PEP/Fra : Sector France: News from Friant

Taken from the Mini-lien of the France sector, a mini-diary of the Rue Friant community.

Communauty of Rue Friant :

At the beginning of the month, Stan Lubungo and Martin Grenier came to Paris to participate in a meeting of the Societies of Apostolic Life. It was in Morlaix, in the West of France, with the Fathers of Saint-Jacques.

The first (of May) came Father Alexandre BAZIE, the next auxiliary bishop of Koudougou (in view of the foundation of a new diocese) passed through our country on his way to Rome where he will take the “short course” for the new bishops.

Etienne Sion, a confrere from Tanzania, spent the month of May with us where he was able to make some health check-ups.

Emile Bombiri, priest of the diocese of Nouna, came to check on his heart and diabetes….

Matthias Gyato, former confrere, now a priest in his diocese in Ghana, was happy to return to Friant Street and meet one or other confrere he knew; he also wanted to check on his health.

Jean-Marie Vasseur spent a few days with us for family and pastoral meetings… Very valiant, but with a cane all the same.

Father Alexandre Dembélé, who works in the media in Bamako, came to supply his equipment through Amazon….

On Saturday, May 21, 32 children and their caregivers (from the parish of St Jacques de Montrouge) came to make their retreat in preparation for the First Communion in our large hall and garden. A lot of joy and a lot of seriousness…. And plenty of children’s games. Jacques took part in a question-and-answer session with them on Africa, the White Fathers, the vocation…

On that day, we received Bishop AKE (of Ivory Coast) who came for a last check-up following his surgeries… and Bishop Thomas KABORE, former Bishop of Kaya… He was the one who ordained five years ago the priest of Dablo who had just been murdered by terrorists.

On Monday, May 13, we received a Cor Unum group of 12 people who met in our large room; they also had lunch with us.

On May 14, André Ferré arrived from Algeria for a holiday with us. That same day, in the evening, there was also a monthly meeting of the “Relais Lumière Espérance”; on the 15th, it was Father Joseph Nikiema who came to Paris for a funeral.

On Wednesday afternoon, 15th and Thursday 16th, the meeting of the Steering Committee of the Christian Pensioners’ Movement took place in our house. There were 35 of them… They were so pleased with our hospitality that they promised to come back to us….

On Sunday, May 19, it was Bishop Augustin TRAORE of Segou, Mali, who came to visit us.

Saturday, May 25, it was the parish of Vanves with 40 children preparing for the first communion that took place in the garden and the main hall. The animation team (eight adults) has prepared everything perfectly and Jacques intervened with the children as he had done 15 days before with those from Montrouge.

And Norbert Mwishabongo, the new parish priest of Toulouse-Minimes, came to close this month of visits.

Jacques Lacour