Catholic school dilemma

The weather has cooled a lot. In fact everyone finds it very pleasant ... sunny but not scorching, and a cool breeze constantly blowing. This is more like May.Managed to snap a shot of hyraxes basking in the sun ... shy creatures that look like rabbits with short ears.

Hyraxes basking in the sun

Friday passed without incident. It was rather calm this week. It'll be like this for the next month as Ramadan comes round. Last year was very subdued due to the Gaza war. There was no revelry at Damascus Gate ... no nargile stands, no music, no food stalls. Let's hope this year it'll be happier.

2 days back the first ever demonstration by catholic teachers and students took place in front of the Ministry of Education. They were protesting the discriminatory practices and rules that are leading christian schools to close down. The ministry has begun cutting subsidies to these "unofficial but recognised" schools as non-jewish schools are categorised. The 47 catholic schools have a matriculation graduation rate of 95% and 90% eligibility to universities - higher than any jewish school in the  country. Yet because the catholic population is too small to be politically beneficial to political parties, they have been relegated to the backwaters of society. Students of catholic schools need to pay 4000 shekels a year, which is practically impossible for parents who are struggling to find work. Unable to pay for school fees, children stop going to school in order to work ... and the cycle of poverty and powerlessness continues. With the reduction of subsidies by the ministry, there has been a marked increase of requests for help which many teaching religious sisters have approached me in desperation ... and I can only do this though your help. In the past, your generosity has helped pay some 48 school children's fees and enabled them to continue studying at least for one more year.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.658600 

End of heatwave

Intense heat drove people away
from the streets

The heatwave is finally giving way to cooler weather. A cool breeze was blowing throughout the day despite the 36 degrees that beat down the entire country. This came after several drizzles last night. It was good to hear drops of rain hitting the roofs. It cleaned the air. One good thing though, there were no forest fires. Most of the ground is covered by fine yellow sand blown in from the hamsin winds. It leaves your lips and eyes irritated and many people are coughing and wheezing. Even as I'm writing now, I can hear the scattered patter of drizzle on my window. Hopefully it will wash away the sand from the air.

It's exam time. Students are nervous ... those who actually care about studying though. But the thought of a long summer holiday provides good motivation for them to study hard for the exams. Many of our students and profs will be going home for the summer. I will have to work in the libraries ... lots of re-organisation and moving of books. I can't do it alone as my diaphragm hernia is hurting too much. I'll need to hire students looking for summer jobs. That means having to pay them ... and supervising their work as summer job students are famous for playing around and having a good time rather than seriously working. Not looking forward to this stress.

There was an article yesterday in the newspapers about frankincense water and its curative qualities. I know that local arabs chew on frankincense for stomach illnesses, but apparently by soaking frankincense in boiling water overnight and drinking it is good for arthritis, inflammation and even cancer. Only thing stopping me from trying it is if I'm allergic to it. I don't want to end up in the emergency room again.

Heatwave 2

Frying an egg on the road

Today's heatwave hit its peak at 40 degrees ... the hottest May in many many decades. You'd expect this kind of heat in August ... but in May?!?! Someone actually fried an egg on the road and posted the pic on Facebook. Forecast is for a gradual cooling tomorrow and possible some drizzle on Friday but by Sunday the heat should pick up again. If this were the summer holidays, the students will be having lots of fun by the beach or swimming pools. Unfortunately it's exam time ... and studying in this heat is not very helpful!

Fighter jets were roaring up and down the sky this morning for about an hour. It was like war time again. A little later we heard the news that Israel had bombed Gaza because Gaza blasted the city of Ashdod with missiles. It's a warning from Hamas in Gaza that they've re-armed after exhausting all their weapons in last year's war with Israel. I doubt it'll lead to anything serious because Ramadan is in 3 weeks time and the heatwave will make the muslim fast extremely difficult. Fighting a war under those conditions are certainly not the best.

The Mt. of Olives at night 

The new medication for my asthma is working well. I've not had any serious wheezing or attacks. 3rd day now. However my diaphragmic hernia has been excruciating the last 2 days. Had been moving some boxes of books in the library and the hernia began to hurt very very bad. Because the hernia is just below the heart, the hospital has advised me against sleeping on my left. So for the past 5 years I've slept only on my back or right side. I can't laugh or cough too much, nor eat till my stomach is full ... all these cause pressure on the hernia and the pain is bad. And because it's just below the heart, it gets more complicated. Because of the pain ... and heat, I can hardly sleep. A walk on the terrace last night allowed me to see the Mt. of Olives all lit up ... like a preparation for Ramadan. From the pic, the central unlit portion is a piece of land owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch. He has a huge bungalow there with large gardens all round ... as the dark patch in the pic shows. It's almost one quarter of the mountain top.

So that's the story of my life: one problem solved and another takes it place.

Stromata

Another very hot day. This time there'll be no miracle of the rain. We'll have to bear with this heatwave through the summer. One thing for sure ... the ice cream shops are making alot of money!!!

With the new right-wing / ultra-orthodox coalition in the govt, things are beginning to change ... in their direction. Kashrut inspectors are springing surprise checks into restaurants to see if they meet up to strict kosher laws. 2 inspectors were sacked because of their laxed inspections. The rabbis are tightening the noose now that they're in power in the govt. Scary. Don't know how long we'll enjoy chinese food or burgers or sushi once the kosher laws get tighter.

My first lilies blooming this year

I heard there was a big fight in the Christian Quarter last SUnday but wasn't sure what it was all about. Yesterday I got more news, and the local papers did carry an article on it: big fight between christian and muslim youths, several injuries and arrests. Apparently there were some christian girls dressed in a way that some passing muslim guys began making catcalls; christian guys came out and started beating them up, muslims called for reinforcement and an all-out fight started. Same story recycled each year.

Bit of a mixed emotion day ... had a surprise visit from a good friend and colleague, Tiago, from years past. He was my cameraman and editor when I was director of the Media Center; then he went back to Brasil and got married, has a baby girl ... and this week he came back to the Holyland leading a group. It was good to meet him. Same time had to say goodbye to one of my Israeli security friends Aviho. Today is his last day on the job. However he wasn't posted in the tunnel security for well over a month now so we never actually met to say goodbye. Just a couple of messages on the phone. Hope life will treat him better with his new job. He deserves a break. He's a great friend.

Sunflowers

The heatwave is back ... so hot today 2 baby finches died from the heat. Terrible. I must provide a lot of water for them. Miss Bird is also getting very grouchy in this heat. She bites everyone that comes close and she refuses to come out of her cage.

I wonder how this heat is going to affect the political situation here. Usually when it gets so hot, violence is kept at bay ... it's too hot to even go out and cause trouble. In 2 weeks Ramadan will begin. With the heat and fast, I doubt any trouble will brew.

Beautiful sunflowers: a
gift from a friend

I think the only thing that's enjoying this heatwave are the sunflowers. The fields in the Sharon plain near the airport are simply gorgeous with thousands of sunflowers blooming. It's a lovely sight. A friend visiting me from Tel Aviv brought me some. They certainly brighten up the indoors.

My change in medication is proving to be good. The asthma is mostly under control these 2 days. And I've avoided eating/drinking flour products and sugary foods/drinks in the evenings - it really cuts down on the asthma attacks in the night. No more Coca Cola. Just water. No coffee either. I've been drinking lemon-honey every morning for 2 months now. Don't know if this helps though. For dinner I eat one apple. I usually eat a brunch, but sometimes if there are guests, I might have to accompany them for lunch. Not eating till a full stomach is also a good asthma prevention ... at least for me. And all my food has to be fresh, at least without preservatives. My allergy to chemical preservatives is severe. I haven't gotten round to seeing the allergy specialist yet. Have been too busy at work. But within this week definitely I'll go.

Pentecost

Jews protesting catholics celebrating
Pentecost at the Last Supper Room

This year our Pentecost clashes with the Jewish Pentecost ("Shavuot"). Vespers will be sung in the Last Supper Room. Unfortunately the jews will be downstairs in the so-called "David's Tomb". I say "unfortunate" because the jews say we are committing idolatry and defile the place for jews downstairs, so in the newspapers they have called for thousands of jews to come and block christians from entering the Last Supper Room. So much for tolerance. Now if christians blocked the jews from entering the "David's Tomb", there'll definitely be accusations of anti-semitism; and the usual western countries with deep-seated guilty conscience will echo these accusations. But it's being done to christians today here ... and thee countries are deadly silent. Like they're deadly silent over ISIS killing of christians these few months ... 400 in Palmyra yesterday. If only the Holy Spirit can come down and enlighten these darkened hearts and minds.

Vespers in the Last Supper Room

And as if this un-called for intolerance and hatred is not enough, last night there was a stabbing at Damascus Gate. The 4th in 2 weeks. This summer spells trouble. In a week, Ramadan will begin and so more tensions can be expected.

St. Peter's Church in
Jaffa at night

Yesterday was a tiring day for me as I had to go to Jaffa to celebrate Pentecost Mass for the Konkani catholics. I don't speak Konkani so I did it in english but they responded in konkani. I know the congregation well because the past 5 years I've celebrated with them Holy Week. Then I stayed back to work as sacristan till the last Masses (spanish and hebrew) were finished, closed the church and then returned to Jerusalem. By then it was almost midnight. Was very tired. This morning I had to celebrate Mass at the Armenian Catholic Cathedral. My armenian is not good but I can recite the Creed, Our Father and other parts of the liturgy in that language.

And I've switched medicines again for my asthma. Doc put me on anti-histamines instead asthma steroids. It seems to work. Had only 2 attacks last night. On Monday I'll have to see an allergy specialist. It's going to cost alot as I have no insurance.

Hamsin

Newspapers are reflecting great consternation over the new govt, that was sworn in and presented to the President yesterday. A very diverse coalition united in one thing : far right nationalist agenda. And the first regulation it tried to pass was segregation of buses for palestinians and jews. It's Rosa Parks in the US mid-50s all over again. It's South African apartheid all over again. But the saddest thing is these were also ancient discriminatory acts made against the Jews themselves ... and now they use it against others. Leaving aside the humanitarian questions of this segregation act, Israel must be prepared to face world reaction to this decision. Well apparently this rule got shot down pretty quickly ... on the first round at least. But the Defense Minister swore he'll pull this rule through and enforce segregation at all cost.

Pomegranate flowers

The weather is still crazy ... very hot in the daytime but tonight we're expecting a 10 degree drop again. Not at all fun. My asthma is a little better ... none of the severe attacks although I do tend towards a blackout. It's a very frustrating illness as it makes me scared of going out or being alone as I don't know if I'll actually blackout. If in the streets, I'll definitely get robbed; and if alone I'm afraid I'd bash my head somewhere. What a life.

The heat is making the fruit trees flower profusely. So much olives blossoms, pomegranates and grape flowers ... I think this autumn the fruit harvest will be bountiful ... if the heatwave doesn't last too long. This heatwave is typical of this season ... called the hamsin or "50" (Pentecost / 50 days). Dry dusty, it carries the pollen to other trees and pollinate the flowers. Let's hope this is symbolic of the coalition govt. and its policy toward peace ... it may be dry and dusty but it'll bear fruit in the end.

Feeling disappointed

And the weather continues to drive us crazy. Now suddenly the temp. has dropped drastically during the night. Blankets are out again. But this is not as crazy as the news (and video) of fake rice made from plastic being circulated around the newspapers. No wonder I'm allergic to so many foods ... most of it must contain something poisonous that's causing all my asthma attacks.

A Shanghai group celebrating Mass
at the Flagellation Chapel

There's also news that Hainan Air and Cathay Pacific will both soon fly to Tel Aviv. Sounds like good news as it appears the Israeli govt has finally realised the largest tourist market is now from the Far East. In any given one day, there are at least 10 chinese-speaking groups visiting our sanctuary. On an average, each group would have 40 people, so an average of 400 chinese would have visited the Holyland. In a week that would make 2000 people. That is a lot. And these people spend! The crazy weather doesn't seem to bother them. But given this boom in chinese tourists, some agencies feel obliged to include some "sites" just to fulfil the quota of places to visit as per price of the tour package. Hence ridiculous roadside statues are included as a "site" ... e.g. the sculpture of a cartoon-like whale in Old Jaffa. These "sites" of course are free-of-charge so the agencies earn in a sense ... I dislike this practice only because it detracts from the meaning of a real pilgrimage. It's ok for a tour ... so sell the package as a tour, not a pilgrimage. The term "pilgrimage" is being badly abused. Many catholic groups have spoken (complained) openly to me about their dissatisfaction with the "pilgrimage"; they feel it's more a tour and not what they expected as a religious experience, spending more time to pray in churches and celebrating the sacraments. What is even more shocking is there are groups who celebrate Mass in hotel rooms! Imagine that! In the Holyland where the Eucharist was first established, where churches are always available for the eucharistic celebration ... non-christian agencies just bypass this important element of a pilgrimage. Of course by relegating the Mass to off-excursion hours, agencies earn one more free hour during the daily tour for shopping or visiting irrelevant free-of-charge sites. Very sad. I've heard so much of these complaints, I think it's affecting me very much. That might be a contributing factor to my ill health.

Heatwave

So we're all trying to put the weekend's violence behind us. It's not easy. There's tension. But everyone wants to live normal lives and this urge for normalcy is pushing everyone to clench their teeth and live side by side. However this morning there was another car ramming attack. 2 policemen were injured and the arab driver was shot. Frankly I'm tired of all this ... it frightens me that this way of life is becoming to feel normal. I need to get out of here ...

And by the way, there was a new ruling to segregate arabs from Israelis in public buses. Sounds like America in the old days when blacks could not sit in the bus with whites ... or South Africa for that matter. Arabs must travel only in arab buses ... especially those who live in the Territories and come into Israel to work.

Miss Bird eating
her breakfast

The weather has been characteristically crazy. Daytime temp has shot up to 40 degrees. The nights are in the 30s ... so hot many people cannot sleep. It was so hot someone actually fried an egg on the road and photographed it and posted it on Facebook. An American tourist died in the heatwave while hiking up Masada.

It's been so hot even Miss Bird has become very grouchy. She actually bit me yesterday and refused to come out and play. I had to force her under a tap for a cold shower and then she felt better. She had a good breakfast of fresh corn, apple, peanuts, sunflower seeds, lettuce and bell peppers. She eats better than me. Soon I'll have to keep her indoors otherwise she'll fry in the heat.

The heat is not doing much good for my asthma. My attacks are daily ... in fact 24 hours. I've taken so much Ventolin puffers I've actually over a dozen of them to throw away. People here are saying that I'm very bloated because of the cortesone overdose. But what can I do? I do feel very bloated. ANd my fingers and feet are all swollen. I should be grouchy like Miss Bird and bite someone too.

Violent Sunday

Mounted police stand between jewish
youths and arabs (in the background)

The Jerusalem Day march into East Jerusalem was everything everyone expected - violent. Literally tens of thousands of jewish youths gathered at Independence Park and marched down to the Old City at 6pm. Noticeably few (as in every year) were those over 25 yrs of age. It was a young affair ... and alot of youthful fury. The Supreme Court had allowed this march to pass through the Muslim Quarter ... which means, like last year, all muslim residents had to stay indoors for hours. All arab shops had to close. Last year the jewish youths beat up arabs in the streets and tried to burn their shops. This year the tension was more controlled as the police knew what to expect and were ready to nip anything in the bud. Despite the attempt to separate the Jews from the arabs - the latter were pushed back by mounted police and stun grenades some 50 metres away from Damascus Gate, Jewish youths pushed forward to confront the arabs. There were few altercations between them though.

Palestinian flag clashing
with Israeli flag

But like last year, the jewish youths attacked arab journalists. That situation was bad and the police should have learned from last year's attack. True they isolated the arab news reporters and cameramen behind barricades but they did not expect jewish youths to throw sticks and stones and eventually broke through the barricades to attack the journalists. It was a very nasty affair.

There were shouting matches between the 2 racial groups up on Suleiman Street, and flags of both nations were unfurled. Jewish youths attacked the Palestinian flag bearers, tried to tear the palestinian flag ... though no arab did that to the Israeli flag.

I sit through the whole thing for 4 hours ... like I did last year. Last year there was danger of being attacked ... this year I felt safer. But seeing the whole march and atmosphere of jews celebrating their unification of Jerusalem ( ... to the arabs it's the occupation of East Jerusalem) ... left alot to be pondered.

Post-Nakba Day

2 fires in Suleiman Street

Yesterday was the most peaceful Nakba Day in more than a decade. There were only a few scuffles and demonstrations in the streets and the military presence was remarkably minimal. Last night there were 2 trash fires on Suleiman Street meant to block the traffic. This is just outside Damascus Gate ... but despite the huge fires, traffic continued to brave through it. Police and soldiers stood off in a distance unfazed and didn't intervene.

50 metres away the night market continued as usual, no one was bothered by the fire. And during the day, the weekend market at Musrara was business as usual. Nobody wants a riot. Everyone just wants a normal life.

Bustling Market Day as usual today

But tomorrow we're really expecting violent riots and attacks from extremist jews celebrating the conquest of East Jerusalem. Arabs have been warned to stay indoors and secure their shops in case of vandalism and even fires.

Ascension Day

Sunrise over the Mt. of Olives
on Ascension morning

It's Ascension Day ... the sun was shining brightly over the Mt. of Olives where according to Luke's Gospel, Jesus ascended to heaven. Yesterday afternoon at 3pm the friars were already gathered up on the Mount at the Ascension Chapel (now a mosque) to pray Vespers, then later towards midnight there was the Vigil prayers and Martins, and this morning Solemn Mass with Lauds. It wasn't as crowded as previous years ... possibly due to fears of Nakba Day violence. Few people dared to walk up and down the Mount ... groups came and went by buses as it's safer. The US embassy has issued a warning to its citizens to avoid East Jerusalem during Nakba Day.

By the way, yesterday's newspapers reported that 75% of the arab population in East Jerusalem live below the poverty line and the govt. is not doing anything to eleviate the situation though these arabs pay taxes. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Report-Poverty-rate-in-east-Jerusalem-at-75-percent-402983?fb_action_ids=10206618607366078&fb_action_types=og.shares

My asthma has come on and off these 2 days. It's terrible to be suffocating and not knowing if I'll faint and die due to lack of oxygen. I keep thinking of Bro Bernard who died of asthma in front of our altar 20 years ago. And the great amount of steroids that I'm using is causing my fingers and feet to swell and hurt very very much.

Sick

Criticisms against the newly nominated Justice Minister continue to make the headlines. News are reporting of her previous speeches to curb the power of the Supreme Court and punish leftist organisations. Now if true, this is very very worrying.

Fr Richard and his seminarians

And yesterday when Malaysia decided to send back every boatload of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Funny I thought ... you'd think a muslim country with so much uninhabited land would welcome their fellow persecuted muslims. But no .... There you go. I have no comments. I can only commend Italy for saving and taking in tens of thousands of muslim refugees this past year.

And yesterday morning I had a sudden severe attack of asthma while at work. Caused a minor crisis as people were rushing up and down not knowing what to do. One of the workers in the kitchen wanted to drive me to hospital but by that time I was feeling better. I guess I must have taken too much cortisone to stop the asthma ... last night my 2 fingers were super swollen and very very painful. I could not sleep all night due to the excruciating pain. There was also a slight fever and the usual nausea.

Despite being sick I had to fulfil some social obligations ... by inviting some long distance friends to dinner. They were from Vancouver and Fr Richard was once our student here ... some 20 years ago. He's here with 3 seminarians from Vancouver, visiting the Holyland. I was struggling to keep my asthma under control ... and after dinner with these canadians, I had to go to a hotel to get stuff from a Singapore group. Ended up totally exhausted and even more sick than before. Came home only at midnight and slept for 3 hours as I kept suffocating.

Changes

Just when we thought the weather has stabilised, today saw intermittent light showers throughout the country ... and is forecast to continue tomorrow. What a change!

The new Christian Information Centre

Everyone is quite perturbed ... not by the weather but by the news we've been receiving this morning. Firstly the Supreme Court has allowed jews to march through the Muslim Quarter during next weekend's Jerusalem Day. Last year thousands of jewish youths marched through our Quarter and attacked arabs and arab property. Arabs were told to stay indoors and those who were outside were not allowed to return home. I'm afraid this year will be just as bad. There's even talk of opening up Lions' Gate (St. Stephen's Gate) to jewish groups to march through the Quarter. http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/1.655923

The second news was the appointment of Ayelet Shaked as Justice Minister. She is openly anti-arab, calling for their extermination and confiscation of arab property. I doubt there's going to be much justice. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Bodyguards-assigned-to-incoming-justice-minister-Shaked-after-threats-made-on-her-life-402708

Jacob's Pizza - newly renovated

With a slow tourist season, many shops are making this lull a chance to renovate their shops. In any one street, there are at least 10 shops in various stages of renovation. It's investment ... I guess. Smaller shops have been sold to bigger and wealthier property owners, and the trend is to open restaurants instead of souvenir shops. This would cater to the growing local jewish groups that are flocking into the Old City every Saturday. Even our Christian Information Centre has been renovated. It's much smaller now and is situated at the shop that used to be the Franciscan Bookshop. And Jacob's Pizza has renovated too, and now serves ice-cream and waffles. But the Tom and Jerry cartoons remain ... which is very nice. It's their trademark.

Waste

One news from today's newspapers has bothered me ... Israel wastes 25 billion shekels (US$6 billion) worth of food every year, needlessly, while many jews and arabs hardly have one full meal a day. The State Comptroller reported that between 25 - 30% of food is never consumed and wasted, and the State has not addressed this issue.

Packs of clothes and daily necessities
ready to be distributed to refugees
in Syria ... all donated by you

And this news comes just only a few hours after I was talking to Sr. Marta from the Spanish Sisters of Calvary regarding one particular family. The father had run away to remarry in another city, the mother is very sick with cancer and is under heavy chemotherapy and treatment, unable to work, 2 daughters and a son still in school. They are so poor they cannot afford meals. The St. Vincent de Paul sisters from another convent provide the girls with lunch. The sisters of Mother Teresa provide food for the mother. Thanks to many of you, the children's school fees are paid for and the mother's medical treatment. But when I hear US$6 billion worth of food wasted like this, I am very upset and angry. But I'm not an Israeli nor a tax-payer ... I can only stand on the sidelines and do what I can.

Many of you are generous donors supporting poor families here in the Holyland. Thanks to your goodness, children and adults are eating at least one meal a day, receive medical care, school fees and rent and electric bills paid. And more recently, christian refugees from Syria and Iraq are supported by your kindness, receiving food, shelter, medication, clothes and safety.

A sister of St. Vincent de Paul and
volunteers in Syria preparing food packs
for the poor ... donated by you

I have always believed that education is the only way with which people can break out of the poverty cycle. With an education, young people can have decent income jobs that provide food, pay rent and receive proper medical care. Sponsorship of students is therefore my priority.

So these are my thoughts for today ... upset but much encouraged with hope by your kindness.

Weekend again

Roses and Calla lilies in my garden

The weekend has come upon us ... all in a hurry. April is gone and we're already into the 2nd week of May. Time flies. Looks like summer is ready here to stay. The daytime is very hot ... but the nights still get a little chilly. Flowers that had been stifled by the 2 snowstorms and now blooming in a rush. `unfortunately the heat is scorching them as soon as they open.

Today I'm feeling better as the asthma attack was under control. Had only 2 attacks all day ... but the nights continue to be a horror. I'm practically using one Ventolin inhaler every 2 days. Right now I've used more than a dozen ... my dustbin is filled with empty inhalers. This cortisone treatment is making me sick ... swollen fingers and feet, nausea, giddiness, lost of appetite. But it does help a little in getting me to breathe. Just can't win with this.

4 canary nestlings

The canaries and finches are breeding like crazy in this heat. 3 pairs of canaries are brooding ... one already has 4 nestlings. Looks promising this year though a 4th pair was a failure. The female laid 2 fertilised eggs but she threw out all the nesting material from the nest, leaving the eggs on the metal nesting frame. I removed the eggs and placed them in another of the nesting pair's nest whose female happily accepted them. The finches on the other hand have 9 new babies in total; all have left the nests and can fly.

Last night the PM managed to gather a last minute coalition govt. before the dateline. However it's pretty fragile ... and a little worrying for some as it's made up of ultra-orthodox and far-right parties. Newspapers are talking about racists legislations and other stuff that sound very scary. I think it's best to wait and let time unfold.

Custos of the Holyland visits Syria

The Custos surveying damage
in the parish

The Custos of the Holyland, Fr Pierbattista Pizzaballa OFM, paid a visit to war torn Syria and spoke of what he saw in an interview given to the Associazione pro Terra Sancta. He had managed to travel and visit the franciscan friars and the people under the Custody's care in Latakiah, Damascus and Aleppo. Villages further north were inaccessible due to the ongoing war. 

He affirmed the role of the Franciscans in Syria in being with the people, comforting and strengthening their faith in a tragic situation. He recalled the poignant moment when he assisted at the funeral of a catholic woman killed with her 2 sons; in the church were many muslim women weeping and mourning with the catholics. It was a reassuring moment that showed not all muslims are against christians ... that there is still hope in the goodness of humanity.

To the question if the war would end, he responded that it all depends on those who are selling the weapons and those who are providing the rival armies with money to buy these weapons.

The Custos preaching to parishioners

*All your kind gifts to the Franciscans in Syria will go to provide milk, food, clothes, medical care, temporary housing and payment of rent for those whose houses have been destroyed, and payment for escape to safer places.

With 30 euros: food, drinking water and care for infants

With 50 euros: help to maintain a halfway house

With 100 euros: payment of school fees of children in safer places

With 250 euros: to buy medical equipment for the Aleppo Hospital or payment of rent for a catholic family

Violent Sunday

Singaporean pilgrims flocking
to the Holyland

Yesterday saw alot of violence .... but not what you expected. There was relative quiet between the arabs and jews with only one attempted stabbing in the West Bank. The violence this time came from the jewish half of the population in Tel Aviv. Firstly the angry protests of the Ethiopic jews against what they claim as racism from the police force. There was a similar protest march last week in Jerusalem that paralysed downtown traffic and ended with police shooting stun grenades to disperse the protesters. Yesterday the protest in Tel Aviv was smaller in scale but more violent. 46 people were wounded, half of them police. The second violence was in the city near Tel Aviv called Ra'anana when the District Court overruled a Municipality ruling and allowed the Jehovah Witnesses to organise a conference in the city's sport's hall. Ultra-orthodox jews came in droves to protest and stop the conference ... and it ended violently with clashes with the police. Jehovah Witnesses are aggressively opposed by the jews in Israel for their door-knocking and pamphlet distributing methods. Strange thing is muslims in the Old Cty are doing the same thing but no one is protesting against them. I wonder why.

On the personal front, yesterday was busy. I had to go to Bethlehem to give a conference to the english-speaking sisters of the Judea region. It took place in the Carmelite monastery where Sr. Miriam Baouardy lived and will be canonised next week - the first modern arab saint. I was having a bad spell of asthma attacks and was sitting outside the chapel while everyone else was inside praying. Then one of the sisters came out from the sacristy carrying the mantle of the saint and placed it on my head and prayed that my asthma would go. Well it didn't ... so much for a miracle. I said it's better to pray for a quick and painless death. It's a terrible nightmare each night to wake up choking and gasping for air .. yes nightly without fail. I hardly sleep anymore. I need to constantly walk so that fluid does not accumulate in the lungs ... but its difficult to walk when you're so tired and sleeping.

Meantime pilgrim groups from Asia are flocking to the Holyland. I've been extremely busy running from hotels to churches to restaurants visiting the many groups who ask to see me. Sometimes there're people whom I've met or guided before many years ago, but most I do not know. It's good to know that  asian catholics are leading the pilgrimage movement that had trickled to nothing in the last few months.

Saturday

Another dreadful stabbing attack at an unscheduled police block between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. A 16 yr old arab tried to stab security police when they boarded a bus to check on ID cards. This chain of events is almost a daily occurrence.

Even street kabab costs alot

But with the new coalition govt., it doesn't seem like security is now going to be a priority as the PM promised during election . The coalition is made up of ultra-orthodox jewish parties ... those that had been kicked out in the last govt. This time they're coming back with a vengeance. Their priority will be to reverse the law of compulsory conscription for ultra-orthodox men to the army, more financing for jewish seminaries and yeshivas and in general every benefit the ultra-orthodox lost during the last govt. Security is not their priority.

On the otherhand, the PM has hinted he might push for VAT free duty on essential foodstuffs. That's good news for everyone as prices of bread, milk and other essentials are super expensive. But the Bank of Israel and the National Treasury are against it. Let's hope they don't get their way as life is almost unbearable now with the high cost of living.

I've had several severe asthma attacks today. Just came without any trigger. I was away from my room at that time and tried to get back to it for my inhaler as fast as I could. The one at 4pm was really bad ... I was thinking I'd never make it to the hospital so I must get the asthma under control by myself. The main thing is to stay calm ... which is very difficult when you're suffocating. Then I had to lie in bed as I might faint from lack of oxygen. It eventually passed. Miserable.

Ethiopic protest

Protesters block the Light Rail

Yesterday evening saw a relatively large protest by ethiopic jews that ended in violence. I was on my way home from visiting the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in Mamilla when the loud chanting of the protesters caught my attention further up the road at Jaffa Street / Tsahal Square junction. Traffic was totally blocked, even the Light Rail could not move ahead as protesters occupied the crossroad.

Lots of police and soldiers were at hand but they kept a distance ... mainly because they were the object of the protest. Several days ago a video showing an ethiopic jewish soldier being beaten up by israeli police for no apparent reason had gone viral. The ethiopic community accused the police and State of racism ... hence the protest.

Anyway as the protest moved down the road towards Mamilla Mall and the Agron street junction, violence brought out. Police claim some protesters threw rocks and firebombs. In response they fired stun grenades and tear gas. Protesters fled in chaos. What a sight!

One of the numerous
beautiful stain glass
windows of the Mamilla
Convent chapel

Back to my visit to the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul at Mamilla. It's my first time I've been inside the complex of buildings. It is enormous! There is a creche, a home for handicap, a hospice for pilgrims and the landmark chapel which is incredibly beautiful. Sr. Ursula who was superior at the Bethany convent is now superior of this convent in the middle of the City. I gave her more donations for Sr. Sophie for the syrian christian refugees and a little something for the Mamilla convent which cares for handicap peoples.