Crisis

Chaplains and the nuncio

Another week has passed. It's been a tiring week as there was a lot of work to do. And events to attend. Yesterday for example was the International Day for Migrants and Asylum Seekers. The annual event sees all the various groups and chaplaincies come and celebrate Mass. I think yesterday there were about over 1000 Indians, filipinos, africans, Vietnamese, Ethiopians, Ukrainians, Romanians and other nationalities present. The nuncio celebrated the Mass with the chaplains and assistant chaplains. They also came from different rites: byzantine, geez, syro-malabar as well as Latin. Each one offered something in the liturgy: a prayer, a song or hymn and also to the refreshments after the Mass.

This evening Yom Kippur begins. Tensions are high and I think the borders will be closed. Public transport has stopped. But the Arab side is still open though. However I'm in a dilemma. Just received news that one of our migrant workers is seriously injured in Ashdod and is in ICU. I need to go and see him but there is no transport there. Also I'm not sure they'll let me see him, depending on his situation. And because it's Kippur, I guess the hospital is down to a skeleton staff. I'll have to be posted on his progress if I am to go down to Ashdod. It is quite far in the south. And it's next to Gaza which has upped its attacks on Israel with fire balloons for the past day. Let's pray for the best. This is a bad crisis situation at a wrong time and place.