Colo, November 8^th, 2002

Dear brothers,

At last!  A bit of sun, after five months raining in this wonderful  “Chiloe”: spring has come!  Surrounded by forests, round and old wooden chapel (“world heritage”), a basic school for 16 children, the cemetery … some pigs, sheep that feel at home … live Urbano and Martita, their twin daughters, the grandmamy, and in an old and ruined house, partly rebuilt, where I’m living since last July.  They are my brothers and sisters in this New Nazareth Our Good Lord have given me.

From here I leave for “missions” in distant islands (where priests went every 3 years), biblical “ateliers”, “Sunday Celebrations”… for “fiscales” (laymen responsible for some two hundred chapels, a laymen institution dating from 1621 created by the Jesuits, left aside during a long time by the local priests)… and visiting brothers in Fraternity throughout the world.  What a wonderful service you have asked me with Helmut, Tony and Felicien in Cairo! 

Useless to say that you are all heartily welcome!

Here is my itinerary 2002.

Retreat National Meeting of Fraternities in Brazil.

(January 4 – 11, close to Minas Gerais).

They asked me to animate this Retreat.  The Bishop’s Conference (C.N.B.B.) had proposed the re-lecture of the “Acts of the Apostles” to re-create the Church in Brazil.  We shared this challenge in a deep sense of Fraternity opening our minds to the blow of the Spirit, Community life and Mission.  Brother Charles’ witness was a great help.  Nearly one hundred brothers, some little sisters, seminarians shared there lives in Fraternities open to Jesus and his Gospel, sharing brotherhood with Indian minorities, (the favelados), “the landless” black people, … all of them sharing in contemplation and celebration as only Brazilians know how to do it.

Meeting of the South West Region, France.

(4 – 5^th. March 2002)

“Brothers of Jesus, in the way of Brother Charles”

Invited by our friend Jean Conq, the Regional, we shared this meeting with Tony and Helmut; Felicien was absent due to visa problems.

A magnificent assistance of some hundred priests of 120 in the whole Region!  A very enriching reflection on Fraternity in the Bible, a philosophical reflection, fraternity in Brother Charles’ life… enriched by the witness of “ old brothers”, the actual “challenges” (some 10 priests under 40 years), the missionary force of those first “fidei donum” all over the world, the challenge of “contemplation” and “involvement”… trying to be more “brothers” than “fathers”.

The very rich reflections, left little time to share “freely” this wonderful time with these brothers.

Sharing live with Jean Conq, enabled us to know him in his “breton soup” Thank you dear Jean!

-         Meeting of the International Service Team in Eupen, Belgium.

We have decided to meet annually in each member’s country.  2001 was in Santo Niño, Tony’s community.  2002 was in Helmut’s place at Eupen.  It is very encouraging to visit each one “in his own sauce”.  This community was very “practicant” and “participative” as is most often in Belgium.  We were unlucky, due to Helmut’s pastoral responsibility to have some time for Life Review, time to share our experiences after a year and a half of our symbolic “Washing of the feet” in Cairo.  You have perhaps received Tony’s letter from Eupen.

Meeting of the French-speaking Fraternities in Belgium

(March 10 – 11^th.)

It was there that we met Eddie Laggar, the new European Responsible on his interesting dissertation on “Proust”.

What a fraternal welcome in this “Congo Martyr’s Memorial”.  La mondialitation, la Pauvreté, sharing with Christian brothers in Palestine... made us feel how Universal Fraternity is a grace of our Beloved Brother Jesus to our Fraternities.  Once more we would have desired to have more time to share.  What has become of that powerful missionary spirit of Belgian Fraternities (a good number of them were there … ), what and where does the blow of the Spirit lead us today ? According to one of them they feel that they have to deepen inter-personal relations. 

- Visit to Fraternities in the South and East Regions in France and Switzerland.

After our meeting in Eupen, Tony returned home.  As I had left my Parish in La Legua and had come down from the scaffolding after 30 years, I took the opportunity to make a long fraternal tour visiting Fraternities and brother priests.

In Paris I met Little Brothers and Little Sisters and Michel Guittat’s fraternity as well as Responsibles of the Paris Region.  In 2001 I had met Michel Pinchon and Jean Louis Rattier.  With Tony we went praying to St. Augustine asking BrotherCharles to repeat to us “Since I discovered God I realized I could only live for Him”…  Walking some blocks you come to be welcomed by their wonderful brother notre Vieuse Frere Raoul Wagner, always happy in his “carcasse”.

-         Meeting the Ardeche Fraternity

(March 17-18^th. in Paugnes)

It was Jean Marie Granjean my “host” in La Legua who had invited me.  Ah! these wonderful country priests!! (“Journal d’un curé de campagne” Bernanos), they remined me there I’m coming to know him in Chiloe.  Times for prayer, sharing in Life Reviews and celebrating the “Lord’s Supper” followed by a delicious French supper.  The presence of a young friend with no “official ministry”… challenges our Fraternities.  What are we doing for brother priests who are in “frontier ministry” ? Jean Marie’s “holidays” sharing with a Community in the slums in Santiago… opens a wide door for our Universal Fraternity.  Initiative to be follow in Africa and Asia… as well as Europe.

With Henry Le Masne at Lyon.

(March 18-23^rd.)

He is, as some others are, our “Old Brother“ witness of that “First Love” 50 years ago (have you already read “50 years of the Jesus Caritas Priests’ Fraternity”…?)  His apartment is an “historical site” of solidarity with brothers of Algiers, Tunis and Palestine: they have a real place in his heart… as well as Jesus “loved by himself” (aimé par lui meme…) he has just celebrated his 80 …he loves traveling, don’t miss him in your meetings!

Fraternity of Lyon

(March 19^th, Cuir)

What a profitable Life Review on Lent time.  The presence of Maurice Baurier, responsible of the Cause of Beatification of “Brother Charles Servant of God”.  This leads us to a discussion on the “miracles” for his beatification.  Aren’t we, this big Tree with several branches, his “miracle”? As Jean Marie Pasquier said at Villier on his 100^th anniversary of his ordination?

Meximieux Fraternity

(March 21^st.)

Difficulties in meeting brothers… very glad to meet Jean and Jöel.  The very nice French lunch was “saisoné” in the crisis in the French Church: What challenges young people who struggle for a new society ? … How does the Spirit challenge our Fraternities ?  Thank you Jean, for the Spirit that blows in you… and that wonderful library you have.  (Have “the way to Tamanrasset” and “The death of Brother Charles de Foucauld” by little brother Antoine Chatelard, been translated?)

Fraternité de Grenoble

(March 22^nd)

“La Grande Chartreuse”, St. Bruno’s Foundation, reminds me of God’s absolute in Brother Charle’s life … his “Chartreuse” amidst the poor.  Lunch is a special occasion to share:  the elderly of the Church and fraternities, what has become of the young generation of Vatican II?  Are we living on “nostalgies” or challenged by the “Spirit Creation of new Heaven and Earth”?  Fidelity to our time of Adoration, Desert day, Life Review. Wonderful sharing!

Lucerne fraternity (Switzerland)

(March 23^rd., Palm Sunday)

It’s Palm Sunday, with a Parish Community served by Jean Marie Pasquiere who guides us to Ester… it is also Monsignor Romero’s Easter, San Romero of America, Bishop-Martyr of the Poor.  He struggled for dignity and freedom for the exploited, isn’t it a challenge for our brotherhood with the excluded?.  Monsignor Romero has much to say, in nowadays’ challenges to our “Foucauld Spirituality”.  Somebody said “the three names that marked the 20^th. Century Church were Foucauld, Pope John 23^rd. and Monsignor Romero”.

We are 4 for dinner: with brother Rector in the Seminary and a brother priest just returning from Colombia whose Archbishop has just been murdered.  So many questions to Jean Marie and his experience in the International Team. (I agree with him that our team is “very prophetic but little practical”.  With Abraham Apolinario that assures the “Secretariat International”, we are trying to solve this difficult; have you contacted him?

What Brother Charles means to young students in Seminaries today ?  Is he known? Is he read? What have Young Churches in Latin America to renew the old Churches in Europe ?... Are we real “brothers “ with this “Invasion of Europe” by the “excluded”? Aren’t they the new “evangelizers”? What challenges for our Fraternities and our Universal Brotherhood !!  The effort in the “Holy Saviour Parish” to share the Homily (thank you, Jean Marie, for stopping me…)  convinces me, once more, the desire (at all levels of culture) of a participative and communitarian Church.

Fraternity at Annecy

(March 25^th)

With my old friend Pierre Vaichard who visited me in “Dessert Day” in my “exilium” in Lima-Perú 1974.  What friends! Surrounded by mountains, we meet with these brothers, who are real “collectors” of years, desires, and… knowledge.  I christened them: “Nicodemus’ Fraternity”… old brothers, re-born by the Spirit.  Magnificent witnesses open to God and to Men… and fidelity to the practices in Fraternity life.  You have many things to teach us!

I must admit that I love these visiting brothers in their “Nazareth” life.

Trip to Argelia

(March 27^th to May 6^th)

(From my window, one of those few sunny days, children take their brake playing with sheep around the chapel).

Easter in Communion with the Church in Argelia

I really wanted to celebrate Easter, “The Easter of our Lord Jesus”, with my brothers and sisters in Algier: The Church of “Augustine the Algerian” (as he was named by Muslim President Routepika in the Augustinian Symposium, Hipona 2001)…. but also the Church that witnesses Christ’s love in Land of Islam.  With his 18 martyrs of the “Islamic” who have made some 100.000 victims… some 100 imans, these last 10 years.  Brother Charles spirit: (it is there where he passed the longest time of his converted life 1901-1906)  His admiration for the Absolute of God in Islam… his sharing and effort, in the contemplation of Eucharist, to become “Universal Brother” his missionary spirit “crying the Gospel by his life!”… it was in these lands of Beni Abbes, le Sahara, Tamanrasset of Assclorem amongst the tuaregs… that he lived and shared his love for Jesus “Our beloved and Lord Jesus”  One can feel this Grace in the fraternal gracious (freely), hidden, crucified presence… what strength of Love and Life…! in this simple and pure Community “catechumen”, lay people, religious, brother priests and brother bishops.  Let us open our ears to their “cries for help” to the “catholic” Church, to renew this “Christian Witness” amongst our Islamic brothers.

I have no words to thank my friend Albert Gruson for his welcome, and his Islamic friends… they love him as a real brother! (one of them said: “even being a Christian, I’m sure he will go to Paradise”!)

Month of solitude, at Asckrem.

(Easter Monday-April 28^th.)

Such a long time I had dreamt … it was little brother Antoine Chatelard and his fraternity, as well as Little Sisters of Jesus and Little Sisters of  the Sacred Heart that welcome me in Tamanrasset (City of 80.000 inhabitants, 200 in time of Brother Charles)… Easter Sunday!! Thank you Jack for carrying me from the airport.

Assebron, little brother Edouard and Alain offered me an hermitage… “As children who have been re-born” (Easter Liturgy).  I had “carried” with me 3 friends whose lives had attracted me to Jesus: Saint Francis, brother Charles and Monsignor Romero. “One has to pass through the Dessert, and remain there, to experience God’s grace”.  Brother Charles.

“La grace” was accompanied by that wonderful sun springing behind those “mountainous sculptures” surrounding that plateau, the Mula-mula flying around to get some food and water, even the night roaches… the whispering of the wind … sharing the meals of my tuareg brothers (except Sundays when we shared with our Little Brothers good wine and French cheese left by the tourists !…), sister water had to be looked for some 3 kms. … this dry dessert was irrigated for some fine days… I didn’t have the chance to see it flourishing… it was another “flourishing” God’s love had reborn me!  As “school of prayer” (except a “hand” of our brother monks), I followed Jesus’ words to Nicodemus: “the wind blows where he desires, you hear his voice, but you don’t know where he comes from and where he goes.  That happens to those who are born of the Spirit” (St. John III, 7.)  Let oneself be emptied of ourselves, “taken” by this Spirit that filled Jesus of Nazareth’s life the Risen Lord … even if we are as resistant as these rocks to the blowing of the wind in my hermitage… until we can say, in Him, “Abba…! I abandoned myself to You…”

Useless to tell you that I carried everyone of you, brotherly that this Spirit may recreate our Fraternities, in brother Charles “madness”:

o       living by God, as a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth

o       living Brotherhood, in the Spirit of Nazareth, with the poor and the excluded

o       living our Mission “crying the Gospel through our lives! ” till the end of the world.

It is the challenge to our “Life Review” to take charge of ourselves, to remain faithful to their Spirit, in our such different and similar histories… “it is impossible to get old if we are open to the Spirit” (a brother priest from Alger)

“Desert’s temptation”… for God’s sake, don’t resist!

(This way is “paved” with Little Brothers, for brothers from Asia, Africa and America… we even dreamt of a month of Nazareth for continental and regional Responsibles 2004 or 2005 in Sahara.)

Thanks! dear Little Brothers and Sisters, Paul Maubert for granting me those days visiting the “hermitage”, the “fort”… for our time of Adoration and Eucharist…in this real “ sacrament” of Brother Charles’ life.

With Algerian fraternity.

(from April 30^th to May 3^rd)

It was the annual meeting of this Fraternity, at Bernard Janicot’s apartment. I had left Assebrem a week before so as not to miss those brothers.  They are really wonderful witnesses “those who come from the great persecution” (Apocalypse 7).  The “freely” of their friendly presence, their “incarnation” in the Algerian “Nazareth”, the “neighborhood” of the Transcendent God in Jesus… yourselves, you dear brothers… your Church has so many things to teach us to recover the radicalism of Jesus and his Kingdom !

The “month of Nazareth in

Cuba fraternities:  Havana and Holguin

(May 21^st to 26^th.)

Prepared for a long delay, communications failed.  My contacts were reduced to some brother priests at Havana and Holguin, Segundo Galilea that you all know perhaps, little sisters and little brothers.  They share a deep sympathy for the people, their struggle for dignity, health, education…, and economical situation that makes very difficult the day-to-day life of the poor.  There is a real crisis of the Revolution, many mysteries and the “dependence” on the charismatic Fidel makes it difficult to look at the future.  Curiously, Communities attended by our brothers, are attractive to both youth and adults at the local Communist Party that find their Utopia in the Kingdom announced by Jesus of Nazareth.  Perhaps their sharing of the Month of Nazareth in Argentina next January may solve their isolation.  La spirituality de BrotherCharles, sharing and evangelizing amongst the poor... is in his “sauce”, as well as the “Integral Liberation” in Cuba:  it is not the official attitude.  It is encouraging to meet these brothers, they witness the Gospel inspired Revolution.

Retreat and National Meeting of Fraternities in Argentina

(June 3^rd. to 7^th. – Córdoba)

This Meeting marks the re-born of Fraternities in Argentina! We were some 40 priests: some of the “1^st. generation” (simultaneously with Chile, Brazil and Uruguay) and a good number of young priests and seminars.  In a chaotic political and economical situation, many of their parishes have become real “Exchange Squares” (Playa de Trueque).  Excepting some bishops their hierarchy kept a guilty silence during the Dictatorship, big crisis amongst young priests, political corruption… how can the Church recover a certain trustworthiness ?

During the retreat, we shared challenges, such as:

o       It was Brother Charles who guided us to the Gospel… where are we now ?

o       How can we incorporate the “madness” of Brother Charles in our “Antarctic” liturgies, so that the poor feel at home.

o Puebla made an “option for the poor”, Brother Charles in his love for Jesus, guided his option sharing with the poor.

o       We fear living Brother Charles’s spirituality ! That explains our “tepid” Life Review (Apocalypse 3).

o       We are challenged to re-invent Brother Charles’ spirituality… starting from Latin America.  The mass of poor people exploited.  Struggling for liberation… in the Spirit of Monsignor Romero

o       So many martyrs…  what challenges for an historically engaged Contemplation

o       Pastoral commitment !!

Annual Retreat in Chile

(July 22^nd. - July 26^th.)

Thanks to the experiences of other fraternities, we start this year and “annual week retreat”.  Halve of the 46 priests were present: “how can we, diocesans priests, live the Absolute of God in our day to day life ? What new steps to be brothers of the excluded? How can we help each other, trough life Review to be faithful to the voice the Spirit”?

Next February 2004 there will be a “week presentation of the spirituality of Brother Charles” to all brother priests who are interested.  We are passing through difficult moments… Spirit, re-Creator, come to re-create us ! We count on your prayers.

Triennial Assembly of U.S.A. Fraternities.

(August 4^th. – 9^th. Saint Paul, Minnesota)

Wished by our brother Responsible Greg Pavlovski for a long time, some 50 brother priests (out of some 1.400) assisted.

There are big problems of “Identity”: a big number of them share in Fraternity and identify their search in Brother Charles witness.  An undetermined number feel that fraternal life or prayer… is an answer to their needs, with no reference to BrotherCharles or the spiritual means of our Jesus Caritas Fraternities.  What “organization” (absolutely necessary !) respecting these different “stages”…? Demands of making new efforts, to witness in this Church and amongst priests that the cause of Jesus and his Kingdom as well as the love of our brothers and sisters can fill all spans in Jesus Christ.  Conscious, as we are, of being not only “brothers of the poor” but “poor brothers”.  Yes, there is … nowadays, time for reflection, conversion, humble purification “with you I am Christian, for you I am bishop” (St. Augustin).  We were guided by the spiritual aid of a brother Bishop. Let us all return to our “first love” with a bit of sense of humour: presence of the joyful spirit of Jesus.

Felipe Estevez, born Cuban, is their new Regional, to form the new Regional Team ¡ signe des temps! (he speaks Spanish, English and French), Rector in Miami’s Seminary.  I don’t forte his words after the election:

o       I rely on Mary of Nazareth

o       “If somebody hears my words, We shall come to him …”

o       I would like to be an instrument of Peace.

o       The place you’ve given me, is not the most important

o       Simply … “He came as the Beloved Son of God”

Unfortunately this “Crisis”, impeded us to look, as Church witnessing the Gospel, the political world moment, guided by the Bush Government.  Our “universal fraternity” includes our brothers in Iraq, as we did in Cairo.

The presence of Tony Philport and Jacques Leclerq, former International Responsibles was a very good initiating.  We have so much to learn form them !. 

-         Meeting of  Fraternities in Canada (Regions Quebec-Acadia)

(Drummondville, October 6^th. – 7^th.)

In a fraternal climate, we were received in this wonderful landscape.  Some 30 priests with our beloved “vieux-frère ” Jaqcques Leclerq.  Young brothers had difficulties in coming.

We shared our vocation to become “universal brothers”; starting form: “What have you done with your brother ?” Gen. IV…to “What you’ve done to the smallest of your brothers, unto Me you have done it” (Mt. 25,40).  What a wonderful sharing! Marked by the “hic et munc” of what we actually can do for our brothers, specially the “smallest”… “To Me your Lord”! our fidelity to Adoration and Involvement is the real answer to Jesus’ “do you love Me more than these ?” (St. John XXI)

I was surprised by Francoise Basiles’ version of the “Silent Revolution” that has led a Christianity Church to a secularisation, where the Church of Christ has difficulty of recovering his evangelical identity in Communion and Mission.  Our long trips visiting priests with Yvon Trottier, the national responsible, put me in contact with wonderful brothers,  such as ancient chaplains __________to sustain the “demolishing church”… it is with the poor people that we can rebuild the Church of Christ.  Our great “madness” is it no hidden in these words ? I keep in my heart the Spirit that breathes at “La Vieille Maison”:  Home of silence, welcome, where Yvon taught me singing:

                        Lord Jesus

                        Take good care of me

                        ‘cause you love me

and I need you

-         Meeting with priests of Fraternity in New York

(October 11^th.-13^th.)

Welcomed by Howard Hapkins (as only he knows how to) at a Retreat House in New Jersey, with brothers of different Fraternities… I felt the presence of brother priests “well anchored” in God and men.  We share with pain and hope the crisis of the “priests’ image” in U.S.A….be brothers with the victims and our brother priests … one feels the efforts of “universal brotherhood” with the excluded, undocumented… I felt their prophetical commitment with Bush’s International Policy… I really felt a Church open to “Kairos” not only in “Nazareth” but in “Jerusalem”. 

It was really necessary to accept old Bryan’s invitation to stay that night in his Parish house, at the Bronx, full of world wide (even Chileans).  “Tuaregs”… oh! That fraternal “Bread Sharing” with the Risen Christ recognized in each one of those brothers.

Let me share with you a feeling: (others could be shared in our meetings) when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper on our Adoration, in our Fraternity Meetings, I feel something like schizophrenia _______ our supper with fellowmen and our Lord’s Supper.

We try our best in the Contemplation of God who revealed Himself scandalously Poor in Jesus of Nazareth…  as well as being Brothers specially our poor brothers…risking new ways for our Mission…

That does not “flow” in our celebration of the Paschal Mystery “today” !

The “Eucharistic Itinerary” of BrotherCharles has much to teach us !… eve if it is sometimes the contrary to our people’s experience.

This is my 2002 Itinerary.  I hope Helmut, Felicien and Tony will follow.

Dear Lord Jesus, it is your Spirit that has spread this “madness” of God and his Christ Jesus.  His “madness” of fraternity with all men and women specially the poorest and left aside in ______ his “madness” crying the Gospel _____ so many brothers

From all these “Nazareths” shared… to Colo.  In the Joy of Fraternity in Jesus and  Brotherhood,

                                   Mariano.