During the Papal audience on Wednesday April 6, 2011, a large delegation from Bayard Press, the Assumptionist-owned publication house,  lead by Father  André Antoni, A.A., a member of the Board of Directors, came to Rome to present to the Pope a publication of Bayard called “Fiches Croire," a real tool for the new evangelization that is so close to the heart of the current Holy Father.

In the United States "Fiches Croire" are called "Faith Matters" and are published by Bayard, Inc. Currently there 12 versions available: "The Bible: A treasure trove waiting to be discovers;" "Why should I go to confessions?" "Depression... How can I overcome it?" "Divorced: How do you rebuild your life?" "The Eucharist: A great mystery!" "I've lost my faith..." "How do you read the gospels?" " Living through the ordeal of illness;" "Face to face with suicide;" "Who is Jesus?" "Why do evil and suffering Exist?" "When we're shaken by death."

We asked Father André to talk to us about the project and its implementation.

How did the publication of these leaflets on the faith come about? What is their goal? How are they distributed?

The “Fiches Croire” are the fruit of two editorial experiences. The first is a consequence of Bayard’s having taken over the Jesuit review, “Croire Aujourd’hui” (“Believing Today”), a publication aimed at people active in society. The second is related to the brief but rich answers provided on the web sit www.croire.com (launched in 2001) to those who frequented the site and sent in their questions about life and the faith. Subscriptions to the review diminished, but people were still looking for ways to form themselves in the faith, people who call themselves Catholic but are not practicing. This led Bayard to invent a contemporary product, in the hope of communicating the faith in a simple, but elegant and practical way.

“Who is Jesus?”, “Am I ready for marriage?”, “Why go to Mass on Sunday?”, “How to come out of a depression?”, “And if I became a Christian…”, “Why should I have my child baptized?”, “How does one make choices?” We all have our list of doubts, of difficulties, of questions. Where do you find answers to questions that you hardly dare even ask? With whom can you talk? What is the position of the Church regarding my question? Although there are places you can go for answers, or books or even virtual communities, it seemed to us that we had to go further, to find the right words and express them in a practical, direct, and effective manner: the leaflets were born.

How does this project relate to the Pope’s concern for a new evangelization?

They respond to this concern inasmuch as their audience is very broad: practicing Catholics of course, who can find simple answers to the difficult questions that are put to them and then all of those people who visit a church or go there to meditate. We think these leaflets will also find their place where major life questions are being asked, like in hospitals or in Catholic schools. Finally, we’re also thinking of those major spiritual centers like cathedrals or pilgrimage centers that can be found all over. When Cardinal Scola, patriarch of Venice, came to visit Bayard last year, he was immediately struck by the leaflets, thinking no doubt of the millions of visitors come come to San Marco each year… We will soon be publishing translations in English, in Chinese, and Japanese for those who are not at all close to Christianity.

Where are the leaflets distributednow and in what languages ?

Launched at first in France, the leaflets have sold more than six million copies in five years to parishes who distribute them gratis at the entrance to the church. The publishing house, San Paolo in Milan, had made a major investment by purchasing six million copies in Italian. Last November, the project was presented to the Conference of Bishops in Italy, attended by Cardinal Amato. He informed the Pope, who decided to meet the editors.

More modestly, by way of its subsidiary, Bayard has begun to distribute the leaflets in Germany as well, where some 200,000 have been sold : “Glauben Kompact” is the name given to the leaflets in Germany. Our partnership with Adveniat in the Netherlands is allowing us to begin publishing it in Dutch. Now we are trying to convince the Spanish publishers, SM, to launch it in Spain as well and then beyond to Latin America. Finally, we have just received a request from one of the countries in West Africa. Only the future will decide how broadly the project spreads.

Interview by Fr. Bernard Le Léannec