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From Fides ServiceJune 23, 2010
Once again this year some 5,600 secondary school students (aged 11-13)
belonging to chaplaincies of the eight diocese of Ile de France, accompanied by
almost 700 adults and animators, answered a call from the provincial Office for
Missionary Cooperation to make a pilgrimage to Lisieux.
According to a report sent to Fides by the National Director of the Pontifical
Mission Societies in France, Fr. Pierre-Yves Pecqueux, this annual pilgrimage
consists of five large rallies, each presided by a different Bishop of the Ile
de France region. This year the rallies, held from 19 May to 12 June, focused on
the theme "With Therese, we too love peace", to encourage the young participants
to become builders of peace in a world where the need for peace is so
desperately acute. A different theme chosen every year aims to inspire the
children to be real missionaries following the example of Saint Therese of
Lisieux.
As in the past, this year's rallies were marked by joyful participation on the
part of the young pilgrims. The pilgrimage includes a visit to places where
Therese lived, meetings with missionaries who share their experience helping the
children to recognize places of mission and broaden their horizons.
The annual pilgrimage to Lisieux is an opportunity for young people to share
generously with others. There is a collection for a selected Missionary
Childhood project. This year the proposed project will help less fortunate
children in South Africa, Kenya, Senegal and Morocco.
These events are always a real opportunity to awaken children to the universal
dimension of mission by helping them discover a certain country proposed by
Missionary Childhood, and an opportunity for cultural enrichment based on
cultural differences. This missionary event is also an opportunity to encounter
Jesus Christ, following in the footsteps of the Little Flower, Saint Therese of
Lisieux, patron saint of missions.
