For the last meeting of the year, the associates of Lorient and Locminé France met on Saturday 28 June 2025 at Kermaria, to discuss the theme proposed by Fact Sheet 4: ‘Fraternity, a laborious task that gives rise to joy’.

The day was marked by several events of varying intensity, but all equally enriching.

Welcome

Little by little, the fireplace room welcomes the members of the 19-strong group, always happy to meet up and get to know each other.

Coffee, fruit juice and small cakes provide a good start to the day.

Prayer

Our prayer begins with :

– the hymn ‘Transmets la Parole’ (Transmit the Word), the theme song of the Assembly of 10 May 2025, followed by

– the Gospel of the day (Luke 2, 41-51), in which the parents of the young Jesus, who has stayed behind in the temple, go in search of him, and concludes with

– The Lord’s Prayer.

Round the table

Everyone quickly introduces themselves, with particular interest in our 2 new partners:

– From Locminé,

– Anne-Marie Joubert from Lorient.

Reflection and exchange

Based on our theme ‘Fraternity, a laborious task that gives rise to joy’, we are invited to react to the questions posed on the sheet:

– My reactions to the title of the sheet: how does it challenge me?

– My knowledge of today’s society?

With a great deal of simplicity and spontaneity, those who wished to do so took the floor and expressed their reactions. The following reflections were given to the group:

– Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité” on the pediment of our town halls. In our activities (professional, associative…), it is important to be the flies that bite so that Fraternity does not remain at the level of discourse. ‘Fraternity today prepares the social justice of tomorrow’ (Abbé Jean Rodhain, founder of Secours Catholique). Fraternity is a great joy when people get up and go again. It also takes place within families.

– Fraternity is defined as ‘a bond of solidarity and friendship between people in a society’. This is difficult in today’s society.

– For me, fraternity is stronger than solidarity, much deeper.

– Fraternity has a ‘children of the same parents’ dimension.

– Children of the same Father, that’s what we are as Christians, brothers and sisters in humanity.

– I have the impression that fraternity has been replaced by solidarity. When the parents are no longer there, we have to maintain the links between brothers and sisters.

– You have to be vigilant not to lose those bonds.

– As believers, it’s easier for us to feel like brothers and sisters.

– Recognising the other as my brother or sister is important, but it’s not always easy.

– Remember the first relationship between brothers in the Bible: Cain and Abel!

– How can we, at our level, get across the message that we are all brothers and sisters?

In Part 2, in the words of Mother Marie de Saint Charles, in the light of the Apostle Paul (1st letter to the Corinthians 13) and Pope Francis (extracts from 11 May 2023), we react once again to the Fraternity, insisting on love and charity:

– How can we, at our level, get across the message that we are all brothers and sisters?

– It’s not easy. We need to set an example. Make the link between words and action.

– These words are still relevant today. I love the phrase: ‘Let us renew ourselves in the Spirit of love for one another and forgive one another our trespasses’. But it’s not easy.

– The importance of silence and the spirit of charity.

– Welcoming others is important.

– Sometimes it’s easier to welcome someone from the outside than someone you live with all the time.

– We don’t all evolve in the same way.

– Can there be true fraternity without charity? Spontaneously, I would say ‘no’.

– For me too, there can be no ‘true charity’ without fraternity. We must not enter into ‘charity of good conscience’.

– You have to do it with the eyes of a brother or sister.

– It has to come from the heart.

– It’s important that we really give from the heart.

– Does the simple fact of trying always bring joy? We don’t always manage to do what we’d like to do for the other person.

– In a relationship with a brother or sister, the important thing is the love you put into it. For me, fraternity means welcoming, listening and caring in freedom and equality.

– It is love that guides us. We mustn’t look out for our own interests. The important thing is to be able to talk to each other, in the light of God’s love.

– Relying on the actions of Jesus, patience and prayer.

– We sow but we don’t know when we will reap.

– We have to distinguish between sin and sinner, action and intention.

To conclude this morning’s work, rich in reflection and exchange, Marie-Annick read us ‘The 10 commandments of joy’ by Abbé Gaston Courtois (1797-1970), the priest who launched the journal ‘Cœurs vaillants’:

Faithfully ask God for joy every morning.

Calm and smiling you will show, even when things are unpleasant.

Thou shalt say to thy heart: ‘God who loves me is always present’.

Thou shalt always try to see the good in people.

Thou shalt banish sadness mercilessly.

Complaint and criticism thou shalt avoid; there is nothing more depressing.

Thou shalt go about thy work with a cheerful heart.

Thou shalt give a kind welcome to visitors.

Thou shalt comfort the suffering by forgetting thyself.

By spreading joy everywhere, you will surely have it for yourself.

Picnic

We could have continued this beautiful text with :

Take your picnic out of the basket

Indeed, after so much spiritual nourishment, it’s time to take out of our bags the picnic prepared with care by each of us or the sandwich bought in a hurry at the baker’s this morning! And at the end, like the 12 fishes of Jesus, a far and a rhubarb cake go round the table to the delight of the gourmets.

A walk in the park

The sun has driven away the morning clouds. It’s the perfect time for a stroll through the park, including a visit to the cemeteries, where some of you can reminisce in front of the graves of deceased sisters.

To round off the day, the walk ended with a souvenir photo in front of the Lourdes grotto and a song at the oratory of Saint Joseph.

We said goodbye and wished each other a happy summer, after thanking everyone for this wonderful day of friendship and… fraternity!

Associated with the Daughters of Jesus,

Lorient, France