Emmaus Bolton - Working to live & give

History of Emmaus

Emmaus is a worldwide movement, which began in 1949 when Abbé Pierre, a French priest and MP, saw the need of many homeless in post-war Paris. He built, sometimes illegally, small homes for these people but the need was so great that he couldn’t cope. When, one day his help was requested by a man who had attempted suicide, Abbé Pierre didn’t offer advice or money to support him, instead he explained his predicament to the man and asked him for his help. The movement grew steadily and in 1969, at the 1st General Assembly in Berne, Switzerland, the Universal Manifesto of Emmaus was adopted.

Abbé Pierre

Universal Manifesto of Emmaus International
(Adopted at the 1st General Assembly, Berne, May 1969)

i Our Guiding Principle is one which is essential to the whole human race in order to make life worth living and find true peace and happiness, either for the individual or society.

Serve those less fortunate before yourself
Serve those who suffer most, first.

ii Our Conviction is that respect for this principle must be the driving force behind any search for justice and therefore peace in the world.

iii Our Aim is to act so that each individual, every society, every nation, may live, flourish and achieve fulfilment through communication, sharing and mutual respect.

iv Our Method is based on the creation, support and promotion of communities in which all feel free and respected and where they can meet their own needs and help each other.

v Our Primary Means wherever possible is through recycling and re-circulating. This form of work prevents waste as well as increasing the possibilities for providing emergency relief to those most in need.

vi Every Other Means of arousing consciences and of presenting the challenge of Emmaus must be used to help and persuade others to help those who are most in need, by sharing their hardship their struggles, both public and private, until the causes of all their ills are removed.

vii Our Freedom. In carrying out this task Emmaus recognises no ideal other than that expressed in this Manifesto and no other authority other than its own constitution. It acts in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations and with the just laws of every society and every nation. It makes no distinction on political, racial, linguistic, religious or any other grounds. Acceptance of this Manifesto is the only requirement of anyone wishing to share in our activities.

viii This Manifesto constitutes the simple basis of the Emmaus Movement. It must be adopted and applied by every group wishing to become an active member.