Mineral water, bread, salat, spinach pancake, roast duck and a bottle of French red wine are landing in the table. This restaurant in the centre of Rome, in Palazzo Lante, Via Monterone 85, is different from the others. Named L´Eau Vive, Living Water, is it a place where cook, serve and wine pour missionaries from Third World countries. They want to evangelize and speaking about the Risen Christ this way.
Francois came to Roma from the Wallis Island. Where is it? Somewhere in French Polynesia. She serves in her traditional costume in restaurant. As all Missionary workers of the Immaculate, laicus members of Carmelites Third Order. In L´Eau Vive you can see typical costumes from Kenya, Burkina Faso, Oceania, Southeastern Asia. After finishing their work in restaurant, girls teach in schools, visit patients in hospitals, care after old, try to help prostitutes from Termini railway station.
Donum Dei, a missionary family, was found by Father Marcel Roussel - Galle in 1950. He was alarmed at lack of moral values in French society. He knew that the faith cannot spread from incommunicative convents. France needed different way of revival. So he sent missionaries among the people. They were living with common people and were working together with them, and this way theye were spreading words of Jesus Christ. People would maybe keep distance from missonaries in nun robes. That´s why new missionaries should be laicus – but initiated and after making promises. So the rules for them are the same like in convents. Including celibacy.
Young girls were working in families, schools, prisons, in poor areas. They used to have different professions – missionaries are needed in every place, also in offices, pubs or factories. They rented a restaurant in Toulon in 1955. The idea of L´Eau Vive, Living Water restaurant, where people can feed not only body but also soul, was born. Sisters were sent to Africa, Asia, Latin America, and in all continents they have opened L´Eau Vive restaurants. Everybody needs food so it it a good place for evangelization. From gains sisters fund their charitable activities. To spread words of Jesus Christ by French cuisine seems like a great idea.
„Father Joseph“, or general prosecutor of Carmelites Josef Jančář from Czech Republic, speaks above a plate with roast duck about L´Eau Vive restaurant in Rome. It was open December 8th 1969. Later, during socialism, were all talks between Czechoslovak communist government and Vatican taken in a lounge upstairs. Vatican didn´t invite communist leaders into its territory.
„Missionaries didn´t work only in restaurant,“ Father Joseph explains. „They run hotels, hostels for pilgrims, one sister, a doctor, works in research centre in Sweden. Sisters live directly in favelas, poor areas, in Brazil. Criminality there is huge, but they don´t close their doors – and never were robbed! People there respect their work. Here, in Rome, they have hard times. Prices in Rome are rising up, only for rent they pay 11 000 euro per month.
„I never wanted to be a nun in typical robe. But I like idea to live and work with people,“ sister Angela from Burkina Faso says. Sister get no salary for their work and must go where their superiors send them. Day off have only in every fourth Sunday. Once a four year they have six weeks of holiday. „Love to Jesus help us to get over everything,“ sister Josian from Burkina Faso smiles.
Some guests turn and leave seeing that they entered the restaurant with Christian message. L´Eau Vive is different from the first moment. There is a statue of Virgin Mary just next to the main entrance. There are crosses, paintings of Holy Father and Catholic saints on the walls. By the way, also Benedikt XVI. and John Paul II. used to visit L´Eau Vive as cardinals.
„Guests sometimes ask what does it mean. We tell them about Jesus Christ and our charitable projects,“ sister Josian explains.
At 9 pm guests in L´Eau Vive restaurants all over the world aside forks and knives for a short time. Sister pray and sing Ave Maria. They also dance, every Saturday. Traditional dances from their homes or some scenes from Bible.
And what can you try in L´Eau Vive in Rome? Classicas French cuisine, local Italian specialities and exotic dishes from home countries of missionaries. For example: French onion soup with white wine and gratinate cheese, Italian pasta, shrimps on cream and white wine sauce served with rice, perch cooked in coco milk with ginger and garlic, served with spinach rice, fillet of beef prepared in Mexican style and creme brulée as a dessert. And French and Italian wines. Priests, bishops and cardinals often enjoy good food with bottle of wine here.
Missionaries usually attend culinary workshops. Sister Bernadetta studied in famous Gordon Bleu school in Paris. Every new speciality sisters first taste themselves. After passing this test they include it into menu.
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