ECHO du MIAMSI 33 ECOS del March 2015 Mouvement International d’Apostolat des Milieux Sociaux Indépendants ECHOES from Movimiento Internacional de Apostolado de los Medios Sociales Indipendientes International Movement of Apostolate in the Independent Social Milieus ECHOES OF OUR MOVEMENTS’ LIFE Special Inter-Isles In this issue Edito Dear Friends, Des témoignages diversifiées In September 2014, I have realised a missionary trip to the Inter- is- Editorial 111 lands of the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, the Seychelles, Madagascar and Reunion Island). The InterInter----IslesIsles General Assembly 222 My trip started in Mauritius where I participated in the Inter-Island InterInter----IslesIsles G. A. (follows) 333 General Assembly taking place there in Rose-Hill. Maurice: Foi et Vie, international concept! 333 We have together been through their assessment of the previous years and examined their respective future projects with much sincerity, seri- One call, one mission for the service of mankind, 444 ousness, realism and creativity. the world and the Church! Seychelles: personnal, professionnal and spiri- 444 After the GA, I have had the opportunity of meeting several teams of tual development Mauritius, of Reunion Island and of Madagascar (Diego, Antananarivo, Tamatave and Sambave). New Indian Ocean Island Board: « Keep our 555 lamp burning» Much of the questioning in this region converge with those of our other ACI in Réunion: witnesses and missionary 666 continents such as the “to live together”, with dynamism, with an im- pressing will to move forward, to participate in the construction of a Madagascar: apostolic fervor aroused in our 666 hearts world, more just and brotherly, deeply united in the in the name of Christ. Madagascar: Sambava, from JIC to ACI 777 Good reading Diégo, Antananarivo: Maryse testifies 888 Maryse ROBERT 999 President of MIAMSI Mauriitius: At Bois marchand, a social miracle! Relay Inter-Isles Indian Ocean Our relay regroups the ACI move- The ACI movements of the Relay ments of Madagascar, the Sey- Number of members: Different themes approached by chelles, Mauritius and Reunion Is- Mauritius 57. the movements of the different land. Seychelles 7. countries between 2012 and 2014: Madagascar 54. Mauritius – is a volcanic island. Reunion 20. The fundamentals of our faith: Area: 1 865 km2 - 1 313 000 in- The inter-islands relay totalises 139 • Baptism habitants. It is a republic. members. • The place of the lays in the The Seychelles - are a granitic ar- Church chipelago of 115 small islands. To- The functioning of the Relay • The transmission of faith tal area: 455 km2 - 82 250 inhabi- In turn, each country organises and • Hope tants. It is also a republic. receives: • Promotion of the 12 fundamen- Madagascar – “The large is- • One yearly meeting of the Bu- th tal values land” (5 largest one in the world) reau (President – Secretary – Treas- The new evangelisation. 587 000 km2 - 21 000 000 inhabi- urer – one member and the chap- tants. It is equally a republic. lain). Reunion Island – is a volcanic is- Themes related to society : A general Assembly every 4 years • land. Area: 2 512 km2 - 840 000 in Our countries are quite apart, so Old age habitants. It is an Overseas Depart- these meetings are extremely im- • Plead for a simple mode of life ment of France. portant as they keep the link be- • Marriage for all The closest islands are Mauritius tween us alive. These links unite us • Euthanasia and Reunion (200 kms apart) other- as a relay. All the modern technical • Poverty wise, more than 1000 Kms separate communication facilities can in no Education for good citizenship, the other islands. way replace these “physical” en- family education, parents educa- counters. tion. INTER-ISLES General Assembly, 12th—16th September, 2014 The Inter-Island General Assembly ion, 2 from the Seychelles and 12 The problems and difficulty of ac- took place in Mauritius at Rose- from Mauritius. companiment of the teams Hill from the 12 th to the 16 th of The program as established accord- Presentation of MIAMSI September 2014. ing to our methodology: Day 2 : Discerning It has been an honour to welcome Day 1 : Looking • Spiritual resourcing in relation to this assembly Maryse Robert, Presentation of the Indian Ocean with ESE. the President of MIAMSI, accom- region • Meeting with the other Mau- panied by André, her hus- ritian movements. band. Mass in the parish. Lygie Raoeliarimanana, our delegate at the Interna- Day 3: Transforming tional Bureau, unable to • Common research of new attend the assembly was challenges replaced by Monique Jista Synthesis of the main strong from Reunion. Ella Cangy, points of the AG. MIAMSI’s secretary in Rome, on holiday in Mau- Also: • Report of 2010–2014 ac- ritius, has spent one day Inter-Isles General Assembly’s participants with us. tivities Presentation of Mauritius • Financial report The participants: Presentation of the different move- Presentation of the new delegates 8 from Madagascar, 4 from Reun- ment’s reflexions for the Bureau. Page 2 INTER-ISLES General Assembly, 12th—16th September, 2014 Common preoccupations of the The organisation The encounters with the other AC 4 countries: The choice of the location: com- movements. The dynamism of the • Need to redynamise our teams fortable and agreeable. ACE (the youth showing us the (our movements are a bit out of The planning of the works struc- way) tured on our method: looking - The call to have an inter-island breath) discerning – acting • identity (Indianoceany) Need to revise our way of pre- The presence of Maryse Robert The presence of Jesus and prayer senting our spirituality (to touch concerning the international part in the core of our works. the youth and create new teams). and the presentation of the next Work towards more implication GA of MIAMSI General atmosphere : of our members, more responsibility actions. Conviviality, openness of all, friendship, trust, Continue to work on the courage. awareness of our mem- The words of truth bers about the regional from the new members and international dimen- of the Bureau about sions of our movement. their motivation (We must feed the site) The nice relax day Define a new form of with a meditation face accompaniment of our to the sea. teams by lay persons to The atmosphere of make up for the lack of Relaxing day with time for spirituality and sharing brotherhood: like a priests. family. The quality of the intervenient This GA put us back on trail. What we have appreciated about the Indian Ocean and Mau- about this General Assembly: ritius Extracts from the minutes of the General Assembly Mauritius: Foi et Vie, an international concept ! The assembly of 2014 has Catholic Action of the revived the strong moments Working Class, Move- spent at Diego Suarez Inter ment of Top Manage- Island encounter of 2013. It ment Christians, and has been great pleasure to intervenients sharing meet again the delegates about the political, from Madagascar, Sey- economical and social chelles and Reunion. realities of our Indian Ocean Region. We have worked together on the theme:”throw your We all went back fishing net”, in the peaceful and international president, first at home resourced and motivated. magnificent setup of the interis- my base team meeting and later land seminary of Beau Bassin. at the GA. We wish good luck to the new Inter Island Bureau. The concept of the international We have been enriched by the dimension of Foi & Vie has sharing in small groups, by the Vicky Duval, been concretised by the partici- lectures of representatives from Foi et Vie Mauritius pation of Maryse Robert, the diverse Mauritian organisations: Page 3 One Call, One Mission for the service of mankind, the world and the Church! Eight years as the Chair of the lot of apprehension and deep feel- mountable!!! Indian Ocean island board! ings. Being at meetings of the Bureau, But in terms of commitment, as you the GAs, and international meetings The 2014 GA of the Indian Ocean know, the call does not always cor- broadens horizons, builds relation- Island Board in Mauritius was the respond to a personal desire! It's ships .... where fraternity, humility, end of my responsibility as chair more a mission in the service of attention to others combine. which began in 2006 during a GA held in Reunion. 2006-2014: eight mankind, the world and the Church. years! One either answers the call or I want to thank everyone who has As our GA is held every trusted and supported me four years, that makes 2 during these eight years: terms. Yolande, Marie-Louise, Christophe, Martha, Dora, I took over then from Françoise, Dominica, Marie-Louise Mauxion Joëlle, Corinne Elizabeth, of Madagascar who had Monique, Nicolas, Pascal, held the job for the pre- Gerard, Samy and many vious 4 years. others. This responsibility had Now it’s my turn to trust the new team taking over made me very afraid, Old and new Inter-Islands Bureau knowing I have trouble working at a and I thank them. distance. not.... That was a lesson for me. The distance between our islands Looking back, I can say that the Edith de la Giroday and little attraction for the experience was very rewarding and Past Pinter-Isles President "function" had engendered in me a ultimately neither scary nor insur- ACI Reunion Meetings in Mauritius: A look at the poorest! At the end of the Assembly, we Meeting with the President of the ily member has been invested by the had the joy of being received by Association « Kolektif Rivier family to follow up the relocation Bishop Piat: Nwar », Geneviève Tyack, a former project with an architect socially en- gaged. The work has been extraordi- He strongly encouraged us to con- President of MIAMSI.