Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People

People on the Move

N° 108, December 2008

Forty-first Annual Conference of the IACAC* 

The clear blue waters of Côte d’Azur greeted the participants of the 41^st Annual Conference of the International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains, held this year in Nice, France, from 21^st to 26^th September, on the theme: “Airport Chaplaincy – Building Relationships”. It was hosted by the chaplaincy at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, the home chaplaincy of IACAC President Henri Damamme. Some 80 chaplains and pastoral agents from the different Churches were present. The majority were from Europe and North America, with a good number from Africa, hopefully the host continent for the next annual Conference.

The Meeting opened in the afternoon of 21^st September, with an Ecumenical Celebration at the Catholic Cathedral of Sainte Réparate. It was presided over by the Bishop of Nice, H.E. Msgr. Louis Sankalé, with the participation of members of different Churches, belonging to the community of Nice. A reception, offered by the Bishop at the Maison du Seminaire, followed.

The Sessions started the following day and lasted for three full days of talks, workshops and informal meetings. The first talk was given by Father J. L. Gazzainiga, on the “Relations between the Catholic Church and the French State, arising from the Law of 1905”, which established the secular character of French society.

Another talk was inspired by the celebration of the Year of St. Paul. This was Father Yves Marie Lequin’s enriching lecture on “The Notion of ‘Welcome’ In Paul’s Epistles”.

Two presentations on mission at the airport chaplaincy were given respectively by Father Mike Zaniolo, Catholic Chaplain at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and by Rev. Michael Banfield, Protestant Chaplain at Luton International Airport. Fr. Zaniolo offered “A Reflection on the relationship of airport chaplaincies to airport workers, air crews and their families”, while Rev. Banfield discussed “An Approach to Airport Chaplaincy”. These last two lectures will become part of the IACAC training material for new chaplains. 

The message of our Cardinal President and Archbishop Secretary was read in the course of the meeting, and was greatly appreciated.

The last full day was dedicated to visiting the airport of Nice-Côte d’Azur, where the Official Opening Ceremony of the new Terminal 2 “Place of Worship” took place. Speeches were given by the Chairman of “Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur”, Philippe Auroy, and by the Coordinator of the Spiritual animation services at the Nice airport, Henri Dammame, who is also IACAC President. These were followed by readings from the Torah, by Rabbi Joseph Abittan, from the Bible, by Christiane Fisher and Msgr. Antonin Blanchi, and from the Koran, by Imam Mustapha Dali.

A Gala Dinner closed the day.

The meeting ended with the ceremony that handed over the Conference to the airport chaplaincy in Zambia, planned host for the Conference in 2009.

These meetings of chaplains belonging to different Churches and ecclesial communities are important in order to know one another better and establish friendship and utmost respect for one another’s beliefs and practices. This facilitates cooperation in carrying out each one’s pastoral mission, this time specifically at the airport. This is indeed a contribution to that march towards unity, for which we all yearn.   

Ms. Nilda M. CASTRO

Official of the Pontifical Council

for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People