Can you tell us what OCH—the publisher of Ombres et Lumière—actually is, how it operates, who works there and how many staff members there are, and what role volunteers play?
OCH is a foundation for public benefit serving people with disabilities and their families. It's not a Church institution, but it embraces a Christian identity faithful to Catholic teaching. Beyond publishing the magazine, OCH's mission includes organizing conferences on disability, family days for people with disabilities, and running a listening center. We have 24 people working for the foundation, which sustains itself primarily through donations and bequests.
How many copies of your magazine are distributed? Is it sold at newsstands?
We print 10,000 copies—9,000 for subscribers, the rest for single sales and the archive. It's not available at newsstands (the cost would be prohibitive), but we'll soon be distributing it through religious bookstores.
How many people—journalists and contributors—work on the magazine?
We have four journalists, two of them part-time. But we draw on many outside contributors, like Sophie Lutz, and illustrators as well.
Who are your readers?
Two-thirds are people connected to disability in some way—parents, siblings, grandparents. The remaining third has no family ties to people with disabilities. These readers are simply sensitive to the issue, or they appreciate the magazine's humanistic and spiritual approach.
How long have you worked at Ombres et Lumière, and how long have you been directing it?
Around the mid-2000s, I started as a simple journalist. After spending many years at a Christian weekly, I was asked to take over as director.
How did you first discover Ombres et Lumière?
It began during a year of volunteer work at L'Arche in Trosly when I was still a student. Then I got to know OCH in 2001, at a major Faith and Light pilgrimage to Lourdes.
What is Ombres et Lumière today? What role does it play within OCH?
In France, Ombres et Lumière is the only magazine for families addressing every type of disability. We genuinely aim to be a reference publication—beyond the OCH network, beyond the Catholic world itself.
What has changed in French society and in your readers' needs and interests?
Much has shifted. Disabilities themselves have changed—more mental illness, more traumatic brain injuries, disabilities linked to aging; fewer cases of intellectual disability because of abortion. Paradoxically, society has become more open to people who are different, both in schools and the workplace. For our readers—families of people with disabilities who need to connect with others, to help one another, to feel understood—we remain a touchstone, despite these massive social changes.
What guides your editorial choices?
The Holy Spirit, I hope! We try to stay as close as possible to our readers' concerns while staying one step ahead of events. That's the whole reason the magazine exists.
What is your relationship with the French Catholic Church and other religious communities?
OCH has good relations with the French Bishops' Conference. With other religious traditions, we're more cautious for now.
In Italy, disability tends to make the news mainly through crime reports and sensational stories. How is it in France?
That happens here too, but it doesn't seem as dominant in French media. Newspapers do cover exceptional achievements by people with disabilities—in sports, the arts—but little about ordinary daily life. There's a gap, and that's what we at Ombres et Lumière try to fill.
Are there other disability-focused magazines in France?
Yes, quite a few things, especially in the nonprofit sector around disability. But each magazine tends to target a specific niche—physical disability, intellectual disability, employment integration—that sort of thing.
Have social media changed the magazine's format and content? How? Is Ombres et Lumière struggling with the print crisis like everyone else?
Digital disruption is upending Ombres et Lumière like it's affecting all print media. Our circulation is declining, despite a very high subscription rate. Our older readers stay loyal, but young people don't read the magazine much. We have to reach them online—through our website and social networks. That's essential now, but it demands time and expertise.
Could there be a European network of Ombres et Lumière publications—a kind of consortium?
Excellent idea! We'd need to think carefully about what we could share. And we should work toward an English edition, something with a truly global reach.
In an inclusive framework... if every magazine wanted to address disability within its pages and had the capacity to do so, would Ombres et Lumière still have a reason to exist?
Christian media especially are tackling disability more and more. That's good. For Ombres et Lumière to maintain its identity, we have to be genuinely expert and offer a service—real help for families and people with disabilities in their daily lives—something general media don't provide. I believe Ombres et Lumière has a long future ahead, because our readers experience it as a community of mutual support.
You must have countless stories from your years in this role. Any one in particular that stands out?
I live from extraordinary encounters. Hard to single one out. Working for this magazine is service, but above all it's an honor—to be truly close to the most fragile among us, because they are really our teachers.
Conducted by Cristina Tersigni and Giulia Galeotti
Translated by Rita Massi and Dominique