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Rome, 23 May 1999 Prot. n. 088329 To all the Brothers of the Order |
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I send this letter personally to each of you, to share with you my deep concern about our continuing Franciscan presence in Morocco. Despite his great desire to go there himself, Francis was not able to do so. Instead he sent his brothers in 1219, and from thence received back his first five "authentic Friars Minor" through their martyrdom. To live today among the Muslims in Morocco, to allow ourselves to be welcomed by them, is our manner of answering the call given by Francis, and heeded by a tradition that now stretches back through eight Centuries. The friars’ presence in Morocco is a response to a very special vocation. Islam is the state religion of Morocco. So there are no indigenous Christian communities. There exist only small expatriate groups, impermanent and unstructured, that continue to shrink in size and so offer no hope of generating new vocations to the Franciscan or religious life, male or female. Pope John Paul II spoke at Casablanca on 19th August 1985. He reminded the Christians of the purpose of their presence in this country, itself searching to find its way between on the one hand remaining faithful to its traditions, and on the other of being open to the ways of the modern world. "Little community of the disciples of Jesus: be the living Body of Christ in this Muslim country…" It is in this spirit that we wish to maintain our presence. The friars in Morocco, originally from France and Spain, are now too few. In all they number 25, mostly advanced in age. In May 1997 the General Chapter in Assisi recognised the urgency of the situation. It passed a resolution urging the General Definitory and all the Provinces: "to give effective support to the various missionary projects of the Order, in the first place to those of long tradition and particular relevance, and specially to Morocco where the presence of the Order and the Church is in a critical condition." (From Memory to Prophecy: Directions and Propositions 15.a) The friars in Morocco are content to live in a country that is wholly Muslim, and in a Church which is even less than a minority, of silent witness, perforce stressing the interior values of Christian living, that is prayer, personal relationships and the denial of any pretensions to exercising power (cfr RnB 16,6 on the first manner of living among the Saracens). Their Christian life put on trial by the faith of the Muslim believers, the friars are compelled to re-think their own faith in the light of Islam, simply to keep it alive and effective. |
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They are also constrained to live in an evident condition of "minority", in the midst of believers convinced of the superiority of their own religion. The only language that can hope to open a genuine encounter with them is the witness of the Gospel life lived in real brotherhood, contemplative prayer and humble minority. In the past 10 years the presence of the friars in Morocco has begun to be more international in character with the arrival of friars from the USA and Mexico. Now they wish to extend an invitation to friars of all the Provinces of the Order, to come, insofar as they are able and willing, and experience the Franciscan presence among the Muslims in Morocco, an encounter similar to that of Francis with the Saracens at Damietta. By so doing, the friars would ensure a continuing Franciscan presence in Morocco and make an effective contribution to the vitality of the Church in that country. A group of friars given the task of addressing the problem met last October in Madrid, under the direction of the Definitors General Peter Williams and José Rodriguez Carballo. The structures needed to welcome and provide for the friars who will respond to this appeal were outlined. Two fraternities — at Tangier and Rabat — were chosen to receive them. Preparations were laid for an in-depth introduction to Islam, knowledge of Morocco, and for learning the languages needed to make communication possible. The group meeting in Madrid decided to continue to meet once a year to ensure the continuity of the project. Thought was also given to a summary presentation of the possible forms the Franciscan presence in Morocco might take. The friars may be animators of the parishes and small Christian communities made up of expatriates, communities of religious, and the many Christian students coming from sub-Saharan Africa. In accordance with the Pope’s words, the friars together with these people will be "the living Body of Christ" in Morocco. At the same time they can work in service of the high schools and of the Moroccan students, in the libraries and centres of study the friars have already set up for them, as also in the centres of professional training. Their help will be particularly welcomed in projects aimed to improve social conditions — in health-care and education — and the activities of various Moroccan associations. Through such opportunities they can find an entry into the life of the Muslim people. If any friar feels called to start other activities that are compatible with our vocation, he will receive all the help he requires. But far beyond all the "activities", our fidelity to the charism of St Francis constrains us to practice genuine fraternal life, contemplative prayer, simplicity and poverty. Dearest brothers: Those of you who "by divine inspiration" find yourselves called to offer Morocco a witness of Christian and Franciscan living, should address your request to your Minister Provincial. The Ministers "shall receive the brothers with love and goodwill"(RB 10,5) "and put no obstacle in their way if they see them fit to be sent" (RnB 16,4). The respective Minister should send on to me the request, so that the friar may receive an official invitation in the name of the whole Order. |
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The conditions required in those who volunteer are the following:
For myself, I confide in you that I have a "dream": That before the end of the year 2000 which is next year, we shall succeed in gathering 5 or 6 friars and shall see them having come together to make their preparation for this project of the Order. I feel this would be an excellent way of celebrating the great Jubilee of the 3rd Millennium, taking to our hearts this land so dear to the heart of Francis. To all of you, and to each personally, I have spoken my concern and my dream. I do it with an invincible hope of seeing realised again in our day the promise Jesus made on the day of which we celebrate the solemn feast: "You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit who will come down on you. You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth". (Acts 1,8)  Brother Giacomo Bini, ofm Minister General 
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