#5 - September 29,2003

Dear Friends of the Badaliya.

In our last gathering on Sunday September 7th we discussed the possibility of honoring in some way our first year of praying together, which will fall on December 8th (The Feast of the Immaculate Conception).

We also began a discussion of taking Our Lady of Pokrov, known as the theotokos, as the patron saint of our Badaliya, as she was for the original prayer group in Cairo.The feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos falls in the Byzantine calander on October 1st. It honors the appearance of the Virgin during an all night vigil in Blachernae Church in Constantinople on October 1st, in the year 911 where she was seen to be spreading her veil in protection of the world. Louis Massignon encouraged the addition of this feast in his adopted Greek Catholic (Melkite) Rite.He also mentions Mariam Baouardy, a Palestinian Arab Carmelite who died in 1878 and was beatified in 1983.

We will dedicate our prayer gathering in October to those saints who were so essential to Massignon's own spiritual growth who are honored during this month. Our Lady of Pokrov, October 1st, Saint Francis on October 4th,and St. Therese of Lisieux who was made a Doctor of the Church October 19th,1997.In keeping with Massignon's spirit we call on these Holy men and women as we pray for peace and non-violent reconciliation in the Holy Land, the Middle East and throughout the world.

For those who wish to join the Union of Charles de Foucauld in the first Friday fast and Prayer for peace this month it falls on October 3rd when Franciscan communities around the world gather together to remember the final hours in the Life of the Poor Man from Assisi.

Our Boston Badaliya prayer group will meet at 3pm on Sunday, October 5th in the Cathlic Chapel at Brandeis University.Please join us in spirit as we pray for an end to violence in the Middle East and the Holy Land.

Peace to you.
Dorothy