IN LOVING COMMEMORATION
OF THE SEVEN MARTYRS
OF OUR LADY OF ATLAS,
TIBHIRINE
COMMENT:
With thanks from William,
for the Atlas Monks greeting and Seven Red Roses on time to Nunraw Memorial Mass
----- Forwarded Message -----
FROM: William
Sent: Tuesday, 19 May 2015, 20:46
Subject: 21 May 2015
FROM: William
Sent: Tuesday, 19 May 2015, 20:46
Subject: 21 May 2015
 |
| 7 Seven Roses for Atlas Martyrs WJW |
Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)
Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk, Doneword :http://www.donewill.blogspot.co.uk |domdonald.org.uk, Emails: nunrawdonald@yahoo.com, nunrawdonald@gmail.com
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: William ......
To: Donald.....
Sent: Thursday, ....
Subject: ...../ Atlas Martyrs
From: William ......
To: Donald.....
Sent: Thursday, ....
Subject: ...../ Atlas Martyrs
##%"#%%
| 21st Anniversary - Atlas Monks |
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12th May 2015
Dear Father Donald,
I have today ordered the roses for your Commemoration of the Atlas Martyrs, to be delivered on 19th May along with the card for the Community, and here enclose a personal copy for you, to share with you, for it is through you that Fr Christian and his brothers became special to me, the "brothers who are absent".
Thank you for acknowledging the success of the 'screen view' format of the card sent by email! I thought that the 'screen view' might supply for you should you intend to extend the Commemoration to those of your wider circle of Brethren who shared in the hours as news of the tragedy unfolded.
I chose quotations from Bemard Olivera's commendation exhibited on the Vatican website, on the depth of their commitment to the vow of stability, as so revealed in their writings with such intensity: and I chose to end with those poignant pictures of their abandoned habits, and the silent bells.
True to their faith, true to their monastic vows, true to their commitment, true indeed to all that these mean in the life of a Cistercian monk.
Cherishing their memory with you,
Mflv ~ ,kv~ ,u,;, Ch~ W '1'(1)/)/1,~il~
William
 |
| Tibhirine Cross 21st May 2015 |
Monastery of Tibhirine
At approximately 1:15 AM on 27 March 1996, about twenty armed members of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) arrived at the monastery of Tibhirine and kidnapped seven monks. Two others, Father Jean-Pierre and Father Amédée, were in separate rooms and escaped the kidnappers' notice. After the kidnappers left, the remaining monks attempted to contact the police, but found that the telephone lines had been cut. As there was a curfew in force, they had to wait until morning to drive to the police station in Médéa.
On 18 April, the GIA announced that they would release the monks in exchange for a former GIA leader who had been arrested three years earlier. On 30 April, a tape with the voices of the kidnapped monks, recorded on 20 April, was delivered to the French Embassy in Algiers. On 23 May, the GIA reported that they had executed the monks on 21 May. The Algerian government announced that their heads had been discovered on May 31; the whereabouts of their bodies is unknown. The funeral Mass for the monks was celebrated in the Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Afrique (Our Lady of Africa) in Algiers on Sunday, 2 June 1996. They were buried in the cemetery of the monastery at Tibhirine two days later.
The surviving two monks of Tibhirine left Algeria and set up in
the Trappist monastery near Midelt in Morocco
Quotations from Bernard Olivera’s testimony to the Seven Brothers (Vatican website)
THE BROTHERS OF ATLAS TESTIMONY NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
Extract from the letter which Father Christian had thought to send on December 28th, 1993 , to Sayah Attiya, head of the GIA and of the group of armed men who came to the door of the monastery on Christmas Eve:
My Brother, allow me to address you in this way; man to man, believer to believer, (...) In the present conflict in which the country is living, it is impossible for us to take sides. As foreigners we are forbidden to do so. Being monks (ruhban) we are bound to the choice God has made for us, that of prayer and a simple life, of manual work, of welcoming and sharing with everyone above all with the poor (...) These principles of life are freely accepted by each of us. They bind us until death. I do not think God wills that this death should come through you (...) If, one day, the Algerians see that we are too many, then we will respect their desire to see us leave. With deep regret. I know that we will continue to love them, ALL of them, including you. When and how this message will reach you? It is of little importance! But today I need to write to you. Forgive me for doing so in my mother tongue. You will understand. And may the Only One of all life, lead us! Amin
The possibility of a violent death
After the assassination of two Sisters in September 1995: The celebration took place in a beautiful atmosphere of serenity and offering. It brought together a very small Church whose remaining members were all aware that the logic of their presence would now have to include the possibility of a violent death. For many this has been like a new and radical plunge into the very charisma of their congregation (...) it is also a return to the source of the first call. Therefore it is clear that it is everyone's desire for not one of these Algerians to whom our consecration binds us in the name of the love God has for them, to wound this love by killing any one of us, or any one of our brothers. Lord disarm me, and disarm them. (Christian, Letter September 1995)
After the assassination of Fr Henri, a Marist: I was personally very close to Henri. His death seems so natural, so fitting for a long life lived entirely given over to the ordinary people. He seems to me to belong to the category which I call "the martyrs of hope", those of whom one never speaks because it is in the patience of daily life that they shed their blood, all of it. I understand in this sense "monastic martyrdom". It is this instinct which leads us not to change anything, if it is not part of an on-going effort at conversion (but here too, nothing changes!) (Christian, Letter July 5th 1994).
Masters and Mystics of the School of Charity
I hope when the times comes, to be conscious enough to ask pardon from God and from my brothers in humanity, and at the same time to forgive my aggressor with all my heart...(Christian, spiritual testament)
How could I rejoice if this people whom I love were indistinctly accused of my death. This is too high a price for the "grace of martyrdom" to have to owe it to an Algerian, whoever he may be, above all if he thinks to act out of fidelity to Islam as he believes it to be. (...), And for you too, friend of the last hour, who did not know what you were doing. Yes, for you too I wish this THANK YOU and this A-DIEU. And that we may meet again, happy thieves in paradise, if it pleases God the Father of us all. Amen! (Christian, Spiritual Testament.)
I do not think that violence can eliminate violence. We cannot exist as men if we do not accept to make ourselves images of Love, as love was revealed in Christ, a just man, who suffered the punishment of the unjust (Luke, Letter March 24th 1996).
There is no true love of God without unconditional readiness for death (Luke, Letter March 19th 1995).
Not having the linguistic and religious knowledge to undertake dialogue with Islam, I feel called simply to listen. And it is God heard in his Word sent to us, who tells me to listen, to accept all this reality, foreign, different. Until I feel responsible for it: that the Spirit may lead it to the whole truth. And if we may walk this path together; so much the better! And we can speak or keep silent along the way (Christophe, Diary January 30th 1996).
We must be witnesses of Emmanuel, that is "God-with-us". There is a presence of "God-amongst-us" which we must assume ourselves. It is in this prospect that we understand our vocation to be a fraternal presence of men and women sharing the life of Muslims, Algerians in prayer, silence and friendship. Relations Church-Islam are still hesitant; because we have not yet lived long enough at their side (Christian, reflections for Lent March 8th 1996).
If something is to happen to us, and I hope it will not, we wish to live it here in solidarity with all those Algerian men and women who have already paid with their life, in solidarity with all those unknown, innocent people ... It seems to me that the One who today helps us to resist, is the One who has called us. This to me is simply marvellous. (Michel, Letter April 1994).
A minute of truth for each of us, and heavy responsibility in these times when our friends feel so unloved. Slowly, each of us is learning to integrate death into this gift, and with it all the other conditions of this ministry of co-existence demanding total gratuity. Some days all this seems rather unreasonable. Just as unreasonable as becoming a monk. ...(Christian, community circular letter April 25th 1995).
What will remain in a few months of the Church in Algeria , of her visibility, her structures, the people of whom she is composed? Little, very little certainly. Nevertheless, I believe that the Good News has been sown, the seed is growing (...) The Spirit is at work, deep in the hearts of the people. Let us be docile that He may work in us through prayer, through a loving presence among our brothers (Paul Letter January 11th 1995).
Our Church has been badly ..cut down, wounded, she has had abrupt experience of the poverty and gratuity written in the Gospel, and in each of our vocations to follow Jesus. Vulnerable, extremely fragile, she discovers that she is also more free, more credible in her vow to "love to the very end" ... (Christian, Novr 21st, 1995).
In the face of death tell me that my faith - Love - will not fail. Suddenly I am frightened to believe (Christophe, Diary Dec 1st, 1995).
Here I am, O my God ... Here I am rich in misery and poverty, and unspeakable weakness. Here I am before you who are nothing but Love and Mercy. Before you, but only through your grace, here I am, all of me, with all my spirit, all my heart, all my will. (Bruno, March 3rd, 1990).
I beg you on that day of grace to become a servant
and to give my life, here, in ransom for peace,
and to give my life, here, in ransom for peace,
in ransom for life
Jesus draw me into your joy of crucified love. (Christophe, diary June 25th, 1995).
Jesus draw me into your joy of crucified love. (Christophe, diary June 25th, 1995).
You speak to me - when I say and I sing: thanks to your love for me, I may come into your house.
It is here in me - so far, so near:
In You, I find myself, set free by the love by which you are loved,
if anyone loves me - is like saying I love you only thanks to your very Breath.
We will come to him
the Father and I. (Christophe, diary March 3rd, 1994)
It is here in me - so far, so near:
In You, I find myself, set free by the love by which you are loved,
if anyone loves me - is like saying I love you only thanks to your very Breath.
We will come to him
the Father and I. (Christophe, diary March 3rd, 1994)
Listen, Church: I am
Listen, I in you, as the Father is in me, Him in me and I in Him, we are ONE
Listen: I am in you the Resurrection: the Life.
Through you (in you, with you) I have passed the wall. My sin stands before me - this lack of love given to my brothers - through you, not for long am I - frightened, desperate ... I have passed through death.
When, at last, my fraternal existence will be lived on that side
because you desire to see us come together to this eternal Life.
Today you say to me: stand up, go towards yourself, towards your paschal I (Christophe, diary October 30th, 1994).
Listen, I in you, as the Father is in me, Him in me and I in Him, we are ONE
Listen: I am in you the Resurrection: the Life.
Through you (in you, with you) I have passed the wall. My sin stands before me - this lack of love given to my brothers - through you, not for long am I - frightened, desperate ... I have passed through death.
When, at last, my fraternal existence will be lived on that side
because you desire to see us come together to this eternal Life.
Today you say to me: stand up, go towards yourself, towards your paschal I (Christophe, diary October 30th, 1994).
Through the bias of this event [Christmas 1993 experience] we felt invited to be born. The life of man goes from birth to birth (...) In our life there is always a child to be born: the son of God whom each of us are" (Christian, Reflection on Lent March 8th, 1996).
O Jesus, I accept with all my heart that your death be renewed in me, accomplished in me; I know that with you I will rise up out of the dizzy descent to the abyss proclaiming to the devil his defeat (Celestine, Easter antiphon)
While carrying out my daily work (and this helps me every day) I sang this morning two short phrases: "O God, you are our Hope on the face of every human being"; and "How marvellous is your grace! You share with mankind the secrets of the Father" (Letter, January 22nd 1996
1996
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- - - - - - 19 years - - - - - -
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2015
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21-Feb
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Ash Wednesday
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18-Feb
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27-Mar
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ROTHERS WERE ABDUCTED
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07-Apr
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Easter
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05-Apr
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16-May
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Ascension
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14-May
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21-May
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BROTHERS WERE ASSASSINATED
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26-May
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Pentecost
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24-May
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04-Jun
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BROTHERS BURIED
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06-Jun
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Corpus Christi
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07-Jun
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This is what I shall be able to do, if God wills—
immerse my gaze in that of the Father,
and contemplate with him his children of Islam just as he sees them,
all shining with the glory of Christ,
the fruit of His Passion, and filled with the Gift of the Spirit,
whose secret joy will always be to establish communion
and to refashion the likeness, playfully delighting in the differences.
For this life lost, totally mine and totally theirs, I thank God who seems to have willed it entirely for the sake of that joy in everything and in spite of everything.
(Christian, Spiritual Testament.)
(Christian, Spiritual Testament.)
IN LOVING COMMEMORATION
OF THE SEVEN MARTYRS
OF OUR LADY OF ATLAS,
TIBHIRINE
Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)
Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk, Doneword :http://www.donewill.blogspot.co.uk |domdonald.org.uk, Emails: nunrawdonald@yahoo.com, nunrawdonald@gmail.com
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