Another week

So June begins. The weather is fine so far and at least June promises to be less scorching that last week.

Hiking in the Judean forest

However the religious tension between Jews and Christians is really on the heat. Yesterday the Orthodox churches celebrated Pentecost. But their attempt to enter and celebrate Mass at the Upper Room was met with aggressive crowds of Jews blocking the way. They claim the Mass on the floor above their synagogue (purportedly the Tomb of David) will be defiled by idolatry. Well first of all no serious archeologist accepts that David was buried there. In fact from archeology, we know it was a church from the early Byzantine period. And the entire complex of buildings was (and should still be) a franciscan monastery. The friars were forced out by the Ottoman Turks in the 16th century but the title deeds still are in the hands of the friars.

Sr. Vincenta and Sr. Hyacinta

Our Faustina sisters had a day off yesterday. They invited a friend (sister of Nazareth) to go with them hiking in the Judean Forest. They had a picnic lunch and arrived at the hermitage-like monastery of St. John in the Desert which is under the care of the franciscans. It was a good break for them as they work very hard and never have a day off.