Sr. Emmanuelle R.I.P.

More violence in the olive groves. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7679399.stm And I guess the situation in Jerusalem is still tense because I saw two mounted police riding into the Old City from New Gate - they seldom if ever do that! And since it's closing into the feast of Simchat Torah, the police/army presence in the Old City is stepped up.

Meanwhile Sister Emmanuelle - the nun of the slums - the relief of Cairo died. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7679487.stm She had done so much for the destitute and slum people of Cairo, but she never got any acknowledgement. People know Mother Teresa and never have heard of Sister Emmanuelle. But she did a lot - believe me.

And all the news you hear about the Holy Sepulchre is hype - it's always been like this here in the Middle East but it takes an outsider who comes from a comfortable middle class environment to be shocked at a different culture and way of life that he cannot and will not understand. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7676332.stm Get real, Mr! Since Christ died and rose again, we've lived under the Romans, the Persians, the Ayyubids, Mamluks, Ottomans and Brits .... it's a way of life here. Everyone at dinner table - when this news was brought up - just laughed and poofed at such bourgeois spirituality. Go to Gaza and Iraq, Mr, and see how the Christians are really suffering - and write about that!!!!!