ONE Magazine September 2021

one

September 2021

God • World • Human Family • Church

resilient courageous resolute Rebuilding Lebanon, body and soul • Dressing the wounds of the pandemic in India • Healing the hearts of Armenia’s broken families • Standing firm against bloodshed in Ethiopia

one COVER STORY

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Connections Hope and trial in Lebanon

FEATURES

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Domik Dreams Breaking the poverty cycle in Armenia text by Gohar Abrahamyan with photographs by Nazik Armenakyan

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A Letter from Seminary

by Mario Abu Daher

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‘Everything in His Hands’ The church in India’s fight against COVID-19 text by Anubha George with photographs by Sajeendran V.S.

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A Plea for Peace in Ethiopia Church leaders speak out

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‘Working from the Heart Creates Harmony’ Helping those in the margins in Lebanon

by Doreen Abi Raad

DEPARTMENTS

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Perspectives

by Peter I. Vaccari

t An elderly, Armenian lady shares some laughter with her husband in the temporary shelter in which they have lived since the earthquake of 1988.

CNEWA.org CNEWA1926 CNEWA CNEWA CNEWA1926

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION CATHOLIC NEAR EAST WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Volume 47 NUMBER 3

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“We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love.”

— Pope Francis Spread love with a bequest

14 Front: Two Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family attend the Mass commemorating the first anniversary of the Beirut port explosion on 4 August.

Back: Rem Parshkova, a single mother of three, holds her 8-month-old daughter. She is one of thousands of single mothers in Armenia who struggle with poverty due to the death or abandonment of their husbands.

26 Editorial Staff Paul Grillo Laura Ieraci Deacon Greg Kandra Michael J.L. La Civita Elias Mallon, S.A., Ph.D. J.D. Conor Mauro Timothy McCarthy

Your gift will help to Affirm human dignity Alleviate poverty Encourage dialogue Build up the church

ONE is published quarterly. ISSN: 1552-2016

Photo Credits Front cover, pages 4-5 (center and bottom), 34-35, 37, Maroun Bassil; pages 2, 6-13, back cover, Nazik Armenakyan; page 3 (top), CNS photo/Paul Haring; pages 3 (upper left), 30-33 and 36, Raghida Skaff; pages 3 (upper right and far right), 18-25, Sajeendran V.S.;page 3 (lower left), Father Ramy Wakim; page 3 (lower right), CNEWA Ethiopia; pages 4 and 15, Michael La Civita; pages 4-5 (top), Riad El Hajj; page 5, John E. Kozar; page 16, Ilene Perlman; page 17, Geries Abdo, courtesy Melkite Catholic Archbishopric; pages 26-27, Yasuyoshi Chiba/ AFP via Getty Images; pages 28, 39 (bottom), Petterik Wiggers; page 29, ECS Communications; page 39 (top), CNEWA India.

CNEWA Founded by the Holy Father, CNEWA shares the love of Christ with the churches and peoples of the East, working for, through and with the Eastern Catholic churches.

Publisher Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari

©2021 Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

All rights reserved. Member of the Catholic Media Association of the United States and Canada.

CNEWA connects you to your brothers and sisters in need. Together, we build up the church, affirm human dignity, alleviate poverty, encourage dialogue — and inspire hope.

Officers Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Chair and Treasurer Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, Secretary Editorial Office 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022-4195 1-212-826-1480; www.cnewa.org

Your generosity today can help change lives tomorrow A bequest also has tax benefits Contact us today to learn more: Call 1-866-322-4441 (Canada) 1-800-442-6392 (United States) Or email us at cnewa@cnewa.org

Connections to CNEWA’s world CNEWA in Lebanon

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai meets with CNEWA’s Msgr. Peter Vaccari at the patriarch’s summer residence overlooking the historic Qadisha Valley in northern Lebanon, 3 August.

CNEWA’s president, Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, led a delegation to Lebanon in early August in solidarity with the churches and peoples of the eastern Mediterranean nation. The pastoral visit included appointments with church leaders as well as opportunities to meet with program partners and beneficiaries, among them a dispensary run by various congregations of sisters in Nabaa, a poor neighborhood in eastern Beirut; the counselors and social workers of Oum el Nour, highlighted beginning on Page 30; and the medical and administrative teams at the Geitawi University and Rosary Sisters hospitals in Achrafieh, a district of Beirut.

Of central importance to the visit were the various activities held on 4 August to commemorate the explosion in the port of Beirut, which killed more than 200 people, injured thousands more, and left hundreds of thousands homeless. The explosion, which scientists believe was the most powerful non-nuclear blast in history, exacerbated Lebanon’s socioeconomic and political implosion, which threatens to destroy what remains of the firmest foothold of the Christian faith in the Middle East.

Msgr. Vaccari and members of the CNEWA team — which included the team of the Beirut office, led by

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Regional Director Michel Constantin, and the New York-based directors of communications and development respectively, Michael La Civita and Noel Selegzi — attended liturgies and presentations to commemorate the lives lost and shattered by the blast.

These memorials culminated with an outdoor Divine Liturgy at the site of the blast — which began precisely at 6:07 p.m., the time of the first explosion — celebrated

by Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, and representatives of all of Lebanon’s churches.

Days after the pastoral visit, Msgr. Vaccari said he was still trying to “find the silence” to bring to prayer and absorb all that he experienced.

“The situation there is very serious, as the people of the entire country are suffering on multiple levels, emotionally, physically and spiritually,” he said. “And let’s not forget the coronavirus pandemic, which is decimating a population where the simplest of medicines are unavailable.”

CNEWA’s commitment to assist the peoples and churches of Lebanon is unwavering. Visit cnewa. org/lebanon to learn how you can help.

Syro-Malankara Bishop Dies From COVID-19 Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas Aerath, O.I.C, who had contracted COVID-19 and was on a ventilator in a critical state, as reported in the June issue of ONE, died in a Delhi hospital on 26 August. He was 60 years old.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in India in March 2020, Mar Barnabas had led the distribution of food and hygiene kits among the poor in his eparchy, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom of Gurgaon.

Above, Msgr. Peter Vaccari joins representatives of the local churches on 4 August at the memorial Divine Liturgy commemorating the lives lost in the Beirut port explosion.

Left, CNEWA’s Marlene Constantin points out a detail in a dispensary administered by women religious in eastern Beirut.

Below, CNEWA’s Michel Constantin confers with Pascale Debbané of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, after Mass at the Rosary Sisters Hospital, which was damaged significantly by the explosion.

Readers of ONE magazine may recall the bishop’s account about life and work during COVID-19 in last summer’s award-winning special edition on the pandemic.

“The lockdown period has really broken their backbone,” he wrote of the poor in his eparchy. “Day laborers have nothing — no work, no money — and they depend totally on the mercy of other people.”

M.L. Thomas, director of CNEWA India, recalled the bishop’s “humanly nature, love for the poor and for the mission of the church.”

He also recounted the words of the bishop during a visit to the CNEWA team in the southwestern state of Kerala, seeking support for those affected by the virus.

“This is my God-given duty — that I radiate the love of the Lord to these people,” the bishop told Mr. Thomas. “God has called me to give his love and care because I see nobody out there to help them. So, how can I sit at home?”

CNEWA responded, rushing him the resources he needed.

Mar Barnabas was born on 3 December 1960. He was ordained a priest on 2 October 1986 and a bishop on 10 March 2007. He was enthroned as the bishop of Gurgaon on 1 May 2015.

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Many Armenians live in poverty. All dream of a better life.

by Gohar Abrahamyan with photographs by Nazik Armenakyan

Rem Parshkova stands in front of her home with her 8-month-old daughter.

She is now a single mother of three.

The father of her children was killed last year on the front during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

CARE FOR THE MARGINALIZED

Domik Dreams

“Hopefully, I will be able to … fulfill my ultimate goal — getting out of this domik.”

E

very time 20-year-old Ara opens the creaky door of his small, dilapidated house, he grows in his conviction that he must do his best to help his family move out of the “iron jail” they call home.

After the earthquake of December 1988, which devastated the northwestern part of Armenia, Ara’s family was left homeless.

His grandparents, father and uncle found shelter in a 430-square-foot iron container, called locally a domik.

Located in the heart of Gyumri, the second-largest city in Armenia, Ara’s family’s domik was supposed to be an emergency measure,

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housing them for only three years.

However, time passed. Ara’s father and uncle married and lived with their wives in this shelter. Soon after, their children were born there, too. Today, Ara, his sister, parents and grandparents continue to live in the domik.

“My grandpa and grandma, as well as my parents, have health issues.

They put effort into renovating the shelter. However, it’s getting more and more dilapidated with time, and when it rains most of the water gets into the house through the roof, no matter how hard you try to fix it,” says Ara. The metal house heats up in the summertime. In the winter, “it’s so

cold that you can’t heat the house,” he adds. “We often see a mouse and a rat and, although we keep it as clean as possible, they have become ‘regular’ family members.”

Since childhood, the young man has been carrying burdens that would have staggered many.

He has shouldered them without complaint, and cares for his family with love and dedication. He also looks after his grandfather, who is almost immobile.

The many medals Ara has won at different sporting events are meticulously arranged in the domik’s tiny living room closet.

Despite his harsh and unfavorable life situation, Ara has invested his

The

CNEWA Connection

At left, Ara’s grandparents sit in their domik, where his family has lived since the earthquake of 1988.

At right, Rem Parshkova, one of thousands of single mothers in Armenia, plays with her 8-month-old daughter.

efforts in school. He is convinced he will break his family’s generational poverty through education.

“Now, more than ever, I put a high value on education, especially after the recent war,” he says. “If I don’t receive an education, I may stay in this domik my whole life.”

While the family’s finances would not permit them to invest heavily in Ara’s education, he learned about a scholarship program through Caritas Armenia that covers university tuition for students from underprivileged families.

“My friend used to be a volunteer at Caritas, and he told me about the organization, so I decided to volunteer for them as well,” he says. “We prepare and deliver food and humanitarian packages to the most vulnerable. Helping people is interesting and rewarding.

Moreover, you learn a lot and make friends.

“Soon, I learned about the scholarship and decided to take the six-month computer programming courses,” he says.

Ara believes programming will allow him the flexibility to work remotely from home, so he can still care for his family. He sees programming as the future of work.

“This profession is in high demand and requires lifelong development,” he says. “Hopefully, I will be able to promote the wellbeing of my family and fulfill my ultimate goal — getting out of this domik.”

Caritas Armenia, as the charitable arm of the Armenian Catholic Church in the Republic of Armenia, upholds the principle that everyone should have an equal

For generations the Armenian people have endured genocide, natural calamities, war, poverty and social upheaval. The Armenian Catholic Church, which the Soviets violently suppressed, has labored to address the needs of the most vulnerable — especially the very old and very young — since its restoration 30 years ago.

And CNEWA was there, building the Redemptoris Mater Hospital in the remote village of Ashotzk, some 7,000 feet above sea level.

CNEWA has continued its work in Armenia, partnering with the Armenian Catholic Ordinariate, the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and Caritas Armenia to help families gain access to health care, support child care programs and offer assistance to those with special needs.

Significantly, CNEWA has also provided aid to ensure that thousands of elderly Armenians living in sheds and containers, many of them forgotten by their families, are fed and kept warm during the harsh winters of the Caucasus.

These and other programs have given the people of Armenia — people of profound, resilient faith, even under the harshest of circumstances — a renewed sense of possibility and dignity.

Your support helps that spirit of hope prevail. Call 1-866-3224441 (Canada) or 1-800-442-6392 (United States) to learn more.

right to education. So, this year, the organization initiated several small-scale educational programs, including scholarship programs for dozens of students who cannot afford tuition.

Gagik Tarasyan, the program and executive director of Caritas, says the programs were inspired by their volunteers, who could not go to school due to cost.

“We have volunteers who live in poor social conditions,” says Mr. Tarasyan. “One of the volunteers wanted to learn, so he could eradicate poverty. His statement touched me.”

According to the most recent demographic data available, in 2019, 26.4 percent of the Armenian population lives below the national poverty line. Shirak, of which

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Above, art student Mihran Aslanyan poses with his first-place entry in an art competition on the theme of single mothers. At right, Vahagn Ghukasyan, rector of the State Academy of Fine Arts in Gyumri.

Gyumri is the capital, is the poorest province in Armenia, with 48.4 percent of the population living in poverty.

Within the scope of the scholarship program, funded by CNEWA, thus far 69 students from low-income families in the provinces of Shirak, Lori, Ararat and Gegharkunik have been granted tuition for postsecondary education.

When selecting a scholarship recipient, a young person’s social circumstance is given consideration over academic performance, and priority is given to Caritas’s extensive network of volunteers.

Each student receives an average of $415 — potentially enough to cover

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a full semester, depending on the school.

Mr. Tarasyan says these young people must be provided “an opportunity to execute their rights to an education, which should become their key to overcoming this social crisis.”

The Rev. Hovsep Galstian, spiritual director of Caritas, often holds talks with young people and emphasizes the importance of education.

“We consider education a process for self-development, for selfknowledge,” says the Armenian Catholic priest.

God created human beings in his own image and “commanded human beings to self-improve throughout life to serve both themselves and the Creator,” he adds.

“Many of these students are our volunteers,” Father Galstian says.

“They travel with us when helping those in need and they see with

their own eyes that the root cause of poverty is lack of education.

“With time, these young people vigorously integrate themselves into the social and religious life of the community, which I think is very important.”

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he emphasis of Caritas Armenia on education also guided its decision to fund of the installation of a solar photovoltaic panel on the roof of the State Academy of Fine Arts in Gyumri.

Vahagn Ghukasyan, who became the academy’s rector in 2019, was seeking ways to reduce costs at the academy and advanced the idea.

The institution was then facing huge financial difficulties and had to choose between paying for utilities or investing in educational programs.

The outcome of the solar panel project has been better than

“Equality in education is of utmost importance and it should be available to everyone.”

expected, says Mr. Ghukasyan. With the new solar panels, the academy has not received a power or heating bill since mid-March.

“We thought we could have achieved a zero-dram electricity bill, and we did. Moreover, we have produced more energy than needed, so the government will provide bill credits for this excess power,” he says, as he checks solar meter monitors to determine how much electricity is being stored at the moment.

Furthermore, the academy is expected to save up to $2,060 in utility costs, which will be invested into computer labs and other programs, such as a graphic design program for young men who fought in the war in Nagorno-Karabakh last autumn, he says.

The majority of male students took part in the 44-day war. Many of them were wounded; four were killed.

The lab will be built on the ground floor to facilitate access for the students who were injured during the war or who have other mobility issues.

“Equality in education is of utmost importance and it should be available to everyone, especially now when we have so many wounded soldiers,” he says.

As of May 2021, the academy had 114 students enrolled and 23 graduates.

The cooperation between the academy and Caritas does not end there. Five students from lowincome families have been admitted to the academy on scholarship.

Moreover, the academy held an art contest this past spring, highlighting one of the current program areas of Caritas: “Improving Social Conditions for Single Mothers.”

The theme of the contest was “Single Mothers,” and the contest sought to raise awareness of the struggles of this population in Armenian society.

The “language of art is very important,” says Mr. Ghukasyan, a painter himself, and the students are encouraged to use art to express themselves about important social issues.

Fourteen students from different departments participated in the contest. The 17 pieces submitted included paintings and sculptures depicting different aspects of the reality of being a single mother in Armenia.

Seven students were awarded prizes. Mihran Aslanyan, 20, who took first place, painted a portrait of a woman with features only on one side of her face, leaving the other half blank.

“I wanted to show how much a single mother bears within herself, part of which is visible, though most of it is concealed,” says the second-year art student.

Mr. Aslanyan admits he had never reflected on single motherhood before and is more aware now of single motherhood as a significant social issue in Armenia.

“I think it’s so hard for single mothers, especially after the war, both physically and mentally,” he says, adding that the death of many men on the war front made the struggles of single mothers more obvious.

“However, difficulties can be overcome,” he says.

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arine Aghasaryan, a program manager for Caritas, says the “Improving Social Conditions for Single Mothers” program is currently assisting 14 families from Shirak, 10 families from Lori, and five families from Gegharkunik and Ararat provinces. Families were selected through a vetting and application process that began locally.

Within the scope of the program, the beneficiaries have been receiving food packages, as well as financial support for utilities, medication, clothing, bedding, hygiene items and school supplies.

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“I dream about a developed country where there will be no need for charitable organizations.”

“The number of single mothers is quite high, especially in Shirak, meaning the program was an emergency there,” says Ms. Aghasaryan.

“We often have requests for humanitarian support, so we check them, do home visits to understand whether they are a potential beneficiary or not,” she says. “Today, we delivered food packages and found there was some money left, so we admitted six more single mothers into the program.”

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Ms. Aghasaryan notes that medication support has had the most significant impact, as several families have had to suspend treatment for one of their members for financial reasons or due to lack of medicine.

“We have a beneficiary with five children. Three of them have cerebral palsy and one child has arthritis, so we provided a lot of medication to this family,” she says. “You should have seen the happiness of these people when we distributed the medication.

They were so grateful.”

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malya Alaverdyan is divorced and cares for her three children. The 37-yearold woman lives with her mother and sister, who also is divorced and has a baby.

The family is currently living in a mid-20th-century single-story building, which seems to be falling apart. Rainwater leaks through the roof into the house. The walls are so damaged that stones and mortar fall from time to time. The house does not have a bathroom, so family members bathe outside by a corner of the house, even in winter.

“The house is very damp; it gets worse in winter and it’s always cold inside no matter how much you heat it,” says Ms. Alaverdyan.

“My sister and I do not have permanent jobs, but we do some small stuff upon request. We clean houses, wash windows. Our main job is taking care of our kids.

At left, Amalya Alaverdyan (in black) stands in a doorway of her home, along with her sister and some of their children. Both women are divorced and live with their mom, who is ill.

“My child has pneumonia, my mother has high blood pressure, she is also diabetic and she has gone blind, so we cannot leave our kids with her. Our hope is the monthly state benefit — about $80,” says Ms. Alaverdyan, who benefits from Caritas’s program for single mothers.

“Food is important so our kids can grow, whereas clothing is secondary. People often donate clothes, but food and medication are essential, and this initiative by Caritas is a tremendous support for us,” she says.

Ms. Aghasaryan, the Caritas program manager, says the number of single mothers has increased since last year’s war and so have their problems.

“There is a human rights awareness issue as well,” she says.

“We’ve had cases when people used to live together as a couple without being married. And now that the man has died [in the war], the family doesn’t receive any compensation.”

She says Caritas is also trying to help single mothers by raising awareness about their legal rights and encouraging them to exercise these rights.

R

em Parshkova, 29, is struggling due to this exact situation. Her children’s father was killed on 22 October 2020. He was 31. Their third baby was born after his death on 9 November.

Ms. Parshkova does not receive any state benefits because she was not in a civilly recognized marriage.

Neither did she receive the state’s parental benefit after her baby was born.

The young woman lives with her children and disabled mother in a small domik, which has become increasingly dilapidated with time. It has no bathroom. She and her children have health issues, and she is unable to work. Their meager income is her mother’s $50 pension and a state benefit of $75.

“Caritas is a tremendous support for us; they have never left us,” says Ms. Parshkova, who benefits from the program dedicated to single mothers. “[For] three months we have been receiving this support, and we’re very grateful for it.

“My youngest child has dermatitis, while my oldest daughter has psoriasis, and the medications are very expensive, so we have to spend all our pension on medicine.

However, Caritas has also helped us with this; it’s the second time they have bought medicine for us,” she says.

“I have gone through incredible obstacles but I’m still smiling like a true optimist.”

Ms. Aghasaryan, the program manager, says the pandemic and recent war required Caritas to increase the number of its programs by nearly two dozen in order to respond to the need.

Despite the huge physical and psychological burden this increase has placed on the Caritas team, “looking at the grateful and smiling eyes of our beneficiaries, we become stronger,” Ms. Aghasaryan says.

“I like our charity very much, and I’m especially fond of our activities,” she says. “However, I dream about a developed country, where there will be no need for charitable organizations.”

A communications specialist, Gohar Abrahamyan manages issues of justice and peace in the Caucasus for local and international media.

Help them hold on to hope cnewa.org I cnewa.ca __ __ __ __ __

Hear the back story from our contributor at

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A letter from

Seminary Developing well-rounded men to serve a community in peril By the Rev. Mario Abu Daher

I

n the foothills of Mount Lebanon, the Patriarchal Seminary of St. Ann forms priests and leaders for ministry and service in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church throughout the Middle East and, in some cases, beyond.

Founded in Jerusalem in 1882, it was moved north of Beirut, to Rabieh, in 1972. The seminary forms the backbone of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church’s vital mission in this land. It has instilled the truths of the faith, as well as culture, knowledge, spirituality and interpersonal skills, for those men who have answered the call of service to the Lord as shepherds, ministering in Melkite parishes in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine.

The vocation for all priests — regardless of church or location — is to convey the message and mission of the Gospel to individuals, families and their communities.

This solemn work requires the seminary community to build up the Kingdom of God in the hearts

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of priest candidates. Sufficient preparation and formation are necessary for priests to carry out their religious, pastoral, cultural and humanitarian mission in a society plagued by challenges.

Some of these, including war and conflict, economic collapse, political instability, poverty, destitution, unemployment, and the emigration of young people, threaten the stability and very existence of these societies.

The leaders of the church are fully aware of the mission and the great challenges that mission faces, devoting a great deal of attention and resources to priestly formation.

Thus, those entrusted with formation work to develop among the seminarians a spiritual depth — as well as cultural competence — an awareness of the problems facing Christian communities and the tools to engage in the necessary pastoral and humanitarian work, which are expressions of Catholic social teaching.

P

eople today are troubled.

They lack a sense of security and stability. Those who suffer the trauma of death are in dire need of assistance and accompaniment. For Catholics, the sacraments can provide a source of grace, comfort, consolation and healing. However, the role of the priest as a shepherd in attending to the needs of his flock requires more than just an understanding of the nature of the sacraments, but also a well-rounded humanity.

We encourage seminarians to develop their talents and abilities.

We also point out areas for personal development. This accompaniment aims to create a mentoring relationship between the seminarians and the clergy on the seminary’s formation team. We have found that mentoring Pilgrims seek healing and counsel at the Melkite Greek Catholic Marian shrine in Magdouche, Lebanon, near the city of Sidon.

FORMING CHURCH LEADERSHIP

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“People today are troubled. They lack a sense of security and stability. ... The role of the priest as shepherd requires more than just an understanding of the nature of the sacraments, but also a well-rounded humanity.” encourages seminarians in their growth in their vocation and in dealing with the increasing trials facing the church in the Middle East.

Given these challenges, our formators believe it is crucial to take a psychological approach.

Supporting and strengthening selfawareness among priest candidates has become a primary concern for the seminary. Therefore, the seminary employs a psychologist who helps seminarians learn more about their personality, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and who addresses important topics, such as leadership, human

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relationships, self-confidence, generosity, thoughtfulness and maturity. The psychologist helps seminarians examine their attachments and traumas, as well as any tendencies toward excessive rigidity, and accompanies them in their healing. This training is aimed at helping the seminarian enter his parish community with the ability to adapt to varying circumstances, handle hardships and conflicts with sensitivity, and exercise sound judgment.

COVID-19 is among the greatest ordeals facing the world today, spreading fear, threatening lives

and undermining governments.

Mandatory lockdowns have emptied churches of believers, particularly on the holy days and for those milestones in people’s lives, including funerals. The pandemic has also been a major challenge to seminaries around the world, as traditionally priestly formation happens in a community of seminarians and formators gathered in one place. To continue seminary formation in person and to adhere to the protocols necessary to stop the spread of the virus have required great personal awareness and responsibility.

However, the pandemic also has led to an important reflection on seminary training. Seminary staff has become increasingly aware that the priest is not only a man who performs liturgical rites and rituals, or who exercises management and leadership skills in a community; rather, his role, above all, is to enhance the faith in believers and to accompany them with the spirit of hope. Through this awareness of the role of the priest in society, the seminarian will be prepared to be present and to serve where the needs are.

T

he needs of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church today are shifting, especially in its historic core of Lebanon and Syria, from which a huge number of parishioners are emigrating and establishing new parishes in Western countries — namely in Europe and North America.

Accordingly, the priest should be

ready to accommodate these needs, with their respective challenges, and should be prepared to learn foreign languages and the culture of the host countries.

Another challenge for the future of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Middle East is the migration of youth, which also directly impacts vocations to the priesthood. Overall, the challenges of recruiting young men for the priesthood have been significant in these times of war and economic collapse.

During the war in Syria, fewer men than usual have been entering the seminary, as Christian villages and communities have been subject to military activities, looting, massacres and displacement.

Potential priest candidates have faced emergencies and have had to care for their families to ensure their physical and economic security. Many young men who lost family members have had to take

Above, Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Georges Bacouni, now in Beirut, visits with a patient at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Nazareth. Opposite, Father Androwas Bahus gives Communion at St. Andrew the Apostle Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Acre, Israel.

on greater family responsibilities and forego the seminary. And with the present socioeconomic crisis in Lebanon, a young man’s priority is to care for his family.

Understanding the value of the Christian community in the Middle East is something we instill among our priest candidates, so they can work to encourage Christians to remain in their homeland. But the church respects the faithful in their choice of whether to stay or go.

Whatever they choose, the church wants to be close to them, to serve and accompany them socially and spiritually. n

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RESPONDING TO HUMAN NEEDS

‘Everything in His Hands’ The church in India fights COVID-19 with faith and practical measures

by Anubha George with photographs by Sajeendran V.S.

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iji Biju was 42 when she became another COVID-19 statistic in India.

She was a popular figure in her community: effervescent, active in church and helpful toward others.

She and her husband, Biju Jose, ran a tea kiosk in the town of Irinjalakuda in the state of Kerala, known as the birthplace of the most popular actors in the state’s film industry.

Despite her asthma, Biji was the breadwinner of the family. An accomplished cook, she made and sold fried snacks at the kiosk. She also delivered homemade meals to those stuck at home during the pandemic.

When she felt unwell at the end of May, her husband took her to the hospital. Three days later, she died; she had fallen critically ill, having contracted the coronavirus.

“Things just happened suddenly; it was out of our control,” her husband says. “We did our best for her. The doctors, nurses, everybody

did all they could, but nothing could save her life.”

At their home, Mary Jose, her 79-year-old mother-in-law, is distraught.

“Biji was the life of this house,” she says. “We’re all numb from the shock.”

Families from their parish have been helping with food and money.

The grieving family’s pillar of strength, however, is the Rev. Thomas Kannampilly, who directs a social service ministry of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Irinjalakuda.

Hrudaya Palliative Care and Hospice Trust helps people with long-term palliative health care needs for free, irrespective of religion. However, its work has extended beyond its usual mission during the pandemic.

Father Thomas Kannampilly prays with Biju Jose, whose wife, Biji, died of COVID-19 in May. He and his mother, Mary (seated), continue struggling with their loss.

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The trust, with its four units across the eparchy, has been helping families affected by COVID-19 for months, providing oxygen cylinders, checking on people at home, and offering them emotional support. Nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, counselors and trained volunteers have helped in emergencies as needed, explains Father Kannampilly.

“We’ve taken people to hospital in the middle of the night, helped families with medicine, been there for them emotionally, given them support in providing food and other goods,” he says. “But that’s exactly what working in the community means. Everybody knows we are here for them.”

Father Kannampilly says funding for this necessary work among those affected by the virus comes from parishioners and from charitable organizations, such as CNEWA.

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“The aid we get is so important to keep us going,” he says.

“We’re also lucky to have people volunteering,” he adds. “Volunteers have even risked their lives to help with funerals of those who died of COVID-19.”

The priest explains that volunteers have had to be trained for burials and cremations to ensure adequate protection for themselves and others, especially in times when restrictions are plentiful.

K

erala has been hit hard by the coronavirus this summer, reporting the highest number of cases in India in June and July. During this twomonth period, Kerala accounted for more than half of the country’s infections. At the time of publication, the infection rate continued to rise, and the national COVID-related death toll was more than 438,000, third worldwide after the United

The Hrudaya Palliative Care and Hospice Trust in Irinjalakuda shifted its mission during the pandemic to treat COVID-19 patients, under the leadership of Father Thomas Kannampilly (opposite).

States and Brazil. Among the dead are at least 270 priests, 252 religious sisters and nine religious brothers.

This has meant severe restrictions, including on places of worship.

Churches in Kerala have not been able to open their doors to worshipers for months.

Concerned about the high transmission rate of the virus in Kerala, compared with the declining rate in the rest of the country, the Prime Minister’s Office commissioned a team of virologists to assess the situation. They found that Kerala was testing more than other states and was reporting positive cases with greater transparency.

“We’re so lucky to have people volunteering.

Volunteers have even risked their lives to help with funerals of those who died of COVID-19.”

For several reasons, Kerala has become a national model on how to manage the pandemic. For instance, while in most parts of India deaths were attributed to the unavailability of oxygen and hospital beds, Kerala’s health care infrastructure did not collapse under the pressure of the pandemic.

Nonetheless, the pandemic has stretched India’s southwestern state and its people, who have been trying to rebound from several natural disasters in the past few years. In November 2017, Cyclone Ockhi killed 143 fishermen.

In August 2018, unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season caused severe flooding, killing nearly 500 people and destroying property, estimated at $5.8 billion.

A year later, floods and landslides devastated the state again; more than 120 people died and thousands were evacuated from their homes.

The socioeconomic and environmental challenges brought about by these natural disasters were exacerbated by the pandemic.

Sebi Anthony and his family are suffering the hardships that come with these compounded problems.

Sebi, the only child of Mary Anthony and her husband, Anthony A.X., has not been able to work since March.

His mother, Mary, is the eldest of four daughters. She was raised in a poor home and, from the time she was a child, she helped look after her sisters. This once active woman had a stroke in 2017, which paralyzed her right side. Since her husband, who is severely asthmatic, is unable to work, the burden of supporting the family became Sebi’s.

Complicating matters further, a year after Mary’s stroke, the family lost their home during the devastating floods.

“The church paid to have our house rebuilt, so we could have a roof over our heads,” says Sebi.

Then, at the start of the pandemic, Sebi contracted the coronavirus, only to get it again a few months later. He believes he contracted it the second time while accompanying his mother to the hospital for one of her regular appointments.

“I haven’t been able to go to work for a long time because of the weakness from COVID-19,” he says.

“The church has come to our rescue.

They’ve been paying for medicine for my mother, visiting her regularly to keep her spirits up and to check her blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as she’s diabetic.”

E

nos Ethikeddu and his wife, Sicily Enos, have lost three children in the past eight years. A son and a daughter died due to illness. Most recently, their 35-year-old son died of COVID-19.

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Father Jose Kizhakkedath meets with Enos, his wife, Sicily, and their granddaughter, whose father died of COVID-19. Opposite, temperature checks are required of all staff and visitors to St. John’s Hospital in Pirappancode.

A cancer patient, they believe he contracted the virus at the hospital during an appointment for his treatment.

Eight-year-old Albina is still coming to grips with the enormity of her father’s loss. She speaks about how she wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Enos and

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Sicily’s eyes fill with tears, their pain all too evident.

“Everything is God’s plan,” says Enos, a gardener at St. John’s Hospital in Pirappancode, a small town on the outskirts of Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

“There’s no other way but to believe and have faith in Jesus.”

Sicily, unable to get the words out, simply nods in agreement. She is recovering from the virus that killed her son. While she no longer tests positive, she feels weak and her body aches.

The Rev. Jose Kizhakkedath, the director of St. John’s Hospital, visits

often with families in his parish who have lost loved ones.

“When a family’s breadwinner is lost, it is very hard for them. That’s when we have to help and support them,” he says. “Faith helps to survive and deal with challenges that life throws at us. It stops us from giving up and, instead, shows us the way in times of crisis.”

St. John’s Hospital has also joined the fight against the pandemic, opening 20 COVID-19 beds. Aid from various agencies helped fund P.P.E. kits for doctors and nurses and ensure that other hospital staff are not at risk.

The

CNEWA Connection

CNEWA has long supported initiatives to care for the sick in India — and the present crisis with COVID-19 is no exception. The director of CNEWA India, M.L. Thomas, writes: “The local church, which is already playing a major role in the health care and education sectors, rose to the occasion. Church volunteers were on the ground wearing P.P.E., serving people affected by the virus and driving them to treatment centers. They brought food and hygiene materials, provided medicine and oxygen cylinders and even took the dead to crematories.

“More than 400 priests and nuns have died of COVID-19,” he reports, adding “they risked their lives to serve others. Most were infected while they were on hospital duty. Church volunteers still continue to reach out to the ones hit hardest by the pandemic.”

To build on this life-saving work, call 1-800-322-4441 (Canada) or 1-800-442-6392 (United States).

“Initially, it was such a stigma,” explains Father Kizhakkedath. “The government hospitals were full and all we could do was arrange for ambulances to take people to the hospital. Those who died, their burial was also a major problem.”

The hospital then started its own COVID-19 ward. The priest’s experience in health care management came in handy.

“We vaccinated every single person on our roster as a matter of priority. We put sanitizers all around the hospital for patients and visitors,” he says. “The need of the hour is to get through this critical

time with faith, as well as follow the practical instructions in place.”

Father Kizhakkedath says faith also has helped his parishioners deal with the sense of isolation and anxiety they have experienced due to the state-imposed full or partial lockdowns over the past year.

“People need to see their friends and relatives and meet others in church,” he says. “Loneliness also can kill. So, we are making sure we visit families; talk to them; counsel them that this, too, shall pass; be an emotional support for them; and be that person they can come and talk to when they feel down.”

The priest is concerned about the long-term impact on poor families in the parish and has been a witness to how families can crumble under the stress.

“When we say COVID-19, we’re not just talking about an infection,” he says. “Unemployment is on the rise and education is in doldrums.”

“We need to support parishioners, not just while they’re recovering, but also by giving them employment opportunities, supporting them through post-COVID-19 struggles,” he continues.

St. John’s Hospital Trust operates a home for children with H.I.V.

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“We’re using all the resources we can to be there for families, whether they’re in our parish or not.”

At left, workers and volunteers with the Malankara Social Service Society in Thiruvananthapuram prepare and distribute food packages to families in need during the economic crisis brought on by COVID-19.

and AIDS as well, which houses 33 young people between the ages of 10 and 23, and a center for those with Hansen’s disease, or leprosy. Although in 2005 the Indian government declared the disease had been eradicated, the country remains the leprosy capital of the world. Latest figures indicate that more than half of the 200,000 people in the world who suffer with leprosy reside in India. The World Health Organization attributes these numbers to a lack of awareness, social stigma and discrimination, which leads to low reporting.

T

he Malankara Social Service Society (M.S.S.S.) works in more than 200 villages in and around the state of Kerala, in Kollam, Pathanamthitta and in the capital city. They reach out to 7.8 million people, irrespective of religion, and work mostly to provide education, employment and women’s empowerment opportunities, as well as sanitation and housing in remote areas.

However, M.S.S.S. has shifted its focus to “giving aid and relief to families affected by COVID-19,” says the Rev. Thomas Mukalumpurath, who directs the society.

“People are suffering, lives and livelihoods are lost and, for some, survival is difficult,” he says.

M.S.S.S. has been providing food, hygiene and medical kits to people who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and to families in remote pockets of the state who do not normally have access to facilities.

Food kits include flour, oil, rice, spices, sugar, tea, lentils and pulses.

Hygiene kits include laundry detergent, disinfectant, sanitizer,

hand wash, bathing soap, floor cleaner and surgical masks. Medical kits have an oximeter, thermometer, N95 masks and a vaporizer.

“All these things can help families get by,” says Father Mukalumpurath.

Thanks to grants and international aid, M.S.S.S. has been able to support numerous families, such as Bindhu S. and her daughter, Bijitha T.B., who receive their food kit from the local parish in Vellanikal.

Bindhu’s husband is a daily wage worker and has been unemployed since he contracted the virus in April.

Sarla Suresh collects the M.S.S.S. food kits as well. Her husband is in isolation after having contracted the virus at work, where he is part of the office security team.

Pratheesh P.S., a daily wage worker, and his son, Prince Pratheesh, have also come to the church to pick up their food kit.

Pratheesh has just returned to work while his wife and two daughters remain at home. They were all infected with the virus; all are now recovering.

Father Mukalumpurath says social media has helped the society to stay connected with people and respond to their needs more readily.

“So, anybody who needs help can put a message out and we reach out to them immediately,” he says.

“We’re using all the resources we can to be there for families, whether they’re in our parish or not.”

Father Mukalumpurath, too, underlines the importance of faith amid the crisis.

“Christ asks us to be patient. We must walk with trust in him,” he says. “We must pray and know that Christ’s blessings are always with us.

“Everything, no matter what the circumstances, is in his hands.”

Anubha George is a former BBC editor. She is a columnist and writer for various publications. She is based in Kerala, India.

We give her the tools to heal the sick cnewa.org I cnewa.ca

u

Learn more about efforts to help COVID-19 victims in India, and watch a video of this remarkable work, at

cnewa.org/magazine

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A Plea for Peace in

Ethiopia

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ACCOMPANYING THE CHURCH

As war in Ethiopia persists, a clarion call for peace escalates.

At the time of publication, the war that had erupted last November in the country’s northern Tigray region had spread. On 10 August, the Ethiopian government urged all “capable” citizens to join the armed forces against encroaching forces of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front.

Ethiopia’s Catholic bishops have called for peace throughout the conflict, appealing to the government to grant humanitarian aid organizations access to the region to help those suffering the effects of war. The lives of journalists and other chroniclers are in jeopardy.

In their most recent message, issued at the end of their ordinary assembly on 17 July, published in the pages that follow, the Ethiopian bishops reiterated that the only way forward for all Ethiopians is peace and reconciliation. We open, however, with a personal message to the CNEWA family from Cardinal Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, C.M., major archbishop of the Ethiopian Catholic Church and metropolitan archbishop of Addis Ababa.

Soldiers of the Tigray Defense Forces walk single file toward a field in Mekele, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, in the summer.

The conflict that began in Tigray last November has escalated and spilled over into neighboring states.

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Ethiopia Church Leader Writes to ONE Readers

D

ear members of the CNEWA family, I greet you from Ethiopia, land of origins! It is where Lucy, our human ancestor, is found. Thus, Ethiopia is the cradle of humanity.

We are one family.

Ethiopia is the country that received the three Abrahamic religions peacefully: Judaism during the reign of King Solomon. Our Bete Israel population lived peacefully in Ethiopia until they were repatriated to Israeli recently.

Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia during the Apostolic Age when Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch in Gaza and when St. Athanasius consecrated in the fourth century St. Frumentius as the first bishop of Ethiopia.

The prophet Muhammad sent his persecuted relatives and friends to Ethiopia to seek refuge and thus Islam came to Ethiopia after Mecca.

In general, we can say that all religions and all peoples of Ethiopia lived peacefully together for centuries. Alas, this is not the case at present.

Our country is in the midst of conflicts and wars, with many displaced persons and refugees. It is why Ethiopia has been recently

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in the international news. We have an Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia and we have been trying to pray and fast for peace, to mediate for peace and reconciliation, and to request the cessation of hostilities and wars.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia has been sending out messages to all concerned, appealing for peace and reconciliation. Our Holy Father Pope Francis has appealed for

Above, Cardinal Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel blesses the congregation at Holy Savior Church in Addis Ababa. Opposite, Ethiopia’s Catholic bishops gather for a photo at their assembly in July.

in Tigray because of the war. It is also assisting in other parts of Ethiopia, where many people have been displaced because of conflicts, especially reaching mothers, children and the elderly.

“We would like to request all members of the CNEWA family to continue to pray for us.” peace in Ethiopia several times during his Angelus address from the Vatican. We thank him and we would like to request all members of the CNEWA family to continue to pray for us.

The CNEWA office in Ethiopia, through the leadership of Mr. Argaw Fantu, has been very close to us.

CNEWA has sent assistance to Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin, eparch of Adigrat, to reach out to the clergy, men and women religious, lay Catholics and displaced persons

Even if “anguish shall be in Ethiopia” (Ez 30:4), “Ethiopia shall always stretch out her hands unto God” (Ps 68:31).

There is hope that through the prayers of all Ethiopians and our CNEWA family, God will turn his face to Ethiopia and there will be peace and reconciliation: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of Peace, give us your peace. Mary Queen of Peace intercede for us. St. Justin de Yacobis and Blessed Gebremichael pray for us. Amen. n

Statement by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia

W

e, the bishops of the Ethiopian Catholic Church, have held our ordinary assembly at the Consolata Fathers Spirituality Center in Modjo, from 13 to 16 July 2021. During the assembly, we have prayed for the peace of our country and the safety of our people. We prayed a special prayer for Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin, eparch of Adigrat, who was not able to join the assembly for the past year due to the war in Tigray. He has suffered continuously there, together with his people, and for the clergy, religious men and women and all Catholic faithful, who have been living through the war and the related humanitarian crisis.

We had in-depth discussions on various church and national issues.

While we were holding our assembly, our thoughts and prayers were influenced by the worrisome information we were receiving about the war. It saddens our hearts hearing about war, while we all would like to hear about peace and reconciliation. May Our Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace bring lasting peace to our country. We all want to see a country where all Ethiopians embrace each other as

brothers and sisters. We kindly say to all parties involved: War only destroys lives and property and nothing more, and the choice to be made should not be war, but peace and reconciliation.

As pastors, we cannot but feel the anguish and pain the people are going through. We identify with them; their anguish is our anguish.

Our compassion must be expressed in concrete solidarity. We are grateful to all those who have been working tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of the population and we encourage them to ensure that no one be forgotten or left out. We urge all authorities on the ground to allow unfettered access to humanitarian aid.

The horror of war is never a remedy for wrongs or a solution to a crisis. War brings untold suffering and the price that innocent people pay is incalculable. We are close to all those whose lives have been affected, possibly indelibly, by the violence. For some, it is already too late, and we pray that the sacrifice of their lives may not be in vain.

As pastors, we can only give from what we have, and this is the hope that comes from our faith in Jesus Christ. It is never too late to stop

the violence, to acknowledge that the only way forward for the good of the people is peace and reconciliation, to satisfy the demands of truth and justice, to ask for and grant forgiveness, to do what is necessary to restore mutual trust, to recognize others as our brothers and sisters, no matter who they are or how deep our disagreements are, and to settle any differences through dialogue and negotiation.

It is the only way we can heal together as a country, as a society and as a church. There are no “winners” and “losers,” no “them” and “us”; we are all brothers and sisters. Living in peace and social harmony may seem like a dream, but it is attainable if we stretch out our hands in prayer to God, the Father of all, and allow him to mold our hearts and minds to think thoughts of peace and fraternity and to act accordingly.

May the Almighty God who created all of us as brothers and sisters fill our hearts with wisdom to choose brotherhood and sisterhood over hatred and revenge and make us instruments of peace.

May God bless our nation and its people! Amen. n

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‘Working From the Heart Creates Harmony’ Helping those in the margins in Lebanon

by Doreen Abi Raad

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Rania Maylaa, a social worker at Maryam and Martha, shows motherly affection to a young lady who is a beneficiary of the center.

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CARE FOR THE MARGINALIZED

I

t all started with the determination to save the life of a drug addict.

A team of friends pitched a tent in the mountains near the monastery of Lebanon’s beloved St. Charbel to provide round-the-clock support and encouragement to the young man, never leaving his side.

That was in 1989. The impromptu rehabilitation camp was a success.

Word spread and soon several people with substance abuse issues sought help from the team. To help them in their growing mission, they enlisted the support of the Maronite priest, the Rev. Guy Paul Noujaim, now retired bishop of Sarba.

So began Oum el Nour (“Mother of Light” in English) which has since accompanied nearly 9,000 young men and women out of the chains of drug addiction to sobriety and reintegration into society.

“The addict is someone in pain,” explains Elie Whaibe, president of Oum el Nour. “He has become a slave to the substance and is suffering every day. Logically, no one wants to be in pain. But he cannot save himself on his own. That’s why he needs Oum el Nour to walk beside him every step of the way.”

Oum el Nour has two rehabilitation centers located in pristine mountain settings, one for young men and another for young women.

A statue of the Virgin Mary with outstretched arms welcomes visitors to the men’s center, situated in a peaceful oasis on the edge of a hillside in Sehayleh, about 15 miles north of Beirut. The main building, painted a soft yellow, is like a perennial splash of sunlight.

A framed print, depicting the scene in the parable of the prodigal son when the father embraces his son who had fallen away, graces the entryway.

Living together as a community, beneficiaries follow an intensive four-step program over a 15-month period with the help of a multidisciplinary team that includes psychologists and social workers.

Oum el Nour’s approach includes a parallel program for the beneficiaries’ parents.

“We always say, if you have an addict in the family, you have a ‘sick’ family,” Mr. Whaibe points out.

Often, parents blame themselves for their child’s addiction, and they experience feelings of anger and shame, he says. Oum el Nour brings the family together for discussion sessions, thus promoting healing in the family.

The program is free and open to all, regardless of race or religion.

Typically, about 70 percent of participants are Muslim.

The Rev. Toni Abi Azar, a Maronite priest and Oum el Nour’s general manager, stresses that while the organization is secular, “our values are taken from the Gospel: love and acceptance of the other.

It’s a way of preaching, by action.”

J

oseph’s slide into addiction was rapid. At 18, college friends introduced him to marijuana.

That very same day, he tried cocaine.

“The high was much better. I was hooked instantly,” recalls Joseph, whose name has been changed to protect his privacy.

He would binge for three days, then sleep for 36 hours.

“If not for Oum el Nour, I would be dead, for sure,” he says with conviction.

Father Abdo Abou Khalil, director of Maryam and Martha, with a mother and child who reside at the center.

Opposite, Father Toni Abi Azar, general manager of Oum el Nour, holds a group meeting with beneficiaries.

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Now 25 years old and in his eighth month at Oum el Nour, Joseph explains, “It’s not just about quitting drugs. It’s the best thing that has happened in my life.”

“I realize that, before, I was coldhearted, like a robot,” he says of his former self. “My heart has opened, because here they are helping me without expecting anything in return. Now I have a warm heart.”

“This is a mission of love,” says Bishop Noujaim during a recent visit to the men’s center.

“Working from the heart creates harmony.”

The soft-spoken, 86-yearold bishop considers himself a “companion” rather than the

founder of Oum el Nour. He views similarly the other social service organizations under his patronage, such as the Community of Maryam and Martha, and Message de Paix.

“These are my people and I need to be beside them, to help them,” Bishop Noujaim says of his concern for the marginalized. What is most important, he adds, is to “join our hands and work together” and to trust in the Holy Spirit.

“He’s a saint,” Father Abi Azar says matter-of-factly about the bishop. “He’s very humble. He has compassion for others, he suffers with the others, and he wants everyone to feel the love of Christ.

He shines in his simplicity.”

Three years ago, Bishop Noujaim was invited to a ceremony to launch a new drug rehabilitation center planned in a predominately Shiite Muslim area in southern Lebanon.

Together, the bishop and the sheik laid the foundation stone for the building.

Oum el Nour has been asked to open a center in the Sunni Muslimmajority city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon as well.

“It’s very natural to work together in Lebanon,” Bishop Noujaim says of such collaboration, citing St. John Paul II’s declaration that “Lebanon is more than a country, it’s a message of freedom and an example of coexistence for East and West.”

“The addict is someone in pain. He has become a slave to the substance and is suffering every day.”

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The

CNEWA Connection A resident of Message de Paix participates in the cooking program, while other residents (at right) work in the candle-making workshop. The programs help build their motor skills and self-esteem.

CNEWA has been on the ground in Lebanon for more than 70 years. Nothing could prepare our team there for the convergence of so much tragedy in one year: sociopolitical implosion, the coronavirus pandemic, the port explosion, financial collapse.

Around the clock, the CNEWA team has worked to meet the urgent needs of tens of thousands traumatized by these events.

Meanwhile, the many missions of mercy of the local churches, such as Oum el Nour, Maryam and Martha, and Message de Paix, continue, with ever greater relevance and importance.

“Despite the economic and social crises hitting the country,” wrote CNEWA's Michel Constantin from Beirut, “the beneficiaries at Message de Paix, despite their own challenges, became helpers and providers to reduce the burden of care on their stressed families. They saved money from their work and were able to purchase medication for themselves and their parents. Thanks to the partnership between Message de Paix and CNEWA, they secured food packages for their families as well, sustaining them for at least another month or two.”

To help this work continue, call 1-866-322-4441 (Canada) or 1-800-442-6392 (United States).

J

ust a few miles from Oum el Nour, nestled in the valley in Aljatoon, lies the Community of Maryam and Martha, also founded under the guidance of Bishop Noujaim. Established in 1999, Maryam and Martha is named for the Scripture passage of the two sisters who offered Jesus hospitality in their home.

The community provides a welcoming refuge for women and

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their children who are victims of violence and other traumatic social situations. Recently, it has expanded its mission to serve girls under the age of 18 as well.

Operating under the motto, “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:18), Maryam and Martha, with its team of psychosocial professionals, works toward healing the women’s emotional wounds and helping them regain a sense of self-worth

and dignity. At the same time, the women and girls learn personal and professional skills that will help them grow in independence and reintegrate into society.

The Rev. Abdo Abou Khalil, president and founder, explains the approach: “We serve like Martha, in simplicity. We listen to their problems and their suffering, like Maryam. And we work with them to help them discover joy and hope, so they may experience a resurrection in their life.”

Rania Maylaa, a social worker at Maryam and Martha, sees each woman at the center as a unique individual.

“I see in their eyes life, love, hope and everything beautiful. Even if their eyes are full of tears,” she explains. “I feel the responsibility to give them all the happiness and love I can. We can’t ask someone to love if they have not been loved.

That’s why it’s so important at Maryam and Martha to love these girls and women.”

I

t’s the Islamic feast of Eid al Adha and the residents of Maryam and Martha, most of whom are Muslim, are preparing a special lunch for their household and Father Khalil.

With the calm assurance of an experienced chef, 17-year-old Rola, whose name was changed to protect her privacy, gives the pots on the stove a final once-over.

“I’m so happy to cook and share with my friends today,” she says, as she spoons out shredded chicken and rice tinted yellow with turmeric.

“I love preparing this dish.”

The Syrian refugee, who came to Lebanon as a child, stopped

“I was cold-hearted [but] my heart has opened, because here they are helping me without expecting anything in return.” attending school at grade seven and started working to help support her family.

“I had a wonderful father, who was very sweet,” she says with a faraway gaze.

But life was difficult for Rola’s family. Her father died of health complications and, soon after, also her adult brother. When a male relative came to live with her family, Rola’s life became nightmarish as the relative abused her.

“I lost too much of my childhood,” Rola quietly shares, her eyes lowered. “Here I feel like I have a family. There is so much love. And I have gained confidence.”

As a beneficiary of Maryam and Martha, Rola is attending cooking school.

“I’m learning so many new things. My dream is to have a

restaurant someday,” she says with determination.

For 20-year-old Souraya, whose name was also changed to protect her identity, marriage seemed to be a better alternative to her volatile family life. Instead, her situation went from bad to worse and she experienced many conflicts with her husband. The last straw was when he abused their infant daughter, Zeina.

“I couldn’t bear to see Zeina hurt, and I was so worried about her future. Now Zeina has love all around her. And for the first time in my life, I’m living without fear,” Souraya says of their life at Maryam and Martha.

Amid the bustle of preparing for the Eid al Adha luncheon, women and teens dote like aunties upon Zeina, taking turns holding the

delighted baby and pushing her stroller.

Thanks to Maryam and Martha, Souraya is pursuing studies in childhood education to become a nursery school teacher.

“I love children, and I want to work, so I can give my daughter a better life than I had,” she says with poise and confidence.

Although the center has a total capacity of 45, Maryam and Martha had to scale back its services to ensure safety amid the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, there are 10 minors and 12 adult women beneficiaries, two babies and a toddler.

Since its founding, Maryam and Martha has helped more than 1,100 women. Among its success stories are nurses, a doctor and a journalist.

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The organization aims to open a separate location for minor girls, so they may receive individual attention. A site has already been chosen, but funding remains a pressing need.

S

ituated in the picturesque village of Bikfaya in the Metn area of Lebanon, 16 miles from Beirut, Message de Paix (“Message of Peace” in English) offers a bright world of opportunities to adults who are often overlooked by society.

Helping people with intellectual challenges find purpose in life is the primary mission of the center, established in 1997, also under the guidance of Bishop Noujaim.

“Unfortunately, people with disabilities are not really accepted in our society. At Message de Paix, they make friends, have a sense of family, and really feel free to express themselves and be productive,” says Hector Hajjar, president of Message de Paix.

In line with the organization’s motto, “Together We Can Make a Difference,” decorative posters adorn the stairwell, with encouraging messages in French, English and Arabic: “Together We Can,” “Teamwork” and “Together Everyone Achieves More.”

Message de Paix offers its services free of charge to all, regardless of religion.

With the coronavirus pandemic, the organization modified its services by developing an online program and home-based activities for the 55 beneficiaries enrolled in the day program, along with a hotline for parents.

The 24 live-in residents have continued with the organization’s on-site vocational training.

In the candle-making workshop, 27-year-old Pascal carefully pours hot wax from a tea kettle into taper candle molds with a steady hand and deep concentration.

“I make all kinds of candles,” Pascal says, as he inspects a row of red candles still drying. “I have friends here and I enjoy my time.”

“I feel the responsibility to give them all the happiness and love I can. We can’t ask someone to love if they have not been loved.”

AGitis et am nihiliqui id quide pa aut as pra volores es maximil intiur am eturerectur Cus eiur? Dis voluptatem faceptat uta con evelestrum vella doluptam, accusda eruptati derovite quidisc iendae etur sequam natur

Pascal’s colleague and fellow resident 21-year-old Michael, who prepares molds for the pouring process, chimes in: “We work as a team.” Both Pascal and Michael are orphans and reside full time at Message de Paix.

Tony, 41, another colleague and resident assists with candle-making and with cooking in the on-site commercial kitchen.

“I like to make molokhia,” he says, naming an Egyptian dish made with jute mallow leaves.

When Lebanon was hit hard by a surge in COVID-19 cases early in 2021, Tony tragically lost both his parents to the virus within three months of each other. “I cried a lot,” he shares.

“We talked to Tony and expressed our love for him,” says Manale Nehmé, a social worker. “We told him that we will be his new family and we will take care of him, and he will be safe here. This really helped him.

“We go to the [Message de Paix] chapel on a daily basis to pray for his mother and father,” Ms. Nehmé adds. “This is a great comfort to him.”

Tony has adjusted well to his new life from day participant to resident at Message de Paix.

“I feel at home here,” he says.

“Jesus is with us, all the time.”

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s the Lebanese population ages and more intellectually challenged adults lose their parents, the need for full-time residential living increases, Mr. Hajjar points out. In addition to Tony losing both parents, nine other Message de Paix beneficiaries have experienced the death of a parent in the past year.

At left, Bishop Guy Noujaim engages in a spiritual reflection with a resident of Oum el Nour. The bishop accompanied these social service organizations in their founding and growth.

To meet this growing need, Message de Paix is opening another center for live-in residents, as it has reached capacity for boarders in Bikfaya. The new center will be located in the coastal town of Jbeil, north of Beirut, at a site provided by the Maronite Catholic Diocese of Jbeil. Additional funding is still needed for the center, which will accommodate up to 60 people.

Bishop Noujaim says he hopes an agricultural project for residents would be organized near the site.

The bishop points out that Oum el Nour, Maryam and Martha, and Message de Paix have all benefited from the support of CNEWA. The three organizations “are in evolution and we are developing because of CNEWA’s help,” he notes.

As Lebanon teeters on the edge of an abyss amid a deep economic, political and social crisis, the bishop warns, “Lebanon is now in a very dangerous phase.”

The national currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value since late 2019, pushing more than half the population into poverty. A recent UNICEF report said more than 30 percent of children in Lebanon are going hungry, while 77 percent of households do not have enough money to buy sufficient food. The World Bank has termed Lebanon’s devastated economy as one of the three worst crises worldwide since the mid-19th century.

Bishop Noujaim says support is needed for the three organizations if they are to “maintain sustainability and operate in the future.”

Despite what seems to be a bleak future for Lebanon, Bishop Noujaim maintains, “God will help us. God will provide.”

Doreen Abi Raad is a freelance journalist in Beirut. She also writes for Catholic News Service and the National Catholic Register.

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Perspectives There was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho who fell prey to robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and then went off leaving him half-dead. … But a Samaritan who was journeying along came on him and was moved to pity at the sight. He approached him and dressed his wounds, pouring in oil and wine. He then hoisted him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, where he cared for him.

Luke 10: 30, 33-34 Each day we have to decide whether to be Good Samaritans or indifferent bystanders. And if we extend our gaze to the history of our own lives and that of the entire world, all of us are, or have been, like each of the characters in the parable … In his parable, Jesus does not offer alternatives … Jesus trusts in the best of the human spirit; with this parable, he encourages us to persevere in love, to restore dignity to the suffering and to build a society worthy of the name.

Pope Francis, “Fratelli Tutti,” 2020, 69,71

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offer this perspective as I begin my second year of service as the president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and the Pontifical Mission.

We have all been overwhelmed by the global devastation, particularly in the loss of human life, which has occurred and continues to be the result of COVID-19. In so many ways, our world has been transformed.

I write, powerfully aware of the omnipresence of horrific stories of violence, tragedy and suffering. Just the memories associated with violence, tragedy and suffering can traumatize people and strip many of hope. Reflect on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001.

Consider the first anniversary of the explosion in the port of Beirut that occurred on 4 August 2020. Recall the violence, both in nature and through human actions, experienced in each of the regions where we serve: the impact of the violence in the Tigray region on Eritrea and Ethiopia; the suffering of the people in India;

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by Msgr. Peter I.Vaccari

ongoing political tension throughout the Middle East; the fears and concerns in Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of St. Luke, both the priest and the Levite were indifferent to the suffering of the man who had been stripped, beaten and left to die along the road. Jesus’ rejection of their indifference must be our call to action!

Over the course of this year, with all the challenges set before our papal agency, I have been overwhelmed by the interest, solidarity and the loving care and concern of our team members for those who are suffering. Our staff in Beirut, Jerusalem, Amman, Addis Ababa, Asmara, Ernakulam, Ottawa and New York City have made heroic efforts to enable your prayers and your generosity to reach those who have been most in need of the service of our mission.

My great hope, God willing, is to visit all our offices and as many of the sites where we serve through your prayers and generous, sacrificial giving. In early August, the visit to Lebanon was an expression of solidarity for our Beirut staff, the people we are privileged to serve, and to concelebrate at the first memorial Mass for the martyrs of the Beirut port explosion.

The previous day, it was a privilege to have a substantive conversation with the Maronite patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai. I expressed to him the prayers, greetings and support of our chair, Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, archbishop of New York, and of our colleagues in New York City and Ottawa. The patriarch struck me as a man of great faith and prayer, vision and hope for Lebanon’s future even as he recalled Lebanon’s historical contributions to intellectual life, science, the arts, music and religious pluralism.

Permit me to offer another note. The month of September is also marked by the annual session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. All the countries where we work are represented in that international body. The history of the modern papacy has been marked by the visits of popes to the United Nations: St. Paul VI in 1965; St. John Paul II in 1979 and 1995; Benedict XVI in 2008, and Francis in 2015.

Their addresses have called on that international body — an instrument of service to the human family, they reminded the assembly — to uphold the dignity of all human beings; to recognize our stewardship of our created world and our environment; to urge access to clean water for all; and to call for an end to violence and war, hunger and poverty. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the current permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, has been an outstanding spokesperson for the church in the articulation of our values and our charge in promoting a culture of dialogue.

Above, religious sisters distribute basic provisions to people in need in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, moms and their children wait outside the Kidist Mariam Center, a school in Meki, Ethiopia, to receive the children’s school uniforms.

Please pray with me that the entire CNEWA family will remain committed to promote cultures of dialogue, understanding and forgiveness! It is my daily prayer and fervent hope that we will make the parable of the Good Samaritan our story. Wherever our journey brings us, wherever we see the woman or man who has been stripped of their respective dignity, beaten and left to die, CNEWA will be moved to approach and care for the individuals or communities in need.

We do this thanks to your prayers and your generous financial sacrifices.

Gratefully,

Peter I. Vaccari President, CNEWA

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