Romana

On September 23 the new site of Centre Culturel Castevieil, situated in the heart of Marseille, was inaugurated. Begun in 1963, Castelvieil offers activities of cultural, human and Christian formation. The new site has a spacious auditorium, a section dedicated to activities with high school students, various study rooms, and a large oratory conducive to prayer and recollection. A series of recent conferences has included topics as diverse as the role of parents in education, current questions in astrophysics, and talks on professional ethics.

The inauguration was honored by the presence of Archbishop Georges Pontier of Marseille; the Regional Vicar of Opus Dei in France, Msgr. Antoine de Rochebrune; the Senator-Mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin, together with some 200 friends, neighbors, public personalities and journalists.

The President of the Castelvieil Association, Jean Granier, gave the welcome and thanked all those who had contributed financially to the construction of the new center. He also described the cultural, educational and spiritual activities that the center hoped to provide. Following this, the Regional Vicar spoke about the efforts of the faithful of Opus Dei in Marseille to offer formation and Christian fellowship to many people.

Afterwards, the Archbishop spoke about building up a truly human society in the light of the Gospel and the social doctrine of the Church. He praised the efforts of the faithful of Opus Dei and their friends in contributing to the solution of current problems in society, harmonizing reason with the light of faith. In that generosity, he said, one could recognize a love for the world inherited from St. Josemaría, which is a “redemptive love,” using an expression of John Paul II. Finally the Senator-Mayor expressed his great appreciation for the cultural and formative work carried out by this center in Marseille.