 |
|
| • The golden rule of hospitality |
|
| • At the Consulate of Algeria |
|
| • A catechism with a taste of liberty |
|
| • Keeping the memory of the January 1995 event |
|
| |
|
| The golden rule of hospitality |
|
| |
|
| Yvan Colonna's trial continued with the appearance of four Corsicans before the Court of Paris. They had been accused of giving shelter to the man who, at the time, was the most wanted man by the French police (for the assassination of the Administrative Head of Corsica, note from the translator). |
|
| |
|
 |
In the witness box, the Corsican shepherd was in great shape with repartees that surprised the President of the Court: « you do not understand me. You are not listening to what I am saying! » |
|
|
| |
|
| Patrizia, a teacher of the Corsican language and a singer appreciated in her country was called to the witness stand. She was accused of giving shelter on two occasions to Yvan Colonna. The President reminded her of that: ' One day, when you came back to your home, you found Yvan Colonna installed in your house. How did he enter? » « I never lock my door. » |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| The public prosecutor set a trap for her: « If an assassin, who had killed a next of kin of yours, asked you to give him shelter in your home, what would you do? » Without hesitation, Patrizia replied: « But Mr. the prosecutor, Yvan Colonna is not an assassin. I consider him, in my conscience, innocent. I applied towards him the golden rule of hospitality. » |
|
| |
|
| Leaving the tribunal, I congratulated Patrizia and embraced her. |
|
| |
|
 |
|
| |
|
| At the Consulate of Algeria |
|
| |
|
| Aomar, a young Algerian, a worker with no official documents was arrested by the police and taken to the Vincennes detention centre with the threat of being deported to his country. His world collapsed. At the association where he is militant, we all consider him as a brother. The mobilization is at maximum level. All actions and recourses were being used. |
|
|
|
| |
|
| I am asked to telephone the Consul of Algeria to ask him not to sign the passport to prevent Aomar of being deported to Algeria. The Consul accepted but the pressure on the Prefecture did not ceased. |
|
| |
|
I telephoned each day the Consul, letting him know that Aomar's grandfather had served in the French army during the war and had lost his leg during the war...
Aomar's time at the detention center will soon finish. The law has indicated the duration of his detention. He had only one day left and his plane was scheduled to take him back to Algeria It was a race against the time. |
|
| |
|
 |
This young Algerian that we love, will leave his prison. It was a victory. On the telephone, Aoma told me his joy. |
|
|
| |
|
I went to meet the Consul to thank him for his help. He immediately welcomed me with kindness. He told me that he had been touched that I defended one of his countrymen as if he were one of my family. During one hour we talked together like two brothers.
He wanted that a picture be taken of the two of us. His secretary took the picture with pleasure. Then the Consul insisted to give me a gift: 6 bottles of wine from Algeria, from the region of Mascara. There was no question of me going back to the station on foot to take the train. His car and his chauffeur were put at my disposal. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| A catechism with a taste of liberty |
|
| |
|
 |
The first edition of 2003 was out of print. The second edition of this book was an occasion to correct those texts considered feebler or too abstract, and make slight modifications. I took pleasure in reading these texts of the catechism: all evoking a sense, all being carriers of life and opened to the future. They echo the word of Jesus « and why do you not, even on your own initiative, judge what is right? » Luke 12:57 |
|
|
| |
|
These texts published on the Partenia site find a new way of life by reaching out to other people. They can give the joy of believing.
An editor wishes to publish « The Bible at sight » of the Partenia site during the next year. This editor who declares himself atheist is interested by the comments on the Bible for today. He could not imagine such openness and such richness of the biblical word.
As it often happens the reading of the Bible gives the taste of welcoming, reflecting on and sharing the word. A word that can make the heart passionate. |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| Keeping the memory of the January 1995 event |
|
| |
|
The French Historical Archives accepted last year to take the Partenia archives. The woman director invited me to visit them on location. A warm welcome. A fascinating visit. The archives of Partenia are in a safe place next to those of Abbey Pierre and the working-priests.
Some 20 young people sort out and file the archives, which is the best remedy not to sink into oblivion. They seemed to me very motivated by their work. |
|
| |
|
| A Church historian, Pierre Pierrard, who left us too soon, had maintained: « What happened in January 1995 is unique in the history of archives of the Church: never before so many laymen, believers or non believers, had gathered on the same day in front of all the dioceses of France and Belgium to speak. I do not hesitate to say that this had never been seen before. » |
|
|
|
| |
|
The woman director of the French Historical Archives is always interested in receiving everything we still have on Partenia: books, letters, videos, photos...Everything will be studied, sorted out and filed.
After the visit, a buffet had been prepared for us. Every one had been invited. During the desert, the woman director wished that I addressed the young people. Which I did with pleasure answering the questions. The last raised question, there was a pause: |
|
| |
|
« What is more important in life? »
« Love and be loved ». |
|
| |
|
