austraLasia
1449
Pakistan: "Prayers
please...If we teach them to love, then there is
hope".
LAHORE: 15th February 2006 -- To
steal a line from our UK counterpart, Rualink, 'Prayers please' for our
Salesians and for many others in Pakistan. This morning's direct
information from Pakistan is disturbing, but it is also a useful reflection and
stimulus to prayer. Anyone who has been through experiences of mob
violence, be it a coup or 'cartoon' reaction, has a certain feeling of
helplessness which only strong faith can counteract. I think you will
sense both in the drama being played out in the lines that follow. The writer is
mailing from outside of Lahore, since duty took him elsewhere, but he is in
touch there and feels the immediate need to return
there.....
"Unfortunately the effects of the famous cartoons are now very much
felt in Pakistan
as well. It seems that the rage of thousands of Islamists is now free to
manifest itself against the usual targets: in the centre of
Lahore the Mc.Donalds places,
Telenor franchises (phone company from
Norway), and
even Banks were burned today. Several people have been killed and I got a call
from Sister X, Spanish nun serving in
Lahore for the last 9 years. They
have not seen this kind of anger before, with Police, Army and Rangers
completely unable to prevent the crowds from burning places related to Western
interests. From the Oblates of Mary Immaculate I got the news that they have
been asked by Police to remove all crosses and stickers with religious symbols
'because these people are crazy' according to one policeman (Could it be that
after all, the Cross is still such a relevant symbol and they are still afraid
of it?) Here where I am the Postulants have advised us not to venture in the
streets, and other Spanish citizens are asking me to proceed to
Islamabad instead of
Lahore tomorrow… but we have the
school, 90% of them Christians, in
Lahore so I am in a hurry to go
back. Once again being not only a Westerner but above all, a Christian, is a
reason to be killed in this country.
What can one say in the midst of
all this violence, hatred and these senseless actions? Already the mass media
have produced enough material to analyse each and every aspect. I just point out
that this is not the time to think of East versus West but that it is a kind of
civil war within Islam itself: either Islam is the Religion of Peace and Love
that Muslim moderates want to sell us so often, or it is what we are seeing
these days in many countries around the world. They will have to solve this
dilemma if they want to be credible at this point in History. Finally, what a
challenge ahead for our Congregation, to think that our work with youth
from these countries can prepare new generations of youth who can bring hope and
new role models into these societies! What a responsibility as Youth Ministers!
Let us take up this challenge! If we teach young people to hate then we will
harvest what we see now. But if we teach them to love then there is hope. Let
everyone be accountable for what we sow. Please, continue to pray for the only 2
Salesians at present in
Pakistan".
______________________
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