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 Homepage | The person | The family | The friends | Sitemap | Search | Contact  News Français | English | Español |  PrintNews of the General Assembly   Ghislain du Chéné, from France, coordinator of the Africa and Indian Ocean continent, was elected as International Coordinator.  Henri Major, from Canada, was elected as President of the Board of Directors.  Roland Tamraz, from Lebanon, coordinator of the Europe Middle East continent, was elected as Vice President.  Louis de Vogüé, from France, was elected as Treasurer.  Yves-Bertin Hirwa, from Rwanda, correspondent from the Africa Great Lakes zone was elected as a qualified member.  Claude and Denise Gravel, from Canada, coordinators of the North America zone, were elected as qualified members. In accordance with the new Constitution,  the Governing Council has nominated the International Vice-coordinators named by the International Coordinator, an international team that will guide the fifty new provinces:• Tim and Maria-Cecilia Buckley (USA) • Lucia Casella (Italy) • Darius Chmielauskas (Lithuania) • Joanna Kozczot (Poland) • Hervé and Anne Cuche (Belgium) • Mirna Hayek (Syria) • Yves-Bertin Hirwa (Rwanda) • Marie-Rose Lefrère (France) • Elaine Swain (New Zealand)  Tim and Maria-Cecilia, Hervé and Anne and Elaine have been nominated for a period of two years corresponding to the end of their Continent Coordinator mandate. Yves-Bertin will combine this function with his qualified member mandate until another solution has been found. The General Assembly has also approved the list of International Nomination Team members proposed by the Discernment Team: • Roy Moussalli (Syria), former International Vice-coordinator. • Marcin Przeciszewski (Poland), former International Vice-coordinator. • Marie-Vincente Puiseux (France), former General Secretary. • Maureen O’Reilly (USA), former International Coordinator. Yes, a week full of grace where, with a single heart, the two hundred participants had but one wish: that Faith and Light grows and shines all the more in the eighty countries where it is already present, meeting and bringing comfort to families that are still isolated, becoming known to young people and parishes… An example to illustrate this thirst for unity between all participants: during the count of the vote on the Constitution, the song ‘Père unis nous tous’ (Father unite us all) was proposed; so many wanted to come to the microphone to sing – each in his own language – this beautiful song that it seemed that the unity which brings us together was more important than the result of this vote! A beautiful testimony to a great trust. Finally, we were encouraged and confirmed in our mission by a message from Pope Benedict XVI. What a gift!  We also had the opportunity of hearing once more from our founders. Marie-Hélène Mathieu painted a very touching portrait for us of Saint Bernadette and showed how Faith and Light, born in Lourdes in 1971, was close to her spirituality.  Jean Vanier sent us on a mission in a world where so much suffering afflicts our contemporaries.  Father Jim Corkery, a Jesuit who has worked on the identity of the Jesuits, came to talk to us about our identity and presented a very interesting mirror to us; we are united in diversity, icons of the Holy Trinity. All three of them tell us that the world needs to know our message, that the world needs us.  Father Joseph, former International Chaplain, was also present; he made a gift to us of a collection of friendship letters sent to his Faith and Light friends, it is a treasure for us to immerse ourselves in the spirituality of modesty. Under a shower of giant confetti, cheers and thanks were given to all those who have strived during these past two years for the renewal of Faith and Light: Philippe de Lachapelle (France), Zénia Kushpeta (Ukraine), Jean-Christophe Pascal (Canada), Olivier Le Gendre (France), Father Guy Vanhoomissen (Belgium), Claude Gravel (Canada), Lucia Casella (Italy), Franck Janin (Belgium), Chantal de Jonghe (Belgium). After this meeting whose theme was: ‘In the wake of the Spirit’, Faith and Light and its new crew are setting sail. Godspeed! |
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