Solidarity

There are twenty-seven sites throughout the City of Jerusalem at which the Catholic Mass is celebrated every Sunday.  Without a doubt, each location – situated within its own particular community and geography – has a history.  Within that history lies a story: the story of lives marked by the sign of Faith, a story of discipleship, a story of struggle and hardship, but also one of hope.  Different faces, different backgrounds, all Catholic – united in Christ as sisters and brothers.  Quite frequently, we have the wonderful opportunity to encounter those stories: to meet local Catholics at their parishes, to pray together, and to absorb all that they have to teach us by their witness and life experiences. 

This past Sunday, another one of those opportunities arose: we could attend Mass at the location of our choosing.  I, along with a few others, went to the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate for Mass.  The Liturgy was in English, but the beautiful service music was in Armenian.  Several other seminarians from a local monastery were also present.  It was a powerful experience to celebrate with our sisters and brothers in the Holy Land – individuals whom we probably will not meet again, but nonetheless whom we became united to in the Eucharist.  There is a solidarity with others that I (as well as my brother seminarians and the faculty) have been blessed to experience throughout the pilgrimage.  For that, I am very grateful to God. 

Later that evening, a few of us spent the night at the Holy Sepulchre in prayer, which  was certainly a blessing to be able to do so.  In addition to praying for whatever was on our mind and heart, we prayed for all of you.  We came together in the early morning hours to offer a rosary for your needs and intentions.  Please know that you are always in our prayers, and we ask that you keep us in yours.  May God bless you and all those you love!