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austraLasia #3385

  

Syria situation reduces Provincial to tears

ROME: 5 March 2014 
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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