All Born Equal and Free!
A story is told that one day, David had visited his
friend Stephen and they both went to the cemetery because David wanted to pay
his respects to the parents of Stephen whom he knew very well and who were now
resting in that cemetery. Upon arrival in the cemetery, David was struck by one
thing. Only the name on the cross distinguished one grave from the other. All
had the same shape and style. When he marvelled and asked his friend Stephen
why, the answer he got was the following: “In our town we took the decision to
offer the same type of grave to all our citizens because we are born equal and
at the end, before God, we are equal. We are all God’s children in need of love
and understanding. The same row as my parents are a policeman, a mayor, a
priest, etc. You would not know if you were not told.” Approvingly David said “born equal and free,
that is our challenge!”
Our Founder, Fr. Lavigerie was not eavesdropping on
this story but his ardent commitment to participate in the anti-slavery
campaign in the nineteenth century certainly helped many to attain the dream
that we are born equal before God and that we should be free not enslaved by
anybody. However, what could one person do? Not much we might be tempted to
say. But let us recall that one voice less in an election can mean the loss of
an opportunity to serve others with a certain vision! Each voice counts and
every eye, mouth and brain all the more so!
If you think your contribution is not important look one day at how a
team of ants work together to gather food into their granary. None is strong
enough to carry anything but through working together they are able to roll
enough food into their granary for the lean season!
The commitment to invest in fighting against Slavery
went beyond our Founder and stimulated others to participate in the way the
Spirit was moving in the Church and in the world. Pastoral agents, beginning
with Pope Leo XIII down to the common person in the distant villages in Africa,
decried the injustice of forcefully removing thousands of Africans from their
home and sending them elsewhere.
As we celebrate the 125th Anniversary of
Lavigerie’s participation in the anti-Slavery campaign, we are spurred to
action too against the different forms of slavery and discriminations that
deprive people of their equality before God and each other and of their freedom.
This present dossier is intended to raise our
awareness about the past but especially open our ears, hearts and eyes to the
situations of slavery around us today so that we can courageously announce that
as Missionaries we have a different message for God’s people who are all born
equal and free! May we, like the Biblical
Prophets and our Founder be able to denounce today’s forms of slavery and
commit ourselves eradicating them!
“United we stand, divided we fall”. If
our actions during this year are to bear lasting fruit, we need to network with
other Societies, Congregations and groups engaged in fighting for the rights of
the slaves of today who are counted more in terms of economic and other gain
than for their equality in dignity and freedom as children of God and as our
brothers and sisters.
We hereby, express our two Societies’ heartfelt
gratitude to our brothers and sisters who took their precious time to write the
articles included in this dossier. May we use it with joy and purpose!
Richard
Baawobr, M. Afr. Carmen Sammut, MSOLA
Superior General Superior
General
