Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lyons (Agenzia Fides) - Since the inauguration of the newly restored home of Pauline Marie Jaricot (1799- 1862), the young girl from Lyons who founded the first of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, there has been continual activity in 2006-2007, Mr Gaetan Boucharlat de Chazotte, secretary general PMS France told Fides. The House in Lorette was inaugurated to coincide with the annual meeting of the National Directors of the PMS held that year exceptionally in Lyons on 5 May 2005, the Feast of the Ascension that year, by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyons, Archbishop Henryk Hoser, secretary adjunct of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and president of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
The most important events in 2006 included May 11 : Encounter at Lorette : Conference by Cardinal Lustiger. We had the good fortune of receiving His Eminence, Cardinal Jean Marie Lustiger, Archbishop Emeritus of Paris; drawing on this own personal experience, he spoke to us on the theme, “Judaic Universalism and Christian Universalism”, with Cardinal Barbarin in attendance as well as a good crowd of people.
Within the Year of Mission proclaimed by the Diocese of Lyon on the theme of the Acts of the Apostles, Cardinal Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon expressed the desire that the Relics of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus visit the diocese. On May 31st there was an encounter between Thérèse and Pauline Jaricot. Many pilgrims came to pray near the relics of Saint Teresa in Pauline Jacricot’s room. On the same occasion, about thirty bishops from different parts of France came to the House of Lorette in response to the invitation of Cardinal Barbarin who welcomed them here for their annual day of prayer and to visit the House of Lorette. June 12 : on this day, as on many times during the year, during an architectural visit of Lorette, visitors discovered the personality of Pauline Jaricot and the Charism of the Pontifical Missionary Society. September 28 : Encounter at Lorette : on the theme : « Missionary Creativity from the XIXth Century to the Present”, Father Cardot of the Society of African Missions and Sister Marie Hélène Robert of the Institute of Our Lady of the Apostles, gave a conference before a “missionary” public.
October 15-22 : During World Mission Week, the Eucharist was celebrated here every day and each morning there was adoration time in the Chapel of Saint Philomena, with prayer for the missionary action of the Church. December 8 Each year in Lyon the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is solemnly celebrated. This year in the diocese, different parishes and religious communities were mobilised in order to receive 5 million people who came for this “Feast of Lights”. At Lorette, we received crowds of visitors during two days. December 18 to 23 : This pastoral year was dedicated to Blessed Antoine Chevrier, founder of the Priests of the Prado ; an exposition was welcomed at Lorette, as well as a conference given by Monsignor Olivier de Beranger, Priest of the Prado , President of the Episcopal Commission of the Universal Mission and former National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Society.
2007: From the 1st to the 9th of January. As every year a novena of prayer was celebrated. On January 9, Dies Natalis of Pauline Jaricot, the Eucharist was presided by Cardinal Barbarin in the Chapel of Saint Philomena with a good crowd of faithful attending. More than one hundred people then attended the installation of an original painting entitled, “The Disciples of Emmaus” by ARCABAS, well-known painter of contemporary sacred art. The painting now welcomes visitors at the entrance of the House of Lorette. February 15-25 : Thanks to gifts brought by the National Directors of PMS at the inauguration of May 2005, we have on exhibition the Virgins of the World, for the greater joy of our many visitors. April 24 : Within the framework of the anniversary of the Encyclical « Fidei Donum », the Diocese of Lyon welcomed at Lorette the priests of Fidei Donum.. (RG) Fides Service (23/5/2007).
