Pastor's Sabbatical - 5th Post - Israel

1 April 2011 Friday
This is our last full day in Jerusalem, and it has been a warm day too!

But first let me get you caught up with what we did yesterday and then I will let you know what today has been like.

Site of the Ascension

Yesterday we started up on top of the Mount of Olives with a great view of the old city of Jerusalem where you can see the Muslim guarded, but crusader built, site of the Ascension of the Lord. It is a small building built over what traditionally has been thought to be the site of Jesus' Ascension. We walked to Pater Noster Church for view of the grotto cave of teaching (Our Father).

We celebrate mass at this church and continue our walk down through the ancient cemeteries to see the Dominus Flevit Church which commemorates where Jesus wept as he entered into Jerusalem. We met a nice Franciscan from California who is assigned to the Church. There seems to be more tourists around in the last few days, making some of the religious sites a little more difficult to visit. From there we visit the Church of All Nations or the Gethsemane shrine on the mount of Olives. The church is designed with purple and blue windows which give it an appropriate somber feel.

After lunch we go to St Stephen's Gate and enter the old city to do the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross) which brings us to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We do the last few stations on the roof (yes the roof) of the Holy Sepulchre.



roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

 We enter and pray at the site of Jesus crucifixion and tomb. The church is controlled by five different religious groups so there is a whole mixture of art and style. It was very crowded but it was good for us to be there. We had time on our own there and then we wandered back to where we are staying.


at the site of the Ascension


I don't know if many people reading this has ever been to Jerusalem or have read much on the old city, but there are four sections to the old city. They are the Jewish quarter, the Muslim quarter, the Armenian quarter and the Christian quarter. They are all in a relatively small area with an ancient wall that surrounds the old city. We are staying just outside the New Gate of the old city so it is easy for us to go in for a visit.

Getting back to today, Friday, we started off walking through the old city and learning more about the history and significance of this city. We end up visiting the Cenacle, the site of the Last supper, Pentecost and the Resurrection appearances. Below it we visit the tomb of King David. From there we walk through the excavations of the Jewish quarter and end up at the Western Wall and offer a prayer.

We then walked over to the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu for mass. This site is where Peter denied Jesus three times and where Jesus was imprisoned. There are ancient stairs on the property as well that lead to the Kidron Valley and we offer a prayer at each step as we remember Christ being lead to his torture.

Church of Jesus in Chains

This ends our touring for today. Being Friday, things start shutting down in the afternoon for the Jewish people. I understand the buses will shut down and cab service will end. It will get quieter, I am sure, at sunset.

Tomorrow is our last day here, we will get up early again and pack our bus and walk over for mass at the Holy Sepulcher. If the timing is right, we should be able to visit a couple more sites on the way to the airport and be back in Rome by eight or nine o'clock at night.

I hope everyone is doing well back home. This has been an excellent experience. Please keep me and my fellow pilgrims in your prayers. Know that you are in my prayers and mass that we will offer tomorrow morning at the church of the Holy Sepulcher.

God Bless,
Fr Joe

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Pastor's Sabbatical - 4th Post - Israel



Church of the Transfiguration, Mt. Tabor

30 March 2011 Wednesday

Church of the Beatitudes

Yesterday was another long day for traveling for we left the pilgrim house on the Mt of Beatitudes and started traveling down towards Jerusalem. On the way down, we stopped at an Israeli park and excavation site of Bet Shean on the east end of the Jezreel valley which intersects the Jordan valley. It has been amazing to see what people were able to accomplished so many years ago and that anything would be left would be incredible.

From there we headed to Jericho and then to the Dead Sea for a swim. This was my first time swimming in the Dead Sea, I should be more accurate and say floating in the Dead Sea! That is what you do best and easiest there. The salt content is very high and makes you very buoyant. From there we went to the excavation site of Qumran, where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls. Amazing that someone in the 1950's could be out tending sheep could stumble over something so ancient in ceramic jars.

Then we headed back north to Bethany (now a Palestinian city of Azariah) to the site of the miracle of Lazarus an the home of Martha and Mary. We celebrated mass at the Franciscan chapel next to Lazarus' tomb. From there we headed up to Jerusalem to the Notre Dame pilgrim center just outside the Old city of Jerusalem.

Door of Humility, Church of the Nativity

Today we started our day in Bethlehem, which from what I understand were fortunate that it we did not have to stop long at the checkpoint into to Bethlehem. I did not realize it but Bethlehem has a metal wall which surrounds it and not everyone can pass through the checkpoint as easily as we were able to. As the day went on, I understand that if you are Palestinan and were born in Bethlehem you can not visit or travel to Jewrusalem or any other part in this Holy Land. Actually there are very few Christians left in Bethlehem and those that are there have a difficult time supporting themselves and their families. I am beginning to understand why people from Bethlehem want to sell their olive wood products in our churches in the States to help those who are still living in this area. A very interesting insight and challenging time. After arriving in Bethlehem we went to the church of the Navitity controlled primarily by the Greek Orthodox. After waiting for more than forty minutes in line we were able to spend a few minutes to pray and venerate what is believed to be place of Jesus birth.



Church of the Shepherds' Field



Crypt of St. Jerome, St. Catherine Church

Next we went to the Church adjacent to the Church of the Nativity to the Catholic Church of Catherine of Alexandria. St. Catherine Church is the one they televise Christmas midnight mass in Nazareth from. We celebrated mass at the cave of St. Jerome which is the basement crypt of St Catherine's. From there we went to the Shepherd's Field with its cave chapel and the Franciscan Chapel above. I love the painting on the nativity that are painted on the walls of the Chapel. I think they are great.

From there we went to the Shrine of the Book Museum which had one of the Dead Sea Scrolls and an outdoor model of ancient Jerusalem. It was very helpful to see an overview with our guide pointing out some of the highlights. It put in context the history and layout of Jerusalem which was helpful to me. I must admit, I don't have it all figured out completely but it is now starting to make more sense.

Later in the day we went to the Museum of Yad Vashem which is their Holocaust museum. It was well done museum that was very moving. I did not realize how many countries the Nazi influence went until their persecution was stopped.

Needless to say, we were kept busy and moving. We have done a lot of walking and climbing of stairs here. It has been very thought provoking. You have been in my thoughts and prayers and especially the masses we have offered. Please continue to keep me in yours.

God Bless,
Fr Joe

Church of the Tranfiguration

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Pastor's Sabbatical - 3rd Post - Israel



Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth



26 March 2011
Time seems to go very quickly here. They are keeping us busy with classes on a variety of topics and with going to the station churches around Rome. They are early morning walks to the churches and back for classes. It has been great. There are thirty priests taking part in the program I am in. Most of them are from around the United States and a couple from Canada and two from New Zealand. They bring a nice mix to the experience.


Ancient Mosaic from 4th-5th Century ruins of Sepphoris



In the middle of the program they offer a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and that is what I am on right now. We flew down to Tel Aviv on Thursday and we started traveling around to the different Holy Sites. On Friday we traveled along the Mediterranean to Ancient Ceasarea Meritima ruins which was the site of the first Gentile baptism by St. Peter. St. Paul was also imprisoned there for two years while awaiting a ship to Rome for his trail as a Roman citizen. Then we went on to the tel site of Meggido. A tel is a mound or a hill that has been created over the centuries by one city being destroyed and another one built on top of it. At Meggido there was twenty six cities built on top of each other. It is amazing to see the excavations that have been done over the years and to history they uncover. After that we went to Haifa and Mt Carmel, which was the foundation of the Carmelite Order and the site of Elijah's showdown with Jezebel's prophets. We celebrated mass over the Cave of Elijah's cave. It sometimes is referred to as the cave of the Madonna for one tradition said the holy family stayed there on the way to Nazareth from Egypt. As you can tell there is a lot of history and powerful religious experiences that we are having.

This morning we got up early and packed up the bus and headed out from Mt Carmel and traveled to Haifa to the Mt of Beatitudes near the Sea of Galilee. On the way we celebrated mass at Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle of water into wine, and then on to Seogirus (Zippori) which was an ancient Herodian style city. There were some great mosaics there that go back to the 4-5th century.

Dormition of St. Joseph

After lunch in Nazareth we went to the Basilica of the Annunciation. I came to the Holy Land once before, about 20 years ago, on a Catholic and Greek Orthodox pilgrimage and remember this church as well as the church next to it dedicated to St Joseph.

The Basilica of the Annunciation is a modern church built in the 60's very modern and large but not impressive as a building but only impressive to me as a place where Mary gave her Fiat, "let your will be done." It has brought back many great memories of my first experience and my thoughts and prayers have gone out to Fr Nick Raffael who put my first pilgrimage together. He has passed on a few years ago but I still hear his passion and excitement for being in this Holy Land. If you would, please remember Fr Nick in your prayers and all of us who are on pilgrimage this time, that this journey continues to deepen our faith and enlivens our passion for the gospel message and our ability to share it with others.


Celebrating Mass at the Church of St. Peter's Home, near Sea of Galilee


We end our journey today at the Church of the Beatitudes and the pilgrim house on the grounds which overlook the sea of Galilee. It is beautiful to be here.



Excavation St. Peter's home, Galilee

  Tomorrow (Sunday) we go to Capernaum and to Ceasarea Philippi. I am sure it will be a busy and powerful day. I have good a internet connection today so I am able to send this out, I hope tomorrow night to be able to write more. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and at the Mass I celebrate each day.

God Bless
Fr Joe Porpiglia

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Pastor's Sabbatical -2nd Posting - Rome

March 18 2011 Friday Rome (18 Marzo 2001 Venerdi Roma)

I am sorry it has been so long since my last blog. As most of you know a lot has happened since the last post. My deepest appreciation for all the kindness, thoughts and prayers shown to me and my family at the death of our mother Angeline. She was a great lady who gave us a great life, many memorizes and laughter. I know that is something my siblings and I will not forget!

I am back to Rome and the sabbatical program which has been going very quickly with some great classes and interesting tours of churches and museums.

One of the things that goes on in Rome during let is the visiting the Station Churches during the days of Lent. The English speaking community has mass at 7am at the churches. It is a custom to walk to these churches which are some of the more ancient churches of Rome. I should probably explain the station churches has nothing to do with the stations of the cross that some people might be thinking of, but the station churches is a tradition of visiting churches that were the Titular churches, some of the earliest churches of Rome and have been places that people have gathered to worship for centuries. It is a great way of starting the day and to enter into the Lenten season. By the way, the custom is also to walk to the churches which are all over Rome which means walking some time short distances but often times a longer distance. Sometime we leave the school at 6am to make it there for the start of mass at 7am. It does get your heart going and the blood flowing moving at that hour. Today we left about 6:15 and arrived in plenty of time. This morning it was not raining and a little warmer, which was nice. We always have interesting conversations about the church that we visit and about what is going on for the day. Today's church was the 12 Apostle Church not too far from the Trevi Fountain. On the way back we stop usually for cappuccino and a cornetto.

I will try to write more soon and explain some of the other things I have seen and done. I remember all of you at my masses and prayers please each day. Please remember me in yours.

Fr Joe Porpiglia


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Pastor's Sabbatical - Rome/Sicily

Journal entry 2 Feb 2011 Tuesday (Venerdi)

This is my first attempt to write to all of you. I have been in Italy only three and a half days and I am just getting settled in. The first couple of days were traveling. I landed in Rome on Saturday and stayed the night at the seminary where I will be staying for the sabbatical program starting on the fiftieth of February. The next two weeks I will spend taking Italian classes in Sicily. I arrived here renting a room from a family arranged through the school. It turns out she is a widower who speaks very little English and is very religious. Tonight she was reading at mass and led a couple of songs in singing.

My first couple of days have been very interesting. I was only in town a couple of hours and they had a special mass with the Arcbishop from Messina who was the main celebrant. They are celebrating the Feast of St John Bosco. My landlady Antonina Spadoni introduces me to the pastor and they ask me if I want to concelebrate, I agree and they dress me vestments as I meet a number of the priest who are waiting for the Archbishop to arrive. There are some younger servers that are there and they are working on their English as I am working on my Italian. I am not yet over my jet lag and I am in a church right out of a Fallini movie. It ends up being packed with altar servers sitting on the steps of the altar and a children's choir in the balcony. They introduce me at the beginning of the mass which are the only words I understand. I smile and nod approvingly, I wish you could be here, I think you would enjoy it if you have a sense of adventure. After mass is finished the archbishop leaves and they start a possession from the church of St Joseph to the Basilica a half mile down the narrow cobble stone street with banners flying overhead. You should see they statue of St John Bosco they carry down the from steps of the church to be a part of the procession, they put a wooded ornate canopy on top of the statue with lights and with the priest with a relic and a band they head down the street. I pinch myself that I am really here a part of it all. It is very powerful seeing all the people and the energy.

That was Sunday night, last night they had the second mass for the feast at the basilica which was packed again and I arrive just in time after class to concelebrate and some young people remember me from the night before and they usher me back to the sacristy, put me in vestments. I meet the main celebrant who is the head of the Salesian province in this area. He speaks English and we have a few words after mass. I realize they are introducing me at the beginning of mass because I hear Fr. Giuseppe, I smile and have it confirmed the next day at school because two of the secretaries where there at the mass. I don't know how I got so fortunate. During the mass they realize it is raining too hard to have the possession back to St Joseph so they postpone it for two days when the weather is suppose to be better. At this mass they have dignitaries from the community and some military people there as well. They are dressed very ornately and you can tell this is a very big celebration.

After talking with a few people I inquire of a good local place to have dinner, one lady tells me of a place just a few meters down the main road and I fine my way there. There is a birthday party for some children in the basement and a wood burring oven in the kitchen for pizza. I am happy, the place is warm and the waiters speak some English. I order some "pasta normale" which is the normal pasta of the area with eggplant and cheese. It is hot and tasty and I have that with "insalate mista", mixed salad and I am very happy! As I ask for check I am informed a man at the table next to mine has bought me dinner, he was at mass that night and remembers me. I give him my business card from the parish and he gives me his, he is the president of their local government council and he invites me to his office in a couple of days. I am still very happy!

I have regressed for a couple of days to get you up to some of my happenings. Tonight as I was mentioning, they had mass at 5:30 at the church of St Joseph. One of the priest from last night said he would be the main celebrant and invited me to join them. There ended up being three priest there and a few people from the congregation. They dressed me up and I smiled nicely, my land lady was there and she seemed pleased that I was concelebrating. I was greatly pleased just to be there.

After mass was over, I started wandering the street to find a place for dinner. You need to picture this, it is raining hard, few people are out and many of the restaurants are closed because this is not tourist season and they are on holiday. As I walk down the street there is an umbrella which as gotten away from its owner in the wind, I stop to pick it up to return it and it belongs to a restaurant owner who is trying to tape his sign up to a post in the rain. I hold the umbrella while he is working and he suggests that his restaurant is good place to eat. I know it is too early for the locals to eat, they usually eat around 8:30 or 9 o'clock but since it is raining and I have no other place to go, I venture up to get out of the rain.

He is suggesting heavily that I try some seafood that he shows me telling me the fish is very fresh. I order that and some pasta as my first plate. I order gnocchi with eggplant, sauce, onions, mushrooms and squash. My condition for ordering is that I get to watch him cook, he doesn't seem to mind. I wanted to take a cooking class, I just didn't think it would be this way! I watch him make a great pasta dish and vegetables he cooks on the grill as well as the fish caked in sea salt. It is all wonderful. I realize in the process he is the owner, the waiter and the dish washer, it is the off season. I ask him he minds if I work at the table and he tells me I am like family and he is happy for the company. I did tell you it is the off season and it is now about two hours after I arrived and no one else has shown up. I am still working on my wine and water and listening to music. He asked me what I want to listen too, Italian of course! I still don't understand a word but it is fitting for the experience.

I am sorry for the rambling, but it has been a wonderful experience so far and I hope I can share some of it with you. As you can tell I have been in church a few times already and you have been in my prayers, please keep me in yours. Next time I will try to tell you about some of my classmates and classes, it is all very interesting to me. Also say a special prayer that I can find a part for my camera which is missing so that I can recharge the battery. It will take me a half hour train ride and some of the best Italian I can muster! Bono Notte!
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