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EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF LAY DOMINICAN FRATERNITIES

Newsletter 1/2013

1. 4THECLDFMEETING(9TH11

THMAY2013)INROME,ITALY

Our 4th ECLDF meeting took place in Santa Sabina, Rome. This time we were hosted byfr. David Kammler OP, our General Promoter and friars from Santa Sabina. We thankespecially the Master of the Order, fr. Bruno Cador OP, for his presence among usduring the meeting. We thank very much fr. David Kammler for his constant help to theECLDF over the last six years. As we were informed, fr. David Kammlers successor inoffice will be fr. Rui Carlos Lopes OP from Portugal, who we are looking forward tocooperating with.

2. VISIT OFECLDFMEMBERS TOPROVINCES

As usual, we started our meeting on Friday (9 th May) with evaluation of what has beendone since the last meeting in Estavayer-le-Lac, in November 2012.In Switzerland we agreed that projected visits of the members of ECLDF are veryimportant for unity and closer cooperation of European Lay Dominicans and forunderstanding the work and ministry of ECLDF council. As minimal expenses areneeded, the members agreed to visit Provinces/Vicariates near their home Province. Evahad already visited Lay Dominicans from the Czech Republic as a guest at theirFormation meeting in Kostoln Vyd, on 21st April 2013. Eva introduced the work ofECLDF as well as the European Formation project run by Leny Beemer de Vos. Visits ofRuth Anne in United Kingdom, Leny in Germany, Jose Antonio in Portugal and Jean

Michel in Belgium, will follow.

3. FORMATIONWORKING GROUP

Leny Beemerdetailed information regarding continuation of the Formation Project. TheWorking group had met 1-3 March in Utrecht, Netherland, to make further progress. TheWorking group had received response from 18 out of 26 European Provinces/Vicariates,which is very encouraging! All remarks will be included in the ECLDF FormationFramework. The basic point however remains the freedom for each Province/Vicariate toorganize their formation as most suitable for the local situation. The Formation WorkingGroup will give only recommendations and suggestions on organization andprogramming as help for each Province/Vicariate. Leny informed us also that during theirmeeting in Utrecht, Fr. Henk Jongerius OP was invited to talk about his experiences with

formation courses for responsible workers in parishes. Maybe this experience can givesome suggestions how to make a formation programme for responsible formationofficers. The final conclusions from the work of the Working Group will be sen t to eachProvince/Vicariate after November 2013.It is necessary to say that although payment for travel expenses of the Working Groupwas approved by ECLDF in the Estavayer-le-Lac meeting, the members of the groupdecided not to charge the European Council account. This is very generous and weappreciate your implicit donation!

4. FINANCES ANDFUND RAISING

Jose Antonio Munoz Mata, the ECLDF treasurer, informed the Council that the amount ofmoney in the Bank is a little bit under the balance needed. ECLDF again encourages

provinces and vicariates to send their annual contributions for 2013 and the previousyears. Jose Antonio introduced also an idea to open a Paypal account linked to the Pax-

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Bank account and to set a crowd-funding page. The first fund raising page will belaunched to be able to carry all ECLDF projects (Formation Working Group, Assemblyorganization, visits to Provinces/Vicariates, ordinary meetings or the Council). Thisinitiative opens a lot of possibilities for fundraising projects launched by the ECLDF andunder its supervision in the future

5. INFORMATION FROMICLDF

Klaus Bornewasser, our European delegate to ICLDF, had for the first time joined theECLD meeting and made a presentation of his activities. He informed us that in 2017 thenext World Dominican Congress will be held, 10 years after the Buenos Aires Congress.He also informed us about RENOVABIS, a German Catholic foundation, which in thepast made a donation to ECLDF. He gave the information to Jose Antonio and offeredhelp with the procedure of asking for financial support for the next Assembly.

6. UNITY IS THE MAIN WORD OF THEORDER

Fr. Bruno Cadore OP, Master of the Order joined the ECLDF meeting and for nearly twohours stayed in discussion with the council members. He reminded us that the first wish

of St. Dominic was to preach communion, to go from divisions to communion, fromindividual identity to one common identity. As St. Paul wrote in 1Cor we belong toChrist. Fr. Bruno told us: I am concerned about this word communion. Then hecontinued that in the Church and in the Parish level it is strong. Then there is a secondlevel of belonging (renewal, charismatic movements, congregations, orders), and itmeans that I want to choose my degree of belonging to the Church. But we are living inthe times of Facebook. How many friends do we have? The first level is institutional,very strong, the second level wants to be stronger, but there is a third level, it is me, Iam, I choose. From this individual level I have to make one step and go from my choiceto my intermediary belonging and to my belonging to the Church. The common goal is tobelong to Christ and to be happy with that. This is the way to participate in the NewEvangelization. Sometimes we consider the Church as the house and we are discussing

where and why the walls are cracking, how to avoid it, how to have the Churchundamaged. But, what we need to care about is that the doors and windows are open,that the fresh air can come in. Fr. Bruno also told us: The goal is unity in Christ. Unity isthe main word of the Order. To be Dominican is to be friends without discriminations ordegrees of Dominicanity. All our brothers and sisters are Dominicans, right and leftwing, conservatives or progressives. We have to find the way to live community in ourfraternities. We must also reinforce the community. All my sisters and brothers areDominicans and we must be Dominicans together. We must stop creating throughseparation. Nothing is perfect. At the time of creation of the Order, the temptation wasperfection. Still nothing is perfect! Fr. Bruno then showed Council members on the mapwhich Asian countries he recently visited.

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7. LAICATUS PRAEDICANS CLOSED

Since the project doesnt progress, after discussion with Karin and Fr. David Kammler,ECLDF decided to close the web page for now. It might reappear again in the future.

8. PREPARATION OFEUROPEANASSEMBLY OF LAYDOMINICANS IN2014

Saturdays meeting was dedicated to preparation of the upcoming Assembly in Bologna .Ruth Anne Henderson has done already an enormous work by arranging and organizingof all practical issues as accommodation, contact with local friars, etc. As is alreadyknown, the Assembly will take place in Bologna from 21st 26th May 2014. ECLDFdecided that 3 short lectures in English will be delivered to the Assembly by JuliaScherbina (Ukraine), Robert Mickens (a journalist from the USA, living in Rome and aclose friend of the Dominicans), and Francesco Andriulli (former member of IDYM). Anew Logo of the Congress was also approved by the Council. To reduce the cost it wasdecided that the Assembly and plenary sessions will be in English, however workinggroups will be gathered according to linguistic factors (French, Italian, Spanish, etc.). Itwas also discussed, that for election there will be only one nominee perProvince/Vicariate allowed and he/she has to speak English and have no problem to use

internet. Regarding the delegates, if there are two delegates from the sameProvince/Vicariate, at least one has to understand English. ECLDF also decided,Provinces will be asked to send their presentations in advance. Further important issueswere then discussed like calendar of preparation, arrival of delegates, Liturgy, socialprogramme, etc.

9. PILGRIMAGE OF A PICTURE OF SAINT DOMINIC

ECLDF initiated a project by which they would like to approach the two very importantevents which the OP laity will celebrate in the year 2014: the year dedicated to Laity inthe Jubilee Novena of the Foundation of the Order of Preachers and the Assembly ofEuropean Lay Dominicans in Bologna in May 2014. The picture of Saint Dominic waspainted by fr. Felix from Spain. Eva and Jose Antonio will design the optimal route.

10. GUIDED TOUR TOSANTA SABINA

In the end of our stay in Santa Sabina, fr. David gave us a guided tour. We have learned,that the church was built on the site of the 4th century house of the Sabina a Romanmatron originally from Avezzano in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Fr. David showed us thedepiction of the crucifixion on the wooden door of Santa Sabina, which is one of theearliest surviving depictions of the crucifixion of Christ. In the basement, he showed usevidences of the oldest times. Dear fr. David, it was extraordinary experience, thank you!

11. NEXT MEETING OFECLDF

The next meeting of the European Council of Lay Dominican Fraternities will be held in Bologna, Italy, from 7th to 10th November 2013.

Eva ZdorovECLDF Communication Officer