Archbishop Pizzaballa, former Franciscan Custos becomes Apostolic Administrator of the Holy Land

Archbishop Piazzaballa

We have an Archbishop! Though the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem remains sede vacante (without a patriarch), the Pope has appointed an Apostolic Administrator to oversee the diocese. He is our former Custos fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa. He was consecrated Archbishop yesterday in his hometown in Bergamo, Italy and this morning celebrated his first episcopal Mass.

The new Archbishop yesterday

Pierbattista was studying 2 years ahead of me in 1992. We know each other well and are very good friends. He had helped me a lot when he was Custos for the past 12 years. Now that he's Apostolic Administrator for the Patriarchate (diocesan), he won't have much time or contact with the friars anymore. His priority is the secular clergy and diocesan matters. He will come back to Jerusalem soon and take official jurisdiction of the diocese.

This morning I survived my 1st partially sung Mass in Armenian on my own without an organist and choir leader. It took a week's training the sisters to sing in armenian, then this morning to gather a small choir of local parishioners to help out in the singing as well. They were very obliging. Even the Missionaries of Africa seminarians came ... about 6 of them. And they helped out a bit in the liturgy. That made my job a lot easier. My greatest fear was having to lead the singing with hymnal in one hand, incensing the altar with the other hand, while going up and down the 6 steps of the altar. Dreadful fear of falling over. Next week Nubar the Armenian Acolyte will come and help. That's a relief. He's not catholic but Armenian Apostolic (read "orthodox").  But there is great collaboration between the 2 churches especially liturgy wise. The Armenian Catholic community is too small and insufficient to maintain a full liturgical service without the backup of the Apostolics.

The railway saga continues: roads will be close for another 8 days, so that repair and other works can take place. This is cause major traffic jams and many people especially soldiers and medical staff will have difficulties in going to work and back home. Rising discontent by citizens over the ultra-orthodox power to dictate national issues such as this railway project will further divide the country. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4853121,00.html

However calls and support for public transport to be available 7 days a week has hit another stumbling stone. Supporters wanted to buy advertisement space on buses calling for this, but bus companies are rejecting these adverts because they are afraid the ultra-orthodox jews might react against them. See the power of the ultra-orthodox? They are a minority in Israel but they command the life of the country.   http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4852751,00.html