Community of the Beatitudes
The Community of the Beatitudes ( English : Community of the Beatitudes , French : Communauté des Béatitudes ) is an international association of believers . It belongs to the so-called New Spiritual Communities that arose in the Catholic Church in the years after the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) and was founded in 1973 in France .
history
The community, which was founded in 1973 by the couple Gérard and Josette Croissant and another couple of friends in Montpellier (France), was originally called "Communauté du Lion de Juda et de l'Agneau Immolé" ("Community of the Lion of Judah and the sacrificed lamb ”- names for Christ in the Revelation of John). The two couples joined together, soon with several other friends, for a common life in prayer and community of property . In 1975, after their community had grown rapidly, they moved to Cordes , where they rebuilt a derelict monastery together. The first members of the community were shaped by the experience of Charismatic Renewal . Although most of them were originally Protestant, their common spiritual path led them to the Catholic Church after just a few years. In 1979 the community received episcopal recognition as Pia unio .
structure
In the beginning the community consisted only of lay people : married couples, families and unmarried people. Very soon, however, there were also people who felt drawn to the consecrated life and who took private vows in the community according to the three evangelical counsels . Some ordained brothers began studying theology with a view to the priesthood. In 1985 the first priest of the community was ordained. In the same year the community was recognized by the responsible diocesan bishop of the Archdiocese of Albi Robert-Joseph Cardinal Coffy as an association of believers "ad experimentum". In 1991, in the course of its international expansion, it was renamed "Community of the Beatitudes". During this time she also became a member of the Catholic Association of Charismatic Federal Congregations and Associations (Catholic Fraternity). In 2002 the community was recognized by the Holy See as an association of believers under papal law, with an "ad experimentum" approval of its statutes. After a restructuring in 2011, it is now a “public association of believers” under canon law. After a period of testing its new statutes, it is to be established as a “Church Family of Consecrated Life”, a legal form that was newly created under Pope John Paul II in view of the structural peculiarities of a large number of the New Spiritual Communities in the Catholic Church .
Self-image
The community draws its name from the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount ( Mt 5 : 3–12 EU ), which are at the core of the preaching of Jesus. For the self-understanding of the community of the Beatitudes, the communion of the different living conditions, which should complement each other in their differences, is of central importance. In its specific composition of believers of all walks of life (consecrated men and women as well as laypeople ), it has therefore considered it essential from the beginning to be recognized under canon law as a community under a common leadership and thus an organizational separation into two independent communities ( Consecrated and lay people).
spirituality
The spirituality of the community is inspired by Carmelites (inner prayer and contemplation) as well as influenced by the tradition of the Eastern Church, which is partly expressed in Byzantine elements in the liturgy . Eucharistic adoration and Marian piety are just as much a part of the community's basic spirituality as praise and the practice of charisms . In addition to her special prayer concern for the unity of all Christians, there is also a spiritual bond with the people of Israel, which according to the statement of Vatican II (" Nostra Aetate ") belongs to the mystery of the Church. The community life should be shaped by a life according to the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount and express the longing for the kingdom of God .
organization
The community of Beatitudes includes men of consecrated life (brother branch), including priests, and women consecrated life (sister branch) as well as married and unmarried lay people as associated members (lay branch). The statutes of the community underline the independence of the individual living conditions, which means: "Brothers are for brothers, sisters are for sisters and lay people are responsible for lay people". The following applies to each branch: At the local level there is the "local manager with his local council", at the regional level there is the "regional manager with his regional council". The branches are led by a general manager and his council. The three branches meet for the General Assembly , at which, among other things, the President and the General Council are elected. The General Council is the governing body of the community and has its seat in Blagnac (France).
distribution
The Beatitudes Community is today represented in 27 countries on 5 continents worldwide. In German-speaking countries, the community has branches in the following locations: Bad Driburg and Uedem (Germany), the pilgrimage church of Maria Langegg in Aggsbach (Austria) and Zug (Switzerland).
Apostolates
Under the leadership of the community, in addition to numerous spiritual offers (e.g. retreat houses, care of pilgrimage sites), the following works and facilities are operated: the non-governmental organization Alliance de la Charité (de .: Association of Charity), a hospital in Kabinda ( Democratic Republic of the Congo ) with 250 beds, which supplies an area with almost 300,000 people, an orphanage with around 70 deaf and dumb and physically and mentally handicapped children and adolescents in Vietnam, the Edition des Béatitudes publishing house , a radio station .
Sexual abuse
In 2011 there were reports of sexual abuse . The allegations were directed against the deacon Philippe Madre, who was laicized in the course of the investigation . In November 2011, the Pope Benedict XVI. (2005-2013) appointed Pontifical Commissioner of the Community, Fr. Henry Donneaud OP, announced that the founder, Gérard Croissant, also a permanent deacon and known by the name of Brother Ephraim, sexually assaulted a minor girl and several sisters of the community have. Philippe Madre and Gérard Croissant were excluded from the community of the Beatitudes (the latter in 2008), Gérard Croissant laicized.
literature
- The Spiritual Communities of the Catholic Church - Compendium (No. 34, Community of the Beatitudes, pp. 105-107), St. Benno-Verlag , Leipzig , 204, ISBN 3-7462-1995-7
Web links
- International web presence of the Beatitude Community (multilingual)
- Community of the Beatitudes, Latin Communitas Beatitudinum (CB)
- "Fire and Light" - Spiritual monthly magazine