Call to help Syrian christians

Inspecting the damage in Syria

It's Friday ... and the City is deadly quiet. After yesterday's feasting, almost all the muslims are taking a day off. Practically all the shops in the Muslim Quarter are closed, hawkers are not around to ply their goods, bedouin women are not selling their fruit and vegetables ... the streets are eerily quiet. There were hardly any jews going to and from the Wailing Wall as well. I guess most of them are busy at home putting up their tents or booths because Sunday night begins the feast of Sukkoth. Since tomorrow is Sabbat, they cannot work and Sunday is too short a time to create the booths, so I guess they'll start working on it today.

My asthma is dreadful and I get exhausted climbing stairs or slopes. Yesterday an older friar told me it could be my heart ... he had the same symptoms before. He urged me to go have my heart checked up. I'm a little apprehensive.

Syrian refugee children cared for by
the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul
in Lebanon

We received photos from Syria showing the dreadful destruction of the city of Aleppo. It's still under siege and it's only a matter of time that all the christians in there will be killed ... including our parish, friars and schools. I also received photos from Lebanon where the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul care for the Syrian refugee children, providing them clothes, food and some form of basic education. All your donations have gone to help these missions. Please continue to be generous. Remember to check out http://holylandassist.blogspot.com