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In Naples
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With the publishing in Italian of the
book "A catechism with a taste of liberty",
I was delighted to travel to Naples and meet with friendly faces. |
As we were celebrating the 40 years
of the Council of Vatican II, a speech with three speakers had
been organized to celebrate this anniversary. One of the effects
of the Council seemed to me the maturity shown by Christians.
They want to live in their Church what they live as laymen.
Adult and responsible citizens who have a great love for liberty
and are used to functioning in a democracy, do not accept to
be considered as second-rate citizens. As disciples of Jesus
and carriers of his message, they like to be considered equal,
without titles and precedence. This re-discovery is filled with
promises.
A question is asked of me: " The liberties given by Paul
VI to the Franciscans of Assisi have been taken away ".
Until then, they were taking initiatives to organize great gatherings
for peace and justice, which were a light for many. Now, they
have to join the ranks. What do you think of this ban from Rome?
".
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What is important to me is not the ban
but the Franciscans. What will become of them? Will they continue
to grow in humanity, in the faith of Christ? Will they be more
evangelical, peacemakers, as was Saint Francis? The Roman ban
can be inspirational. |
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In the gathering, some Christians
seemed to relate to that. |
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At the Magistrate's Court
- In the Northern suburbs of Paris, Assane was summoned
to appear before the Magistrate's Court for " using insulting
behaviour towards a police officer ". He is a French citizen,
he has a family and a job. For many years he has been defending
the people with no official documents.
An African woman had a companion with no official documents who
had just been put under police custody. She asked Assane to accompany
her at the police headquarters and seek information. No information
was given to them. Assane is hancuffed and beaten up. He passed
two days under police custody at the police headquarters. As
soon as he was released, he went to the emergency to show his
injuries.
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I hold Assane in great esteem. He is a non-violent militant,
valued by everyone. I sent the juge a certificate of moral standards.
The audience was at 1 pm. A great number of people had come to
support our friend. |
On the table of the judge, there were 21 files. A stream of young
people pass in front of the bar. During 4 hours, I see people
in a very bad state whose world is totally different than the
world we live in.
The presiding judge interrogated a young man that was standing
before her: " Why do you not work? ". He answered:
" I lost my girl friend. I do not feel like working ".
The judge seemed stunned!
It was 5 o'clock when Assane was called to the bar. He said nothing.
His word would not have weighed very much in front of the word
of the police. The Prosecutor of the Republic asked 4 months
of prison with a suspended sentence. The woman lawyer found the
right words to defend her client. She evoked that those who accused
Assane of insulting behaviour were not present and that a prison
sentence against him would have serious consequences for his
future. The sentence was adjourned.
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In Vienna
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It was cold in the Austrian capital. It was snowing. Hundreds
of Iranian resistant were in front of big building where an international
delegation had gathered on the nuclear issue in Iran. |
There was no doubt that the Mullahs' regime and the new
President have been trying to obtain the atomic bomb to guarantee
the survival of the regime and also that the Islamic regime become
an unquestionable regional power.
The most dangerous weapon in the world would then be in the hands
of the most dangerous regime in the world! The European Union
has displayed a policy of accommodation and not one of firmness,
loosing time in trying to negotiate with a terrorist regime.
This question had not yet been submitted to the Security Council.
The Iranian people do not have a say. The nuclear question is
not a national issue. The main concerns are having bread and
liberty.
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Sent by the Iranian resistance in France, I joined the delegates
of other countries. In the icy wind and snow, we spoke one after
the other before being received by an official. |
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