Soli Deo Gloria

El Al air hostess landing
This blog has now become the basis of four articles offered to the editors of St Andrew's Coulsdon magazine, Oremus the Westminster Cathedral magazine and Music and Liturgy, the Society of St Gregory magazine.
When we reached Tel Aviv airport having risen very early, we found that Liz's name was not on the flight list because the group had been changed from the previous day. However she did fly and we were able to sit together whereas other couples got split up!
Thanks be to God - achieved is the glorious work!

Galilee

Druse breadmaking, pomegranates, Kursi, weapons made into sculpture, signs on the mountain top, St Peter's fish, Mass at Caesarea Philippi, Mass at Sea of Galilee, closed swimming pool, Macdonalds!, Caesarea Maritima, Jaffa, bride
Wednesday November 19th. At Kursi we saw the 5th century monastic church and an oil press. There is a fine mosaic of birds and baskets of fruit. It is from the carob seed that we get the weight of a carob. Sister Monica was invited to turn a large metal object which left a message in the sand! This site is near where the Gadarene swine ran into the lake. On this day Shimon Perez was knighted and we passed the Perez centre for peace on the way to the Golan heights on the Syrian border. From Mount Herizim we were able to explore the old fortifications and look out over Syria and Lebanon. Parties of school children are accompanied by armed guards. The Druse are famously courageous with no fear of death and they trace their faith back to Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. They have great respect for women and believe in one God and immediate reincarnation. At a Druse village we bought pomegranate jam and syrup and bread to be used later at Mass at Caesarea Philippi below Mount Hermon.
We enjoyed a lunch of St Peter's fish. We passed the spring of the Jordan river at Dan kibbutz and visited Domus Galilae where 25 students of the Neo-Catechumenate Way study. We were intrigued to see the Word kept with the Blessed Sacrament and in the library the Torah and Bible displayed together.
On Thursday November 20th our pilgrimage ended with a final Mass overlooking the Sea of Galilee. I sang the psalm "Go out to the whole world".We then had a long drive to Caesarea Maritima which has a fine hippodrome and reconstructed theatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We visited St Peter's church, Jaffa and saw lots of brides being photographed! And so we flew home from Tel Aviv on the Friday after a wonderful experience!
The liturgies throughout the journey were enhanced by a booklet containing great hymns and the use of psalm and Mass settings by the late Dom Alan Rees and a Gregorian chant setting. These were familiar to those who attend Belmont Abbey liturgies and easy to learn. We were blessed by wonderful homilies from Dom Brendan Thomas. Deacon Andrew Morton served at all the Masses. Mary Carroll played the keyboard and various organs and all were encouraged to act as readers, intercessors and cantors.

Dom Brendan Thomas

Dom Brendan likes this blog and is looking into a link to the Belmont Abbey website!

Nazareth

Tuesday November 18th to Nazareth. 30% Christian whereas Cana is 97% Muslim. Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel and now controlled by communists. There are 300,000 Catholics in Israel, Jordan and Cyprus diocese. The Orthodox decided angels are male so they say Gabriel did not enter the house. Mass in St Joseph's church and Liz sang the psalm very well accompanied by harmonium. This church has the most sentimental 19th century picture of the young Jesus in the carpenter's shop I have ever seen. He does not look capable of lifting a nail let alone a hammer! The priest chased us to finish within the half hour so we lost the last hymn "Tell out my soul"! The Church of the Annunciation is enormous and OTT. It would overwhelm Mary. Some of it is kitsch, but the main doors are interesting with biblical scenes. We walked through the market and saw a carpenter's shop, bakery and kitchen utensils in bazaar. The synagogue church is Greek Catholic and we heard my favourite reading from Luke "The spirit of the Lord is upon me". To Arab Orthodox church at Mary's well. We lit candles and there was chanting. To Cana with a lovely courtyard of the Greek Orthodox church with a beautiful fountain and frescoes. Renewed marriage vows in the Catholic church. Saw the closed church of St Nathaniel/Bartholomew. Had lunch in cafe at Cana. To Zippori Sepphoris. Ancient 5th century synagogue with mosaic floor showing zodiac and months. The Sun Helios and the 4 seasons in the mosaic. At the Nile house there are fine mosaics showing centaur and hunters and Amazons. Saw the lovely Mona Lisa of Israel mosaic. Crazy that the swimming pool at the kibbutz is closed and the sea shore is muddy and rocky so swimming impossible. Had a nice dinner and sat on our balcony reading.

2001

On the left of this page you will find a link to the 2001 Belmont Abbey pilgrimage news. How little things have changed! Dom Brendan gives a wonderful sermon there about Zaccheas and how all Jews, Muslims and Christians ought to greet each other as a son or daughter of Abraham. What a difference that would make! The situation in Gaza is now very serious. At least we were able to visit Jericho and Palestinian areas. This is after all why we went on the pilgrimage. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor had urged us to visit Bethlehem. We were so fortunate that Dom Brendan had arranged such a comprehensive journey so we followed Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Paul - so many different strands interwoven so well. The book he gave us "The Holy Land a pilgrim's companion" by David Baldwin proved invaluable and so did the booklet covering all the liturgies packed full of great hymns not least the Welsh ones! The Cardinal has since signed our copies of the book.
Watching Howard Jacobson on Christianity on channel 4 when he comments that Christians deny their Jewish heritage one certainly could not say that about this journey!In fact the encounters with Jews, Druze and Muslims were fascinating and enlightening!

Tiberias, Jesusboat, Tabgha, Bethsaida, Capernaum

Monday 17th November. A glorious day on the Sea of Galilee! From Tiberias we took the "Jesusboat" across the lake with lots of singing and dancing. "Dear Lord and Father of mankind" was our theme and we enjoyed some Israeli folk tunes as well. The Union Jack had to be hoisted again as it was upside down and Miriam remarked on how different nationalities treat the playing of the National anthem. The British either sing or laugh, the Italians don't know theirs! Had a break at the coffee shop attached to the ancient boat museum. To Tabgha where there are 7 springs and the lovely ancient mosaic of the loaves and fishes. We had a wonderful Mass in the garden of the Church of the Beatitudes with an excellent homily. Interesting point about the number of baskets left after the feeding of thousands - 12 is Israel, 7 is Gentiles i.e. the Decapolis on which side of the lake (Northern) we are staying. We had a picnic at Bethsaida next to the river Jordan and visited the ruins of the town where Peter, Andrew and Philip were born. There are a winegrower's house, 1st century AD street and a fisherman's house. We visited the church of St Peter's Primacy where I met Fr Francis Moran, the parish priest of Thornton Heath, Croydon! Next door we had silent meditation at Mensa Christi, Dolgatha next to the lake - a hyrax (coney) was sunning itself as we arrived! At Capernaum we saw the ruined synagogue and a modern church over Peter's house. Lovely sunset.