Protector Saint

My 2019 card

Tonight we received our protector saints for 2019. It's usually done on the feast of Epiphany over a game of tombola / bingo and prizes are won, then we are given our patron saints and virtue to inculcate and soul to pray for. Nowadays we have done away with the tomb/bingo and the money used to buy the prizes are given to the poor instead. We all receive a small simple gift ( a cross) and our cards are read out to the community.

My protector saint for 2019 is St. James of the Marches, a franciscan saint whose feast day is November 28. My virtue to inculcate is discretion. The departed soul that I must pray for is Fr. Polycarp Angelisanti, our roman friar who guided many pilgrim groups when I was a student here 28 years ago.

Freezing cold walk to say Mass

The weather has turned so cold with snow storms in the north and even blizzards. The central plains were flooded with heavy rain and Tel Aviv was covered in hail stones. Only Jerusalem didn't have any rain though it is freezing cold ... 2 degrees this morning. The winds are gusty and the sun peeked out from the clouds once in a while. Everyone is wrapped in layers of wool and for the most part, stayed at home. Some shops didn't even open. I had to celebrate Mass at the Convent of Ivrea in an arab village 1km away from the Old City at 5pm. The sky was already dark and the icy winds cut through the air. People were huddling along shop walls and scampering quickly to their destinations. The walk home after Mass was even colder. I couldn't wait to rush home and stay in my heated room.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5442503,00.html?fbclid=IwAR0SEKYtm2cx_kMESbrCh3DWJDxHdXTSP4urs87tllxct6eawpI0MlGXYdQ