Merician network gathered in Quimperlé, France

09/01/2026

Merician network gathered in Quimperlé, France

 

On 18/19/20 October 2025, 270 school principals, teachers and educators from the Merician network gathered in Quimperlé, France. The entire Notre Dame de Kerbertrand educational community, young people and adults alike, rallied together to host this gathering: the gymnasium was completely transformed, combining a meeting space (with an ocean theme featuring lots of fish and waves) and a conference space.

Our theme, ‘Inheritors, let us serve on the path to the future – revisiting yesterday, listening today to build a welcoming tomorrow,’ was explored in various ways during conferences and workshops, not to mention informal discussions, which allowed us to get to know each other better and consider various collaborations across the network.

 

 

The young people set the tone by reading a letter from the Merician youth for the school of tomorrow, a powerful, committed and engaging text.

After the official opening by Sr Marie Thérèse Legoc (Provincial) and Franck Bouzat, delegate of supervision, Brother André Pierre Gauthier (FEC) invited us to write in the spaces left blank by Saint Angèle. New times call for new educators. More than words, young people expect a relationship, a presence, a real, lived presence, in the image of a God who made himself present. In this way, we will become guardians of fraternity and we will build community on the admission of our fragility.

Short videos on the Merician educational tradition punctuated his speech.

The afternoon was devoted to workshops:

  • Learning to welcome and care for vulnerable young people
  • Develop hospitality, team spirit and mutual support in the classroom
  • Learning to live in harmonious relationships
  • Building community
  • Encouraging and maintaining student attention
  • Keeping an open and daring mind
  • AI in our pockets
  • Preparing to face the ecological challenges of tomorrow

A long break allowed us to visit the school complex and/or learn the art of making Breton crêpes.

The following morning, we continued our discussions with a round table bringing together people committed to building a more hospitable world.

Sr Laure Blanchon OSU, presented the work carried out in the ‘Cornerstones’ groups, which enable people in extremely precarious situations to share the Word of God and enjoy moments of fellowship.

Olivier de Wavrin, SJ, drawing on his experience with JRS and in the service of eco-responsibility in his province, shared his reflections on Laudato Si and hospitality.

Noyale Antoine revisited with us a project that brought together diverse (and often marginalised) audiences for a large gathering in the Diocese of Finistère.

At the end of the morning, Véronique Albanel's lecture, ‘Hospitality at risk from nationalism and populism’, deepened our understanding of the contemporary world and invites us to exercise discernment.

It is with all these contributions that we entered into the Sunday Eucharist celebrated by Msgr. Dognin, the local bishop. 

For the afternoon, the Quimperlois offered us a number of opportunities to discover the region. Despite the rain, we made the most of it. A Breton evening brought the day to a close: tasting local products and enjoying Breton music and dancing.

 

 

Monday morning was devoted to reflecting on how to implement the various contributions in the network's establishments. Numerous projects were launched.
During the final celebration, Nadège Tubia, the new director of the Angèle Merici Centre, was officially sent on mission.

We all left happy and nourished by this beautiful encounter, pilgrims of hope. We heard Angèle saying to us: 
Know this: now I am more alive than when I was on earth; and I see better, I love and appreciate more the good deeds that I continually see you doing, and now I want to and can help you more and do you good in all kinds of ways.

For understand that now I am more alive than I was when I lived on earth, and I see better and hold more dear and pleasing the good things which I see you constantly doing, and now, even more, I want and am able to help you and do you good in every way.

St Angela Merici, Counsels Prologue, 23-25

sr. Marie-Pierre Chassaigne, osu