Celebration of World Migrant Day 2016 in Jaffa

Hundreds gathered in the church in Jaffa to celebrate the beauty of the Body of Christ in its diversity and multi culturalism. Filipinos, Eritreans and Ethiopians, Sudanese, Rumanians, Indians, Sri Lankans, Lebanese, Latin Americans, English speaking Africans, French speaking Africans, local Hebrew and Arabic speaking Catholics and many others gathered to thank God for His many gifts and to intercede for mercy for the millions who have to leave their homes and wander afar.

This year, Father David, coordinator of the pastoral among migrants in Israel, invited Father Jamal Khader, rector of Beit Jala Latin Patriarchate Seminary to celebrate the mass. Father Jamal gave a rousing homily (read the homily here). The mass was concelebrated by Father David, Father Zaher, the parish priest of Jaffa and more than fifteen of the chaplains that take care of the migrants in Israel. During the silent time after communion, a power point meditation was projected on the situation of migrants in the world and in the Holy Land.

Each group of migrants made its contribution to the beautiful liturgy by singing a part of the liturgy in its own tradition: Filipinos, Indians, Sri Lankans, Lebanese, English speaking Africans, Geez rite Catholics and the mixed Saint Anthony’s choir. At the end of the mass, the different groups also contributed to a beautiful cultural program of song and dance from the various communities.

This year the mass was attended by many guests including two monks from the French monastery in Taize, tens of youth from the Hebrew speaking Catholic youth group, Desert Flower, representatives of different Catholic religious congregations of brothers and sisters and some Jewish friends.

Pope Francis continues unceasingly to call us all to open our hearts to migrants and his message was the inspiration for the celebration this year too.