The blood of love
The martyrs of Algeria (1994-1996) The Church of Algeria
This booklet presents a group of nineteen martyrs of the Church of Algeria. All were passionate about their Church, of which they were zealous servants, and passionate also about Algeria and its people where they had weaved their friendships. Humble and gentle, the Lord radiated from their hearts, in their lives and in their silence. They witnessed to a settled, lucid faith, the faith of those preparing the space for dialogue in their prayer and in their presence. They are a very beautiful image of the Church of Algeria: small, a few thousand faithful people, dispersed in four dioceses: Alger, Oran, Constantine- Ippone et Laghouat. It is a living Church by its poverty as it has lost its social power and pomp. Daily, it lives love and service. Thus purified and without ambitions, it can be a bridgehead for dialogue with Islam. The small Church of Algeria is conscious that On the cover: it is living a prophetic Our Lady of Africa – mission, that of creating Cathedral of Algiers.
2 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE for tomorrow the climate for The Church of Algeria does not a most peaceful dialogue forget that it is the inheritor between the Christian faith and of Saint Augustine, the Moslem faith, in the Saint Cyprian and Tertullien. certitude that we are all sons These are all men of light that and daughters of God, the work prepared times of change. of his hands and that the sons The prophetical nature of the and daughters of God will finish small Church of Algeria will by recognising each other. enlighten the horizon of For the Moslem majority of tomorrow. It is not for nothing Algerians, the Church of that these martyrs died with Algeria signifies the other, the a very great number of Moslem one who is different, the one brothers. Together they who allows one to be aware of intercede that our humanity his identity and his own faith, becomes more welcoming, by his difference and his more tolerant, more human presence, leading to respect for and capable of giving glory to mankind. God in his diversity.
THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA • 3 Brother ✤“Dear Brother Henri was an authentic witness to the love Henri Vergès of Christ, to the absolute self-denial of the Church and A man who to fidelity to the Algerian people.” always tended Henri thus summarised his lived towards more experience in the house of clarity and Islam: simplicity. ✤“… It is my Marist Born on the commitment that has allowed 15th July 1930 me, despite my limitations, in the East to harmoniously be part of the Pyrenees, France. At 12 years of Moslem environment, and my age, he started his journey life in this environment, in towards Marist life. At 22 years its turn, has made me more of age, he pronounced his profoundly a Marist Christian. perpetual vows as a Little May God be praised!” Brother of Mary. From 1958 to In 1986, he wrote: 1966 he was sub-master of ✤“Let the Peace of Christ novices in Corrèze (Notre-Dame invade me always more and de Lacabane). On the 6th August more intimately. Patience, 1969 he arrived in Algeria. His gentleness towards myself, apostolic life in this country patience, gentleness towards all, knew three stages: in particular the young people from 1969 to 1976 he was the Lord entrusts to me. Virgin Director of the St. Bonaventure Mary, make me an instrument school, in Algiers; of peace for the world. from 1976 to 1988 he was ✤“Patience, calm and a teacher of mathematics at the tranquil perseverance. As the Sour-El-Ghozlane ; sower who entrusts his grain to from 1988 onwards he the earth and allows the time of worked in Algiers, responsible God to do its work. An essential for the diocesan library that attitude for an educator: more than a thousand young especially as I do not know the people from the neighbourhood rhythm of development of each of the Casbah frequented. He of these young people. God has was murdered in his work simply sent me to sow the seed in office, with Sister Paul-Hélène, the field chosen by Him: thus to on the 8th May 1994, in the early sow in peace and to leave him afternoon. During his funeral, to look after the growth. Without on Thursday 12th May, being surprised by the presence the feast of the Ascension, of the cross, as in the life Cardinal Duval declared: of Jesus himself.”
4 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE THE MARIST BROTHERS
A Family without Frontiers: At the heart of the World, at the heart of the Church 4,200 Brothers, from all continents, present in 76 countries. Working as Christian educators for the children and youth to make out of them men and Christ’s disciples. A religious family that opens its spirituality, its charism and its mission to all Christians who want to live and collaborate with the Brothers. Guided by the pedagogical principles of Marcellin Champagnat : – To educate well one must love! – To educate well, one must train the whole person: the citizen and the Christian! – To educate well one must live with the young ones! – To educate well one must offer God’s paternal and maternal tenderness. – To educate well one must allow himself to be inspired by Mary, Christ’s Mother and Educator. – To educate well, one must open his heart to children and youth in difficulty. Guided by Marcellin Champagnat’s Spirituality We go to the young ones because we ourselves are loved by Jesus: We go to the young ones with our eyes turned to Mary, the Good Mother: “Our apostolic action is a participation in her spiritual maternity.” (Const. 84) Our motto is: “All to Jesus through Mary,all to Mary for Jesus.” With Marcellin’s ambition: “All the dioceses of the world attract us.” Saint Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840) The Founder of the Marist Brothers and a true father to them – A heart that knew no bounds, A man of faith and action, A born educator and a trainer of educators, A man of relationships and communion, A man of God and a Marial apostle, A humble, simple, discreet and happy man.
THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA • 5 Sister Paul-Hélène social Centre of the Little Sisters of the Assumption that Saint-Raymond offered the poor people of the neighbourhood a home She was born service: nursing care, family in Paris on work and a private dispensary. the 24th At Casablanca, she was January 1927. responsible for a service for While she was premature babies. She was an engineer, also particularly attentive to in 1952 she those who, for political entered the reasons, lived secretly. When Little Sisters of the Assumption she returned to Algeria in where she pronounced her 1984, she lived in community perpetual vows in 1960. From at Ksar el Boukhari, where she 1954 to 1957 her apostolate was a school nurse. was with working families at It was 1988 that she rejoined Creil; then she did some the community of Belcourt in studies as a nurse, a profession Algiers and worked in the that led her to the working library of the Casbah with class sections of Paris. During Brother Henri Vergès. these years her missionary It was there that she was sense and availability murdered, at the same time as deepened and she wrote Brother Henri Vergès, on the on the vigil of her 8th May 1994. In the last perpetual vows, period that she lived in ✤ “I also see myself Algeria, Paul-Hélène said she as a missionary, in the service was very challenged by the of God and of the Church, violence and she added: here and elsewhere, in a small ✤ “We need corner of Paris or in South to commence to fight against America… but I have the deep our own violence.” desire to be totally available… When Father Teissier warned wherever God would want the community as to the risks, me to be.” she responded: In 1963, she was sent to ✤ “Father, in any way Algiers. She stayed there until our lives are already given.” 1974 and then spent one year One sister gave this testimony: at Tunis, nine years at ✤ “Her life was given, Casablanca and then returned delivered to the little ones to Algiers in 1984. During her and to the poor whom first stay in Algiers, she was she passionately loved, the mainspring at the medical- welcomed and from whom
6 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE she would say she received so for the beliefs of others, much. Her way of ‘announcing a deeply personal aspect of her Jesus Christ’ in the Moslem Christian faith, demanded society was for her the respect in life by the Gospel.”
THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE ASSUMPTION
To procure the glory of God by the salvation of the poor and the little ones “In Jesus Christ, life and mission make only one.”
Our mission takes us into popular neighbourhoods, towards the excluded, those without a voice, the ‘displaced’, attentive to the cau- ses of family disintegration, particularly with young people and women in difficulty. Our activities take on the colour of the country where the congregation is implanted; everywhere there is humble work, presence and action. “May your actions speak of Jesus Christ!” our Founder used to say. It is thus ‘in the actions of daily life that we want to manifest the love of the Father to others.’
We encourage the places of dialogue, all sorts of meetings in our sub- urbs or at work, seeking to put people in contact with each other and to foster communities of faith. It’s our way of being participants in society and in the Church.
Consecrated to the Lord, we put in common all that we are, all that we have. Through that we give our life to Christ. In fraternal aposto- lic community, we come together around the Word of God and, sure of his love, we seek to spread the joy that he gives us. Mary, in her Assumption, strengthens our hope.
Our congregation was founded in 1865 in France by Father Etienne Pernet, Assumptionist, and Antoinette Fage. The former used to say to us: “You will go everywhere because everywhere there are sick people, poor people and souls to save… “ “France is your crib but the entire universe is open to you.” There are currently 994 sisters, present in 24 countries and 5 conti- nents.
“There is great happiness in living the life of Jesus Christ and in becoming other Jesus Christs.” (E.Pernet)
THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA • 7 Sister Esther In the discernment meeting about staying or leaving, she Paniagua Alonso said to her sisters: ✤“At this time, for me, the She was born perfect model is Jesus: he at Izagre (León, suffered, he had to overcome Spain), on the difficulties and succeeded in the 7th June 1949, failure of the cross, from where daughter of gushed the source of life.” Dolores Alonso Her preferred book was the and of Nicasio Bible which enlightened her life Paniagua. filled with light and shade. She Worried and searching for also read the Koran to better something, she discovered the understand the faith of the call to the religious life. At people and she loved to read eighteen years of age, she the mystics and the Sufis of the entered the Novitiate of the Moslem world. Congregation of the Augustinian Missionary Sisters. In August 1970 she made her final vows. Sister Caridad She studied as a nurse and then Álvarez Martín was sent to Algeria. The contact with the Arab world enticed her She was born and refined her sensitivity at Santa Cruz towards the Arab culture and de la Salceda religion and especially towards (Burgos), the people to whom she gave Spain, on the herself without reserve. She 9th May 1933, worked in hospitals where she in the home gave herself totally to the sick, of Sotera especially to the handicapped Martín and Constantino Álvarez. children for whom she did not In 1955, she entered the keep to a timetable. They used Congregation of the Augustinian to call her “their angel”. Missionary Sisters. She was sent Someone asked her if she was to Algeria and gave herself fully afraid of the situation in to her mission. She made final the country. She answered, vows on the 3rd May 1960. ✤“No one can take our life Her delicate health made her because we have already given return to Spain. Once she had it… Nothing will happen to us recovered, she returned to since we are in the hands of Algeria and stayed there more God… and if something does than thirty years. She mostly happen, we are still in his hands.” looked after elderly people and
8 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE the poor. She lived through will of God, which probably cost the violence crisis that erupted her. In the present situation, in the 1990s. Enticed by her I want to stay in this attitude mission, she never doubted for before God.” an instant about staying by Every day she recited the rosary the sides of the people who had and this love of the Virgin Mary accepted her and whom identified her as someone she loved profoundly. consecrated. ✤“I am open to that which On the 23d of October 1994, God and my superiors want of Caridad and Esther were killed me, Mary remained open to the on the way to the Sunday Mass.
THE AUGUSTINIAN MISSIONARY SISTERS
We are a small universal family of 500 sisters, spread out over four continents and present in sixteen countries. Our charism in the Church is the search for God, fraternal life, the service of young people, especially the least favoured by education, intelligence or of the heart. We share our charism with laypeople who come to live our spiritua- lity and our mission.
Spirituality We live the spirituality of Saint Augustine: the search for God, life in fraternity and the service to the Church. This spirituality includes – The contemplative dimension that makes us experience God as the interior Master and we discover how he has been acting in the history of mankind and of the world. – The availability to go where apostolic needs call us. – Love for the Church and the centrality of Jesus in life. – Love for the Virgin Mary, invoked under the titles of Mother of Good Counsel and Our Lady of Consolation.
Founders Our Congregation was founded on the 6th May 1890 by three contemplative Augustinian sisters: Sisters Querubina Samarra, Mónica Mujal and Clara Cantó. The urgent reason for the foundation was an epidemic of cholera in the Philippines which had left a lot of orphans. We care especially for the needs of abandoned children.
THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA • 9 Biographies of 4 Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) Jean Chevillard on Moslem land. For the rest, ‘Inch Allah!’” He was born in One of his sisters asked him in Angers (France) September 1994: “Why are you on the 27th returning there?” He answered: August 1925. ✤ “I am returning there to Once his studies give witness. My home is there, were finished, he near my Berber friends. If I die, entered the White Fathers. It I want to be buried there.” was the war. At sixteen years of age, he succeeded in Alain Dieulangard reaching North Africa. There he took his missionary oath on He was born on the 21st May the 29th June 1949 and was 1919 at St-Brieuc (France). He ordained a priest on the 1st followed his studies in law July 1950 at Carthage. which he finished in 1943. This Appointed to Algeria, he same year he was accepted by stayed there nearly all his life: the White Fathers. He made his responsible for centres of oath at Thibar on the 29th June formation, regional superior, 1949 and was ordained a priest regional econome. He was on the 1st February 1950. murdered on his feast day on Appointed to Algeria, he spent the 27th December 1994 at all his missionary life there, Tizi-Ouzou. He was in his especially in Kabylie, working in office, receiving people, administration and teaching. recording information and He was a man of God, seeking doing the mail. Towards the absolute. midday, he was snatched by ✤“When Father Alain started four armed men. to speak to me of God, I recall Father Pierre Georgin, that he would close his eyes, Superior General, said, remembers Amar, and softly he ✤ “This serious man of let loose his words in so low a duty, I found in him a degree tone that I would have to listen that touched on heroism.” hard: we must love God our In the Kabylies mountains, Father, our refuge and our life, while violence was on the by loving also increase in all of Algeria, Jean our brothers in knew he was exposed: the Lord Jesus ✤ “I know that I can die Christ; that’s murdered. Our vocation is to what he would witness to the Christian faith repeat over
10 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE and over again.” He was aware of the dangers Before his death he wrote: he was courting: ✤“As the apostles on the lake, ✤“I know that my activities we have only to cry towards the are dangerous for my life. Here Lord to wake him… The future is is my vocation, I remain… in the hands of God.” Our Lady of Africa remains He was murdered at the mercy of an insane act. in the mission courtyard In the diocese, we think that on the 27th December 1994. the maintenance of the presence of the Church is important, as much for the Church itself Charles Deckers as for the country.” He was born at On the 27th December 1994, he Anvers set on his way to celebrate with (Belgium) his friend Jean Chevillard. A few on the 26th minutes after his arrival, he was December 1924. killed in the mission courtyard. At the end of his studies he joined the White Fathers. He took his oath on the Christian Chessel 21st July 1949 and was ordained He was born in a priest on the 8th April 1950. He Digne (France) studied Arabic in Tunis. In 1955 on the 27th at Tizi-Ouzou he learnt Berber October 1958. and became responsible for a After having youth hostel. For three years obtained his he directed the El Kalima engineering diploma in 1981, he Centre in Brussels, a centre of worked as a volunteer in Ivory documentation and of dialogue Coast for two years and in 1985 between Christians and Moslem he entered the White Fathers. It immigrants. In 1982, he went to was in Rome, by a strange Yemen, but in 1987 he returned coincidence, that Christian took to Algeria, as parish priest of Our his missionary oath on the 26th Lady of Africa. Very loved by the November 1991, his right hand Kabyles, during the celebrations placed on the pages of a Gospel in January 2005, his name often of Saint John in the Arabic came up in testimonies: language, found on the remains ✤“I knew Father Deckers,” of Father Richard, murdered in recalled one witness, “I keep in the Sahara in 1881. He was my memory the image of this ordained a priest on the 28th sower of hope for the most June 1992. On his return to hopeless… with this serenity that Tizi-Ouzou, he prepared the only emanates from saints…” library project for the students.
THE MARTYRS OF ALGERIA • 11 A young Algerian woman wrote monastery of Tibhirine to be after his death: with the group Ribât-es-Salam ✤“To the parents of our (Link of peace). He wrote: young Father Christian… ✤ “I feel the necessity of I would say: know that during balancing my life by a his last days, Christian was more spiritual dimension very happy… He had started and something more simple the project, so dear to his heart, and lived.” A hail of of building a library for all the machine gun bullets ended young people of Tizi-Ouzou.” his life on the 27th December At the start of November 1994, 1994 in the Tizi-Ouzou Christian went to the courtyard.
THE MISSIONARIES OF AFRICA (WHITE FATHERS)
A missionary Institute founded in Algeria with a passion for Africa. Formed by 1770 brothers and priests of Africa, America, Asia and Europe. 640 are in Africa in the service of the local churches: parishes, institutions of formation and animation. A constant commitment: the first evangelisation. An important presence in the more Islamic African countries. Commitments for justice, peace, reconciliation and inter-religious dialogue: heritage of the founder. A life in international communities, founded on sharing and mutual help.
Attitudes of an apostle according to the founder “Be apostles, be only that or at least be nothing but that in this aim.” To be all to all “by language first, by clothing, by food”: a first step towards inculturation. To Christianise Africa, not to Europeanise it: importance of tolerance and respect for others. “Visum pro martyrio”: “ it is, in effect, my well beloved Sons, the trial that waits you all.”
Cardinal Charles Lavigerie (1825-1892) Founder of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) and the White Sisters. Archbishop of Algiers, of Carthage and Primate of Africa. A zeal to knock down barriers. A battle: to defend the rights and the liberty of people. A concern: to reconcile the Church with its time and to prepare the future. A stern voice, a heart of gold and an extraordinary capacity to be interested in everyone.
12 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE In the name of God, the Clement and Merciful One. “Praise to God, Lord of the world, the Clement and Merciful One, the King at the day of judgement. It is You whom we adore, it is You from whom we implore help. Show us the right path, the one of those whom You have filled with Your grace, not the one of those who incur Your anger, nor the one who has strayed.” “Al-Fatiha “ (1st sura of the Koran) Jeanne Littlejohn Sister Angèle-Marie
She was born in Tunis on the 22nd November 1933. In 1957, Jeanne entered the Postulancy of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles and received the name ✤“We must not be afraid. We of Angèle-Marie. She must only live the present pronounced her first vows on moment well… the rest does not the 8th September 1959 and she belong to us.” left for Algeria to Bouzarea Her mission was fulfilled in this where the Sisters ran an peace and this simplicity. About orphanage and boarding school ten minutes later, on their way for young girls. She stayed there to the house, Sister Angèle Marie from 1959 to 1964, in charge of was killed with Sister Bibiane, the little ones and as an her companion. embroidery teacher. In 1964, when the Algiers School of Art opened in Belcourt, she went Denise Leclercq there as an embroidery teacher. Sister Bibiane She stayed there until her death. Patient, close and simple with Denise Leclercq was born on the girls, she wanted to inculcate the 8th January 1930 at Gazerau, in them the love of art, of work France. She entered the Sisters well done; she spoke to them in of Our Lady of the Apostles on their own language. Sister the 4th March 1959. After her Angèle-Marie was profoundly first vows on the 8th March 1961, attached to Algeria, to its she was sent to Algeria to the inhabitants, to her mission, maternity ward of Constantine. sharing with this people their A good collaborator, attentive to joys and their sufferings. When the needs of others, Sister Father Bonamour, the parish Bibiane flourished in the care of priest, recalled the danger and the newly born and their invited the sisters to be ready, mothers. In 1964 she was in they responded: Algiers, in charge of a sewing ✤“We are ready.” and embroidery centre for When leaving from Mass during young people without studies. the afternoon of Sunday the 3rd The sisters received the young September 1995, a sister shared girls from underprivileged her fear about the violence with neighbourhoods where they her. Angèle-Marie answered her: visited the families. This allowed
14 • THE BLOOD OF LOVE Sister Bibiane to discover the Africa. Jesus said, ‘the Father will great material and moral misery give you all that you ask for in of Algerian women. She my name’… His light helps me witnessed to Jesus Christ in the to discover marvels that are “silence of words” and the hidden, surprising solidarities, actions of her life. generosities, superhuman In 1994, she had to make a courage; the Spirit is in their decision: stay or leave? Sister heart who works. The Word Bibiane’s response was clear: of God helps me to stay attentive ✤“It is the people themselves to be a ray of hope: I choose who have asked for the Sisters. to stay”. Actually they have asked that we With this interior freedom, stay. I am very saddened, I feel when leaving mass on powerless before so much the 3rd September 1995, only suffering, but I know, God loves about one hundred metres from these people and I have great the house, Sister Bibiane was confidence in Our Lady of killed with Sister Angèle-Marie.
THE SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE APOSTLES
A religious family that is exclusively missionary, founded in Lyon in 1876 by Father Augustin Planque (1826 – 1907) who, by his faith and audacity, shared his passion with us: “To know and love God to make him known and loved.” There are 800 Sisters, of 21 nationalities living in 19 countries.