Retreats LIST OF OUR SPEAKERS

Father Olivier Sournia has been the priest in charge of the community since June 2018. Born in Béziers, he was ordained in 2000, then named students’ chaplain and priest for Montpelier while being trained at the, ‘Pastorale Liturgique et Sacramentelle’. In the spring of 2010, he joined the community, drawn by the coherence between the theology that was taught and how it transferred into the life of the community. Very quickly he acquired the role of speaker and undertook walking retreats. His testimony echoes the community, with a Johannine disposition and the Marian charm of our origins: a simple word of proximity that is passed on with authority and clarity.

A priest in the Bâle diocese, Father Bernard Miserex was ordained in 1981. La Roche d’Or, which he first discovered in 1982 following retreats run by father Florin CALLERAND has been a source that stimulated his thirst for the Word. Speaker, presenter, spiritual advisor, he was the director of the Roman Institute for Training Ministries in Fribourg for 7 years and priest in several Swiss parishes, including Belfort. For him, the Word is incarnated in our daily lives. It opens pathways towards the heart of each person and calls to every person looking for a pathway to freedom.

A Jesuit who has lived in Algeria for more than 60 years, he served as Bishop of Constantine and later as Archbishop of Algiers, where he accompanied and presided over the beatification of the martyrs of Algeria. He now lives in Hippo, continuing his ministry among the people whose nationality he has adopted. A man of great simplicity, deeply committed to dialogue with the Islamic world, he is the author of the admirable little book “A Church in the Manger.” A friend of the community, he has led numerous retreats at La Roche d’Or over the past 35 years or so, and carries the concern of passing on its unique grace.

Originally from the Diocese of Besançon, Father Sébastien Moine has been a friend of the community for many years. After studying at the French Seminary in Rome, he was ordained a priest in 2019. Today, while serving as parish priest of the Valdahon Plateau parish in the Doubs region, he also supports Catholic Education in Franche-Comté. Dynamic and close to people, his preaching is rooted in a ministry where his parish experience blends with his profession as a history and geography teacher, which he continues to practice part-time.

A Dominican and former prior of the Province of Toulouse, he is a professor of moral theology and was a member of the International Theological Commission in Rome. Appointed Bishop of Angers in 2000, he was called to the Vatican in 2007, where he held various responsibilities and contributed to strengthening ties among Catholic institutions worldwide. Since retiring to Béziers, this art-history enthusiast has continued his reflections on the transmission of knowledge, which remains for him an essential mission. He teaches history and offers courses on conscience and human dignity. This son of Saint Dominic carries out his preaching through words that are warm, simple, and profound.

A Benedictine monk of the Abbey of Ligugé and a doctor of theology, Brother François Cassingena-Trévedy has written several works in which Christian spirituality is expressed in a unique and vibrant way. In 2021, he chose to leave Ligugé to retire to the Cantal region, where he now works as a farm laborer while continuing his priestly ministry in fidelity to the Benedictine community. In his retreats he shares his ardent and poetic vision of the mystery of Christ, as well as his deeply discerning view of a world undergoing profound transformation. With a striking freedom of tone, he lets the song of the earth be heard, enriched by his singular experience.

Originally from the Belfort region, Hubert Allemend studied medicine in Nancy. He became a doctor in 1976, a professor for public health and a hepatogastroenterologist. Assistant director of CNAM and national medical advisor for twenty-two years. He has taken part in many retreats, weaving strong links with La Roche d’Or. Married with children, he has been hosting weekends and retreats at La Roche d’Or and in Fontanilles since 2004. Marked by his experience as a doctor, his testimony reveals a sensitivity to the issues of the current world and the way treatments and illness are experienced in the light of evangelical heritage.

Originating from the Paris region, Bruno Barral worked as a lawyer in Paris. An attentive reader of biblical texts, he obtained a degree in theology, philology and history of the Ancient East. He is a volunteer leader in the chaplaincy of several large secondary schools in Paris. Since 1990, links of friendship have been woven with the Community. In 2002, father Roger Robert asked him to facilitate some bible introduction groups and then speak at retreats. He develops biblical training on several levels, allowing everyone to have access to the wonderful heritage that is the bible and receive the taste for daily reading of the gospel.