Issue 71 - The Pilgrim - May 2018 - The newspaper of the Archdiocese of Southwark

The Pilgrim May 2018
Feature
Maral, “bringing the things we
need.”
Our visit ends with Sister Annie
leading us in prayer. Together, we
remembered all the benefactors of
ACN on whom Lucine and her
daughter depend.
That combination of practical
help and prayerful solidarity has
been the hallmark of support for
ACN given by parishes across the
Archdiocese of Southwark, which
have shown exceptional concern for
their suffering brothers and sisters
in Christ. Prayer characterises this
relationship between benefactor
and beneficiary.
Over more than 15 years with Aid
to the Church in Need, I have visited
suffering Christian communities
from Cuba to China, Sudan to Syria
and again and again those I have
met have asked us to continue
praying.
In Syria, it has borne fruit in the
143 projects ACN was able to pay
out last year – more than £5 million
in total. More than 80 per cent of
the aid was for emergency help –
food, shelter and medicine.
The fruitfulness of prayer is also
evident in the stories of those I have
met on such trips. In Aleppo, I met a
man whose story of escape from the
clutches of Daesh (ISIS) could have
come straight out of a film.
Thanks to ACN project partner Sr
Annie, I visited Antoine and his
young family in their rented home
close to the city centre.
Antoine described how one day he
turned up for work only to be
kidnapped by the extremists who
threatened to kill him unless he
converted.
Wanting to save his life for the
sake of his family, Antoine
outwardly did as he was told, while
secretly remaining Christian.
The reward for his “conversion”
was to be selected by a Daesh
“Prince” to carry out a suicide
mission in government-held west
Aleppo.
Terrified, Antoine prayed for
deliverance. Early one morning, he
was woken by what felt like a tap
on the shoulder. He is convinced
that it was Our Lady telling him to
escape.
At that moment, everyone was at
prayer and – seizing his opportunity
– he tiptoed to the main entrance of
the building where he was being
held.
To his astonishment, the chain
slipped open and the door opened.
He ran free and later that day was
re-united with his family in western
Aleppo.
Completing his story, Antoine told
us that Sr Annie had provided him
with a flat but he was now
desperate for rent money.
When Sister Annie handed over
some ACN funds, Antoine’s wife,
Georgette, whispered to him:
“Didn’t I tell you God never
abandons his people.”
Turning to Sr Annie and me,
Antoine said: “Thank you so much.”
I was to hear many such words of
gratitude during my time both in
Aleppo and Homs, the other Syrian
city I visited.
ACN is beginning to repair homes
for Christians returning to the old
city. Here, people were beginning to
come back and resume their old
lives.
One of the most moving moments
of the trip was our visit to Homs’
Melkite Greek Catholic Cathedral. I
had been to the cathedral in 2016
and vividly recalled walking round
the remains of a building devastated
by multiple shells.
What a difference two years can
make. With ACN’s help, the roof had
been renewed, many sacred items
restored and the altar repaired and
re-consecrated.
That evening, ACN Middle East
projects coordinator Father Andrzej
Halemba celebrated Mass there. I
was the only other person present.
Our words echoing round the vast
building, we prayed for all those
who had lost their lives in the Syrian
conflict and for everyone who had
given to ACN in prayer and in selfsacrifice.
I thought of the haunting words of
Sister Annie: “In Syria, we have
suffered the Way of the cross for
many years now. We are still waiting
for the day of Resurrection.”
Reflecting on this, I thought that
at least in this small corner of the
country, the Resurrection was
beginning to dawn.
n ACN is launching a fresh appeal
for Syria – “Don’t give up on
Syria”. Please get involved.
Perhaps your parish would be
willing to hold an appeal for ACN’s
work in Syria or an evening of
prayer and reflection. For more
information, visit www.acnuk.org
Tel. 020 8642 8668.
The Melkite Greek Catholic cathedral in Homs.
(inset) The cross inside the Maronite St Vartan Centre in Aleppo.
Background to the Syrian conflict
When did it begin and how?
The start of the conflict is seen as 15th March 2011. Protestors
marched in Damascus calling for democratic reforms and for the
release of prisoners. When, five days later, protestors burned down a
headquarters building belonging to the ruling Ba’ath Party, there were
clashes and several police officers were killed.
Over the next few days, the demands of the protestors changed.
They began calling for the overthrow of the regime led by Syria’s
President Bashar Al-Assad, who came to power in July 2000 following
the death of his father. The regime sought to quell the unrest and the
conflict quickly escalated.
How did the conflict spread?
In the days following the initial protests in Damascus, the
demonstrations grew. On 8th April 2011, there were protests in 10
Syrian cities and two weeks later, there were protests in 20 cities.
Armed resistance grew.
What about the “Arab Spring”?
The context of the Syrian conflict was the Arab Spring, an uprising in
the Middle East and North Africa that begun in late 2010 and which led
to the overthrow of political leaders in countries such as Egypt, Libya,
Tunisia and Yemen. When the protests began in Syria, some believed
the Assad regime would quickly be toppled but he has clung to power.
Looking at the map of Syria, who controls what now?
As of the spring of 2018, the Assad regime was reported to hold just
over half of Syria’s 2011 territory and just over a quarter is in the
hands of Syrian Democratic Forces. Daesh (ISIS) Islamist militants used
to hold vast swathes of territory in Syria but have been pushed back
and now hold barely 5 percent of the country’s land mass. Latest
reports suggest Turkey and rebel groups including Tahrir Al-Sham (also
known as Al-Qaeda in Syria) hold almost 15 per cent of territory.
How are Christians caught in the crossfire?
Many of the key conflict zones – including Aleppo, Homs and Damascus
– had significant Christian communities, Aleppo being the largest. In
response to the never-ending violence, hundreds of thousands of
Christians have fled. Reports suggest that – compared to other faith
groups – a disproportionately high number of Christians have sought
refuge abroad.
The killing of Christians by extremists, the expulsion of entire
Christian communities, kidnapping of children, forcing women into
sexual slavery as
well as attacks on
Christian homes,
churches and
businesses have led
to calls for the
violence to be called
a genocide.
The depleted
numbers mean there
is an increasing
struggle to retain
the presence of
Christianity in a
country where it has
existed in an
unbroken line since
before the time of St
Paul and his famous
conversion on the
road to Damascus.
THE SOUTHWARK
SEMINARY FUND
48 Dale Road, Purley, CR8 2EF
Tel: (020) 8660 3815
Please help train our future priests by
contributing to the cost of educating
our students at St John’s Seminary
Wonersh. The Diocese have 21
students in training at a cost of
£20,000 per student each year.
The Southwark Seminary Fund
augments the annual Ecclesiastical Education Collection.
Please send your donation/legacy either through your parish
priest or directly to Rev Father Christopher Keen at Purley.
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