Good Friday's Crucifix - a work of love

A Parish Treasure

I am so moved every Good Friday when I see the whole parish venerating the cross. It is such a beautiful procession of young and old, rich and poor, all bowing to venerate the image of Jesus Christ on the crucifix. Some kiss His feet or His hands.  Some touch His wounds.  Some gaze reverently into His eyes.  All join in contemplation of the supreme sacrifice. 

"We adore You O Christ and we bless You; because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world!"

I am so glad I asked about our beautiful crucifix this year.

It turns out that this crucifix, which usually hangs in the school cafeteria, has an amazing history of its own. Mrs. Grace Neureuther shared the story and her photos with us.  Her husband Ross handcarved this crucifix for the parish. It was blessed by Fr. Gary Bagley on December 8, 2004. Ross has passed on to his eternal reward, but his blessed memory and his beautiful handiwork live on.   Thank you Ross and Grace!

The planning stage

Ross with the Body of Christ

Ross holding the finished Crucifix

A close-up

Dedication on the back

A thank you note from our School

"We adore You O Christ and we bless You; because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world!"

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Organ Recital May 1st 7PM

Musically celebrate the Easter Season with us!

Mr. Peter Gonciarz will perform an Organ Recital Sunday, May 1st at 7:00 pm.

Peter is 22 years old and recently completed his BA at Villa Maria College. He has also studied at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and was awarded the prize in the Young Organists’ Competition sponsored by the Buffalo Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He is presently the organist at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in Depew.

As with all the events in our concert series, we will have a video set-up so we can easily watch without craning our necks.

Afterwards we will enjoy some light refreshments together. Hope to see you there!



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HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 2011

Creation - Care for the Environment

A video project of Mr. Matthew Prinzing, a student at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB). Parts of the documentary were filmed in St. Benedict's Church. Mr. Prinzing interviewed Deacon Bill on the Church's role in environmentalism.

Welcome!

I'm Deacon Bill.  I'd like to welcome you to St. Benedict's. Whether you've been away from Church for weeks or decades, please know that you are always a beloved daughter or son of God.  Welcome home.

Bill and Debbie Hynes

Please let me know if I can assist your spiritual journey in any way.  I love teaching about Christ and the Catholic Church so please don't be shy about asking questions.

Feel free to email me anytime at deaconhynes@gmail.com 

If you're not Catholic but have an interest in the Catholic Church, please know that we can arrange learning sessions around your busy schedule. No strings attached EVER! 

Likewise, we can easily set up sessions for Catholics in need of the Sacraments of Confirmation, First Eucharist or Holy Matrimony.

Of course, you don't even need a reason to talk about Jesus, the Bible, Catholicism or the spiritual life...just send an email my way.  We at St. Benedict's want to help your faith in Jesus Christ grow deeper.  That's what we do here!

The parish website is http://www.saintbenedicts.com/   There you will find links to our Blog, Facebook, Twitter and our RSS feed.

There are dozens of ways you can become involved in our community too.  God gave you your gifts for a reason.  Please share them with us.

Our weekend Masses are:  Saturday at 5PM, and Sundays at 8AM, 10AM and 11:30AM.

I hope you will introduce yourself to me in person someday soon.

Welcome back! We've been praying for you.

Pax Christi,
deacon bill+

Easter Baskets Blessing and Food Symbolism

from wikimedia commons

Symbolism of Traditional Easter Foods followed by the Blessing of Easter Baskets

Certain Easter food items are traditionally brought to church in a basket on Holy Saturday to be blessed.

We bless baskets at 3:00 PM Holy Saturday in our beautiful church of St. Benedict. The blessed food is then used for the first Easter meal. 


Here is a wikipedia link on this custom, (sometimes called Święconka) - http://bit.ly/HeUQ8U.

The following information about the symbolism of the foods blessed in baskets is based on In the Home: Blessing of Foods at Easter by Madeline L. Brock

Butter Lamb – through the blood of the lamb, the Israelites were saved (Ex. 12). Jesus is our Passover or Paschal Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:35-36).

Horseradish – represents the bitter herbs eaten in the Passover meal as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12).

Bread – a Passover food (Ex. 12) and a reminder of Jesus in the Eucharist, the true bread of everlasting life (John 6).

Wine – the drink of the Passover meal and the Last Supper (Mt. 26:26-30). A reminder of the Blood of Christ.

Ham/Sausage – Pork was prohibited in the Old Testament. The New Testament, however, gives freedom (Acts 15). Sausage links show the chains of death Jesus broke at Easter (Exsultet).

Eggs – Jesus breaks forth from the tomb as a chick breaks from its shell. It is fitting to decorate eggs as a sign of our belief in Christ’s Resurrection.

Children’s Easter baskets filled with candy are an imitation of the food baskets brought to Church for the blessing of the first Easter meal.

A Prayer service and blessing for Easter Foods, comprised primarily of Biblical readings.

Here is the Catholic blessing for Easter foods (from the Book of Blessings, 1707 ff.):

INTRODUCTORY RITES
1707 When the community has gathered, a suitable song may be sung.
The minister says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All make the sign of the cross and reply: Amen.

1708 The minister greets those present in the following or other suitable words, taken mainly from sacred Scripture.

A) Before the Easter Vigil - For our sake Christ became obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross. Therefore God raised him on high and gave him the name above all other names. Blessed be God for ever.
And all reply: Blessed be God for ever.

B) After the Easter Vigil - Christ is risen. Alleluia.
And all reply: He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

1709 In the following or similar words, the minister prepares those present for the blessing.
Throughout Lent we have been preparing for the resurrection of the Lord by prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Our lenten fasting is a reminder of our hunger and thirst for holiness which is satisfied only by Christ who feeds and nourishes us by his word and sacraments. When we gather at our first meal of Easter may this food be a sign for us of that heavenly banquet to which the Lord calls us.

READING OF THE WORD OF GOD
1710 One of those present, or the minister, then reads a text of sacred Scripture. Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the book of Deuteronomy 16:1-8 The passover of the Lord.

Observe the month of Abib by keeping the Passover of the LORD, your God, since it was in the month of Abib that he brought you by night out of Egypt. You shall offer the Passover sacrifice from your flock or your herd to the LORD, your God, in the place which he chooses as the dwelling place of his name. You shall not eat leavened bread with it. For seven days you shall eat with it only unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, that you may remember as long as you live the day of your departure from the land of Egypt; for in frightened haste you left the land of Egypt. Nothing leavened may be found in all your territory for seven days, and none of the meat which you sacrificed on the evening of the first day shall be kept overnight for the next day.

You may not sacrifice the Passover in any of the communities which the LORD, your God, gives you; only at the place which he chooses as the dwelling place of his name, and in the evening at sunset, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt, shall you sacrifice the Passover. You shall cook and eat it at the place the LORD, your God, chooses; then in the morning you may return to your tents. For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh there shall be a solemn meeting in honor of the LORD, your God; on that day you shall not do any sort of work.

1711 Or: Isaiah 55:1-11--Come all you who are thirsty. Luke 24:13-35--They knew Christ in the breaking of the bread. John 6:1-14--Multiplication of the loaves.

1712 As circumstances suggest, one of the following responsorial psalms may be sung, or some other suitable song.

R. My soul is thirsting for God, the living God.

Psalms 42 and 43 Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? R.

Those times I recall, now that I pour out my soul within me, When I went with the throng and led them in procession to the house of God, Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving, with the multitude keeping festival. R.

Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. R.

Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; Then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! R.


Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 R. (v. 1) Bless the Lord, 0 my soul.

1713 As circumstances suggest, the minister may give those present a brief explanation of the biblical text, so that they may understand through faith the meaning of the celebration.

INTERCESSIONS
1714 The intercessions are then said. The minister introduces them and an assisting minister or one of those present announces the intentions. From the following those best suited to the occasion may be used or adapted, or other intentions that apply to the particular circumstances may be composed.

The minister says: The Son of God who invites us to the Paschal feast stands ready to help. Let us call upon him in our need.

R. Lord, prepare us for the feast of life.

Assisting minister: That Easter may find us cleansed of sin and ready to live anew our Christian faith, we pray to the Lord. R.

Assisting minister: That the bread we share may be a reminder of the bread of life we share in the eucharist, we pray to the Lord. R.

Assisting minister: That we may be ready to give from our table to those who hunger and thirst, we pray to the Lord. R.

Assisting minister: That we may one day enjoy the banquet of the Lord in the heavenly kingdom, we pray to the Lord. R.


1715 After the intercessions the minister, in the following or similar words, invites all present to sing or say the Lord's Prayer. Christ taught us to pray for our daily bread and so we dare to say:

All: Our Father . . .

PRAYER OF BLESSING
1716 A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined.

God of glory, the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ's victory over sin and death.
Bless us and this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at the Lord's table continue to celebrate the joy of his resurrection and be admitted finally to his heavenly banquet.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

CONCLUDING RITE
1717 A minister who is a priest or deacon concludes the rite by saying: May Christ always nourish you and strengthen you in faith and love, now and for ever. R. Amen.

Then he blesses all present. And may almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit. R.Amen.

1718 A lay minister concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross and saying: May Christ nourish us and strengthen us in faith and love now and for ever. R.Amen.

1719 It is preferable to end the celebration with a suitable song.


II. SHORTER RITE
1720 The minister then greets those present in the following or other suitable words, taken mainly from sacred Scripture.

A) Before the Easter Vigil For our sake Christ became obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross. Therefore God raised him on high and gave him the name above all other names. Blessed be God for ever.

And all reply: Blessed be God for ever.

B) After the Easter Vigil - Christ is risen. Alleluia.
And all reply: He is risen indeed. Alleluia.


1721 One of those present or the minister reads a text of sacred Scripture, for example: Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the book of Deuteronomy 16:1-8

The passover of the Lord. Observe the month of Abib by keeping the Passover of the LORD, your God, since it was in the month of Abib that he brought you by night out of Egypt. You shall offer the Passover sacrifice from your flock or your herd to the LORD, your God, in the place which he. chooses as the dwelling place of his name. You shall not eat leavened bread with it. For seven days you shall eat with it only unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, that you may remember as long as you live the day of your departure from the land of Egypt; for in frightened haste you left the land of Egypt. Nothing leavened may be found in all your territory for seven days, and none of the meat which you sacrificed on the evening of the first day shall be kept overnight for the next day.

You may not sacrifice the Passover in any of the communities which the LORD, your God, gives you; only at the place which he chooses as the dwelling place of his name, and in the evening at sunset, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt, shall you sacrifice the Passover. You shall cook and eat it at the place the LORD, your God, chooses; then in the morning you may return to your tents. For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh there shall be a solemn meeting in honor of the LORD, your God; on that day you shall not do any sort of work.

1722 Or: Isaiah 55:1-11--Come all you who are thirsty. Luke 24:13-35--They knew Christ in the breaking of the bread.

1723 A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined.

God of glory, the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ's victory over sin and death.
Bless us and this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at the Lord's table continue to celebrate the joy of his resurrection and be admitted finally to his heavenly banquet.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Book of Blessings by Prepared by International Commission on English in the Liturgy A Joint Commission of Catholic Bishops' Conferences, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1989

HOLY WEEK & EASTER 2011

Happy Anniversary Fr. Joe!

About our Pipe Organ

Our parish is the only Catholic parish in Buffalo with a Schlicker organ. These organs were built right here in Buffalo by Herman Schlicker, and are well known around the world. Herman Schlicker was the most notable Buffalo organ builder of the 20th century.

Our organ is exemplary of the renewed interest in classical organ design which arose following the war. At that time, Schlicker had built the organ at Kenmore Presbyterian Church and in subsequent years his work would be installed at Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kenmore Methodist Church, First Trinity Lutheran Church on Niagara Falls Blvd., and many other area churches.

Donald Ingram, who worked for Schlicker in the 50s and 60s, relates that every time the famous blind French organist André Marchal [see wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Marchal ] visited Buffalo, they would bring him to St. Benedict’s to play before visiting the Falls! Mr. Ingram often demonstrated our organ to prospective Schlicker clients before he became organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Although it was designed on a budget, our organ has now gone 60 years without a major overhaul, which attests to the quality of his work. It also exemplifies the durability of the pipe organ; many churches which installed electronic instruments have discovered that they age rapidly, both in terms of technology and the durability of components. If you have any stories regarding our organ, please talk to Glenn Hufnagel, our organist or email Rectory@saintbenedicts.com.

The following essay contains material from Donald Ingram, “Memoir: Herman Schlicker and the Schlicker Organ Company, in particular from 1956–1963,” in The Tracker, 48:4 (2004), 14–18, and from personal correspondence.

Herman Schlicker arrived from Bavaria for the first time in 1924 and worked for a while at Wurlitzer in North Tonawanda. He decided that theater organs were not his style and returned to Germany, but he settled in Erie the following year and went to work for Tellers-Kent, whose work is well-represented in Buffalo Catholic parishes. In 1932 he established his own business in the Bailey-Broadway section, and during this time, he rebuilt the organ at the former St. Francis Xavier Church in Black Rock, now the Buffalo Religious Arts Center. In 1947 the firm moved to Military Road in Kenmore.

Under the influence of Paul Bunjes and Robert Noehren, who would build the organ at First Presbyterian Church in 1969, Schlicker became interested in the neo-baroque organ move-ment. In January 1947, a roofer’s torch sparked a fire which devastated Saint Mary of Sorrows Church The assistant pastor reported that the organ and choir loft had sustained “only” water damage. Schlicker built a new organ with what could be salvaged from the historic E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings instrument and incorporated elements of neo-baroque design. He had removed the huge Möller organ from the Larkin Administration Building before its ultimate demise, and some of that pipework was used to build the organ at Kenmore Presbyterian Church in 1948, with Noehren as consultant. The bicentennial of Johann Sebastian Bach’s death would be observed in 1950. Schlicker installed a new chancel organ in St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1951 with Ernest White, a noted organ designer, as consultant. In 1954 he also installed the organ at Trinity Episcopal Church, which was featured in a Sunday broadcast by E. Power Biggs that November. The Diocese built St. John Vianney Seminary (now Christ the King) in the early 60s, and Schlicker provided the organ , which was only recently completed.

Saint Benedict’s parish dedicated their new church in 1952 and the pastor, Msgr. William Tobin, opted for a cutting-edge instrument. This presented Schlicker with the opportunity to build in a fine acoustical setting, and the result was the pride and joy of Howard Vogel, parish choirmaster. It was dedicated by Louis Huybrechts, organist of St. Louis Church. Donald Ingram worked for Schlicker from 1956 until he became organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1963, and he relates that “this instrument was one of the favorites of the famous blind French organist André Marchal. We took him to play at St. Benedict’s every time he came to Buffalo”—and then to Niagara Falls! Marchal gave a recital at St. Benedict’s some time prior to 1956. Following the American Guild of Organists’ convention that year, “people came from all over the country to hear Schlicker’s work in Buffalo,” and it fell to Mr. Ingram to demonstrate this organ to prospective clients when “the only hymn I truly felt comfortable playing was ‘Holy God, We Praise Thy Name.’ . . . In those days, if I had played [‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God’], I would have probably been asked to leave.”

This organ has been supporting the worship of St. Benedict’s parish for nearly 60 years without a major overhaul, a testament to the workmanship of Herman Schlicker. Those who opted for electronic instruments have discovered how quickly the technology and hardware age. One oddity in the design of our organ was the lack of a Swell-to-Positiv coupler, considered standard equipment on most organs, which enables the top manual to be played from the bottom manual. Since the only way to play those divisions together was through the Great, or middle, manual, the ivories on that keyboard had worn out by the 90s and were falling off and the key springs had became sprung, while the Positiv manual had hardly any wear at all. The Great manual was refurbished several years ago, and the missing coupler was recently installed, allowing us to use the organ’s resources with greatest flexibility. Don Ingram attributes this quirk to a simple oversight on the part of whoever drew up the specification, since Schlicker had never formally foresworn such couplers. Nonetheless, some other Schlicker organs in this area share this characteristic. Our organ was designed to best effect within budgetary constraints, e.g. the missing swell reed. Likewise, some of the intra-manual couplers would not be typical of Schlicker’s design, but they enable us to do the most with the sounds at hand.

There is space on all the manual chests for another rank of pipes, but no blank stop-keys on the console. Typical of neo-baroque stoplists, 15 of our 39 ranks are mixtures, high-pitched, multiple-note stops which lend brilliance and definition to poly-phonic and symphonic music. However, the placement of the “cornet” (a combination of stops which sounds trumpety) and the trumpet on the same manual makes it impossible to authentically interpret music from the French classical era — which apparently did not bother André Marchal! Ingram figures that Schlicker anticipated a Great trumpet that could be used in dialog with the Swell cornet, but mid-century organ design did not consider a trumpet in the Great division necessary, and in fact such a trumpet was only added to the St. Paul’s Cathedral organ in 1966, donated by Herman and Alice Schlicker.

GREAT
16' Pommer
8' Principal
8' Spitzflöte
4' Octave
2' Hohlflöte
IV Mixture
Chimes (electronic)
Gt/Gt 4'

POSITIV
8' Gedeckt
4' Rohrflöte
2' Principal
1 1/3' Larigot
1' Sifflöte
IV Scharf
Tremolo

SWELL
8' Rohrflöte
8' Viola
8' Viola Celeste (TC)
4' Gemshorn
2 2/3' Nasat
2' Waldflöte
1 3/5' Tierce
IV Mixture
16' Dulzian (prep)
8' Trumpet
Sw/Sw 16', 4'
Tremolo

PEDAL
16' Bourdon
16' Pommer (Great)
8' Principal
8' Quintadena (from Pommer)
4' Prestant
4' Gedeckt (from Pommer)
2' Gemshorn
III Mixture
16' Posaune
8' Trumpet (ext)

COUPLERS
Sw/Ped 8',
Gt/Ped 8',
Pos/Ped 8'
Sw/Gt 8',
Pos/Gt 16',
Pos/Gt 8'
Sw/Pos 8' (installed 2009)

CINDERELLA 7 & 8 April

Pictured above putting on final touches are:

Jonny as the Prince,

Samantha as Cinderella and

Katie as the Fairy Godmother

St. Benedict 8th Graders Present Cinderella

Saint Benedict School’s 8th Grade Class of 2011 presents Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The play is the culmination and highlight of the 8th grade’s final school year at St. Ben’s. Before they march off to high school, please join them on Thursday, April 7 at 7:00 pm or on Friday, April 8 at 7:00 pm in the school gymnasium. They have been practicing their lines, rehearsing their songs and learning their dances just for you! We hope to see you there. Tickets will be sold at the door for $7.00 – Family; $3.00 – Adult, $1.00 Students.

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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