Community of St. Francis de Sales

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Henri Chaumont (1838-1896)
Caroline Carrè de Malberg (1829-1891)

The community of St. Francis von Sales ( it . : Associazione San Francesco di Sales ) is the lay organization within the “Society of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales ”. It belongs to the Salesian family and is an association of believers recognized by the Holy See , it was founded in 1872. It has approximately 3,000 female members in 19 countries around the world and 105 members in the independent male branch.

history

The community of St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was founded in 1872 by Père Henri Chaumont (1838–1896) and Mrs. Caroline Carré de Malberg (1829–1891) in Paris . The origin goes back to the group of "Missionary Catechists of the Immaculate Virgin" founded by Chaumont. These lay people lived in the midst of the world and were approved as archbishopric in Paris by François-Marie-Benjamin Richard Cardinal de la Vergne in 1891 .

As early as 1889, some members had been sent to India as mission catechists . From this the religious order “ Salesian Missionaries of the Immaculate Virgin Mary ” developed (abbreviation: SMMI ). As a further branch a monastic lay community with simple vows arose , which was officially recognized by Rome on April 26, 1911 . These two groups merged in 1968 into a common organization under a higher council. Also in 1968 "ad experimentum" (to the test) a male branch was formed, which has meanwhile grown into an independent community.

On March 25, 1994, there was a restructuring: The lay branch, ie the “Community of St. Francis de Sales ”was a“ private association of believers of an international character ”according to church law and was officially recognized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity . The religious, the “Mission Salesians of the Immaculate Conception of Mary” (SMMI), belong to the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life and are regulated by constitutions. For a more precise differentiation, see Organization and expansion.

Self-image

The ideas of spirituality are based on the patron Saint Francis of Sales. The married and single women strive to lead a life as every Christian should practice. Your apostolate is everyday life in a Christian way, including engagement in church and society . The attitude of values consists of a religious life, which can be shaped in kindness, simplicity, balance and serenity. The fulfillment of professional and family duties is of particular importance. The self-image is characterized by the motto of Franz von Sales, which is: "Everything out of love, nothing out of coercion". The community offers its members a spiritual formation according to the Gospel in the school of St. Francis de Sales. This is done through the community's own texts, each of which prepares a specific topic for meditation for a month. It is primarily about spiritual appropriation.

Organization and dissemination

organization chart

After a training period of two years, the members make a promise of consecration , with which they undertake to live in the spirit of the community. The members live " in the middle of the world ", that is, they remain in their area of ​​life, meet in groups and take part in an annual retreat . Every group has a spiritual . The association has approximately 3,000 female members in 19 countries, spread across Africa (5), Asia (1), Europe (7), North America (3) and South America (3). The male association consists of 105 people. The association has its headquarters in Paris. In Germany there are groups in the dioceses of Aachen , Freiburg , Cologne , Paderborn and Trier , the community is represented in the ZdK . The community is led by a general council, which is chaired by a general leader. Organizationally, it is divided into regions , according to geographical areas, and groups. The regions and groups are led by regional and group leaders. The general assembly is composed of the general councils of both organizations (religious and lay).

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ ZdK members from this organization [1]

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