St. Peter's Catholic Church, Joppa

Hi everyone! It's Bardy Jaddou again. It's been very hot the past couple of days in Israel and many of the guys seem to be feeling the effects (I know I am). Who would have thought that after our long winters at the seminary I would want some cooler weather? No matter what, we all feel so blessed to be here.

After 10 days it's still surreal for me as each day is filled with places where Christianity was born. Jerusalem is the birth place of Christianity; a birth through the death of Christ. In dying and rising, Jesus sends forth the Holy Spirit to work in us for the salvation of our souls.

Today, we were blessed to walk the footsteps of Peter, the first pope, as he ministered in Joppa. Joppa is now a beautiful small town with boutique shops overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We were blessed to celebrate Mass at St. Peter's Catholic Church, the site where Peter received a vision noting that God's love is not limited to the Jewish people, but that all nations are worth to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:9-16). The Holy Spirit was ALIVE in St. Peter and the Holy Spirit is ALIVE with us today.

I'd like to share something that his been a cornerstone to my pilgrimage from the beginning. Through the spiritual guidance of Monsignor Trapp and Father Battersby, the men came to realize the beauty of Christianity. In Judaism, the presence of the Lord resides in the Ark of the Covenant and the land of Jerusalem. In Islam, they experience God's presence primarily in Mecca as each Muslim strives to take a Hajj (pilgrimage) at least once in their lifetime. For us Christians, although we make trips to the Holy Land (one in which I am blessed to be on right now), we have the Holy of Holies, the Eucharist, in every church in our diocese. This is the audacity of God, to make himself available to us who are unworthy, and yet he makes us worthy by calling us to himself by his grace. Thus, although I am on this pilgrimage, we can all enter into the presence of God as we visit the Holy Eucharist in adoration or receive Jesus in Mass. As always throughout this pilgrimage, you all remain in our prayers.

Please continue to pray for us. All for Jesus,

Bardy Jaddou