Pastoral visit of Mgr Luc Crepy to Mantes-la-Jolie and Mantes-Sud
We wanted him to discover the human and pastoral realities of each parish. It is for our bishop the opportunity to discuss, to encourage, to discover, to share, to experience the realities on the ground… with those whose mission is the proclamation of the Gospel.
Thursday, November 24
The pastoral visit began in Guerville discovering the rural world. After a time of prayer at Saint Martin de Guerville church, Mgr Luc Crepy met the correspondents of the different villages of the parish of Mantes Sud and some farmers. Everyone expresses what they do, their concerns… their questions… their commitments in today’s context but also in the face of the future.
Then Bishop Luc Crepy headed towards Notre-Dame school in Mantes-la-Jolie where a delegation of children from primary, middle and high school. The students were very touched by the presence of a bishop in their chapel as evidenced by Alban, a 6th grade student: “The bishop was able to meet the students and talk about the faith at school and about other religions. He designated a mass in the school. It was very beautiful and I was happy to be able to serve alongside the bishop in the quorum.”
At the beginning of the afternoon, Mgr Crepy accompanied by Fr. Matthieu Williamson and Fr. Gérard Verheyde met the elected officials different cities of the parish territory of Mantes-la-Jolie and Mantes-sud composed of 12 bell towers. A fruitful meeting in a friendly atmosphere…
At the end of the afternoon, Bishop Crepy visited the Awakening mat’ins association and interacted with the employees and volunteers present to help with the children’s homework. Our bishop took his place among the children to play the game of making a Christmas card. “A planned visit of 20 minutes which ended an hour later, to the delight of the children! !” rejoiced Flore, the director of Eveil Mat-ins.
To end the day, 75 pastoral actors parishes of Mantes la jolie and Mantes Sud were able to be part of the strengths, the charisms but also the limits and the poverty of their parishes, thus demonstrating their pastoral commitment and their participation in the mission of the Church.
Subsequently, Bishop Crepy met the 6 priests and 2 deacons of our parishes in the fathers house for a time of sharing on their concerns and their projects or dreams for the local Church. The meeting was followed by a time of prayer and a fraternal evening.
Friday, November 25
On Friday morning, Bishop Crepy decreed Mass at the Léopold Bellan Foundation retirement home in Magnanville. There he met the management, the team of volunteers and a few sick people with beautiful and simple exchanges and a celebration of the anointing of the sick…
Then Mgr Crepy was invited to lunch at the presbytery of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church with some inhabitants of the Val-Fourré district before visit the Val Fourré market.
In the afternoon, Bishop Luc Crepy was invited to Mantes la Jolie hospital to meet management. Some caregivers and the team of chaplaincy were able to discuss with our bishop and experience a time of thanksgiving to ask for Claire-Odile Bouchereau, who is completing 9 years of mission as hospital chaplain. Bishop Luc Crepy appointed Patrice Sedaminou to ensure his succession.
An evening open to all was proposed at the Othmane Mosque as part of the European week of Islamo-Christian Encounters, on the theme: ” Islamic-Christian dialogue, let’s talk about it! ». Monsignor Luc Crepy and Karim Talbi, rector of the Great Mosque, spoke on the foundations of Islamic-Christian dialogue. Many Christians and Muslims were present to this evening and were able to discuss their personal experience of Islamic-Christian dialogue in their everyday life, their work…
Saturday November 26
After the celebration of Mass at the Collegiate Church of Notre Dame, Msgr. Luc Crepy invited us to a teaching time on the subject : ” The Church: Living and Proclaiming the Joy of the Gospel Together “.
Then Bishop Crepy met during lunch at the Relais Ste-Anne des catechumens and neophytes… A nice moment rich in testimonies and fraternal exchanges.
In the early afternoon, young people from the Tiberias chaplaincy were waiting for Bishop Luc Crepy at the church in Vert for an hour and a half walk through the countryside to the church of the Sacred Heart in Mantes-la-ville for a time of adoration. The college students appreciated the simplicity and ease of exchanges with their bishop. Then Bishop Luc Crepy met younger children during their hour of catechism and gave them a teaching on Forgiveness before closing the afternoon with Sunday Mass surrounded by many mass servants.
Then the Group “Way of Cana” an anime worship evening with beautiful testimonies on vocations, a teaching of the bishop on vocation and a time of adoration.
And then Sunday, it was the party!
A unique mass at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church bringing together the different communities of the parish of Mantes-la-Jolie closed this beautiful pastoral visit. The festivities then continued with a lunch and a festive afternoon bringing together the parishioners of Mantes-la-Jolie and Mantes-Sud.