Weekend in Jerusalem – Desert Flower Group (25-35)

Here is a brief summary of the weekend by one of the participants:

The meeting began on Friday evening, November 15, at Casa Nova in Ein Karem, a beloved and familiar venue that has hosted many activities of the St. James Vicariate.  

The group members gathered for an opening discussion over coffee, and it was heartwarming to see everyone reconnecting after some time apart.  

A sharing circle was facilitated by Fr. Piotr, the Vicar of St. James, where each participant shared a recent positive or funny experience. Fr. Piotr handed out slips of paper with thought-provoking questions like, "What interesting movie have you seen recently?" or "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?". These questions fostered deeper connections among the participants, who were encouraged to engage with the person seated next to them.  

Fr. Piotr also delivered a lecture on the Gospel of Sunday and its relevance to our lives in 2024. Following the lecture, the group enjoyed a delicious dinner of pizzas and pasta.  

After dinner, the group participated in a Taizé-style night prayer. This included singing and music, led by Sinead, who always warmly supports the activities of the St. James Vicariate. After the prayer, there was an opportunity for informal conversations, allowing participants to catch up and build closer bonds in the spirit of unity in Christ Jesus.  

On Saturday, after morning prayer and breakfast, the group left Ein Karem and visited the Christian Media Center (CMC). There, they learned about the center’s mission and heard inspiring testimonies from members of the religious community Cansao Nova who run the center, describing how they encountered Jesus and dedicated their lives to Him. Fr. Piotr used the occasion to encourage each group member to remember that everyone has a unique role prepared for them by God, whether in marriage or consecrated life.  

The group then had lunch at Notre Dame and afterward visited the Franciscan Museum, where they enjoyed a multimedia presentation depicting the history of Jerusalem through the ages.  

Following this, the group visited the Austrian Hospice, where they enjoyed coffee and, for those interested, went up to the rooftop for a breathtaking view of Jerusalem, the Holy City.  

Later, they went to the Christian Information Center for an impressive exhibition featuring a multimedia show and virtual reality experience.  

After free time to explore, everyone reconvened at the Jerusalem community to prepare for the Holy Mass.  

The Holy Mass at the Jerusalem community was the closing highlight of the meeting.

Special thanks go to Fr. Piotr for organizing the weekend (with Danielle and Helen), Casa Nova Ein Karem (Fr. Severino) for hosting us, and our dear friends at the Christian Media Center (Christiano, Tatiana and others), Franciscan Museum (s. Marcelina) and the Christian Information Center (s. Naomi).  

The next meeting will take place in January. If you are single and between the ages of 25–35, please contact your community priest for more information. All are welcome!