From 9th to 12th January, we, the SMA “Latin” Provincial Councils, that is: Spain, Italy, Strasbourg and Lyon, met in Lyon. It was an exchange meeting with no other purpose than to share what we are doing and to see how we can support one another.

We began by talking about our house in Lyon and the change that is underway: closing of the museum, opening the “crossroads of cultures”, interior architectural work. Everyone must have heard about this since it was part of the international decisions of the years 2014 to 2016, but very few were really aware of the projects. The Province of Lyon has been blamed for not having communicated enough what it has undertaken, but all have welcomed the change our ‘mother’ headquarter of Cours Gambetta is going through. An important topic of discussion was to see how this house could be relayed in different provinces, for example by relocating an activity initiated in Lyon … This house would thus be the centre of a network of relations and activities coordinated between different countries. Each country could give its own point of view and such a feedback to Lyon would make it a source of enrichment for everyone. Some insisted that we do not forget the aspect of “missionary research”, in the points that this house must address, to be faithful to our history and see how to live this mission today. This house must be a place of reference for us … We are present in parishes, that is true, but a question must be asked: what does the SMA specifically bring as a Missionary Society in these parishes; it is a question that requires an overall reflection. The modern means of communication must help us to live that and to multiply it.

Then, we looked at how each Province realises its missionary animation: the contexts are quite various: in Spain, it is the sale of calendars, mobilising over one hundred lay persons between September and December, that remains the main source of income for the SMA Fathers; they do missionary catechesis and conferences, either in the District House or elsewhere; they also give great importance to the commemoration of the deceased fathers: they generally organise festive celebrations in the region of the deceased father and put a plaque in the church of his village.

In Italy, the visit of the seminaries always has a lot of importance to give the seminarians a missionary conscience, the fathers also circulate a lot in the parishes and work together with other missionary institutes; last year, they organized a great missionary event that brought thousands of people together for three days: a joyous and convivial festival where songs, prayer, workshops of all kinds have enabled a large audience to renew their missionary convictions and commitment. Italian SMA fathers are also very engaged in serving migrants and are looking for new ways of doing things, for example Fr. Lorenzo who works in two camps near Padua was appointed by the bishop to do spiritual animation in those camps: he takes young migrants every Sunday to share the Sunday celebration in parishes, so they know a little about the reality of Italian families and parishes and the parishioners meet young people who share the same convictions: migrants are no longer strangers to be feared!

In Strasbourg, missionary animation revolves around the four SMA houses, firmly anchored in the various dioceses and ecclesial reference places, but also in parishes. SMA fathers have always been integrated in parishes alongside diocesan clergy. These young SMA fathers are asked to bring a new way of doing and being a church.

In the Province of Lyon, a large reflection has been conducted in recent years to renew our commitment to missionary animation, in conjunction with our teams in Nantes and Lyon. A young confrere was assigned for that purpose. The Province of Lyon has also accepted the responsibility of two parishes in Nantes and Lyon. The dioceses ask the SMA to be more present alongside the diocesan clergy to bring its stone to the work of ongoing re-evangelisation. The various SMA houses are committed to migrants but we see that we must “rise in power” for this aspect. This work is carried out with mixed teams of French confreres who are already getting old and young confreres from India or Africa …

Then we shared our relationship with the “world of young people”. All of us are aware of the very rapid evolution that has taken place and how things have changed in a few years. It is important to share what we are doing: how to offer young people a gateway to this exciting world of Mission? How to bring spiritual support to grow in faith? This means first of all being present where teens, students, young workers are…

We see the need to continue to exchange on this even if the context of each country is different. However, we need to do things together now, it will help us work together more. We propose to do part of the Saint Jacques’ road together…

We decide to meet again next year, the week following Epiphany.

François du PENHOAT
Provincial Superior
Lyon