Benny: Realization of a dream to welcome the Italian youth


Benny, a Saint James Vicariate seminarian, helped to organize the Israel visit of the Italian youth, who came to be with the Desert Flower youth.

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It was the realization of a two year old dream: to welcome and host those same youth who welcomed us in 2013, on the occasion of our trip in the footsteps of Saint Paul (from Jerusalem to Rome), during the Year of Faith.

Meeting them in our country was supposed to have already taken place last year but to everyone’s disappointment because the outbreak of the Gaza war, the visit was cancelled. Finally, the time did come and we were able to await their arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on August 6.

One girl from Desert Flower pointed out that the fact that we waited for them for such a long time bears witness to how much we are really connected to them, and how much we succeeded to keep up the contact over the past years thanks to the internet.

We had the enormous privilege of guiding our friends, most of whom had come for the first time, in the Holy Places, both those important to Catholics and to Jews. In the final sharing, before going home, something beautiful became apparent: that both groups had stronger faith. On the one hand, our Italian brothers and sisters were impressed by the simple and fundamental manner in which we, in the Hebrew speaking kehillot, express the Christian faith. One of the Italian girls commented that to see how we pray and to hear the language, brought her back to the origins of her faith and renewed in her the desire to simplify the religious way and bring it back to what is essential. What was also stressed is that to most of the Italians, our young people seemed to radiate joy despite the difficulties in our country and in our region. On the other hand, some of our young people pointed out that the visit of the Italians awoke their interest in the Holy Places, which sometimes seem to lose interest in the eyes of those who have grown used to living in their vicinity. One of the Israeli girls said that actually it was now that she took the decision not to leave the country but to stay here in order to be a witness and to continue to welcome brothers and sisters from different countries who come here.

The way the trip was designed allowed us to do things that are not offered to all, like to pray in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth after it had been closed to visitors. This meant that even those who knew the place experienced something different and absolutely new – and this was indeed one of the most moving moments of the entire trip. Thanks to the Franciscan Friars who agreed to the idea and allowed us to do something quite out of the ordinary.

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The experience in the Judean Desert, guided by Father Piotr, was also very meaningful to many of the youth because it permitted them to get out of the urban environment and experience nature and being pushed to one’s limits.

On the last evening we were in Jaffa, where Father Apolinary and the members of the kehilla prepared everything for us, taking care in a stupendous way of all our needs, both spiritual and material: mass in a deep atmosphere of being completely present and a full meal, rich and tasty. Thank you to all who came especially to prepare this and also the superior of the monastery, Father Carlos, who prepared both a lecture and a game about Saint Peter: we all had a wonderful time.

When it came time to say farewell, many expressed the desire to stay in touch and to meet again the near future. Let us hope that the relations that have been formed will help everyone grow in faith and strengthen it.

Just as I was writing this article, I received a message from Italy: “I was never so sad to wake up at home! Many thanks! See you soon! Mimo”.

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