Frat

History

The first frat take place in 1908, fiftieth birthday of “the appearance” of the Virgin Mary with Heavy. At the origin, only the boys took part. At this time, they are the " patro " who bring to the FRAT

From 1928, a frat for girls take place, one year out of two, in alternation with that of the boys. It is as from this moment that the FRAT takes the form of an association.

In 1978 the frat becomes mixed. The first is that of Doors. Pentecost 1979 sees being born a frat for young people, with Jambville, in the park of the castle of the Scouts and Guides of France. Only the Dioceses of Paris, Creteil, Nanterre and Saint-Denis will answer the call. There will be 1200 participants.

From now on, one year out of two, the FRAT is held in Jambville for the 4e/3e the odd years, and in Lourdes for the high-school pupils the even years.

In 1988, the FRAT gathers the eight diocèdes Ile de France because those of Versailles, Pontoise, Meaux, and the Evry-Corbeil-Essonne choose to join the pilgrimage.

In 1993, the FRAT makes true great strides and becomes one of the largest gathering of young people Catholiques.

Organization

The frats function in alternation: odd years for that of Jambville (intended for the pupils of fourth and third), that of Doors (intended for the pupils of College) taking place even years. The frats of Doors are held all during the holidays of spring, those of Jambville take place during the weekend of the Pentecost.

The frat of Doors

The various groups come by bus or trains. They sleep in majority with the hotel and some place in the city Saint Pierre or in monastic communities. All the city is mobilized by the frat. The circulation of the cars is even prohibited except for those which live there or which work there. The frateux ones (nickname of the participants in the frat) meet in the large crypt for the general gatherings (basilica Saint Pie X).

The frat of Jambville

The arrivals are done by public transport. The young people and the guides sleep under tents. The dioceses are divided into “villages” which gather several groups (approximately 400 to 500 young people), and in which are held the major part of the life of the Frat . These villages are directed by a team town hall which organizes the life of the village on the level to so much raise them, of the gatherings, of taken care (taken care of reception, reconciliation in village, taken care festive), which for the meals. All logistics is organized by the Scouts and Guides of France, in particular by the pioneers (14-17 years).

To request, Meet, Sing

The gatherings of all the groups, under a big top with Jambville or in the basilica with Lourdes, are the occasion of songs but also of prayers.

Meetings joint committees take place, each young person by meeting others, different groups, in particular at the time of the crossroads, meetings with ten young people with an organizer where one answers questions relating to the faith.

Principal times of Frat

Each Frat has certain numbers of activity whose principle is taken again each year.

Gatherings all together

All Frateux are joined together, either in the capital with Jambville, or in the basilica Pie X with Doors.

It is during these gathering that the group of music of Frat carries out animation.

Each Frat in general has at least four gatherings, however, there can be variations.

Reception. In general, each diocese sending a representative and an object which represents it, the object in question being determined by the organizers of Frat. Example: in 2007, it was about the icon of a witness of the Faith, in 2006, a stained glass by diocese.
eucharistic Celebration
Taken care of praise
Sending: at the end of Frat. Include/understand

in general photographs/vidéos to remember presented
testimonys of various participants.

Times of testimony

Witnesses come to present their life, and the impact which the faith had on it (or vice versa). The young people can then question it.

The time of the reconciliation

Generally in evening, the ceremony of reconciliation starts to prepare during the afternoon.

During this evening, the young people have the possibility of receiving the sacrament of the reconciliation.

Various steps are also proposed: letter example has to send to God, candle end to be deposited. Organizers " ani-réco" are also there to help the young people who have questions.

Crossroads

By group of 8 to 10, young people who do not know each other meet to reflect around the topic of Frat. They are accompanied by an organizer, which helps them in the step. In the booklet tools are to help. The crossroads make it possible to discover other people.

These meetings are generally 3 or 4 by Frat. They exist also crossroads special: the crossroads " zéro" and crossroads " retour". Both take place within the group with which the young share. Crossroads zero aims at an introduction to the topic of Frat, the crossroads return to an assessment, and a " sending in mission".

Festive moments

Either in village with Jambville, or all together, " FestiFrats" are festive moments. Each young people/groups is invited to make " to bear fruit its talents" (Matthieu 25,14-27) in order to give a true festive and participative character.

Spaces

Present only at Frat de Lourdes, are places where the young people can go for different activity, each space having its specficity. Often, of associations their activities present.

Example of space:

way of cross
swimming pools: bath in the fountain
meet with movements, such as the JEC, the nest
step " helps with the handicapés"
excursion

Bracelets

Since the FRAT 2003, badge FRAT was replaced by a bracelet. These bracelets are of the type of those which one finds in maternity and thus once it is put, one cannot any more withdraw it without breaking it. There are several colors of the following bracelets the functions of the people:

white bracelets: yellow young people
bracelets: organizers and guides
blue bracelets: person in charge of group
yellow bracelets fluos: equip with animation
green bracelets: diocésaines teams and for jambville municipal teams
bracelets gilded: red witnesses and VIP
bracelets: pioneers (for Jambville)
silver plated bracelets: techniques

Booklets

Booklets are distributed to the whole of the participants (young people, stimulating, organizing), they generally include/understand:

of the pages of presentation: life in Frat, timetable, plan of Doors or the Park of Jambville, text of Jean Debryune on the direction of the pilgrimage (Frat being indeed a pilgrimage):

I will walk under the too heavy sun, under the rain with pours or in the tornado. While going, the sun will heat my stony heart; the rain will make my deserts a garden. By use my shoes, I will use my practices. I will walk and my walk will be step. I would go less at the end of the road that at the end of myself. I will be pilgrim. I will not leave only on a journey. I will become myself a voyage, a pilgrimage.

of the pages to live the crossroads and the whole of the days of Frat: liturgical text, explanation of the step of reconciliation etc
songs of Frat.

Sweats

Within the frat, there exist people, men and women, vêtus of sweats marked various colors…

Blue sweats: equip with animation

They compose the team of animation at the regional level, and are the principal organizers.

Green sweats: Diocésaines teams

The delegate diocesan is named by his Bishop, and with are team, they are charged to establish the link between what is lived in Frat and in the Diocèse S.

Gray sweats: equip listening

They are there to listen to in an anonymous way the people who wish it, only with only, in order to share one moment of life, happy or difficult. They thus have a function of listening.

White sweats

They are charged to take care of the good displacement of all, and in particular " the chargement" in the capital (Jambville) or the Black and white basilica X (Heavy). Now, the sweats white work in greater collaboration with the orange sweats because they ensure them also the safety and the monitoring of the gatherings.

The sweats oranges: commission safety

Responsible for safety, they collaborate now with the white sweats.

Red sweats: commission presses

They are in charge of the relations with the press. There are two types of sweats red, those which are it full-time and the white sweats which at the time of an important surge journalists, covered the red sweats to help.

Black sweats: engineering team

They are the workers of the shade. Until 2003, they installed the decorations, the défesaients, dealt with the video using some sweats white which also revetainent at the time of these service a black sweat them, but now they only do it in Jambville and only the white sweats are occupied some in Lourdes (indeed, there are no black sweats with Lourdes).

Frateux vocabulary

Frateux : young participant in Frat
Frater: verb meaning to take part in Frat, to put environment at Frat (is necessary that Frat!)
“It is not finished, Frat it is for the life”, “It is only one beginning, Frat Ca continuous”: slogans sung by Frateux.

Topics

Each Frat has a specific topic, which is the base of the reflections to carry out during Frat.

1992: Frat of the Acts
1996: " I came so that they have the life and that they have it in abondance" (Jean 10,10)
1999: " You are my son liked… " (parabola of the father and its two sons in Luc)
2000: " Let us pass on the other rive"
2001: " Confidence, It you appelle" (the Bartimée blind man)
2002: " You will like… "
2003: " And it went with eux" (The pilgrims of Move)
2004: " Would be my rocher"
2005: " All called in the name of the Father, of the Son, and Saint-Esprit"
2006: " By Jesus-Christ, let us be lights for Monde" (transfiguration)
2007: " I call you my amis" (Jean, 15,9-17)
2008: " Holiness, way of happiness… " (Frat which did not take place yet, but whose topic is announced on the Web site)

Musicians

The music holds an important place in Frat. Here the list of the musicians who took part in each Frat (to be supplemented).

1988 : group Béthel
1989: Bertrand Bayle
1990: group Béthel
1991: Bertrand Bayle
1992: group Béthel
1993: Bertrand Bayle
1994: group Béthel
1995: group Regard
1996: Laurent Grzybowsky
1997: group Regard
1998: Laurent Grzybowsky
1999: group Regard
2000: Laurent Grzybowsky and the Wandering group
2001: group Regard
2002: Sandrine Kohlmann
2003: group Agapê
2004: group Nomade
2005: group Agapê
2006: Sandrine Kohlmann/John Featherstone
2007: group PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens)

External bonds

the site of Frat
the site of the group Glance
the site of PUSH
the site of Reunion
the site of Sandrine Kohlmann
Some posters of Frat

Random links: