The Words of the Ladouce Family
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The Words of the Ladouce Family |
From June 2-6, 120 distinguished citizens of France and other French- speaking nations attended the first CAUSA French-language seminar in Washington, D.C.
Among the guests were some prestigious people: Roger Pinoteau, former Mayor of Paris and now the chairman of the Association of Former Members of French Parliament; General Albert Merglen, an international adviser in economics and military affairs; Jean-Louis Murat, a man who worked with General De Gaulle during World War II; Houchang Nahavandi, formerly the minister of education under the Shah in Iran and now professor of economy in Paris; Jean E. Charon, a renown physicist and author; and Van Ngoc Dinh, President of the Vietnamese Community in Europe; many journalists, lawyers and teachers.
In preparing to meet the greatest challenge of the conference -- winning the respect of this distinguished audience CAUSA lecturers were reminded of the advice Father gave them when CAUSA began its work in 1980. He emphasized that the CAUSA staff should not concentrate primarily on acquiring academic knowledge. Rather, he said, the key to success lies in mobilizing the spiritual world. To do this, prayer is crucial. Therefore, members of the CAUSA staff pray three hours for every one-hour lecture. Three people pray throughout every lecture. Furthermore, from midnight to 5:00 a.m. there is a prayer vigil.
On the first day of the Washington D.C. conference, lecturers gave a series of VOC lectures in French. The second day marked the beginning of Col. Bo Hi Pales lectures, called "Godism," which demonstrate Father's teaching as the foundation for a moral world. The climax of that day was reached when we showed "Truth is My Sword" in French. Col. Pak then gave a vibrant testimony about Father. Upon this foundation, the people on the next day felt moved to sign a declaration of sympathy and support for Rev. Moon and his family.
On the third day a closing banquet marked the end of the conference. Several people then expressed deep admiration for CAUSA and willingness to support our activities. Mr. Nahavandi said he had been impressed by the high intellectual and moral level of the conference. Abdel Khader Rahmani, President of the International Third World College, congratulated CAUSA for its remarkable organization and kindness, also expressing his gratitude for the intellectual quality of the lectures. Mr. Ruggero Battaglia, a Ph.D. in law and in literature as well as a journalist in Rome, felt so enthusiastic that he begged Col. Pak, "Can I start CAUSA in Italy?"
The most prophetic and spiritually significant testimony, however, was surely that of Jacques Forestier, a physicist and journalist:
CAUSA appears to me as a modern and necessary crusade to counter that perversion of modem thought which communism is all about. You embrace man as a whole, i.e., man as a vertical and horizontal being. As a journalist and writer I see two ways to help you. First, I want to restore the calumnious image of Rev. Moon in our country. A man who aims at Godism and fighting communism won't get only friends. Secondly, I want to help you formulate the CAUSA world view in a way that can be better received by our country, unfortunately wounded by two centuries of humanistic rationalism and irreligious thinking.
On June 6th, we celebrated the fortieth anniversary of D-Day. After a short visit to the Washington Times, the French delegation attended the celebration of the Normandy landing at the White House Ellipse where they admired the perfect discipline of the different honor guards of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
At the White House Mrs. Faith Whittlesey, President Reagan's director of Public Affairs, gave a speech. She emphasized that America has entered a new era of prosperity with a determination to solve the problem of communism on a worldwide level.
In the afternoon, we visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington, Virginia, where another ceremony commemorating D-Day was underway. A small delegation of French veterans brought a wreath. As the mournful notes of taps filled the atmosphere with the deep presence of the other world, I'm sure that the veterans could recall that day, June 6, 1944, when they were in their twenties.
In the evening, a closing banquet was offered by the Veterans' Committee for French-American Friendship in the Potomac Ballroom of the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. It was particularly moving to listen to Ambassador Douglas MacArthur II, the nephew and namesake of the great General. Speaking in perfect French, he said that on the day he entered Paris in 1945, his joy was so deep that he could not help crying. Col. Pak, in presenting closing remarks to the participants, said that a new Normandy landing is needed today to battle atheistic materialism.