Passionist International Bulletin

The Curia Informs12Beginning in 1968, following the second Arab-Israeli war and the closing of the borders (1967),the Superior General entrusted the house to theCORM Province of Northern Italy.Some speak of a third re-founding of the house ofBethany: its becoming a house of formation andstudies for Passionist students, as well as a centerfor guided experiences in the Holy Land and forgroups interested in on-going Biblical studies andexperiences within the context of the Holy Land.There are moments of political calm and momentsof tension and conflict such as the "intifada" thatclimaxed in the construction of a dividing wallbetween the Jews and the Palestinians that cutsdirectly through our garden.And now…On 24 June 2004, Fr. General wrote to theMajor Superiors of the Congregation to informthem that the CORM Province had decided torelinquish the house in Bethany to the GeneralCuria since it could no longer guarantee aPassionist presence, the result of a re-organizationof the Province itself.While we thank the CORM Province for 36years of uninterrupted and dedicated presence inthe Holy Land at the service of the local Church,the Province and the Congregation, we now wonderwhether the presence of Passionists in the landof Jesus is a good for the entire Congregation anda place that can also be significant for the formationof our Religious and therefore, somethingthat should continue to exist.Fr. General stated: "For these reasons and tobe able to proceed, as far as possible, toward aBro. Alberto visiting the sick in Bethanyconsensus of opinion in order to study new possibilitiesthat would be in harmony with the newperspectives of the Restructuring of theCongregation that are currently being addressed,we are asking you to offer your opinions and recommendationsregarding this matter. How shouldwe proceed with regard to the future of the houseof Bethany? Should it again be entrusted to a singleprovince or should an international communitybe created? Are there any other kinds of presenceor collaboration that should be considered?What specific initiatives should be taken into considerationand evaluated?"In September 2004, Fr. Gianni Sgreva, C.P.was appointed the superior of the community inorder to oversee the house and to study possibilitiesfor developing pastoral ministry within thatcontext and that reality. Some additionalPassionist religious have agreed to share this ministryfor limited time periods. Even in recenttimes, our presence in Bethany continues to bemarked by "suffering" and difficulties due to theserious political, social and religious situations.Shortly after his arrival Fr. Gianni wrote:"Here the situation of the house in the midst of anoccupied land, inhabited not by hundreds, but bythousands of Palestinians, worsens day by day.On Sunday afternoon, 7 November, the Israelisbegan to construct a wall in the street which facesour property and which abuts the property of theComboni Sisters (who are now in Palestinian territory).The following day the Arabs made a largeopening in the wall that surrounds our property.As if this were not enough, in the remainder of thewall, not far from our gate, they removed thefence…and therefore everythingis open to everyone…At this moment, in the regionof Bethany-Abu Dis, ourcourtyard and property is theonly passage way for thePalestinians who come andgo from Jerusalem, the onlyopening in the wall thatdivides the two peoples…"It is precisely this last phrase,that of being "the only openingin the wall that dividesthe two peoples…" that succinctlydescribes the plan ofour future presence in theHoly Land.