La Mure, St Peter Julian Eymard church
At its meeting in July 2024, the CEFO working group scheduled a formation session for the entire CEFO group, which could set up an initial core of specialists.
We had already outlined how this session could be conducted.
The General Council accepted the proposal and indicated the date and location: the week of July 7-12 at La Mure.
As it was time to finalize the programme and allocate the various tasks, the "working group" composed of Father José Antonio, Father Fiorenzo Salvi, and Father Manuel Barbiero, met in Rome on March 4-5. Father Thaddée Mupapa was unable to attend this meeting due to a problem concerning his residence permit. We got in touch with him on the morning of March 5 to review the programme, especially since he will be hosting the session at Eymard House in La Mure and will have to organize the group’s accommodation (12-13 people).
Following the outline already indicated during the July 2024 meeting, we have finalised the programme and also considered the speakers.
- All participants are invited to arrive in La Mure no later than Sunday, July 6 so as to begin on Monday, July 7 with the session ending on Saturday, July 12th. Departure is scheduled for Sunday, July 13.
- The session will be opened by Father José Antonio, the General Consultor for the CEFO. We will also refer to Pope Francis’s letter On the Renewal of the Study of Church History.
- The historical, social, political, and religious/ecclesial context of 19th-century France will be presented, as well as an account of how Father Eymard was related to his epoch.
- Biographies and studies about Father Eymard will be presented.
The history that led the Congregation to produce the online and printed edition of the "Complete Works" will be traced and “The Criteria of Interpretation and Literary Genres” will be explained.- This will be followed by presenting the “Introductions” to the four main sections of the Complete Works: Correspondence (CO), Personal Notes (NR – NV – NP), Regulations and Statutes (RR – RT – RS – RA), and Preaching (PG – PT – PM – PA – PD – PC – PO – PE – PP – PR – PS).
- Towards the end of the session, there will be a presentation of the website (eymard.org) and its use. Participants will be able to test their capacity of using it.
- Before the session closes an assessment will be carried out and possible projects for continuing the CEFO project will be discussed. Paths will be suggested about continuing and deepening the knowledge of Father Eymard.
- During the session, a day trip will be organized to get to know one of places where Father Eymard had lived. Two options of these have been considered.
A letter will be sent to the entire group to set out the programme and final details regarding practical organization.
Father Manuel Barbiero, sss
