For many in Jerusalem, Bush means traffic

JERUSALEM — President George W. Bush is back in town. For the second time. I hear the helicopters announcing the U.S. president’s arrival to Jerusalem overhead as I type.
He is meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He is attending Peres’ much-touted “Facing Tomorrow Conference” along with many other dignitaries and intellectuals, [...]

Welcome to Nazareth’s Old City

NAZARETH, Israel — The Maronite Church in Nazareth’s Old City is chained and locked; most parishioners have joined the flight of residents out of the Old City in search of better housing in newer neighborhoods.
But a group of hardy young Nazarenes — and one Israeli Jew — believe in the potential of the city and refuse [...]

Jerusalem, at Easter, as it should be

As soon as I entered the Old City of Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate on Easter morning, I knew something was amiss. It was as if, with those few steps into the walled city, I had walked into another reality.
Jewish children dressed up as chefs and pirates clung to their mothers’ who were pushing baby carriages [...]

In Jerusalem, sirens warn of bloodshed

JERUSALEM — Our two young boys had finally fallen asleep when we saw the news trailer on the television announcing a special broadcast. Then almost simultaneously we heard the ambulances, and we knew there had been an attack. During the five years of the intifada the sounds of ambulances rushing through our neighborhood toward the [...]

Inside the latest Israeli-Vatican meeting

The papal nuncio to Israel, Archbishop Antonio Franco,  has shed more light on the Vatican-Israeli meeting last December, which examined taxation and legal issues for the church in the Holy Land.
In his interview with the online edition of Terra Santa magazine, Archbishop Franco sounded optimistic about reaching an agreement with Israel — someday — but let it be known the [...]

Christians in Gaza face difficult period

JERUSALEM — For security reasons I have not been to the Gaza Strip for quite some time now. But I do keep in touch with Holy Family Parish pastor Msgr. Manuel Musallam and other representatives of Christian organizations and other sources I have come to know there on a fairly regular basis — especially now [...]

Bethlehem ‘Milk Grotto’ article touches readers

Writing about Bethlehem’s Milk Grotto, where Mary is said to have nursed Jesus as they fled to Egypt, sounded like a nice Christmas feature story.
The grounds had been renovated, the grotto was small and intimate and there were signs of centuries of faithful devotion by women unable to have children scratching away at the cave walls [...]