Batch. The Church of Cahors celebrates in Rocamadour: resourcing for the parishes

350 Christians from the four corners of Diocese of Cahorsof which many young people found themselves at Rocamadouron May 25, around movements and services.

“Go to my brothers and -…” says the Gospel of Saint John in chapter XX. It is these words that guided the day of Saturday May 25. In the morning, several hundred people gathered, members of Movements and Associations of the faithful or individuals, to share their way of bearing witness to Jesus Christ in the Lot department.

Priests, chaplaincies, catechism, Health and Family Pastoral, Guides and Scouts of Cahors, Figeac and Rocamadour, Notre-Dame and Rosary Teams, the Retired Christian Movement, the Emmanuel and Christian Life Communities , diocesan Hospitality, the Lourdes Pilgrimages service, Lourdes Cancer Esperance and Green Church were represented.

The two periods of teaching and testimonies allowed everyone to let themselves be impregnated by the words of the other.

Games, team workshops, teaching, mass, worship allowed us to get to know each other better and to discuss the way in which each group or person carries the evangelical message in concrete terms.

A success for the first intergenerational celebration

Beforehand, stand under the gaze of the nearby Notre Dame de Rocamadour, an important place to start the day.

The two times of teaching and testimonies which took place in the open air, at the John Paul II camp, allowed everyone to let themselves be impregnated by the words of the other. The way we look at little-known or sometimes harshly judged movements has been transformed. He became benevolent. Catherine, in her sixties in Figeac, involved in the Church but not knowing the movements, found that her discussions “made her want to be part of it”. “I am a believer without being an assiduous parishioner,” she adds, “and I came to Rocamadour today to meet Catholics in my area and to find out what the Church offers people like me.”

We were able to give thanks for these meetings during the end of the day mass presided over by Mgr Laurent Camiade.

Create more links between parishes

“Brothers and sisters from our diocese arrived here today with the weight of their worries. Others due to difficulties were unable to join us… For the Church of Cahors, it is a day of sharing, fraternity and joy… May it be a sign of hope and fraternity… May it let your light shine, Lord, on our lands of Quercy” said the universal prayer chosen for this occasion.

May the little shoots planted during these few hours grow into pastoral and missionary actions. May they lead to greater spiritual participation, everyone in their place, where they live. In perseverance and humility, unlike our world “obsessed with greatness, growth, progress, success and any new form of power. Isn’t true courage choosing like Jesus, self-abasement and self-sacrifice? » concluded the Bishop of Cahors at the end of the homily.

Let’s compare all the initiatives to seedlings forming a reserve which can in a short time stimulate our crops in the different parish soils.

Let us hope that throughout 2024 and beyond, we develop caring and supportive listening in our Communities to be bearers of joy and hope around us.

Testimony of two movements of the diocese

Mireille and Alain Borel are part of the Pastoral Care of Migrants, led by Father Jacques Hahusseau. They are also members of the France-Lot Mission. And testify on this occasion.

Introduce us to the pastoral care of migrants…

The Pastoral Care of Migrants demonstrates the concern of the Church towards Migrants whatever their religious or cultural affiliation. The Pope suggests that we articulate the Church’s commitment around the verbs: welcome, protect, promote, integrate.

In Cahors, different associations offer unconditional welcome as well as specific help to Migrants (legal problems, language learning, accommodation). The association has become professional in order to best respond to public problems. Depending on the specificity of each, close partnership links have been established. Offices take place every Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Maison des Œuvres in Cahors.

What purpose ?

In order to facilitate supportive meetings between the host community and the immigrant community, thus promoting the integration of Migrants in a reconciled diversity. It is in this fraternal spirit that each of us is welcome if they wish to join us.

What does your membership of the Mission of France consist of?

Mission de France is an extra-territorial association whose prelate is a French bishop. Created in 1947 by Cardinal Suhard, these were priests living and working as close as possible to the working world. In 2002, the opening to lay people, women and men, and diocesan clerics, resulted in the creation of the “Mission Community of France” made up of sympathizers and committed people.

What is the objective ?

Members meet in “networks” on specific themes in Perreux-sur-Marne where the Association’s main house is located. It is also in this place that the national general assembly is held approximately every five years, defining future directions.

The Lot team meets in Cahors once a month to discuss our respective missions (individual or team) in agreement with the local Church. So in connection with the mission letter from the Bishop of Cahors.

Are your meetings with the parish priest regular?

With the parish priest, the partner groups, the responsible lay people, relations are excellent. Everyone listens, helps us resolve if there is a problem, thus contributing to our help. We saw this when we were responsible for Secours catholique de Cahors where sometimes emergency cases arose and a solution had to be found as quickly as possible. For example, the reception of foreigners who arrive in the Lot not immediately knowing where to stay.

Can an event like the diocesan celebration lead to more conviviality between those responsible?

This meeting is likely to facilitate mutual knowledge and exchanges among groups who do not often have the opportunity to meet. This party is a good idea. She allowed us to “take our time”. Through these shared hours, we were able to avoid the pitfall of a priori and “judgments” that were sometimes too quick to make better progress in pastoral initiatives.

André DECUP

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