Friday, February 22, 2008
Reflections after coming home!
Now that we are home, I am sorting pictures and will begin uploading them very soon. We saw so many sights and were constantly given historical information from our guide, George, that I'm sure I'll need help from other pilgrims in identifying places/stories, etc. This trip was a blessing for us all. I especially feel blessed that I was able to be Fr. Bill's "helper" on this journey - an experience I won't soon forget!
Some pilgrims have shared thoughts as we've returned:
WH:
I came home and decided to take a nap.. bad idea. I woke up at 7 pm and tried to go back to sleep. I woke again at 3:30 am and have been awake since. Thus my early morning e-mail. Hey, maybe this will be my big chance to start getting up earlier for my day.
Our pilgrimage was so wonderful! Everyone was so gracious and positive throughout. It was an experience I'll always treasure. Thank you all!!
PT:
What I wish I'd said at the banquet, but probably couldn't have gotten out without getting all choked up, was how much I appreciated our community of pilgrims. What an unexpected gift. When friends & family have asked me "How was your trip?" - I am at a loss to describe the religious experiences and the community of Christians I was with. Thank you all so much!
MS:
I couldn't stay awake past 6:30 pm last evening, and so I awoke at 1:00 am to start my Thursday! I found myself cutting my grapefruit a little differently this morning, and making my oatmeal a little runnier. It was my way of trying to hang on to the past 10 days a little longer, and I reflected how travel to a different place opens us up on many different levels, to have seen and experienced not just different places, but different ways to live, and different ways to perceive things. It was especially true for this pilgrimage.
Thank you all for your contributions to making this a wonderful adventure and a life changing experience.
DW:
I too would like to add my thanks for such a wonderful experience. What I experienced was not what I had expected. The sites seen and knowledge shared and prayers said reaffirm my Christian beliefs. It was pretty special to be standing by the site of the discovery of the dead-sea scrolls and hear a Japanese group singing a Christian song. Or, to be at the loaves and fishes chapel and see the African group praising Jesus.
BOH:
Wow, what an experience
Now I'm back into "America" - kids, Fred Meyer, TV, mail....
I hope that I, and you, can maintain the peace and spirituality we had on this trip - blessings to each of us, and to everyone we encounter!
RB:
I can only echo others about the wonderful experience sprained ankle and all. What a blessing to travel with each of you. My plan was to stay up until 9 PM last night. At about 5 I realized I was running a low fever. The cold has me thightly in it's grip this morning. I have a good excuse to spend the day in my pj's.
DP:
I just returned back from the Dr’s with a sack full of medications. I have an ear infection and a pretty good case of bronchitis on the verge of pneumonia. As I walked through Fred Meyer, I kept thinking I saw some you and realized I was home. As I went to sleep last night, I imagined myself walking down the steps from Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane and before I finished the journey I was asleep!
There are so many memories, new friendships and certainly a wider view of the world in which we live. Mass and reading the scriptures will never be perceived the same way again.
I want to, also, thank all of you for the encouragement and fellowship as we journeyed together. I feel blessed to have journeyed with you and will keep you all in my prayers.
I suspect the impact hasn’t been fully realized yet as we take the next few days to slowly digest all we’ve seen and learned.
May God bless you with rest, improved health and an unquenchable desire to be Jesus’ light in a dark world.
LW:
We tried to stay up till 9pm but kept nodding of while we attempted to watch tv. I was up at 3 and was craving my morning olives and pickles. Steve was able to sleep till 7 but both of us are a bit draggy today. We are so glad that we made this journey with all of you; it was such a wonderful experience.
SB:
I to tried to stay up late and made it to about 10PM, then I woke up at 3:30 and have been going strong since. At mass this morning Fa. Juan's homily made me immediately think of some people we encountered though out the holy lands, but realized who we really need to response to the person next door.
JR:
Thanking all of you for sharing your Holy Land experience with us. What an amazing thing it was to walk where Jesus walked and taught. As the days slip by, we'll realize more and more the impact that will have on our lives. Thank you for welcoming us into the St. Anthony's group. You're all so lovely. We hope we meet again.
God Bless You All!
Diana
Thursday, February 21, 2008
PilgrimCast #7
PilgrimCast #6
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Good to be Home!
A few more folks came down with the yuckies in the last two days. I waited until the last night to get a sore throat and beginning of a cold. The flight from Tel Aviv to Frankfurt was about 3.5 hrs and the flight across the pond through Canada to Portland was 10 hrs.
The weather storm that was predicted never materialized in the magnitude they expected. Although Jerusalem received some snow, it wasn't the hit that was forecasted.
I'm pooped out. Although I slept some in the plane, I am going to take a nap. But, my plan is to stay up as late as I can handle in order to re-adjust my inner clock to this time zone. As of this writing, it is 1 am on Thursday in Jerusalem, way past my bed time... sort of.
We will be planning a large group presentation for the parish as well as a reunion in the coming month. I will be investing some time in preparing the audio recordings I've done while on pilgrimage. I have well over 100 audio recordings about our experience and information about the sites. I have purchased the domain www.pilgrimcast.com and will eventually be editing these audio files into some order as a podcast which will be accessible via that address and iTunes. I'll make a post to let you know when it is up and running.
Thanks everyone for your comments and encouragment. It has been an awesome experience. That's enough for now. I can hear my pillow beckoning.... Zzzzz.....
-Fr. Bill
Monday, February 18, 2008
PilgrimCast #5
Click here to listen to latest episode.
PilgrimCast #4
Click here to listen to this entry.
Winter Weather
Tomorow, we have Mass at Tabgha, the place where the Church commemorates the multiplication of loaves and fish. I love this place.
-Fr. Bill
Last Day in Tiberias
We've celebrated Mass at the Mount o Beatitudes with Fr. Don and I celebrated Mass today at the Bascilica of the Annunciation. Tomorrow, we celebrate at Tabgha, the location memorializing the multiplication of loaves and fish.
Those pilgims who were sick are now getting better while others are now coming down with the cold. Ah, community! I'm going to wash my hands immediately after typing this on the hotel computer. Just never know!
Thanks for all your comments. We truly appreciate them. We'll have literally thousands of photos to share when we return.
Today we went to Mt. Tabor and visted the site of the Transifiguration of Christ. We also went to Cana. There, the couples who were able (some were missing spouses due to sickness) renew their wedding vows.
-F. Bill
Friday, February 15, 2008
Floating on the Dead Sea
After Mass, we traveled to Masada. Peggy was the lone pilgrim to actually climb the mountain. It took her forty-three minutes flat. Pretty good, eh? But, she didn't beat my challenge of thirty minutes which would have been a near sprint. Nothing like a little challenge to motivate the pilgrims! :) Honestly, I'm proud of her as this was a life-long goal for her. You go, Peggy! The rest of us polgrims took the tram. Wee! Two of our pilgrims were rather scared of the tram ride, but still took it and conquered their fears. You go, pilgrims!
Next, we jumped back on the bus and headed for Qumran, the site of the discovery of the dead Sea Scrolls. We all had lunch. Later, I mischieveously reminded us that it was a Friday in Lent! Of course, that was only after buying the turkey pasta dish myself and being reminded by a much holier pilgrim that it was Friday. And yes, turkey is still considered a meat. What to do? What to do? So, I simply decided, again after pulling a sufficient guilt trip upon the pilgrims on the bus after lunch, that I was going to grant them a dispensation for that day. Afterall, it was still Thursday in Oregon, no?
Okay. Back to Qumran. We toured the remains of the Essenes living quarters and learned about their ways. Yesterday, we had gone to the Shrine of the Book where the scrolls are one display.
Then, to the joy of all, we headed for the Dead Sea for some holy floating. The water is 30% salt content along with other chemicals that I cannot prounce... sulfuric something something and magnesium something something. Oh yeah, there was lot o tar. The pictures are priceless of us floating and rubbing mud on our beautiful bodies. I feel so much younger right now.
After that, we all returned to the hotel. Tomorrow we leave for Galilee and new hotel. I took another evening stroll to the Holy Sepulchre and almost bought some icon before I chickened out... I hate to shop. That is unless it is for computer stuff! Oh yeah, I so miss my computer. But, it is a pilgrimage and I am supposed to suffer some.
Tonight is the beginning of the Sabbath and all of the computers in the lobby have been shut down. But, WiFi works, so I borrowing a computer to type this. Did I say already that I miss my computer? Hey, if you see my dog, give her a hug. I miss her too.
This coming Sunday, Jerusalem is expecting snow! Can you believe it? I thought we left Oregon to go to the warmer weather.
That's enough for now. It's time to pack my suitcases. I don't know if there will be computer/internet access in our next hotel, so please be patient if this turns out to be the last entry for several days. But, please go ahead and post your comments at will. The more the merrier. In fact, the more you post, the more we feel loved. It make us feel that you haven't forgotten about us. Be sure that we have been praying for all of you each morning at Mass.
Shalom,
Fr. Bill
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tired Pilgrims
Today is Friday which means that the Sabbath will begin this evening. Thus, many of our services (aka internet connection here at the hotel) are likely to be stopped until Saturday evening. Don't worry if there is a lag in our postings.
Yesterday's Mass at the tomb of Jesus was so incredible that I struggle to describe it. It will certainly be one of the most memorable events for me. Mass, in general, has been a real bonding thing for us all. Today we are going to celebrate Mass at the Church of All Nations. Afterwards we go to Masada and then float in the Dead Sea.
My body is slowly getting aclamated to the time zone. I even slep until the wake up call.
Just loving being here as are the pilgrims.
-Fr. Bill
New Photos posted
I posted some new photos from some of the places we visited.
http://www.stanthonysforestgrove.org/HolyLandPilgrimage/HolyLandPhotos/HolyLandPhotos.htm
Dave
PilgrimCast #3
Press here to listen directly to the lastest podcast.
-Fr. Bill
Jerusalem
We’re here in
Dave
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
PilgrimCast #2
Click here to listen to feedback from our pilgrims.
-Fr. Bill
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
We Made It!
Thank's all for now. I'm pooped. I can't wait for my head to hit the pillow.
-Fr. Bill
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Excited & Waiting at Portland Airport
Friday, February 8, 2008
Prepare for Rain
Dear Pilgrims,
Full of Cheer!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Blessing of the Pilgrims
Join us at the 5:30pm Mass this Saturday, February 9. Fr. Bill will give a special blessing for all the pilgrims traveling to the
And, if you’re interested, Reconciliation is from 3:30-5:00pm just before
Blessings to you all!
Diana