New! Not big declarations with a user manual, but lines that want to make sense, inspire and propose benchmarks to educational teams. This is the approach lived this Friday, May 17 at the Mother House of Ploërmel at the initiative of the Tutelle La Mennais, France.
300 participants, heads of institutions, management teams, teachers, staff, representatives of management associations and parents, Brothers, diocesan Directors – including Patrick Lamour, Françoise Gautier, Michel Pellé – guests from other Congregations and the congregations’ network – URCEC- experienced the day of presentation of the new orientations both in the mode of reflection and under the sign of humour, with the help of Médiaclap and various technical providers. Pascal Balmand, Secretary General of Catholic Education France was invited to react to the new orientations.
Milestones ?
A significant setting to discover Jean-Marie de la Mennais
+ “Jean-Marie de la Mennais the stubborn”. A theatrical staging by Pierre Grandry -interpreted by himself and Philippe Cherdrel- opened the day. It is the discovery or rediscovery of different moments of life and intuitions of the Founder interpreted in an expressive and meaningful way by the two actors and a musician, Angel Villart.
Excerpts “There is so much to rebuild! Little brother, we are going to be! God ? A force inhabited in the heart of each one, a force that exceeds it and leaves it free / No man has the right to close his eyes on the misery / We enter education by the door of friendship / A Brother? A sign of the tenderness of God. “
Hervé Zamor: “The Mennaisian charisma places fraternity in its heart”
Rev. Brother Hervé ZAMOR, Superior General, spoke on the theme of the charism and ways of living it today. “The Charism is a gift of the Spirit to the Church and the answer to a double experience: God and the concrete needs of a community”. He emphasised the style, consistency and pedagogy of the relationship. The colours of Mennaisian charism? Compassion, travelling together, abandonment to Providence, the option for the poor, integral education. “The school should be a place of communion around a fraternity received, a shared fraternity and a fraternity offered. “
Heads of institutions and La Mennais France network leaders received the 8 documents of the new reference text
+ 8 themes for the new reference text. You know the game “Who wants to win La Mennais – and not the money ?! 8 candidates presented in turn the 8 themes of the new reference text using dynamic questions. Important symbol: it is children touched by the song “Together we want to grow up” who handed these documents to the heads of establishments present.
Here are the 8 themes: Educate, Discover the religious and spiritual dimension, develop the best of oneself, live fraternity, welcome the fragilities, propose the Gospel, learn, build with diversity.
+ 4 New Directions: Coherence and Cohesion, Caring, Singularities and Differences, Motivation through Engagement. On the basis of findings, foundations are identified and work tracks are formulated.
Pascal Balmand, Secretary General of Catholic Education France: “How do we open paths of hope for young people in our schools? “
+ Pascal BALMAND reacted to the new orientations of La Mennais Educational Network, France taking into account the general approach of Catholic education in France on the theme “Re-enchanting the School”.
He welcomed the stimulating and consistent orientations. They join the heart of an approach: responding to needs by bringing Christian hope. He identified three needs: the unification of our lives through the search for meaning, fraternity and the need for hope. He also pleaded not for values but virtues and invited Catholic Schools to be servant schools.
“Let our schools be places of breath, care and hospitality. How do the contents of the teachings, the daily life of the School, the ways of being in relation and the place offered to the words of the young people and the children reveal who we are? How do we open a future and offer hope? “
The general secretary wears La Mennais colours close to the heart!
“Taking care of each other, of everyone, within an educational team, with young people and adults, it is three things: I see you – you exist, I recognise you – I need your help, and then we will do things together.
Seeds given to everyone … to sow and sow
At the end of the day, during the celebration, every one received some seeds to sow and to make grow the day full of the Spirit.
