Summer Camp

I've probably caught an eye infection when the dry hot winds blew sand into my eyes. They're all red and I cannot see properly. And it's making me dizzy as a result.

Summer camp

Well the big news is that our patriarch had been nominated cardinal. And ignorant folk are uploading congratulations for the "elevation" to the cardinalate. Nothing could be further from the truth. A patriarch is "inter pares" with the pope; a patriarch is way higher ranking than a cardinal. For a patriarch to be made a cardinal is a demotion from than a promotion. For this reason, none of the Eastern Rite patriarchs have ever accepted being a cardinal. The exception began only with the Maronite patriarch Sfeir in 1994 when he accepted the cardinalate; as did his successor patriarch Rahi in 2012, followed by the Chaldean patriarch Sako in 2018. They saw the cardinalate as an opportunity to be an influencer in the Roman power house. Well frankly I don't really care for all that ... the poor will still be poor, they will still be hungry and homeless, without education and security no matter what title the bishop carries.

Swimming

The sisters of St. Vincent de Paul organized a 7 day summer camp for the poorest children of the City, after I urged them by assuring them for financial sponsorship. It started yesterday ... and the children came and played and swam and had some classes. Some of the children were clearly malnourished. We provided meals for them to eat, and lots of time to rest and play. It's such a great event for these poor children because they usually would be helping their parents work and earn money. And swimming in plastic pools is a treat because in Jerusalem there are no public pools or any large body of water for people to swim. Thanks to all of you who helped sponsor and make it possible!