The UP Catholic included our little blog in a recent issue! Check out the article:
"Marquette seminarians are blogging from the Holy Land"
I know a few parishes have also put the address in their bulletins.
If you came to the blog via the UP Catholic, Welcome! Please comment on the blogs or ask us questions if you'd like. The whole reason we're doing this is to share this beautiful and unique opportunity to be here in the Holy Land on pilgrimage with as many people as possible, especially students. If you have the opportunity to share it with others who might find it interesting, please do! Any of the teachers who read this, if you think your students' parents would be interested, please pass it along to them.
As a reminder: We will respond to any comments where they occur with another comment, unless a critical mass of interest builds up on specific topic.
Thank you Joe and Aaron for putting us in the UP Catholic!
God Bless,
Ben
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Being filmed in Jerusalem!
Greetings fellow pilgrims! Happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!
I apologize for my overlong silence here at YooperPilgrims! Mike has been doing a great job of putting up regular and interesting posts, while I've been lollygagging! One might ask, what has Ben been up to? Is he lost in spiritual ecstasy, taken up to the Seventh Heaven? Or is he just lost in the Old City of Jerusalem, trying desperately to find the New Gate? Is he trying to read all 37 needless books he's been lugging around, just in case? Has the announcement of a date for ordination filled him with fear and trembling?
Actually, I have sort of an excuse, at least since Epiphany! I'm part of a documentary film project with the Kindling Group, "The Calling." This project will look at Americans preparing for ministry in four faith groups: Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim. After consultation with Cardinal George, the archbishop of Chicago, and Fr. Lyle, the rector at Mundelein, the team received permission to work with seminarians there, pending the approval of their bishops. So, inexplicably, I was among those interviewed, and now I'm part of the group they're following. This all started during the fall quarter.
For you Yoopers out there, you'll be proud to know that the initial group they picked included Greg Michaud, Jim Altman, Mike and myself, along with some other guys. All four of us are from the UP, although they didn't realize that! After some adjustments, only Greg and I are part of the main group now, although they'll probably work with some of the other guys too. Is this Anti-Yooper prejudice? ;)
In any case, they've been following us at school and at home. They even came up to the UP for deer season. Although almost everyone involved is a city-slicker, they did pretty good! John, the cameraman sat up in a treestand with me on Opening Day until neither of us could talk because we were shivering, and then the next morning he was there with the camera when Greg got an 8-point buck!!!
So, they decided to follow us here... and since Epiphany, they've been following Greg and I around with cameras and microphone booms, etc. First we were in Galilee, then down here in Jerusalem. Friday was there last day here. It was a lot of fun, but also exhausting because all the "free time" was taken up with interviews, trying to get into the Holy Sepulchre to film, etc. It was disruptive for the rest of our brother pilgrims, but they were patient and accepting.
On the first day, the Israeli sound guy came up to me and said, "Is that what you're going to wear?" I immediately thought of the embarrassment my mother and sisters would feel when they saw me on screen wearing what I do in spite of their best efforts to raise my fashion consciousness and wardrobe! Then he clarified that he just wanted to know so that he could put the wireless microphone on me. I felt a little better... but, I'm sorry Mom and Becky and Libby, just in case! I'm proud to say that the Stormy Kromer my dad got me, the sweater my mom knit for me, the nice wool sweater Becky and John got for me, and the scarf Libby knit for me were all worn on film.
It's also been interesting being filmed while visiting the holy places. Every pious impulse gets second-guessed: "Am I just praying/bowing my head/gazing at the Crucifix/praying the rosary/etc. because the camera's on?" I do all those things normally, but it still made me feel kind of fake knowing that I was being filmed. Maybe they'll just use the footage of me making funny faces or scratching my nose or looking confused!
So, the hope is that in all of this the film will serve as a vehicle to help people understand vocation, the call God has for each of us to follow Him. Please pray for the project, for the team, and for the "subjects"! The projected air date is in Fall of 2009, so there's plenty of time for intercession!
God Bless,
Ben
P.S. There's a nice article on The Calling project in the UP Catholic:
http://www.dioceseofmarquette.org/upcarticle.asp?upcID=1311
And here's a picture of Danny, the head honcho for the whole project, and Maggie, who is in charge of the Catholic segment ----->
I apologize for my overlong silence here at YooperPilgrims! Mike has been doing a great job of putting up regular and interesting posts, while I've been lollygagging! One might ask, what has Ben been up to? Is he lost in spiritual ecstasy, taken up to the Seventh Heaven? Or is he just lost in the Old City of Jerusalem, trying desperately to find the New Gate? Is he trying to read all 37 needless books he's been lugging around, just in case? Has the announcement of a date for ordination filled him with fear and trembling?
Actually, I have sort of an excuse, at least since Epiphany! I'm part of a documentary film project with the Kindling Group, "The Calling." This project will look at Americans preparing for ministry in four faith groups: Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim. After consultation with Cardinal George, the archbishop of Chicago, and Fr. Lyle, the rector at Mundelein, the team received permission to work with seminarians there, pending the approval of their bishops. So, inexplicably, I was among those interviewed, and now I'm part of the group they're following. This all started during the fall quarter.
For you Yoopers out there, you'll be proud to know that the initial group they picked included Greg Michaud, Jim Altman, Mike and myself, along with some other guys. All four of us are from the UP, although they didn't realize that! After some adjustments, only Greg and I are part of the main group now, although they'll probably work with some of the other guys too. Is this Anti-Yooper prejudice? ;)
In any case, they've been following us at school and at home. They even came up to the UP for deer season. Although almost everyone involved is a city-slicker, they did pretty good! John, the cameraman sat up in a treestand with me on Opening Day until neither of us could talk because we were shivering, and then the next morning he was there with the camera when Greg got an 8-point buck!!!
So, they decided to follow us here... and since Epiphany, they've been following Greg and I around with cameras and microphone booms, etc. First we were in Galilee, then down here in Jerusalem. Friday was there last day here. It was a lot of fun, but also exhausting because all the "free time" was taken up with interviews, trying to get into the Holy Sepulchre to film, etc. It was disruptive for the rest of our brother pilgrims, but they were patient and accepting.
On the first day, the Israeli sound guy came up to me and said, "Is that what you're going to wear?" I immediately thought of the embarrassment my mother and sisters would feel when they saw me on screen wearing what I do in spite of their best efforts to raise my fashion consciousness and wardrobe! Then he clarified that he just wanted to know so that he could put the wireless microphone on me. I felt a little better... but, I'm sorry Mom and Becky and Libby, just in case! I'm proud to say that the Stormy Kromer my dad got me, the sweater my mom knit for me, the nice wool sweater Becky and John got for me, and the scarf Libby knit for me were all worn on film.
It's also been interesting being filmed while visiting the holy places. Every pious impulse gets second-guessed: "Am I just praying/bowing my head/gazing at the Crucifix/praying the rosary/etc. because the camera's on?" I do all those things normally, but it still made me feel kind of fake knowing that I was being filmed. Maybe they'll just use the footage of me making funny faces or scratching my nose or looking confused!
So, the hope is that in all of this the film will serve as a vehicle to help people understand vocation, the call God has for each of us to follow Him. Please pray for the project, for the team, and for the "subjects"! The projected air date is in Fall of 2009, so there's plenty of time for intercession!
God Bless,
Ben
P.S. There's a nice article on The Calling project in the UP Catholic:
http://www.dioceseofmarquette.org/upcarticle.asp?upcID=1311
And here's a picture of Danny, the head honcho for the whole project, and Maggie, who is in charge of the Catholic segment ----->
ALL KINDS OF PICTURES!
I have uploaded several hundred pictures since yesterday evening, with more to go up shortly. The connection here in Jerusalem is MUCH faster! Especially, more from Christmas in Bethlehem, including the Christmas Donkey, and a bunch from Galilee. So, check them out and let me know what you think... in particular, if the organization or format is helpful, or not. They don't all have captions yet, but we'll work on that!
The link is to the left, "Our pictures on Picasa"
Take note: Some of the new pictures go back to December, so I finally got the albums on Picasa in order by date, the newest will show up at the top.
God Bless,
Ben
The link is to the left, "Our pictures on Picasa"
Take note: Some of the new pictures go back to December, so I finally got the albums on Picasa in order by date, the newest will show up at the top.
God Bless,
Ben
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Still Dark in the Sepulchre
While it was still dark, we made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre again early this morning. I’m left with an impression of jutting out pillared platforms and high arches, balconies and walkways webbed from place to place. It was cold- we could see our breath in one part of the church. A very somber and ancient place- and massive. Mt. Calvary is in one part, and the Holy Sepulchre in another. 
I found myself in a dim grey light coming from a glass cupola crowning the domed atrium, hundreds of feet above me. It’s a bit like looking up from the bottom of an immense well, with encircling walkways half hidden behind arches the whole way up. In the center sits a squarish edifice probably three stories tall at the top of its dome, but dwarfed by the vast space where it rests. In this chapel is the sepulchre itself. At the time of Christ this would have been the garden where Mary Magdalene came ‘while it was still dark.’ The city gate and Mt. Calvary would have been within view (Mt. Calvary was part of a stone quarry at the time).
In the sepulchre lies the stone slab that Jesus’ body was placed upon. Here Peter and John saw Jesus' burial cloths lying. Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb after the others left- she stooped to look into the tomb; the stone had been rolled aside. She saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "woman, why are you weeping?"
-"Because they've taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they've lain Him." (She thought His body had been stolen)
Then she turned around, and saw Jesus standing.
She didn't recognize Him, until He said her name, "Mary..."
What an incredible moment! What would it have been like to see Jesus die: dear friend and Lord, teacher and brother- to prepare and lay His body in the tomb, to sit in vigil red eyed and weeping- then to see Him living again? Think of how amazing it will be when we die and, in hope, see again those we love who have gone before us! How much better will it be to finally see the face of Christ!? I wish I knew Christ like Mary Magdalene does, or John the Evangelist. I think if we knew ourselves and were able to see into our depths, we would find that that's all anyone every really desires.
Lord Jesus, come into our hearts- may we pick up our crosses and die with you so that we may too rise again- I pray you will relive in us your submission to the Father, and make yourself known in a powerful way to those back home on whose behalf I make this pilgrimage.
Mike
I found myself in a dim grey light coming from a glass cupola crowning the domed atrium, hundreds of feet above me. It’s a bit like looking up from the bottom of an immense well, with encircling walkways half hidden behind arches the whole way up. In the center sits a squarish edifice probably three stories tall at the top of its dome, but dwarfed by the vast space where it rests. In this chapel is the sepulchre itself. At the time of Christ this would have been the garden where Mary Magdalene came ‘while it was still dark.’ The city gate and Mt. Calvary would have been within view (Mt. Calvary was part of a stone quarry at the time).
In the sepulchre lies the stone slab that Jesus’ body was placed upon. Here Peter and John saw Jesus' burial cloths lying. Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb after the others left- she stooped to look into the tomb; the stone had been rolled aside. She saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "woman, why are you weeping?"
-"Because they've taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they've lain Him." (She thought His body had been stolen)
Then she turned around, and saw Jesus standing.
She didn't recognize Him, until He said her name, "Mary..."
What an incredible moment! What would it have been like to see Jesus die: dear friend and Lord, teacher and brother- to prepare and lay His body in the tomb, to sit in vigil red eyed and weeping- then to see Him living again? Think of how amazing it will be when we die and, in hope, see again those we love who have gone before us! How much better will it be to finally see the face of Christ!? I wish I knew Christ like Mary Magdalene does, or John the Evangelist. I think if we knew ourselves and were able to see into our depths, we would find that that's all anyone every really desires.
Lord Jesus, come into our hearts- may we pick up our crosses and die with you so that we may too rise again- I pray you will relive in us your submission to the Father, and make yourself known in a powerful way to those back home on whose behalf I make this pilgrimage.
Mike
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Hill of the Skull: Golgotha
4:30 a.m. we rose and walked the Way of the Cross- the road where the Roman soldiers led Jesus to His death on Mt. Calvary. Still dark and we made due with a few flashlights. Walking the narrow way we could make out a strip of sky high above between buildings and arches, past overhanging shop-awnings and signs. It was raining for most the time however, and our eyes were mostly watching our footing on the uneven stone pavement for unpredictable steps and puddles. Each station is indicated in stone on the walls and we stopped briefly at each spot. Where Jesus fell. Where he was tortured and scourged. Where Veronica wiped his face. Where he met his mother.
Across a courtyard and through a door we entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre- to the right is a steep irregular stairway which brings one to the top of Mount Calvary (which isn't a mountain at all,
and fits entirely within the massive structure of the Church.) The crucifixion would have been immediately outside the city gates and close enough to be quite visible to anyone going in or out; as a policy the Romans sought to strike terror and demonstrate what happened to anyone who rebelled their occupation. We each in turn kissed the spot where Jesus' cross had stood, marked underneath an altar. The floor and step of the sanctuary surrounding the altar are made of glass, so you can see the bare rock there and the shape of the cliff's edge. Together with this and a life-size painting of Christ crucified where He actually was, one can easily imagine the scene as it happened: stripping away like a transparent overlay the hanging oil lamps, the mosaics and burning candles, the designs on the marble floors, the crumbling forest of pillars and balcony railings, oneself. Under Calvary is a chapel with a window, and the rock is lit up so one can see the split in the earth directly beneath the cross, caused by the earthquake which immediately followed Jesus' death. It is said that Adam's skull lay there (hence "Golgotha"; Place of the Skull)
Through our feet we felt an organ somewhere yawn open, and a single voiced choir began a chant which sounded far-away and everywhere. The stone where Jesus' body was hastily prepared and anointed for burial lies there. Here was where it really hit me, this detail one doesn't think of. Here Nicodemus had carried one hundred pounds of spices. Here Mary Magdalene and John remained. Here Mary held the corpse of her dead son. They could still see the two thieves struggling and gasping on the crag- they'd all been shaken by the earthquake and the sun was hiding. A blur of duty with shaking hands before full darkness came and the Sabbath began.
Tomorrow morning (in four and a half hours) we go back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate mass in the Tomb where Jesus rose.
-Mike
Across a courtyard and through a door we entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre- to the right is a steep irregular stairway which brings one to the top of Mount Calvary (which isn't a mountain at all,
and fits entirely within the massive structure of the Church.) The crucifixion would have been immediately outside the city gates and close enough to be quite visible to anyone going in or out; as a policy the Romans sought to strike terror and demonstrate what happened to anyone who rebelled their occupation. We each in turn kissed the spot where Jesus' cross had stood, marked underneath an altar. The floor and step of the sanctuary surrounding the altar are made of glass, so you can see the bare rock there and the shape of the cliff's edge. Together with this and a life-size painting of Christ crucified where He actually was, one can easily imagine the scene as it happened: stripping away like a transparent overlay the hanging oil lamps, the mosaics and burning candles, the designs on the marble floors, the crumbling forest of pillars and balcony railings, oneself. Under Calvary is a chapel with a window, and the rock is lit up so one can see the split in the earth directly beneath the cross, caused by the earthquake which immediately followed Jesus' death. It is said that Adam's skull lay there (hence "Golgotha"; Place of the Skull) Through our feet we felt an organ somewhere yawn open, and a single voiced choir began a chant which sounded far-away and everywhere. The stone where Jesus' body was hastily prepared and anointed for burial lies there. Here was where it really hit me, this detail one doesn't think of. Here Nicodemus had carried one hundred pounds of spices. Here Mary Magdalene and John remained. Here Mary held the corpse of her dead son. They could still see the two thieves struggling and gasping on the crag- they'd all been shaken by the earthquake and the sun was hiding. A blur of duty with shaking hands before full darkness came and the Sabbath began.
Tomorrow morning (in four and a half hours) we go back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate mass in the Tomb where Jesus rose.
-Mike
Diaconate, here we come!
Just a few minutes ago I got an email from Fr. Greg Heikkala, the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Marquette. (Mike is reading over my shoulder as I type.) He gave us the date when we will be ordained deacons - Friday, October 17th, 2008! It will be at 3:30 pm in St. Peter's Cathedral (our St. Peter's). This is also the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch. Can any of you students can tell me anything about him in a comment?So, hopefully our families will either read this soon, or not be angry about not being the first to know! Just remember, folks, you heard it here first.
Especially since there will only be the two of us, there should be plenty of room at the cathedral! So, you're all welcome to come!
God Bless,
Ben (w/ Mike flying co-pilot)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Land of Milk and Honey
This morning our community celebrated mass on the spot which commemorates the Sermon on the Mount. There’s a large bowl sort of shape in the hillside where people could have sat, and Jesus would have stood at the bottom in order to speak to the crowds. The church is at the top of the mountain though- which is actually more like a big hill, and very green- and it’s eight sided in order to signify the eight virtues which correspond to the Beatitudes (found in the Sermon of the Mount which was given there, as recorded in Matthew 5). There’s a portico surrounding the Church, and gardens of flowers and palm trees. I walked down the mountain with Ivan- we may have been trespassing a bit- we made
our way down through an olive grove, rows of mango trees, a banana plantation, an orchard of lemons and oranges, an open field on the hillside, more mangos and finally back to the road. We were quite pleased with ourselves when we finally came out to the road and immediately saw the sign for Capernaum!
We walked in to see the town where Peter once lived- a honeycomb of half ruined walls now, and the pillars and walls of a synagogue. Jesus performed many of His miracles at this place- there is a modern sort of church there which looks like a flying saucer floating over an archeological dig- when one is inside there are surrounding windows and a large glass floor in the center through which the ruins of an ancient church can be seen, and it is said that this was built over the house of Peter’s mother in law (whom Jesus cured). Inside the saucer it fee
ls more like an upside down boat- maybe like the boat which Peter left behind on the nearby shore?
We then went to the neighboring Orthodox Church- a beautiful whitewashed building with red domes. Inside it was covered floor to roof with icons- I could’ve spent hours there. The faces of the saints are painted as though they’re illuminated from within- we were so drawn in that we missed lunchtime! There was a walkway of flagstones along the road, and I walked back barefoot because it was such beautiful weather. Talking as we went we thought of all the crowds of people that would’ve walked the same route following Jesus along to different parts of the shore as he crossed the water on a boat. Because the Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills, it’s easy to see any boat that’s out on the water. We got back to the House for Pilgrims via my path through the orchard behind the Church of the Multiplication- fortunately there was still some salad and pastries leftover from lunch!
Walking along I whimsically imagine footprints permanently indicated on the ground -like the sort you’d see in a dance class- which would show the exact places where Jesus walked. Am I walking his steps? Had I stepped on the same rocks that he once had? On many levels, I hope so!
-Mike
our way down through an olive grove, rows of mango trees, a banana plantation, an orchard of lemons and oranges, an open field on the hillside, more mangos and finally back to the road. We were quite pleased with ourselves when we finally came out to the road and immediately saw the sign for Capernaum!We walked in to see the town where Peter once lived- a honeycomb of half ruined walls now, and the pillars and walls of a synagogue. Jesus performed many of His miracles at this place- there is a modern sort of church there which looks like a flying saucer floating over an archeological dig- when one is inside there are surrounding windows and a large glass floor in the center through which the ruins of an ancient church can be seen, and it is said that this was built over the house of Peter’s mother in law (whom Jesus cured). Inside the saucer it fee
ls more like an upside down boat- maybe like the boat which Peter left behind on the nearby shore?We then went to the neighboring Orthodox Church- a beautiful whitewashed building with red domes. Inside it was covered floor to roof with icons- I could’ve spent hours there. The faces of the saints are painted as though they’re illuminated from within- we were so drawn in that we missed lunchtime! There was a walkway of flagstones along the road, and I walked back barefoot because it was such beautiful weather. Talking as we went we thought of all the crowds of people that would’ve walked the same route following Jesus along to different parts of the shore as he crossed the water on a boat. Because the Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills, it’s easy to see any boat that’s out on the water. We got back to the House for Pilgrims via my path through the orchard behind the Church of the Multiplication- fortunately there was still some salad and pastries leftover from lunch!
Walking along I whimsically imagine footprints permanently indicated on the ground -like the sort you’d see in a dance class- which would show the exact places where Jesus walked. Am I walking his steps? Had I stepped on the same rocks that he once had? On many levels, I hope so!
-Mike
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Family Multiplied
YESTERDAY:
Having been convinced by Ben into taking a cold swim in the Sea of Galilee I then decided to find the nearby Benedictine monastery so I could pray vespers (Evening Prayer) with the monks. After obtaining the key to a gate and some vague directions from the receptionist I made my way down the drive past the lush vegetation and through some gates into an orchard. Here there was a lantern-lit path which I walked until it ran out of light and came to a fork, at which point I made my decisions of direction based on where angry barking dogs could and could not be heard. Luckily a fit bald man with glasses came out of a house somewhere and I asked him which way to the monastery (it took a few languages on both ends before we realized that both of us spoke english), to which he gave me a warm welcome and a firm handshake and led me up to the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves. There’s a little courtyard there with an olive tree in the middle and a pool filled with colorful fish- and the floor in the church is covered with patchy and warped mosaics of birds and plants.
I sat there and listened to the rain starting to fall again- (it took me a while to realize I was out of dry clothes and didn’t have an umbrella). I just about fell out of my pew when a young monk rang the bell at the back of the church! The monks came in- one of which was the bald man who found me out in the darkness, though now dressed in his habit with sleeves so wide at the opening that they came down to his knees- and a group of German pilgrims came in and they chanted evening prayer- I followed along in English in my own breviary. Their harmonies were incredible and carried me away-! A lot of other things sound more exciting on the pilgrimage, but when they sang the Our Father – I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.
That site started to be venerated even a year after the miracle of multiplication took place there! It’s the only miracle written about in all four Gospels. I imagine it is one that would have stuck in the mind of the people. Something they would tell their grandchildren about; “I was there!” Five-thousand men, plus the women and children not mentioned. That must have been about the entire population of the area. I wonder what became of the boy who talked to Andrew and gave his bread and fish away? Look how God took that small gift of the boy and- well, multiplied it! We just never know.
TODAY:
Tonight I walked along the shore with my Texan friend Alejandro until we reached the pebbly grey beach in front of the Church which commemorates the Primacy of Peter (and the happenings of John 21, my favorite chapter in the Bible). Ben and a couple other guys were sitting there on the shore playing drums, and our Kenyan seminarian George was teaching them a song in Swahili. The water looks to be gilded with silver from that spot, and we saw countless fish rising and jumping out of the water- in the very spot where the apostles drew up the net full of 153 fish!
We went to ves
pers with the German monks and pilgrims again at the neighboring Church of the Multiplication again. We all gathered at the back of the Church this time and bowed in turn as the bald priest sprinkled us with Holy Water. Unexpectedly, three young men came in dressed as the Wise Men in celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany starting tonight! We all sang Psalm 117 in Latin together, and it was beautiful to be able to share a common language with the other pilgrims for a brief moment- “Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes…” Which translates, fittingly enough, Praise the Lord, all you nations!” We all walked back through the orchard together, and they were quite happy that I had a key for the gates. Despite the fact that I know about 5 words in German and they knew only broken English, we talked and laughed the whole way back and were fast friends! Their priest invited us all to a Holy Hour with them tomorrow night . What an incredible thing to be part of the Universal Church! Wherever we travel we have a home and we have family. Guttenhaben!
-Mike
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