2024-09-25 GENERAL HOUSE

Lebanon: A Call for Solidarity and Prayer for Marist Communities Amidst Crisis

 Lebanon is facing an unprecedented economic, political, and social crisis, compounded by escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. The ongoing conflict has led to bombings and growing fears of a broader war. In response to the heightened insecurity, the Lebanese government has closed both public and private schools, including our Marist institutions, leaving many students without access to education during this difficult time.

Among the affected schools is Notre Dame de Lourdes Marist College, founded by the Marist Brothers in 1900. The college offers both Lebanese and French curricula and educates more than 2,000 students from nursery to secondary levels. 

Another Marist institution, Collège Mariste Champville, founded 1966 and serves over 3,200 students from nursery to high school. Located in Dik el-Mehdi, the school offers a bilingual curriculum in Arabic and French, with additional English instruction and a wide array of extracurricular activities. Both schools have rich histories of providing high-quality education while promoting Marist values of community, service, and faith.

However, the ongoing conflict, combined with the financial instability of the country, poses significant challenges to these schools. Despite these difficulties, they remain deeply committed to their mission of nurturing the holistic development of young people. The Fratelli Project, a joint initiative with the La Salle Congregation, continues to serve vulnerable Lebanese and refugee children, even under increasingly precarious conditions.

We call on all Marists of Champagnat to unite in prayer for our mission in Lebanon. Let us pray for the safety and resilience of our Marist Brothers, lay partners, students, and their families. May peace and stability return to the region, and may our schools continue to be sources of hope and light for the future.

Peace be with Lebanon and all its people. Let us stand united in prayer and solidarity. 

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