A letter for sharing
To all the Marists of the world, laity and brothers. Peace and hope!
We would like to share with you our life and mission in the painful situation our country, Syria, has been experiencing for a little over a year.
Horror encircles us on every side : every form of violence, hardship, insecurity, misery, poverty, and above all, an uncertain future. This situation is becoming so widespread that it threatens to engulf us!
We were conscious of this from the beginning.
Our Marist spirituality has guided us to « go in haste, with Mary, to a new land ».
Accordingly, we have decided
- to choose life in the face of the culture of death,
- to be sowers of hope in the face of despair,
- to center our personal and community life on peace.
Thus, during the period of Advent, we prepared weekly times of prayer around the theme : peace, interior and exterior. We invited all our friends.
During Lent, we also organized times of prayer around different themes inspired by the crisis (security, self-satisfaction, the other, non violence). We closed this cycle of prayer on Good Friday with prayer around the cross centred on reconciliation.
And in this month of May, we celebrate every Saturday prayer which is nourished by the lives of Mary and our founder Marcellin Champagnat.
We had, as well, to make a decision about our apostolic activities, whether the meetings of the fraternities or the scout group meetings or the solidarity activities.
Should we cease them, yes or no ?
As very audacious Marists, we chose to continue them, taking some precautions and especially taking into account the situation of the moment.
At the same time, we organized a training session in learning how to deal with crisis situations.
And we drew up a logistics inventory for managing a catastrophe.
Placing ourselves in God’s care at each instant and counting on numerous friends benefactors or engaged in voluntary work, we have planned summer activities for all ages. Thus, we hope to make our house a haven of peace, security and stability.
As for you, dear brothers and friends,
Pray with us for the children, that they sleep in peace at night, that they go to school, play, that they bring happiness.
Pray with us for the youth, those without hope, those who every day risk their lives, their studies, their future.
Pray with us for the men and women, for the voiceless, the poor, for all who suffer violence,
Pray for us!
Support our choice of peace as a way of reconciliation and pardon.
_________________
May 2012
Your Marist brothers and sisters of Alep (Syria)
Letter of Br. Emili Turú, Superioru General – PDF (250 KB – French and Arabic)
N.B: to follow our activities
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| SALAM –PEACE (Champagnat Scout Group -Christmas 2011) |
Let us keep the smiles on our children’s faces! (Learning to Grow – May 2012) |
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| Let us pray with Mary, Our Good Mother, for peace (Marial prayer- Saturday 26 May 2012) |
Let us open our house for welcome and meeting (Mosaïque group bazaar, April 2012) |