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Apologies for the missing blog yesterday but there was simply no time in the day to even write a line saying there would be no column!
After working late Monday and finally sharing a dinner with friends at 10:30, I was back at the media center by 9, checking emails and news and writing several radio shows. The Opera Romana group was to be back at the hotel – a hefty walk from the press center - by one p.m. for the bus that would take us to the shuttles that would take us to Pope Benedict’s Mass in the Kidron Valley, between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. I will bring you details and homilies and photos in another moment about that papal Mass.
We returned to the hotel about 7:30 and were asked to be back in the lobby at 8:30 to board the bus that would take us to a Sound and Light spectacular and reception that was offered by the Tourism Board of Israel. I spent most of that hour, however, not working on a brief message for this column or getting ready for the evening but rather in a desperate search for my camera that I realized was missing when I got back to the hotel. My camera is another appendage for me – I love the one I have and the amazing photos it allows me to take and bring to you on these pages – and I had just taken scores of pictures at the papal Mass, the first event most journalists could attend, and the first photos I could personally take of Pope Benedict in Israel.
Very few journalists are allowed on site for papal events. Sometimes it is a question of space, such as when he met Jewish leaders or went to the Cenacle. But always it has been a question of security – this is what the officials at the media center have told us when we asked why we could not cover an event. In fact, we could not cover the papal Mass so Fr. Cesare merely got us the same tickets that the faithful had. I did go to the show and reception offered by the Tourism Board, even though my heart was not totally in it. Later, we had a tour of Jerusalem by night and our long day ended at 12:15 a.m.
And covering the papal trip to the Holy Land began again this morning with a 3:30 wake up call and coffee and rolls at 4:30 this morning before our 5 a.m. departure for Bethlehem. The coffee perked me up – and the day really got brighter when I boarded the bus and found my camera in the front row, exactly were I had been seated the previous night when we returned from the papal Mass! Except for the Mass in Jerusalem, I had daily downloaded all of my photos into my computer.
Our bus today took a longer route into Palestine, using a secondary entrance and check-point. We did not cross at the principal check-point because it had closed at 4 a.m. We drove through Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and soon found ourselves in Bethlehem where we stopped at the Nissan restaurant for a security check and coffee. All journalists had to place luggage, cameras, computers, tripods, purses – any and all equipment – on the ground of the parking lot and move back as a police dog sniffed everything we had put on the ground. Only one bag was removed by the dog, and after the owner was called over (no one in our group) and the bag examined, she was allowed to go, No one still knows if it was the sandwich inside – or what it was.
We got to the media center on the third floor of Bethlehem’s City Hall about 6:45. We found a room with only three or four tables and only three electrical outlets – and we needed well over 100!! The Palestinians jumped right in and went to find extension cords, multiple plugs, more tables, etc. There was only one TV monitor so that made things a bit tough – but when the going gets tough, the tough get going!
And here we are: It is 5 p.m., we have been at it since 7 a.m. – filming, writing, recording, doing live radio – whatever one’s particular profession called for. And the Pope’s day has not ended either. As I write, he is at the Aida refugee center near Bethlehem, listing to a musical performance by Palestinian refugee children. It was announced that the Holy Father has donated 70,000 Euros to this camp!
Before I bring you the news stories, I‘d like to tell you about two personal moments today. I met my dear friends, Fr. Faisal and Tony and Suzan Abu al Zulof and their daughter Mira in Manger Square before Mass, and again after Mass for lunch. This is the family that lost their 10-year old son Amir exactly three months ago today. We shared hugs and tears and wonderful memories.
I missed Fr. Lombardi’s briefing for the press when we went out for lunch but when I returned Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh was speaking and answering questions. When he finished, I went over to greet him, and was stunned when his eyes lit up and he said he remembered my interviewing him at Christmas and he gave me a hug!
These are just a few highlights of a day in the life of a journalist covering a papal trip. I have only scratched the surface but you have an idea of what we do, of the long days and short nights, of catching a meal or a snack or a drink of water or a cup of coffee when you can, of writing on tables or chairs or on the ground or whatever flat surface will hold your computer. Temperatures can range from a shivering cool in the morning to sweltering at midday and very cool again at night. But we do what we do and bear what we bear and bend but not break from difficult circumstances because we love what we do. And because we realize we are part, even a small part, of history.
And now a bit about the Pope’s day!
PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING GAZANS, WELCOME BENEDICT XVI WITH GREAT JOY, POPE SAYS “HOLY SEE SUPPORTS THE RIGHT OF YOUR PEOPLE TO A SOVEREIGN PALESTINIAN HOMELAND
Pope Benedict Wednesday traveled five miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, entering this town of 35,000 in the Autonomous Palestinian Territories through the much-disputed Separation Wall at the gate of Rachel’s Tomb. The Palestinian Territories are comprised of two distinct territories - the West Bank – where Bethlehem is – and the Gaza Strip, both separated by 18 miles of Israeli territory. Bethlehem – Beit Lahm in Arabic - means ‘house of bread’. Today it is 80 percent Muslim and 20 percent Christian, whereas when Pope John Paul visited in 2000, it was 50 percent Muslim and 50 percent Christian.
The president of the Palestinian National Authority is Mahmoud Abbas, whose mandate expired January 15, 2009 but has been prolonged for one year. Bethlehem was part of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan until 1967 when the West Bank was invaded by Israel. Since 1995 Bethlehem has been part of the Autonomous Palestinian territories as part of the Oslo accords.
Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Pope Benedict by expressing his immense appreciation and gratitude” for the Pope’s “understanding of the sufferings of our people.” Calling it “the apartheid wall,” Abbas said, “it forbids our people from the West Bank to reach the church if the Holy Sepulchre or the Al Asqa mosque. He spoke of tyranny, oppression, land expropriation, home demolitions and high taxes suffered by all Palestinians, irrespective of faith.
“On this holy land,” he said, “ there are those who continue to build separation walls, instead of bridge and who try with occupations forces to compel both Muslims and Christians to leave the county.” He quote a message from Pope Benedict: “there is hope, hope in tomorrow with no occupation, no checkpoints, no walls, no prisoners, no refugees, but rather coexistence, and prosperity in this holy land.”
This is the third visit by a Pope to Bethlehem and the first since 2000 when Pope John Paul came to the Holy Land.
In his speech at the welcome ceremony, the Holy Father said, “My pilgrimage to the lands of the Bible would not be complete without a visit to Bethlehem, the City of David and the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Nor could I come to the Holy Land without accepting the kind invitation of President Abbas to visit these Territories and to greet the Palestinian people. I know how much you have suffered and continue to suffer as a result of the turmoil that has afflicted this land for decades.”
“The Holy See,” said the Pope, reiterating a well-known position, “supports the right of your people to a sovereign Palestinian homeland in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized borders. Even if at present that goal seems far from being realized, I urge you and all your people to keep alive the flame of hope, hope that a way can be found of meeting the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians for peace and stability. ... I plead,” said Benedict, “with all the parties to this long-standing conflict to put aside whatever grievances and divisions still stand in the way of reconciliation, and to reach out with generosity and compassion to all alike, without discrimination.”
The Pope expressed his “earnest hope that the serious concerns involving security in Israel and the Palestinian Territories will soon be allayed sufficiently to allow greater freedom of movement, especially with regard to contact between family members and access to the holy places.”
The Holy Father then went to Bethlehem’s Manger Square where he celebrated Mass.
  
After greeting the faithful, he said, “In a special way, my heart goes out to the pilgrims from war-torn Gaza: I ask you to bring back to your families and your communities my warm embrace, and my sorrow for the loss, the hardship and the suffering you have had to endure. Please be assured of my solidarity with you in the immense work of rebuilding which now lies ahead, and my prayers that the embargo will soon be lifted.”
48 pilgrims from the parish in Gaza, with their pastor, Argentinian Father Jorge Hernandez, were allowed to come to Bethlehem for the papal Mass.
Benedict said, “For men and women everywhere, Bethlehem is associated with the joyful message of rebirth, renewal, light and freedom. Yet here, in our midst, how far this magnificent promise seems from being realized! How distant seems that Kingdom of wide dominion and peace, security, justice and integrity that the Prophet Isaiah heralded in the first reading.”
“The message of Bethlehem,” the Holy Father told the thousands of faithful sitting under azure skies and a hot sun, “calls us to be: witnesses of the triumph of God’s love over the hatred, selfishness, fear and resentment which cripple human relationships and create division where brothers should dwell in unity, destruction where men should be building, despair where hope should flourish!
"Do not be afraid!" he concluded. “Count on the prayers and solidarity of your brothers and sisters in the universal Church, and work, with concrete initiatives, to consolidate your presence and to offer new possibilities to those tempted to leave. … Build up your local Churches, making them workshops of dialogue, tolerance and hope, as well as solidarity and practical charity.”
I spoke Wednesday morning in Manger Square with Fr. Jorge Hernandez, a priest from Argentina who has been the pastor for one month at Gaza’s tiny Holy Family Catholic church. He accompanied 48 of his 250 parishioners to Bethlehem for the papal mass Wednesday, telling me that only that number received permission from Israel to travel to the West Bank and Bethlehem. Before being assigned to Gaza, Fr. Hernandez spent four years in Egypt, “in service to the Church and to study Arabic,” he said.
He left Gaza Monday whereas his parishioners left yesterday, anyway they could - by car and taxi, with friends and family. Most are staying with family and friends in or near Bethlehem. Father Jorge told me he felt that Latin Patriarch Twal’s words Tuesday at the Mass in Jerusalem about the situation of Palestinians were strong, beautiful, clear and precise and showed firm judgment.” He said “we expect the same thing from Pope Benedict but his mere presence among us is a great blessing, an encouragement, for all Christians.” He said “the current situation is very difficult, it is hard to get materials to rebuild but humanitarian aid does arrive, especially through Church organizations.”
Two Missionaries of Charity, Sister Delfina and Sister Gabriel, came with Fr. Jorge to the papal Mass. Sr. Gabriel has been in Gaza five years and Sister Delfina for four, and they both work at a parish nursery, a kindergarten and a home for the elderly. They told EWTN that life is simple in Gaza and the people need very little, mainly each other, to be happy. “What they don’t have,” said Sr. Delfina, with a warm smile, “they don’t miss.” The people are all very deprived but they are happy with very little.”
And here are some photos of Manger Square from the roof of Bethlehem’s City Hall.
The south side of the square: A huge banner of Pope Benedict and Mahmoud Abbas.
…And above this banner is one of the rooftop where journalists worked.
The north side: The Bethlehem Peace Center, in front of which was the papal altar. In the distance, on a hill, you can see an Israeli settlement.
East side: The Church of the Nativity and St. Catherine’s Church – on Nativity Square.
West side: A mosque-turned bank….
….. next to which is City Hall where we worked – you can see us on the roof!
Write to Joan at:
joansrome@ewtn.com
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