ROME: 5 March 2014 -- If anyone wanted just the right introduction to
a
serious Lenten reflection, then they got it last night at the
traditional Chapter Goodnight - given this time by the
Provincial of
the Middle Easter Region (MOR in its Salesian acronym). By the
end of
it he was reduced to tears. He spoke in Italian. Below
is an
English version. It needs to be noted that Abuna Munir el Rai
is Syrian - from Damascus.
The Salesian Jesus
the
Adolescent Province of the Middle-East (MOR) was canonically
erected on
January 20, 1902; the Province Centre is in Bethlehem.
The
Province comprises thirteen communities scattered across seven
countries: Palestine, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey
and Iran.
The total number of confreres is 94 (ninety four): 30 are
local
confreres, 40 are Italian, and 24 from other different
nationalities.
In the Province
there are: 9 Oratories, 9 Schools within 5 different
Salesian
Settings, 1 Technical University, 4 Vocational Training
Centres, 3
Parishes, 4 Salesian presences among refugees and
evacuees, 2
Aspirants-Juniorate Schools, 1 Pre-Novitiate, 1 Theology
Seminary
(Jerusalem Ratisbonne), 6 Salesian Cooperator Centres. There
are also a
number of houses with hospitality structures, public churches
and
chaplaincies, the holy places at Beitgemal (Saint Stephen,
Venerable
Simon Srugi), vineyards and wine production at both Beitgemal
and
Cremisan, an Art Centre, an International Museum of the
Nativity, and
the Bakery in Bethlehem, and finally the service offered at
the
Apostolic Nunciature in Jerusalem and Tehran.
This is one the
most complicated and difficult Provinces of the Salesian
Congregation
due to cultural and linguistic differences, its history and
traditions,
for the different Christian faiths and Eastern Churches it
involves,
for the conflicts among many of its countries, for the
unsolved
“Palestinian Problem”, for the dominant presence of Islam,
which is the
majority of the population (Letter of the Rector
Major to MOR,
2011).
The Challenges for
Christians in the Middle-East: * Unity: The
Appeal of the Catholic Patriarchs re-echoes once more: “In the
Middle-East, either we Christians will be united or we will
disappear
and fade away”. * The exodus and
migration from the Middle-East: One of the most
serious problems
all Churches suffer in the Middle-East is the problem of
migration
which has grown relentlessly over the last century. Those who
suffer
most due to the exodus are our Christian brothers; this factor
is a
real Christian haemorrhaging and depopulation. Trustworthy
statistics
indicate that some Churches (Armenian, Assyrian, Melkite,
Maronite.
Assyrian-Orthodox) have a greater number of faithful in the
diaspora
(between 50 to 70%) than in their area of origin. All together
there
would be some 12 million Middle-Eastern Christians abroad
would be 12
million (compared with the 15-16 million in the region). * Lower
differential growth: Another factor giving rise to
the decrease
of Christians in the Region is the lower differential growth,
due to
the low birth rate of Christians compared to Jews and Muslims. * Immigration to
the Middle-East: this is a relative recent phenomenon
which has
taken place over recent decades. Workers have left their
country
looking for jobs and they come mostly from the Indian
subcontinent
(India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka) and from the
Philippines and Ethiopia. Many of them (two millions or more)
are
Christians.
* Coexistence with other
religions;
* Growth of political Islam.
Positive aspects of
MOR
- The witness of communion
given through our fraternal life in Communities, keeping in
mind that
our Communities are international, and therefore constantly
committed
to welcome and mutual acceptance, beyond any differences of
culture,
age and formation.
- The witness of service
to
local Churches within which we are integrated, by accepting
youth and
adults who belong to different Christian faiths and different
rites.
- The attention to poor and needy young people whom we welcome
into our
settings, with particular attention to the displaced and the
refugees.
- The commitment to
constructing
interreligious dialogue, especially with Islam,
through
acceptance and the education we provide to Christian and
Muslim youth
together, especially in our schools and Vocational Training
Centres,
and even in some of our Oratories when such dialogue is
possible.
- The good Salesian spirit
of
the confreres, their industriousness and feeling of belonging
to each
other.
- The wealth of languages,
cultures of
different Countries, and the value having our work
well-integrated
within the local scene.
- The opening to “new
frontiers” in
Upper Egypt and Iraq.
Negative points in
MOR - A certain
individualism, fragmentation (people interested in
their own
sector of activity only). The work may be carried on without a
planning
mentality, and there is little time for reflection,
cross-checking and
examining future projects.
- The risk of a few
confreres being
overloaded with work and responsibilities, leading to
activism;
while for others there is the risk of a comfortable and
bourgeois
lifestyle without any passion for education: a lack of
apostolic zeal.
In a few cases it is the practical, economic and
administrative worries
which run the risk of prevailing over the educational and
pastoral
concerns which should be a priority objective.
- The lack of vocations,
meagre vocation ministry efforts and care of local vocations.
- The financial situation is
difficult.
There are problems concerning land, estates, properties.
Administrative capacities must be strengthened.
- The socio-political
situation
is unstable and critical and constantly in flux.
- The poor number and
quality ratio in
some of our works, for lack of confreres.
- Lack of strong leadership
at provincial level.
- Our inculturation process
has to be reinforced.
The socio-political
situation in the Middle-East
Between the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 the southern
region
has been hit by a wave of protests, violence and uprisings.
Such events
shook up Arab societies at every level (social, political,
economic,
cultural, religious, educational...) with repercussions on our
Houses
and Communities. Those who suffered most are Syria, Egypt,
Lebanon and
Turkey. I cannot offer a detailed analysis of the different
countries
here and now but limit myself to a brief reflection on
Egypt,
then a little more time give to Syria.
The situation in
Egypt
From 2011 until now the situation has been ongoing turmoil and
great
uncertainty; despite this we can glimpse positive signs of
stabilisation. Though in such a difficult situation our three
Communities there have continued all their school and Oratory
activities, trying to instil courage and hope into the hearts
of our
young people and our lay partners.
The situation in
Syria
As of today the situation in Syria is very much uncertain due
to the
rioting and bloody violence throughout the county.
Aleppo: As of
now the Salesian Community is made up of two confreres who
remained
behind and stayed alongside the people, particularly the
families of
our Youth Center and Oratory youngsters. They show their
closeness
through a variety of pastoral and social activities and
through
personal visits to the families affected by the war. They
organise
periodical meetings programmed for various age groups in order
to pray
together. To all this they add the sharing of meals, and their
time in
a few recreational activities. Of course they do what they can
to help
with basic needs: food, medicines, money to cover certain
expenses;
they offer them religious literature, lives of Saints etc. The
door of
our Salesian Community in Aleppo is always open to anybody who
is in
need, because the love of Christ the Saviour knows no borders.
Every
day a great number of families come to our House because they
don’t
know any other place where they can stay together during the
day.
Kafroun: On
August 2012, the war began to rage in Aleppo too. Many
families lost
their homes and were forced to abandon them, and started to
look for
somewhere to settle. It was during such time that the house at
Kafroun
opened its doors to tens of families of relatives of our
Salesian
confreres, Cooperators and youth leaders; they offered them
lodging and
food, together with a family atmosphere. As of today, due to
the
ongoing presence of Salesian Confreres in the house,
many take
part in the Community’s prayers, help with maintenance and in
various
little works of the house, live a fraternal life together.
Their
children are well-integrated within the different schools of
the area
and they attend class regularly, using our vehicle to get
there. On
Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the House at Kafroun
becomes a
“Youth Centre” and “Oratory” for the boys and young men from
nearby and
far away villages and for evacuees in the area. On Sunday,
moreover,
they attend Mass there.
Damascus: The
Salesian Community is made up of four confreres. Up until the
first
half of July 2012, the formation, spiritual, cultural and
sport
activities of the Oratory-Youth Centre in Damascus were going
on
regularly, with about 350 boys and girls from the Elementary
and High
School. By the end of July 2012 the atmosphere of peace in the
city had
radically changed due to various outrages. Since then, besides
the
regular pastoral and educational daily activities, there are
visits to
the families, help for their basic needs and frequent
gatherings in
small groups for 2-3 day periods to offer them human,
spiritual and
Salesian formation.
I thank the Lord for the Christian witness, solidarity and
closeness
offered by the confreres in our different Communities to the
young and
to the unfortunate families affected by this war since 2011. I
feel the
need to thank all those who have helped us with their
generosity so as
to alleviate the suffering of so many people in Syria struck
by such a
calamity due to this war: benefactors, relatives, friends,
charitable
institutions, Salesian confreres, etc. Divine Providence has
been truly
generous by answering our frequent requests for help. This has
made us
capable of offering the necessary help to anyone who is in
need and
still needs our help.
Conclusion
Before anything else, as requirement for any option and
project I
believe there must always be the quality of our witness, both
personal
and as a Community.
We must go on with healthy realism, yet with great courage,
keeping in
mind what Don Bosco said:"In those things which are for the
benefit of
young people in danger or which serve to win souls for God, I
push
ahead even to the extent of recklessness".
I thank you with all my heart and let us pray for peace in the
Middle-East.
Abuna Munir El Rai
