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 The celebration of the bicentennial of our Founder has taken its cue from the theme "Following Jesus Christ with Emmanuel d’Alzon", developed according to the three dimensions evoked by Fr. d’Alzon in a letter that he wrote on September 2, 1878, to Sr. Marie-Véronique Guiraud, on the occasion of the anniversary of his baptism: "Sixty-eight years ago today I was baptized, my dear child, and I have chosen this day to answer you in the hope that you will make a novena for me to obtain from Our Lord the grace to hold fast to the vows of my baptism, my ordination, and my profession".
Fr. d’Alzon, it is said, preferred to recall the anniversary of his
baptism rather than that of his birth. In fact, one can find in his
correspondence the date of his baptism mentioned at least nine times (in
1849, 1859, 1867, 1869, 1875, 1877 two letters, 1878, two letters).
His baptism took place in the parish church of St. Peter's in Le Vigan, where a plaque still commemorates the occasion.
In
the letter cited above, one finds reference to three major themes
developed throughout the bicentennial year in following Emmanuel
d'Alzon:
1) Disciples of Jesus Christ (by baptismal commitment),
2) Apostles of Jesus Christ (by one’s choice to give one’s life to the service of the Gospel),
3) Brothers in Jesus Christ (by one’s commitment in religious life).
  
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