Editorial, by Laurent Fabre
The toucan
Brazil is truly a "rainbow" country. And it is true that this mixture of races, of cultures and of colours gives an impression of life and of joy. I've discovered a wonderful bird that could be an emblem for Brazil: the toucan. We were with Joachim Amaral, the leader of the community, heading for Divinopolis (the second foundation of the community in Brazil), when on two occasions a magnificent bird that I did not recognise flew in front of us. The driver, Joachim, was very surprised to see this, and other Brazilians have confirmed that it is rare to find this "rainbow" bird (as you can see for yourselves in the photo below) in the wild. Joachim himself was equally surprised that Sunday 26 September to see this same bird in front of his house, that is part of a property which is becoming more and more a centre for retreats and training. We are hoping that we shall be able to build a student hostel on adjacent land, as it would be very well located for the new faculty of medicine in Divinopolis. These two sightings of the toucan and then also its surprising presence on the community's land were like a sign from heaven, a wink from the Lord, the rainbow after the storm, for Joachim and Marcia his wife, and for all of us.
Yes, there has been a storm, and the departure of several brothers and sisters who have done valuable work has weakened our foundation in Belo Horizonte and in Divinopolis, but I must straight away add that the arrival of two sisters, consecrated celibates, one Polish, Sister Mariola, the other Franco-Japanese, Sister Koumi, was like a double ray of sunshine for this community which is becoming more and more international, more and more a rainbow. You doubtless know that Father Philippe Berger (a very white Swiss) has been joined by Father Pierre Ettien (a very black Ivorian). Pierre Ettien is the priest in the Parish of Belo Horizonte where he is replacing Tiago (Father Philippe Barrucand) who is now at the Dombes Abbey in France, where Beatrice Bourrat is now happy to be learning theology in a group of some forty students. If the whole of this large country, Brazil, is going through an important stage in its political and economic history, we can also say that the little Chemin Neuf Community is also going through a new stage in its history, a stage full of promise; two Brazilian families and six single Brazilians are undergoing training in France this year. This is a great commitment for us all, not only financially, but also because it means that those who stayed behind in Brazil are having to manage without ten of their brothers and sisters who would be very valuable for the mission. However, we feel that this training time, a guarantee for the future, is really a blessing for them and for us.
Brother Luciano Couto, a Brazilian and a seminarian with our community in Paris, has been nominated to head a committee that is aiming to raise the necessary funds for us to build two student hostels, one in Belo Horizonte, the other in Divinopolis... If you can help, God will reward you one hundred fold!■
(Brother Luciano, e-mail: lu.couto.leite@gmail.com)
Father Laurent Fabre +
From Father Philippe Barrucand (Tiago)
October 2010
Father Philippe Barrucand, who returned to France from Brazil a few weeks ago, had been the parish priest of the church of Santa Maria Margarida Alacoque since 2005, when he succeeded Father Philippe Berger in this function.
Here he is telling us something about his life in the parish, where he led numerous pastoral missions that had important implications for his parishioners.
The "Pastoral Mission for Menor" (PAMEN) for deprived children works with young people from the parish and also from Vila Sao José, the favela that adjoins the parish although it is not part of it.
Among other recent activities of note, there has been the fifth Youth Festival that was held in January, which was attended by over one hundred participants, and a spiritual week-end in September based on the Jericho retreats for young people that are held in France and called Galilee there.
The activities for young people that the Community runs is seen in Brazil as one of the special talents of the Chemin Neuf Community.
Once again, a Brazilian family is in France for training; this time it is Claudia and Zenilton Diniz, who are currently at Hautecombe Abbey, along with their children, Caroline and Thiago.
Regarding work in progress and projects, the work to renovate the dos Sagrados Coraçoes Evangelisation Centre will soon be finished, the plot of land next to the "bar" has been purchased, and the price of another plot which was compulsorily purchased from the parish should shortly be paid to us, allowing us to cover a part of some expenses that are foreseen.
Regarding the plot of land on which we are planning to build a student hostel and a community house, as part of the Hill of Hope project, it has just, to a large extent, been enclosed by a stone wall, to prevent it from becoming a place for illegal trading (in particular drug dealing), and also to stop illegal buildings appearing on our land; once they are there, it is extremely difficult, taking account of the slowness of the Administration, to have "illegal invasions" removed.
We are continuing in hope; things are advancing slowly, but they are advancing... ■
Father Philippe Berger writes...
A huge and joyful HELLO to all of you, the parishes that are supporting us, family and friends, members of the Association that is supporting the Hill of Hope Project!!
It is now over a year since I last wrote to you... What a lot has happened in a year! What a lot of good news! Firstly our size: the presence of the Chemin Neuf Community in Brazil, and the support that we are receiving from Europe - and this includes you - has created great confidence here, Hallelujah! As a result, we have been given a vast plot of land with a small house and some outbuildings on it in Divinopolis, a modern town about two hours by road from Belo Horizonte. And that is not all; we have been asked to take on the management of a welfare centre called "A Casa da Samaritana" which is already fully functional, with four paid staff. Divinopolis is a fine modern city with about 300,000 inhabitants, with a number universities, some of which are public (federal universities), and also a first class garment industry. So my community has found itself with a new foundation!
The land was given to us so that we could build a place for community life and a student hostel. In this way we have to add the construction of a second student hostel in Divinopolis to the Hill of Hope Project in Belo Horizonte (the construction of the Sagrados Corações Community Centre with a church, a social welfare building and a hostel for young people which will also include accommodation for the Community).
But why then is there this new urgency for building student hostels? In fact, where social work is concerned, one comes to realise that direct action to satisfy basic needs is very necessary, but there can never be enough...
... If Brazil is going to change, it is really urgent that a new class of young people should arise that is scientifically competent and at the same time capable of behaving according to a different mentality, in which there is respect for the law and for justice. This is why the bishops as well as thoughtful people involved in social reform in general are pressing for this type of training in humanities and religion.
...As anticipated, this December will see the laying of the first stone of the Community Centre. The phase of preparing this work on paper has come to an end. There is still one fee to be paid and then the building permit should be issued within a month...
Concerning the student hostel to be built on the football field at the lower end of the parish, we have built the required enclosing wall to protect the site. Otherwise, there would be so many invasions, the project would become impossible.
In Divinopolis, things are also advancing and two projects are already in the construction phase. We are still waiting to start on the welfare building. We shall have to see what the prefecture really intends...
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Fr Pierre Ettien and Fr Philippe Berger |
Things are going well in the Parish. The two aspects, spiritual and social, are going forward hand in hand. Currently there is an Alpha Course for young people under way and this will be followed by a series of meetings on personal relationships. The numbers of adolescents and young adults keep growing here, and they bring with them the problems specific to this age group!!! We are starting a MARRIAGE COURSE on 20 October, a very interesting approach to the realities of marriage essentially from a point of view that is down-to-earth and humane. In a week from now, the celebrations for the Patronal Festival will be starting; They will be special this year as it is the golden jubilee of the parish which was founded 50 years ago. The programme is ready and on Saturday 9 October, the two priests, the new parish priest Father Pierre Ettien from Ivory Coast and Father Philippe will be driven through all the streets of the parish on a fire engine on which the large statue of Saint Margarida Maria Alacoque will be fixed. All of this to announce the beginning of the festivities and to bless all the passers-by that we meet with great jets from the holy water sprayer!!
At the beginning of December, Dom Walmor, our archbishop will be with us for the laying of the foundation stone for the Community Centre and he will then also conduct the induction of our new parish priest.
On the social level, the situation at Vila Sao José is being transformed. Little by little it is being dismantled to make way for a new arterial road. The corrugated iron houses are being pulled down and the people moved to low rent municipal accommodation. It is true that the new apartments are not bad, but there are many challenges. To have as neighbours, people who belonged to a different gang in the favela, is too dangerous, so one dare not stay. One's environment and daily life have been completely overturned. You have to learn to take care of your apartment, and to live with the communal demands of an apartment block. For us, this means that we have to revise our approach to assistance, starting by visiting people in their new apartments, helping them to form and maintain neighbourhood groups, etc.
The social activities in the parish continue and increase: controlled distribution of baskets of basic foods (35 families are being helped), mentoring of parents and adults, training in citizenship, preventative action against drugs and disease, physiotherapy for the elderly, assistance with legal; and administrative matters, etc. And of course our work with the Menor Pastoral Mission (for disadvantaged children) continues...
Profound thanks to you all for your friendly presence which gives stability to my life as a priest. May you and your families be filled with love through His Presence, which sings in the depths of your hearts, in silence...
Your friend in the Lord,
Father Philippe.■
Testimonies
Our Sister Beatrice BOURRAT, a consecrated celibate, has spent seven years with the Chemin Neuf Community in Brazil.
It's eleven years that the Chemin Neuf has been on your territory...
You can say that we are advancing by large and by small steps.But never mind, this foundation is surprising us and we're glad to let ourselves be surprised.
Our present stage of development is marked by the creation of a whole new generation of brothers and sisters, of families and of young people.
Lucas, Kezia, Paula, Flavio, Luciano are in France helping in the mission there and undergoing training. Three families will soon be on their way. Many young people would like to experience a time in France around the WYD 2011 (World Youth Days) in Madrid.
This foundation has also become established thanks to the JETs (young volunteers), who, with courage and determination, have helped us to meet this challenge, and to our Brazilian sisters and brothers who are working with us and encouraging us here. The Chemin Neuf is a beacon and a reference point for the many members of new communities in Belo Horizonte.
1/ In the city of Divinopolis, there is a large house where Marcia and Joachim Amaral live with their children along with Marie (a young JET) and myself, who is now returning to Europe for a new mission.
There is no shortage of projects for this large piece of land that is at the same time in the city and in the countryside, with a thousand trees inhabited by macaque monkeys nearby.
Joaquim, an engineer by training, is preparing the plans for building a chapel, a centre for the Community and a student hostel... To get these built just needs helpers and some funds.
The social centre, A Casa da Samaritana, helps 35 deprived families. Marcia is in charge of this, and the town hall, where Joaquin worked for several years pays for projects and the staff salaries. The 35 mothers from these families come every two weeks for a handicrafts workshop, to collect medicines and a "Cesta Basica" (basic dry food for two weeks). Before all else, this is a place for building friendships and for weeping about their pain and at the injustice of their situation.
The workshops for painting on cloth, working with salt paste, decorating beach sandals and other things are an apprenticeship of a therapeutic sort, because this is the place for speaking and being listened to, to help the participants to recover their dignity, to learn to live differently not just to subsist but to discover one's hidden talents.
There are also 80 young people and adults undergoing training here, who are studying information technology in our EIC (School for Information Technology and Citizenship)...
A little "nod from God": the city of Divinopolis has just presented the Candides medal to our brother Joaquim in recognition of the value of his work. This is a great honour, and the publicity will certainly help to promote our mission here.
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| A toucan in a tree by the family house |
2/ Belo Horizonte is absorbed in building projects: the famous "Global Project" on the "Hill of Hope". The decisive steps for the construction of the Community Centre and the Sagrados Corações chapel have been taken.
We are just waiting for the building permit. The laying of the foundation stone is planned for the end of the year to coincide with the jubilee celebrations: 50 years since the creation of the parish of Santa Margarida Maria Alacoque.
Things are moving more slowly for the student hostel and the Community house. We still need to negotiate the removal of the "illegal invasions" and this takes time. However, three quarters of the perimeter wall that will guarantee our ownership of the land has been built. This has already settled the situation for the future. The big challenge now is financing the hostel and Community house!
There is a new mission here, the "Point da Unidade": this is to evangelise young people by means of a monthly meeting centred on music. Christian musicians from the city will be coming to lead social evenings where people can meet and make friends; these will be under the supervision of the Chemin Neuf Community and in particular of Markim and Josy, members of our life fraternity.
Other news: Father Pierre Ettien has joined us and is replacing Father Philippe Barrucand. ■
October 2010, with the kind permission of the magazine FOI
From Anne-Claire, a young volunteer abroad (JET), July 2010
A day at the "Menor Pastoral Mission"
The race against the clock started on Tuesday afternoon with the crucial question, "Marie, what are we going to do with the children tomorrow, now that we've finished the dancing project?
Yes, you're right, we've got to think of something..."
After chewing over a few ideas, we decide on a giant Brazilian flag... We're right in the middle of the World Cup, so let's not forget that. We check out that we have all the necessary materials, glue, paper in the right colours, something to rest on, paint brushes, an original to copy from... Then I'm told to make sure the room is available, and to get it ready for the little monkeys who can't keep still and need to be persuaded to behave... No, you can't leave all that until the last minute, everything needs to be ready, anticipated, thought out, so the time is well filled with no gaps. After everything has been organised to the last detail, I'm confident that everything will go smoothly tomorrow afternoon.
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| Our Sister Koumi in Vila Sao José |
These are children who are constantly left to themselves, who have to manage on their own and whom do not have anyone to tell them what they ought or may do. So they do not accept any sort of framework, nor any authority, nor any obligation. They do what they want, when they want, with whom they want. They have no respect for adults because they have little contact with adults. Punishments or raised voices make absolutely no impact on them. This is how they communicate among themselves. How can we expect them so stop shouting by shouting at them ourselves?
Aninha: "After ten minutes my head was bursting from the noise and I couldn't see how I could keep going for another three hours... ! Anne-Claire, on the other hand, seemed untroubled! "Ah well, you find them noisy? I hadn't noticed. Yes, it's true, they are a bit more boisterous than usual, yes."
And in the middle of this pandemonium where everyone was trying to make more noise than his neighbour, a little girl, as pretty as can be, very quiet and timid, came up to me and asked, "May I go to for a wee?" What's this? It must be a trap, mustn't it? Since when did anyone ever ask my permission to do anything? Oh well, there are always exceptions to every rule; and this is a big and much appreciated exception.
Three quarters of an hour later, the flag is finally taking shape. Our proposals have been accepted and carried out... And then, the next crisis. It's time for the groups to change over.
So we're starting from scratch with ten different children, who have just been "subjected" to forty five minutes of another organised activity, and who, naturally, want to do the exact opposite of everything that we suggest. What joy, what intense happiness for us!!!
At last it's tea time. The children are a whisker less noise when their mouths are full. We take advantage of this to the full to recover our strength. At the end of the afternoon there is some free time when the children go our to play in a huge yard. Ball games, catch, ring-a-roses... I think this is their favourite time, at last, a decent playground. A time and a place INTENDED FOR playing.
Where is play in the favela, where, at seven years of age, you have to organise your life for yourself, your meals, your laundry, your cleaning, your sick grandmother, your little seven month old brother... ? When you already have to be an adult with responsibilities, whilst your only preoccupations ought to be to go to your neighbour's to play football or to finish your maths homework for the following day...
Just for a time I can see the children as children, light-hearted and free. No need to act tough, to be hard and invulnerable, for the girls, no need to be provocative and rebellious and attention seeking in every way possible, no need to crush the others to survive, just now they are your playmates. I can assure you, you can see that these children are growing up without any restraints in their behaviour, even at play... So we finish up with two broken windows as the window was being used as the football goal, a twisted foot from playing hopscotch on a staircase, not the best idea... and an improvised dance show by two little girls who have moved far from the turmoil and have preferred a quiet activity.
At 5.30 pm all the children have gone, there is no longer an unbearable noise, phew, we can get our breath back. But the day is far from being finished; until 11.00 pm there will always be someone calling to ask for information about the next day's mass, to see the Padre, to leave things for Saturday's "bazard," to ask for something to eat or somewhere to sleep. So what Anne-Claire? I don't understand why you're always tired. It's perfectly possible to have a rest when you're living in a parish house, isn't it?
So you've understood, it's a picture that's brightly coloured, eventful, dynamic and packed with detail. I confirm what Marie just wrote to tell you, the atmosphere here is really like that... Sometimes I think that I'm talking into the void or wearing myself out filling a colander, but when I look at what has been achieved, I can see that our group is progressing. We are managing to build a dynamic group, to instil a notion of service of respect, of keeping to rules and above all, of concluding projects together. We have already put on two dance performances, painted a large sheet of fabric to decorate our room, made bracelets and necklaces for Mother's Day, launched a new newspaper for the PAMEN, (Pastoral mission for Menor), and ... In short, let's keep going forward slowly but surely. ■
A WORD FROM OUR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
November 2010
Once again we are extending our warmest thanks to all our donors. Our needs are becoming greater and greater as our projects multiply and we are delighted with:- The renovation of the Church dos Sagrados Coraões in place of the bar
- The project for a Community Centre on the land belonging to the Santa Margarida Maria Alacoque parish in Belo Horizonte
- The project for building on the land belonging to the "Famille Sanctuaire de Vie" in Divinopolis.
We are in the final stages of completing the plans and cost estimates for the new church and parish centre. The application for the building permit should be submitted before the end of this year and we looking for help from donors because the diocese and the Community cannot finance these major but very necessary works for the district on their own. (It would be the third place of worship in this huge parish of Belo Horizonte.)
P.S. For regular information about our mission: http://ccnbresil.blogspot.com/ (in French) or
(in English)
To contact us: drengade69@gmail.com (en français)
tom.greenwood69@gmail.com (in English)
If you wish to support us financially or to continue to do so, please send your donations:
- by cheque to the Chemin Neuf Community, specifying on the back, "For the mission in Brazil". Please send your cheque to CCN/Intendance general, 59 montée du Chemin Neuf, 69005 Lyon, France.
- by bank transfer to our account no. 2102 78 15 103 at Crédit Coopératif
IBAN: FR76 4255 9000 1121 0278 1510 331
BIC: CCOPFRPPXXX
- by direct debit by means of the form below, to be filled in and returned to us:
------✂-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I authorise the establishment holding my account to make a debit on the 8 of the month, provided that my situation permits this, as follows:
Each month / Each quarter 15 €30 € 50 € Other amount €..........
Recipient: Communauté du Chemin Neuf, 59 Montée du Chemin Neuf, 69005 Lyon, France
National number of the issuer: 388799
Name and address of the establishment holding my account:
Name and address of account:
International bank account number (IBAN):
Date and signature
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