Good news, bad news

Palm Plaza was bordered
off to create a restricted
walkway to the Old City

Friday passed without incident despite the thousands of muslims flooding into the City. Not only are Palestinians from the Territories and Gaza allowed to enter, but this year I've noticed plenty of muslims from Britain and America are also here, all speaking english. The police have blocked all roads around the Old City, and all pedestrian traffic were channeled by fences into smaller restricted walkways - to prevent riots as there's no place to run. Entrances and exits of these restricted walkways were guarded by police who kept a sharp eye for any known trouble makers. This was certainly a new procedure which brought less tension and traffic jams than closing the City Gates. Now the test is this Friday when Ramadan ends and the muslims celebrate Eid el Fitri.

Good news - Fr Dhiya Aziz who was missing last week was released by his captors. It wasn't the jihadists in Jacoubieh who captured him but some unknown small muslim group. Negotiations with the major muslim forces led to Fr Dhiya's whereabouts and the small unknown group was ordered to release him.

Bad news - Sr. Hyacinth our sacristan is not getting better. Her cancer has spread and the doctors are only using radiotherapy to prevent further spreading. Please pray for her.

Riot police preparing to
patrol the Old City

I had to preach a retreat the whole of last week. It was out in St. Peter Gallivant below Mt. Zion. It was a nice walk each morning to get there but coming home at 1pm was dreadful. The sun was extremely hot and it was uphill all the way. I did get a little stipend which was very welcomed. I had used all my money to help pay school fees for many students whose families cannot afford it. This year is really bad ... the economic situation is worsened and more requests and recommendations from the Sisters of St Vincent de Paul, Mother Teresa's sisters and even the Carmelite nuns are flowing in. Anyway with the little stipend, I bought myself lunch - seafood fettucini at Rossini - but was dreadfully ill the whole afternoon. I can't eat proper meals anymore. My stomach is just too weak. So I guess it's back to boiled vegetables.