France
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Population: 58.6 million
Life expectancy males/females: 74/82 years
Infant mortality rate: 5‰ |
Religions: Catholic 90%; Protestant 2%; Jewish
1%;
Muslim 1%; no religion 6%.
GDP per capita: US $24,990 |
Personnel
Since 1992, the total number of confreres belonging to the Province
has fallen from just over 800 to just under 700. The average age
continues to rise; it now stands at 67.5, and about half are over
70. The percentage appointed to the Province (60%) is much higher
than the percentage working abroad (40%).
Missionary Project
Within the Province, the principal works are: education (Auteuil,
secondary schools), work with immigrants and foreign students (mainly
Africans) and helping people in difficulty (those coming out of
prison). Justice and Peace involvement is largely through the branches
of AEFJN at Strasbourg and Paris. Confreres are helping the French
Church by teaching and religious formation, notably at the French
Seminary in Rome.
Outside France, the Province continues to support its commitments
with personnel and material and financial aid, above all in francophone
circumscriptions. Some of these are of long standing, but there
are more recent engagements in other linguistic areas: Croatia,
Pakistan, Paraguay,
Mexico, Taiwan.
Vocations work - missionary influence
Despite the small number of young people in France who answer a
missionary calling today, the Province continues to invest heavily
in vocations work. Through four reviews, a concern for mission is
shared with the general public. The Province works with an organisation
for sending young 'co-operators' abroad (DCC), and in the setting
up of a network of young people who want to deepen the missionary
dimension of their faith (Jeunes et Mission). Another scheme sends
people for a short stay with a missionary team abroad ("Amos").
There are co-operative schemes with diocesan vocation services,
and students are received into two hostels. The number actually
joining the Spiritans averages two per year.
The French Seminary
The Pontifical French Seminary, which was confided to the Spiritans
from its foundation in 1853, prepares priests for the Church of
France. At present, there are between 70 and 80 students, of whom
a few are not French. The students follow courses in the Roman Universities.
They are guided by the formation team in the seminary for community,
spiritual and apostolic life, and are given some help with their
studies. Recently, the formation team has been composed of four
full-time Spiritans (including the Bursar), helped by another confrere
and two secular priests, engaged part-time for spiritual direction.
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