n e w s l e t t e r JERUSALEM l o v e t h e H o l y l a n d a n d b e l o v e d Number 13 APRIL 2012 Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem www.lpj.org P.O.B. 14152 Jerusalem 91141 Tel : +972 2 628 23 23 Fax : +972 2 627 16 52 Media office: meo@latinpat.org LATIN PATRIARCHATE PRINTING PRESS BEIT JALA 2012 Editorial How many walls? For the 10-year anniversary of its security barrier Israel plans to raise a new wall on its border with Lebanon. The work is imminent. The wall would be 10 meters high and 2 km long. This latest wall will follow the one which began to be erected along the 240 km line between the deserts of Sinai and the Negev. This project should be completed in late 2012. Once these two walls will be completed, Israel will almost completely be enclosed by barbed wire fences or concrete. Only the southern border with Jordan between the Dead Sea and Red Sea will ultimately remain without a physical barrier. But it also could be walled up in the future. On 1 January 2012, the Israeli Prime Minister revealed that intention. For the record, 10 years ago, April 14, 2002, during the second intifada, the Israeli government decided to erect a barrier of 700 km to protect its citizens from attack. Today, the security fence (called separation wall on the Palestinian side) is part of the landscape. Yet it was deemed contrary to international law by the International Court of Justice. For some, this wall saves lives every day. For others it is the wall of shame. Many walls have been built throughout history to protect land or peoples: in Cyprus, Korea, Ireland, Mexico... and perhaps the most emblematic is the Berlin Wall of Khrushchev in 1961. As such, without wanting to simplify an extremely complex historical process, it seems quite natural to think back to John Paul II. Beatified nearly one year ago, he participated in the fall of the Iron Curtain. His role was of course neither military nor strictly political; he was above all a testimony. He was referring to a moral standard beyond States. In 2009, his successor Benedict XVI in the Holy Land continued, In a world where more and more borders are being opened up to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples, to cultural exchanges it is tragic to see walls still being erected. In fact, the wall that scars the Holy Land separated families, made people lose their jobs, reduced trade; and landlocked villages and neighborhoods. Today there are on the wall, names, drawings, graffiti, fears, hopes and an icon too. The latter represents the Virgin Mary, Daughter of the country. A prayer is dedicated to her; to break down walls of fear. Christophe Lafontaine ² ² ² Prayer to Our Lady who brought down the walls Holy Mother of God, we invoke thee as Mother of the Church, Mother of all Christians who suffer. We beseech thee, through thy intercession burning to bring down this wall, walls of our hearts, and all the walls that generate hatred, violence, fear and indifference, between men and between peoples. Thou, who by thy Fiat have crushed the ancient serpent, bring us and unite us under thy virginal mantle, protect us from all evil, and open forever in our lives the door of Hope. Bring forth in us and in this world, the civilization of love gushed from the Cross and the Resurrection of thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen Icon of the Mother of the Church, written on the wall of separation in Bethlehem
P A G E 2 Concerts of the Route Chantante The Route Chantante is a group of forty French pilgrims who visit churches interpreting songs with 4 voices. They offer vigils of singing and worship. During their trip to the Holy Land, they gave two concerts: on Thursday, April 26 at St. Catherine s Church in Bethlehem and on Friday, April 27 at St. Stephen Basilica in Jerusalem. Amman has a new media center The Catholic Center for Studies and Media was officially inaugurated in Jordan on Wednesday, April 25 th. His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch de Jerusalem, launched the new Center in presence of the State Minister for Medias and Communication in Jordan. ACOHL: To all our Jewish brothers and sisters The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, the heads of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and their Commission for Relations with the Jewish People, wish you, your family, your friends a very blessed feast of Passover. The journey to Emmaus On Easter Monday, about 30 pilgrims set out on a journey from Jerusalem to arrive by foot in Emmaus. From different nationalities: French, Italian, Indian, German, Spanish, Israeli, Vietnamese and Congolese On their arrival at the place, the Mass was celebrated by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. 15,000 join Palm Sunday Procession A cortege of 15,000 Catholics took part in the Palm Sunday Procession in Jerusalem on April 1 st. It should be notedt that many Palestinian Christians were able to join the procession from Bethphage over the Mount of Olives to the Old City. A parade of fervor, colors, human warmth and sunshine. N E W S L E T T E R J E RU S A L E M Diocese : Holy Land News Holy Land welcomes relics of John Paul II Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, who was a secretary of John Paul II, came on pilgrimage to the Holy Land to give to the Holy Land relics of the Blessed Pope. The Cardinal was accompanied by 600 pilgrims from Cracow and he met the Patriarch and the Vicar for Israel in Nazareth on Saturday, April 21. This pilgrimage was organized from the standpoint of the celebrations on the first anniversary of the beatification of John Paul II (May 1, Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz was a secretary of John Paul II 2011). At the conclusion of the pilgrimage a Mass was celebrated at the Franciscan sanctuary of the Primacy of Peter in Tabgha. The Eucharist, which also represented the occasion for offering the relics of John Paul II to the Holy Land, was presided over by Cardinal Dziwisz. Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz took possession of the Archbishop s See of Cracow on August 27, 2005 in the presence of 80,000 faithful. It is with 600 of these that he travelled throughout the Holy Land. All remember the unforgettable pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II which is still reminisced upon throughout the country for its significance. The Blessed Holy Father, with one of the most significant gestures of his pontificate, asked pardon for sins committed at a time in history by the Catholics in the Church, in a particular way for their attitude towards Jews, heretics, women and indigenous peoples. At the stopover in Nazareth, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz wanted to greet H.B. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and his Episcopal Vicar for Israel, Bishop Marcuzzo. This was the opportunity for the prelate to reciprocate the four day visit that the Patriarch made to Poland in September 2010 on the occasion of the Days of Jerusalem in Miechòw. This city, situated 30 kilometers from Cracow, is linked to Jerusalem by the presence of a Church named Church of the Holy Sepulchre, an ancient priory of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. During the course of the meeting, the situation of the Holy Land was mentioned. For the Patriarch, the arrival and the presence of the Cardinal in the Holy Land by itself testifies a message of support. This is greatly appreciated. Christophe Lafontaine Christian Churches Greetings to Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem On Tuesday morning April 10, representatives of the different Christian churches arrived at the Latin Patriarchate to present their Easter greetings to Patriarch Fouad Twal. The Greek Orthodox opened this traditional ecumenical morning, led by Patriarch Theophilos III. Afterwards, at 10:00, representatives of all the other Churches and ecclesial communities, through Bishop Dawani, Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, conveyed their best Easter wishes to H.B. Patriarch Fouad Twal, and, through him, to the Latin Church in the Holy Land. The final visit was that of the Armenian Orthodox. On this occasion, Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Grand Sacristan, presented Easter greetings. He represented Patriarch Torkom Manoogian since 2012, that is since the latter was rushed to the hospital. To Bishop Manougian was entrusted the supervision of the activities of the Armenian Patriarchate. Bishop Manougian took advantage of this exchange of courtesies to thank the Latin Patriarch for his courageous stance on the current situation in the Holy Land and surrounding countries, and to underline his highly regarded diplomatic sensitivity. These exchanges of Easter greetings took place while the majority of Christians in the Holy Land (the orthodox, but also Latin Catholics of the Palestinian Territories and Jordan) celebrated Easter only one week later. On the occasion of the Orthodox Easter, the various representatives of the Christian communities of Jerusalem, among which H.B. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch emeritus, were welcomed by His Beatitude, Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch, on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Together they proclaimed that Christ is risen! The message of the Resurrection of Jesus, according to the April 15 Message of Pope Benedict XVI to the Heads of the Middle Eastern Churches, is the reason of hope for all humanity, and for all Christians, especially in those parts of the world where they are victims of violence and where they suffer injustice. Louis-Marie de Linage et Daniel Le
l o v e t h e H O L Y l a n d a n d b e l o v e d P A G E 3 Diocese: Holy Land News Thousands join Our Lady of Mount Carmel procession Haifa - His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the traditional annual procession in veneration of the Virgin, Lady of Mount Carmel. His Excellency Bishop G-B Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar in Galilee, Bishop Kamal Bathish, emeritus, the Carmelite monks, several church leaders, priests, nuns and thousands of faithful from the region, Jerusalem and the West Bank participated.the procession proceeded from the Latin Parish Church of St. Joseph up to the Church of St. Elijah on Mount Carmel. Scouts from all areas headed the procession together with a group of young girls who donned the Palestinian traditional costume and carried a statue of the Virgin. The statue of the Virgin of Mount Carmel was also mounted on a carriage pulled by participants. Upon arrival at St. Elijah s Church, the Patriarch presided over prayers and delivered a moving speech about the special role of the Virgin in Christians lives. He implored her intercession to bring peace to the region and to the entire world. One of the monks explained that this procession dates back to some 80 years ago. He said that by the end of the 1 st World War, the Turkish army ordered the Carmelites to vacate the Convent on Mount Carmel within 3 hours time. They moved then the 300 years old statue of the Virgin to the Latin Church of St. Joseph down town. By the end of the war the monks decided to hold a hymnal procession in gratitude to the Virgin for getting them back to the Convent and for her protection of the inhabitants and the city. The statue of the Virgin used for the procession is an authentic replica of the original statue that is kept safe in the Church. This replica was chiseled by monk Luigi Bougi. Source: abouna.org The 2012 Novelty for the Annunciation Nazareth, the place of the mystery of the Incarnation, was able to celebrate the solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25, although this year it fell on a Sunday in Lent. The celebrations were presided over by H.B. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The feast this year was characterized by some novelty. The liturgical welcome, for example, took place at the side entrance of the lower Basilica, thus allowing the Patriarch to visit and to venerate the Grotto of the Annunciation. This initiative of Father Ricardo Bustos ofm, superior of the Basilica, Father Amjad Sabbara, ofm, pastor, and Father Peter Felet, scj, patriarchal master of ceremonies, found the agreement of many, among them the Patriarchal Vicar who also hopes as the reception can take place at the main door, rather than side, the Basilica. As for the liturgical music and singing, another surprise this year welcomed the Patriarch and the faithful: for the first time, even before the official inauguration, the new organ in the Basilica was used. The Choir of the Basilica with the help, this year, of the Magnificat Choir of Jerusalem, and was particularly distinguished in the chant. Always in the liturgical arena, new vestments, chasubles and copes, of the same model and with the Marian colors (white and light-blue), arrived from Poland, adorned the ceremonies in a truly magnificent. Even the Catholic media have seen a jump in quality on the occasion of the Annunciation 2012. For the first time the FMC, in collaboration with TV2000, Telepace and Télélumière, with the help of local technicians have transmitted the pontifical mass live and worldwide telecast. This year the participation of the faithful was particularly large. One could, of course, recognize the Christians of Nazareth, but also those of other parishes of Galilee and Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Ramallah and many pilgrims. Among the participants that were distinguished this year was the group Friends of the International Center Mary of Nazareth who came on the occasion of the first anniversary of the opening of the Center. Equally: five Brothers of St. John of God (Do-Good Brothers) celebrated their silver jubilee of religious profession and renewed their vows during the Mass. Two are from the community of the Italian Hospital in Nazareth (Father Franciszek Chmiel, Superior, and Brother Bonicacy Jaskiewicz), the other came especially from Europe for the Jubilee (Father Ambrozy Pietrzkiewicz, Father Dominik Bednarczyk, Father Brunon Neuman). Correspondent from Nazareth
P A G E 4 N E W S L E T T E R J E RU S A L E M Diocese: Pastoral activities and liturgical life Patriarch Fouad meets the communities of Galilee NAZARETH - Taking advantage of his presence in Galilee on the occasion of the feast of the Annunciation, on 25 March, Patriarch Fouad Twal made a visit to some communities and religious institutes, reserving the joy of visiting the remaining on another occasion. 1 - Visit to the Mayor of Nazareth Accompanied by the Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, by the Parish Priest, Father Amjad Sabbara and by the Parish Council, the Patriarch visited, as by tradition, the Mayor of Nazareth. He was so received by Mr. Ramez Jarayseh and by its Board of Directors. The very friendly conversation touched several themes: the welcome of tourists and pilgrims, the historical vocation of Nazareth, the development plans for the city and also the new academic institution Nazareth (University). 2 - The Sisters of Nazareth The Patriarch met the Sisters of Nazareth, whose Superior, Sr. Stefania Cantore, is also President of the Union of the Religious of Galilee. Patriarch Fouad commended their work on the new evangelization and on the next Year of the Faith. The Patriarch also met Sr. Claude Darling, already an elderly sister who has dedicated her life to the service of the Church of the Holy Land, and then Sr. Margaret Byrne, former director of the school in Haifa, which successfully accompanied the transition to new management, entrusted to the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. 3 - The Missionaries of Charity - contemplative branch. The Patriarch visited, accompanied by Bishop Marcuzzo, the community of five Missionaries of Charity - contemplative branch, whose Superior is Father Marie Louis. The missionaries here are called the Brothers of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Nazareth has become the place for their preparation and solemn profession. They did not neglect, when welcoming the Patriarch with songs, to put around his neck the traditional crown of Indian flowers. 4 - Sephoris: Sisters of St. Anne The Patriarch made his first visit to the communities of Sephoris. The Sisters of St. Anne, whose Superior is also the Provincial, Sr. Clementina Santarsiero, have an important center for children coming from families in difficulty (62 persons), Muslim and Christian, who have been assigned to them by the social services and by the courts. The Center must expand and modernize itself thanks to the financial aid from the Lombardy region. The Patriarch met all the sisters, many of the teachers, psychologists and social workers (36), he visited the premises and greeted all the children, big and small, thanking everyone for their efforts and the work. The Patriarch also met two Argentinean brothers of the Community of the Incarnate Word - contemplative branch, who live near them and have custody of the ancient medieval Church of St. Anna, particularly dear to French pilgrims, an expression of the tradition that makes Sephoris the birth city of the Virgin Mary. The two religious houses are situated near the archeological site of Ancient Sephoris - very much visited nowadays -, the former capital of Galilee, the center of the Sanhedrin, the cradle of the Mishna, and in the center of the ancient Arab town totally destroyed in 1948. 5 - Kafr Kanna: Pastor, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart CIM The Patriarch and the Patriarchal Vicar greeted in Kafr Kanna (Cana of Galilee) the Pastor, Father Francois-Marie Shamiyeh, OFM, and his confrere Fra Rafael, to whom the expressed their congratulations and very best wishes for the new high school project and for the new center for pilgrims. The Pastor expressed distinct satisfactions for this project explaining the difficulties encountered in obtaining the necessary permits, especially because of the endless archeological verifications and expenses. The Patriarch also visited the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate who cooperate successfully with the Pastor in the Sanctuary of the First Miracle and in the parish. Photos de M.Jadlosz et H.Karam Patriarch Fouad then visited the community of the Franciscan Sisters, CIM, who manage a new elementary and middle school and assist in the Parish by teaching Catechetics. The Superior, Sr. Renée Moussa, strong by her long experience as director and secretary of the Office of Catholic schools in Israel, explained to His Beatitude the new challenges that are encountered at the school, which concern more generally all the schools in Israel. 6 - Eilaboun: Patriarch Fouad visits Archbishop B. Mouallem and condolences to the family of Mr. Hanna Soued The Patriarch also took advantage of his presence in Galilee to greet Archbishop Boutros Mouallem, who has retired in Eilaboun. The Archbishop Emeritus of Akko, despite its 84 years, is still in very active especially with conferences and publications. He has just written a book in which he collected various articles and which carries the suggestive title of In the light of the Arab Spring, with a foreword by his colleague from Galilee, Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo. The Patriarch finally went, together with three bishops, Archbishop Mouallem, Bishop Marcuzzo, Bishop Bathish, and parish priests Ilario Antoniazzi of Rameh, Elias Odeh of Reineh, Elias Tabban of Jaffa of Nazareth and Bassam Deir of Shefaamer, to the home of Mr. Hanna Soued, member of the Knesset, and Ihab Soued, a former lawyer of the Patriarchate, to present condolences for the recent death of their father and grandfather, at the age of one hundred years. S.A.Khadra Bishop Lahham s first pastoral visit to Mafraq Parish Mafraq Parish, North-East of Jordan, welcomed Bishop Maroun Lahham, Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan, on his first pastoral visit to the city on Sunday, April 22, 2012. Sisters of Nazareth s Jubilee in Shafa amr On the occasion of 150 years of presence of the Sisters of Nazareth in Shafa amr, the sisters organized under the auspices of Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar in Nazareth, on Saturday, April 21 in the evening, a reception to thank city s inhabitants for their hospitability towards the convent and its sisters. The great surprise was the arrival of His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by Bishop Marcuzzo who arrived both from the Galilean village of Ramah, where His Beatitude made his first official visit. All generations celebrate in Taybeh! His Excellency William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop for Jerusalem, inaugurated the enlargement of the retirement home in Taybeh on Sunday, April 22 nd. There are already 20 people there, among whom Patriarch emeritus Michel Sabbah. Bishop Shomali also administered the sacrament of the Eucharist and Confirmation to 40 children during the Sunday Mass. Patriarch Twal inaugurates a Latin Church On the occasion of the inauguration of the Latin Church in Ramah, many people from the village and the region welcomed His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on his first official visit on Saturday, April 21. Cavaliers and young people accompanied His Beatitude from the main village intersection to its Eastern entrance. Divine Mercy Sunday The Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy cordially invited faithful to celebrate the Feast of the Divine Mercy in the Co-Cathedral of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem on Sunday, April 15, 2012. Bishop Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem presided over the Eucharist. In Tel Aviv, the community of the Filipino migrant workers named after the Divine Mercy celebrated the Feast of the Divine Mercy on Saturday 14, 2012. Children s Easter camp for Hebrew-speaking Catholics For three days, from Wednesday, April 11, until Friday, April 13, the children of the Hebrew speaking Catholic communities gathered in the Deir Rafat convent (Our Lady of Palestine), near Beit Shemesh. 46 members of the kehillot (Hebrew speaking Catholic communities) children, youth and seven adult counselors went off to the convent.
l o v e t h e H O L Y l a n d a n d b e l o v e d P A G E 5 Diocese in the Middle East and around the world Investing in communication becomes a priority says Patriarch Twal His Beatitude Patriarch Fouad Twal is attending the seminar for communications held in Lebanon from April 17 to 20. He spoke this morning in his conference about the importance of the formation of seminarians, priests and all faithful in the communication field. According to the Patriarch, it is even more crucial for the Holy Land, which has a role of witness and example more than elsewhere. It is here that started the announcement of the Resurrection to the world. The world looks at the Holy Land and expects from there a testimony of peace. The Patriarch added that the new evangelization requires a return to the roots of faith and Jerusalem must ride the new media. According to Patriarch Twal, no need to focus everything on the Holy Land. The important thing is that the whole Middle East catches up the accumulated delay on communication while many institutions were quickly dedicated on academic, sanitary and hospital services. Investing in communication becomes a priority, he warned. This action also requires a union of forces within our diocese as with our neighbor dioceses: we should join our communication forces. Without ignoring the power of pilgrimages as communication channels, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem underlined the importance to properly welcome pilgrims in order for them to tell their experience in the Holy Land when they come back to their countries. But where A Court of the Gentiles soon to be in Jerusalem? In an interview granted to vaticaninsider.it, Cardinal Ravasi revealed he wants to organize a first Court of the Gentiles in Jerusalem, an ideal starting point for a dialogue between believers and non-believers: I would be very happy to organize in Jerusalem a meeting with Jewish, Christian and Muslim intellectuals and artists. Jews and Catholics share many common values. Both are faced with this same concern: the expansion of the secularization of society. It is a fact, specifies the Cardinal, that today to know that God exists or does not exist for many has no importance It is what Father Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, confirms, when interviewed on this subject; he clarified that in the Holy Land, atheism does not so much apply rather than atheism it is the it should be the most important point to focus on is the good training of guides for the Holy Places. He shares thus his concern that Israel wants to monopolize this activity because of the importance of communication. The Patriarch stated that it is clear that the Eastern Catholic Churches need people who are trained and specialized in the communication fields. He especially thinks about the priests and seminarians. This is an emergency, particularly not to miss this generation and to move from a pastoral of the information to a communication strategy. We must educate seminarians to use these resources, to understand them but also to be critical thinking about the huge amounts of information flowing. But this won t be without a good training of Church leaders, pastoral teams, educators, and catechists. The Latin Patriarch reminded the role of schools and universities and launched the following appeal: we must commit into a new theological work, that of Christian reflection on the media. This involves the development of programs that would mix theology, philosophy, and ecclesiology, in addition to other fields such as literature and film history, rhetoric and other more specific as the study of public opinion, audiovisual communication or relations with media. Christophe Lafontaine fact of persons not believing. Stressing the importance of a good preparation for this event so as not to run the risk of limiting it to an academic meeting, the Custos stated that a court of the Gentiles in Jerusalem, could be a very important stimulus for reflection, evaluation and for a meeting between us believers. Born as an initiative of the Pope, the Court of the Gentiles is a structure of the Catholic Church which is committed to a dialogue with non-believers. The name refers directly to the Court of the Gentiles in Jerusalem, an exterior area of the Old Temple reserved to the pagans. A beautiful way of communicating by Mother Church in the dawn of the next Synod for the new evangelization. Amélie de La Hougue A pediatric hospital dedicated to the Holy Father On April 16, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his 85 th birthday and 7 years since his election to the Chair of Peter. On leaving the general audience, H.B. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Archbishop Luciano Giovannetti, president of the John Paul II Foundation, presented to the Pope their project of a pediatric hospital in Beit Jala. On the occasion of this double anniversary and in memory of his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the hospital will take the name of Pope Benedict XVI. Patriarch s condolences on death of Cardinal Daoud Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud entered the Peace of God on Saturday, April 7, 2012. He was the Patriarch emeritus of Antioch, and the Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches from 2000 to 2007. H.B. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, sent a condolence letter to H.B. Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan, current primate of the Syrian Catholic Church through the Syrian Catholic Bishop of Bethlehem. A cappuccino for the Holy Land The price of a cappuccino for the Holy Land : that is the initiative launched by Military Ordinary Archbishop for Italy (OMI), His Excellency Vincenzo Pelvi at the end of Chrism Mass celebrated at seminarys s church in the military city of Cecchignola (Rome). Benefits collected in the barracks all over Italy will support schools, hospitals and housing needs of local Christians. Israeli Chief Rabbinate Holy See meeting in Rome The 11 th bilateral commission between the delegations of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See was held in Rome from March 27 to 29, under the presidency of Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen and Cardinal Peter Turkson. The theme was: Religious perspectives on the current financial crisis: vision for a just economic order. The members of the bilateral commission underscored the role that the faith communities must play in contributing to a responsible economic order and the importance of their engagement by government, educational institutions, and the media, to this end. Synod: Benedict XVI to visit Lebanon in September Pope Benedict XVI will make an apostolic visit to Lebanon from September 14-16 this year to deliver the awaited post-synodal apostolic exhortation to the Bishops of the Middle East, following the Synod held in the Vatican, October 10-24, 2010 on the theme: The Catholic Church in the Middle East: communion and witness. The Vatican and Lebanese authorities in Beirut actually confirmed this visit on April 8.
P A G E 6 N E W S L E T T E R J E RU S A L E M Projects of the Latin Patriarchate Jordan: Rusaifeh and the challenge to the Christian presence To the east of Amman, Jordan, on the road that lead to Zarqa, one finds Rusaifeh, a town with a majority Muslim population, falling within Governorate of Zarqa. In 1967 a Church was built there dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, and later a school. Today, without a proper pastor, Rusaifeh seeks to preserve the Christian witness in the region, in particular through the service of the Missionary Sisters of Charity. The Governorate of Zarqa, on which Rusaifeh depends, numbers more than 200,000 inhabitants, the great majority Muslims. When they built the church dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, in 1967, there were still several Latin Christian families. Their number, however, is in steady decline. Difficult conditions In 1988, the year in which the parochial school was entrusted to the Missionary Sisters of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, they opened a center for disabled children. Today, there are very few Christian families, they tell, without specifying the number. Christians are leaving the country in increasing numbers. Or better, they are fleeing, specifies the Rev. Bashir Bader, parish priest in the vicinity, Amman, and project manager for the renovation of the house and the parish hall. The conditions are too difficult, especially if we think of the homes, he adds. In fact, Rusaifeh is known for its refugee camp. And building projects are proving insufficient. Sometimes there are also difficult relations with Muslim neighbors. And in all this, the municipal services are
l o v e t h e H O L Y l a n d a n d b e l o v e d P A G E 7 ineffective in improving the reality and the life of Christians. The sisters of Mother Teresa suffer regrets Rev. Bader. Witness of Charity In their daily difficulties, the sisters persist in their service to provide a witness to the charity of Christ. For the spiritual support they can count for more than eight years on the Rev. Anthony Fernando, priest originating in Sri Lanka, which is their chaplain. While residing in the parish house of Rusaifeh, he is also involved in the community of the faithful of Sri Lanka in Amman and other cities. In particular he goes every Friday and Saturday in the parish of the Rev. Bashir Bader, i.e. in the church of the Annunciation in Jabal Luweibdeh, Amman. A quasi-parish Rusaifeh does not have its own pastor. However, it may be regarded as a quasi-parish, explains the Rev. Bashir Bader. In fact, in addition to the sisters of Mother Teresa, who have done their utmost faithfully for more than thirty years to assist the disabled children, the movement of Young Christian in University is also very active. Bringing together youth of Rusaifeh and neighboring towns through regular meetings, this movement injects dynamism into a Christian community that daily suffers. To facilitate these activities, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem decided to restructure the parish house, where the priest lives, and the parish hall which will host the activities of youth movements, meetings and large celebrations. This will encourage a witness to the Christian presence in a region that is so much in need. The start of the work on the house and on the parish hall is planned for the month of June and should be completed by the end of August. Daniel Le For further information visit www.lpj.org : Nominations at Congregation for Eastern Churches (21 April 2012) Final Communiqué of the seminar on communications in the Middle East (20 April 2012) Patriarch s conference on the formation in the communication field in seminaries and theological universities (20 April 2012) Mass of the Resurrection at Holy Sepulchre Photo report (8 April 2012) Easter Sunday 2012 Patriarch s Homily (8 April 2012) Paschal Vigil at Holy Sepulchre Photo report (7 April 2012) Office of the Passion at Holy Sepulchre Photo report (6 April 2012) Holy Thursday 2012 in Jerusalem Photo report (4 April 2012) Holy Thursday 2012 Patriarch s homily ( 5 April 2012)
Interview Archbishop Celli: Never be silent of the truth about man The Seminar on social communications for the Middle East was held in Lebanon from April 17 to 20. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, reflected on the four days of exchange. 1. What were the objectives of the seminar? The purpose of this seminar was to promote a reflection among the bishops of the East (with a few priests and laity) on the importance of ensuring a concrete and active commitment in the field of communication. Personally I have no solutions to give except recommending that everything we discussed and everything that is necessary, should be applied, where possible, with a genuine strategic plan. This seminar is nothing other than the first stage. Secondly, I think that from this seminar results the awareness of the need that the Churches work together. Here in the Middle East all the richness of history, of the life of the Churches is measured. It is necessary to see how to work together. Archbishop Claudio-Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications 2. What, according to you, are the challenges in the field of communication for the Catholic Churches of the East? The first challenge is common to all the Churches worldwide: to witness to the Lord in each one s context. It should be stressed that communication is, first and foremost, testimony. The second challenge of the Catholic Churches in the East is to be unafraid. The Lord did not say that he would give us an easy life, he told us: I am with you. Jesus, speaking to his apostles, used many times the term courage. This fact is of profound significance in the life of the Church in general and nowadays for the Eastern Churches in particular. The third challenge is to do everything to understand the language of the new generations. Their language is numeric, digital and is able to start revolutions. The fourth challenge that I see concerns the formation of seminarians and priests because they understand what the terms communication and information mean. Finally, the fifth point, it is clear that the situation in the Middle East affects a great deal the way of communicating. But I want to add that the Church must not make political decisions. Her mission is to tell the truth about man. The Churches of the Middle East have the task of reminding their respective countries, where freedom is violated, where men and women are not always respected. 3. In what can Rome help to overcome these challenges? I would say first of all that this seminar has been realized thanks to the common reflection of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs of the East and of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. This is a concrete sign of collaboration. On our part, we are always willing to share our experience. But, I want to emphasize that, after this meeting, it is the responsibility of the local Churches to adopt initiatives corresponding to the socio-political reality in their countries. The Church is universal and this collaboration extends beyond frontiers. I mention, in this regard, that our Council represents the Pope and that promoting this dimension of exchange is one of his desires. Nevertheless, I also believe that the Patriarchates would only gain by working together. This picture of sharing between Rome and the East must properly end in the sharing between different Patriarchates. 4. What, according to you, is the place of the Holy Land as an instrument of evangelization and peace? The Holy Land has, as its own, to be the Mother Church. Our roots are there. The Holy Land in fact draws on itself all eyes. For this I am convinced that it must respond to a vocation of unambiguous witness. It is necessary to think about the other Churches of the world who need this sacred link with the land of Jesus. Yes, the Church of Jerusalem brings with it the announcement of Salvation and we do not forget those Christians and those communities that live there so that the Holy Land does not become a museum, but it is an ecclesial reality alive among the Churches in the world. Interview by Christophe Lafontaine Subscribe To subscribe free, write to: medialpj@latinpat.org Visit our website: www.lpj.org Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem P.O.B. 14152 Jerusalem 91141 Tel: + 972 2 628 23 23 Fax: + 972 2 627 16 52 Media office : meo@latinpat.org