Narbonne, France. As customary in the Delegation of France, in addition to the special celebrations in the communities and parishes served by the Claretian Missionaries, the Claretian Family meets every first Monday after October 24 in Fontfroide, place of exile and death of the Founder, Saint Anthony Mary Claret. Therefore, on Monday, 28th of October 2019, the Claretian Family of France, the Claretian Missionaries and Lay Claretians of Toulouse, Muret, Marseille and Narbonne gathered in Fontfroide and Narbonne, organized this time by the Lay Claretians.
During the gathering, Fr. Pierre Zanga, CMF, Major Superior of the Delegation of France celebrated the Eucharist in honor of St. Anthony Mary Claret. In his intervention, he informed everyone that they are about to start the “Claretian Year” and that next year will be the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Claret’s death. Likewise, in the same Eucharistic celebration, they also prayed for the oldest member of the Organism, Fr. Louis Masachs, CMF and for his 70 years of religious life.
The group also visited the former tomb of our Father Founder at the former Cistercian Monastery, the Fontfroide Abbey. And then had a fraternal meal and sharing time guided by the two Claretian in-charge of the Lay Claretians of France, namely Fathers Joachim Grendoti and Juan Gustavo Pez, CMFF. Members of the Claretian Family of Marseille, Narbonne, Toulouse and Muret shared the many activities they have had during the past year.
They all went home full of gratitude to God, for the work of Father Claret in the Church and for the unification of the Claretian Family in France that makes them feel identified as one big happy family in France.
