Brother Toufic Bou Mehri, of the Custody of the Holy Land in Lebanon, tells us about the current situation of the friars and the people. He tells us that the city of Tyre was calm and the bombs did not arrive there. But after 20 September, the picture changed. On that occasion, some 160 people were received in the friary, including 70 children, with their parents, and 20 elderly people. Br TOUFIC BOU MEHRI, ofm Latin priest - Tyre - South Lebanon On Saturday, a rocket came right near the convent, 20 metres from the edge of the convent, and stones fell right into the courtyard: two children were injured. Then people were terrified. We took in a broken family inside the convent, or whoever was left alive from this massacre, nine houses fell down. So the people, terrified, began to leave even the last refuge they found in southern Lebanon, in Tyre, in the convent of St Anthony, of the Custody of the Holy Land. With the bombing very close by, the people were frightened and slowly went in search of safer places. Since the parish was half empty, the friars thought they would be more useful elsewhere. Forced by the situation, they closed the doors of the friary in Tyre on 1 October and moved to Beirut. Br TOUFIC BOU MEHRI, ofm Latin priest - Tyre - South Lebanon We took the Blessed Sacrament, convent relics and Holy Oil with us and set off. Up to Saida, half way there was no car. From Saida onwards we began to feel as if we were in another country and so we had to close a chapter, close the convent and come to Beirut to start a new chapter. He tells us how he was comforted by faith, by the certainty that the Lord is with them. A closeness that manifests itself mainly through the help of people who want to lend a hand and be close to them. Br TOUFIC BOU MEHRI, ofm Latin priest - Tyre - South Lebanon Even from Syria, poor Syria, in these moments we are living, someone called to tell me: ‘Father, I heard what you are doing, I want to participate and I want to be close to you.’ Feeling that we are not alone already is a great help to us. To feel that in our cry ‘no more war’ then we are not alone. War, bombs, have never brought either peace or law, they bring hatred and division between people. The Franciscan community of Lebanon gets close to its people. More than 170 families are helped by them to get through every moment of the day. Trying to be peacemakers, living charity and fraternity. Br TOUFIC BOU MEHRI, ofm Latin priest - Tyre - South Lebanon The big question is, ‘How can God be seen in this’? This month we celebrated St Francis. He who heard from God: ‘Francis, get up and repair my house, can't you see it is in ruins?’ So I meditated, prayed and thought. If the Lord spoke to Francis about the ruins of the Church, then yes, it is a great test for us too. To hear the Lord, to speak to us even from the ruins. And from the ruins the Lord speaks. There are no defeats, there is the Lord who even managed to overcome death. Not just the cross. And so to hear the Lord from the ruins, to hear the Lord in these difficult moments, makes us realise that it is the true Christian who knows how to carry his cross who goes forward. Read More