We are very happy to be gathered here as the international Lay Camillian Family, with the caring support of the Camillian religious, with a particular thank you to you Father Pedro Tramontin, General Superior of the Order, elected in May 2022, to be present among us for our elective International General Assembly (it shall be the election of the 4th Central Commission).

We have all just lived through very difficult years with the COVID pandemic, and also mournings, and catastrophic weather, economic, political situations…We are thirsty for Hope and to regain a positive dynamic.

So, a great thank you to all of you who are present – ​​thank you for the great efforts you have made to come here. It is good, it is well, it is beautiful to be together.

Of course, we also have a thought for all those who couldn’t make this trip and we will try to join them via Zoom.

We are going to live together for 6 full days: we have a beautiful program, to get to know each other better, to understand each other better, to better share our realities of the different countries where we live.

We need to walk together following the example and thespirituality of St Camillus to make our Lay Camillian Family live even more. We have a Church mission, with a life of prayer and action for people in suffering. We want to practice an active faith; “I was sick and you visited me…” said Jesus.

The charism of Saint Camillus is still of our days: it is to provide material, fraternal and spiritual assistance to suffering people, not only in places of care, but also to our loved ones, family, friends, relations, work teams, groups of the large Charismatic Camillian Family (those who share the same charism of St Camillus, religious, nuns, consecrated lay, Lay Camillian Family).

It is a whole, which we can call “the Camillian attitude”, that is to say, when you provide appropriate support, a soothing look, a smile, listening, benevolence, consolation…all this, with the intelligence from the heart, and always with “More heart in our hands”, as St Camillus asked.

We have chosen these words as our theme: “Courage, faint hearted, it is not your work but mine” that St Camillus understood as coming from Jesus, for the exhortation to courage, self-sacrifice and humility in our actions. to all those people who are waiting for us.

We all share the same flame, and to work better together, since 2002, the LCF has an official organisation, general Statutes (booklet) recognised by the Order of the Camillians and by the Vatican. During this General Assembly, we will have to follow the Statutes for the elections (who votes, who does not vote). We also will have the opportunity to add possible amendments, after 20 of experience of these statutes. After, these will have to be approved by the Camillian Order.

I conclude, with these words of Pope Francis for the Day of the Sick of this year 2023: “I invite you all to reflect on the fact that it is particularly in the experience of vulnerability that we have to learn to walk together according to the” style of God” which is closeness, compassion, and tenderness. »

Great week everyone!

Sacrofano, 2 mai 2023

Marie-Christine Brocherieux,

LCF President (2014-2023)