Letter from KARACHI – 2016 – Priestly Fraternity Jesus Caritas

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Priestly Fraternity Jesus Caritas
LETTER FROM KARACHI – PAKISTAN
National Assembly
03-05, November 2016

Fraternal greetings to our brothers all around the world!

Coming near to the actual day of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of our dear Blessed Brother Charles de Foucuald, we 25 brothers representing different fraternities from various parts of Pakistan: Islamabad-Rawalpindi (1), Faisalabad (3), Lahore (3), Multan (4) Karachi (14) assembled from November 03 through November 05, 2016 at the Dominican House of Formation in the historical Christ the King Na Seminary Karachi campus.

Among us were senior and young priests, Friars belonging to religious congregations [Dominicans and Franciscans] and a few lecturers and professors of National Catholic Institute of Theology Karachi, some with extensive years in the fraternity, others experiencing the fraternity life for the first time.

The choice of Karachi was made as a practice to have the National Assembly once in North (Lahore) and once in South (Karachi) of Pakistan. This time the Dominican House of Formation was chosen as our venue not only for its calmness, serenity and natural beautify but also to recollect old days of friendship with the Dominican Friars and due to their admiration for the life and mission of Blessed Charles. These few days we lived in joy and communion in the spirit of Jesus of Nazareth.

Overall theme of the Assembly was Martyrdom – Mission and Challenges. Liturgical prayers, daily adoration, celebration of the Holy Eucharist, sharings, common meals and our handwork gave the Assembly a spiritual and fraternal atmosphere.

On November 03, His Excellency Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi invited the participants to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where first we had a Requiem Mass for Bishop Rufin Anthony (Bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi) who had passed away a few weeks ago.

Therefore after, Archbishop welcomed us in the Archbishop’s House and exchanged views of mutual concern. He appreciated the spirit of the Fraternity and was happy to see priests coming from faraway places making tedious journey. We shared fraternal dinner with him.

In conferences we learned about the life and mission of Blessed Brother Charles. Arthur Charles the Asian Responsible, briefly gave the review of the Asian Assembly held this year in July 15-22 , 2016 in Cebu – Philippians.

We were blessed to have our brother Emmanuel Asi, the member of the International Team with us. Through his reflections, sharing and guidance on: Mercy and Relationships in the Light of Brother Charles, we received in-depth information, knowledge and awareness that Brother Charles lived the teachings of Jesus Christ our Lord who was merciful himself. Brother Charles understood the power of encounter with the person of Christ; this encounter led him to passionately seek out Christ in simple, hidden and ordinary places and people.

After having heard the reports and sharing of different Fraternities, we felt enriched and challenged. It was reported that at this time there are 7 Fraternities [Islamabad-Rawalpindi (1), Faisalabad (1), Lahore (1), Multan (1) Karachi (3)] and 41 Brothers who are totally committed and are following every step of the Life of the Fraternity. Among these 11 have done the Month of Nazareth.

Through the reports and sharing we felt the need to seriously evaluate our Life in the Fraternity. Keeping in mind our Pastoral assignments and activities, in many ways the self-giving and faithfulness among our brothers was impressive. Many shared that for them Jesus Caritas Fraternity is a very vital part of their lives and it helps them to live their priesthood meaningfully. Others said that the sense of fraternity has helped them to be faithful to their priesthood as they strive to shout the Gospel with their lives.

We were glad to celebrate the 50 years of priesthood of Benjamin Joseph from Lahore Fraternity. We considered his presence as a sign of commitment and dedication.

Ample reading material both in Urdu and English was provided to everyone especially to those experiencing the Assembly for the first time.

At this Assembly we also had secret ballot for the election of National Responsible. After the explanation of the policy and procedures, with round of two ballots Saleh Diego from Karachi Fraternity was elected for 3 years. In a celebration of the Holy Mass he presented his councilor team Inayat Bernard (Lahore) and Abid Tanvir (Faisalabad) which was endorsed by everyone.

A Committee is formed for the forthcoming Week of Spirituality of Brother Charles to be held on the Asian level in November 2017 in Lahore.

A questionnaire in view of the XI General International Assembly to be held in Bangalore in January 2019 was read and explained by Emmanuel Asi. The Fraternities in due time, will discuss and submit the answers as required.

Special thanks were extended to organising team and the hosts.

We also discussed our future plans, a few of them are:

  • To strive to serve the poor and marginalized
  • To introduce Jesus Caritas Fraternity in the other Dioceses of the country
  • To make known the core goodness of Jesus Caritas in a way that young priests will recognize it
  • To deepen our experience of and commitment to the charism of Blessed Brother Charles
  • To give more importance to Desert Day, Review of Life and Adoration
  • To intensely follow ‘priest visiting priest’
  • To exhibit the joy of being a priest of Jesus Caritas

At the close of the Assembly proceedings, everyone expressed the feelings of gratitude and of being blessed to attend this national gathering and to be immersed in the charism of Brother Charles.

Yours
Pakistani Brothers of Jesus Caritas
Karachi
November 12, 2016

PDF: Letter from KARACHI – 2016 – Priestly Fraternity Jesus Caritas

THE ISLAND OF LESBOS, A REFUGE OF HOPE. Carlos LLANO

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Carlos LLANO is a sportsman, economist, founder of the NGO Childhood Smile and a volunteer and co-worker with the Foundation Tienda Asilo de San Pedro of Cartagena, Spain, in the WEND BE NE DO project in Burkina Faso. He recently went as a volunteer to the island of Lesbos, in Greece, to work with refugees. We offer his valuable testimony. Thanks, Carlos.

We live at such a pace and so attached to our mundane first world needs that if we could to stand back and take a good look at ourselves, we would feel ourselves revolted. The world has serious problems to solve: it is estimated that there are 300,000 child soldiers and that already in 2016 some 5,000 refugees or migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean, but generally we are more concerned about our petty first world problems than that which may be happening beyond our borders, terrible and all as these events are.

We see them so distant that, since we think we can do so little, we end up doing nothing. The problems of the world are not solved by accepting them with resignation or indifference or by blaming governments. The world’s problems are mine, they’re yours, they are ours. The world changes affected and inspired by our day to day behaviour. If I don’t want to see any more drownings, I must make the firm decision to go and do my tiny bit, that no matter how small it is, it is gigantic compared to inaction or the hundreds of messages that we can post on our social websites.

Lesbos is a small Greek island in the middle of the Aegean Sea very close to the Turkish coast. There are two refugee camps there: Karatepe, which still retains a certain dignity, where there are entire families, mainly of Syrians, but which could even have families from the Dominican Republic. Yes, I repeat, from the Dominican Republic. When you have nothing, you will even risk your life, because you have nothing to lose besides it, and desperation can reach such a level that even life becomes worthless.

In Karatepe each family has its own UNHCR tent, they have blankets, mattresses and the REMAR volunteers assume the task of bringing them two meals daily delivered to the very door. The children play in the tent ‘estate’, and with hope for a better life it seems that not all is lost.

The other refugee camp is Moria. An old prison with capacity for 2,000 people where more than 5,000 are crammed into large field tents which float when it rains and the mud slides down the embankment. The tension is patent and one’s only desire is to get through those high fences full of barbs. Here there are no families, there are lots of young men and some women with young children. Each one with their own nationality, customs, language and culture. Nigerian youths who are fleeing because Boko Haram kills, kidnaps and tortures whoever they wish. Pakistani teenagers who no longer wish to live in a country where Isis comes to a village to slit the throats of all the women and shoot all the men until the village is left without a trace of life. These are true stories that they have recounted to me while I helped for hours carrying out the banality of cutting kilos and kilos of potatoes to allow those thousands of youths, women and children to eat united in desperation seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, seeing that the authorities keep them there forgotten and with the passage of time we remember them less and less in our thoughts. The dehumanization is such that criminal gangs have turned the problem into a profitable business where they charge between 3,000 and 5,000 euros per person for a boat journey without any security, overweight as a result of cramming more and more people without even room to move, where no individual is allowed carry any luggage, as it would take up space that another refugee could pay for, and with a few lifejackets filled with rubbish rather than air, which in case of need and for its lack of buoyancy, will cost another life, adding to the number of 5,000 people who have already drowned in the Mediterranean in 2016. Our disquiet or our indifference remain in the face of this human disaster that seems to be a total impasse. To change the world is in our hands.

Carlos LLANO FERNÁNDEZ

PDF: The Island of Lesbos, a Refuge of Hope, eng