Funeral

Carrying Vincent to the
cemetery

 Yesterday I joined the Indonesian friars at the funeral of Fr. Vincent. The journey took 3 hours to reach there because there was an accident on the highway - a massive truck oveturned and thousands of live chickens were all over the highway. We arrived just on time for the Mass but it was delayed for half an hour because the presider was also stuck in the traffic jam. We started the Mass without him because the crowd was waiting. When we finished the Mass, the presider arrived just in time for the burial in the cemetery. The weather was terribly hot, 37 degrees but felt like 40. The burial was done under the heat with everyone joining in. It was a good farewell to Vincent. He was a quiet and holy man ... adoring the Eucharist every day without fail. 

Going home took 4 hours because though the accident was cleared up, the after-work traffic was building up. I was exhausted when I reached home. 7 hours of travel to a mere 90 kms. But we were all satisfied that we paid our last respects to him. 

I had eaten nothing from midnight till I returned home, fearing my IBS would cause me problems along the way ... which was that unforeseen 7 hours. So when I got home, I was very hungry and ate some leftover rice and spinach. Then it was sleep all the way through to this morning. Today's a new day ... and Fr. Vincent is in heaven praying for us.

R.I.P.

 This morning we learned that Fr. Vincent Quek died in Nazareth. He had been serving in the Holy Land for 24 years, very silently and humbly. He was 82 yrs old, born Indonesian but a Singaporean resident. The Indonesian friars will be going to Nazareth for the funeral.

Local feast

 

Armenian liturgy at the
Empty Tomb

The heat continues to beat down on us, despite the cool nights. It's definitely the summer feel. Wish I were at the beach, walking down Rothschild Boulevard, eating Thai food .... but I have to wait for a volunteer to come from Italy so i can teach her what to do. Then I'm free to enjoy whatever I can for summer. But until she comes, it'll be work as usual.

I found out that an imbalanced bacterial content in my gut could be the cause of my IBS and asthma and allergies of all kinds. The doc put me on Probiotics. I sure hope it helps. Even the students here are saying I look exhausted and need to rest. And I feel like it too. The whole body aches.

Violence continue to plague the country, with gangland killings. The situation is frightening people in some cities, and don't dare to go out. And with the high inflation that's going out of control, even more people don't want to go out. Everything costs ... and costs alot.

Meantime the newspapers report that 5,600 vacancies as teachers are unfilled in the country. There's a big shortage. I don't know how this shortage can be resolved in the next years. Because of salary disputes, teachers have also gone on strike. The kids may think its fun not to have school but it'll be to their loss.

Today's the feast of St. James, who's supposed to be buried here in the Armenian Cathedral of Jerusalem. It's a big feast for the other Orthodox Churches and Catholics too. That's because he's remembered as the first bishop of Jerusalem. But in the midst of this festivities, a solemn mourning is taking place in the Syrian Orthodox Church. Their bishop, only 52 yrs old, suddenly died in hospital the day before. The funeral was yesterday.  In less than 3 years the Syrians have lost another bishop. RIP

Sunday

Windy and sunny

 The heat is beating down on us ... though it's not 40 degrees like in Europe. We're just 32 degrees today but the sun is relentless. Thank goodness there's a slight breeze to compensate for the heat. And the night are very cool. Though I wasn't feeling quite well, I went out with an Indian brother as he was feeling hoemsick. First time out of the country and now that most of the seminarians are on retreat or on service in various churches, I thought it would be good to bring him out to relax. The heat was awful and I couldn't walk far, so we took a short walk in the New City to Jungle my favourite petshop and then to Sheila's grocery where she had a bag of fresh kangkong for me.

Meantime Europe is melting under the heatwave. Fires in several countries. People injured and even killed by the heat. Maybe now those sceptics will believe that our climate is negatively affected and something needs to be done, even if it's already too late.

Last night Israel raided the palestinian city of Nablus, killing 2 suspected terrorist and wounding 9 others. It's becoming quite a violent city and I cannot go there to deliver aid to M. Teresa's sisters with risk of our car being attacked by either side of the war.

Stromata

 Have been feeling ill for the past few days. Been resting mostly as the fever and nausea returned. I'm not sure what's going on. But it feels terrible.

Still there's work to be done, so I spent a little time catching up with work as a team of experts from Milan came to help me deal with some ancient books that I needed specialist help with. Also several other specialists from various institutes came and needed access to some specific books, scanning etc.

Konkani Mass

Then this morning I had to go to Jaffa to celebrate the Konkani Mass as most of the chaplains are on vacation. The migrant catholic communities celebrate Sunday Mass on Friday and Saturdays since these are the weekend days here. Sunday is a work day. It's good to be with the Konkani community of Jaffa area again. They're a large vibrant community that enlivens the local church. They pack the huge neo-gothic church and they pray loudly and enthusiastically. Very impressive and encouraging.

In the meantime, violence has been wrecking the country. A stabbing attempt was thwarted in the Old City early today. Israel bombed several sites in Gaza and Syria. A former minister of a rival Palestinian party was almost killed in an assassination attempt in Nablus. The Maronite Bishop of Haifa was detained by Lebanese forces for doing charity work. Everything sounds so troubling this summer. Seems to be in sync with my health.

Mass

Mass in the Tomb

 I went to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass again this morning. It's the birthday of one of the leaders of the Filipino community who asked me to book and preside the Mass. There were only 4 people in the Tomb. I felt less sick and was able to celebrate it calmly. The basilica was rather quiet as it was only 6am (5am solar time). 

Clashes seem to be forecast for the next weeks. Israeli soldiers will try to clear illegal jewish settlements in palestinian land and expect jewish settlers to retaliate; and attacks from Gaza and Lebanon are possible. In fact Gaza had sent missiles into Israel a couple of times last week already. The relative peace we had been enjoying is broken.

I'm still feeling lightheaded so I'll rest early. I've been to work today as there're lots of meetings going on and I want to confirm what I can now regarding activities and exhibitions, before the August break begins.

Armenian deacon at
the Tomb

Mass

Mass in the Empty
Tomb

I went to the Empty Tomb this morning to celebrate Mass for all your intentions. I've been still feeling weak and dizzy ... very light-headed. My oxygen level is normal and my blood pressure is also in the normal range. The Covid test was negative. 

But here in the country the variants BA 5 and BA2.75 is spreading rapidly and the highest rate of hospitalisations in 4 months was recorded. More people are wearing the mask now.

Anyway I spent the rest of the day resting as I am still light-headed. I don't want to fall and break my head.