What's in a name

The name Emmaus ( pronounced emay-us ) was chosen by Abbe Pierre as it symbolises hope. It comes from a story in St Luke's Gospel and although Emmaus is not a religious organisation,

 Communities around the world have kept the name because of its symbolism.

The story ( Chapter 24, v. 13-35 ) describes how, shortly after Jesus' death, two of his followers were at Emmaus, a place near Jerusalem,

when they saw the resurrected Jesus and so regained hope.

Abbe Pierre, Founder of the Emmaus Movement

HOW EMMAUS STARTED

The first Emmaus Community was founded in Paris in 1949 by Father HenriAntoine Groues, better known as the Abbe Pierre, a Catholic priest, MP and former member of the French Resistance during the Second World War. As an MP, he fought to provide homes for those who lived on the streets of Paris.

One night, a man called Georges was brought to the Abbe Pierre. Georges had been released after 20 years in prison, only to find his family unable to cope with his reappearance. Homeless and despairing, he had tried to commit suicide in the Seine.  The Abbe Pierre did not just offer him a place to sleep.  He asked for his help. He told Georges of the homeless mothers who come to him for help for them and their children and how he could not cope with the problem on his own. Could Georges join him in his mission to help them?

Georges become the first Emmaus Companion, living with the Abbe Pierre and helping him to build temporary homes for those in need, first in the priest's own garden, then wherever land could be bought or scrounged.  He later said; 'Whatever else he might have given me-money, home, somewhere to work-l'd have still tried to kill myself again. What I was missing, and what he offered, was something to live for.'

The idea spread around the world and there are now over 300 projects in more then 40 countries; from Peru to South Korea; and from Lebanon to Canada.

BRITISH BEGINNINGS

Emmaus arrived in the UK in 1992, when the first Community opened in Cambridge. There are now 14 Communities in the UK with South Lambeth as the most recent addition.

The Communities are spread all over the UK; from Glasgow to Brighton. Communities in the South East include Emmaus South Lambeth, Emmaus Greenwich, Emmaus Brighton & Hove, Emmaus Dover and Emmaus St Albans. 

A BADGE OF HONOUR

Every year the UK Emmaus communities and those working to set up new Emmaus Communities around the country, come together for a weekend to share ideas and experiences.

The following is an extract from a speech made by Emmaus UK President, Terry Waite.

Our founder, Abbe Pierre very clear that Emmaus exists to provide a structure for those on the margins of society to regain their dignity as human beings and to recognise that their dignity is connected to caring for their neighbour. To love we must have self-worth and we gain self-worth through our relationships with others.

The first people to make up Emmaus are the Companions. Companions are the reason for Emmaus. Emmaus enables men and women who've made a conscious decision to take responsibility for their own lives to come into a structure that enables them to make that happen.

It is a badge of honour to be called a Companion. It's not being a recipient of charity but a recognition of a willingness to take responsibility.

That is the core essence of Emmaus.