The first time I went to the Holy Land was in December 1962 with a priest friend and Biblical scholar who was also studying in Rome. We flew to Jerusalem—in those days the old Jerusalem airport was in use, on the Jordanian side of the divided city.
We wandered about on our own, renting cars as necessary. When we were crossing the border to the Israeli side, I was rigorously interrogated by the Jordanian authorities, more than my friend was. “Your father is a Jew” they had accused me, although they knew I was a priest. In those days I had no idea that one of the well-known Jewish terrorist groups (from the Arab point of view) during the initial Arab-Israeli conflict was the Stern gang!
Anyway, we succeeded in crossing to the Israeli side and continued our pilgrimage journey through the divided Holy Land.
I thought of it as a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but I was in Rome again in the spring of 1973 for a sabbatical program at the Institute for Continuing Theological Education and had the opportunity to join a student priest pilgrimage to the Holy Land let by a professor of the Pontifical Biblical Institute. I learned a lot more about Biblical history and the archeology of the Holy Land.
Another surprise was an invitation to join a small group of friends of Msgr. John Nolan on a trip to the Holy Land over Christmas of 1982. As we traveled about, I realized that because of my previous visits—and teaching Scripture at the South Bronx Pastoral Center—I had a more than average knowledge of most of the places we visited.
Because of contacts made during the trip I also realized it was feasible to have a pilgrimage trip to the Holy Land for local Bronx parishioners who had been learning about Scripture for the past few years.
So, I went again on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in July 1983, this time as bilingual spiritual guide and pilgrimage leader!
The New York Archdiocese was interested in developing a pilgrimage program for priests. I was asked to assist in preparing a program for them—but less rigorous than the one for the South Bronx people!
I led this first priest pilgrimage as well and ended up repeating it a couple more times.
By the fall of 1985, I was working in Catholic Near East Welfare Association, and that gave me a sort of extra credential in Middle East matters.
Also, because I was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, I led several pilgrimages to the Holy Land for its Eastern Lieutenancy. There also were pilgrimages for Indian bishops, for the FADICA organization, for the Northeast Hispanic Catholic Center, and of course some journeys to various parts of the Middle East for CNEWA board members.
A pilgrimage is really not a vacation. It may prove to be a wonderful change, but basically it calls for commitment and sacrifice. It can be challenging, constantly getting in and out of cars or buses, staying sometimes only one night or two in the same place, dealing with a new climate, and walking, walking, walking, up and down, in and out.
It’s really a kind of continuing retreat, with a continuous explanation of what is being seen and visited, of its place in history, and a prayerful reflection in faith about the history and spiritual significance associated with it.
I was privileged to have many people help me to know about the Holy Land, its significance, its history, its archeology, and its contemporary situation, and I was happy to share what I could with the many people who trusted me to teach and guide them.
15 July 2021