Friends of the Foyers Newsletter - Easter 2002

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/movecomm/foyer/foyer.html

Dear Friend,

You are receiving this Friends of the Foyers Newsletter because you subscribed at the Theotokos Catholic Website - www.theotokos.org.uk - or you contacted the site at some stage about the Foyers, or possibly a friend may have forwarded it to you.

This newsletter usually appears a couple of times a year, in the spring, and in the autumn, after the annual Foyer-type retreat in England.

God Bless for Easter and Pentecost,

Donal Foley and Martin Blake

p.s.

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If you have received this Newsletter from a friend, and would like to subscribe to future issues, then simply send an email to with "subscribe" as the subject.

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Please feel free to recommend this Newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in its contents. Just click on "Forward" in your email program, and select their address. This is one of the best ways of spreading the word about the Foyers so please do this if at all possible.

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Contents

Easter 2002,

1. Recent Foyer news

2. September Retreat

3. Foyers Abroad

4. Marthe and L'Ile Bouchard

5. Books

6. Websites worth visiting

7. Theotokos Catholic Website news

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1. Recent Foyer News

Marthe was born on 13 March 1902, so this month is the centenary of her birth, and it will be widely celebrated in the Foyers throughout the world. Last time we featured the new Foyer in Lebanon which is having such an impact on the troubled Middle East. This time we feature the new Foyer in Poland and include a translation of articles from a recent Alouette (Foyer magazine produced at Châteauneuf - it means "The Lark"). To access these go to:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/movecomm/foyer/polishf.html

The latest Alouette has an article on 'The Church as Communion' by the newly ordained Bishop of Kinkala (Congo) who was previously father of a Foyer there. His words reminded me of something I heard on EWTN that the three conditions necessary for a community — which are also true for the universal Church — are:

1. Members must love one another; 2. They must accept objective truth; and 3. They must be prepared to be admonished by other members and say "I could be wrong". I think the many dissenters we hear of, both 'liberals' and 'traditionalists' might gain from pondering these conditions. They are the hallmark of every Foyer community.

The New Movements

The history of the Church is rich with revivalist movements. 'Ecclesia semper reformanda est'. There was never a 'Golden Age'. It was always a struggle to be a loyal Catholic. The battle between good and evil, God and the Devil, predicted in Genesis, was to last until the end of time.

In 1998 the Holy Father welcomed the first meeting in Rome of the so-called New Ecclesial Movements (all 200 of them), since when we have heard a good deal about them. Last year the CTS started a new series of booklets devoted to these movements, and we hope that in due course there will be one on the Foyers of Charity. Especially featured in the first half dozen titles are 'Youth 2000' and the 'Faith Movement', both of which originated in Britain. Essential reading for all is Fr Ian Ker's 'The New Movements—a Theological Introduction' (Mo 04).

In it Fr Ian shows how the New Movements are a fulfilment of Lumen Gentium, the most important document from Vatican II, which stated that "the Holy Spirit bestows upon the Church her varied hierarchical and charismatic gifts", and that "the Holy Spirit distributes special graces upon the faithful of every rank". Lumen Gentium avoids altogether speaking in terms of clerical and lay membership of the Church in the first two chapters, which Fr Ian sees as crucial. The other major point that he notes is that in every age God has raised up 'new movements'—e.g. the Franciscans and Dominicans in the 13th Century, the Jesuits in the 16th C.—and today he sees it as clear that the New Movements are being raised up to renew the Church in our present secular age.

The Foyers may claim to be among the first New Movements, along with Opus Dei, having started more than twenty years before Vatican II. Both movements feature a strong combination of laity and clerics. Both are strongly Eucharistic, Marian and papal, which indeed is a common feature of most of the New Movements.

The Bishop' role

Writing to me at Christmas from Châteauneuf, Père Bernard Michon the new senior Foyer Priest noted that their recent experience shows that most new Foyers are born in the hearts of bishops. We should all, therefore, try and let our own bishops know about the Foyers.

Perhaps each recipient of these newsletters might write to his or her bishop enclosing a copy of this e-newsletter, (or just forward this e-mail to them!), and a copy of the CTS B652 'Marthe Robin'. My own Bishop of Clifton (England) knows all about the Foyers and is sympathetic.

Indian Journey

Last October I had the privilege of visiting India for the first time. On arrival I spent a week with Fr Gali and his magnificent homes for handicapped girls (at Ongole) and boys (at Kanigiri) which I help to sponsor. I can let any Friend who is interested have details of the charity 'Enable in India' which supports Fr Gali's great work. If you are on line try www.enable-india.org.uk. Then I visited three of the houses of the Sisters of Grace and Compassion.

And finally I spent three days with Fr Johnny Eddakara at the Foyer called Sneha Deeparn at Vellore near Madras. This was most impressive and again I can give details to any Friend who is interested. I hope to revisit India this November and see the other Foyer called Prima Seva Ashram.

Thanks!

May we sincerely thank all those who kindly 'chipped in' to swell our small Friends of the Foyer Fund. Some 45 Friends responded, and we have around £500 in reserve for when we shall really need it, which we hope and pray may be soon.

Prayer still needed!

Please go on using the Daily Prayers if the Foyers and invoke those suggested in the last Newsletter. May God grant us all joy and peace this Easter, and Our Lady of the Foyers protect us.

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2. September Retreat

For the third year we have secured the Carmelite House at Boars Hill near Oxford, (England), for our annual retreat, and details are available through the link below. It is a great privilege to have Fr Ian Ker to teach us; he has been a keen supporter of the new movements for some time, and in particular of 'Youth 2000', and doubtless we shall be given insights into the mind of the Venerable John Henry Newman, for whose canonisation we should all be praying. He is a Newman expert, and recently appeared on the EWTN series, "Cardinal Newman at 2000."

The retreat will take place from September 9th-14th 2002. Each day will be modelled on the retreats held in the many Foyers world-wide. Silence will be of the essence. Please book early, as this retreat is likely to be very popular.

For more details please email:

more information is also available at:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/movecomm/foyer/eretreat.html

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3. Foyers Abroad

Donal and I will be going to the Foyer de Courset for the blessing of the new chapel On 20 May. We would also encourage any serious Friend of the Foyers to make a retreat at a Foyer in France, ideally at Châteauneuf. With this in mind below are details of the retreat being organized by the Irish Friends in August.

Addresses of other Foyers can be found on page 78 of the CTS 'Marthe Robin'. To these might be added: La Part Dieu, 108 rue de Villiers, 78300 POISSY (Paris), where Cecilia Scovil will give you a royal welcome.

For those who want to experience Foyer Spirituality at source, then there will be a Foyer retreat in English, given by Fr Matthew Bradley, at Châteauneuf de-Galaure, from 4-11 August 2002. This is the "Mother House" of the Foyer movement, and a visit there is very much recommended, not least because it gives you a chance to visit Marthe's house, and the places associated with her. The cost from London is £435 (sterling), and the visit includes a day excursion to the shrine of the Cure D'Ars. For more information contact:

Carmel and Edward Donaghy (Dublin), Tel: +353 1 269 2395

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4. Marthe and L'Ile Bouchard

L'Ile Bouchard, a small town near Tours, in France, was the scene of apparitions of Mary to a group of young children in December 1947, which lasted a week. Recognition of these apparitions took an important step forward in December 2001, when the local Archbishop, Andre Vingt-Trois, authorized pilgrimages and the public cult celebrated at the church of St Gilles. This has not received much publicity, but there is every sign that the events at L'Ile Bouchard were authentic, unlike so many claims of alleged apparitions.

There is quite an interesting link between Marthe Robin and L'Ile Bouchard. France was threatened by a communist takeover in late 1947, and Fr Finet was pessimistic. He visited Marthe on the morning of 8 December 1947, the day on which the apparitions began, and admitted that he thought it was the end for the country, and that civil war was inevitable. Marthe's reply, though, was firm and consoling: "No Father, the Virgin Mary is going to save France through the prayers of little children."

Thus she had some supernatural knowledge of what was about to take place, and indeed L'Ile Bouchard was apparently instrumental in saving France, by means of the movement of prayer which it encouraged. Marthe was actually very keen on emphasizing the power of the prayer of little children, who are innocent before God, and thus very pleasing to him.

For more details about L'Ile Bouchard see:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/approved/appariti/lilebouc.html

The official French site is at:

http://www.notre-dame.org/

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5. Books

Book on Marthe - The "Cross and the Joy" by Rev. Raymond Peyret, the only biography of Marthe Robin, in book form, in English. It gives a solid account of her life and mission, and is a good introduction to the charism of the Foyers of Charity. It is available from Family Publications, 77 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6LF, at a cost of only £5.95. Tel: 01865 514408; Fax: 01865 316951; email:

It is also available online at:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/recbooks/misc/movecomm.html

CTS Booklets - "The New Movements: A Theological Introduction" by Fr Ian Ker (Mo 04); "Marthe Robin: A Chosen Soul" by Martin Blake (B 652), and "Apparitions of Mary" by Donal Foley (Do 662); also "Fatima in the Third Millennium," by Timothy Tindal-Roberston (Do 679), and "What Happened at Fatima" by Leo Madigan (D 651), all priced at £1.95. CTS phone: 020 7640 0042; fax: 020 7640 0046; website: www.cts-online.org.uk

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6. Websites worth visiting

For further information on the Foyers of Charity world-wide and on Marthe Robin:

www.foyer-de-charite.com/

US Foyer of Charity:

www.foyerofcharity.com

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7. Theotokos Catholic Website News

There are new sections concerned with Catholic Pilgrimages and Catholic Retreats at:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/cathpilg/cathpilg.html

and

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/cretreat/cretreat.html

Sections to note include:

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/recbooks/recbooks.html (Recommended Books)

and

www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/breviews/breviews.html (Book Reviews)

You can also visit www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/whatsnew/whatsnew.html for up-to-date info.

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If you have received this Newsletter from a friend, and would like to subscribe to future issues, then simply send an email to with "subscribe" as the subject.

Or you can subscribe at the Theotokos site at: www.theotokos.org.uk/cgi-bin/mojo/mojo.cgi - your email address will then be added to the list.

Please feel free to recommend this Newsletter to anyone you think might be interested in its. Just click on "Forward" in your email program. This is one of the best ways of spreading the word about the Foyers so please do this if at all possible.

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If you have any ideas / news items / suggestions / feedback etc., for future issues, please contact me at:

Copyright 2002 Donal Anthony Foley/Theotokos Catholic Website

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