Church of Saint Thibault Apéritif

Madeleine Sophie's home in Joigny was warmly decked with boughs of holly - and with the warmth of the community of Rue Davier. The doors opened wide over the weekend to welcome guests who arrived from several corners of France and beyond in order to celebrate the 10th birthday of the Centre Sophie Barat as a space of prayer and reflection. And of course, Sophie's presence and special welcome for each one were especially tangible on this occasion.
The celebration spread over two days and took different forms. Central to the two days were the Eucharistic celebrations. On Saturday we gathered at the chapel of the Center, with three bishops - retired, about to retire, and about to be installed - as well as two priests from the parish of Joigny, the “usual” weekday congregation, rscj from various communities, sisters from the diocese, friends of the Center and of the rscj.

The Church of Saint Thibault gathered the parish community of Joigny for the Sunday Eucharist. It is always special to pray where Sophie was baptized and made her first communion, but this is for me “holy ground”, the place where I made my Final Profession.

After each Eucharist those present were invited to an “apéritif”. Special care was taken by the staff of the Center in the preparation of two lovely meals, accompanied by wine from the Côte Saint Jacques - perhaps from those very small grapes that I had watched grow during my retreat last summer.

Both afternoons offered the possibility to attend a talk by Monique Luirad rscj on “Saint Madeleine Sophie and children: stories and anecdotes”. Marie Thérèse Deprecq rscj, who is currently the directress of the Center, introduced Monique and was in turn thanked for her tireless work, not just for this occasion but for the daily running of the Center. The room was full each day. Those present listened with enjoyment to the story of the woman who would have founded a congregation “for the soul of a single child”. It was easy to see Sophie's loving but strong guidance at work in the stories of the ”children” (of any age !) who were such a significant part of her life, even though direct contact of Sophie with children was, alas, short-lived. Monique showed us how “justice and mercy”, truth and love certainly coexisted peacefully in Sophie's dealings with children, especially the ”difficult” ones. Educators now working away from the classroom certainly resonate with Sophie's longing to be with children!

The walls of the conference room were perfect to exhibit a series of posters prepared for the Bicentennial celebration of 2000 in which the life and spirit of the Society were presented through a concise but attractive and pictorial way that framed the conference and the celebration in the wider context of the Society. The bulletin boards at the entrance to the house presented in pictures the history of the Center through the faces of the many rscj who have served and are serving there.

The town of Joigny entered into the festivities in more than one way. There was a prominent display about Sophie and the Center at the Bureau de Tourisme. The Town Library held an exhibit of documents of important events in the life of Sophie, of the Barat couple, and of the extended family. On Saturday night those of us willing to brave the biting cold went on a tour of “Joigny by night”, where we learned new details of the history of the town and enjoyed the lighting of streets and monuments. The mayor of Joigny and the president of the Tourist Board were among the many visitors to the house.

As the parish priest, Abbé Morel, reminded us in his homily, the Center is not quite an adolescent as “she” is only ten years old. But already it is a child that shows promise! Perhaps in my next visit the halls will no longer be decked with holly, but I know that I can always count on lovely flower arrangements from the garden, the warmth of the welcome of the community, and the presence of Sophie, always loving, always attentive, always ready to listen to the story of each one of us who visits, especially of those with the reputation of being a “difficult child”!

Marie Thérèse Deprecq rscj signs the Livre d'Or	At Monique's conference
A visitor looks at the photo gallery.	Alice Wasbauer rscj enjoys the welcome.
Madeleine Sophie's attic room, now an oratory.	Françoise Greffe rscj, provincial of France, chats with small Madeleine Sophie, also born in Joigny.