Diocese of Limoges: meeting of priests and nuns from elsewhere

There were about twenty of us who braved the freezing rain to gather at Saint Bernadette in Limoges, priests and nuns. Coming from all walks of life from the diocese of Évaux-les-Bains to Dorat, from Guéret to Eymoutiers and even further afield since this year we were joined by two priests from the diocese of Tulle. Above all, it was a sharing of joys. JOYS of times of pilgrimage to Lourdes with the diocese or farmers, JOYS and wonder in times of accompanying young people in Taizé, in scout camps, on marches or mountain biking, JOYS of discovering new things, very simple JOYS of the everyday life of a priest, of a nun, which includes the JOY of holidays in the country with his family!

The difficulties? Yes, we have some but we are moving forward with them! We take them more as steps to take: subtleties of the French language? communication with young people? how to accompany and be accompanied to enter the history of the diocese of Limoges in this time of synodal approach? how to move from restrictive inculturation to enriching interculturality for all, lay parishioners involved or not in parishes, and us missionary priests with different ecclesial cultures? how can we accept our black skin?

And for us who are from the south, how can we fight against the paralyzing cold?

Priest Fidei donum? Priests from elsewhere? We are not extraterrestrials but missionaries who have agreed to be sent alongside you to announce the Good News!

The Universal Mission team of the diocese of Limoges