The house 150 of Lyon becomes MIM

150 eng

SMA House 150 Cours Gambetta, Lyon is a patrimony of the whole Society. It is a family house founded many years ago by Father Planque. Today, it is a house of reference for the SMA. Hence, at the request of the Generalate, the Provincial Council of Lyon embarked on a major reflection in 2016 to transform 150 Cours Gambetta Lyon to « Maison International Missionnaire (MIM); in English, International Missionary House.

Those involved in the reflection include : the Provincial Council, SMA confreres resident in 150 Lyon and Chaponost communities; members of Fraternité Laïques Missionnais (FLM) a lay missionary group linked to the SMA Lyon Province ; Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles and Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. (Menton sisters). The reflection was facilitated by an Institute specialized in Socio-Economic transformation of Enterprises called ISEOR.

At the end of the long reflection, it was decided that new International Missionary House would be

A home for every SMAs and members of the SMA charismatic family, employees ; SMA volunteers, friends and collaborators ; African students, migrants …
A place from which the SMA charism will radiate locally and internationally
A place of meetings, of exchange in order to build bridges between religions, churches, cultures, peoples in general
A place of resourcing and training for members of the SMA Family and for all those who have special link with Africa.

The house is organized into four sectors of community living and activities. Each sector will have its own working leader and team. The sectors are:

1) The Mission: Leader, Fr. Daniel Mellier

Objectives:

To ensure that the Mission in areas where the Gospel is announced for the first time, and among peoples and groups in difficult or marginalized situations (A.G.2013) continues to be priority in the life of SMA members

To encourage, unify, evaluate new parish experiences, missionary and vocational animations in Lyon, in Chaponost and in Nantes. To also ensure that personal and community commitments to liturgical services of confreres are in conformity with SMA charism and with the orientations of the local churches were the province is working.

To train and support young confreres in their ministry “with the most abandoned”.

To collaborate with the Communication team so as to ensure that “the Gospel and the SMA mission” are known (AG 2013)

Mission remains our priority wherever we are. The dioceses of Nantes and Lyons have entrusted us with two multicultural and multireligious parishes where we can freely live out our charism as SMAs. Some of our confreres, especially those who come to study will, in fidelity to our vocation, be able to engage in mission to the poor, to the migrants, to the most abandoned …”

2) Communities of Life: Leader, Fr. Pierre Richaud

Objectives:

To live harmoniously together in the same house, respecting the particularity of each community that make up the MIM and the need of each member.
To open the SMA community to the richness that internationality and interculturality bring us, and to facilitate greater communion and solidarity in the SMA”.
To intensify fraternity for everyone’s human and spiritual growth.
To witness to the faith of a family that practices what it preaches.

The SMA House 150 (MIM) will be inhabited by a community of SMA Fathers; the Provincial Council of Lyon ; the General Council of the Sisters of Menton; members of the Media Center; a couple in retirement; African students; migrants … and visitors ….

3) Carrefour des Cultures Africaines (CCA) translated as Meeting Point of African Cultures. Fr. Basil Soyoye, director

Objectives:

To make Africa known and loved.
To Promote contemporary face of Africa as a continent of hope.
To enhance the experiences of African members of the SMA Family.
To encourage meetings between different peoples, cultures, religions and nations through activities that include: Conferences and debates on intercultural and interreligious dialogue … Temporary thematic exposition of African art, library specialized on Africa and interreligious publications… Media and photo tech library. …workshops for children …. discussion groups…
To encourage the teaching of African languages … organizing “welcome” seminars and workshops for priests and religious arriving Lyon for studies or for pastoral activities parishes etc …

4) The Provincial Services of the: Fr. Vincent Fuchs, leader

These are services that are Mission Appeals, provincial communication, bursary, secretariat, health care, retirements and publications offices; the archives, management personnel (employees and volunteers) all the services that directly under the responsibility of the Provincial Council

Objectives:

To collaborate with the Provincial Council to set specific objectives up from General Assemblies, Plenary Councils, Extra ordinary Provincial Councils ….
To coordinate effective interaction between the above services and ensure that each department has the human and material resources necessary for its mission.
To ensure that set objectives are implemented with rigor and on time.
To ensure that the general orientation as regard Mission in Africa and in France is respected in liaison with leaders of the different sectors of activity and life of the International Missionary House.

Conclusion.

The leaders of these four areas of activities and life constitute the Coordinating Committee of the International Missionary House under the leadership of Michel Carteteguy, Provincial Councilor.

The Provincial Council, Lyon.