French priest, Fr Antoine Sondag, a former chaplain to the International YCS and later to the Pax Romana ICMICA movement, died on 7 November.
Known to many generations of movement leaders for his personal qualities and friendship as well as his intellectual capacities, Fr Antoine also served the French Church in a variety of roles.
Educated at the elite Institute of Political Science in Paris, he renounced an academic career to train as a priest in his home diocese of Metz, where he began his involvement with the French JEC or YCS.
Later he directed the research department for Caritas France and led the “mission universelle” or international affairs department for the French Catholic Bishops Conference.
Recently, he animated a dialogue process between the two YCW international movements, the International YCW (IYCW) and the International Coordination of the YCW (ICYCW).
Knowing that his end was near, he recorded a remarkable video reflection on the meaning of life and death that has already been viewed online over 20,000 times and translated into 12 languages in less than two weeks since his death.
WATCH THE VIDEO (FRENCH) ORE READ TRANSCRIPT
Antoine Sondag, A Dieu (Diocese of Metz) (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)
Antoine Sondag, A Dieu (English Transcript) (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)
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Stefan Gigacz, Antoine Sondag, a diaconal priest (Cardijn Research)