Walking when innovating
On my way to celebrate mass in a sharing community who got together each month, I met a TV team of Canal-Plus waiting for me to give an interview. Once the interview was finished the young cameramen and I started to talk.
" We don't do this job without a purpose. I could not do a job when I know in advance what is going to happen, that every thing is programmed. For instance tomorrow I don't know whom I will meet, where I will go, with whom I will work. You are ruined if you settle down. I go my way and try to live."
Listening to this I was full of admiration. I was telling
myself: "Happy are these young ones who think like that,
who live like that. They are free to welcome novelty and to walk
when innovating. They live without cover
Basic Ecumenism
I am invited at the same time to three troubled suburbs: Neuehof
(Strasbourg), Schaerbeeck (Brussels) and Bagatelle (Toulouse).
Mosbah, from the Moses Association, would like me to replace
the Imam from Marseilles to introduce Christian faith. Hassane,
from the City Youth Association of Schaerbeeck, would like me
to talk about " Human rights in various religions"
in company with a Rabbi and an Imam. The third, Hafid, from the
City House of Bagatelle, would like me to take part to a meeting
in company of Sara Alexander, an Israeli singer, and Magyd Cherfi
of the Zebda group. These meetings are always fascinating for
me. I come back convinced that the dialogue between religions
goes through these people in an atmosphere of tolerance. Why
not see that there is a spontaneous ecumenism among people, which
is part of every day life and is doing well!
Five years later
A demonstration was going on under the windows of the Nunciature in Paris to ask for Justice about the events of Evreux in January 1995. As you may understand I wanted to arrive late, hoping to show up with discretion. Just getting out from the subway, I heard the beat of the tam-tams and African songs probably also heard in the paneled rooms of the Nunciature where some delegates were being received.
I greeted the demonstrators coming from Belgium and different cities of France, and a great number of Mauritanians, Malians and Senegalese.
I was moved to see these Moslems coming to support a Catholic. That people without an immigration permit, in a so precarious situation, dare to ask justice for a minister of the Church!
These Africans, perished with cold, wanted to be there, to demonstrate their link with Partenia and to testify of a brotherhood without boundary.
Through his windows and thanks to these people, the Nouncio
could see and understand that future was for solidarity.
Editor-in-chief for one day
The French communist newspaper, "Humanite", made that proposal to me for Christmas Eve. A wonderful occasion to communicate! The editors thought they were making a courageous choice. But they understood quickly that it was not a big deal, when a newspaper wants to be fair why being afraid to invite somebody who tries to be that way?
Thomas, from the editorial staff, fetched me at the Roissy airport. At the place where the newspaper "Humanite" is made, in Saint-Denis, I go around all the offices to meet everybody. At 10 AM starts the editing conference to produce the newspaper. Rather gloomy current events are examined. I ask to underline the notification of the cease fire in Corsica, it is a hope of peace in this Christmas Eve and not to forget to speak about something I care for, the people without an immigration permit.
All day long, I receive just written text, faxes and releases from Press agencies.
What a pleasure to have this possibility of a free speech! I don't deprive myself of it. I react on what's happening in Corsica, the oil slick, the "double sentence", the people without permit, the flooding in Venezuela
It is already night when I leave. I was thinking: what was not possible for me in catholic newspapers or Journals becomes possible in a communist newspaper!