In Saint-Étienne, the great diocesan HOPe celebration! brought together the Christians of the Loire around hope

“I saw that we were looking for volunteers for the decoration. I am a painter and also work in events. I wanted to contribute my know-how.” This is how Axelle Tomas joined the organizing team of HOPe!, the gathering of the diocese of Saint-Étienne (Loire), which took place this Sunday, October 12.

Among the 350 volunteers who prepared this meeting, the one who is also a catechumen and will be baptized at Easter, experiences the diversity of the Church and its unity: “We come from different places and cultures but, in the gift, we are similar.”

Bringing people together is also what motivated Cécile Canivet’s commitment. After having held pastoral responsibilities across the territory, she felt concerned by this project which is part of the tradition of major diocesan festivals, the last one having taken place around twenty years ago. “What’s important to me is unity,” she said. We are a big family.”

A renewal of spiritual thirst

The form of this large gathering is original to say the least: a “fair of Hope”, as Mgr Sylvain Bataille, bishop of Saint-Étienne, calls it, which will be held in the Saint-Etienne exhibition center. In the diocese as elsewhere, we see a renewal of spiritual thirst. As part of the Jubilee of Hope, the organizing team wanted to “touch the heart of faith in a form open to all,” explains Cécile.

On the program: workshops, round tables, games and also a worship tent, places of confession and the celebration of the only mass in the department that Sunday. In a society marked by despondency, the volunteers wish to share reasons for hope “without limiting themselves to the Catholic world”, taking advantage of a time conducive to fraternal relations.

Food of joy

Axelle and Cécile confide that the great ambition of this Salon de l’Espérance very concretely influences the way in which they embrace their faith. I feel more and more like a Christian, without makeup or mask. It brings me closer to others because we are more real,” notes Cécile. Axelle has the same experience: “None of my friends from before are Catholic, but they all welcome my commitment; I feel more and more like myself.” Both thus feel more intensely to what extent Christian hope nourishes joy. “This reorients things,” concludes Cécile.