Pakistan: "Prayers please...If we teach them to love,
then there is hope".
LAHORE: 15th February 2006 -- To steal a line from our UK
counterpart, Rualink, 'Prayers please' for our Salesians and for many
others in Pakistan. This morning's direct information from
Pakistan is disturbing, but it is also a useful reflection and stimulus
to prayer. Anyone who has been through experiences of mob
violence, be it a coup or 'cartoon' reaction, has a certain feeling of
helplessness which only strong faith can counteract. I think you
will sense both in the drama being played out in the lines that follow.
The writer is mailing from outside of Lahore, since duty took him
elsewhere, but he is in touch there and feels the immediate need to
return there.....
"Unfortunately
the effects of the famous cartoons are now very much felt in Pakistan
as well. It seems that the rage of thousands of Islamists is now free
to manifest itself against the usual targets: in the centre of Lahore
the Mc.Donalds places, Telenor franchises (phone company from Norway),
and even Banks were burned today. Several people have been killed and I
got a call from Sister X, Spanish nun serving in Lahore
for the last 9 years. They have not seen this kind of anger before,
with Police, Army and Rangers completely unable to prevent the crowds
from burning places related to Western interests. From the Oblates of
Mary Immaculate I got the news that they have been asked by Police to
remove all crosses and stickers with religious symbols 'because these
people are crazy' according to one policeman (Could it be that after
all, the Cross is still such a relevant symbol and they are still
afraid of it?) Here where I am the Postulants have advised us not to
venture in the streets, and other Spanish citizens are asking me to
proceed to Islamabad
instead of Lahore
tomorrow… but we have the school, 90% of them Christians, in Lahore
so I am in a hurry to go back. Once again being not only a Westerner
but
above all, a Christian, is a reason to be killed in this country.
What
can one say in the midst of all this violence, hatred and these
senseless
actions? Already the mass media have produced enough material to
analyse
each and every aspect. I just point out that this is not the time to
think of East versus West but that it is a kind of civil war within
Islam itself: either Islam is the Religion of Peace and Love that
Muslim moderates want to sell us so often, or it is what we are seeing
these days in many countries around the world. They will have to solve
this dilemma if they want to be credible at this point in History.
Finally, what a challenge ahead for our Congregation, to think that our
work with youth from these countries can prepare new generations
of
youth who can bring hope and new role models into these societies!
What a responsibility as Youth Ministers! Let us take up this
challenge! If we teach young people to hate then we will harvest what
we see now. But if we teach them to love then there is hope. Let
everyone be accountable for what we sow. Please, continue to pray for
the only 2 Salesians at present in Pakistan".
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