Aid to the Church in Need
Christian Persecution Be not afraid 13 - 8
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‘Nuncio Courtney preached mutual love, Christian reconciliation, harmony and unity between people. He made his own the exhortation of St Paul to the Corinthians: “We are ambassadors for Christ: it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5: 20). It is tragic that this very witness of the love of Christ, this ambassador of the Pope who daily manifested the concern of the Successor of Saint Peter for all citizens of Burundi, is shot dead by the very people he was serving.’*
*Cardinal Arinze - Homily at
Archbishop Courtney’s funeral Mass.
The Most Reverend Michael Courtney. (1945 - 2003) Born on the 5th February 1945, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Murdered in Burundi on 29th December 2003.
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Aid to the Church in Need
Contents
Page
Persecuted Christians, Refugees - Fr. Martin Barta ........................................ 2 The key to victory over evil - Johannes Freiherr Heereman ............................. 3 Returning home in Orissa - India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................ 4 Praying and pleading with dignity - Syria . . . . ................................................. 5 Caring for refugees in Amman - Jordon . . . . . . . . ................................................ 6 Evangelisation in word and deed - Burkina Faso ........................................... 8 A LOOK IN THE
A chairde - The Word became flesh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................... 10 Dear Friends - A Letter from Gregorious III, Patriarch of Antioch ..................... 10 Christian Persecution today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................. 12 75% of all Religious Persecution is against Christians ................................ 14 Arab Spring, Christian Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................... 16 Militant Islamism, an inter-continental threat........................................................................ 18 The targeting of minority religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................. 21 The ongoing Communist assault on the Church ........................................ 22 Religious Freedom, ‘the litmus test’ of human rights ................................ 24 Mission work is about sharing God’s love - Burundi ................................... 26 God became Man to heal us from within - Pope Francis ............................. 27 Tackling Evil - Pope Francis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................. 29 The triumph of God’s Mercy - Rwanda . . . . . . . . ............................................... 30 Be not afraid - John Michael Talbot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................... 32 Editor: Jürgen Liminski. Publisher: Kirche in Not / Ostpriesterhilfe, Postfach 1209, 61452 Königstein, Germany. De licentia competentis auctoritatis ecclesiasticae. Printed in Ireland - ISSN 0252-2535. www.acn-intl.org
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Dear Friends, In a Christmas letter Padre Pio – now Saint Pio – wrote this: ‘When Jesus was born, the shepherds heard the song of the angels, as Holy Scripture tells us. But it does not say that the Blessed Virgin or St Joseph, who were closest of all to the divine Child, heard the angelic voices or saw the heavenly radiance.’ So what did they hear and see instead? Only the crying of the newborn Child and the cold, dark stable; for there was no room for them at the inn.
his sister in the cemetery, at the grave of her little brother. She scrabbles with her hands in the earth and calls out: ‘Come out of your hiding place; I don’t want to play any more!’
One can only be silent and weep, for all words seem tactless. And yet we can say, even to this little boy and girl: Millions of people will be forced to “It was for you that God came into the experience this Christmas as refugees, world.” For you, who live in fear of being in the midst of war, ambushed, abducted without their families ‘Millions of refugees stand or murdered. For you, and without presents who have been cut with Mary and Joseph, or festive fare. Yet, off from your family, close to the manger’ together with Mary or have lost them and Joseph, they through war, and stand closest to the manger. In the who are familiar with the deep sadness weakness of the Child and in the wood of separation and death. For you, who of the manger they recognise, as it were are persecuted on account of your faith symbolically, the outline of the cross and forced to hide. For you, who have they bear. They teach us to fathom no house left and now live in a refugee the mystery of love at Christmas. They camp. For you, who will not be able are the stars that light up our way to share in Midnight Mass in a church to Bethlehem. because the bombers or arsonists have destroyed it. For you, who will get no It is to these people above all that we Christmas presents but will instead have address our Christmas greetings; and we to worry each day how to find even a pray for them. The tragedy of one young bit of bread and water to survive on. boy in Damascus can stand for many For you, who still believe, despite all others. He was playing hide-and-seek these things, and still celebrate the with his six-year-old sister when a sniper feast of Christmas. shot him dead. Since then they often see 2 +e813ei_print.indd 6
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In a way that none of us do, these people experience the mystery of Christmas in their own bodies. They yearn for the coming of the Redeemer. We hope, through our gifts and prayers, to be able to wish them the blessings of this Holy Night and to proclaim the Good News to them: ‘Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord’ (Lk 2:11).
Dear Friends, In South Korea I walked in the footsteps of Father Werenfried, who visited this country in 1962 and 1963 and helped to build up the still small Catholic Church here. In the 19th century hundreds of Christians gave their lives for Christ here, after enduring cruel tortures. From this seed the Church in South Korea is now flourishing. Every fourth adult at the Sunday Mass I attended was a catechumen. In neighbouring North Korea, by contrast, every form of religious expression is prohibited and communism still pitilessly terrorises this country. But radical terror likewise rages in many Islamic countries too – this time in the name of a distant God who, it seems, has no love for Christians. But God’s Son has become man, for all men, in Jesus. In the Manger of Bethlehem we find the living key to his victory
I wish you and all your families a blessed Christmas feast
Father Martin M. Barta, Spiritual Assistant
over evil. The holy season of Advent prepares us for the joyful celebration of this saving event for all mankind. In the free nations we are able to celebrate this and give thanks to God. And in you, our benefactors, we can count on many generous hearts, willing to help spread this redeeming message of love wherever the Church is in need. I wish you all every blessing for a joyous Christmastide and a peaceful and healthy New Year.
Johannes Freiherr Heereman, Executive President of ACN International
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Returning home in Orissa - India Orissa is a land of martyrs. Around Christmas 2007, when the first wave of persecution broke out against Christians in this Indian state, the mob seized upon a man by the name of Samuel. They asked him if he was a Christian. He asked for five minutes to reply, then knelt and prayed to Christ for the forgiveness of his persecutors. Seeing him praying, they hacked off his hands and then killed him. Another man they came upon was disabled and unable to flee. They abused him, then burned down his hut over his head. Today his sister says, ‘What do we have left? The house is burnt down, the fields devastated, my brother burnt to death. All my neighbours have fled. Can we really go back?’ They might perhaps dare to do so if only they had their chapel again. For them it would be like a guarantee that they will not be forcibly converted to Hinduism. Altogether 117 churches were destroyed and more than 50,000 people driven from their homes.
Many of them still live in refugee camps. And where they have returned, they are still without a chapel. They have to gather together and pray in the open air, and when it is too windy and rainy, it is often impossible to celebrate Holy Mass. In the parish of Sankharakhole, Father Alexander Charankunnel has made the building of a chapel his most heartfelt concern. The fifty Catholic families in his village need to have a place where they can gather and pray. Then, before the Lord, they can find strength to come to terms with the persecution and forgive, just as Samuel did. But financially it is hard for them to manage. This parish and this region are among the poorest in India. Despite this, they have managed to scrape together €2,307. We have promised the amount they still need. •
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Praying and pleading with dignity - Syria The letter is a short one. Somehow it got out of Damascus. Sister Joseph-Marie writes, ‘We beg you, do not leave us alone in this suffering. Help us to make visible the face of love and hope in this situation of hopelessness.’ And she adds, ‘Your solidarity is a sign of grace for us, a sign that the Lord does not forget us.’ The Sisters of Charity asked us for help to enable them and 350 Christian families to survive for two months. These families have no source of income now, yet the price of bread, flour, milk powder, water and vegetables continues to climb unceasingly. They want to work, they want to survive – in their own homeland of Syria. The Good Shepherd Sisters are also turning to you. Never before was their tiny office near the church of the Resurrection in Homs so inundated. Never were there so many families with children seeking refuge. They are sleeping in parks, in sports halls, in parish centres. Not a few of
They have lost everything – blankets and human warmth are the first thing they need.
them have brought their sick family members with them. The sisters care for everyone – and there are over 700 children among them. They need milk, blankets, clothing, medicines. And they are grateful for every kind gesture. These are just two examples of the human tragedy in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have been forced to flee, either within their own country, or else to Lebanon and Jordan. A 50-year-old baker, Fadi K. weeps as he tells us, ‘My house has been burnt down. All our savings are gone. How am I to feed my six children? May God forgive them all; they do not know what they are doing.’ Fadi is typical of so many others. We have to put something in their empty hands – hands that pray and plead with dignity; the hands of our brothers and sisters in need. •
All they want is a normal life – Christian refugee children in Homs.
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Caring for refugees in Amman - Jordan ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers.’ So Jesus begins his parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:30ff). A little further along this same road lies Amman, in Jordan, and it is here that the story continues. For here, in the Italian hospital in the Jordanian capital, is where those ‘beaten and left half dead’ on the highways and byways of the region are tended and cared for. This is where the Dominican Sisters of the Adoration, together with their doctors and helpers, nurse the sick and suffering refugees, above all from Syria and Iraq. It is the oldest medical centre in Jordan, existing since 1926. It is situated in the Old City of Amman and is the only hospital that also
cares for the poor and destitute – often free of charge. It treats around 47,000 patients each year. But now the growing number of refugees is overwhelming the capacities of the hospital, so that the loving charity of the sisters and doctors is coming up against unwished-for limitations. Put simply, the Sisters need our help. •
Pilgrims from China at WYD 2013 Among those at the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro there were also eight young people and one priest who had come from China. They were in high spirits: ‘It was so wonderful, so Catholic and so full of deep spiritual joy! A living testimony to the fact that we are one worldwide family in the Faith’. Their heartfelt gratitude for this experience goes to ACN’s benefactors. ‘We felt you accompanying us with your prayers.’ Also, and in exactly the same way, they feel how the generosity of our benefactors is supporting and accompanying the Church
in China. ‘We are praying for you all. May God give you good health and protect you. You are like the Good Samaritan to us. Except that it is not just one person that you are helping, and not even just the nine of us in Rio, but many, • many people all over China.’
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Battling the evil of poverty - Mali It might not be the precise number of 153 fishes – so many that the net threatened to tear (cf Jn 21:11) – but nonetheless, a modern fish farm for the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary could still bring wonderful benefits. Mother Bernadette lists these benefits: First, the battle against poverty. Some three quarters of Mali’s 13 million inhabitants live on less than two dollars a day, and the daughters of the congregation are among them. The fish farm and the resulting opportunity to irrigate their small fruit orchard would provide a basic income with which they could also help others. This would, secondly, provide a healthy diet and, thirdly, spare the environment. Additionally, and fourthly, it would enhance the status of land work and livestock rearing, which are looked
down upon, above all by young people, yet which nevertheless provide basic sustenance to the overwhelming majority of the population. It would also have quite practical pastoral consequences, making the sisters still more into daughters of the land and enhancing their missionary work in this largely Islamic desert region (86.8% are Muslims and just 2.9% Christians). Concretely, a water reservoir and an irrigation plant would help make the sisters into fishers of men. Which is precisely what the number of 153 fishes, caught by the disciples at the Lord’s command, is meant to symbolise, according to the interpretation of many of the saints and Church Fathers – for example, Jerome. The Daughters have asked us for our help. •
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Evangelisation in word and deed - Burkina Faso They become peasant farmers and catechists, and they choose a modest life for the sake of the Gospel. They take on the tasks for which the priests are not absolutely necessary. They are ‘the heart of their communities’. This is how Father Cyrille Sam, the director of the catechists’ centre in Donse, describes the young men and women who, after four years training, work in the pastoral ministry and at the same time live as ordinary peasant farmers. Their work is of ‘inestimable help’ to the life of the community. The catechists are the assistants and representatives of the priests. They conduct Liturgies of the Word when the priests are unable to be there, They give catechetical instruction, Visit the sick, Lead the prayer groups and Prepare people for reception of the Sacraments.
Ploughs and bicycles –tools of mission.
Praying together – Mass in Donse for old and young.
Theirs is an evangelisation in word and deed, in the midst of the people. It was in 1925 that the White Fathers (a.k.a. Missionaries for Africa) first established this training centre in Donse, not far from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Right up to this day, single people and married couples aged between 18 and 35 come here to train for the pastoral ministry. The syllabus includes Bible studies, liturgy, pastoral aspects, Church history, anthropology, the Sacraments, Mariology, Christology, social studies and philosophy. At the same time, on two days each week, they study farming and livestock rearing, carpentry, gardening and mechanics. They need all these skills for their future duties, so that they can be of service to everyone and in every situation. During their training they receive no payment whatsoever. However, so that they are not forced from the start to live in extreme poverty or financial depend-
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ence, and so that they are also readily accepted by their local communities, they are given a sort of ‘dowry’ for their pastoral work – consisting of a large wheelbarrow for transporting fertiliser, a bicycle for their pastoral visits from village to village, a plough and a donkey to work the fields with. In this way these catechist- farmers and their families become spiritual carers, who also advance local development. However, in the crisis of recent years, the prices of these items have risen enormously. The archbishop of Ouagadougou fears
that the exemplary work of the centre is threatened and has asked for our help. The 21 students in the current fourth year of their training also need to have a wheelbarrow, a bicycle, a plough and a donkey. Their effectiveness depends on this. The bishop and these catechist-farmers need our aid to help the Good News sprout in Burkina Faso. •
Helping the Sisters grow the Church - Eastern Europe ‘A Church without women is like the college of the Apostles without Mary... Our Lady is the one who helps make the Church grow... She is more important than the Apostles!’ Pope Francis himself witnessed the role of women in practice, in the work and prayer of the religious sisters in Argentina. His words spring in part from this experience. Around the world ACN is helping to support the life and ministry of almost 10,000 women religious, above all in Eastern Europe. During the year 2012, thanks to your help, 1,358 religious sisters were able to work in this region of the world. Through their work the Church is growing. Take Kharkiv in Ukraine, for example. Here the Handmaids of the Immaculate Virgin Mary organise and animate the religious instruction of the children and
the youth work; they also pray together with a women’s group, ‘Mothers in Prayer’, and teach in the schools. They care for the children in a city kindergarten and prepare many adults for reception of the Sacraments. They organise retreats and prayer days for families, run summer holiday camps for children, and care for the elderly. ACN benefactors are privilged to help the Sisters do God’s work in Eastern Europe and throughout the world. •
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A LOOK IN THE
A chairde, Shortly after the birth of Christ, the Holy Family had to flee Herod’s persecution. The truth is that Christians have been persecuted throughout their entire history, we are being persecuted today and we will be persecuted tomorrow and until the end of time. This ‘Look in the Mirror’ contains a series of readings which have been selected to help inform us as to the present day reality of Christian Persecution, how we should understand it, how we should
respond to it and how we can and will triumph over it. With this in mind then, during this Advent and Christmas seasons let us keep in our prayers all those who are suffering and being persecuted because of their belief that ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us’. Let us also pray that we ourselves in our own small way can become better at tackling the evils in the world and in our lives. Beir Beannacht
J F Declan Quinn
Letter from Patriarch Gregorios III to the benefactors of Aid to the Church in Need. Dear Friends, am writing this letter in Damascus where we have been experiencing a harsh, bloody, painful and long Way of the Cross that has stretched down every road in Syria. All Syrians have been living this Way of the Cross for more than two years now. As Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, fell under the weight of the Holy Cross, Simon of Cyrene was fetched to help. We too need a Simon to help bear our cross. Most of all, we need Jesus to bring to an end without delay our harsh Way of the
Gregorious III, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of Alexandria and of Jerusalem.
Cross, enabling us to reach the joyful goal of the Resurrection.
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Until 2011, Syria was a sanctuary for Christians escaping persecution in Iraq. Our country was a beacon of hope for Christianity in the Middle East. Now, quite suddenly, those Iraqi Christians who came to our country have fled once more.
‘If you are the Son of God, come down from the Cross.’ (Matthew 27. 40) With these words, Jesus was mocked as he hung on the Cross, close to death. He suffered to bring all the children of God together, and to bring new life to a broken world. Through his love for a broken world, Christ is on the Cross still, sharing in the pain that the people of God undergo. In all the countries around the world where Christians suffer for their faith, Our Lord is persecuted too – as he revealed to St Paul on the road to Damascus. his attitude of the suffering Christ shows us the way we Christians must go in this situation of crisis in Syria. We call for dialogue, reconciliation and mutual respect for and among parties and for the crisis to be resolved by peaceful means. In Damascus today and indeed across Syria, I can testify to the suffering of Christians and so many others, who, in a spiritual sense, share in Christ’s crucifixion.
This is why I am grateful to Aid to the Church in Need for ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith’1. It is essential that we know the facts and figures of persecution, in so far as they can be established. Equally we need to inquire into the causes of the suffering; we should seek to understand something of the complex mix of issues confronting Christians, living as a little flock surrounded by great difficulties. The meaning of the presence, role and mission of this little flock – even in the harsh situation in the Arab world, where Jesus, the Gospel and Christianity were born – is being with and for the big flock, ‘that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly’ (John 10. 10). Fear not, little flock! Live with courage and be light in the darkness of these days.
Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of Alexandria and of Jerusalem 1 This report is available to be read in full at www.acnuk.org/ persecution and also at www.acnireland.org.
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Christian Persecution today ur people are very afraid. We were expecting trouble but nothing to this degree of brutality.”
With emotion evident in his voice, Bishop Kyrillos William of Assiut, Egypt talks to staff at Aid to the Church in Need the morning after a spate of violence against Christians concentrated within less than 48 hours. He said that nearly 80 churches and other Coptic centres including convents, Church-run schools and clinics had been attacked all across the country. He explained that fear of attack meant that thousands of Christians were too afraid to leave their homes. ‘Many Christians
are suffering,’ he said. ‘From some villages, we hear appeals from people saying “Save us; we cannot go out of our houses”’.
Bishop Kyrillos William of Assiut, Egypt
Shocked by the scale of the attacks, we at ACN asked the bishop to explain why the Church had borne the brunt of the violence. He said: ‘The attackers thought that Christians were to blame for their problems. We were being punished – scapegoated’.
Amir Tadros Coptic Church in Minya, Egypt, was set ablaze on August 14, 2013
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The events of 14–15th August 2013 that Bishop Kyrillos described demonstrate the primary purpose of the 2013 edition of ‘Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith’. which shows that Christians have fallen victim to widespread and intense acts of violence motivated in part at least by religious hatred. Furthermore, during the period 2011–2013, evidence both first and second-hand suggests that the violence and intimidation in question is now more serious than in preceding years. aken as a whole, the oppression raises grave questions about the long-term survival of Christianity in regions where until recently the Church has been both numerous in terms of faithful, and active in terms of the part it has played in public life.
for years, decades and in some cases centuries, they have become so pronounced that it would take far more than simply a change of government to win back the confidence that has been so comprehensively crushed. Christianity may yet remain the largest world religion, but its claims to universality – a truly global presence on all five continents – may soon be lost as it becomes the prime victim in the emergence of theocratic states where minority faith groups – most especially Christians – have no place, except per• haps as third-class citizens.
A close comparison of the impact of the violence on the various religious communities concerned points to two key forces of change: firstly that as large and well-established communities, often with a long history, Christians are disproportionately vulnerable to attack, and secondly that their reaction has been to flee regions of conflict with little prospect of returning, at least in the short-term. Nor indeed are these twin problems – vulnerability and exodus – passing phenomena. Already well-established A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 17
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75% of all Religious Persecution is against Christians ven before the Arab Spring began, leading human rights researchers and commentators declared that Christianity is the world’s most persecuted religion. In October 2010, a report issued by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) concluded that at least 75 per cent of all religious persecution was directed against Christians. It released findings showing that about 100 million Christians experienced some sort of discrimination, oppression or persecution. If COMECE’s report was met with scepticism in some quarters, subsequent events have provided ample proof of the scale of the threat against the
Church and hence in November 2012 German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared before a synod of the country’s Lutheran Church that: ‘Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world.’ What has changed since the last edition of ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ released in March 2011, is that notions about the severity of Christian persecution have come to be accepted by the media at large. Leading news and other media organisations have taken up the story of Christian persecution as never before. Careful and thorough-going research, building on methods developed over four editions of ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ shows that the situation has deteriorated in the overwhelming majority of the 30 countries where persecution of Christians is of most concern. Analysing the research findings in the 30 countries in question, ACN compared religious freedom issues facing Christians at the end of 2013 with those experienced two years earlier. Foremost among the issues considered was the preponderance of anti-Christian violence, notably attacks on churches and Christians’ homes and businesses, as well as kidnapping of faithful for reasons connected to their faith or religious identity.
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Linked to this are court cases involving Christians suffering persecution – the number of cases, the nature of the (alleged) offences, and the outcome of the court’s deliberations. This is particularly relevant concerning Blasphemy accusations. nother key issue has been political developments hindering or advancing the cause of Christians’ access to religious freedom, notably new or amended constitutions, government statements and policies touching on key issues – travel permits for clergy, planning regulations regarding church building projects, government attitudes to Christian engagement in political debate and voting rights.
A fourth but by no means lesser concern has been efforts to track social changes affecting Christians. Examples under this category include access to employment, education and healthcare, where social stigmatisation has had a habit of making it impossible for Christians to claim their rights in spite of entitlement under the law. It is in this context that Persecuted and Forgotten? concludes that there has been a clear and in some cases dramatic deterioration in most of the countries of • greatest concern.
A map of the 30 countries where persecution of Christians is of most concern. Extreme persecution High to extreme persecution BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
Moderate to high persecution
AFGHANISTAN TURKMENISTAN PAKISTAN IRAQ SYRIA
TURKEY
Moderate persecution
CHINA
ISRAEL & PALESTINE EGYPT
CUBA
NORTH KOREA
UZBEKISTAN
BELARUS
High Persecution
SAUDI ARABIA
INDIA IRAN
MALI SUDAN
BURMA (MYANMAR)
ERITREA YEMEN NIGERIA TANZANIA
LAOS VIETNAM
SRI LANKA MALDIVES INDONESIA
ZIMBABWE
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Arab Spring, Christian Winter n the Middle East, the Arab Spring has placed unparalleled pressures on ancient Christian communities whose capacity to weather storms of violence and institutionalised discrimination has been tested to a degree not seen in modern times. Here the dominant factor has been the exodus of Christians in response to violence, economic disadvantage and cultural changes. The mass migration of faithful was also directly related to individual acts – and in some cases longer spells – of outright persecution. This included bombing of churches, physical attacks on Christians’ homes and shops, kidnapping (especially of women and in some cases, clergy), as well as public statements in the media and by militant groups, specifically aimed against Christians. An upsurge in anti-Christian violence and intimidation was one factor, perhaps even the dominant one, in a mass movement of Christians. After 2002, Iraq’s Christian population quickly halved as people emigrated en masse in response to the ongoing sectarian conflict. The latest statistics show that Iraqi Christians still number at least 300,000, boosted in part by refugees returning
from bombblasted Syria. That said, in spring 2013, Raphael I Sako, the new Chaldean Patriarch of B a g h d a d , s p e c i f i c a l l y Patriarch of Baghdad, warned his Raphael I Sako faithful of the dire consequences of continued Christian emigration. Speaking at his installation Mass, he told his congregation: ‘If emigration continues, God forbid, there will be no more Christians in the Middle East. [The Church] will be no more than a distant memory.’ Iraq whose Christian population stood at 1.4 million now stands on the verge of descent into obscurity. The threat that now applies to Iraq is at risk of happening in other Middle East countries which until now have also had a sizeable and vocal Christian community. This is the impact of the Arab Spring. Syria, so recently the country of choice for Iraqi Christians seeking sanctuary, has now become the nightmare that the refugees thought they had left behind. Exact statistics of the exodus from Syria are hard to find, as is only inevitable in a country in a state of protracted flux, but what has emerged is that the number of Christians
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leaving Syria is disproportionately high compared to other faith groups. Entire populations of predominantly Christian towns and villages around Homs suddenly fled for their lives in early 2012. Violence against Christians was a factor hard to ignore in the widespread violence that swept Syria. The grotesque Father Fadi Haddad, murdered in murder of popular Damascus in 2012 priest Father Fadi Haddad of Qatana near Damascus in October 2012 was followed in April 2013 by the kidnapping of two Archbishops from Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim. As the months dragged on with no news, fears increased that the prelates were dead. But it was not just the hierarchy who suffered. ACN met Syrian Christian refugees in Jordan who reported being told: ‘Don’t celebrate Easter or you will be killed like your Christ.’ By the summer of 2013, Syrian refugees were thought to have topped two million, a significant proportion of them Christians. Those willing to give their story described a desperation to seek a new life in the West. he focus of attention having switched from Iraq to Syria – both with decimated Christian communities – the spotlight then settled on Egypt. A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 21
Already disenfranchised by the Islamist agenda of President Mohammed Morsi, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Christians’ hopes of a fresh start after his July 2013 fall from power were soon dashed. Violence against the country’s Coptic Christians in August 2013 saw nearly 80 churches and other Church establishments attacked in the single-biggest blow to the Middle East’s largest Christian community, standing at about 10 million. Already, 200,000 Christians had left the country since the fall of President Mubarak in February 2011. Many more are sure to leave and those who remain are likely to struggle to play a meaningful role in the development of a country whose future hangs in the balance. Christians in the Middle East are suffering from a domino effect of violence, which began in Iraq, spread to Syria and now overshadows Egypt, leaving the survival of the Church in jeopardy. Christians want out, and an end to the presence of the Church in its ancient heartlands is no longer a remote possibility but a very real and pressing threat. These circumstances apply both to countries with a (formerly) large Christian community and to those such as Yemen, where the faithful are few in number. •
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Militant Islamism, an inter-continental threat any of the problems faced by Christians in the Middle East are similar in nature and extent elsewhere in the world: the common link in many cases is militant Islamism.
While militant Islamism has had huge impact in the Middle East, the problems it has created for Christians are to be seen in the context of broader issues, notably:-
Since 2011 there has been an unprecedented upsurge in fundamentalist Islam, which specifically seeks to eradicate the presence of Christianity wherever the faith is to be found.
an upsurge of general instability, a breakdown of law and order and poverty caused at least in part by forced displacement.
Attacks from Islamists which were few and far between are now commonplace and Christians are paying with their lives. Community after community has suffered, attracting comparatively minimal international media coverage.
In broad terms the same applies to many parts of Africa. Here the specific threat to Christians posed by Islamism is brought into sharp relief as a result of it emerging as part of a mix of problems – political, economic and social.
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he most obvious case of this is Nigeria. In April 2011, the Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 430 churches were attacked in violence associated with the Presidential elections that brought Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the south, to power. 65,000 people were forced from their homes and 800 people lay dead. The violence continued thereafter, targeting not only Christians but also security structures, government buildings, markets and even Muslim communities. Christians, especially in the north, were terrorised by attacks on churches packed with faithful that took place almost every Sunday. The perpetrators of the violence, militant group Boko Haram (which means ‘Western Education is Forbidden’), declared what they described as ‘a war on Christians’. A Boko Haram spokesman said: ‘We will create so much effort to end the Christian presence in our push to have a proper Islamic state that the Christians won’t be able to stay.’
The impact of militant Islam in African countries including Sudan where a sudden upsurge in extremism cannot be reported because of the potential impact of such coverage on Christians living there. One leading Sudanese cleric reported that the problems of the 2012–13 period were in certain respects worse than during the height of the notorious 1983– 2005 civil war. Then there is Tanzania, where armed Islamists have fired on churches and priests in the island of Zanzibar in a cycle of violence that only made the headlines when suspected Islamists threw acid on two British 18-year-old girls caught Remains of a burnt out church in Jos, Nigeria
In Boko Haram’s home region of northeast Nigeria, the Church was crushed. By the summer of 2013 it was reported that half of the churches in the 37-parish Diocese of Maiduguri had been damaged or destroyed within one year. Research for the year to October 2012 showed that, in Nigeria 791 Christians were killed for their Faith. But Nigeria was by no means alone. A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 23
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singing during Ramadan. Elsewhere, fundamentalist Islam was a problem in the Maldives, that popular holiday destination in the Asian sub-continent. During July 2013 in the land-locked Central African Republic, less than six months after seizing power in a coup, fundamentalist militia group Séléka mounted attacks on 14 Christian villages, leaving 15 dead and rendering nearly 1,000 homeless. It brought back memories of Islamist fighters in Mali, who in 2012 mounted one of the most ferocious attacks by fundamentalist Muslims in modern times. By August of that year, leading Church sources reported that 200,000 Christians from northern Mali had fled the Islamist-controlled region for neighbouring Algeria. ew parts of Africa are now free from the threat of militant Islamist movements, whose objective is pan-continental domination and whose primary targets of religious hatred are Christians. The militancy being witnessed to unprecedented levels in these countries suggests that the Church in Africa could soon be retreating from the position of sustained growth it has enjoyed for so many decades. The violence shows the continent to be as much at risk as parts of the Asian sub-continent, which have a long history of militant, fundamentalist Islam, notably Pakistan and Afghanistan. There,
continuing violence and intimidation by extremists, educated in indoctrinating madrassa Islamic schools, are continuing to demean Christians with trumped-up charges of blasphemy, which in turn quickly lead to violence affecting entire Christian communities. The dramatic spread of militant Islamism, especially since the early 1970s, now represents perhaps the most significant threat to religious freedom worldwide. Armed, trained, highly motivated and with hugely sophisticated communications systems, such militant Islamist groups are clearly able to tap into significant financial resources, and searching questions need to be asked about where such funding comes from and how strategies can be developed to reduce it. But there is also a countervailing point of huge significance; the experience of ACN’s project partners and those of other charities and faith organisations is that in spite of vigorous efforts to radicalise many communities where Islam is predominant or in the ascendant, many – if not most – local people remain resistant to extremism and want to live in peace and prosperity with their neighbours. This is evidenced by the Muslims who in the summer of 2013 stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Egypt’s Christians and repulsed advancing extremist mobs bent on destroying churches as well as • Christians’ homes and businesses.
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The targeting of minority religions henever religion is seen as part of a homogeneous national identity, then all adherents of other faiths are regarded as foreign and seen as threatening the norm. In both Sri Lanka and Burma, attempts to impose the majority faith, Buddhism, by attacks on those who practise other creeds is a defining feature of religious intolerance in these countries, and in both cases religion and ethnicity are seen as entwined to a greater or lesser degree. Following the civil war in Sri Lanka, there has been resurgence of Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism, which sees Sri Lankan identity interlinked with Sinhalese ethnicity and Theravada Buddhist culture. This has led to a rise in violent attacks on Christians and other religious minorities. January to May 2013 saw at least 45 incidents of persecution against Christians, compared to only 52 throughout the whole of 2012. Despite significant political reforms in Burma throughout 2011 and 2012, the ongoing repression of religio-ethnic groups continues in the northern tribal areas. Where the military is trying to bring these areas under control by force, troops are reportedly pressuring inhabitants to convert to Buddhism. ‘When the Burma army come to the villages, they torch the churches but don’t touch the pagodas. They want us to be Burman, to be Buddhist, and to follow their orders,’ A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 25
said Hkanhpa Sadan, Joint Secretary of the Kachin National Organisation. Meanwhile in India numerous problems faced by Christians are linked to the prominence of Hindutva political parties, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party, in local government in Karnataka and Orissa. Hindutva is a right-wing form of Hindu nationalism, which – broadly speaking – regards India as a Hindu country which should not tolerate other religions or cultures. In some states, the government has been found to be complicit in violence against Christians perpetrated by Hindutva radicals, including facial mutilation, destruction of churches, Bibles, crucifixes, cars and other transport as well as • desecration of graves.
A vandalised church in Sri Lanka 21 18/11/2013 10:47
The ongoing Communist assault on the Church espite all the growing problems posed by militant Islamism and other forms of religious extremism, it is not the issue of concern in the country where persecution of Christians is at its worst, namely North Korea.
According to research by a leading US Christian human rights organisation, there were more than 130 cases of persecution in 2012 involving nearly 5,000 people – up more than 40 percent on the previous year.
In this highly secretive state, hermetically sealed from the outside world, formal religious activity remains virtually nil and what little occurs is highly monitored. Investigations by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations found that people caught praying – especially if it involved foreign organisations – were likely to be executed.
Reports indicated a significant increase in government interference in the religious life of Catholic communities – both Official (recognised by the state) and Underground (lacking government sanction). Priests and religious have been forced to undergo ‘re-education’ programmes – seminars on government religion policy. To a degree not seen before, governmentrecognised Protestant communities had land and buildings seized by provincial officials. In the case of house churches, the government has forced Christians to either come under state control or face being closed down.
In a country of 24 million, with an estimated Christian population of 500,000, there are only four (recognised) churches in the country – one Catholic, one Orthodox and two Protestant. A change of leader during the time under review – Kim Jong-un replacing Kim Jong-Il – has done nothing to alleviate the situation and if anything has made things worse. The case of North Korea highlights the extent to which Christians continue to suffer grievously under Communist or pseudo-Communist regimes. Of particular concern was China where, in a concerted effort to force faith communities to co-operate with the authorities, the regime toughened up its response to noncompliance. Many faith groups suffered, notably Christians.
Determined to refuse tight controls, including submission of lists of Church members, many communities have defied government orders and have suffered the consequences, which include arrest. ther countries with a communist background have continued to impose grave hardships on Christians, most notably Vietnam. There, in January 2013, a new law (Decree 92) increased government control over religious groups.
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But in a number of other communist states, the situation has improved. In Laos, fewer Christians were jailed and those who were received shorter prison sentences. Provincial authorities in at least some areas have tried to protect groups of persecuted Christians when village elders and other officials have oppressed them. In Cuba, the Catholic Church reported significant progress in relations with Raul Castro’s regime. In part, these were linked to Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the island in March 2012, when nationwide religious celebrations went ahead with full government cooperation. All this built on the achievements of a similar trip to Cuba by the now Blessed John Paul II. Other developments, including the return of church buildings confiscated by the regime 50 years previously, took place independently of Benedict XVI’s visit and exhibited a pattern of Church-state reconciliation whereby Catholic leaders played a key mediating role between the regime and certain disaffected groups. But problems remained, with some Christian communities, notably Protestant ones, reporting continued government censure. oncerning former Marxist or communist countries, restrictions linger on from a previous era. In Belarus, faith groups continue to require state permission to carry out religious activities, notably permission to celebrate public services – and Christian groups A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 27
not registered with the state have had their property seized, and/or are fined for participating in unauthorised worship. In Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and some neighbouring countries, the state monitors and scrutinises all activities. Religious publications are strictly regulated and banned material can be seized. In November 2012, in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan, a Protestant was fined 100 times the monthly wage for distributing religious literature. In Eritrea, where the current ruling party, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice, a Marxist group, the persecution of Christians was stepped up in the first five months of 2013 with at least 191 Christians being arrested for practising their faith. Reports indicate Eritrea to be one of the worst countries for persecuting Christians. Information gleaned from the country describes how religious prisoners – whose crime is usually nothing more than trying to worship and pray freely – suffer torture including being forced to walk barefoot on sharp rocks and thorns for an hour each day. Christians were also beaten with rods to extract confessions and told they would be killed if they did not recant their faith. It is estimated that up to 3,000 Christians remain imprisoned • for their beliefs.
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Religious Freedom, ‘the litmus test’ of human rights or the Catholic Church, religious liberty is the cornerstone of freedom as a whole, or as Pope John Paul II called it ‘the litmus test for the respect of all other human rights’. In January 2011, at the start of the period under review, Pope Benedict XVI highlighted the issue, stating that religious freedom ‘cannot be denied without at the same time encroaching on all fundamental rights and freedoms, since it is their synthesis and keystone’. Hence ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ is not only relevant to Christians, nor indeed just to people of faith, but it has something to say to everybody who cares about freedom. And so it is of seminal importance to conclude by underlining the report’s key finding, namely that persecution of Christians has – even within the last three years – worsened in most of the countries where the problem is most severe.
While there has been some progress in certain Communist or leftist countries such as Cuba and Laos, on balance Christians are the victims of increased violence and oppression, in many cases to a degree unthinkable a generation ago. In other communist and former communist countries, most notably China, a renewed clampdown on Christians has turned the clock back on prospects for religious freedom. Significant though this may be, it is the Arab Spring that has been the most important development. A movement that started out with much promise for the advance of democracy has proved disastrous for Christians, whose very presence in some parts of the Middle East now hangs by a thread. A domino effect of anti-Christian persecution and turbulence is now clearly visible, starting in Iraq, moving to Syria and now spread-
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ing to Egypt – three Middle East countries which have had sizeable and influential Christian communities.
around the world about the plight of Christians who suffer.
Now, the Christian population has suffered a rapid decline as a sea-change in political attitudes takes place, favouring a theocratic system. Taken as a whole, with the possible exception of Jordan, no Middle East country has over the past three years seen anything other than a decline in the fortunes of Christians.
Information has a value in and of itself. But it also serves a purpose, a point not lost on senior clergy, who repeatedly call for prayers of solidarity with their suffering people.
But the problems have spread far beyond the Arab Spring, with militant Islamism representing a major threat, especially in Africa but also in key regions of the Asian sub-continent. There Christianity is persecuted as never before. Practical help of a pastoral nature is Aid to the Church in Need’s core objective, supporting priests, Sisters and faithful to proclaim the Gospel and promote Christian values – especially through faith formation. n a time of increasing humanitarian crisis, especially in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East, ACN is offering food, medicine and other help. But aid is one thing, combating ignorance and misinformation is quite another. Time and again, the bishops and other project partners with whom ACN works in more than 130 countries worldwide, call on Aid to the Church in Need to do more to raise awareness A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 29
Describing how police saved him by intervening just as Islamists were breaking through his front door, Coptic Catholic Bishop Joannes Zakaria of Luxor, Egypt urged ACN to keep in touch, at least so that others might know the witness of faith shown by those willing to give their lives for their beliefs. ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ pays tribute to the courage and faith of people like Bishop Joannes, who concluded his message to ACN by sharing his vision for inter-faith harmony that remains as vivid as ever in spite of the current hardship and pain. Bishop Joannes writes: ‘We are happy to be suffering and to be victims and to lose our churches and our homes and our livelihood to save Egypt for the Christians and the Muslims. We need the prayers of everybody to solve our problems. It is the future that we are concerned about so that people of all faiths can live • alongside each other.’
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Mission work is about sharing God’s love - Burundi priest who has spent 50 years ministering in the east African nation of Burundi has emphasized that the primary focus of the missions is to help spread God’s love, rather than caring for merely material needs. ‘It’s not about building homes or hospitals, but about teaching how to interpret life from the dimension of God’s love,’ says Father Germán Ancanada, a member of the Missionaries of Africa (a.k.a. The White Fathers). ‘We need to raise awareness that it is more important that people become aware of the beauty of love than that we build bridges or roads that could be destroyed by hatred later.’ Fr. Ancanada is 76, a native of Palencia, in northern Spain, said he has spent 50 years in Burundi, one of the world’s poorest countries, because ‘when you
2
go to be a missionary, you take on the destiny of the people.’ Burundi is bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its adjusted per capita income in 2012 was only $625, according to the International Monetary Fund. Most of its population is Hutu, though there is a sizable Tutsi minority. Fr. Ancanada noted that nationality of missionaries is changing, saying that ‘up to now, Africans were considered the receivers of the missions, but now they are beginning to be the transmitters.’ In the case of the Missionaries of Africa, the congregation has 1500 members and 450 seminarians. Of these, 95 percent come from Africa.
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God became Man to heal us from within - Pope Francis3 he freedom of God’s children is the fruit of reconciliation with the Father, brought about by Jesus who took upon himself the sins of all humanity and redeemed the world with his death on the Cross. No one can take this identity from us. Referring to the miracle of the healing of a paralytic (Mt 9:1-8), Pope Francis reflected on the sentiments that must have shocked the crippled man when, while being carried on his bed, he heard Jesus telling him ‘take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven’. Those who were near Jesus and heard his words ‘said: ‘this man is blaspheming’; only God can forgive sins’. And Jesus, to make them understand, asked them ‘Which is easier, to forgive sins or to heal?’ ‘But when Jesus’, the Pope continued, ‘healed a sick man he was not only a healer. When he taught people he was not only a
catechist, a preacher of morals. When he remonstrated against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees, he was not a revolutionary who wanted to drive out the Romans. No, these things that Jesus did, healing, teaching and speaking out against hypocrisy, were only a sign of something greater that Jesus was doing: he was forgiving sins’. Reconciling the world in Christ in the name of the Father: ‘this is Jesus’ mission. Everything else — healing, teaching, reprimands — are only signs of that deeper miracle which is the re-creation of the world. Thus reconciliation is the re-creation of the world; and the most profound mission of Jesus is the redemption of all of us sinners. And Jesus’, the Pope added, ‘did not do this with words, with actions or by walking on the road, no! He did it with his flesh. It is truly he, God, who becomes one of us, a man, to • heal us from within’. 3 Thursday 4th July 2013
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‘We need to erase the idea that the only thing European countries have to offer African countries is money. We know very well (in Europe) that the faith has diminished greatly. But there are people who truly believe, and the Faith has made them happy and it is the same Faith that can also bring happiness to Africans.’ ‘Perhaps Africa does not have the same material means as other continents, but maybe that is not as necessary as we thought. But … we can create a more authentic vision by sharing the Faith,’ he said. ‘As the Pope says, I need to have “the smell of the sheep”, and in my case, the smell of African sheep. For this reason, if you are with them, you have to suffer with them.’ During his half-century spent in Burundi, Fr. Ancanada has witnessed a 12-year civil war, as well as the mass killings of both Hutus and Tutsis. The civil war, which lasted from 1993 to 2005, was the worst violence, he said. Many areas were left devastated, and therefore his archbishop charged him with rebuilding an area where 67,000 homes had been destroyed. ‘During that period,’ Fr. Ancanada recalled, ‘a reporter got me condemned to death for publishing that I had said that all members of the military are thieves and corrupt, which is something I never said.’
The Spanish ambassador then asked him to leave the country because of the tensions created by the article. ‘The ambassador told the superior of the White Fathers to take me out of Burundi, because I would be the next victim.’ ‘When this happened, my bishop told me: “You are not in any more danger than anyone else. If you are unsafe, then I am unsafe as well.”’ ‘In fact, that archbishop was killed soon after. When I visit his tomb it is like visiting the tomb of a hero, because he had qualities and a commitment that was far superior to mine.’ He added that suffering is a necessary part of mission work. ‘A missionary that does not have crosses is not authentic. Precisely because of this, it is normal to suffer with (the people), it is a sign of authenticity, it is natural to demonstrate the vision of the Gospel in my life.’ ‘The missionary should be a source of unity and communion in the places in which s/he lives,’ Fr. Ancanada concluded. ‘For this reason, in areas affected by wars, the way the faith teaches us to respect and live together in peace is a formidable solution for participating in the healing of that area.’ • 2 Based upon CNA/EWTN News article dated October 24 2013.
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Tackling Evil - Pope Francis 4 umility, meekness, love and experiencing the Cross are the means with which the Lord defeats evil. And the light that Jesus brought into the world dispels the blindness of human beings who are all too often dazzled by the false light of the world that may be brighter but is misleading. It is up to us to discern which light comes from God. Reflecting on the ‘beautiful words’ that St Paul addressed to the Thessalonians: ‘You are not in darkness, brethren... you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness’ (1 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11), Pope Francis remarked that ‘the Christian identity is light, not darkness’ and Jesus brought this light into the world. Some people think we find such light through scientific discoveries and human inventions - ‘all can be known, we can know everything’. But ‘the light of Jesus’, Pope Francis warned, ‘is something else. …The light that the world offers us is artificial. It may be bright like the flash of a camera but it is artificial. Jesus’ light is gentle, a quiet light, a light of peace. It is like the light of Christmas Eve: unpretentious. It is a light that glows from the heart.’
speaks to us like that, calmly, just as Jesus spoke after fasting in the wilderness: work this miracle ‘if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down’ from the temple! Make a show of it! And he says so in a way that is calm’, and thus deceptive. ‘We should ask the Lord insistently for the wisdom of discernment in order to recognise when it is Jesus who gives us light and when it is the devil himself, disguised as an angel of light. Many believe they live in light but they are in darkness and are unaware of it!’ ‘If we are meek in our inner light, we are gentle people we hear the voice of Jesus in our heart and look fearlessly at the Cross in the light of Jesus... We must always make the distinction: where Jesus is there is always humility, meekness, love • and the Cross.’ 4 Tuesday 3rd September 2013.
‘It is true that the devil, and St Paul says so, very often comes dressed up as an angel of light. He likes to imitate the light of Jesus. He makes himself seem good and A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 33
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The triumph of God’s Mercy - Rwanda
5
e forgive because we know that God also forgives’ are the words of a woman whose family members were killed during the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago. Incredible words that speak to the even more incredible forgiveness that is taking place there. Michelle Baumann an assistant editor with CNA/EWTN News writes how she ‘watched another woman embrace the man who had killed her family, in a gesture of solidarity and forgiveness’ and how as she ‘listened to the testimonies of people across the country, that is what … (she)…heard, again and again.’ Spring 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide when approximately one million people were slaughtered over the course of 100 days,for simply being Tutsi. Michelle writes that ‘Unlike many prominent genocides throughout history, this one was carried out locally. This was not a centralised group sweeping through the
A Rwandan genocide survivor holds hands with the man who killed her family, in a sign of forgiveness and solidarity.
country killing Tutsis. Rather, perpetrators and victims often belonged to the same village – in many cases they were classmates, co-workers, even next door neighbours. I heard stories of how friends turned their backs on each other, caught up in the hatred that enveloped the country, and committed unspeakable crimes against their loved ones.’ ‘In a country as community-based as Rwanda, this is a significant detail. The village is a crucial social unit for Rwandans, and forgiveness is more difficult under these terms. You cannot simply forgive the people who killed your family and move on, hoping to never see them again. You know you will encounter them regularly – at the market, at church, at school. The community is so tight-knit that this interaction is inevitable. You are not forgiving a stranger, but a neighbour who has harmed you irreparably.’ ‘This challenge is immense, but the people of Rwanda have risen to the occasion. Many of the victims acknowledged that the process took time, and it was not easy, but eventually they learned how to fight hatred and resentment, developing the capacity for mercy.’ ‘In some cases, victims forgave the reparation debt legally owed to them, realising that the perpetrators could not afford to pay it. In another case, a woman used the retribution money she received for her
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husband’s death to help feed and support the man who killed him.’ ‘Meanwhile, many perpetrators were moved to regret their heinous crimes and found the courage to ask forgiveness. Eventually, they were able to forgive themselves as well.’ ‘One man, visibly touched, described his shock at being released from prison after 10 years to find that his wife was living in peace with the widow next door, whose husband he had murdered. The two women had been supporting each other during his time in jail.’ Michelle continues to remark that ‘forgiveness does not mean forgetting the dead. Nor does it mean ignoring the pain that accompanies evil. For some, it took a long time to return to faith and prayer. They found themselves questioning whether God was truly with them. Eventually, with the support of those around them, they found a way to rebuild.’ ‘For victims, granting forgiveness means letting go of the hurt and anger over past
A genocide perpetrator and survivor stand side-by-side in Rwanda. A LOOK IN THE +e813ei_print.indd 35
actions. One woman recounted that in her traumatised state after the genocide, she did not even feel human and struggled to see other people as human. Through prayer and outreach, she was gradually able to heal, aided by those who were there to listen and remain close to her.’ ‘For the perpetrators, receiving forgiveness is receiving the ability to change their lives and move forward rather than remaining caught in a trap of shame and guilt. One man said that upon requesting and receiving forgiveness, the immense burden that had been on his heart for years was lifted, and he could finally rest. Those perpetrators who have not asked for forgiveness – and those victims who refuse to grant it – still live in anger and strife. The people we talked to said that their neighbours see their life and are drawn to it, sometimes approaching them to ask how they achieved peace.’ The struggle to rebuild Rwanda is not over. There is still a great need for healing, trust and reconciliation. But the forgiveness that has taken place so far in the country is impressive. The individuals who shared their testimonies with Michelle and her colleagues were at peace because they have experienced the merciful love of Christ and can forgive because they know • their God forgives. 5
Adapted from a Catholic News Agency Blog filed by Michelle Bauman on the 6th November 2013.
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e
ot
fraid
John Michael Talbot
ou shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands and all will understand. You shall see the face of God and live. R f you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown. If you walk amid the burning flames, you shall not be harmed. If you stand before the pow’r of hell and death is at your side, know that I am with you through it all. R lessed are your poor, for the kingdom shall be theirs. Blest are you that weep and mourn, for one day you shall laugh. And if wicked tongues insult and hate you all because of me, Blessed, blessed are you! R R
Be not afraid. I go before you always. Come follow me, and I will give you rest.
John Michael Talbot (1954- ) is an American Catholic singer-songwriter, guitarist and founder of a monastic community known as the Brothers and Sisters of Charity.
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I Am So Impressed...
...Thank you
Your Support Helps us to Help Others For years now you have been helping my fellow religious in their work. Your friendship and support strengthen us, and this helps us to help others. For this I would like to say, many thanks! There is so much we could not do without you. Many of our confreres, whom you know, have by now grown old. Their work is being carried on by our younger people. At the moment, thank God, we have many younger brothers. With all my heart, I wish you a blessed Christmas feast and a happy New Year. A Provincial Superior in Zimbabwe
Dear Friends,
Bringing the Universal Church Closer For many years now you have been organising information visits to our parishes, with interesting priests and bishops from all over the world. These guests bring the universal Church and the fate of Christians persecuted today much closer to me and to others. I am so impressed by your work that I intend to remember ACN in my will. Many thanks, and may God bless you! A Businessman from Switzerland Little Gift, Powerful Prayer Age has caught up with my body. I have been a religious sister of the Poor Clares for 70 years. My personal gift is small but my prayers are not. Peace & Goodwill. A Religious Sister in Australia Sharing and Communion My First Holy Communion was wonderful. I am joyful and grateful that I can receive my Saviour so often. I wish all children in all the world could learn about Jesus. And so I’d like to share my First Holy Communion money with them. You already know what to do. My father has sent you 200 Euros. A Child in Germany
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Each year thanks to the • Donations • Legacies and • Mass offerings of its benefactors in Ireland and around the world, ACN is able to: • Provide sustenance and the means of survival for approx. 20,000 priests • Support approx. 18,000 seminarians and religious and • Distribute approx. 1.5 million catechetical books for children in over 170 languages. Heartfelt thanks for all your prayers and support provided to Christ’s Suffering and Persecuted Church. May the Good Lord continue to bless you and your family, past and present, now and always.
J F Declan Quinn Director Aid to the Church in Need (Ireland) Where to send your contribution for the Church in Need: Please use the Freepost envelope. Aid to the Church in Need, 151 St. Mobhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. TEL (01) 837 7516. EMAIL info@acnireland.org WEB www.acnireland.org Registered Charity Numbers: (RoI) 9492 (NI) XR96620.
If you give by standing order, or have sent a donation recently, please accept our sincere thanks. This Mirror is for your interest and information.
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Stand firm in the faith, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13)
‘Millions of refugees stand with Mary and Joseph, close to the manger.’ Father Martin M. Barta, ACN Ecclesiastical Assistant.
‘Everyone who is poor, in whatever sense of the word, is Christ. So give for food parcels and clothing parcels for your brothers. Save a place at your table for the hungry. And give your love and mercy to all; your forgiveness and a friendly face’ Father Werenfried van Straaten, 1913 - 2003
Bringing the Nativity scene to life – Children in Florida, Uruguay.
Aid to the Church in Need helping the Church heal the world. 151 St. Mobhi Road, Dublin 9. TEL 01 837 7516 EMAIL info@acnireland.org +e813ei_print.indd 1
www.acnireland.org www.allthingscatholic.org www.wheregodweeps.org www.godspeakstohischildren.org 18/11/2013 10:46