Regis

Have dreamt of Regis the whole night. I miss him very much. He was the most obedient dog I ever had - even more than Rex. Had no idea why I dreamt of him the whole night as I was so caught up with going to the airport at 2am, settling school matters during the morning, concelebrating the Mass of St Francis at St. Saviour's Monastery etc.... until now I read the news of the blessing of animals yesterday. Of course it was the feast of St Francis, patron of the environment and animals. I said at the lunch table that I dreamt of Regis and everyone said the dream was a good sign that Regis is now in heaven with St Francis. If you still haven't known, the post mortem of Regis was that he was poisoned. There are still such evil people who do these things to helpless creatures who depend on us for food and drink. What would St Francis say?

Synod opens today

Today the Church opens the Synod of Bishops in Rome to discuss the Word of God. It's been a topic we've been trying to get the Synod to do for several years now, and finally it's fulfilled. Right now as I write, the Mass of the opening is being celebrated by the Pope in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. The theme is going to be the pastoral aspect of the Bible apostolate, more than on the academic aspect.

Today is also the memorial of St. Faustina. The sisters at our monastery are celebrating it as their feastday. They consider Faustina as their second foundress of their congregation because it was dying out until Faustina gave it a boost in the 1930s.

Slept through the whole afternoon and evening yesterday as I was terribly tired. Was out in the airport at 2am to pick up Sr Maria Jiang and Fr Paul Sun and sent them to the convent of Mater Misericordia up on the Mt. of Olives next to Bethpage, where they will be staying for the next year while they study at my school. Thanks to your generous donations, they both now have an opportunity to experience the Word of God in the Holyland.

The Pope right now is explaining the readings of the Mass about the Lord's vineyard. He says if the tenants begin to claim authority over the vineyard; claiming to be the owners, they bring about more destruction than good. But not withstanding this, the vine continues to bear fruit despite what they have done. This is the good news.

Solar time

Baby boom. Miriam and Raymond just had their firstborn last week. Alexander and Gabriella Frohlich also wrote to say they just had a baby boy. Shukri our computer handyman ( he had to come almost every other day in the past months to help get my computer running as I'm totally lost with these gadgets) also had his firstborn. We pray for the health of both babies and moms and congratulate them on bringing new life to the Church.

Today is also the feast of St Francis of Assisi. Yesterday evening we had vespers and the transitus (passing on) liturgy at St. Saviour's monastery. It was very crowded - the parishioners came, and all the Salesians, and the Capuchins and the lone Conventual, and many other religious communities. The sermon was pretty long though and I couldn't hear half of it as I was sitting behind a pillar. Anyway 10 friars made their solemn profession in the middle of Vespers. The Transitus was very touching - we read the last moments of St Francis' life, the lights were dimmed, candles were lit at the relic of St Francis, we sang the traditional "O santissima anima" (O most holy soul) and ended with the "Salve Sancte Pater" (Hail Holy Father [Francis]). Then we lined up to kiss the relic. The Custos who was holding the relic said something to me but I didn't catch it; Thiago was filming me. Today we'll have a solemn Mass there also. The Custos will preside. Yesterday I got to meet him for a few minutes. It's good to meet him.

Meanwhile a couple of movies are causing a talk topic in our area. One was shot in Hebron itself - quite a feat if you know what Hebron is like (see the latest clash there in http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017448824&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull ). It's about a Palestinian girl who broke the curfew in order to attend her graduation. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7649354.stm The other film is "Religulous" (as in "religion + ridiculous") that scoffs Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Let's see what the reaction here will be. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017445507&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Another news that's rocking us is the water level of the Sea of Galilee. It's dropped 2 meters this year. It already lost 5 meters since 2004. Now that's bad news. If the lake dries up, we'll have a big water problem.

And tonight we officially revert to solar time. That means we lose one hour of sleep!

Stop the violence

The Old City is coming back to normality. Shops are opening again, business as usual although not 100% yet. It's still holiday time but on the wane.

Yesterday I heard a very good sermon and wanted to share it with you but I forgot what it is now! Am growing old. A couple of nights ago I woke up and had no idea where I was. I forget people's names (normal enough) but also why I go to the library or other places.

Anyway had a long talk with Fr Niccacci yesterday evening regarding my thesis. He's pit-bulling me into getting the qualification paper organised. All holidays and days off forbidden until I get it done. Meanwhile Fr Priotto from Rome, one of the modern experts in the field I'm researching is teaching in our faculty. Met him yesterday at lunch and the first thing he said to me was "I knew Fr Allegra! He was my teacher 30 years back". Well, what a way to start ... I think I'll have to speak with him regarding my thesis because he seems to be my 2nd moderator (at least that's what I'm sensing).

The call to stop Jewish settlers' violence against their own soldiers and Palestinians is rising. Apparently hundreds of such extremists are now actively involved in such activities. They are physically aggressive (even sending parcel bombs, burning olive groves and beating up people) to anyone, including fellow Jews, who challenge their claim to take Palestinian property. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7647991.stm

Jerusalem woes

If you think the double festivities are just pure fun, then read this. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017431433&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull The tension in the Old City these few days are almost unbearable.

In the meantime Israelis are waking to the reality that Jewish violence on other Jews of different idealogies, and other races, can no longer be acceptable. This time a well-respected professor was almost killed by the extreme Jewish right because he was advocating peace with the Palestinians. When a rabbi begins to declare the death penalty on other Jews who hold different views, things begin to look dangerously similar to such calls in the neighbouring nations. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017436691&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Thanks

Thanks to Roger & Teresa, Eugene and Gerard; May Yu, Ephraim Lam, "Clarence", Jimmy and Zita, Barnabas Li & fmly, Mr 7 Mrs Ng and many others for the generous donation and gifts. The warm packs were also delivered and the Christians in Gaza will be very grateful to you this coming cold winter.

Rosh HaShana

What a couple of days these have been! The Jewish new Year - Rosh HaShana - and the Muslim Feast of the end of Ramadan fell on the same day; Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Festivities everywhere. But it also meant that all shops and places of interests were closed. Thousands of tourists were caught unexpectedly by this; with no places to visit or restaurents to eat; so they flooded the Christian churches and Christian restuarents. You cannot possibly imagine how packed Gethsemani or the Holy Sepulchre is today. You cannot even enter these churches!

Sadly the muslim kids as young as 3 yrs old celebrate their feast by firing toy guns with hard rubber pellets (parents think it is great to give their kids toy guns). These pellets can blind the eye, and even break glass of car windshields. Yes I was shot - on my back - last night. They stand in practically every corner and shoot at passing cars or foreigners. When violence and savagery is encouraged at such a young age, no wonder there is no peace among this people. What a terrible way to celebrate a feastday.

The rains continue to dapple the days and the cold has set its foothold. At sunset everyone wears thick jackets and back home, winter blankets are brought out to use.

We now wait for the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur next week; and Sukkot in the following week. And the rains will hopefully pour - a sign of God's blessings on our dry parched land. Maybe it can wash away the violent upbringing of these little children in the streets who learn anger from their parents.