1March - April 2009

EEEEDDDDIIIITTTTOOOORRRRIIIIAAAALLLL

A hand stretching out to touch another hand.Thus Michael Angelo expresses the creation of man(Sistine Chapel).The hand of God is stretched out in a gesture full ofrespect and gentleness and nevertheless, it is a powerfulgesture of creation.Mark gives us another icon of creative gestures, the meeting

of Jesus with the leper:“Moved with compassion, He stretched out his hand, touched

him and said: ‘I will, be clean.’ And immediately the leprosyleft him, and he was made clean.” (Mk 1: 41,42).

The look, word and gesture of Jesus recreate this man, they give himback life, he, the excluded.

In this icon we can also read the three movements of the kenosis in its rela-tional dimension of which the General Chapter speaks to us. (Cf. Chapter Document A 4)The Son of the Father came out, He bent down to join the leper in his misery, He became one with theleper in solidarity to the point of becoming impure Himself in touching him.

In pages 16 and 17 of this issue of ‘Meeting Space’, we will find a third icon of creative gestures:“Muniappa was a Leper”, the experience presented by Sr. Gemma Xavier fmm at the Chapter.

The fourth icon could be our own: what image do the others see in us? We cannot cheat:as in a picture, we quickly recognise the hand of the artist!Our look, from where does it get its light?Our word, from where does it get its fruitfulness?Our gestures, from where do they get their strength?

The Chapter Document (Introduction) tells us how to “see from a lowly place”and it continues:“Mary of the Passion speaks to us:‘The name of minor inflamed me with love…’With her we go more deeply into the experience of a God who transforms our daily life by freeing us to be minor.”

We are invited to enter into the studio of the great artist who is God, to remain there with Him, to contemplate there his original perspectives: He sees everything from a lowly place! to let Him work on us: stroke after stroke, day after day, He takes care of the freedom of our heart in orderto prepare the backdrop of the picture; on this canvas of freedom, little by little, He will cause to emergethe minority which gives Franciscan colour to the whole icon.It is there that our look can receive light, that our word can obtain its fruitfulness,that our gestures can find strength.

Then when our look rests on the other, when our word touches the other, when our hand is extended towards him, her, with respect and gentleness,we know that God, through us, is creating and recreating powerfully.It is wonderful!

Rosanna Marin, fmm

In 2010 on the 12th February, the XX1st Winter OlympicGames will be held in Canada, in the town of Vancouver.We know that such events promote kinship among coun-tries and encourage closer relationships among the athletesof these various countries. Unfortunately, there are alsosome considerably harmful aspects linked to this type ofmanifestation, such as 'the slave trade'.

The Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) is activelyinvolved in questioning the citizens and above all theyoung people regarding this problem. A folder of aware-ness and action has been presented to the members of themedia, the schools and religious communities under thetitle of: "We are a global village. The slave trade and theOlympic Games 2010."The website of the CRC is www.crc-canada.org

The document comprises:- 1st stage: A Power Point: What is the slave trade? - 2nd stage: A DVD: The oldest oppression.- 3rd stage: The Catholic social teaching … taking action.

The aim of this commitment of the CRC is to mobilise allthe citizens and not close our eyes to this problem. Weheartily hope that the other countries participating in theOlympic Games will rise up against 'the slave trade' at thetime of the Vancouver Games.

Joy Smith, a member of parliament, writes: "During the course of the last ten years, the slave trade has beenone of the greatest preoccupations concerning the violations of the rights of the person. In the area of my func-tions as deputy, I have been carrying out a relentless fight against this slavery of modern times, on a federalas well as an international level.”The Government of Canada has published a booklet: "Do not be a victim of the slave trade", and a publicnotice: "Trade in human beings in Canada?" The website of the Ministry of Justice is www.justice.gc.ca

Michelle Guèvremont, fmm

2 FMM Meeting Space VII/32

Canada - The Slave Trade and the 0lympic Games 2010

The cover of the booklet: ‘We are a global village’

@@In Brief ...

3March - April 2009

Great was our joy to receive the visit of a blind priest, Father Tim Devine. This man of 34 years was bornblind and has had to show great determination to put the finishing touches to his education.

Father Tim is a joyful man, very simple andvery pleasant. What struck us about him washis pleasant smile and happy, radiant appear-ance, which he transmits. Someone asked him:"Father, how is it that you are so joyful?" Hereplied: "When getting up each morning, Ihave two choices: accept my situation or rebeland be unhappy. Until now I have chosen to behappy". He experienced daily abandonment,but one day when he was somewhatdepressed, he said to God: "You do not knowwhat it is like to be blind." Having said this, heopened the Bible and hit on the passage:"…they blindfolded him so that he would notbe able to guess who struck him ..."Father Tim had his reply.

We had the privilege of receiving Father for asecond time to celebrate the Eucharist. It wasvery moving to participate in this Celebration.He read the prayers slowly, written in his largemissal in Braille. We had time to savour the word. His homily was of great simplicity like himself. "The basicessential in our life consists in being filled with the love of Jesus and in spreading his love around us, for theworld is truly thirsting for this love".

We keep this message in our memory and above all we conserve in our hearts the light emanating from thisblind priest, radiant and smiling at life such as it is presented to him.

Agathe Bertrand, fmmCoeur Immaculé Community, Ottawa

The Damietta Peace Initiative (DPI) seeks to make peace a reality in the lives of ourbrothers and sisters throughout Africa. Saint Francis of Assisi’s fraternal encounter withSultan al-Malik al-Kamil in 1219 at Damietta in Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade, providesthe inspiration for our work. Both Francis and the Sultan moved beyond their own limit-ed worldviews, recognising in the other the Divine Presence. Actions of violence thusbecame an impossibility for these men of God.

Building relationships between diverse people is at the heart of the work of DPI, in orderto prevent violence – of any sort – rooted in fear of the “other”. Relationships are fostered through the for-mation of community-based groups, known as Pan-African Conciliation Teams (PACTs). PACT members areformed in the Franciscan values of non-violence, reconciliation and care of creation, to become bearers ofpeace to all they encounter. We understand peace to mean providing all people with the possibility to live fullyhuman lives. When PACT members identify a need affecting peace in their community, DPI responds by pro-

Building peace in Africa in the Spirit of Saint Francis

Canada - A Blind Priest with Shining Eyes

Logo of the DPI

viding training to meet that need.

A recent example of DPI’s work for peacethrough non-violence is in Nigeria, where follow-ing the recent post-election violence in Jos, PACTmembers assisted materially with negotiationtalks for peace. In Kenya, a PACT in a Maasai vil-lage observed that lack of water was causing con-flict with another group. Their solution, with theassistance of DPI, was to approach the Kenyangovernment to build a dam to enable the commu-nity to live better lives.

In South Africa, we have recently facilitated skillsworkshops for youth in a rural area to developtheir self-worth and to help them find employ-ment. DPI is also involved with the integration ofrefugees into South African communities after thexenophobic attacks in 2008.

Callum D. ScottDPI Communications Officer

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Sr. Simone Bocognano fmm who wrote this book, came to Morocco in1948, immediately after her first vows. She was a teacher, but at the age of70 she was sent to the fraternity which was living under a tent. Sheremained there for ten years until 2003. Then she wrote the book: “Bucolic Berbers: Itto, daughter of theAtlas”, Le Fonec Editions. It is a book in which the FMM do not appearbut where their attachment to these people can be seen. The Bulletin ofthe Diocese of Rabat, “Together”, has given this presentation of it:

"One can feel that Simone Bocognano, Sister Simone in religion,was deeply affected by the nomad Berbers of the High AtlasPlateaux, that she admired and loved them. In the setting that shedepicts with sensitivity, we become acquainted with a young girl,Itto, her family and some of her neighbours. We follow Itto in herdaily work, the seasonal events and traditional gatherings, herfriendly and amorous relationships, her joys and her sorrows.The life is harsh and severe in these regions given over tobreeding, forgotten by progress and despised by power.However, each happiness is savoured, each feast celebratedwith splendour, and solidarity lights up the gloomy hours.

“While bathing this small world in a softer light, at times gilded like the story, SisterSimone recalls in plain language the ecological problems which arise in a crucial manner in the region andfor its population: deforestation, drought, the drying up of the flow of water. She denounces the individual-ism of the nomads and the intrigues of the forest wardens, small, corrupt and very powerful chiefs. She speaksalso of the absence of any future for the young, of their exile to the town and the desire to emigrate, strongerthan the dangers encountered."

Morocco – A Book on the Life of the Berbers

Lilian Curaming fmm, facilitating a training workshop forMuslims and Christians at Jos, Nigeria.

5March - April 2009

The Health Commission of the Superior Generals' Union (UISG and USG) began when members becameaware of the pastoral importance of men and women religious in the health field.

Among its vast interests, from the beginning, they considered the AIDS theme to be urgent and of high pri-ority, and in 2005 they created the "AIDS Commission" in which men and women religious from differentcongregations collaborate, including an FMM,Mila Baquedano.

The first objective of the "AIDS Commission"was to make known to the world the commitmentof religious in the struggle against the pandemicdisease of HIV/AIDS.

The first International Forum was held inDecember 2005, drawing up a "Concept Paper"that was circulated in four languages at theSuperior Generals' Meeting of December 2006.At this meeting a questionnaire was distributed toall the Congregations, for the purpose of havingconcrete data and an exact picture of the Church'scommitment in this field, and at the same time tocreate a culture of networking that can open upour reality to new dimensions of interaction athigh levels of collaboration with internationalorganizations: UNAIDS (United Nations –AIDS), WHO, Caritas International and others. The data gathered and analyzed by Georgetown Universityin the USA was circulated in the pamphlet "Service of Love", in Italian, English, French and Spanish.

A second Forum in Rome, in May 2008, sealed this first phase of "knowledge", presenting a memorandum ofseven points in which Institutes can collaborate in a more unified and coordinated way.

Actual mission: To continue the work, taking into account some steps:

- To use data gathered to better restructure the network among various Institutes and their diverse activities:possibility for common projects – awareness – financial and medication resources.- To strengthen contacts with international organizations (WHO, UNAIDS, Caritas Int.) to make the voice ofthe Church and religious heard regarding AIDS and its correlative factors: poverty, malnutrition, literacy,etc.)- To respond to some of the Forum's requests: 1. To prepare some reflections and general guidelines regarding the AIDS test for men and women candidates,and the attitude to pursue with men or women religious who test HIV positive.2. To organize contacts with persons and institutions that can offer psychological and spiritual support to reli-gious in particular difficulty.

This is the AIDS Commission's current mission that we confide to your prayers and your collaboration.

Mila Baquedano, fmm

Rome – Health Commission of the Superior Generals' Union

Members of the AIDS Commission. Sr Mila Baquedano fmm is the second on the left.

This Congress was a continuation of that which was held in 2007 on the theme “Social Justice/SocialSolidarity”. The Congress of 2007 was also organised by Misereor in collaboration with the State and theConference of Bishops of Vietnam.

The Conference was held in Haiphong, 120 kms north of Hanoi, from 12th to 15th February 2009, on thetheme “Social Responsibility in face of the Free-market Economy”. It brought together 150 delegates fromGermany, the United States, Latin America (Guatemala and Peru) the Middle East (Lebanon) , Asia (Korea,Japan, Laos and Vietnam).

Out of the 90 written interventions, only 45 were presented, 10 minutes each one. After 5 interventions, therewas an hour of discussion to go deeper into the question asked. The Catholic Church was represented by agood number of bishops, priests, men and women religious and lay people.

The theme was divided into three main sectors: 1. the responsibility of the State, 2. of the economists, 3 ofbig organisations such as religions and NGOs. The interventions showed, with daring, clarity and sometimeshumour, the responsibility of the State which is often lacking, because of personal interests, corruption at alllevels, and also lack of clarity and authenticity in human and social relations. Many interventions by intel-lectuals, such as University Professors of Philosophy and the Human Sciences, asked about the problem ofthe human person, which the State should respect and promote in all its dimensions.

The Catholics asked about legality for their institutions, particularly in the area of education. Most of theinterventions emphasised the point of view of the Church regarding the promotion of the human person, espe-cially with regard to the poor, who under a free-market economy are often left out.The bishop of My Tho, in his intervention closing the Congress, emphasised joyfully the cordial, fraternal anddialogical atmosphere between Catholics, Communists and friends from abroad, reminding us, however, thateducation is to be pitied and that the education of the poor must be taken into consideration.

In the midst of this audience, the majority of whom were masculine, only 6 of the 45 oral interventions werefrom women, four of whom were Catholic and two of these were religious. At the meals, like during thebreaks, the sharings continued, helping us to understand better and to form new relationships.

The possibility of another Congress in the year 2011 permits us to hope that, little by little, something will bedone for a better comprehension and collaboration between the various groups, so that all may feel more insolidarity and more responsible.

Elisabeth Quynh-Giao, fmm

6 FMM Meeting Space VII/32

The 26th November 2008 is a date that most Indians will remember for yearsto come. Being in India at that time, I realized how this country, known forharmony and peace, has become a den of terrorists. More than 36 hours of bat-

tle with terrorists inside two-five star hotels of Mumbai have left its scar in theminds and hearts of every citizen. Thanks to the media, we witnessed the tragic

drama of fear, anguish, anger, prayer, fasting etc.

The same year 2008 also witnessed attacks by the fundamentalists on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. Themulti-religious reality of our country which is so dear to every true Indian is being violently threatened. It ispainful to know that a small group of fundamentalists have the capacity to destroy such an ancient culturalharmony. In Orissa the situation is not yet normal. The Christians who fled to the forests have not yet returned,for fear of being tortured and killed. The Church in India expressed solidarity by fasting, prayer, peace meet-

The Recent Indian Scene

Vietnam – International Congress on Social Responsibilityin face of the Free-market Economy

7March - April 2009

ings and financial aid. The CBCI (Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India) sent a circular to the Catholics tohave the Christmas celebrations in a low key in order to be in solidarity with the victims of Orissa andMumbai. In fact the celebrations were very moderate.

These grim situations, have led to a greater awareness among the Catholics that we need to be together as aChurch. There is a greater expression of faith, greater participation in Church celebrations etc, in fact, agreater sense of being Catholic.

On the other hand one sees enormous progress in cities and towns with many modern facilities. People areflocking to have English education in order to climb the social ladder. In such situations, to be an alternativesign is a great challenge and we have really to take an option. Our sisters are responding by being close to thepoor and the marginalized, and by living a very simple lifestyle. We have a long way to go!

Helen Mendonça, fmm

The design at the beginning of the article: The Ashoka Chakra, a depiction of the Dharma chakra – the wheel of the Law or of the Truth – which we seeat the centre of the Indian flag. The wheel, formed by 24 spokes, is the symbol of the World in movementaround a fixed point; the World changing with time, Unity in diversity.

In 2004, the Unions of Superiors General(UISG and USG), following their jointCongress "Passion for Christ, Passion forHumanity", decided, in the spirit of thegood Samaritan, to reach out to Sudan, oneof the most suffering nations in the world.The Comprehensive Peace Agreement forSudan was signed in 2005, ending 35 yearsof civil war.

The UISG / USG leadership sent a team tosouthern Sudan to research the needs that reli-gious brothers and sisters could address. Twoareas of great need were chosen: teacher training and health professional training.

In December 2008, the preliminary stage of this great effort came to fulfilment with the first ‘AnnualAssembly of Solidarity with Southern Sudan’, held in Yambio, near the south western border of Sudan withDRC Congo. Nineteen members are currently working in Sudan, living in 4 communities in Juba, Malakal,Rimenze and Wau. The members represent 14 nationalities, 6 continents, and 11 congregational charisms.

The Institute is represented by MaryAnne Williamson belonging to the fmm East Africa Province. MaryAnneis part of the inter-congregational community of 6 sisters in Wau, beginning to give registered nurse trainingin the Health Training Institute built 40 years ago, but abandoned in the middle of the war. The Solidarityvision is that the nurses trained for Southern Sudan will form a nucleus of dedicated and well prepared healthworkers who will help to reanimate the service of health and healing for a nation struggling to come aliveagain after so many years of death and destruction.

Mary Ann Williamson, fmm

MaryAnne with the Wau Community - third from the right

Solidarity with Southern Sudan

The southern State of Victoria has been livingthrough a month of the most catastrophic bushfiresin our recorded history. The fires, starting on 7thFebruary, a day which came to be known as BlackSaturday, began in 47 degree Centigrade heat andwere driven by tornado-force winds.

These fires were in the east, north and particularlyin the heavily wooded areas of the eastern part ofthe State. Even with the assistance of every kind ofmodern fire-fighting equipment, these fires wereutterly unstoppable before destroying 2,029 resi-dential properties, whole towns with their infra-structure and killing 208 people. In addition, nativeflora and fauna have suffered enormous losses.

The human response to this disaster has been quiteremarkable and almost overwhelming, with moneyand gifts of all kinds pouring in from all parts of thecontinent. Disaster centres were set up with localvolunteers, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent dePaul, Red Cross and others providing food andclothing on a 24 hour basis for the thousands whohad been displaced.

Today, 4th March, there is at last widespread rainwhich has greatly alleviated the situation and the“all-clear” has been given for people, who can, toleave the temporary shelters with permission toreturn to their towns, if they are still existing. Godhelp them!

Madonna Purcell, fmm

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Australian Bushfires

The photos were taken from www.google.it: Black Saturday, Victorian Bushfires

Thirsty koala

9March – April 2009

Tefe Prelature bases its hopes,dreams and challenges on the assur-ance that there are seeds of theWord in all. The characteristic ofthis local Church is that of being aministerial Church with a ‘lay’ face.

The presence of priests and men and women religiousis not sufficient to respond to all the challenges andto evangelize the 14 parishes that make up the prela-ture. How to become a prophetic and effective pres-ence in this reality, rich in water and forests, but poorin various areas such as quality education, dignifiedwork, health and a house wherein to live?

Dreams are becoming a reality and the project and its

realization are happening. A possible team was cho-sen under the direction of Sr. Esperanza, FranciscanMissionary of Mary! At that time I was in Rome, butthey informed me about this and a dialogue wasbegun to give a response as a province. I accepted thechallenge, and on my return in July 2006, the firststage was organized of the course which would becompleted in six stages over a period of three years.

There was no building, no professors and no infra-structure! Only the will to help the people and toform permanent deacons and the 63 laypersons sentby the parishes. I arrived in the month of July and theorganizing team, professors, and secretaries, all vol-unteers, were introduced to me. Even the buildingwas lent by Amazonas State University…Whatpoverty! But all difficulties were overcome throughthe joy and creativity of the team and students. Thisfirst stage set standards for the course: dedication,collaboration, solidarity, efficiency, creativity, joy,truly a quality course!

Amazonas' Institute of Pastoral Theology and HigherEducation in Manaus, ITEPES, lent its support fromthe second stage with two professors. Also Sr.Bozena Stencel, who was then working in ITEPES,gave her collaboration. This course was organized by

The School of TheologyA Challenge in the Amazon Rain Forest

A reality found in Amazonas State is the vibrant Church of Tefe Prelature. Desiring to respond to the chal-lenge of evangelization, the idea arose of ordaining permanent deacons, not as a substitute for a shortage ofpriests, but also to support the people, thirsting for the Living God! After discernment, a plan for a theologycourse was organized, not only for deacons, but for all parish leaders as well.

Brazil

Students of the 6th Stage

stages and by subject matter, in order to help those who could not do thecomplete course in three years. Thanks be to God, with the help of Fr.Antonio Jansen SVD, Dutch, part of the prelature seminary buildingwas obtained, previously restored thanks to financial help.

The following are some testimonies:

Francisco Andrade Lima (pastoral coordinator for the prelature).We had many challenges to overcome but, seeing the path we had comeand the increase in students at the close of the course in 2009, we notedthat their performance had developed in every sense. I thank those whocollaborated so that this dream would become a reality and, at the sametime, I invite them to form part of the second course which will begin inJuly of this year. As Church, we must continue the formation of pastoralworkers, and as our fifteenth Pastoral Assembly stated: "To follow JesusChrist commits us to his mission and this requires a formation that is qual-itative, permanent and adequate for the disciple" (DGAET 2009, n. 34).

10 FMM Meeting Space VII/32

Waldelice Ferreira

José Francisco Ramos

Arsenia

Tefe Prelature bases its hopes,

dreams and challenges on the assurance that

there are seeds of the Word in all.The characterist ic

of this local Church is that of being

a ministerial Church with a ‘lay’ face.

Waldelice Ferreira Coelho (student who completed the course).I am a committed lay person from San José Parish, JUTAI (UpperSolimões), in the Amazon rain forest, and I am blessed to have partici-pated in the Pastoral Theology Course. My parish ardently wants for-mation for its ministers. The School of Pastoral Theology, organizedand systematic, continues to change and reanimate our form of evange-lization and pastoral action. At the end of the course, I perceived withgreat joy that our knowledge of the Church had broadened and manylives had been transformed. The course has come up to my expectationsand met my needs. We are called to continue to act with Jesus Christ, inthe midst of the people who groan and cry out to God. My sincerethanks to all the persons who form part of this process.

Arsenia Correia Gomes de Araujo (student who completed thecourse).The time spent studying theology between January and July has been

11March – April 2009

like a retreat for me, a"Tabor". Everythingseems clearer to me.Today I understand betterwhat I am doing and whyI am doing it. My way ofrelating has improved;openness to others and toGod has made me more ofa person. I have foundmyself and God. Howhappy I am!

José Francisco Ramosdos Santos (student whocompleted the course).I am a minister of theWord, a catechist, andparish liturgy coordinator.I am 33 years old andbelong to Our Lady of theImmaculate ConceptionParish in Carauari. Thecourse has helped me toincrease in faith, to pre-pare myself to be a better community leader, andabove all a better person. Thanks to the course, Ihave come to know the Mystery of God's Revelationmore deeply. Today I can say that my faith hasmatured and I am committed to announcing the GoodNews of God's Reign, aware of my commitment as abaptized Christian; all this thanks to the theologycourse.

Sister Maria August da Silva, OP (student whocompleted the course).I am a young Dominican missionary from ParanaState in southern Brazil. Our charism is education. Iwas sent to Jutai city, in Tefe Prelature, and I had thegrace and blessing to participate in the theologycourse, that has helped me and given me tools for my

growth and my evangelizing mission. TheologicallyI have understood the mission and culture of this peo-ple. Living with and in the midst of them, I haveobserved the need for the formation that the prelatureoffers. This helps us experience evangelization witha renewed and missionary spirit. Formation consistsin recognizing, welcoming, deepening and develop-ing the experience of encounter. The school helped uslove ourselves more and give ourselves better tospread the Good News of the Kingdom and theGospel. I thank the Prelature with all my heart forgiving me the opportunity to live this experience anda strong missionary impetus.

Like this, we FMM continue to respond to the chal-lenges of this immense Amazon region and the needsof our people, the Prelature, and this portion of earth

where we serve and collaborate so that the Reign ofGod may come and more love and joy may be fos-tered.

Esperanza Herrera Abad, fmm and some witnesses

Francisco Andrade and his family

Sr. Esperanza, at left, and FMM Sisters