 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
 |
|
|||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||
France |
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
Missionary Project
Within the Province, the principal works are: education (Auteuil, secondary schools), work with immigrants and foreign students (mainly Africans) and helping people in difficulty (those coming out of prison). Justice and Peace involvement is largely through the branches of AEFJN at Strasbourg and Paris. Confreres are helping the French Church by teaching and religious formation, notably at the French Seminary in Rome. Outside France, the Province continues to support its commitments with personnel and material and financial aid, above all in francophone circumscriptions. Some of these are of long standing, but there are more recent engagements in other linguistic areas: Croatia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Mexico, Taiwan.
Vocations work - missionary influence
Despite the small number of young people in France who answer a missionary calling today, the Province continues to invest heavily in vocations work. Through four reviews, a concern for mission is shared with the general public. The Province works with an organisation for sending young 'co-operators' abroad (DCC), and in the setting up of a network of young people who want to deepen the missionary dimension of their faith (Jeunes et Mission). Another scheme sends people for a short stay with a missionary team abroad ("Amos"). There are co-operative schemes with diocesan vocation services, and students are received into two hostels. The number actually joining the Spiritans averages two per year.
The French Seminary
The Pontifical French Seminary, which was confided to the Spiritans from its foundation in 1853, prepares priests for the Church of France. At present, there are between 70 and 80 students, of whom a few are not French. The students follow courses in the Roman Universities. They are guided by the formation team in the seminary for community, spiritual and apostolic life, and are given some help with their studies. Recently, the formation team has been composed of four full-time Spiritans (including the Bursar), helped by another confrere and two secular priests, engaged part-time for spiritual direction.Embassy of France
36 Ailesbury Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 277 5000
Fax: 01 277 5001
E-Mail: chancellerie@ambafrance.ie