tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20179768221960142852024-03-05T08:32:54.927-08:00Holy Land Pilgrimage 2015Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin will join Catholics from across central and southern Indiana on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Feb. 4-15. Follow the trip on this blog with daily updates, photos and prayer intentions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-18844120707702895632015-04-02T07:50:00.001-07:002015-04-02T07:50:43.068-07:00Thank You!Thank you to all those who followed this blog during the pilgrimage to the Holy Land and afterwards for our newspaper coverage and the columns by Archbishop Tobin!<br />
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Though there will be no more future posts, this blog will remain archived permanently for all who wish to browse through its contents--keep in mind that the posts are in reverse chronological order, so to rewind to the beginning of the pilgrimage go to the last post.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-26086693829227007292015-04-02T07:47:00.001-07:002015-04-02T07:47:12.591-07:00Final Columns by Archbishop TobinHere are the final two Lenten/Easter Columns in which Archbishop Tobin discusses the pilgrimage to the Holy Land:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/03-27/archbishop.html">Following Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, the only way to Easter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/04-03/archbishop.html">Paschal Triduum brings us close to the Lord, sharing in his passion, death and resurrection</a></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-47074999333530975082015-03-18T12:21:00.003-07:002015-03-18T12:21:40.703-07:00Life for Catholics in Holy Land involves persecution and economic hardship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From Natalie Hoefer at <i>The Criterion</i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
GALILEE and JERUSALEM REGIONS OF ISRAEL—The Azraq family roots dig deep into the soil of Old City Jerusalem.<br /><br />“Our house is about 300 years old,” says Anton “Tony” Azraq, 39, a Melkite Catholic who has lived in Old City Jerusalem his whole life. “It’s built on top of a previous structure that goes back to the 12th century, to the Crusader time.”<br /><br />His family name, which means “blue” in Arabic, goes back much further, to the seventh century when Muslims invaded the Holy Land and made Christians wear blue belts for easy identification.<br />
<br />But such deep Christian roots are at the risk of being severed in the Holy Land. Wars, laws, a poor economy and the high cost of living are driving Christians from the land where Christ began the Church.<br /><br />This story looks at life in the Holy Land through the eyes of two Catholic Christians—Azraq, who served as tour guide for the archdiocesan pilgrimage, and Alfred Ra’ad, a shop owner in Old City Jerusalem.</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-20/holyland.html"><i><b>Read the rest of the story here</b></i></a><br />
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<i>Related: <a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-20/holyland-sidebar.html">Tour guide gives pilgrims cultural, historical and archaeological insight on Scripture</a></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-16501687974811395902015-03-18T12:19:00.002-07:002015-03-18T12:19:16.550-07:00More Quotes from Pilgrims<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-20/holyland-reflect.html"><b>Pilgrims reflect on visit to Jerusalem</b></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-12145721323872852172015-03-18T12:18:00.003-07:002015-03-18T12:18:26.383-07:00More Columns from Archbishop TobinThe latest columns from Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin that refer to the Holy Land pilgrimage:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/03-13/archbishop.html">Geography of Holy Land gives witness to God’s involvement with all creation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/03-20/archbishop.html">The smell of the sheep, the voice of the shepherd</a></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-39540272344349656512015-03-12T11:20:00.000-07:002015-03-12T11:20:00.236-07:00How Catholics in central and southern Indiana can help keep a Christian presence in the Holy Land<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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From Natalie Hoefer at <i>The Criterion:</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
After 11 days on the archdiocesan pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I believe that were it not for the presence of the Franciscan order as pilgrimage site custodians, the Christian presence would all but evaporate from the region.<br /><br />For centuries, the Franciscans have maintained the properties of numerous shrines, chapels and churches in the Holy Land, making them available for pilgrims to visit for veneration, prayer and spiritual renewal.<br /><br />So what can we in central and southern Indiana do about the situation for our brother and sister Christians in the Holy Land?</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-13/holyland-sidebar.html"><i><b>Read the rest of the story here</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-88069676089970931902015-03-12T11:18:00.002-07:002015-03-12T11:18:17.833-07:00A land of calm and chaos: Holy Land pilgrimage observations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Natalie Hoefer writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The sky was clear as we sat in the wooden boat that plied the waters of the Sea of Galilee. I inhaled deeply then exhaled slowly, taking in the view.<br />
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To the east and the north, green hills continued their watch as they did in the time of Christ. To the west, the mountains of Jordan seemed to slumber in a shroud of mist.<br />
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Such a peaceful feeling it was, riding upon the lake in the early morning quiet.<br />
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Yet thanks to the small size of the “sea” (33 miles long by 13 miles wide), its shallow depth and its location between two mountain ranges which trap weather systems, a storm on that same placid lake can create waves as high as 12 feet, large enough to swamp the Apostles’ boat and cause them to cry out, “Lord, save us!” (Mt 8:25)<br />
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That contrast of calm and chaos on the Sea of Galilee is an apt analogy to describe the Holy Land in general.<br />
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It is a land where views like the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea and the lush vista from Mount Tabor can produce such serenity, yet where religious, ethnic and political differences create a palpable tension that seems ready to combust at any moment.<br />
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One simply can’t walk away from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land without spiritual growth.</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-13/holyland.html"><i><b>Read the rest of this story</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-8807951349202657122015-03-12T11:18:00.001-07:002015-03-12T11:18:11.275-07:00Emotions evident as pilgrims reflect about walking in the footsteps of Christ<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-13/holyland-emotions.html"><i><b>A variety of pilgrims from the trip share some choice quotes...</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-50504574358989214752015-03-05T06:19:00.002-08:002015-03-05T06:19:19.605-08:00Reflection: A perfect pilgrimage to the Holy LandDaniel Conway writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The next time the Archdiocese of Indianapolis advertises a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, don’t hesitate. Don’t think about it, discuss it with family and friends, or pray about it at length. Say a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit and sign up—right away! If you delay, all the slots will be filled, and you’ll miss out on a perfect pilgrimage experience.<br /><br />Don’t just take my word for it. Ask any of the diverse group of 50 people who accompanied Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin to the Holy Land last month. They’ll tell you that it was an awesome, inspiring, joyful, sometimes exhausting but always uplifting spiritual journey. In short, a perfect pilgrimage.<br /><br />Nothing is perfect that involves sinful human beings. True enough. From a human perspective there were the minor irritations of international travel—but no flight delays or other interruptions.<br /><br />And there was the anxiety caused by “civil unrest” in the region—but we experienced no difficulties as a result. Occasionally, strangers occupying close quarters on the bus or in the crowded spaces visited throughout the Holy Land can rub each other the wrong way. True enough, but this is all part of the perfect pilgrimage experience!<br /><br />What makes a pilgrimage “perfect”?</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/03-06/reflection02.html"><i><b>Read the whole reflection here</b></i></a><br />
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<i>(Natalie Hoefer will also be submitting news stories in the coming weeks regarding the pilgrimage; they will be posted here as the final items for the blog)</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-4844466679661005922015-03-04T12:12:00.002-08:002015-03-04T12:12:19.488-08:00More Reflections on Lent and the Holy Land from Archbishop TobinFrom Archbishop Tobin's weekly column:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/02-27/archbishop.html">Lent is a time to cast off indifference</a> <i>(February 27, 2015)</i></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/03-06/archbishop.html">Spend some quiet time in God’s closeness this Lenten season</a> <i>(March 6, 2015)</i></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-77274625094666842122015-02-25T08:27:00.002-08:002015-02-25T08:28:59.769-08:00Photo DVD Available for PurchaseDuring the course of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Criterion reporter Natalie Hoefer took photos to document the trip. Many were featured on this blog.<br />
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Natalie sorted through them and we are <a href="https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=efff3b">offering a DVD disc</a> of more than 1,000 photos from the pilgrimage for purchase. The disc is $10; once you have it you are free to reprint any of the photos (either at home or at a store, such as Walgreen's) for personal use.<br />
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<a href="https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=efff3b"><img alt="https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=efff3b" border="0" src="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/dvd-cover.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=efff3b"><i><b>Click here to go to our secure purchasing site</b></i></a><br />
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<i>* Please note that this is a DVD and you must have a DVD drive on your computer to use it; it will not work on a CD drive nor will it work on a DVD player on your television.<b><br /></b></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-1138356966277694702015-02-19T12:40:00.001-08:002015-02-19T12:40:23.248-08:00Photo CD to be Made AvailableFor those who went on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as well as those who followed it online or are otherwise interested, a photo CD containing the full-size photographs taken by our reporter, Natalie Hoefer, will be available for purchase in the near future.<br />
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Those who order one will then be free to re-print the photos where ever they wish to, or keep them digitally to share with family and friends.<br />
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Check back here next week for more information!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-31482496252141893952015-02-19T11:17:00.001-08:002015-02-19T11:17:07.936-08:00Archbishop Tobin on the PilgrimageThis week, Archbishop Tobin writes a bit about the pilgrimage to the Holy Land in his weekly column:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Earlier this week, I returned from a 12-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I can’t imagine a better way to prepare for the spiritual journey that is Lent. To be actually present in the land of Jesus, to pray where he prayed, and to experience firsthand all the holy places that the Gospels speak about so powerfully, is an experience that I wish every Christian could have.<br /><br />"My fellow pilgrims and I were very conscious of the fact that we traveled to the Holy Land on behalf of all the people of our archdiocese, the Church in central and southern Indiana. We prayed for you, and we brought you with us (in spirit) every time we visited one of the Holy Land’s remarkable sacred spaces.<br /><br />"Pilgrimages are as old as Judaism and Christianity (and many other religious traditions). St. Luke tells us that the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) made an annual pilgrimage from Nazareth to Jerusalem in observance of the Feast of the Passover."</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/02-20/archbishop.html"><i><b>Read the whole column here</b></i></a> <i>(also available in <a href="http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/column/2015/02-20/archbishop-sp.html">Spanish</a>)</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-87702899594107223842015-02-17T10:22:00.002-08:002015-02-17T10:22:20.077-08:00Columns on the Holy Land from John FinkThe editor emeritus of <i>The Criterion</i>, John Fink, has started a new series of weekly columns about the Holy Land.<br />
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Click below to read the first three installments of his column:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/01-30/fink.html">A new series about Jesus and the land he made holy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/02-06/fink.html">The land that flows with milk and honey</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/2015/02-13/fink.html">Conditions in Palestine at the time of Christ</a></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-35246748909747086612015-02-15T11:46:00.001-08:002015-02-15T11:46:13.511-08:00Day Twelve -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention<b>Today's Itinerary:</b> "Today our Holy Land pilgrimage comes to an end as we transfer to the airport in Tel Aviv to catch our return flight home."<br />
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<b>Today's Prayer Intention:</b> For safe travel for the pilgrims and for all travelers.<br />
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<i>(Be sure to check back with this blog later in the week for any additional content receive after the pilgrims settle home)</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-1729724964698461232015-02-14T15:05:00.003-08:002015-02-14T15:05:38.795-08:00Day Eleven -- Updates and Photos<i>By Natalie Hoefer</i><br />
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JERUSALEM— In the dark of the morning, at 5 a.m., the pilgrims walked through the quiet, empty streets of the Christian quarter of Jerusalem for Mass at the tomb of the Holy Sepulcher. <b><i>(<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day11/index.html">See a photo gallery from the pilgrims' day</a>)</i></b><br />
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Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin chose to begin Mass in the chapel of the tomb of Christ’s burial with words appropriate to the occasion.<br />
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“Normally we say the entrance antiphon, but I just thought the one for Easter was just very appropriate: ‘Early in the morning they came to the sepulcher at sunrise, alleluia,’ ” he explained. “That’s what we did, and we found it empty.”<br />
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The sanctuary of the chapel over the tomb consists of a small circular room in which about 25 people can stand, followed by a short archway leading to the even smaller section where Mass is celebrated. In that smaller sanctuary, built directly above what early Christians revered as the tomb of Christ, is a slab of stone. Immediately under that slab is the stone shelf on which the body of Christ was believed to have rested in the tomb.<br />
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As the half-hour Mass was celebrated, one by one the pilgrims bent low through the arch and touched the stone.<br />
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“The four gospels agree on one detail of the Lord’s resurrection—that no one saw him rise,” the archbishop said in his homily. “In that sense we stand shoulder to shoulder with Mary of Magdala and Peter and John. All they found was an empty tomb, and we come this morning and find this empty tomb, which is God’s answer to human suffering, to human sin, to human mortality—an empty tomb.<br />
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“Like Peter, we look and we believe, and we thank God that we share that was illuminated here. All we can do is thank God and live as children of the light.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day11/front02-large.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day11/front02-small.jpg" /></a>The Mass left many pilgrims at a loss for the right words to capture their emotions.<br />
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“It’s almost overwhelming to think we were at the place where Jesus was buried,” said Joni Greulich of St. Simon Parish in Indianapolis. “I’ll never look at Easter the same again.”<br />
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Sharon Rushing of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Olympia, Wash., appreciated the hushed, reverent tone of the early Mass.<br />
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“I’m so glad we were there early, because we had the quiet,” she said. “It just seemed right. It was a short time, but it was the right time, not in the hubbub of everything.”<br />
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Larry Dougherty of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish found himself focusing on the fact that the tomb is empty.<br />
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“It was a special place, but what I was thinking was, ‘He’s resurrected. He’s not here. He’s gone,’ ” Dougherty said. “But it’s still a holy place.”<br />
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Later in the day, the archbishop reflected on his experience celebrating Mass at the site of Christ’s burial and resurrection.<br />
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“It’s hard to describe,” he admitted. “The word awesome is overworked these days, but that was really a feeling of being in awe, standing there. Knowing that the mysteries we were celebrating on that altar were the mysteries of the cross and the empty tomb.”<br />
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As he reflected upon the pilgrimage, Archbishop Tobin said he was “very conscious of carrying the archdiocese with me. Whenever I prayed, I prayed in a special way for the archdiocese.<br />
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“I also kind of sensed from past pilgrimages that we would come together as a community, and that would be one of the great consequences of the pilgrimage, and that has certainly happened,” he said.<br />
Likewise, many pilgrims felt an admiration for the archbishop.<br />
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“The whole pilgrimage, we were witnesses to the archbishop, and Father Joe [Newton], too, as our leader and servant, both leading and serving us,” said Sheila Sterrett of St. Lawrence Parish in Indianapolis. “I think it strengthens our kindness toward each other to see that in our leaders. I think that added a lot to the pilgrimage.”<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day11/index.html">See a photo gallery from Day Eleven of the pilgrimage</a></i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-39882746420448266382015-02-14T06:53:00.003-08:002015-02-14T06:53:55.872-08:00Day Eleven -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention<b>Today's Itinerary:</b> "This morning we will celebrate an early morning Mass at the Tomb of our Lord. After Mass, we will spend some private time in prayer and reflection at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before returning to our hotel for breakfast. The remainder of the day is free for personal prayer and exploring the Old City."<br />
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<b>Today's Prayer Intention:</b> For all the faithful departed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-8745237000538495212015-02-13T10:05:00.001-08:002015-02-13T10:05:32.160-08:00Day Ten -- Updates and Photos<i>By Natalie Hoefer</i><br />
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ABU GOSH and EIN KAREM—Ghostly, faceless figures adorned the stone walls of the 12th century Church of the Resurrection in Abu Gosh, called Emmaus in Jesus’ time. The faces were wiped away by Muslims centuries before.<br />
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The towering walls echoed with Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin’s voice as he delivered a homily on the Emmaus story in Luke 24.<br />
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“I believe it is not a coincidence that we’re here, listening to that Gospel on the second to last full day of our pilgrimage,” he said. “I don’t think it would have had the same impact on us if we’d heard it on the first day.” <b><i>(<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day10/index.html">See a photo gallery from the pilgrims' day</a>)</i></b><br />
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He spoke of the parallel between the disciples’ journey to Emmaus and that of the members of the archdiocesan pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The archbishop noted how Jesus first broke open the Scripture for the disheartened disciples on their journey to Emmaus from Jerusalem, and how “it all came together for them in the breaking of the bread.”<br />
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The 12th century church was built by Crusaders on top of the remains of several destroyed Christian churches dating back to the 3rd century. The church is built over water flowing from a nearby spring. Tradition holds that Jesus and the disciples would have washed their feet in the stream before eating their supper.<br />
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The highlight of the day for Mike and Audrey Kostrzewa of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis occurred during the Mass in the church.<br />
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“We got to renew our vows like the others did in Cana,” said Mike. “We weren’t able to do it that day, so we did it today in Emmaus. That was really special.” The couple has been married for almost 42 years.<br />
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“The setting was perfect,” said Audrey, who felt “honored” to serve as cantor during the Mass. “It was a gorgeous church—it was a privilege to be there.”<br />
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The couple joined several other pilgrims on what Mike called “quite a hike” up to the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem, the town where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth upon hearing the older woman was expecting. It lies high on a mountainside about 4.5 miles west of Jerusalem.<br />
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Tony Azraq, the pilgrimage tour guide who is an archaeologist and professor, said the site is traditional rather than authentic. A Benedictine monastery and convent are located on the site.<br />
The Magnificat—the prayer the Blessed Mother exclaimed upon Elizabeth’s greeting—is written in tiles in several languages on the walls of the church’s courtyard.<br />
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The pilgrims also walked through a light rain to the nearby church marking the traditional birthplace of St. John the Baptist. In the grotto of a cave below and to the side of the main altar, several pilgrims knelt to touch the place where it is believed the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah was born.<br />
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Joann Pierotti of Sacred Heart Parish in Wanatah, Ind., in the Diocese of Gary, was impressed by all the churches the pilgrims visited today.<br />
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“Today was all so inspiring,” she said. “Most inspiring was just going into the churches, sitting and meditating. They’re all so beautiful . I’m so thankful I was able to come.”<br />
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Pierotti heard about the pilgrimage through a friend. It was her first time to the Holy Land, and her first time to meet and spend time with Archbishop Tobin.<br />
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“His homilies are just amazing,” she said. “You try to catch every word and hang on. He connected his homily of the day with our travels of that day, and pulled it together so beautifully.”<br />
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“And he’s such a down-to-earth man. You feel comfortable with him. He’s just one of the group. You didn’t feel he put himself above anyone else.”<br />
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Despite living in the Diocese of Gary in northwestern Indiana, Pierotti believes she will see Archbishop Tobin in the future—“wearing red.”<br />
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“I think he’ll be a cardinal in the not too distant future,” she said. “I think he was born for it.”<br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day10/index.html">See a photo gallery from Day Ten of the pilgrimage</a></i></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-74785173557137683112015-02-13T07:46:00.002-08:002015-02-13T07:46:35.201-08:00Day Ten -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention<b>Today's Itinerary:</b> "This morning we will drive Abu Ghosh (Emmaus) where Jesus appeared following His resurrection. After Mass we will return to Jerusalem and go to Mount Zion and visit the Upper Room, the site where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper. We will then pray the Rosary together int he Church of Dormition, where Mary was assumed into heaven. Our final stop of hte day will be at the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus three times."<br />
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<b>Today's Prayer Intention:</b> For the young adults of the archdiocese.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-50244019701745911312015-02-12T12:28:00.004-08:002015-02-13T04:08:44.006-08:00Day Nine -- Updates and Photos<i>By Natalie Hoefer</i><br />
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BETHLEHEM—In a field near Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago, angels brought “tidings of great joy” to shepherds tending their sheep.<br />
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Today, the shepherd of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis declared the Good News to his 50 fellow pilgrims on their spiritual journey through the Holy Land. <i><b>(<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/index.html">See a photo gallery from their day</a>)</b></i><br />
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He did so during a Mass he celebrated in a cave converted into a chapel overlooking a field of Bethlehem. The cave is one of several converted chapels of the Franciscan-run Shepherd’s Field and Grotto.<br />
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According to Tony Azraq, the pilgrimage tour guide who also works as an archaeologist, use of the cave dates back at least to the time of Christ, and was likely used by shepherds herding their sheep in the nearby field.<br />
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“When Jesus talks about himself as the Good Shepherd, he wasn’t referring to us as sheep in a diminishing way,” said Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin. “As we study God’s word, it became clear that Jesus was referring to how a shepherd controlled his sheep. It was through his voice. The relationship between a shepherd and his sheep is so close.”<br />
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The archbishop also said in his homily that Christ calls us “into loving God with all our heart, soul and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. <br />
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“That probably sounds a bit foolish, but the reading from I Corinthians reminds us that the weakness of God is stronger than human strength, and the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. <br />
“What we meet here in Bethlehem in a tender and intimate way is the foolishness of God, the weakness of God. It waits for us as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”<br />
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Sheila Dropcho of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis found herself reflecting on the shepherds during the Mass.<br />
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“I think of what Tony said about how young the shepherds were,” she said. “I always pictured them as older men. I just imagined these young boys going home to the parents saying, ‘You won’t believe what just happened!’ ”<br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front02-large.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front02-large.jpg" border="0" src="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front02-small.jpg" /></a> For Bea Eckert and her husband, Richard Deitchman, members of St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis, the Mass was the highlight of their day.<br />
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“I thought it was very intimate having Mass in that little cave,” said Deitchman, who also appreciates the archbishop’s “meaningful, to the point homilies.”<br />
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The pilgrims next visited another cave in Bethlehem—the Church of the Nativity, which is built over the cave in which it is believed Christ was born (caves were used as stables in the time of Christ). The site lies in a cave beneath a large church that is currently being renovated for preservation purposes.<br />
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Elizabeth “Betty” Schmidt of Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Indianapolis said that seeing the spot where Jesus was born will make the name of her parish take on more meaning.<br />
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“It was very beautiful,” she said. “It was exciting to see where Mary delivered and then placed Jesus in the manger. It was thrilling to be there. It says something to your heart to go there and then go back home to Nativity parish.”<br />
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Due to walking limitations, her husband Greg was unable to see the underground shrine, but said he was “just happy to be there.<br />
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“I was sitting outside looking at the [sign with the] name of Nativity Church, and I thought how wonderful it is that our parish is named after the spot where Christ is born,” he said.<br />
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The pilgrims also visited the Milk Grotto, a cave in Bethlehem in which it is believed the Holy Family stopped on their flight to Egypt after the angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream and warned him of Herod’s desire to kill the Christ child. <br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front03-large.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front03-large.jpg" border="0" src="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/front03-small.jpg" /></a>In the city of Christ’s birth, Elizabeth “Lizzy” Maher, a pilgrim from SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis, celebrated her own birthday. Maher turned 24 today, and was surprised when a cake was brought out after lunch to celebrate.<br />
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“It was amazing to celebrate my birthday here,” she said. “The last week has been amazing. I was unsure about coming [on the pilgrimage] because it isn’t like your usual vacation, but it’s been awesome, especially getting time to spend with my family. Traveling with my [mom, dad, sister and retired Father Bob Mazzola, a relative of the family] has been the best gift, more meaningful than a bunch of little gifts.”<br />
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The pilgrimage has also been meaningful for Deitchman, 91, and Eckert, 81. They were married in May of 2012. The two were introduced to each other in October of 2011 by children of each of their prior marriages.<br />
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“The last three years have been wonderful,” said Deitchman. “We go to daily Mass together, and we pray together. Those things have been very important to us.”<br />
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When asked why they chose to go on the pilgrimage, Bea said, “We figured we better do it now while we still can!”<br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day09/index.html"><i><b>See a photo gallery from Day Nine of the pilgrimage</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-79147124800165984682015-02-12T06:36:00.000-08:002015-02-12T06:36:49.660-08:00Listen to Archbishop Tobin's Homilies from the Holy LandOur reporter, Natalie Hoefer, has sent back some of the audio recordings she took during some of the Masses on the pilgrimage. Click on any of the links below to listen to the different homilies that were delivered by Archbishop Tobin.<br />
<i> </i><br />
<i>(Note: Because of the nature of the buildings, some of the recordings have an echo and may be hard to understand)</i><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day02.mp3">Day 2: St. Peter’s Church, Jaffa</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day03.mp3">Day 3: Carmelite monastery "Stella Maris," Mt. Carmel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day04.mp3">Day 4: Outdoor Mass, Bethsaida</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day05.mp3">Day 5: St. Joseph Church, Nazareth</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day06.mp3">Day 6: St. Lazarus Church, Bethany</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/audio/day07.mp3">Day 7: Church of All Nations, Garden of Gethsemane</a></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-88442308160008862282015-02-12T05:40:00.001-08:002015-02-12T05:40:09.827-08:00Day Nine -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention<b>Today's Itinerary:</b> "We will drive to Bethlehem and have Mass at the Shepherd's Fields. Above the traditional Grotto of Jesus' birth, we will visit the Nativity Church, built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. Also tour the Manger, Grotto of St. Jerome, and the Church of St. Catherine. Then visit the Franciscan Family Center and the Milk Grotto Chapel followed by some free time before returning to Jerusalem."<br />
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<b>Today's Prayer Intention:</b> For the priests and deacons of the archdiocese.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-5408030075853930662015-02-11T10:56:00.002-08:002015-02-11T10:56:24.287-08:00Day Eight -- Updates and Photos<i>By Natalie Hoefer</i><br />
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JERUSALEM—With a dust storm making a haze of the city of Jerusalem, the pilgrims walked through the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old City at 6:30 a.m. for Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.<br />
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The massive, multi-layered church is a maze of shrines and chapels. The pilgrims climbed stone steps smoothed slick from centuries of use to the chapel next to the exposed stones of Golgotha believed to be near the spot where Christ was crucified. <i><b>(<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day08/index.html">See a photo gallery from their day</a>)</b></i><br />
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In his brief homily during the half-hour Mass, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin noted the holy place where the pilgrims stood. <br />
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“We look at the cross today, we stand where it stood, and we realize that the tree of death has become the tree of life for us,” he said. “All we can do is be quiet and thank God.”<br />
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Archbishop Tobin reflected on the experience later in the day.<br />
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“I think the celebration of the Eucharist on the top of Golgotha was a moving experience for all of us,” he said. “I could sense it among the people and I could certainly feel it myself. <br />
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“In celebrating the Eucharist, we were renewing in an unbloody manner the sacrifice of Christ. For me that was really the highlight of the day, and maybe of the trip.”<br />
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When asked about her thoughts on the experience of Mass on Calvary, Katie Rushing of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis teared up.<br />
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“I’m at a loss of words, to know that we stood on the place where Jesus was crucified,” she said after a moment. I just kept thinking, if I had lived then, would I have stood by the cross there with the women, or would I have fled?”<br />
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Silence was not an option later in the day as the pilgrims walked the path to Calvary on the Via Dolorosa, or the Way of the Cross. The path winds up to Calvary primarily through what is now the Muslim section of Jerusalem, with markets of colorful clothing, trinkets and souvenirs lining the narrow streets.<br />
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“The Way of the Cross was not what I expected,” admitted Cathy Flood, a member of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg. “I expected something more authentic—it was just a crowded marketplace that we were walking through. People were bumping into us, and some people were annoyed that we were there and shooting us looks. People were trying to sell things to us.<br />
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“I imagine that was more authentic because people were spitting on Jesus and cursing him and calling him names.”<br />
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Archbishop Tobin noted that on the Way of the Cross the pilgrims “were sharing an act of faith, and life went on around us.<br />
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“I thought of Jesus carrying his cross, and how 100,000 people were in town for the celebration of the Passover, and probably a lot of them didn’t know what was going on—probably what was the most important fact in human history.”<br />
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The pilgrims also visited the Wailing Wall, the portion of the western wall of the temple from Jesus’ time that would have been closest to the sanctuary, or holy of holies. The Jewish people now view this as a holy site where God is still present. Pilgrims write petitions and place them in crevices between the large stones of the wall. Several pilgrims joined in this ritual.<br />
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With a dust-laden drizzle coming down, pilgrims visited the archaeological remains of the Pool of Siloam where Christ gave sight to a blind man. <br />
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Both there and along the Way of the Cross, pilgrims helped each other along steps and stairs all made of uneven stone. Women linked arms, and the men literally lent hands to others as they stepped down from foot-worn steps.<br />
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“I’m very edified about how the pilgrims are helping each other,” the archbishop noted. “I’m not surprised, but I think it’s a beautiful part of pilgrimage, that it isn’t simply a personal experience of God, but it’s a shared experience that leads us to care for each other.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day08/index.html"><i><b>See a photo gallery from Day Eight of the pilgrimage</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-59383255420812208532015-02-11T06:04:00.001-08:002015-02-11T06:04:25.960-08:00Day Eight -- Itinerary and Prayer Intention<b>Today's Itinerary:</b> "This morning we will enter the Old City of Jerusalem through St. Stephen's Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne, where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born. Next to this site is the pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic man. We will then walk the Via Dolorosa finishing prayerfully in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where we will have Holy Mass. There we will climb Mt. Calvary and pray at the site of the crucifixion. We will venerate the site where Jesus' body was anointed, the tomb where he was buried and rose from the dead, and the Chapel of St. Helena where the true cross was found. While in the Old City, we will also see Pilate's Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, the Arch of Ecce Homo, the 'Wailing Wall,' and we will view the Temple Mount. Afterwards, we exit the city to visit the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a man born blind."<br /><br /><b>Today's Prayer Intention:</b> For an increase in religious vocations for the archdiocese. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2017976822196014285.post-78363194772184707722015-02-10T11:57:00.001-08:002015-02-26T11:16:36.559-08:00Day Seven -- Updates and Photos<i>By Natalie Hoefer</i><br />
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JERUSALEM—The temperature in Jerusalem has dropped from the warm climate of Galilee.<br />
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“Do you feel like the temperature of the pilgrimage changed a little this morning?” Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin asked in his homily at Mass in the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. “And I’m not simply talking about the breezes. <br />
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“I refer to what a lot of us were thinking about. In Galilee we were thinking of this young, vigorous Christ, walking, preaching, fasting. Here it begins to change, and we think of him prostrated on a rock like this, praying, with his disciples not far away.”<br />
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He said this pointing in front of the altar, where the sanctuary encompasses the rock upon which it is believed Christ wept in agony.<br />
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The pilgrims took the Palm Sunday path of Christ down the Mount of Olives—the path along which Scripture speaks of his royal welcome with palm branches by the Jews.<br />
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By the end of the week of Christ’s triumphal welcome, the Gospels speak of Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, of his arrest, torture and crucifixion.<br />
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The pilgrims started living Christ’s sorrowful journey today, visiting the Upper Room of the Last Supper, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane and house of Caiaphas where Christ was imprisoned over night before being brought before Pontius Pilate. <i><b>(<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day07/index.html">See a photo gallery from their day</a>)</b></i><br />
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In the Garden of Gethsemane, today’s Mass was offered for the sick and the dying in the archdiocese, “those who in a real way believe with the eyes of faith and share in the suffering of Christ,” the archbishop said in his homily.<br />
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The archbishop encouraged the pilgrims to visit the sick and dying, and to not worry about what to pray. “Our Fathers and Hail Mary’s are OK,” he reassured.<br />
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He noted that St. Alphonsus once advised those in the Redemptorist order he founded: “Pray when you are well, because it’s hard to pray when you are sick.”<br />
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Suffering can put us in danger of despairing and forgetting the Lord, Archbishop Tobin warned.<br />
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“The Lord invites us today to pray—not out of fear or anxiety, but to say, ‘Lord, help me remember that you are always with me, and help me be a living reminder to those who share your own Gethsamane.’ ”<br />
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Anne Kuhn of St. Barnabas Parish in Indianapolis was moved by the rock in front of the altar.<br />
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“When we had Mass at the Garden, when I went in and was able to touch the rock that he suffered on and agonized over, it brought the whole thing to life,” she said. “As a human, he knew what was going to happen, and how he didn’t want it to happen, but he accepted it. I think, ‘How many times are we like the disciples, letting things slide, and we need to take a stand for what is right and wrong.’ ”<br />
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Later the pilgrims visited the Upper Room, reconstructed in early centuries in the area where it is believed the Last Supper took place. <br />
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Close by is the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu (“the cock crowed”), constructed over the area where Peter’s denial most likely took place, outside the house of Caiaphas, the high priest who sought Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.<br />
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Tony Azraq, the Catholic Palestinian archaeologist serving as the tour guide for the pilgrims, worked on the excavations that helped reveal much about the house of Caiaphas, including the ways in which prisoners were tortured in the dungeon beneath Caiaphas’ home. He shared with the pilgrims what was discovered about the site, and about what Jesus likely endured between the time of his arrest and sentencing to death.<br />
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“[Jesus’ suffering] became more real, especially with the different things they found, even recently, about how they did the torture,” said Mary Barr of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis. “The archbishop’s talk was so meaningful when he said it’s a different atmosphere we’re coming into today with realizing Jesus’ death coming. Praying for our ill and dying—it all combined. It brought to mind all who are suffering for lack of freedom, not matter what country they’re in.”<br />
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Azraq also helped excavate the steps that led to the house of Caiaphas from the Garden of Gethsemane, revealing the actual steps that Christ would have been led by the temple guards after his arrest.<br />
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“Looking at the steps that Jesus actually walked” said Sheila Dropcho of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis. “I stood and stared at that for a very, very long time, just knowing that [Christ] walked those steps. It was very powerful.”<br />
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The pilgrims also visited the Church of the Pater Noster, or the Our Father, on the Mount of Olives, the area in which it is believed Christ taught his disciples how to pray, as described in the Gospels. Around the church and courtyard, the prayer is written in every known language. <br />
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“Seeing the Our Father written in so many languages was just amazing,” said Gloria Lieb of St. John Vianney Parish in Fishers in the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. “Our guide Tony read the Our Father in Hebrew and in Chaldean, the oldest language. That was so impressive.”<br />
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Despite the historical and Scriptural significance of the sites visited today, Dan Conway of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis was most touched by the Mass, as he has been each day of the pilgrimage.<br />
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“Archbishop Tobin’s homilies are so simple and yet very, very profound,” he said. “Someone said the other day that it’s amazing how, in spite of all the exotic places we are, it’s still the Mass that’s the most important thing. <br />
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“The neat thing about coming here to the Holy Land is that these sites and even the geography bring us a new awareness, but it’s an awareness of something that is available every day—you just see it in a new, fresher light.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/local/blogs/holyland2015/day07/index.html"><i><b>See a photo gallery from Day Seven of the pilgrimage</b></i></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0