrimage to Korhogo: 34O €

Burkina Faso, printing of booklet “Le handicap un chemin du miracle” (Disability, a road of the miracle), :

130 €

“Jesus, Light of the Andes” (Peru, Chile, Columbia and Ecuador), visits to the communities: 500 €

“Reborn” (Brazil North East), visits to the communities: 3 500 €

“Eastern Africa” (Rwanda, DRC Kivu, Kenya, Burundi), visits to the communities: 1 000 € and pilgrimage to

Kibeho (Rwanda) : 4 500 €

Zimbabwe, communities pilgrimage to Kwekwe: 1 435 €

“Open Hearts” (Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Rep., Nicaragua), communities pilgrimage to Notre Dame de

Guadalupe (Mexico): 8 000 €

“Between the Seas” (Georgia, Lithuania, Czech Rep., Russia, Slovakia), communities pilgrimage to Lviv

and Hoshiv : 12 000 €

1st-7 September, pilgrimage and celebration of

twenty years of Faith and Light in the

Netherlands in Lourdes.

15-16 September, “France Rhône Azur”

province council meeting in Marseilles.

15-16 September, ”Colours of Asia” (Malaysia,

Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore) province council

meeting in the Philippines.

21-23 September, meeting of the Canada East

province.

29 September, Zimbabwe communities

pilgrimage to Kwekwe.

29 September, “UK North” province council

meeting in Harrogate, Great Britain.

29-30 September, General Assembly of the

Faith and Light Italy association in Rome.

1st October, Ivory Coast pilgrimage to l’Arche de

Bouaké to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Faith

and Light together.

7-11 October, Meeting of the Board of Directors

of Faith and Light International in Harissa

(Lebanon).

13-14 October, Switzerland, provincial meeting.

19-21 October, “Jesus, Light of the Andes”

province (Peru, Chile, Argentina) pilgrimage to

Lima (Peru).

21 October, France West province meeting at

Rennes.

25-28 October, Egypt North province (Sudan

North and Sudan South) pilgrimage to Alexandria

to celebrate 40 years of Faith and Light.

1st-4 November, France North province

pilgrimage to Ars to celebrate 40 years of Faith

and Light. This pilgrimage will welcome delegates

from the Poland West province.

1st-4 November, Belgium province pilgrimage to

Banneux to celebrate 40 years of Faith and Light.

This pilgrimage will welcome delegates from the

“Danube” province (Hungary, Romania, Serbia,

Switzerland and Rwanda.

2-4 November, formation session for community

leaders from the “Seas and Volcanoes” province

(Italy south) at Fuscaldo.

10-11 November, pilgrimage of communities

from South Africa to Cape Town.

Agenda for the 4th trimester 2012