France: a time for prayer ” “

The Pope’s appeal to Christians to pray and fast for peace on 14 December has met with wide support in France, both among the bishops and in the communities. The mass media have given wide coverage to the Pope’s message, while the bishops have communicated the invitation to participate in the fast through editorials in the diocesan weeklies, through the Internet and in pastoral letters sent through the post. And they have also taken steps to ensure that, on that day, churches will remain open even at lunchtime when they are usually closed. It may be said that the whole country has been sensitized and mobilized. “The Pope has asked – and not just proposed! – that Friday, 14 December 2001 ‘be lived as a day of fast'”, writes Msgr. Guy Bagnard, bishop of Belley-Ars, in the diocesan periodical. In his editorial he goes on to recall what John Paul II said in his Angelus address on the 18 November, when he appealed to Catholics throughout the world. The Holy Father’s appeal is seconded in almost all the editorials of the French diocesan press at this beginning of Advent. More particularly, in the diocese of Clermont, “Christians are invited to gather together between midday and 2.00 o’clock for a moment of prayer. Wherever possible, churches will be kept open during these hours”. To enrich this time of reflection and prayer, “the liturgical and sacramental pastoral Service is making available to all those who request it an aid to animate community prayer. In accordance with the spirit of the Day, the offerings obtained from initiatives of fasting and sharing will be sent to Caritas-France, which is present in the countries struck by war and terrorism”. Similarly, Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris, has made an appeal to the faithful on the Internet site of the archdiocese, inviting “those who are able to do so to gather together on that day at lunchtime in the churches of Paris, where, depending on circumstance, a time of prayer, a time of silence and a eucharistic celebration will be organized. The offerings will be devolved to those whom the Pope recommends to our prayer”. The Cardinal has backed up this appeal with a letter addressed to all the priests of his diocese. Two of them, in parishes in North Paris with large Muslim communities, have been in contact with the local Iman. In the thriving new communities: les Béatitudes, le Chemin Neuf, le Verbe de Vie, le Pain de Vie, l’Emmanuel, news of the initiative has been welcomed and widely diffused among the local communities where it is the usual practice to fast on Fridays. On 14 December the fast will be accompanied by a moment of special prayer. The Pope’s appeal has also been relayed by the Focolari movement on the occasion of an international meeting that brought together the leaders of the “Youth for a united world” of the various countries of Europe, Brazil and Argentina. It was proposed that the funds collected be sent to Pakistan (where the Focolari Movement is present) to help Afghans in the refugee camps. In France the appeal has been repeated in a dozen of so cities in the various regions. A prayer vigil open to everyone is planned for the evening of 14 December. The bishops of the dioceses with a high percentage of Moslems have also intervened. In the diocese of Lourdes-Tarbes, for example, the bishop Msgr. Jacques Perrier, has invited the faithful “seriously to consider the Pope’s appeal” and explains that “it’s not a question of Catholics celebrating a day of Ramadan. Rather, what has been proposed to us is to unite with humanity as a whole to pray for peace and light. This fast day may give rise to a prayer meeting but must also permit a gesture of solidarity to be made towards our brothers, both near and far”. For its part, the Catholic Secretariat for Relations with Islam declares in a press release that “the coincidence of Advent and Ramadan did not escape the Pope. This mention aimed at our Moslem neighbours does not mean, however, that the Pope is ‘confusing the genres’ and inviting Christians to adopt the practice of fasting during Ramadan”. Any risk of confusion between the two different religions is avoided: “The gestures and the teachings of the Pope have placed the emphasis on the current dangers of indifference and confusion in a fairly clear way; they do not ask Christians to adopt Moslem practices, or Moslems to adopt Christians practices”, explains the Secretariat.