News & Events

Read this Bulletin from the Friends of Father Caffarel, published at the beginning of 2015. PDF Document

This Bulletin from the Friends of Father Caffarel includes:

• Closing Ceremony of the Diocesan Enquiry for the Cause of Canonisation of Father Henri Caffarel
• Homily for the Thanksgiving Mass for the Closing of the Diocesan Enquiry for the Cause for Canonisation of Father Henri Caffarel
  In the Church of St Augustine, Paris
• Submission of the Dossier in Rome
• Testimonial by Cida & Raimundo Araújo
• Father Caffarel’s Prayer
• Membership with the Friends of Father Caffarel

A Gaze that Listens

by José & Maria-Berta Moura Soares (Responsible Couple, International Leading Team)

It was an event that will mark the history of the Teams of Our Lady: the Closing Ceremony of the diocesan Enquiry of the Cause for Canonisation of Father Caffarel, which took place on October 18th, 2014, at St Augustine’s Church, Paris. Numerous participants, Team members from many countries, family members and former friends of Father Caffarel were there.

There were two parts to the Ceremony: firstly, the apposition of the seals on the boxes containing the documents, once everyone involved in the Cause had solemnly sworn that they had accomplished their task correctly. Most of the participants had never experienced such a particularly moving event. Everyone vibrated with the joy and grace of being able to participate in such an event and we felt “the breath of the Spirit.”  Then the Thanksgiving Mass, prepared by the France Super Region, began and was attended by over 500 people. Some came from very far away: Brazil, Poland or Togo. In his homily, Monsignor de Moulins-Beaufort accentuated the depth and extent of Father Caffarel’s life and message for couples, widows and numerous people who pray.
At the end of mass, and having thanked the Team members for their presence, we cited two phrases of Father Caffarel’s that we found appropriate and important: “Some of you have said to me, ‘Leave us a spiritual testimony.’ Is that really necessary? For a disciple of Christ, isn’t the best solution to repeat the last words of his master, ‘This is my command: love each other.’” (Jn 15:17)

Since it had been a strongly emotional day and since Father Caffarel’s presence was obvious everywhere, we reminded our audience of what he wrote in his last editorial for the letter.

“I would like to shake your hands, every one of you and look at you in the eyes. A Dieu!”
— Fr. Caffarel

Numerous masses were said on this same day in numerous countries around the world (Brazil, USA, Poland, Africa, Australia etc.) in order to celebrate this important moment and they made us realise, once more, that “it is not men’s thoughts, which are important, but the fact that these thoughts are infused with God’s thoughts.” Father Paul-Dominique Marcovits, o.p., postulator for the Cause for the French part, was designated as ‘the bearer’ in order to ensure that the entire dossier arrived in Rome in the best conditions. There the Cause will follow the procedure, watched over by a new postulator, Father Angelo Paleri in the Vatican. It is essential that we continue to pray for and support the process of canonisation of Father Caffarel so that, in the shortest amount of time possible, we will be able to give thanks because our founder has become one more Saint in the Kingdom of God.

Possessing a gaze and a heart which listen leads us to raise our eyes. In connection with Father Caffarel’s attentive gaze, we can see how his company will always be irreplaceable, as are the tools he entrusted to us in order ‘to do and let God make himself be loved and that we let ourselves be loved.’

Tó et Zé