SSVP France gathers 1,600 people at its national meeting

During October 9 to 13, more than 1600 people gathered for the National Meeting in Lourdes. The moment was long awaited by the entire Society of St. Vincent de Paul in France, as the last national meeting was held in 2018. The event featured artistic performances, round tables, conferences and other activities, around which Vincentians from all over the country gathered.

It took almost a year of preparation for this meeting and it all paid off. Volunteers, supporters and collaborators, all together, have chosen the theme “Let’s reveal our talents”, to offer SSVP members the opportunity to imagine the various artistic creations that have been presented.

Throughout the days, the participants learned about the activities carried out by the various local teams. There were also group activities to elaborate common strategies, which will allow to move towards a greater fraternity.

Serge Castillon, National President of France, assured in his welcoming speech that, “What we live is from heart to heart” and that “In this way, we align ourselves perfectly with the Rule, which reminds us of our mission: to go out to meet others, to be at the service of people who are alone or in precarious situations, making our faith come alive”.