Yesterday night most cities in the world turned off their lights for an hour to show solidarity with the need protect our climate - Earth Hour. It would have been what St Francis of Assisi would have preached and done. Well I turned off my room light at 10.30pm for an hour; only to find out later that I misread the official time to be 20.30 hrs. Ah well ..... at least I meant well even if I'd mistaken the time.
It was freezing cold last night. I went to the Holy Sepulchre for Vespers at 6pm because Vigils is way past midnight due to daylight saving, and I don't think I can make it with my exhaustion and the cold. After Vespers Osvalda our librarian and I went out to a small restaurant in the Old City just behind our Franciscan hostel for pilgrims - "Casa Nova". That's because the place where she's staying didn't serve dinner that night. We had a nice simple meal - a salad and a meat dish. After that I walked home but it started raining.
The rain continued this morning but when I went out to feed the canaries, it started to hail. Small hailstones but terribly painful on the head! And it was freezing cold. The weather has become so weird ... everything has gone topsy turvy. We're having winter in the beginning of summer.
I wanted to go out to buy somethings like toiletries but couldn't get off my work so I stayed in my room studying till 7pm when I walked up to the 8th Station where there is the new supermarket.
Just earlier in the afternoon I got shwarma-ed again by the powers that be. Have to finish my work or else .... the ultimatum ...... Well it's pretty tough to get work done when my 2 computers are not fully working and my right hand/shoulder hurts to high heaven and have difficulty to type on the computer. Aiya .... this is one Lent that has already roasted a lamb way before Good Friday comes. Burnt to a crisp by now.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Weather change
Well I did go to the Way of the Cross after all. Forgot that we were in daylight saving so the Way of the Cross was an hour later then winter time - 4pm. Had time to do some reading before going down to join the large crowd. Prayed for all of you again, step by step up to the Empty Tomb. There was a huge crowd participating. If only you guys could be here to join in, and walk in the steps of Jesus.
We had gale force winds in the evening. All the food and water troughs of the birdcage were blown down. Even the plastic coverings were blown off. Yesterday we bought a new male canary - a red factor - to bring new genes into the group that we have. The wind is also very cold - almost freezing.
The last week of Lent is in. Tonight Vigils at the Holy Sepulchre will be at 40 mins past midnight due to daylight saving but which the Holy Sepulchre does not keep. Hope I can get up for this.
Meanwhile today I'm trying to finish as much as possible of my paper.
We had gale force winds in the evening. All the food and water troughs of the birdcage were blown down. Even the plastic coverings were blown off. Yesterday we bought a new male canary - a red factor - to bring new genes into the group that we have. The wind is also very cold - almost freezing.
The last week of Lent is in. Tonight Vigils at the Holy Sepulchre will be at 40 mins past midnight due to daylight saving but which the Holy Sepulchre does not keep. Hope I can get up for this.
Meanwhile today I'm trying to finish as much as possible of my paper.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Another Friday
Yesterday or rather early this morning was daylight saving changeover time. That means we had to put the clock one hour ahead and this will last until Autumn (usually the feast of Tabernacles). But some students didn't catch the news (actually the secretary Sinead didn't either and she messed up) and were early for school and had to wait for the doors to open.
The weather is lovely Spring - cool winds with blue skies. No sign of rain. A turtledove has made a nest on a drainpipe in the courtyard of the sisters.
I'm feeling the pressure of getting my work done. But the body is weak - I don't feel I have the energy to keep up with all the reading and writing and visits to the library. I feel exhausted easily. And getting leg cramps quite alot recently. And my right shoulder still hurts from last Friday's Way of the Cross incident. It's causing me sleepless nights because of the pain. Which come to think of it, I'm not going for the Way of the Cross this afternoon because I just can't make it.
Must start studying again.
The weather is lovely Spring - cool winds with blue skies. No sign of rain. A turtledove has made a nest on a drainpipe in the courtyard of the sisters.
I'm feeling the pressure of getting my work done. But the body is weak - I don't feel I have the energy to keep up with all the reading and writing and visits to the library. I feel exhausted easily. And getting leg cramps quite alot recently. And my right shoulder still hurts from last Friday's Way of the Cross incident. It's causing me sleepless nights because of the pain. Which come to think of it, I'm not going for the Way of the Cross this afternoon because I just can't make it.
Must start studying again.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Nisma Nafi’ Badir
DOB: 15 June1996
Class: Secondary 1 (2008-2009)
Benefactor: Agnes Leung O. Y.
History: Nisma is a quiet girl who is well aware of her family's plight. She attends a government school at Tawfiqiyyah Daher in Cairo, where she practically receives no instruction. Her family cannot afford to put her through night school much less a private school. Her father died from a tumour just a year ago on Feb. 7th 2008. Nisma has 4 brothers: Kyrillos (8 yrs); Girgis (10 yrs); Áshraf (14 yrs); Násh’at (16 yrs). Her family came from Dayr Mawas in Minya. They moved to Cairo 7 years ago in search for a better life. The village where the late Mr. Nafi’ used to work as a labourer in the fields gave them no hope for the future. In Cairo he found work as a watchman in the building where the family still lives. Mrs Fayza the mother continues the work of her late husband. She receives a monthly salary of 200 egyptian lira (35 US$). A family such as hers would need at least US$450-500 a month just for basic needs. The parish of Anba Bishoy helps the family with 50 egyptian lira a month. The family lives below the staircase which is no more than 4 metres square. The mother, Nisma and the two smaller boys sleep in there. The two older boys sleep in the open terrace and when it's cold, they sleep on the staircase. The building itself is tottering. The family does the cooking along the staircase.
Do something meaningful for Lent: support a child in need!
Class: Secondary 1 (2008-2009)
Benefactor: Agnes Leung O. Y.
History: Nisma is a quiet girl who is well aware of her family's plight. She attends a government school at Tawfiqiyyah Daher in Cairo, where she practically receives no instruction. Her family cannot afford to put her through night school much less a private school. Her father died from a tumour just a year ago on Feb. 7th 2008. Nisma has 4 brothers: Kyrillos (8 yrs); Girgis (10 yrs); Áshraf (14 yrs); Násh’at (16 yrs). Her family came from Dayr Mawas in Minya. They moved to Cairo 7 years ago in search for a better life. The village where the late Mr. Nafi’ used to work as a labourer in the fields gave them no hope for the future. In Cairo he found work as a watchman in the building where the family still lives. Mrs Fayza the mother continues the work of her late husband. She receives a monthly salary of 200 egyptian lira (35 US$). A family such as hers would need at least US$450-500 a month just for basic needs. The parish of Anba Bishoy helps the family with 50 egyptian lira a month. The family lives below the staircase which is no more than 4 metres square. The mother, Nisma and the two smaller boys sleep in there. The two older boys sleep in the open terrace and when it's cold, they sleep on the staircase. The building itself is tottering. The family does the cooking along the staircase.
Do something meaningful for Lent: support a child in need!
17th anniversary
Yesterday was the feast of the Annunciation - which marks 17 years of my ordination. I went off to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass. It was a quiet Mass - me alone inside the Crusader Chapel. But I had lots of time to think and pray. I used the 1st Eucharistic prayer which is very long - and I was thinking of all of you who had been supporting my vocation all these years and praying for you all. Thanks for being around. It helped and still does. The journey had its ups and downs. Being transferred from one end of the earth to another can be exciting but it's the friends you meet along the way that makes the journey worthwhile. I can't repay you, but I'm sure God will.
Spent most of the afternoon reading a ton of books and was so tired I fell asleep at 5pm. We sang solemn Vespers and then it was night again - no rain though but it's terribly cold like as if winter is back with a vengence. Nobody here knew about my anniversary so I kept quiet about it. No big deal.
Today I'll be working on my paper again, and I'll go consult Fr Buscemi who's my 2nd moderator. Hope I won't end up as shwarma again.
Spent most of the afternoon reading a ton of books and was so tired I fell asleep at 5pm. We sang solemn Vespers and then it was night again - no rain though but it's terribly cold like as if winter is back with a vengence. Nobody here knew about my anniversary so I kept quiet about it. No big deal.
Today I'll be working on my paper again, and I'll go consult Fr Buscemi who's my 2nd moderator. Hope I won't end up as shwarma again.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Rain!
I was quite sure it would rain last night because the sky was a dull red yesterday afternoon. I decided to cover the birdcage with plastic. Sure enough it started raining hard by 4am this morning. Very strong winds too. And it was freezing cold. This is all very unexpected as it should be dry and sunny - Easter season. Everyone said the weather is going crazy.
Yesterday I was so exhausted i fell asleep at 6pm. I thought I could wake up by 7pm for vespers and a talk by Fr Giorgio, our visiting professor who is a benedictine monk. Slept right through to midnight!I was feeling very hungry when I got up, but was feeling even sleepier - so fell back to bed and slept till 4am when I opened the window to check if it rained. Slept right through in my day clothes - jeans, turtle-neck, woollen jumper, socks .... it was like being drugged. I couldn't move a bone ... just laid in bed with very heavy eyes. But I was pretty fresh this morning for Mass though! Some of the guys said that I must have slept well - well how did they know???
Today most of the friars in Judea came to our Flagellation Chapel to commemorate the Passion of the Lord - the gospel is solemnly sung in 3 parts (Christ, Narrator and crowd). And lots of people came as well. But I wasn't in though; had a previous appointment at another Monastery.
The Pious Disciples of Our Lord (Pauline sisters who are dedicated to the liturgical ministry) have arrived in Jerusalem to start a convent - somewhere near our monastery. They come every morning for Mass and Lauds since two are Italians (one Indian) and our liturgy is always Italian.
Yesterday I was so exhausted i fell asleep at 6pm. I thought I could wake up by 7pm for vespers and a talk by Fr Giorgio, our visiting professor who is a benedictine monk. Slept right through to midnight!I was feeling very hungry when I got up, but was feeling even sleepier - so fell back to bed and slept till 4am when I opened the window to check if it rained. Slept right through in my day clothes - jeans, turtle-neck, woollen jumper, socks .... it was like being drugged. I couldn't move a bone ... just laid in bed with very heavy eyes. But I was pretty fresh this morning for Mass though! Some of the guys said that I must have slept well - well how did they know???
Today most of the friars in Judea came to our Flagellation Chapel to commemorate the Passion of the Lord - the gospel is solemnly sung in 3 parts (Christ, Narrator and crowd). And lots of people came as well. But I wasn't in though; had a previous appointment at another Monastery.
The Pious Disciples of Our Lord (Pauline sisters who are dedicated to the liturgical ministry) have arrived in Jerusalem to start a convent - somewhere near our monastery. They come every morning for Mass and Lauds since two are Italians (one Indian) and our liturgy is always Italian.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
_et_Rahil_Halim_2.jpg)
