Special children of Jesus
|  |  My experience in Arche Cmmunity
It was very frightening moment to me when I arrived in the community. I know to myself that I am going to assist the children with intellectual disability and I don’t know how to deal on it. I was assigned particularly to John-Paul, an 18 year-old boy, with cerebral palsy. I need to accompany him almost 24 hours a day because of his condition. On our first meeting, I was amazed when he said to me that I shouldn’t be afraid to be with him because Jesus is with me always. Every time he prayed, he always included his family and friends specially those persons who helped him to survive in this life, it was a very touching prayer. His faith is his strength to fight and to appreciate the beauty of life. Some of them are abandoned children by their parents but God never abandon them, instead they are special children of Jesus. They have this intellectual, physical disability but some times they are more ability person in faith than others.
It is not only my formation in terms to my chosen vocation but it is also my formation in terms of my inner life of being a person and a future shepherd of God’s flock.
Thank you to Arche community, thank you too the persons responsible of my formation and most of all thank you Jesus for teaching me how to love and to be loved.
Christopher (Sons of Charity postulancy)
Manila, July 2009
| | Spiritual theatre
| |  This is a human, artistic, spiritual
experience realized with young people, with the Sons of Charity, and with the Auxiliaries of Charity. It’s called “Charité point comme” or “Charity
dot com.”
“Charity dot com” is a presentation
in which theater, music, songs, spirituality and everyday reality mix together
in the setting of early twentieth century Charonne, a poor neighborhood near
the Bastille in Paris.
| | The plot
The story unfolds in Charonne at the
dawn of the twentieth century. Charonne,
with its lively bistrot, where work
life and neighborhood gossips stumble in, along with news from all over Paris and the world. It’s a bar where workers find themselves
together at break time with neighborhood women and with other regulars.
Lively conversations, a heated atmosphere,
songs and music, and typical characters like Francois the anarchist; Marcel the
union leader; Lucien the grump; Tic-Tac the quiet one with his strange musical
instrument; Emilienne, the prostitute; Caro the African woman, and others.
The word Charity most certainly does
not play well play here, because it evokes the condescending piety of do-gooders
and the idealism of dreamers.
Father Anizan’s outlook on these ordinary
people he meets is one of kindness and trust.
He discovers unsuspected riches in them.
Sister Magdalena is a spirited
figure whose work-worn hands endear her to everyone.
| |  Presentation of the play
“Charity dot com” is an interactive play
that really touches the audience.
It’s a mix of songs of yesterday and
today to which the public can hum along.
Above all, it is a human adventure
that has helped young people to live a deep and rich experience, while getting
training in the dramatic arts.
“Charity dot com” is a work of history,
linked to the present. It invites us to
remember the past so we can better understand the present and build the future.
“Charity dot com” invites us to
reflect and live together as citizens in solidarity. This play provokes conversation and debate about
charity; it invites us to look at charity in a new way.
“Charity dot com” tries to show what
true charity really is. Genuine charity
has nothing to do with a group of rich ladies giving alms to “their” poor. Rather charity evokes human solidarity that
is rooted in a spiritual dimension, where every life and all of life has
worth.
“Charity dot com”: God is charity.
| |
|
