Week of prayer and joy in the Catholic Church of the Holy Land

On Monday, July 4, 2011, the Arabic speaking Catholic priests gathered together with the bishops of the Catholic Church in the Domus Galilaeae in Corazim, the Galilee for their annual retreat. This year, the preacher was Father Najib, a Franciscan from the Franciscan biblical institute in the Old City of Jerusalem. He prepared an interesting daily lecture on the exhortation published after the Synod on the Word of God, Verbum Domini. In the morning the participants gathered for the daily lecture and in the afternoon they travelled to various holy sites and there divided into groups to practice lectio divina, reading Biblical texts and praying together. The places they visited were the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, the Tabgha Church of the Multiplication, the Church of the Primacy of Peter, and on the last day, a trip in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.

During these days of prayer, the participants come from the Catholic churches in Israel and Palestine: the Greek Catholic, Latin (Roman Catholic) and Maronite priests. This year a number of members of the Assembly of Ordinaries participated: Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal and two of his Vicars, Bishop Marcuzzo and Father David Neuhaus from the Saint James' Vicariate as well as retired Bishop Bathish, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Galilee Elias Chacour and Maronite Archbishop of the Holy Land Paul Sayyah. Each day the liturgy was celebrated in a different rite – Byzantine, Latin and Maronite. These days are an occasion to meet, to deepen friendships and support one another.

Although the retreat continued until Friday, July 8, the Latin Patriarch and his vicars left early on Thursday, July 7, to participate in the ordination of three new priests that took place in Amman, Jordan. This is a great joy for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Three new priests join the church and her mission. The three studied in the Patriarchal Seminary in Beit Jala and are: Father Johny Bahbah, Father Simone Hijazeen and Father Ramez Di'bes. We wish them Mazal Tov and pray the God will strengthen them in the service of the Church and our land.