The  Our Lady of the Assumption  Fraternities

A short history :

From the first years of the founding of the Congregation, 1865, the Little Sisters had their mission.
in the working-class families, they were also attentive to accompanying  the faith journey of the
people after they stopped regular visits within the family.
 Father Etienne Pernet, founder of the Congregation, listened to the Sisters who shared their experiences and questions: how to continue the action of supporting the families when they were no longer present. ?He prayed, reflected on the challenges, and little by little the project of bringing together the fathers of the families took shape. That is how on July 31, 1881 , the first group: a carpenter, two rag pickers, two workers, a foreman, found themselves at 57 rue Violet , 75015, Paris In  1884, a new Association was created bringing together mothers under the name of Daughters of Saint Monica.
Since  the centenary of the Congregation (1965) meetings are held in homes under the name
“Our Lady of the Assumption Fraternity”.

In the fraternity , members commit to “loving each other like true sisters and brothers, helping eachother according to the needs of each one and within their means” (statutes 1881).

The purpose of the Fraternity is clear. It is about being a place where a fraternal atmosphere reigns, where members learn to love again and that this love once again animates family relationships. It’s a place of fraternal experience and human and spiritual education.
So that everyone can take their place in society it is also necessary to provide intellectual training, to acquire the principles of acting in society and the elements that allow them to consciously adhere to the Catholic religion: “Putting everyone back on the foundation of their baptism” : all within the context that   the working class had developed outside the Church.
The members of the Fraternities are invited to make a commitment, the current formula of which is as follows:
“In the presence of my brothers and sisters, called by Christ Jesus to grow in the faith of my
baptism, and in the spirit of the Charter of the Fraternity of Our Lady of the Assumption , Icommit myself to live as a Christian, in fraternity and solidarity, in the family, at work and in the community, among all those with whom I am called to live, to build with them a fairer and more humane world. »

On March 29, 1881, the Our Lady of the Assumption Fraternities were officially recognized by a
brief laudatory speech from Pope Leo XIII. Fraternities developed where there were communities of
LSA’s  in France and other countries and, in 1899, on the death of Etienne Pernet, more than 1000 ‘households ‘gathered at the Mother House in Paris.

And today  

The  Fraternities exist in Belgium, France, and Italy. Other groups of lay people also exist in other countries. For the three aforementioned countries, a committee composed of lay people and of Little Sisters meets regularly to plan and animate the Fraternities ,they  define a theme for the year in line with the charism of the Congregation and the spirituality of Father Etienne Pernet and Antoinette Fage.

Locally, the Fraternities meet regularly, usually once a month, to discuss the theme of the year and
the Word of God. This is a place for sharing what each person is experiencing in the light of the
Gospel, a place of mutual support and mutual trust (cf. the Charter). The groups organize themselves
to plan meetings and  facilitate meetings. One of the members is in charge and, whenever possible, a Little Sister is a member of the group.

Here is a testimony from a woman ‘’ I am in the fraternity,founded by Fr  Etienne Pernet, is for me a place where we can share in complete trust about our sorrows, our joys. I can talk without fear, it’s confidential. The reports are made to leave a record of the entire meeting. We became friends. I made my commitment of membership in the Our Lady of the Assumption Fraternity in October 2019.’’

General meetings are offered with different themes linked to current events and the life of the Congregation. Once a year, group delegates meet to evaluate and define the in-depth theme of the year. In recent years, gatherings have taken place in Belgium, in Rome. Here is the expression of one of the participants: “In 2002 there was an international meeting in Malonne, in Belgium. My wife asked me if I wanted join and be part of the meeting… I said yes. I do not regret having accepted her suggestion since I joined the Our Lady of the Assumption Fraternity … and now I am a member of the Committee.’’

In October 2022 an assembly was organized at the Mother House of the Congregation on rue Violet in  Paris ,with the following theme: “After 2 years of  Hardship, Stand up , Come back to life.”  ’’, as it followed the 2 years of the COVID epidemic. This meeting brought together 31 participants and 11 LSA’s from 9 Fraternities, from France and one from Belgium.

It took place starting with a reflection  of these difficult years with testimonies expressing suffering, courage and Hope drawn from Faith in Christ. A video showed how the Founders Etienne Pernet and Antoinette Fage also went through difficult times and what allowed them to get back up, through relying on the Word of God.

Father François Méry, an Assumptionist religious, gave a contribution based on the source of the Faith in Risen Jesus, how God takes care of each one, of his people and calls us to renew  trust in the Holy Spirit who acts today.

Since this meeting, each Fraternity has continued its rhythm of monthly meetings: sharing of life with its worries and its joys, time to deepen the word of God from the texts of the Gospel proposed in the year’s theme. Concrete gestures of mutual aid are being made, highlighting the prayer of Father Etienne Pernet: “My God, make the unity of the spirits in the truth and the union of hearts in charity.”

The theme that nourishes the sharing in Fraternities for this year 2024 is:

“Through the trials of the world and each person’s difficult life, God continues tirelessly offering us His love, in what way  do we see it happening?  That supposes being open , accompanying and reflecting on our life.”

In October 2023, we experienced a day of training at the Little Sisters Motherhouse to deepen our faith. The theme of this meeting was ‘’ To build fraternity’’; everyone shared and thought about how to do that in their environment.

All of us always have joy in our hearts from coming together and  drawing from the Source that sustains us: Christ Jesus and our brothers and sisters.

M.Claude Prat (LSA)