Lent 2019 Stations of the Cross - Trocaire
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Lent Stations So now faith, hope,
and love abide, these
of the three. But the greatest
2019
of these is love.
Cross – 1 Corinthians 13:13
Maya
Lebanon
María
Guatemala
Patricia
Uganda
2 Table of Contents
Table Of
Contents
TRÓCAIRE: UNTIL LOVE CONQUERS FEAR 3
Land Rights and Lent 2019:
Stories from Uganda, Guatemala and Lebanon 3
Interview with Roque Sub Sacul,
Parish Catechist in San Antonio Parish,
Tierra Linda, Guatemala 4
PRAYING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS 5
Additional Lenten Resources, including homily reflections are available at:
www.trocaire.org/parish
The Trócaire Romero Family Programme contains activities for
families to complete together to learn more about the families in this
year’s Lenten campaign. It is available online at: www.trocaire.org
List of contributors:
Frances Rowland, Diocese of Kerry
Colm Hogan, Trócaire
Mary Coogan, Trócaire
Cover photos L–R: María (9), Guatemala. Photo credit: Manuel Morillo; Maya (10),
Lebanon. Photo credit: Simon Walsh; Patricia (7), Uganda. Photo credit: Gary Moore
Trócaire: Until Love Conquers Fear 3
Trócaire: Until Love
Conquers Fear
Trócaire was established in 1973 as the overseas development
agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Photos from left to right: Maya (middle) and her family, Lebanon. Photo credit: Simon
Walsh. José, Adela and their family, Polochic Valley, Guatemala. Photo credit: Manuel
Morillo. Evelyn and her children, Acholi Land, Uganda. Photo credit: Gary Moore
Rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Across the countries where Trócaire
Teaching, Trócaire works in partnership works, people who depend on land to
with communities and organisations to make a living do not own or control their
support people who are living in poverty land.
and facing injustice every day. We also
strive to address the factors that undermine Land Rights and Lent 2019:
progress, such as corruption, repression Stories from Uganda, Guatemala
and persecution. In Ireland, we raise
and Lebanon
awareness about the root causes of poverty
and injustice in our world and urge people This Lent we are focusing on three families
from around the world who have been or
to take action to address those causes.
are being forced off their land due to:
Land Rights Being a woman or a girl
In our world today, one quarter of families Evelyn and her children are being pushed
are landless. Losing land often means off their remaining piece of land in Uganda
a loss of independence and leads to by a clan member who is challenging
poverty. Land is more than a piece of Evelyn’s right, as a woman, to own the land
arable ground. It is the means to feed following her husband’s death. Trócaire’s
a family and make a living. It is a place partner, Acholi Religious Leaders Peace
to build a home and a family, to have Initiative, is facilitating a mediation process
security and to look to the future. In many between the two parties to keep Evelyn
places, communities have a spiritual and and her family on their land.
sacred connection to their land.
1996. He had to leave his native lands
because of severe repression during the
internal armed conflict (1960–96). Many
Catechists were killed by the army when
supporting communities in negotiating for
land. They secured land at Tierra Linda in
1990.
Roque Sub Sacul (49) at a traditional
Mayan ceremony. Photo credit: Manuel The local community built the church at
Morillo Tierra Linda.
The actions of corporations or
The local priests, Padre Mario and Padre
governments
Juan Carlos, visit the church every three
José, Adela and their family, who are
months. They have eight Catechists in
Mayan indigenous people living in
the community (men and women) who
Guatemala, were evicted from their land
conduct funerals and all the sacraments
by a wealthy plantation owner (supported
except Confirmation; the bishop visits for
by the Guatemalan government) who
Confirmation.
wanted to grow sugar cane for biofuels.
Trócaire is supporting them through All the people in the community are
our partner CUC, the Peasant Unity Mayan. They have a very rich and deep
Committee, working for the rights of spirituality, handed down through the
indigenous farmers. generations. Whatever religion they are,
be it Catholic, Presbyterian or Seventh-
Conflict, violence and civil war
Day Adventist, is incorporated into their
Maya and her family were forced to leave
Mayan heritage. It is usually the elders
their home in Damascus due to the civil
of the community who lead the Mayan
war that has been raging in Syria since
ceremonies. Roque is learning these
2011. They are living in a refugee camp
practices from them. For Roque, there is
in Lebanon. Trócaire’s partner Sawa is
absolutely no conflict between leading
providing a variety of services, including
the Mayan ceremonies and his Catholic
education and skills training, to the
faith. He tells us that his Catholic faith
community in the camp where Maya
actually enhances his Mayan heritage.
lives, through the Safe Haven Project.
Every Sunday, the community has the
Interview with Roque Sub Sacul, liturgy of the word. Handing on the
faith to young people is so important,
Parish Catechist in San Antonio
especially as part of their preparation
Parish, Tierra Linda, Guatemala for the sacraments and marriage. Their
Roque (49) is a parish catechist with the faith gives them a sense of belonging;
Catholic parish of San Antonio as well as it is an opportunity to talk to people and
a Mayan spiritual leader. He is the leading visit the sick. Roque tells us, ‘God is
catechist in his community, Tierra Linda. not in another place. God is here in the
Roque has lived in Tierra Linda since community. He is their hearts. He is here
with them.’
5
María and her friends
walking home from
school. Photo credit:
Manuel Morillo
Praying the Stations
of the Cross
Praying the Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross is a
traditional way of praying during Lent.
We pray this familiar prayer to be with at the heart and mind of Jesus Christ,
Jesus Christ, who walked this journey, who is alive today and experiencing
carrying the cross, the instrument of the journey of the cross wherever
his death, out of love and commitment our sisters and brothers are suffering
to us. We pray it also because we wish throughout the world. We give thanks
to become close to Jesus, who loves as we walk this journey. His Way of
each of us so deeply. the Cross has brought hope and the
We walk this journey to get a glimpse possibility of new life into the dark
places of our lives. Journeying with
Families can learn more about Maya, Patricia, María and their
families in Trócaire’s Romero Family Programme. The programme
contains activities for families so they can learn together and pray
together. The Trócaire Romero Family Programme is a free resource
available online at: www.trocaire.org
6 Praying the Stations of the Cross
Jesus Christ allows us to become Leader: We gather in these Lenten
aware of where God is walking with us days to walk the journey of Jesus to
in our lives, and where we are called to the cross.
be with others on their journey. We come as individuals aware of the
As you pray, be aware of where you have challenges and struggles in our own
experienced the different stations in your lives. We come as a community of
life. Think also of your loved ones and believers and we come as members
your friends, your neighbours and your of our common humanity, mindful of
community as a whole – include them in people all over the world, who walk
your prayer, as you recall those who are the Way of the Cross daily. We walk in
experiencing something of Jesus Christ’s love as we come to share the ongoing
journey at this time. pain and suffering of people who are
Look beyond your part of the world and losing their land, homes and livelihoods
be mindful that you share the human in Lebanon, Guatemala, Uganda and all
journey with people scattered all over over the world.
the world. Be mindful of the families Reader: This year we walk the journey
from this year’s Lenten campaign, in of Jesus in solidarity with communities
Guatemala, Uganda and Lebanon who in Uganda, Guatemala and Lebanon.
have lost their land and who are facing Their land is being stolen from them
poverty, injustice and fear. Recall the in different ways – by corporate land
people who are in the news at this grabs, by war, or simply because they
time and how they are experiencing are women. We walk with them and
the suffering and pain of Jesus Christ’s with all people who are experiencing
journey of the cross today. Jesus the Way of the Cross in their lives
walked the Way of the Cross for all today.
humanity – now we walk in solidarity Leader: Jesus our brother, awaken in
with all people. us compassion for all who live the Way
If leading the stations for a group, of the Cross daily.
take a moderate pace, giving pause Fill our hearts with your love, showing
between the reader and the prayer led us the way to embrace the world and
by the leader. extend your kingdom of mercy, justice
and love to all.
Introduction
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Leader: We gather as sisters and
by your cross and resurrection you
brothers in Christ as we begin our
have set us free.
prayer in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
7 Evelyn (36) farming on her plot of land in Northern Uganda. Photo credit: Gary Moore
8 Praying the Stations of the Cross
First Station Third Station
Reader: Pilate condemns Jesus to Reader: Jesus falls for the first time
die The weight of the cross causes Jesus
Condemnation kills hope. Sometimes to fall. Many people around us are
in what we say or do, we leave other falling down under the heavy weight
people devastated. We crush their hope. of bills they cannot pay or homes they
cannot keep. People around the world
Leader: Jesus our brother, open our
are carrying the weight of uncertainty
hearts to those we condemn by our
over their homes, their livelihoods, their
attitudes and our actions.
land and their future.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Leader: Jesus our brother, nudge us
by your cross and resurrection you
daily to share our time, our voice and
have set us free.
our generosity with those in need.
Second Station All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Reader: Jesus accepts his cross by your cross and resurrection you
have set us free.
Jesus accepts what he cannot change.
People all over the world have to
Fourth Station
accept poor living conditions, famine
Reader: Jesus meets his mother,
and violence, things that they cannot
Mary
change.
How did Mary feel when she met
Maya and her family had to flee Syria
Jesus? He is weighed down and
because of the conflict. They are living
surrounded by guards. She cannot lift
in a refugee camp in Lebanon; they
the burden from him. But she is there;
have lost their home, their land and the
her presence alone must have given
life they had together in Syria. They
him strength.
do not know if they will ever be able
to return to their home and they do Rouba Mhaissen is the founder
not have any control over the conflict and director of Trócaire’s partner
which uprooted their lives. organisation Sawa, an NGO supporting
Syrian refugees living in camps in
Leader: Jesus our brother, give us
Beirut, and the Beqaa Valley. Sawa set
courage to speak out against the
up a Safe Haven Project Centre in one
injustice suffered by others, and act to
of the camps in the valley.
change what could be changed.
Maya and her family regularly use the
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
project centre for a variety of things,
by your cross and resurrection you
including education, somewhere to play
have set us free.
in relative safety, and skills training.
Praying the Stations of the Cross 9
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
by your cross and resurrection you
have set us free.
Sixth Station
Reader: Veronica wipes the face of
Jesus
Compassion and kindness are at the
heart of Veronica’s action. Compassion
for others and doing something to help
are at the heart of what it means to be
a follower of Jesus.
Rouba Mhaissen, founder and director of In the Beqaa Valley, the refugees from
Trócaire partner Sawa. Photo credit: Garry Syria form a community to provide
Walsh, Trócaire support to each other. Maya’s father,
Maya’s mother is currently learning to Hassan, says, ‘We are a community
be a hairdresser in the project centre. sharing the same oppression because
we are sharing the same fears.’
Leader: Jesus our brother, show us
how to be there for others in their Leader: Jesus our brother, move our
pain and struggle … and give us the hearts with compassion for those
openness to let others be with us in whose homes and lands are stolen
our need. from them by war, corporations and
governments.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
by your cross and resurrection you All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
have set us free. by your cross and resurrection you
have set us free.
Fifth Station
Reader: Simon of Cyrene helps carry
Seventh Station
the Cross Reader: Jesus falls for the second
time
By working alongside communities
struggling with corporate land grabbers To get up after falling is hard. Getting
or unjust regimes, Trócaire’s partners up a second time is harder still. Many
help people to carry their cross, and to people are beaten down when they try
regain their dignity and their hope. to rise.
Leader: Jesus our brother, recruit us as Leader: Jesus our brother, give us
assistant workers by our prayers and hope when we fall down. Help us to
generosity. notice others who have been knocked
10 Praying the Stations of the Cross
back and give us courage to stretch out Ninth Station
a hand of friendship and solidarity.
Reader: Jesus falls for the third time
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Many people get knocked down time
by your cross and resurrection you
and again through no fault of their own.
have set us free.
Unjust governments, natural disasters,
war and climate change can all prevent
Eighth Station
someone being able to get up again.
Reader: Jesus meets the women of
Jerusalem The community of Paraná in Guatemala
were violently evicted so that a wealthy
Women around the world show great landlord could grow crops that would
resilience and strength in the face of generate profit. Their attachment to
injustice. Jesus recognises their plight the land and to farming, as well as their
and feels for them. Trócaire’s Lenten livelihoods and means to feed their
campaign this year highlights one way families, did not matter in the face of
in which women are vulnerable. They potential profit. They are facing threats
often have no legal ownership of land, and intimidation but are determined to
so when their husband dies, they are stay as this is the place they want to
evicted and the land is divided among build their families and the place where
other family members. their ancestors came from.
After her husband passed away, Evelyn Leader: Jesus our brother, open our
lost the land that she and her husband hearts to feel the pain and despair of
had cultivated for years in Northern being knocked down again and again
Uganda due to intimidation from her and again. Help us to stretch out and
late husband’s family who do not support them to get back up.
believe that she has any right to that
land. Simply because she is a woman, All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Evelyn is facing huge uncertainty over by your cross and resurrection you
her future and her family’s future. have set us free.
Leader: Jesus our brother, we are Tenth Station
all created equal – women and men.
Reader: Jesus is stripped of his
Open our eyes and hearts to speak out
clothes
against the injustices experienced by
women. Families and communities are stripped
of their homes or their lands daily.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
Unreasonable laws or traditions or
by your cross and resurrection you
brutal force can be used to leave
have set us free.
people destitute.Praying the Stations of the Cross 11
Through the stories of the families Eleventh Station
in Guatemala, Uganda and Lebanon,
Reader: Jesus is nailed to the cross
we see the struggles faced by people
all over the world who lose their land The sheer brutality of being nailed.
and their homes. Even though these Jesus is nailed because he threatens
families live thousands of miles apart, the status quo. He is nailed because
in very different countries, they are others want to get rid of him.
sharing similar fear and trauma. Leader: Jesus our brother, open our
Leader: Jesus our brother, you know eyes to see the people who are nailed
what it feels like to be stripped of your in our society, because they challenge
dignity. Make us advocates for those our comfort, our status and our wealth.
left with nowhere to live and no way to Bless all those who speak out for truth,
raise their children. especially those defending human
rights around the world.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
by your cross and resurrection you All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
have set us free. by your cross and resurrection you
have set us free.
Village community celebrates Mayan ceremony with their leader Roque. Photo credit:
Manuel Morillo12 Praying the Stations of the Cross
Twelfth Station All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
by your cross and resurrection you
Reader: Jesus dies on the cross
have set us free.
Jesus dies because of the way he
lived – his stand for justice and truth, Thirteenth Station
his belief that God’s greatest interest Reader: Jesus is taken down from
lies with those who are placed on the the cross
fringes of society.
After his death, Jesus’ body is removed
Rouba, from Trócaire partner Sawa, has from the cross and taken by his friends.
this message for people in Ireland ‘To When people die in atrocities and war,
the Irish people I would say a heartfelt oftentimes their families and friends do
thank you because they have taken all not get to mourn over their dead.
the right stances in the past. They have
proven their generosity through the Since the outbreak of the war in 2011,
Trócaire box, and through supporting twelve million Syrians have fled their
the work that we are doing here. It is homes. More than half of all Syrian
really humbling to know that there are refugees in Lebanon live in extreme
people across the sea that are thinking poverty. Life for refugees like Maya
about you.’ and her family is extremely challenging,
and as a result many consider taking
Leader: Jesus our brother, challenge the dangerous and risky journey across
the way we live. Make us more the Mediterranean towards a new life
conscious of those becoming poorer in Europe. Many do not survive this
and more excluded in our society. journey.
A village scene in Guatemala. Photo
credit: Manuel MorilloPraying the Stations of the Cross 13
Leader: Jesus our brother, nurture Remind us always of the difficulties
respect and empathy in us for refugees faced by those most vulnerable and in
around the world. need in our world.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for Give us the courage to speak out as
by your cross and resurrection you you did and to act for justice.
have set us free. We make this prayer in your name,
Fourteenth Station All: Amen.
Reader: Jesus is placed in the tomb Leader: Let us go from here as people
of the resurrection, sharing our
Jesus being placed in the tomb
hope with all who despair; sharing
seemed like the end. His disciples
our voice and generosity with the
may have felt like all hope was lost.
thousands of families who are living
In parts of our world, people have lost
in fear of their homes and land
hope in life due to famine, war or the
being stolen from them; sharing our
power of multinationals. We remember
support with all who walk the Way of
the families from this year’s Lenten
the Cross daily.
campaign and countless others like
them. Leader invokes God’s blessing and
crosses herself/himself, saying:
Leader: Jesus our brother, be with us
when we lose hope. May we work May the almighty and merciful God
with Trócaire and other organisations bless and protect us, the Father, and
who offer hope to people in the midst the Son and the Holy Spirit.
of despair. All: Amen.
All: Save us, saviour of the world, for
‘If you think about going back to
by your cross and resurrection you
access your physical land – it’s not
have set us free.
just your physical land. The land is
Leader: We have walked this journey about your family, about your social
of Jesus to the cross with each other. networks. If you want to come back
It ends in despair with the burial of to your lands, it’s because you have
Jesus. But our faith teaches us that people there. Homes are the people
this is not the end. living in them, not the physical
We trust in the hope that Jesus was structure. It’s the community.’
raised from the dead, and in this way Rouba Mhaissen, Director of Sawa
God has transformed our lives too.
Darkness, fear, injustice will not prevail.
Jesus Christ, our brother and saviour,
hold us close to you in our struggles.Maya (10), Reem (7) and Amira (11), Lebanon. Photo credit: Simon Walsh
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Contact us:
Trócaire, Maynooth, Trócaire, 12 Cathedral Street,
Co. Kildare, Ireland Dublin 1, Ireland
T: +353 (0)1 629 3333 T: +353 (0)1 874 3875
E: Mary Boyce at: E: dublincentre@trocaire.org
mary.boyce@trocaire.org www.trocaire.org
www.trocaire.org
Trócaire, 9 Cook Street, Trócaire, 50 King Street,
Cork, Ireland Belfast BT1 6AD,
T: +353 (0)21 427 5622 Northern Ireland
E: corkcentre@trocaire.org T: +44 (0) 28 90 808 030
www.trocaire.org E: infoni@trocaire.org
www.trocaire.org
Trócaire gratefully acknowledges support received
from Irish Aid to conduct Development Education and
Public Engagement activities in Ireland. The content,
approaches and activities outlined in this resource are
entirely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not
necessarily represent or reflect the policy of Irish Aid.
REF: CH1
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