70 pupils from the English and French schools together with ten adults from the French-speaking chaplaincy in London that is run by the Marists at Notre Dame de France have taken part in the Frat pilgrimage to Jambville. The 'Frat' brings together young people from the eight dioceses in the Ile de France region around Paris. This year's theme 'Breathe upon them that they may live' was taken from the prophet Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 9 on the vision of the dry bones
The pilgrimage ran for three days in the forest around the château of the Scouts et Guides de France in Jambville, which is in the French département of les Yvelines. About 12,000 young people were accompanied by priests, religious and lay people active in the chaplaincies of the Ile de France dioceses. They camped in a leafy, secluded forest that was quite difficult to get to.
The various celebrations led by the Christian music group Glorious, the workshops, the diocesan meetings, as well as the team games enabled the young people to pray, to meet, to get to know each other and to sing in their own musical styles, and all in a festive atmosphere to celebrate the faith lived out in their communities which helps them to discover the spiritual richness of the Church.
On the eve of Pentecost there was the celebration of the baptism of 13 young people from the parishes and chaplaincies in Paris, and there were individual encounters for the sacrement of reconciliation. This was a pilgrimage for our young people that was full of feeling, and of exciting music and dancing. They shared and listened to witness statements about their faith and said that they had grown spiritually and become aware of different aspects of the Mission to which Christ invites us today.
Damien Diouf sm
To watch the video of FRAT 2k17 with the group from London, click on the link above