Hundreds of married couples from all over Britain came together in St Gregory's Catholic church in Cheltenham on Saturday, to mark the 50th anniversary of the British Teams of Our Lady ( Equipes Notre Dame).
Mass was celebrated by Rt Rev Geoffrey Scott, OSB, Abbot of Douai, with the Abbot of Prinknash, Dom Francis Baird, OSB. Among many other clergy present were Canon Bosco MacDonald, Rector of St Gregory's and Canon Alan Finley from Clifton Cathedral.Cllr. Lloyd Surgenor, Mayor of Cheltenham attended the Mass and buffet in St Gregory's School afterwards. Founding members of the Cheltenham Teams, Mr Harry Meigh and his wife, Clotilde, were there to cut the celebratory cake. Leading members of the international Teams of Our Lady, Maria Carla and Carlo Volpini had travelled from Italy to join the celebrations. An interpreter translated as they spoke to the congregation in Italian.
70 years of service to Love, Fatima, Portugal, 21 & 22 November 2009
The Teams of Our Lady in Portugal have given 70 years of service to Love. Love to one another and to God. A Movement of spirituality and training for couples, they want to follow Christ. With the charter, the ‘Letter', the ‘Guide' and the Movement's method based on endeavours and sharing. With this method, they tried to pursue three ways of being: to know themselves, to make themselves known to others in truth, to try and discern God's will and to connect with others in communion. After 70 years, they all agree that this route has been marvellous because it has helped them to grow in and through the Lord and to remain close to him, who is humble and loving. The various Portuguese Teams met up at a National Gathering in Fatima to celebrate the grace they share of belonging to the Teams of Our Lady and to thank Mary for her protection. They stand ready for service, so that others also may belong to the Movement and may grow in and through the Lord.
Gathering of Responsible Couples and Spiritual Counsellors from the Teams of Our Lady France-Luxembourg-Switzerland
Montreuil, France 10-11 October 2009
The 10th and 11th of October 2009 saw the gathering of 2800 team members, Responsible Couples for the most part, from the Super Region made up of France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. They came together to pray and meditate the word of the Lord "The power of the Holy Spirit will come on you, and you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1, 8)
As an introduction to the gathering, the members of the Responsible Team for France-Luxembourg-Switzerland presented an original and interesting talk of what they expected from a responsible couple. Monsignor Claude Dagens, Archbishop of Angouleme and member of the Académie Française, set the tone for the weekend when he spoke about the mission of Christian couples in the world. A roundtable discussion presented various aspects of the role of Christians in today's society. And how difficult it is, in some professions, to be a committed Christian! Pierre, Cécile and Jean-Noël Klinguer made sure that the festive spirit was present in their singing. A director, Vincent Buron, ensured the proper sequence of events with great humour. That evening, the Team members left Montreuil for a mixed meeting with other Teams resident in Paris or its suburbs. A humoristic sketch about the role of the Responsible Couple followed this and then Father Paul-Dominic Marcovits gave a talk about the origins of the Movement. A highpoint of the morning was the introduction of the new Spiritual Counsellor for France-Luxembourg- Switzerland, Father Philippe Beitia, to the assembly. He was greeted and welcomed to his new position by Monsignor Brac de la Perrière together with Françoise and Rémi Gaussel, the Responsible Couple for France-Luxembourg-Switzerland. Maria-Carla and Carlo Volpini together with Father Epis, from the International Leading Team (ERI) talked about the importance and strength of the movement throughout the world. Information was then given about the different parts of the Movement: Massabielle, The Intercessors, Teams of Our Lady Siloé, Tandem Teams and Reliance Teams, for divorced and remarried couples. Monsignor Brac de la Perrière, auxiliary Bishop of Lyon, presided the final Mass that marked the end of the two-day event.
Father Caffarel made his presence felt throughout the weekend.
T.O.O.L. - Satellite Team "old teams and old team-members"
The satellite team "old teams and old team-members" met in London,May 23rd and 24th 2009 in the presence of To and Ze Moura Soares to give a progress report on its work. The team compiled a working paper with use for persons in charge of the Movement on the old team-members and the way of giving them all their place in the Movement. This document was given to the College of Rome last January and it is under examination by the Super-Regions. A final version will be prepared for September 2009. The team also started its thinking about the ideas to be proposed for the teams having already a certain seniority and wishing to go further in their life of faith and charity as for those who want simply to return to the sources of the charisma of the Movement. It will be based on the experiments already known in this field, in particular the years of deepening and the old teams which existed in the years 1960-1980. Its work will lead to the drafting of a working paper at the end of 2009.
MEETING OF THE SATELLITE TEAM FOR TRAINING, VERONA, SEPTEMBER 4-5, 2009
The Satellite Team for Training, consisting of four couples from three different countries, with its leaders, To and Zé Moura Soares, met in Verona, Italy, in the first weekend in September. Over these few days of intense work, the exchange and familiarity between us grew and strengthened the work already developed throughout the whole year. During this second meeting, we revised the general document on training, together with various specific training files within the Teams of Our Lady framework. Afterwards, we put together a work plan for the next year concerningpermanent training and a dictionary in 5 languages of the terms most used in the Teams of Our Lady. It is terribly important to realize that the work method accentuates good communication between the Super Regions and the ERI (International Leading Team), so that there is a fruitful exchange about the various documents worked upon. It is a service that ought to answer the Super Regions' needs and ought not to be felt as a burden. The idea is to see training as a continuous and continual way for team members to grow and mature within the Teams of Our Lady movement, so that they realize and understand their calling to holiness and to serve others. It is also important to understand that the international aspect is always present in these documents, since they are propositions made for the intention of all countries where there are teams. In addition, the goal of unifying the movement and being faithful to the charisma of the Teams of Our Lady is essential. Finally, despite the fact that these documents were the primary concern of the couples participating in the Satellite Team for Training, the wonderful, warm hospitality of the Verona team members must be remembered and thanked.
EDUCATIONAL SATELLITE TEAM (ESP1)
The third meeting of ESP1 was held at the Social Centre of Saint Mary's Church, in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA, from July 31st to August 2nd, 2009. All members of this team, together with the Spiritual Counselor Father Ricardo Londoño, and To and Zé from the ERI (International Leading Team) participated. A new couple, Lourdes and Sobral from Brazil, were introduced to the Team. They will replace Cida and Raimundo, who have been nominated to take up the leadership of the Brazil Super Region. At the beginning of this meeting, To and Zé, who are in charge of the Satellites Teams' work, presented a synthesis of all that the Satellite Teams have accomplished, and then set out the directions and end goal for the new document that the ESP1 will produce, a second Study Topic. During this meeting, we developed the first document produced by ESP1 in view of its publication; we evaluated the final text of the second piece of work, the Study Topic, that is already finished; and we drew up a plan for the next piece of work, in line with the directions and end goal presented by To and Zé. ESP1's various pieces of work should be finished for the International College of International Leading Teams (ERI) in 2011.
Meeting of Brazilian Team in Florianopolis
MEETING OF BRAZILIAN TEAMS IN FLORIANOPOLIS
The second National Meeting of the teams of the Super Region of Brazil took place in Florainopolis from 16th to the 19th July.
There were 5,100 team members from all areas of Brazil taking part in the meeting. This included 2,390 couples, 11 archbishops and bishops, 248 spiritual counsellors, as well as other guests and volunteers.Maria Carla and Carlo Volpini, the International Leading Couple and Fr Angelo Epis the International Spiritual Counsellor were present. Also supporting the meeting were Silvia and Chico who are responsible for the Americas Zone and Clarita and Edgardo the couple responsible for the Hispanic-American Super-Region.
The theme of the meeting was "As for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh." (Jos 24.15). To symbolize the house built on the rock, a "stone" blessed by the Holy Father Benedict XVI was deposited in the Cathedral of Florianopolis. With stones brought by each couple from their own home town, these remain the eternal signs of the mutual obligation of faithful love which we promised at the time of this meeting. With the fruits of the collection during the closing Mass along with the stones brought by the participants we will build a house for a poor family of the city of Florianopolis.
The meeting of the International Leading Team
The meeting of the International Leading Team (ERI) took place in Paris from February 18th to 23rd, 2010.
Mail 2010
QUO VADIS (Where are you going?)
Hervé et Geneviève de CORN
This question ‘Quo vadis?' is taken from an apocryphal text about the martyrdom of St. Peter. As Peter was getting ready to leave Rome to avoid persecution, Christ, heading towards the town, appeared to him on the Via Appia. In response to Peter's question, ‘Where are you going, Lord?' Christ replied that he was going to be crucified a second time. Then Peter understood that he ought not to flee this time and he returned to Rome where he asked explicitly to be crucified, according to tradition, upside-down, so that he would not imitate with his master. (Taken from Wikipedia)
Jesus is searching for you and calls you: The Lord God called man and said to him, ‘Where are you?' (Gn 3, 9) ‘Come and follow me!' (Mt, 19,21) (Mc 10, 21), (Lk 18, 22) ‘Will you give me a drink?' (Jn 4, 7) He said to Peter, ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?' (Mt 26, 40) ‘I am thirsty' (Jn 19, 28) There are many examples in the Bible where God begs for our love. Since creation, God is in search of man's love. We do not seek God; rather it is He who seeks us! God wants to respect our freedom and we are at liberty to follow him or to refuse to follow him.
If you knew the gift of God Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.' (Jn 4, 10)
Jesus asks the Samaritan woman for a drink by the well, that is a sign of the depth of our being, because he cannot draw water himself. He needs the Samaritan woman's help, just as he needs our help. But if he asks, it is in order to give a hundredfold. He promised her and he promises us a hundredfold if we accept and decide to follow him.
When we joined the Teams of Our Lady movement, we did so of our own accord. Did we realise that we were answering the Lord's call? He promised us ‘living water'. Are we going to refuse that ‘living water', the source of which is never-ending?
The Endeavours and Sharing on the Endeavours: Constraint or Wealth? It is not easy to deal with a subject as important as the Endeavours in such a short article. It would really need a whole session! We bear in mind Father Jean-Marie Riou's phrase uttered at a session in Col du Rousset (France), ‘What is asked for by the Teams of Our Lady is the bare minimum for a Christian!'
‘The bare minimum' means that we cannot live without it! And this reminds us of one of Gandhi's phrases ‘You can live without eating, but you cannot live without praying.'
Father Riou added ‘for a Christian', but this does not mean it is limited to the Teams of Our Lady! All Christians are called to holiness and therefore that ought to be the goal of all Christians. Thus Teams of Our Lady members are not called to be ‘super Christians' but just Christians in all simplicity. A Christian is someone who puts Christ at the centre of his or her life and who allows Christ to live and work through him/her.
The Endeavours are a means suggested by the Movement to progress in the wake of Jesus Christ. They are not goals in themselves. These means were already put into use by the very first Teams and Father Caffarel who used to say to them, ‘let us search together.' ‘Together' they distinguished the means that were accessible to all couples, no matter what their commitments, and especially if they had commitments!
Tó and Zé Moura Soares Members of the International Leading Team (ERI) Responsible for the Satellite Teams
1. To talk about helping and rendering service in the Satellite Teams is an interesting task. It is the reason why we placed ourselves in God's presence and asked Him to help us share what we think and have in our hearts. Couples who make up the different Satellite Teams try to get together and to listen to each other in order to discover a way to serve. Their guiding principle is the charisma of the Teams of Our Lady Movement and they make full use of the training that the Movement provides. Couples who belong to the Satellite Teams certainly give thanks to God for the marvels that are accomplished in their lives, via the listening, the discovery and their very own evolution and progression in the service, and thanks to their exchange of ideas and experiences. This discovery is not a fugitive impulse that is over in an instant. It is a strength that accompanies them, and cultivates the spirit of service in these couples and incites them to serve graciously.
2. Once they have listened, discovered and distinguished, they must exchange ideas and experiences with each Satellite Team couple so that their work is consensual and collegial. This process means that the international dimension of the ideas and cultures is incorporated together with the needs of the Movement and the realities of the world. Throughout the year, each member of the Satellite Team communicates with the others via Internet, Skype or Messenger. At the end of the year, all the couples from each Satellite Team gather together. An assessment of the work accomplished and the aims of future work are discussed at this a meeting. The organisation of this meeting is similar to a basic Team of Our Lady meeting with the Meal, the Communal prayer, the Sharing of Endeavours and the General Sharing. The final part given over to the study topic concerns the document the Satellite Teams have put together over the year.
'Being on the road' means letting oneself be carried along by the events and by things without necessarily being able to make sense of them. ‘Taking to the road', in contrast, means opening oneself up to new demands because it implies the decision to start a trip, to think about the route to be taken, to experience the preparation time that brings alive the sensation of expectation and waiting, and above all, it allows one to realise that ‘being on the road' is our new state of being. This state of being creates different behaviour in us. It gives us new words to tackle everyday life in its little and large aspects and to look at the way history is unfolding around us and how we are actors within that history." Carlo & Maria Carla Volpini
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