Ave Maria!

The Death of an American Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate, Rev. Father Alphonsus Maria Sutton

In 1977, when the author entered the Convent of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Good Counsel, today known as the Mother House of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, among the others, he met an American diocesan priest, Fr. William Sutton, who then was 57 years old, born in 1919. Tall, thin, with a rather robust face caused by a chronic skin allergy, with blue-gray eyes that were difficult to see because of his habit of keeping them cast down, always dressed in a black cassock that he used to tie with a fringed sash. Fr. William came to be from an occasional guest of the Community to one of its members, despite the fact that he used to travel often to Rome where he was concluding his doctorate in Moral Theology and working at the publishing office of the missionary magazine "Christ to the World - Le Christ au le Monde", at that time directed by a Belgian priest Fr. Marchand.

The story of his life, that we go to know about little by little, because he did not indulge much at all in talking about himself, especially in public, could be defined as the story of a soul searching for the truth with a rectitude of one intention alone, very similar to that of the newly beatified John Henry Newman. Born in a Presbyterian family that was morally puritan, from when he was little he had a great sense of good and evil; one day he confided to me that when he was still a young boy, he respectfully reproved his grandmother that he had heard tell a little 'lie' during a conversation. Being scolded by her grandson, the elderly lady humbly recognized her fault. This helps us to understand what the climate was like in which young William was formed.

When he grew up, William finally found the truth in the Catholic Church. From his conversion came also his vocation to the priesthood that came about on June 15th, 1957 when William Sutton was 38 years old. Based in the Diocese of Memphis, for many years he was responsible for the catechesis of the adults who were asking to enter the Catholic Church, above all Protestants.

This greatly fertile apostolate was interrupted by the Post Conciliar crisis that was particularly strong in America. For Fr. William, a period of reflection about what was taking place followed; his moral and intellectual rigor could not remain indifferent to what seemed to be a 'revolution' in the Church. However, alongside this rigor, rather the heart of the rigor itself was humility, and his crisis was resolved with a very simple act of faith: the Church cannot be abandoned by the Divine Master, and the Council in itself cannot be a lowering of the Post Conciliar theories, often resulting in a willfully distorted interpretation. Added to this was the knowledge of Padre Pio, not directly but through the biographies and the spiritual children of the great Capuchin, that he gained an esteem and devotion towards Pope Paul VI from, an esteem that the Holy Father also had for Padre Pio. The American priest, the completely converted Protestant, that would have been able to fall in the net of extreme traditionalism, submitted himself with a tranquil soul to the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the new rite. Later, getting to know Casa Mariana and Father Stefano confirmed this conviction for him even more.

Coming to Rome to further his studies, he chose the doctrine of St. Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori as a topic to which he dedicated all his energy to deepening his knowledge of. Alongside the holy Neapolitan Doctor of the Church, both a popular and at the same time highest intellectual level author, another great figure was a point of reference for Fr. William: Saint Anthony Maria Claret, Bishop of Cuba, Founder of the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, confessor of Queen Isabella II of Spain, great enemy of Masonry who dies exiled in France. The courageous dedication to the priestly ministry of this Bishop, the most noteworthy of the 1800's in Catholic Spain, certainly gave Fr. William a model that inspired him. In fact, the zeal in the confessional and in preaching, despite the difficulties with the Italian language that he was never able to speak fluently, reminded one the untiring activity of Claret. For whoever met Fr. William, one thing that used to make an impression was that he was never seen idle, always busy studying, writing articles for the magazine 'Christ to the World' (sometimes until late at night), in preparing or going over homilies or in prayer. It makes us think that he may have made a vow not to waste time, like Saint Alphonsus, persevering in this rhythm as long as the years and his health permitted it.

As we have already mentioned, Fr. William found out about the experience of Casa Mariana which came forth from the Order of the Conventual Friars Minor, taking its inspiration from the life, teachings and the apostolate of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe. Initially there were a few occasions then later, longer periods until Fr. William became a constant guest of the community. The environment of silence, prayer and work suited him and he adapted himself so well that he was more observant, and in no way less than many of the members of the community. He was always the first in the chapel, with a retired style of life as we have said, constantly immersed in work and study. He distinguished himself for the spirit of penance that did not leave room for any complaints for the Winter cold despite the fact that this gave him chilblains on his hands, or for the food, rather he used to add to the regular penances the community practiced.; often times, passing by his door during the day, one was able to hear the noise of the discipline, taken perhaps as penance for some soul he had met in the confessional and in need of some particular kind of help. He knew how to transform even the most simple gestures of daily life into penance. He became famous among the friars, especially among the novices at that time (one knows that by nature, novices are all eyes and all ears), the episode of the shower that Fr. William used to take cold in a Spartan fashion; one day, one of the friars was standing in the bathroom next to the showers and under the flow of water, he heard some words pronounced by Father with his unforgettable accent; what was he saying? "Purgatory, purgatory". Fr. William was offering that cold for his own sins and most probably for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The episode, obviously referred to the other friars by the brother made us laugh, but behind that youthful and apparently light hearted laughter, the friars' esteem for that American priest increased and by this time they considered him to be part of the community. Many friars chose him as their confessor.

All that needed to be done now was to formalize a life that was already Franciscan. The 7th of December, 1980, just a few days after the terrible earthquake hit Irpinia where Casa Mariana is situated, Fr. William Sutton was clothed in the Seraphic habit, starting his novitiate and taking the new name that indicated a program of life. The new name could not be anything but that of the great Doctor of moral theology: Alphonsus. Father Alphonsus Maria Sutton started a new phase of life at the age of 61.

The rhythm of Fr. Alphonsus' day didn't change much, except that he became known for an even greater spirit of obedience and humility. He was always ready to respond to the requests of his priestly ministry, whoever was able to always found him ready to hear confessions, always attentive, severe, but not harsh, esteemed by all who meant to walk seriously in the way of Christian perfection. Sometimes, conversations about moral theology would start and the opinion of a few priests didn't agree with the doctrine of Saint Alphonsus in a few points, but despite the younger age of who opposed him, Father Alphonsus didn't ever allow himself to arrogantly treat his co friar, nor did he patronize him that at times is more irritating than a sharp response. He always used to listen carefully and if he didn't agree, he would explain why, in the end remaining in silence if his reasons were not accepted by the other. He was a declared enemy of useless words.

The sun of Fr. Alphonsus' day was Holy Mass that he used to like to celebrate alone. He didn't adapt too well to concelebrating and would participate only when the circumstances advised him to. It was edifying to see the preparation he would make beforehand and above all, the thanksgiving that would ever omit. He would immerse himself in the mystery celebrated, pronouncing the words in a low voice - always using the Roman Canon - and with great recollection. A priest perceived how intensely Fr. Alphonsus would participate in Holy Mass when one day after going to confession to him, the priest heard Fr. Alphonsus admonish him, "Remember that to be a priest means to be a victim." Terrible words but sweetened by a luminous smile.

The entire life of Fr. Alphonsus was penetrated by the Eucharistic mystery. This penetration was favored by a constantly recollected soul that used to nurture itself only on the doctrine of the greats. He hardly used to read newspapers; one was able to habitually find in his hands, besides the Bible, also the writings of Saint Alphonsus, Saint Anthony Maria Claret and the works of Saint John of the Cross, the great Spanish mystic. The essence of this doctrine was then infused into his articles for 'Christ to the World', careful to transmit solid teaching to missionaries who would read the magazine, not only for their apostolate, but above all for their life. Other books that he would constantly re-read were the biographies of the holy martyrs. They were stories that used to move him to tears, especially when he would have the chance to recount them to others.

Such a readiness for sacrifice could not but reveal itself in a special way when, almost 70 years old, he received the proposal to go to the Philippines, to the mission opened by Casa Mariana in 1978. Willingly, without arguing, he said yes, certainly something that would not have been easy for him for a man of his age. A different climate, different people that he adapted himself to in a Franciscan way. In any case, he remained there only a few years; the evolution of the history of Casa Mariana, that quickly became independent giving birth to the actual Congregation of the Franciscans of the Immaculate allowed him to go back to Italy, and on the 23rd of June, 1990, he was among the first friars who professed their vows in the new religious family.

He continued his life like before. Initially in the Mother House in Frigento, then in Rome as the chaplain in the Mother House of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, where he continued to take care of the English edition of 'Christ to the World', often going to the magazine editorial office in the Propaganda Fidae building, where, together with his friend and later co-friar Father Basilio M. Arthadeva, used to share the 'problems of the universal Church', trying to fight the errors as much as possible.

With such a busy life, one could think that Father Alphonsus would be rather 'heavy', but as the reader will certainly have intuited between the lines, it was not like this. The episode already recounted about the cold shower transformed into a 'purgatorial' means of penance reveals a good dose of creativity and humor. Added to this are other episodes, not too frequent but make up a type of 'spark' of a truly, profoundly purified soul. and for this reason, capable of seeing human things, including his own in their correct dimensions that often make one laugh. Two episodes are enough to give an example of what we are talking about.

Father Alphonsus used to have breakfast later than the rest of the community, given that he often would celebrate Holy Mass by himself after the community had done so. His breakfast were famous, and one wasn't able to understand if he ate them with a spirit of penance or if he really liked to mix marmalade with eggplant preserved in oil and boiled bran, together with other things that were unidentifiable. He certainly knew that the other used to smile at this. One day, a co-friar that one day also had to eat breakfast later was in the kitchen while Fr. Alphonsus was consuming his bizarre menu; seeing his co-friar busy looking for what he needed to prepare himself something to eat, Father Alphonsus turned to him and offered what he had prepared, "Would you like some?" The quick - and unexpected - denial of the co-friar was received with an apparently indifferent but very eloquent air.

Another episode. Often times, Father Alphonsus would be offered a lift by the sisters of the Mother House from Marino where there General House is to the center of Rome. The co-sisters, all young, noticed that every time Father Alphonsus was in the car with them, he would cover his head with the capuche, trying to make himself as little as possible. Curious, they asked him why he would do that and Father, with his funny American accent and with a compunctious seriousness like a little boy would reply, "It's not good for people to see a priest in a car with beautiful girls." A chorus of joyful laughter accepted this observation. Later, when a co-friar asked him the same question and he received the same reply, he reassured him, "Don't worry, Father, rather the people, seeing you with the sisters could think you were their grandfather." Father thought for a moment and then humbly nodded, showing that he agreed with this consideration.

Another time, it was the Superior who gave Father a lift. During lunch in the apartment of 'Christ to the World', the co-friars present asked Fr. Alphonsus how he got to the office that day and immediately he replied, "I got married to Mother N." [in Italian, the verb 'to move around' is spostarsi, 'to get married' is sposarsi] Naturally, everyone laughed at this, and when a co-friar told him that he had said the wrong word, he managed to suffocate his laughter in a sob and quickly replied, "Of course I can't get married because I'm celibate!"

Little by little the years went by and Father Alphonsus always acquired more sweetness, like a good bottle of wine the acquires taste and warmth as it ages (this comparison came to me, given that Fr. Alphonsus rarely, if not ever drank wine). Finally, after many years, he went back to the United States, destined by obedience to the community of New Bedford where he continued his apostolate, thanks to the internet that allowed him to send his articles to the office in Rome. Added to this was a more intense activity as a confessor. Progressively however, his age increased and his strength diminished until he was no longer able to write, limiting himself to only hearing confession. He was always ready, despite the ailments and the increasing difficulties he had in moving around. In any case, he was never impatient or difficult to please; detached from everyone, above all from himself, he accepted being inactive, something that unfortunately many men, including priests do not always know how to accept with serenity, passing his time in prayer and rest that the doctors prescribed for his health. It was a luminous sunset, that of Father Alphonsus that we are convinced, arrived at an authentic spiritual childhood. And like a child, he fell asleep in the arms of the Immaculate on May 7th, 2011, the first Saturday of the month.

Goodbye, Father Alphonsus, rather, see you later. We are praying for you, if by chance you need our prayers, but you also need to pray for us who are still on pilgrimage in this difficult world. Beg Jesus for the grace of persevering in faith and in our vocation until we will see each other again to praise the greatness of God and the beauty of Mary for eternity.

Father Massimiliano M. Zangheratti

Ave Maria!

Brazil: Land of Fire... Thirsting for God!

It is clear that any generalization becomes dangerous and superficial if it is taken absolutely.

The youth demand help in their extreme interior loneliness, often resorting to violence. The search for God demands absolute silence, finding in this the strength and courage to get out of the circle. Only in this way does one gain true interior liberty and become the protagonist of one’s own life — choosing, yes, the only possible GOOD: Jesus.

Our Institute has Houses in East- Central Brazil, in Anápolis which is located in the State of Goiás. For motives of apostolate, I have had the opportunity of going to other places (in the Northeast, to be exact). On February 27, a small delegation of friars and sisters departed for various places. In the friars’ car there were three postulants from the area who indicated the roads to take and who organized the meetings we were to have where we went.

The first stop of our trip was Salvador, the capital of Bahia. Traveling “horizontally” through the State of Bahia (about 1,600 miles from Anápolis), the countryside rapidly changed: entire expanses of green gave way to the “Chapadas” (“hills” in the form of a trapezoid, characteristic and exclusive of Brazil); entire rice and soybean plantations alternating with arid countryside. In this arid zone stood small villages of 4-5 houses that were connected to each other; they were almost completely deprived of water. The women had to go once a week to the nearest place where there was a river to wash their clothes… and here one can make a personal and necessary reflection- what about us?

Upon entering Salvador, one immediately notices being in the capital. A billboard informs us: smile because you are in the city of happiness, of the most important carnival of Brazil. The European imprint is more evident here: “antique” buildings; some Churches from the 1500’s; the construction of the houses and other buildings; the structural organization of the city. And next to all this wealth, in the adjacent neighborhoods, are the “favelas” (“slums”) with all of their cultural, economic and moral poverty. Suddenly, while looking at the city, I recognized in the air a “very” familiar scent that grew ever stronger… and I found myself at the ocean.

While traveling, we first went to Salvador where we stopped for two days for the apostolate; and on the way back we stopped there for another four days. We had meetings with the youth of the area in search of their vocation. On Palm Sunday (thanks be to God!) we had a procession full of people, right on the street of the carnival. It ended with the celebration of the Holy Mass, celebrated by the Bishop of the city and concelebrated by many priests, among whom was Fr. Dolindo, FI. Father’s presence (other than guaranteeing us daily Holy Mass) proved to be indispensable for giving direction to all of the youth that asked to be listened to. Father was so untiring in his missionary zeal that 4 boys returned home with the friars.

After Salvador, we left for the city of Maceio, capital of the State of Alagoas. We made intermediate stops in the cities of Battaglia and Arapiraca. The distances (from one place to another) in Brazil are enormous. We traveled for entire hours, stopping often to ask in charity gas, food and other things - everything was given in abundance! In the evening, we sometimes arrived tired and sleepy but happy to bring the Immaculate, who is the only one capable of preparing and opening hearts to the coming of Jesus.

The reason for the trip was to make ourselves known as an Institute and to invite the youth to make an experience with us — a retreat far away from everything and everyone. The Immaculate always rewards our small efforts: one girl came back with us who, today, is an aspirant. Many girls asked to be able to come. Some of them asked to immediately return with us, but their families were not prepared for this unexpected detachment and, worried also about the distance, they prevented the girls from coming back with us. We hope that this prohibition is only momentary. The only thing that remains possible for us to do is to pray and ask the grace from the One who is the Medianeira de todas as Graças (Mediatrix of all Graces) for their correspondence to the call to the religious life.

Ave Maria!

MISSIONARY DAY IN FRANCE

Pignans: October 24, 2010. by Fr. Michele M. Iorio, FI

Our confrere, Fr. Antonio M. Santoro knew that I was going to be in Italy for a period of..."rest", and so he invited me to make a "short visit" to France for the occasion of the Missionary Day that the Friars organize every year on the second last Sunday in October, held in the Shrine of Notre Dame des Anges di Pignans. I accepted the invitation with pleasure because I already knew the place, having been there two years earlier. I must say that I did not regret it. On the contrary! I arrived by plane the evening before and received an exquisite and warm welcome (in spite of the incipient cold) by these Friars, in this convent and shrine, isolated on a mountain, silent and beautiful, in such close contact with heaven. The day of October 24th was intense and fruitful. About a hundred devout and fervent people participated: men and women, old, young and children, all belonging to the different degrees of the M.I.M., as well as some other supporters.

The opening Mass (at 10:30am) of the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time was presided over by the undersigned, Fr. Michele M. Iorio (missionary in Benin and "guest of honor" ), and was concelebrated by two other priest-confreres: Fr. Carlo M. Iellici, Superior of the House, and Fr. Antonio M. Santoro, Spiritual Assistant of the MIM. Fra Laurent M. Gloga served the Mass and led the songs, while some of the MIM read the readings. In my homily, I, Fr. Michele, inspired by the Liturgy of the Word and from the circumstances that united us, urged those present to always do the good but to do it with right intention so as to be truly acceptable to God. At the offertory, after the bread and wine were brought to the altar, a "missionary money bank" from last year here was also brought forward, filled with many donations, but even still more with sacrifices and prayers.

At the end of the Mass, there was another significant ceremony. The faithful drew near to the altar to take a new and empty "money bank" to be filled up by next year. In return they received a rose, which had been blessed ahead of time by the priest, to bring home as a sign and instrument of God's grace to be spread all around, especially to the benefit of those most in need, either in soul or body. Immediately after Mass, (which ended around 12pm) there was held the game of "tombola" (similar to bingo) in the convent, always with a missionary aim. More precisely, numbers were randomly drawn from a lottery in which the tickets had been sold months before by the same members of the MIM. The tickets, which were drawn by two innocent children, rewarded 12 people (some of whom generously re-donated the prize won), but there were also many other famous "consolation prizes." There was joy for all for the good outcome of the initiative. Two-thousand Euro were raised from this "tombolata." The morning was thus concluded by a "bagged lunch," consumed with great "Franciscan joy." At 2:30pm, according to the scheduled program, there was another significant moment: the general gathering of the Associazione Les Amis de la Mission des Franciscains de l’Immacululée, which, for some years now, has been juridically instituted to better work in favor of the missions. At the beginning of the reunion, Fr. Antonio better explained the sense of the Association and immediately afterwards, "guided" the voting of the members for the various offices. Then I was handed an "envelope" containing 2,000 Euro, for the works of the mission in Benin, of which I am the superior. At this point, I was invited to speak, and rightly so I started by cordially thanking them for so much generosity and even more, for their affections and sharing of ideals. Then, I assured them of my prayers, as well as those of my confreres, for all their desires and needs. Naturally, I also briefly spoke about the mission, in particular about the boarding school on which we have just begun working for the poor boys of Bemberekè.

I must clarify that other than the aforementioned "envelope", my confreres also handed me other offerings for the celebration of Holy Masses, as well as a laptop computer which is very useful there in Benin. And thus the day concluded, with a prayer and final blessing, to the great satisfaction of all the participants, but certainly even more so to that of the Lord Jesus, the Virgin Mary and our Patron Saints. I must sincerely say that I was very struck by these brothers and sisters linked to our Institute through the same consecration to the Immaculate. I was struck, edified and even animated by their mutual brotherhood, by their sincere link to the Friars of the community (generously helped by them), by their founded and serious Christian and Catholic spirituality, and finally, by their dedication to the "cause of the mission." I encourage them to always do more and better, above all, to continue to render testimony to the Gospel and to the Faith in a world that seems to have lost the right path. And with Our Lady the journey is truly easy and happy. I profit by this occasion to give my best wishes to those members of the MIM who, next December 8th, the beautiful solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, will either make their Perpetual Profession or their Investiture in the TOFI. As a singular grace, the Bishop of the Diocese, Mons. Domenique Rey will be present for the occasion.

But I also want to congratulate my confreres of the community at Pignans because they carry out a beautiful work for the service of the Institute, the MIM and the missions with conviction and enthusiasm. Among other things, they print the monthly magazine "La Mission de l'Immaculée Mediatrice," many books from Casa Mariana (translated in French), laminated Miraculous Medals cards in diverse languages, pamphlets, calendars, bulletins... The Marian House in France seems to realize in a unique way our contemplative-active charism because the convent is isolated on a mountain and is normally unfrequented, and on the other hand the Friars are so committed to "missionary" work. May daily, ardent prayer always sustain them in their apostolic fervor and on their long, spiritual journey, through the mediation of the Immaculate Virgin!

Ave Maria!

Chad: A mission conceived four years ago…

When events coincide with what one wants to do, it’s not by chance, but it’s providence! I remember as if it were just yesterday when in the summer of 2006, we met the Combonian Bishop Michele Russo, originally from San Giovanni Rotondo. He was visiting his brothers in Benin, traveling along the strip of asphalt that joins Cotonou to Malanville, was attracted by the Shrine of Notre Dame de la Misericorde that had just been completed and by the 90m high pylon of Radio Immacule’e Conception. He couldn’t resist the temptation to enter the Marian Center in Allada and find out more about the life and the activity of the religious living there. During that time, Mons. Russo was trying to find a religious institute to entrust his diocesan radio to, as well as the pastoral care of the national Marian shrine being built in his diocese of Doba, in the south of Chad. The possibility of inviting just one Institute in order to cover this double objective seemed to him to be like a mirage in the desert. In greeting me, he exclaimed with emotion, “It’s Padre Pio that sent me here,” cultivating the hope to soon see some spiritual sons of his glorious co-citizen pray and work in his diocese. One year later, before leaving Benin, I had the possibility to have a first overview of Doba with the support of the then Nuncio of Chad, Mons. Pierre Van Tot, the former Nuncio of Benin and therefore an old friend. Month after month, day after day, ‘a lot of water flowed under the bridge’, according to an African saying, without having been able to send missionaries to that country in Central Africa. In these cases, one prays and abandons oneself to the mysterious and silent action of God, imitating a child that pretends to sleep to make its mother happy…

… and given birth to four years later…

October 26, 2010. I was on the Ethiopian Airlines flight leaving Rome heading for Addis Abbeba, then onto N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad. The airplane was surprisingly full, there were so many Chinese people on it, a witness of how, with the growing disinterest of France and the USA for Africa, the Asian giant is instead taking a greater interest in the Black Continent attracted by the riches above and below ground. I was in the company of my brother from Cameroon, fra Joseph Pierre… who with Beninese Father Clement M. Bonou were to make up part of the community of Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in Doba. Trying to outdo the typical background noise of the airplane’s reactors with a volume of voice slightly higher than normal, I recounted to them how the Institute finally decided to open the mission in Chad towards the end of Spring in 2010. I had desperately tried to contact Mons. Russo without any results. When summer arrived, I imagined that just like other missionary Bishops, Mons. Russo would also be in Italy, asking for help. I called the General Curia of the Combonians, asking for the cell phone number in Italy of the Bishop of Doba, and miraculously, Mons, Russo answered just while he was getting off the airplane! I was afraid that the Bishop would jump so much for joy that he could have a heart attack from one moment to the next! “Truly, this is good news,” he cried and the ‘good news’ was the activity that we wanted to undertake: evangelization.

Water is life

During long flights in airplanes, it is not an illusion that one is overcome with tiredness, but rest becomes an illusion when there is a constant… interruption. “Water is life and life is water” is the phrase that made me say goodbye several times to Orpheus. Seated next to a very thirsty passenger that almost every 15 minutes, surely because of problems with rehydration, was asking to drink, I was able to admire the patience and hospitality of the Ethiopians. The inconvenience was played down by the steward, repeating ‘water is life and life is water’ with a smile on her lips. In the end this phrase became a very amusing tormentor for fra Joseph Pierre Tsobze who even a few days later was still laughing about it. Arrived in Addis Abbeba, the landing hub of the company from where we had to board once more to go to Chad, I was surprised about the development of the city, well structured and built, heir of a genius Italian builder during his brief colonial experience on the horn of Africa. Many Ethiopians speak Italian and many elderly happily remember the 1930’s and the 1940’s before the devastation of Negus that expelled all Catholic missionaries. The brothers of Cardinal Massaja went to Central Africa and from there, the Capucins went to Chad. Maybe without this persecution, evangelization would have arrived much later in this remote and impervious region in Africa. At our last airport police check, I was even more surprised to see the great respect the Ethiopians have for religious. In fact, there is a significant percentage of Christian Copts in the country, isolated, devoted people who asked me for crosses and medals with the simplicity of children. Instead, it is a shame that the Catholics are so few even if the epopee in Ethiopia of Cardinal Massaja, wrote one of the most beautiful pages of history of the evangelization of the entire African continent.

A windshield for an oven

Fra Joseph Pierre and myself, landing at the airport of N’Djamena were met by Estevania, a consecrated laywoman from Mexico. She is from Cuncan, one of the most beautiful seaside resort localities in the Atlantic, devastated a few years ago by Cyclone Wilma. She recounted to us about the frightening force of nature and how, during the cyclone, the air pressure was so strong, that even inside the house, they had to block their ears in order to avoid damaging their eardrums. Estevania belongs to a society of apostolic life and has offered five years of her life to the mission of the African church. It is the economic factotum of the diocese of Doba and has a practical sense out of the norm. Seeing that we had eight hours of travel by road from N’Djamena before we would reach Doba, before leaving the city, Estevania bought little pizzas and eggs that were to be our frugal lunch. Strangely enough, she placed them underneath the windshield of the Land Cruiser and a few hours later, we had ‘hard boiled eggs’ and crunchy hot pizza! In effect, Chad has the northern part that is desert and torrid, uninhabitable if it were not for the great lake with the same name that brings humidity and water, vegetation and ichthyic fauna. Instead, the south is more fertile and temperate, I would dare say climatically even more hospitable than the north of Benin. During the voyage, we traveled along a good asphalted road, crossed every so often by distracted and funny looking dromedaries. Along the edge of the road were enormous rice fields managed by the Chinese most of the time, and close to some little lakes, herds of zebu could be seen. The road coasted alongside and crossed over bridges of the River Chari that marks the natural border with Cameroon and goes as far as the Central African Republic. On a few bridges, it is not possible for two vehicles to cross over in opposite directions and the right of way is entrusted to the humor of the moment, sometimes meaning that one has to back up a half kilometer. The police and the army are always present to monitor the power of Idriss Deby, who imputed himself during the years of the old regime the killing of tens of thousands of opposes. Sometimes, the four wheel drive vehicles of the missionaries are confiscated because they fear they could be used to transport troops of rebels. A bullet from the President’s Guard penetrated the back window of the car of an Italian sister, coming out through the windshield, only because she dared to make a U turn in front of the Presidential palace. As we traveled along, Estevania also recounted about the accident of a reasonably proud group of Italian volunteers who rolled their vehicle. While they were under shock, an English doctor who was with them, without flinching got out of the vehicle through the window that was upside down, dusted off his clothes with his hands, and having lost his sandal, got back into the little truck, belly to the ground in order to look for it. In the end he was more surprised to see how frightened the other passengers were after the accident that he said with British humor, “Is everyone ok? Is there a problem?”

When it was already dark, we arrived at the Bishop's palace in Doba. Father Clement, welcomed us with the Bishop, the Vicar General (from Chad) and two sisters from Benin from the Institute of Saint Augustine who took care of our needs in the Curia. Mons. Michele Russo was happy about our arrival and offered us a large glass of water that when I received it, said to fra Joseph Pierre, "Life is water and water is life!" As a way of putting one to sleep before saying goodnight, a few minutes later, I explained the reason for the laughter that followed more laughter after I said that phrase.

The Shrine in Doba.

On the morning of October 29, with our new missionaries of Chad and the Bishop in person, we travelled along a dirt road that leads to Bopa, 40km from Doba. We travelled through various villages also occupied by the nomads Peuls, an ethnic group that lives as shepherds, present in the immediate Sub Sahara. Once we arrived in Bopa, the spectacle of boulders and rocks was there to greet us, as if they had rained down from the heavens in the midst of the savanna. In fact, they are torn away from the natural topography and from the mineralogical composition of the surrounding terrain and it shouldn't be excluded that they have been produced by meteorites that fell thousands of years ago. On one of these meteorites… sorry(!) rocks, the radio antenna of the diocesan station is located. After climbing a little, we arrived at the little cabin housing the instruments to check the quality of the equipment. The pylon was well mounted but the electrical plug of the transmitter still needed to be re wired. There was a generator to provide electricity and at full power, the signal should be able to arrive in Central Africa. While I was climbing the rock, dozens and dozens of children appeared out of nowhere, together with a 'child mother'. This girl was wearing a funny t-shirt with a map of Chad on it , carrying her little child. I was happy to see many children wearing crucifixes around their necks. I willing offered them some Miraculous Medals that immediately helped to multiply the number of children who this time started to run, together with their mothers. A few hundred meters away, we finally found ourselves in amongst some grottos under the open sky where a temple dedicated to Our Lady of All Nations is about to be built. It will become the National Marian Shrine in Chad. The project is financed by a group of Dutch Catholics and will be venerated under the same title, Our Lady appearing in 1945 to Ida Peerdeman in Amsterdam. Father Marko Rupnik is responsible for the design, a Slovak Jesuit who also designed the crypt of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo. It will be an original construction that will make the most of the natural walls of the grotto for the greater part of the perimeter. The work will commence in a few years time, with the adjacent convent buildings entrusted to the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate for the pastoral care of the religious complex. By this time, the whole village had come out to see us. Children, mothers, the youth and the elderly. The head of the village also arrived, happy to finally see the missionaries in his place. He is a Christian who also understands that a church and a religious community will bring moral and material development to his village. Father Clement gave him a small Rosary and then the head 'begged' some small change from the Bishop for a young man who was complaining that he doesn't have any money, even if in reality, he gave the impression that he didn't like work too much… Alcohol in Chad is a true wound. It already affects the young population and provokes enormous economic and social instability in the families. The 'antenna guard' offered us a nice cup of tea. The Bishops insisted we accept. He is right, because it would have been a very negative cultural sign if we had refused, so much so that it could have compromised the work of evangelization itself. We seated ourselves under a make shift shelter and slowly, with 'an act of faith', tasted the tea that was so sweet that it was like a liquor. I was awake for the next three days!

La voix du paysan

The diocese of Doba already has a Catholic Radio Station. It is enormously powerful and well followed. In a practically dictatorial government, it is called 'the voice of the farmer' in order to avoid suspicion and unrealistic politics about the presumed link with the 'Vatican'… With the former and original denomination, one would be able to classify it as a modest station broadcaster at the service of the rural communities, linking them together. In reality, it is the first private radio station in the country, but it broadcasts only four hours a day, both in French and in Gambay, the local language. There is a poor radio program that runs only the emotiveness of some news stories. The rest is filled up with songs which are not always religious. The Bishop, aware of the limit of paid lay people that work there, wanted to improve the editorial quality and the number of hours of transmission. With a lot of patience one will now have to train the already existing personnel and make it contribute for the cause of the apostolate. The necessary challenges will be creativity and professionalism for a new editorial line. The direction of the radio station has been entrusted to our Institute in the person of Fr. Clemente M. Bonou. As a bank of programs, Radio Immacule'e Conception in Benin will also be contributing, at least for the initial period. It has the capacity to be received via satellite on the whole continent of Africa. The friars in Benin generously sent to Chad all the equipment necessary for a radio studio, even if the equipment will not be used yet for another few months as there still isn't a building ready to house it… It will be really interesting to try to broadcast the signal even outside the Diocese of Doba. On our part, there is good will and preparation and the Institute has accepted this new duty with passion and participation, knowing how much good the radio can do, especially in Africa. For the other part, it will all be possible if one will live the Kolbean charism and fraternal communion with fidelity as a witness of solidarity and a general involvement.

The crocodile and the lizard

"There can be no argument between a crocodile and a lizard," goes an old West African proverb. Doba can also be called the 'Dallas of Chad', using more ones imagination than making an analogy, given its location close to many petroleum wells. In these parts, the 'crocodiles' are called Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco and Petronas, international petroleum companies (two American and one Malaysian). The 'lizard' is the government of Chad, lead by General Idriss De'by since 1990. But their forced relationship has transitive properties, and therefore inside the country, De'by becomes the crocodile and the civil society becomes the lizard. Mons. Russo says, "Since 1960, Africa does not have peace because it has too many resources. The continent is rich with petroleum, gold, diamonds, wood, steel and uranium. Africa could become a haven, but the riches are stolen from us. The little that is left to the population is sucked up by corrupt administrators and politicians." Since 1969, it was known that Chad had petroleum basins in it. At that time, the president was Francois Tombalbaye, a man chosen by Charles De Gaulle as the 'father of the country' when Chad gained its independence in 1960. Tombalbaye rapidly got rid of all political opponents, centralizing all the power in his hands. Fascinated by the 'politics of authenticity' of his colleague Mobutu in Zaire, he surrounded himself with soothsayers, feticheurs and specialists in voodoo that he had brought to him from Haiti; he changed his Christian name into an African Ngarta ('at last the head') and the name of the Capital city of Fort Lamy into N'Djamena, putting on the unmistakable leopard skin hat and obliging all his followers to participate in a rite of initiation to wash away the traces of colonialist patriotism, the same ones who put him in power. Executed 'by the Tombalbaye people', Chad entered a period of confusion in which fanning the fire of internal conflicts, Muhammar Gheddafi had arrived in the meanwhile, he being the financer of the most powerful movement of political-military opposition, 'Frolinat', a strange mixture of Marxism and Islam. Under these conditions, no progress was possible in the area of exploiting the petroleum. A first attempt was made with the advent of the ruthless Hisse'ne Habre', who passed from the support of Libya to France. It was not however until the military victory of Idriss De'by in 1990 that all were more or less in agreement: Libya definitively renounced her expansionistic intentions and France maintained her historical chasse garde'e ('hunting grounds') in Central Africa. From that moment onwards, it was possible to talk about petroleum, even if the affair was risky, not only because of all the internal unruliness. Towards the end of the 90's, the American companies 'begged' at the doors of the World Bank for the financing of the pipeline project from the petroleum basins in Doba to the port of Kribi in Cameroon. It was all done in the name of 'development' and the humanitarian cause. In any case, the experience of many African nations, starting with Nigeria, has abundantly demonstrated that petroleum doesn't make one happy, rather… "Since October 10, 2003, the exploitation of the petroleum resources started and the situation for my people has worsened rather than improved," said Mons. Michele Russo with his more than thirty years of experience of living in Chad and more than twenty of them as a Combonian Bishop in the diocese of Doba. If it wasn't for a few large jeeps of belonging to the international corporations, the cellular phones and a few internet points, truly one would not be able to tell which year one is living in, also because newspapers practically do not exist. It is enough to travel a few kilometers from the center of the Capital city and there clay houses with galvanized iron roofs, and just a little further on, traditional villages. Where does the money from the petroleum go? This is what the entire nation is still asking until today. "How can one," continues Mons. Russo, "speak about justice, peace and reconciliation when we are not in charge of what we have?" In the petroleum region in the south, the start of the extraction by the multinational foreigners has caused the immigration of thousands of Chadians from other provinces looking for work. The demand for primary needs has augmented, but the goods offered have remained very low, in such a way that the prices have in some cases quadrupled. These days, the people who hoped to improve their living conditions, are cursing the petroleum and are losing hope for a better future. Besides a few thousand workers involved in the construction of the pipeline, many of whom have already been let off from work, only a few lawless hotelkeepers without a conscience have had success fixing astronomical prices for their rooms and some prostitutes who entertain the expatriates. Delusion, poverty and frustration have thus favored the increase of the use of alcohol that an ever greater portion of the population turns to, including the young. The extraction of petroleum had not even yet started and the 'great' President De'by had already spent the bonus advance payment given by the extraction groups on weapons. Schools or machine guns? Hospitals or armed cars? Quite simply, the companies deposit 5% of the income of the net cost of production and transport, fixed without control or public discussion by the companies themselves, after which, the earnings from the work should be used by the government to construct infrastructures in the country, for health, education and other social costs according to the bond dictated by the World Bank, but not respected by the government. Even the international humanitarian organizations that used to support us with projects of development and financial aid, have abandoned us since the extraction of petroleum started" - declared Mons. Russo - "and my diocese, my community does not have the economic strength to survive any more. And it is humiliating to have to go to Italy to ask for help in order to not send every one home." "It makes one angry," the Bishop continued, "that the major part of the people do not have work and live in misery, while twenty kilometers away from the Bishop's house, 8 million dollars of black gold is extracted from the ground every day. We are exploiting Africa with four hands and in exchange, we give alms that Africa truly does not need. This is a game that must end." "It's the game of the crocodile and the lizard."

All Saints

On the solemnity of All Saints, the new community of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate was presented in the cathedral to the Catholic community of Doba. It consisted in Fr. Clemente and fra Joseph Pierre. The Bishop (whose motto is 'evangelize Africa with Africa') opens the celebration with a solemn reprimand for his faithful. He was not able to hide his disappointment, after years of pastoral experiments, made up of foundation communities and social initiatives about the decline in the number of Christians. Armed with a great deal of good will, he has tried to make himself all things to all men, from the mediation with the guerilla warfare in the civil war to the creation of a 'cereal bank' where the crops harvested by the poor farmers can be stored until a more profitable moment arrives for the market. There is still a lot to be done and to evangelize, but the seed of the Good News has been planted. One remembers the tombs of the old Capuchin missionaries, together with the presence of the new religious communities that come to Doba and to Chad. In fact, one is struck by the richness of young religious institutes present in the diocese with the best of intentions and projects. Surely it will be necessary to join together and focus more on the sacred signs, once more wearing the religious habit and clearly establishing those liturgical gestures that have been left too much to improvisation and a questionable form of enculturation. In the Capital city, Holy Mass is even celebrated sitting down! Perspiring profusely, the celebration took place with the reading of the Gospel in the various local languages and the synthetic translation of the homily in as many dialects. Joy and agreement make the people forget the Bishop's reprimand when the friars were presented, the engagement in the Catholic Radio station, the pastoral care of the Marian Shrine and… the Diaconal Ordination of fra Joseph Pierre to be held on January 9, 2011, the Baptism of Jesus. After Holy Mass, we just had enough time for a snack, enjoying some little pizzas that I had never enjoyed in Africa, prepared by the Alcantarine Franciscan Sisters that are constructing a house of charity next to the Cathedral to house girls at risk. More than eight hours of sitting in a large jeep are before me, separating me from the Capital city and its airport. I fraternally greeted my brothers, leaving them a blessing and adding to my thanksgiving for Holy Communion a prayer for the realization of the desires of the Immaculate in that far away land. In the Spring of 2011 other brothers will increase the initial mini community in order to occupy the canonical building of the first Cathedral (the ex convent of the Capuchin friars) and the ex convent of the Combonian Sisters a few months later, where it will also be possible to see if a house of formation can be situated there. It will all depend on the fidelity to the charism and to the Institute, an indispensible condition for the apostolic and vocational fecundity. The sun had already set two hours before when I arrived in N'Djamena, accepting hospitality from some Japanese-French Sisters. Here, the climate was different, hotter and drier with the perceptible feeling of tiny particles of sand from the Sahara desert suspended in the air. Hot water came out of the faucet and there wasn't any need to use a towel to dry oneself. The generator makes up for the continuous interruptions of electricity in the Capital city, but its background noise is certainly not compatible with sleep. Towards midnight, everything went silent, like a charm. The generator was off, but with it, also the movement of air produced by the ceiling fan. The blades that before were driving the mosquitoes away like a mechanical scarecrow no longer frighten the rush of these parasitical insects, damaging my worn out brother ass. Tomorrow morning, on the airplane for Cameroon, I'll be able to catch up on sleep during the flight. All for the Immaculate!

Father Alfonso Maria Bruno, F.I.