Jubilee of Consecrated Life

On September 6 and 7, there were nearly 1000 of us in Paris, coming from all over France. This national jubilee, in connection with the Holy Year desired by Pope Francis, brought together a mosaic of vocations: religious of apostolic and monastic life, secular institutes, consecrated virgins, consecrated laity. A highlight was offered to us for:

• To give thanks for the joy that life gives in Christ.
• To live in communion with the Church, in her diversity.
• To let ourselves be challenged to live ever better as pilgrims of Hope, on the paths of peace.

The crossed views of Bruno Cadoré (doctor, Dominican) and Elena Lassida (professor of economics, committed to the care of creation) reminded us that the path of Hope must first be a path of humanity; our communities must remember this essential aspect.     

We must learn to maintain fraternal relations with each other.

The strength of a community, said the man who was master of the Dominican order, is diversity and not uniformity. It is important to give a large place to memory, to give brothers and sisters the opportunity to speak when they have heavy memories to carry, sometimes related to cultural or power issues. We must learn to maintain fraternal relations with each other. Elena, who was very influenced by Laudato Si, invited us to change our view of the world. Ecology is a major issue in our society, but the encyclical goes further; it invites us to take care of the quality of our relationships, at different levels. We all have to give and receive.

Sunday morning, we had the chance to walk in small groups with brothers and sisters whom we got to know... sharing the Gospel, exchanging on what had marked us the day before.

"Like a flame my hope is burning, may my song arise to you: Source of life that has no ending, on life’s path I trust in you."

Jubilee hymn

Sister Marie-Christine Landry

Episcopal Delegate for Consecrated Life

Diocese of St Brieuc