Passionist International Bulletin

The Curia InformsTHE PASSIONISTPRESENCE IN BETHANYFr. Luigi Vaninetti, C.P.General ConsultorThe "pilgrim" who goes down to Jerichofrom Jerusalem passes through the KedronValley, with Gethsemane on the left andcomes out onto mount ofthe "scandal" (Ras alAmud) with the largeJewish cemetery on eitherside. From this height,directly ahead, there is alarge area of cypress andmaritime pine trees. In themidst of this green mass thesmall bell tower of thechurch of St. Marthaappears. Along side it is animpressive structure composedof local rock: theretreat of the Passionistreligious dating to 1903. In2003 we celebrated thecentenary of our presencein the community of theHoly Land.Some history…(We are grateful to Fr. Giuseppe Martinelli forthese historical notes and for his intervention atthe last General Synod of the Congregationregarding our community of Bethany.)Following the decree of the suppression ofreligious orders issued by the French government,in May 1903, a group of 12 Passionist religiousheaded by Fr. J. Charles de Pichard, a formermember of the General Curia, landed at the portof Haifa. The first group of religious arrived inthe Holy Land after surmounting several sizableobstacles, without a house, nor protection nor anytype of security. They were the guests of theAssumptionists while they searched for and founda small building in Bethany, formerly belongingto an Institute of French Sisters and not yet completed.In 1905 Brother Albert, a Belgian, arrivedin Bethany and for thirty years he served as theinfirmarian for the benefit of the Arab population.He subsequently became well known not only asFr. Charles de Pichard, founder of the Missiona great doctor but also as a miracle worker. Fr.Charles, who died at the age of 83, ten years afterhis arrival in Palestine, greatly desired to go andlive there, above all, to benear the places of thePassion of the Lord. ThePassionists would alsoencounter the passion andsuffering in the people theyserve and throughout thehistory of our presence inBethany -- a presence thatwould be marked by sorrowdue to painful and seriousevents such as wars. It isalso a presence that is characterizedby the testimonyof lives spent in contemplationand in solidarity.From the beginning wecan say that the house wasfounded and re-foundedvarious times in the courseof its history, passing fromthe rule of the Turks, to the British protectorate, toJordanian rule and finally, after 1967, to Israelirule.During World War I the house was closed andwas looted. In the years 1919-22 the so-calledfirst re-foundation took place with the return ofFrench Passionists and the initial presence ofyoung American Passionists who studied at theEcole Biblique of the Dominicans. During WorldWar II and immediately afterward, the house wasoccupied by a group of Polish military personnelfrom Russia and then, because of local fighting,the house was inhabited by Palestinian refugees(1946-1950).It was during the second re-foundation (1950-1967) that the house was placed directly under theSuperior General and became a type of pilgrimcenter, a part of the local church. It was also reestablishedas a center for welcoming our religious,especially for the purpose of biblical studies.11