Sharing Christ Across Cultures and Faiths
New on Mission Blog: Spiritual Journeys of Christians and Muslims that Intersect at Holy Week and Ramadan
The author, Dorothy Buck is the USA coordinator for the Badilya Prayer Movement. Badaliya is an Arabic word that means to take the place of or substitute for another. It is a spiritual term that lies at the heart of the Christian faith experience and refers to the mystery of the image of God as Jesus sacrificing his life for all of humanity. To be a follower of Christ is to offer oneself out of love for the well-being of others.
Louis Massignon, a Catholic Melkite priest, and Mary Kahil established the Badaliya prayer group in Cairo in 1934. At that time Christians in Egypt were increasingly marginalized as Islam became the dominant religion in the region. The Badaliya was a way to open themselves to befriending and praying with and for their Muslim neighbors. It embraced Massignon’s own understanding that by learning the language and experiencing the traditions and culture of those of other religions our own faith life is enhanced. The Badaliya prayer was a testimony to the universal love of Christ. A Badaliya prayer group formed in Paris joining the one in Cairo, and eventually Badaliya prayer groups arose in many other cities around the world. They met monthly and many individual lay persons and members of religious communities joined this prayer movement in spirit as well. For more information, see the article “A Model of Hope: Louis Massignon’s Badaliya”.
Lenten Recipes from Around the World from Catholic Relief Services
Each Friday of Lent, we abstain from eating meat as a way to experience a little of the hunger that many experience daily. Journey with us around the world and incorporate these Lenten recipes into your meatless Fridays. Give the money you saved each week by not eating meat—about $3 per person per meal—to your CRS Rice Bowl to feed those in need around the world.
Introducing Pax Christi, Massachusetts
The Xaverian Missionaries at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Holliston, Massachusetts have a local Pax Christi group, and our confrere, Fr. Rocco Puopolo chairs the Pax Christi Board for Massachusetts. Through another confrere, Pietro Rossini and Mahdi, this introductory video invites others to see the important work of peace and justice of the church in an often violent world. For more information contact Fr. Rocco at frrocco@xaverianmissionaries.org.
September 2023 we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine with an exciting opportunity to join our pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. If you are interested in more information contact us at holliston@xaverianmissionaries.org, or at 508.429.2144. Reserve your place today!
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