Message of the Superior General to the Marists of Champagnat in Lebanon
Download PDF: Español | Français | Italiano
9 August 2020
Communities and Educational Centres in Champville, Jbail and the Fratelli Project in Rmeileh
Dear Marists of Champagnat:
The Brothers of the General Council wish to express our solidarity and communion with the esteemed Lebanese people and with all of you, on learning the terrible news of the explosion in the port of Beirut, which has deeply shocked us. We raise our heartfelt prayer for the dead, for all the injured, and for those who have lost their homes.
We also wish to express our solidarity with the De La Salle community in Beirut, whose schools have suffered serious damage to their buildings and facilities, due to the heavy explosion, especially the Brothers’ Collège SacrĂ©-Coeur in GemmayzĂ©.
We know that the impact and consequences of this explosion have added to the difficult social and economic situation the country is going through, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic which is sowing so much pain and suffering in the world.
We are pleased to see the compassionate way you have been assisting people who have lost their homes. You have made the classrooms of the Marist Schools of Champville in Deek-El-Mehdi and Our Lady of Lourdes in Jbeil available to families in need of a roof over their heads. We are also aware of the social and support work carried out by the Scout and Rover leaders, collaborating in cleaning up the neighbourhoods around the port of Beirut. The Christian Life Groups (GVX), the Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM) and other groups of young people and former students, are collaborating in collecting donations and supplies for the people affected by the explosion. We are grateful for these concrete gestures of support for people in need.
As a global Marist family, we want to show our unity with all the brothers, lay Marists, educators, students and parents in Lebanon and with the entire Marist Province of Mediterránea. We join in the prayers of mourning that the country is undertaking because of what has happened.
We ask Mary, our Good Mother, to accompany and encourage you in these times of difficulty and uncertainty. She will always be a source of protection for you and will encourage you in hope.
Fraternally,
Br. Ernesto Sánchez Barba, Superior General and General Council