Sunday 6 February 2011

Atlas Monk Br. Jean-Pierre



please excuse the Microsoft translation.

Jean-Pierre in Le Figaro Magazine 
The last monk of Tibhirine testifies to martyes
-Forwarded Message-----
From: Sr. Christina  [Palm Island, Queensland, Australia]
To: Nivard - - -
Cc: Donald - - -
Feels: Sun, February 6, 2011 7: 15: 06
Subject: FW: Fw: itw of f. Jean-Pierre in Le Figaro Magazine
Dearest Nivard and Don.
I just received this article, on the Atlas Monkd, from our Australian General in Rome.She personally knew the monks at martyrs while working in Morocco.

All is well here after the horrendous Cyclone... we thought our end had come so pace was the wind and rain but thank the Lord we have had no major casualties.
Will send details later.
Lots of love and prayers.
Chris 


The last monk of martyrs testifies
By Jean-Marie guénois
04/02/2011 | Last updated: 18: 31 reactions ( 6 )
88 Years, Jean-the brother Pierre, only survivor of the monastery of Tibihirine, think every day about missing brothers, but rejecting nostalgia, he chose the expectancy.

INTERVIEW - Rescued from the killing of 1996, he had never mentioned since the death of the monks of martyrs. We found Brother Jean-Pierre in a monastery at Morocco, where he agreed to talk exclusively for Le Figaro Magazine. He talks about his missing, brothers of the tragic events that they have experienced, Xavier Beauvois, film men and gods. But his faith and his life expectancy. Light maintenance.
LE FIGARO MAGAZINE. -Have you enjoyed the film "men and gods"?
Brother Jean-Pierre.- It me very deeply touched. I was excited to review the things that we've lived together. But I especially felt a kind of fullness, no sadness. I found the film very beautiful because his message is so true, even if the achievement is not always accurate compared to what happened. But it has no importance. Essentially, this is the message. And this film is an icon. An icon says much more than what you see... It is a bit like a Gregorian chant. When it is well composed, the author has developed a message, and one who sings is even more so, because the spirit works in him. In this sense, this film is an icon. It is a real success, a masterpiece.
You have no criticism to make?
I have heard some criticism of the role of the prior, Mr. Christian. Some find it a bit cleared, but I find it very well. Others find austere because the never seen smiling. But it is quite in character that suits the serious situation that we have crossed. In this role, I admire his way to be listening to the brothers, especially in difficult times. He does not want to impose. He is listening. One can feel full of respect for the brothers. It is clear the pastor and his desire to open up to God, to leave work by God and have the reaction should be to the brothers. In the film, we see this openness to God, asked, it is influenced by him. C'est monastic!
Is there a loss of real history?
I have not felt this.
But how, as a monk, live you the success of the film?
We are delighted and amazed to see such a success, but do we have for nothing! Being known bothers me a little... A monk is to be hidden.

The Chapel, the "Memorial" and photos of seven brothers beheaded. Lower-right, one brother Amédée, also rescued from Tibihirine and died here in Midelt, at the Morocco.

Why were you oppose the principle of the filming of the movie?
We did not wanted to accept the film and his shooting at the Morocco, because of the danger of suspicion of proselytism. Some, at that time, receiving more their residence card for a long time. We must be very prudent but we were left to the will of the Lord. We have therefore not been consulted. The team knew our objection and the reasons for our prudence. They were very respectful.
When you come to martyrs?
I remember never this September 19, 1964. When we arrived at 2 CV of the monastery, I will always see this child, seated on a donkey, who came to our meeting to greet us. I was very pleased. My small cell, I saw the fence, garden and distant village. I then said: this is the landscape that I see the rest of my life. Because in my heart forever. No return. I am remained thirty-two years, from 1964 to kidnapping in 1996.
How was life there?
The beginnings were difficult. The community lacked stability and this was a very hard to live period. Furthermore, the new Algeria put in place. Relations with the surrounding people were not obvious. There were reflexes of rejection of the French. It felt this divide on the occasion of the celebrations, Christian or Muslim. It had nothing to do with each other. We have therefore struggled against this and tried to tame mutually. This clinic, hosted by brother Luke, was very important. He received up to 80 persons per day! Then, Mr. Christian was elected prieur, in 1984. We needed someone like him who spoke Arabic and familiar with Muslim culture. From there, we have become a true community, more stable. Those who promised really were. We were almost independent. Which was an advantage, because this us to take many initiatives in the Muslim-Christian relationship.
Mr. Christian he played what role?
There, with him, an evolution towards the islamology6. He personally much studied the Koran. In the morning, he was doing his lectio divina with a Bible in Arabic. He was sometimes meditation with the Koran. He was seeking to evolve. We had relations with islam, but not at an intellectual level. He was very familiar with the Muslim community and Sufi spiritual. Some monks felt that the community should remain balanced and that everything should not be orientated by islam. What causes friction. These tensions eventually be exceeded through the creation of a group of Exchange and sharing with Sufi Muslims, that we had called the ribât. We had understood discussion of dogma divided because it was impossible. It was the path to God. They prayed silently, each according to his prayer to him. These biennial meetings were interrupted in 1993, when it began to become dangerous. But this mutual knowledge made us real brothers, in depth.
What father Mr. Christian you scored?
I was struck his home, is her inner passion for discovery of the Muslim soul and to live this communion with them and with God, while remaining truly monk and Christian.
Who were you nearest?
Brother Luke! It was very close both. There was no priest, he was brother. Could confide in him. It was full of wisdom. In a small community where there is not many priests, it is not easy to find a spiritual director. If we had a problem or a difficulty in relation to a brother, would first see brother Luke, knowing full well how he would respond. It was a model... Chapter, even during the period of tension and fear, he always had the word to laugh. It was valuable for common life. Even if, as a doctor, he had a special regime, because he was in his clinic all day and was, in addition, the kitchen! He began his days 1 hour of the morning to be ready for 7 hours at the clinic. There were many asthma and couldn't sleep. He slept sitting! I was also very close to brother Amédée, the other survivor who died here in Midelt.

Notre-Dame de L'atlas perpetuates, at Morocco, the spirit of Tibihirine and the same tradition of dialogue with all  .

Pray with your brothers missing?
I try to have a time every morning. It is not forgotten. They are still present. All. Trying to move forward. The film, from this point of view, stimulates us in our vocation.
Your brothers speak you in prayer?
No, not yet... I am sure that they are near to the Lord. I got it at the beginning of their martyrdom. This gives joy, not sorrow. This is what I'm seeing film: joy, step of nostalgia! (laughter). Hoping that the Lord sends us other monks who want to live it.
Do not you feel never nostalgia for life to martyrs?
A little Yes... We experienced great things together. And then this life together to represent the Lord and the Church. It is a beautiful vocation. It can go far. Christ is greater than the Church. The Sufis used an image to speak of our relationship with Muslims. This is a double slope scale. Asked by Earth and the top touches the sky. We climb on the one hand, they climb on the other hand, depending on their method. Moreover it is close to God, it is close together and others. And conversely, more close with each other, it is more close to God. All theology is there!
And yet it is the death which was...
What we have lived here together and at the outset, was an action of grace. It was prepared together. By fidelity to our vocation, it had chosen to stay knowing very well what could happen. The Lord sends us, we are not going to resign even though around us, violent seek to let us go, and even the officials. But we have our master and we were committed to him. Second came the desire to be faithful to the people of our environment to not abandon them. They were also threatened us. They were taken crossfire between the army and terrorists, the rebels. Not to separate decision was taken in 1993. And even if we had been dispersed by force, should find itself in Fez, in the Morocco start to settle in another Muslim country.
How do you live what happened: as a failure or an accomplishment?
After removal, Amédée father and I have been forced down in Algiers with police. Praying for our brothers. So God gives them the strength and grace to go all the way. Expected an intervention of the France or ecclesiastical intervention to obtain their release. They learned their death 21 May 1996. We were praying Vespers. Suddenly, a young brother arrived at the Chapel and jumped to everyone shouting stomach, her despair: "brothers were killed." At night, while we were side-by-side to do the dishes, I told him: "It live it as something very beautiful, very large." It must be worthy. And the mass we will say to them will not be black. It will be rouge.» We immediately saw them, in fact, as martyrs. Martyrdom was the fulfillment of everything we had prepared for a long time, in our lives. These years that we had lived together in danger. We were ready, all. But this did not exclude the fear.

The Chapel, beating heart of the monastery: to the left of the altar icon reported Virgen de Tibihirine, now securely hang here in the Morocco.   

When was fear it started?
From 1993, the visit of the GIA, on Christmas Eve. The community then considerably expanded union and depth. The danger was now everywhere, all times, day and night. This has shaken us much. It is really passed by the hollow at the time there.
What happened exactly?
They did the wall at night, Christmas 1993. It was in the sacristy with Célestin, preparing songs for mass of Christmas cards. Armed to the teeth men have surrounded us. Croats were killed, thought to spend there also. They assured us. Because we were religious, they we would nothing. But they then began typing on the Government. Then the head stated: "I want to see the Pope of the coin.»". Is gone seeking Christian, who immediately said: "No, it is not here with guns." If you want to come here, let your arms on the outside. Nobody has ever entered here with weapons. "Here, it is a House of peace! They finally talked and asked three things: that the doctor can treat the wounded in the mountains, drugs, money. Tactfully, Christian answered no to all three applications. Except for the wounded, who could come, like everyone else, at the clinic. Then he said in Arabic that we prepared "the feast of the birth of the prince of peace". They did not and apologized, but they said: "one reviendra.»". By giving your password: they require "Mr Christian." That evening, midnight mass took a particular taste. The next chapter, we began discussions about the future.
What have you decided?
That if they ask for money, is to give them a little to avoid violence, but we thought however leave because we didn't collaborate with them. Then the Bishop of Alger came to tell us that if it decided to leave, should not leave all together, not overreact Church of Algeria. It was decided that two of us would leave. Célestin, who had been traumatized by this Christmas and had to undergo six heart bypass surgery, and brother Paul, who was in need of rest.
Was there unanimity among you?
There was another chapter after this Christmas. One thought was to stay, others better leave. So at this time, for safety, we were forced to close the monastery at the end of the afternoon and in the morning. We also told the participants no longer come. We were isolated. This changed the economy of the monastery and needed to find other ways to live.
There was therefore a discrepancy?
It has evolved. Fr. Armand Veilleux, comes one of the last preaching retreats, we were told that we had reached "the Summit" of our common life. We were reached unanimously at the decision to stay. Fraternal relations were still welded. Chapter, we cannot take lightly decisions also serious. From GIA, for a start, on our conduct if we were removed or dispersed... We were then all decided to stay, but the fear of what would happen was present, more or less, each and others. But it was necessary to continue to live. There were attacks on the right and left. Relatives of the monastery were arrested or threatened. This is the climate in which it lived.  

Brother Jean-Pierre sings offices with a voice of young man; in his eyes, the serenity, but also intense inner joy.  

Serenity, don't even once asked the choice to stay?
No, no. In the evening, when they sang Compline, there as a shelter from danger, lead, who hung on the monastery. At night he could achieve anything. It was said: that happens tonight? It did not propose to be killed, but we knew that this could happen at any time. We had the chance to be a community. And life continued, was Cook, the another gardener, the other looked after administration. This allowed to forget, but in the evening, at night, is asked what could happen. It would say not, but everyone thought.
And what happened on the night of the removal?
On the evening of the Rapture, I was in the room of the doorman. I awoke about 1 a.m., the voice sounds to the portal. They were already inside, in the garden. Probably they wanted to see the doctor. I was expecting they knock at the door for me. I went to the window. I saw one went directly to the House of brother Luc. This was not normal, because when we want to see the doctor knock in the portal and the doorman appeared. And I heard a voice saying: "who is the head." And I recognized Christian. I said: "he heard them before me, it opened them and give them what they veulent.»". At the end of a quarter of an hour, I heard the door opens onto the street to close and I thought they were gone. A bit later fr. Amédée struck and told me: "the brothers have been removed." They were left by behind, otherwise I would have heard.
What did you feel then?
The question I am immediately asked me was whether: if I had heard and seen out, that I have done? I stayed or will I ran behind to go with them?
And your answer?
I have not yet responded. If this happened, it was not easy, but I feel that I would have run behind. Amédée told me once: "they won't kill them, because if they had intended to do so, they would have done any of suite.»". It was indeed very difficult to move the mountain at night, because there was a military post not far away, on the Hill. In addition, brother Luke was 82 years old and another came out of the hospital, with six bypass. Walk with people like this, it wasn't easy. It was thought that they were going to use them for something. In the meantime we feel alone, deprived of our brothers. The community was demolished. We hoped that they would be quickly released, as if they were not returning, life was finished at the monastery.

An excerpt from the film by Xavier Beauvois, men and gods
Why the kidnappers did not become as usual?
When they came, they were the wall. Then, inside, opened the door gave on the street. There was a single bolt. This door was never closed to key. We wanted our relationships are based on mutual trust.
The kidnappers were people from the GIA or not?
Guardian of the monastery told me that they had come first at home by saying that they wanted to see the doctor, on the pretext that they had two serious injuries. He had answered that fathers were prohibited to extend its service for custody of the monastery at night. What was true, we the him had forbidden so that there is no problem for him and his family in the event of misfortune, there occurred an assault... They insisted. Goalkeeper got out of his home by the courtyard to the monastery. There, he fell on a group that was already in the courtyard. Taken before the portal giving among the doorman, he was in the midst of another group who had detained the father Christian. He then asked the question: "who is the head." One of the kidnappers responded by designating the leader: "it is he, the Chief, he must obey. Then one of them, speaking to the guardian asked: "they are seven." The guardian responded: "it is as you dis.»." However, we were nine... It is therefore probably the reason why father Amédée and myself have not taken; because when they had arrested seven brothers, they left the scene without searching the House.
But you, what do you think: who kidnapped? The GIA or army?
We know that what happened in the monastery. For the rest, it questions like everyone else. The investigation continues. Regards the GIA, guardian told me that when they fell, one of those who accompanied him told one of his colleagues: "will search for a string, it will see what it is that the GIA", because they wanted to kill him, but he managed to be Eclipse.
Several years later, no do you see unclear on the reasons for removal?
It sees no clear. In one of his releases Medi 1 radio, the GIA gives a reason for killing: "people evangelize their contact, because they had relationships and they left their monastery, that monks do not need to. They deserve death. "We are entitled to execute them." This is therefore one of the reasons. It is given by the Islamists themselves. Subsequently, other reasons were given instead of assumptions, which are pending the verdict of the trial judge continues an investigation into the circumstances of their kidnapping and killing.

The new monastery is nestled in the foothills of the Atlas, where a divine hand seems to have signed the landscape.    

How do you live this conundrum?
We would like to know who killed and where the bodies are buried. Would like to know, but it is, this worry no more. This does not alter the brothers died. They died for reasons why they chose to stay. This is why they are martyrs. They gave their lives. They were ready to give their lives for it.
Can we expect the martyrdom?
Some did, but it wasn't our State of mind. It did not wish to, it wasn't there for that. But it had to be ready for this. We were in the hands of God. And that is why, in this state of mind, my brothers died. I must acknowledge and say that we were not extremely outraged. Of course, this brand, does suffer, it is the penalty... But we know "why", it was all ready for this! Life is just a passage, it ends in one way or another. After it joined the Lord.
Can inspired by their sacrifice, Xavier Beauvois, film be a ferment of reconciliation between Christians and Muslims?
Of course! The example of the brothers in their relationship with people, with Muslims, show that can become true brothers in communion, together, in depth and not only on the surface. In depth before God. Some have lived. It is not uncommon. When Christians see this, they realize that Muslims are like other people. Some are very good: values of hospitality, friendliness, helpfulness, find themselves. As well as the values of union with God, daily prayers. They have relationships with God which are sometimes very surprising and which are real examples for us Christians. A friend of Christian, who gave his life for him, he was told: Christians do not pray... They are very charitable, they provide many services, but it never sees pray! Many Christians could hear this.
You've never felt hate during and after such drama?
It is curious, but I did not feel this feeling.
And bitterness?
No more.
How do you interpret current hardening of some Muslims against Christians, whose recent attacks have been a sign?
This comes from the extremists. True Muslims say, this is not us this. They are ashamed of what happened to the brothers. This is not the religion. " On the other hand, is is not enough. It collects through violent and this creates a tendency between itself and a fear of contacts. The solution is to cultivate friendships, even if it can be rolled.
To be driving?
Yes, some say, the reciprocal, you will see little or not: it allows Muslims to build mosques, but can still run to build churches at home!
You really think? Christians are, in fact, often accused of naivete with islam...
The question is not here. By faith, we are in danger! It is in the Gospel: "Love as I have loved you." Then it often loses, he should know. But sometimes it may react. So is reciprocity and mutual recognition can go very far.
What is your hope for 2011?
It is hoped that love is always the strongest. Only God's love will be the last word. Founded in God, hope must remain. And it is not we who can solve this. Expectancy invincible, as said   Christian Cherge. It should not be defeated, she must always remain open, based on God, his grace. Even when you die under the blows. As he said, hope must be open...    


NEWS FROM  "Airts and Pairts - - -"            
Dear, Christina, 
Severe storms have knocked our Broadband for two days. So contact gives us all the welcome of your happenings.
The first is the reassuring progress after the horrendous  cyclone of Queensland. making its impact on your Palm Island. Thank God you are surviving.
The other news, like news than can come the longest route and the shortest delivery. Thank you for the Email from Rome giving us the latest information about our Atlas monks now in Morocco.
Br. Jean-Pierre, 88, speaks well of the monastery that was previously in your FMM, (Franciscan Missionaries of Mary). There is a strong link of the OCSOs and FMMs.  
The Le Figaro article is very welcome and acknowledge thanks        for translation and for the Blog.  

Hoping you will have all the support for the cyclone survival heavy work.
God bless.
Donald
       

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow! Thanks to all involved in making possible the interview Brother Jean-Pierre. Reading his words are a blessing!