Sunday August 6 will be organized as follows:
| 08:00 to 09:30 | Welcome at Lycée La Providence (146 Bd de Saint-Quentin, 80090 Amiens). There is no parking available (except for people with reduced mobility), but there are parking spaces nearby. Children will be picked up at this time. |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Prayer time |
| 10:15 – 14:00 | Divide into small groups and go out into the city with an itinerary to follow. Travel will be on foot (except for people with reduced mobility, who will stay at the lycée). Picnics will be distributed on departure. Stands around town will welcome you until 2pm to offer testimonials and exchanges. |
| 2:15 pm | Meet at the cathedral for mass, presided over by Father Arturo Sosa (Superior General of the Society of Jesus and World CLC Assistant). The children will join us. |
| After mass | We’ll return to the Lycée La Providence (still on foot), where we’ll visit the stands of the delegates from the various countries and sample the specialities brought by each. Then, if you can quickly teach us a dance from your region, we’ll dance to the rhythms of your music… or those from faraway places. Please bring your music on a USB key. |
| Around 6.00 p.m. | End of the day. |
Living the Open Day Event
A special moment at the heart of the World Assembly: all CLC companions who wished to do so came to meet delegates from all over the world. Nearly 700 people from 30 different countries took part in the Open Day Event on Sunday August 6. With the delegates and volunteers already present, the number of people passed the 1,000 mark. A great day out for all!
Welcome to “La Providence”: the joy of meeting and praying together
The participants, welcomed by the clowns, quickly mingled with the delegates. A lot of hard work had gone into preparing such a day, but the result was smooth and successful. Many thanks to the volunteers and all those who helped prepare and run the day.
There were lots of reunions and hugs. Some companions travelled from far and wide to support their delegates or meet others.
World CLC President Denis Dobbelstein welcomed the participants “Dear GUESTS, your eagerness to join us is not reasonable. it reveals an overflow of the heart. You carry CLC in your hearts, not because of its merits, but because it is a privileged setting for your journey with the Lord. May your presence be a real visitation for the delegates.”
Wandering: walking together and opening up to new horizons
Between 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Open Day participants were divided into small groups of around twenty people, and invited to wander around the city of Amiens to meet witnesses. Each group had its own itinerary: 4 meetings and testimonials in different locations. An opportunity to discover the city of Amiens, its churches and its people. And all without a drop of rain!
Mass at the Cathedral: a truly global community and a source of wonder
Highlight of the day on the feast of the Transfiguration: 2:30 pm, mass in the cathedral, presided over by Father Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus and World Ecclesiastical Assistant for CLC. His homily in Spanish, translated into French and English, can be found on our website.
Back to “La Providence”: food, dance and sharing
The festivities continued at the Lycée La Providence into the early evening. Delegates and visitors alike brought their own specialties: fabrics, objects, cakes, chocolates and other sweets. A real treat for the taste buds!
In addition to the snacks, booths decorated by national communities provided an opportunity to get to know each other better and exchange ideas. Many delegations had also brought their national costumes and gifts in their luggage: the children were delighted.
Everyone was more than happy to have their photo taken, ready to receive compliments and thanks from the day’s guests. In this relaxed and cheerful atmosphere, music continued to weave bonds and create harmony. A song could be sung in one of the booths, and everyone would start clapping their hands, “How can I not praise you, Lord”, which would then be taken up by everyone around … like a contagion of joy.
Christophe, equipped with a microphone, is our dancing master. Breton and Occitan dances quickly gave way to all those in national costume, inviting everyone to join in their dance steps.