Monday, January 5, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Peace please
It was still very cold today. The dean and I continued to clean out the garden this morning. No one threw bottles ... though I'm pretty wary of my surroundings now. Moved some very heavy pots 4 floors down to the Chapel courtyard. Then for the rest of the day I was reading up on my research.
Israeli troops have not only entered Gaza, today they divided Gaza into 2 or 3 quarters, isolating the pockets of extremists inside. But of course it's also fine-combing the area to release Schalit, the captured Israeli soldier. We want this nightmare to end - Jews, Muslims and Christians. Enough suffering. Enough deaths. With all the infra-structure in Gaza destroyed (schools, university, police stations, TV station, offices etc...), how in the world will the Gazans resume political and social/economic normality after the war? Who will help them rebuild? Who will help those people piece back their broken lives?
Israeli troops have not only entered Gaza, today they divided Gaza into 2 or 3 quarters, isolating the pockets of extremists inside. But of course it's also fine-combing the area to release Schalit, the captured Israeli soldier. We want this nightmare to end - Jews, Muslims and Christians. Enough suffering. Enough deaths. With all the infra-structure in Gaza destroyed (schools, university, police stations, TV station, offices etc...), how in the world will the Gazans resume political and social/economic normality after the war? Who will help them rebuild? Who will help those people piece back their broken lives?
Saturday, January 3, 2009
3rd day of 2009
3rd day into 2009. The war has intensified with Israel bombing northern Gaza .... probably to open a way for ground troops to enter. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733150721&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
This morning I was out with friends of Daniel and Cecilia Cavero, from the States. They are very nice people, very open to learn more about the complicated situation here in the Holyland. We visited the Knight's Palace, Casa Nova, the Holy Sepulchre and then had lunch at Nafoura. After that we walked slowly down the Way of the Cross passing the 8th till we reached the 3rd. There they had local Israeli friends waiting for them. I went home quickly as it was very cold.
The temperature here remains between 5 - 8 degrees. I think it should warm up the next few days. However we still need the rains desperately.
This morning I was out with friends of Daniel and Cecilia Cavero, from the States. They are very nice people, very open to learn more about the complicated situation here in the Holyland. We visited the Knight's Palace, Casa Nova, the Holy Sepulchre and then had lunch at Nafoura. After that we walked slowly down the Way of the Cross passing the 8th till we reached the 3rd. There they had local Israeli friends waiting for them. I went home quickly as it was very cold.
The temperature here remains between 5 - 8 degrees. I think it should warm up the next few days. However we still need the rains desperately.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Jan. 2nd 2009
National high alert today - Friday the day of Muslim prayers. Thousands of soldiers deployed here in and outside the Old City. Roads blocked and only muslims over 50 yrs of age may enter the golden Dome of the Rock mosque and Al-Aqsa mosque. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733143282&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull In protest, young muslims blocked the Way fo the Cross from our monastery gates down to the 3rd Station where they knelt and prayed during noon. Helicopters fly overhead and a blimp with camera is floating above us - capturing every movement in the Old City and East Jerusalem in case of riots and violence. There're 4 soldiers next to our school and another 4 further up the road at Ecce Homo. Opposite us is the Omarriya Boys school which is closed and on its roof are 2 other soldiers. Fr Giovanni Loche and I (and some others) went out onto our roof terrace to see what's happening. I started waving to the soldiers and Giovanni panicked! Like they might shoot us or something! I thought it was pretty funny (I also waved to the helicopters above us) and everyone thought I was crazy and inviting to get shot. What a way to die!
Then there are those 1st year students who are either naive or have no common sense. Some actually showed up at school to use the library!!!! Hallllooooooo????? There's a war out there!!!! Fr Giovanni, who's the library director shooed everyone home and closed the library for the rst of the day. All our workers have also gone home early or did not show up for work at all. No pilgrim groups coming to our church today and probably the Way of the Cross this afternoon will be cancelled.
Meanwhile fears that a ground assault will soon to launched into Gaza by Israeli forces (my guess is tonight) because this morning they allowed foreigners and foreign passport holders to leave Gaza. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733143072&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
This morning I worked 5 hours in the back garden. Jadallah came later to help me. We cleared out alot of rubbish and made 3 benches to put the flower pots (lots and lots of them .... mainly chilli plants), created little hiding places for our hibernating tortoises and planted some plants on the soil to prevent erosion. Am exhausted. But will have to continue working this afternoon as well in order to finish the job so I can get back to studying.
Then there are those 1st year students who are either naive or have no common sense. Some actually showed up at school to use the library!!!! Hallllooooooo????? There's a war out there!!!! Fr Giovanni, who's the library director shooed everyone home and closed the library for the rst of the day. All our workers have also gone home early or did not show up for work at all. No pilgrim groups coming to our church today and probably the Way of the Cross this afternoon will be cancelled.
Meanwhile fears that a ground assault will soon to launched into Gaza by Israeli forces (my guess is tonight) because this morning they allowed foreigners and foreign passport holders to leave Gaza. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733143072&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
This morning I worked 5 hours in the back garden. Jadallah came later to help me. We cleared out alot of rubbish and made 3 benches to put the flower pots (lots and lots of them .... mainly chilli plants), created little hiding places for our hibernating tortoises and planted some plants on the soil to prevent erosion. Am exhausted. But will have to continue working this afternoon as well in order to finish the job so I can get back to studying.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Jan. 1st 2009
Last evening we ended 2008 with an adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We sang vespers, then Fr Claudio our dean read some read some prayers for meditation, then he gave the benediction with the B. Sacrament. We also sang the Te Deum ("We praise you o God" - prayer of thanksgiving) for the blessings of 2008.
After that we had a lovely dinner of seafood platter, fettucine and fish cooked by our Bro. Rosario. Then for dessert we had panettone, chocolates and almond sweets. The atmosphere was light-hearted and everyone enjoyed the fraternity for the last moments of 2008. At midnight we would have met again to exchange greetings but though I was awake, I decided to stay warm in bed. The weather is cold - last night it fell to 7 degrees. Today it's 5 degrees and tonight 4 degrees.
This morning we celebrated the Solemnity of the Mother of God at 8am. We sang the Mass and then had a late breakfast and exchanged greetings. Did my daily chores of feeding the birds, tortoises and cat. Then I stayed home to stay warm and safe. It is sooooo cold.
In the afternoon it was a crazy run of events. Had to go to the New City to do an errand but some friends from San Francisco called and we planned to meet up. At the same time some other friends from Washington were waiting to see me downstairs. Rushed down, met them, went out to the New City to do my errand (they came along), stayed with them for a late lunch at Nafoura restaurent in the Old City (pretty good food but a little expensive), went off to the Holy Sepulchre to book for a Mass tomorrow for the Missionaries of Charity, then rushed home to avoid the Friday prayers of the Muslims (remember the liturgical day begins at sunset). Soldiers everywhere in the streets of the Old City, pretty tense. Wanted to get home quick.
Thus past the first day of 2009.
After that we had a lovely dinner of seafood platter, fettucine and fish cooked by our Bro. Rosario. Then for dessert we had panettone, chocolates and almond sweets. The atmosphere was light-hearted and everyone enjoyed the fraternity for the last moments of 2008. At midnight we would have met again to exchange greetings but though I was awake, I decided to stay warm in bed. The weather is cold - last night it fell to 7 degrees. Today it's 5 degrees and tonight 4 degrees.
This morning we celebrated the Solemnity of the Mother of God at 8am. We sang the Mass and then had a late breakfast and exchanged greetings. Did my daily chores of feeding the birds, tortoises and cat. Then I stayed home to stay warm and safe. It is sooooo cold.
In the afternoon it was a crazy run of events. Had to go to the New City to do an errand but some friends from San Francisco called and we planned to meet up. At the same time some other friends from Washington were waiting to see me downstairs. Rushed down, met them, went out to the New City to do my errand (they came along), stayed with them for a late lunch at Nafoura restaurent in the Old City (pretty good food but a little expensive), went off to the Holy Sepulchre to book for a Mass tomorrow for the Missionaries of Charity, then rushed home to avoid the Friday prayers of the Muslims (remember the liturgical day begins at sunset). Soldiers everywhere in the streets of the Old City, pretty tense. Wanted to get home quick.
Thus past the first day of 2009.
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