Husband and wife, Romain and Reina, gave up everything to become missionaries. For some time, they lived on a bus traveling through the most impoverished places in Latin America, offering humanitarian aid and Catholic formation.
Now they have 6 children and have created the Misericordia Foundation, where they continue their missionary work
ROMAIN DE CHATEAUVIEUX
Founder, Misericordia Foundation
In 2013, when the Pope said “mercy changes the world. It makes it more fair and less cold.” For us, our hearts were impacted and we wanted to respond to this invitation to be merciful to the world and especially to the poor as a family.
The Foundation wants to build structures like this one. Here they distribute food, give classes and organize workshops. They also added a church.
Here is a piece of Heaven. It is where we come to find joy, to leave the bitterness and the pains behind. And we leave happy and content.
Romain and Reina's story began in one of Brazil's poorest favela or slum. Romain was invited there by a priest friend and that stay was key to rediscovering his faith in God. This is how he described it in a conference before recent graduates in Chile.
ROMAIN DE CHATEAUVIEUX
Founder, Misericordia Foundation
I felt very poor, very poor. And during that time, I experienced a moment that changed my life. All the faith, the Catholic culture that I had received in my head, suddenly entered my heart.
Romain and Reina met in Brazil and worked together with the people of the favelas. After getting married, they made the decision to lead this kind of missionary life.
At the end of the General Audience, they were able to tell Pope Francis about their experience and work with the Misericordia Foundation, which is already in Argentina, Chile, the United States and France. When they greeted the Pope, he invited them to visit him at his residence in Casa Santa Marta.
PA/JRB
TR: OJ
