We do not want to live as if nothing has happened… We want to take the Holy Communion with greater preparation and respect. We want to make an act of total dedication to our Heavenly Father, reads the French manifesto.
Manifesto from Chartres
15 outstanding French personalities: among others, Bishops, philosophers, founders of communities, and artists, signed the “Manifesto of Chartres”, calling to join in entrusting the future of France to God, through the hands of Mary, which will take place on May 17th in Chartres. The signatories of the manifesto acknowledge that the Church’s life so far has not been free from mistakes and express hope that the future will be marked by a “pandemic of graces” – reads the “Manifesto of Chartres”, which is an expression of faith and repentance of the Church in France.
Among its signatories are: Daniel Ange; philosopher Rémi Brague; Marie-Hélène Mathieu, founder of the communities of Faith and Light; Bishop Dominique Rey of the Diocese of Toulon-Fréjus; and, Bishop of Chartres Philippe Christory.
We were dazed by noises and entertainment
The signatories of the manifesto in strong words also admit to neglect the faith in the life. “We recognize that we have not always walked straight in the ways of justice and faith, that we benefited from the ease of consumption, that we took pleasure in material goods, that we expected everything from technical and entrusted our lives to it, that we were dazed by noises and entertainment, that we pact with cowardice.
Recognized henceforth inevitable the attacks on the life and the dignity of marriage, closed our eyes to the crushing of the poor, the isolation and distress of the elderly, that we have not been faithful to the appointments that the Church fixed for us, that we have neglected to share our faith with hearts that are all hungry and thirsty for the truth …” – they write.
“If the Lord gives us a break and allows us a happier existence, we don’t want to continue as if nothing had happened. We want to be faithful to the calls that God addresses to us by his revealed Word, by our pastors, by his saints, by the messages of Mary, our Mother”- they add emphatically.
The recovery plan
They list the specific changes and attitudes that they want to implement from now on, among others there is: greater respect for Holy Communion, the sanctification of Sundays, the penitential nature of Fridays, the church’s full teachings on the purity and holiness of life.
“We want to make prayer a real place in our lives, starting with it and ending with it our days, we want to sanctify the Day of the Lord, to dismiss professional occupations as much as possible from Sunday, to be assiduous at Sunday Mass, even at the cost major disturbances, strive to make Friday a real day of penance, fasting or at least depriving us substantially that day.
We will take advantage of the open churches to visit the Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament. We want to move towards Holy Communion with more preparation and respect.
We repudiate the compromises in which we have been able to live, we accept with a sincere heart the teachings of the Church on chastity before marriage, marital fidelity, birth control, respect for life, the requirement of justice in social relations and with displaced populations, moderation in the use of natural resources….Knowing our weakness, we want to make a wider and deeper use of the sacrament of reconciliation to go back to battle and never resign ourselves to evil.”- they declare.
A pandemic of graces
They also hope that the future of the Church can be marked by a “pandemic of graces”.
“Manifesto of Chartres” is open and all believers are invited to sign and accept its content. The signatories of the manifesto encourage the French to spiritually and, if possible, also physically participate in the pilgrimage to Chartres, which will take place on May 17th. The culmination point of the pilgrimage will be entrusting France to God, through the hands of Mary.
