M Teresa's sisters beaten up and Eucharist desecrated

Dark quiet road
from 7th Station to
Holy Sepulcher 

Really busy. Last night was traveling 77 kms to Herzliya, the coastal city, to celebrate Mass for the migrant community there. It's a pretty mixed group of people: americans, africans, filipinos and indians. When I reached home in Jerusalem it was past 10.30pm. No food all day so I was lucky Nadia our cook prepared chicken schnitzel with potato chips. I had to go to her house to get it. The by 4am (slept only 4 hours) I was up again because there was Mass at the Holy Sepulcher at 6am for the Tel Aviv community of migrants.

Walking up to the Holy Sepulcher was strangely quiet. No one in the streets at 5am except for groups of soldiers huddled together waiting for their shift to end. No groups going to or from the Holy Sepulcher, no merchants preparing their wares. I was the only one walking there ... except for baker carrying a tray of kaik (bagels) on his head, heading towards Damascus Gate. There were some 30 plus people who came from Tel Aviv for the  Mass.

Holy Sepulcher
under restoration

Then at 8am there was the indian Mass at St. Savior's parish. Big crowd of some 400 konkani speaking migrant workers. Next Saturday is Monti (Indian feast for the birth of the Virgin Mary) so they have started a novena.I was dead tired by then and felt faint 4 times during the Mass. Anyway managed to survive ; the chinese sisters cooked some rice and veggies which I ate for brunch. They came for the 6am Mass in the Empty Tomb.

Anyway now it's time to run off to the PDDM sisters at the 3rd Station. Have to teach them how to sing some prayers in armenian for tomorrow's Mass at the Armenian Catholic cathedral. The organist died 2 weeks ago and Sr. Cecilia the one-person choir was transferred to Italy. It's now starting from zero to organize a choir that can sing something in armenian.

If you're feeling confused about why so many Masses on Fridays and Saturdays, remember it's the national weekend. Most migrant workers get their off-days either Friday or Saturday so churches celebrate Sunday Mas son those days when they migrant community can come. Sunday is the 1st working day of the week and hardly any migrant catholic can come. Only arab christians are free on Sundays.

We just received news that 5 sisters of M. Teresa were beaten and tied up in their convent in Argentina. The chapel was desecrated when the 3 men threw the consecrated hosts on the floor. They managed to steal only US$3.50 which the sisters had. Absolutely shameful.  http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/eucharist-desecrated-missionaries-of-charity-assaulted-in-argentina-63151/