PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
For several years now, the Church has been under the spotlight; disturbing facts have been accumulating, implicating prominent people within the Church: priests, religious men and women, bishops, Christians.
After all this, can we still speak of the sanctity of the Church? Do we dare to call ourselves members of this institution? How can we believe in the art of living that it proposes through the Gospel? Who can advocate an ethic of life and at the same time flout it? Where is the Good News of Jesus Christ?
In this appalling context, women and men have risen up to shed light on these countless and distressing trials. The Church still has prophets, ready to humbly face the truth, however cruel it may be, so that justice may finally be done to these thousands of shattered lives, whose physical, psychological, social and spiritual tragedy has been ignored for too long, because they have been walled up in silence, shame and guilt.
On 5 October, when I received the report of the experts who had worked on the search for the truth, I felt that I belonged to this institution, and yet, yes, I had to admit it, it was my Church.
On that day my prayer with her will be the “voiceless” reception of this human and spiritual tragedy.
Then I took the time to remember… to trust again, to continue to hope.
The evening prayer, kneeling in the family kitchen, under the watchful eye of my standing grandfather, who, while not “practising”, respectfully follows the faith journey of his children and grandchildren through this daily rite. I am already praying with the Church, without knowing it. And that is beautiful.
On the prayer stool, alone in the oratory in silent adoration, I pray with the Church. In community with the liturgical prayer of the present time, I pray with the Church. And that is good.
In Lang Anh (Viet Nam), once a week, mixed with the people of the neighbourhood reciting with all their soul prayers learned by heart from childhood, to which the rosary is added, I pray with the Church.
At the daily morning Eucharist in Dong Hoa, Vinh, or elsewhere, men and women, old people and children meet before they go to their daily occupations. They join in Christ’s sacrifice and thanksgiving, crying out the distress of the world near and far; giving thanks for the abundant life received from Him. I pray with the Church. And this is very good.
With the faithful of the parish of Antony who welcome a new parish priest and take advantage of the opportunity to share the concerns that we have and the reasons for hope. We are looking for ways to be together, “sowers, actors and servants of Hope”; I pray with the Church and this is very beautiful.
Before the meal served to the kindergarten children, I hear “Lai Cha chung con”… Our Father; I pray with these little voices that are already learning to say “thank you” for the daily bread received.
The flooding has caused serious damage in a region of central Viet Nam: no more drinking water, no more food, no more clothes, no more blankets. From the nearest parishes to the southern ones, solidarity is being organised: trucks are being hurriedly loaded with water, food and clothing, and young people are carrying bags of cement to stop the water and tools to clean the houses. I pray with these trucks of life that are driving towards a flood of water that submerges everything except the intelligence of fraternity.
Covid is taking its toll in Viet Nam. Hospitals are overflowing, and the caregivers cannot cope with their assignment to serve the sick. Several dioceses called on religious men and women under the age of 40 to help the carers. For three days, the 340 volunteers receive training in nursing care for the sick and in organising their assignment days while protecting themselves. Two of our sisters were involved in these voluntary services for a month. I pray with the compassion of the Church which is close to the suffering.
The city of Saï Gon has been confined for several months; the inhabitants are beginning to go hungry. The parishes in the North are organising to send tons of food to be distributed by our communities in conjunction with others. Our sisters ask their home parishes to donate food; trucks arrive at 2 a.m. and our sisters’ assignment begins, for the distribution. I pray with the fraternal hands of the Church as they work to give food to the hungry.
“Right now, we are praising God, gathered in the church. But when each of us goes back to our own business it will seem that we stop praising. Do not stop living well, and you will praise God with your life. Singing Alleluia, give bread to the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the homeless. Then it is not only your voice that sings, but your hand also sings when your actions are in accordance with your words.
If your tongue praises God at certain times, your life must praise without ceasing. If you sing only with your voice, there will be silences, but let your life be a song that nothing interrupts. Sing with your voice for the ears that hear you, but let your heart never be silent, let your life never be silent.”
St Augustine (commentary on Psalms 146, 148 and 149)
By Colette Faillenet, Little Sister of the Assumption,
who has just returned from ten years of mission in Vietnam