Spiritual Message from the booklet 2019-2020 of French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland

In the beginning, God created man and woman in his image. Over the centuries, the people of Israel and then the young Christian communities have re-read their history as a reflection of the face of God. Too often, with words that are too human, caricatures of God have been conveyed: an almighty God, vengeful, violent. Our education has sometimes been marked by such caricatures so different from the Father God that Jesus Christ presents us in the Gospel. Many, no longer finding themselves there, have sought other ways to give meaning to their lives.

In this year's journey marked by the petals of the flower (below),we would like to dismiss these caricatures and draw from the source of the Word of God to find some true colors of his face. Some white petals might accommodate other aspects of this God. A God more in keeping with the spirit of Jesus Christ gives us breath and colors.

Like all these faces in the cover photo (above),reconstituting that of the son of God, personally, in our Christian communities, in our teams of Ascending Life, we can reflect the colors of an exciting God. Faithful to our vocation as elders, we can thus witness in a disoriented world that forgets or rejects God, of our hope based on this exciting God who made Jesus live.

José Vande Putte, Spiritual Advisor for Vie Montante Belgique, on behalf of the entire editorial team of the Belgo-Switzerland brochure

Father José celebrated this year 50 years of his priesthood

We join with members and leaders of Vie Montante Belge Francophone to wish José a good and beautiful anniversary, especially for a priest, and thank him for his friendship and all that he brings to our retirees’ movement.