With this newsletter, receive my warm greetings that I address to you on behalf of the Executive Committee of LAI and on behalf of the managers of the website - Monika and Christian - always very active to respect the appointment that we set for you each month. Let them be thanked.

This letter refers to current events: the pope's message "to his brother priests" for the anniversary of the death of Saint Jean-Marie Vianney, the cry of alarm launched by the Celam on the eve of the Synod for the Amazon; even if we are not directly concerned, it is the Church of Christ to which we belong, which speaks: let us feed on these reflections.

This letter meets its objective of information exchange and its mission of mutual knowledge: thanks to Susana for the news she gives us from South America, thanks to Sybille who tells us about the work done for the writing of the brochure year common to LAI members from Switzerland and Belgium; I also want to share with you a great joy: that of the birth of LAI in Uganda; Let's give thanks for this great step forward!

This letter provides me with a new opportunity to recall the importance of the International Congress on Pastoral Care of Elders, entitled "The Wealth of Age" to be held in Rome on 29-30-31 January 2020; Sign up right away.  Don't forget to provide articles for the next newsletter on "how to respond to the marginalization of elders." Thank you in advance!

May these events, these gestures be for all of us the signs of a willingness to bear witness to our faith and to build a world every day more in accordance with God's plan of love; as Roman, the new spiritual advisor for Europe, says in his article on holiness, it is through these steps, more or less great, that each baptized person progresses towards the holiness to which he is called.

I wish you a good lecture.

The President

Monique Bodhuin