Visiting the seminarians in Beit Jala


Roman Kaminski, our deacon in Haifa, sent us a report of his recent meeting with the seminarians of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Seminary in Beit Jala.

On the eve of the Feast of the Annunciation, Father David and I were invited to the Patriarchal Seminary in Beit Jala.

For me, this was an opportunity to get to know the seminarians of the Patriarchate and to present myself to them. The visit took place in an atmosphere of joy and fraternity. The seminarians welcomed me as their friend, as one of their own, and expressed lively interest in me and in the Hebrew speaking community.

 

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During the meeting in which I was able to present myself, I was asked many questions about the reality in which I live and in which I serve as a deacon and a future priest of the Patriarchate. Certainly the most important questions were those that touched the relationship among the Arab faithful and the members of our communities - from both the ecclesiastical and social perspectives. I think we all agreed that to this kind of question we can only give one answer: that we are all Christians and that we make up one Church. Jesus came to abolish "the walls of hostility" and now everything depends on the heart of the human person.

I think that both the fact that Father David teaches in the Beit Jala seminary and that I serve as deacon during the week at the Arabic language mass in Haifa can serve as signs of unity and friendship among Christians who are Arab or Hebrew speaking and who live in the Land where Jesus our Lord and Master lived, taught and fulfilled the work of our salvation. Furthermore, I believe that my upcoming ordination as well as the visit of the Pope will be occasions to meet, strengthen our friendship and celebrate together in the joy of the spirit these important events for the life of our Church.

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