From masks to faces ” “

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, during which all the churches are engaged in various activities, a large part of which are aimed at helping modern man to rediscover the value of prayer, renunciation and sharing (see our previous feature in SirEurope 10/2005 on old.agensir.it). We continue our review of the various proposals. SpaIN: PRAISE OF ASHES. An original reflection in “praise of ashes” appeared in the pages of the Spanish daily ABC on 9 February. Signed by Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, archbishop of Seville, it explains the meaning of Lent, Ash Wednesday and the phrase “dust you are and to dust you shall return”, a phrase that “can be liturgically substituted by ‘be converted and believe in the Gospel'”: “In essence – explains Cardinal Vallejo -, it is a case of leading man to the path of hope, making him see that there is always time to direct his own steps towards morally unexceptionable conduct”. “In this intention to ridicule everything to do with religion, faith or the practice of piety – observes the archbishop of Seville later in his article –, the rite of the imposition of ashes may lend itself to an attempt to discredit the Church, accusing her of living in her ancient and now obsolete practices”. On the contrary, he says, for the believer ashes are a sign of hope: “a sign that invites us to overcome our selfishness and to love: in spite of the fact that everything may seem lost, there are always hidden embers behind the ashes that may re-ignite the fire. In Lent the doors of hope cannot be finally shut”. IrELAND: AT THE SIDE OF THE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE. “Towards Healing” is the title of the pastoral letter that the Irish bishops have published for Lent 2005. “The cry for healing needs to be heard from all victims of child sexual abuse – whether abused by priests or others”, stressed Bishop Donald Murray of Limerick who together with the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh launched the pastoral reflection for Lent on responding to child sexual abuse. “The Good Samaritan is our model – said Bishop Murray –. We must not, like the priest and Levite in the parable, pass by on the other side, failing to see somebody’s suffering because we are too wrapped up in our own business to notice. To be a Good Samaritan means being available to listen, to learn, to understand and to offer wholehearted help”. “Over the last ten years – Bishop Murray continued – we have learned a great deal about the measures needed to respond effectively to the issue of abuse. We wish to share what we have painfully learnt”. “The first step in the process of healing is to learn to understand the enormous impact of that betrayal of the victim. The healing journey has many dimensions, and is different for every individual. The steps could include such things as ongoing counselling/family counselling or it may be that a person’s education has been blighted by the experience of abuse and that some kind of educational provision would help. We recognize the journey of healing may need to continue for a long time. The task of accompanying those in need of healing is a task for all of us. All Christians, not just bishops and clergy, through their gifts and skills and time and friendship, must aim to bring healing to those who have suffered child sexual abuse. One of the greatest losses for those who were abused as children is that it has often made it hard for them to see the Church as a source of hope and consolation and strength. We would dearly love to be able to restore what was taken from them”. Bishop Murray concluded: “There are many resources in the Church community: spiritual direction; counselling; educational skills; financial know how; medical and psychiatric expertise. We are asking people with these skills and many others, to consider putting them at the service of the journey towards healing. Easter promises healing and hope beyond anything we can imagine”. BELGIUM. It was a special Ash Wednesday, that of the young Catholics of Belgium, Holland and Germany, inhabitants of the area between Liege, Maastricht and Aachen, who celebrated the beginning of Lent by receiving the Cross of World Youth Day. The event was promoted by the Katholische Hochschulegemeinde (KHG) of Aachen and the University Mission of Liege. After having carried the Cross on foot, the participants gathered at the Marian sanctuary of Moresnet–Chapelle, near Liege, for a mass officiated by the bishop of Liege, Msgr. Aloys Jousten. After its pilgrimage through all the dioceses of Germany, the WYD Cross will continue its travels after Cologne. Next destination: Africa, more precisely Zambia. The initiative is that of the Katholische Landbewegung of the diocese of Padernborn. It will be the first time the symbol of the WYD will set foot on the African continent.