It’s a pleasure to meet him again after the "French-speaking Christian Forum", in Paris, two weeks ago. I had already been struck by his warm welcome to this project.
Olivier Fleury with Emmanuel Gougaud
"All churches will do something," he says. Such an initiative can only work if the churches are not dispossessed of their own heritage. They must be able to carry out their denominational projects while participating in ecumenical projects."
He is convinced of the importance of the ecumenical dimension: "Pope Francis keeps reminding us that all that Christians can work together, they must work together. The challenge of such a project is its preparation. And to share with us a dream for 2033: that all Christians can meet together around the same table of Christ! Our mission is to do everything to make it a reality.”
For him, announcing the bodily resurrection of Jesus is essential. Our task is to express his joy. Jesus gives a divine meaning to our life. Through him we do not need to justify our life.
Be inspired by the year 2000
Three days later, in this same building, we meet Antoine Sondag, director of the Service of the Universal Mission which deals with the international relations of the Catholic Church of France. "The Church of France still works thanks to priests from abroad" he says.
According to him "the good old ecumenism between Catholics and Lutheran-Reformed" must be expanded. There is a new generation of Catholics eager to work with Pentecostals in France and elsewhere. On the other hand, the fact that we are connected both with the World Council of Churches and the Lausanne Movement interests him.
With Antoine Sondag and Annie Josse
He emphasizes that the resurrection is a historical fact that continues to unfold its effects. Each Eucharistic celebration is an active memory. This relativizes the anniversary of 2000 years, but not its relevance.
In this regard, he recalls that Pope John Paul II loved commemorations with their necessary steps of purification and forgiveness. He also encourages us to study the pedagogy implemented by the Catholic Church leading up to the year 2000. "Catholics are used to these steps. They are ready to walk towards 2033".
Annie Josse, his collaborator, remarks that this event will speak immediately to Africa and to Latin America, unlike us where it requires a lot of preparation, but it is worth it.
Walking towards 2033 with the Scriptures
Alexis Leproux, vicar general of the diocese of Paris, receives us at the archbishop's palace, in the shade of the cathedral. His first reaction was to say "Good idea! If Jesus returned, that's what he would do: first visit". It is certain that for such an event, the Catholic Church will do something. "But it would be good to do it together. It is a very relevant idea to bring Christians together on this occasion."
Alexis Leproux
He is therefore happy with our project, even if 2033 seems distant and if, after the fire of the Paris Cathedral, priorities have changed. The look is focused on 2024 with the Olympics in Paris and the possible reopening of Notre Dame.
Biblical, he believes very much in the unifying study of the Scriptures. Each week, more than two thousand young people gather in about thirty groups to meditate. And he is the soul of this diocesan movement.
He sees a messianic symbol in the number 33: King David reigned 33 years in Jerusalem. Now Jesus is the son of David!
For him, it is beautiful to walk with the scriptures throughout the year. Between 2030 and 2033, he imagines a three-year preparation with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and taking the Gospel of John in 2033.
A missionary opportunity!
We also visit the Dominican center "Istina". “It is”, explains its director Franck Lemaître, the "grandfather of ecumenism" in France since it was created in 1927 when the Russian refugees arrived.
Franck Lemaître
He wondered what format to give the JC 2033 project to have a missionary character. Focusing on an event is educational. But any gathering in a closed place, like a stadium, concerns only Christians.
Among the 323 Dominican gathered in 28 communities, some exercise their ministry among the youth. He would be happy to join this project: "Things succeed if people get involved. Try to convince some young people that there is a missionary opportunity!"
Michel Mallèvre, the director of the magazine Istina, tells us the importance of meeting representatives of the great world communions, especially in other continents, where is the new center of gravity of world Christianity. He notes that ecumenism between Catholics and evangelicals has made much progress in recent years. He himself was vice-president of the "Day of Christ", which is an expression of it.
Michel Mallèvre
For the benefit of a long ecumenical experience, he wonders how, on the occasion of 2033, "the big Catholic machine" will enter an ecumenical step and how the Orthodox will overcome their difficulty of praying with other Christians.
Martin Hoegger
