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! ! ! ! ! ! ! President's Message Opening of the Academic Year 2013-2014 Don Bosco's Relics in the Holy Land Dies Academicus 2013-2014 Cardinal Turkson Summary of Pacem in Terris Blessing of New Audio-visual Equipment ! ! ! ! ! ! ! CONTENTS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Annual Mass of the Holy Spirit Archaeological Excursions Seminars & Lectures Book Presentations Creative Corner! Studying Theology at the STS Holy Sepulcher Basilica ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mount of Olives The Citadel The Western Wall and the Tunnel of Jerusalem Mount Zion Visit of the Rector Magnificus STS Welcomes: Rabbi David Rosen ! ! ! ! ! !

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!!!!!!!

President's MessageOpening of the Academic Year 2013-2014Don Bosco's Relics in the Holy LandDies Academicus 2013-2014Cardinal TurksonSummary of Pacem in TerrisBlessing of New Audio-visual Equipment

!!!!!!!

CONTENTS!!!!!!!

Annual Mass of the Holy SpiritArchaeological ExcursionsSeminars & LecturesBook PresentationsCreative Corner!Studying Theology at the STSHoly Sepulcher Basilica

!!!!!!!

!!!!!!

Mount of OlivesThe CitadelThe Western Wall and the Tunnel of JerusalemMount ZionVisit of the Rector MagnificusSTS Welcomes: Rabbi David Rosen

!!!!!!

OPENING OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-2014The Studium Theologicum Salesianum, Salesian Pontifical University, Faculty of Theology, Jerusalem Campus, began its Academic Year 2013-2014 on 20 September 2013.

The opening day included a brief staff meeting to update planning for the year. Staff and students then met in the Church for a well prepared prayer service at which the teachers made their Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity. Rev. Dr. Ric Fernando, professor of Canon Law led the prayers. In his homily, he spoke of the importance of following right theological method and gave a hand-out detailing important methodological aspects.

A highlight of the opening ceremony was the presentation of an audio book published by the STS. Rev. Dr. Joan Vernet released the audio book “Songs for a Spiritual Journey” by Fr. Antony Vazhappilly. The staff and students of the STS did the recording at the Don Bosco Communications Studio of the STS.

Rev. Dr. Eric Wyckoff introduced to the assembly the new students joining the STS and presented a summary report of the past academic year 2012-2013.

STS President, Rev. Dr. Biju Michael thanked the many people who have worked hard to make STS achieve its present identity. He introduced the new members of the teaching staff and drew attention to the rich and diverse faculty (teachers from 15 countries) that the STS is fortunate to have this year. 21 professors and 53 students from 33 countries form the

academic community this year. Fr. Eric Wyckoff was thanked for his services in the last academic year as Registrar. He continues his great service as the professor of Sacred Scripture. Sr. Mary Colman, FSE was welcomed as the new Registrar of the STS. Bishop William Shomali, Dr. Marcie Lenk, Rev. Dr. Leopold Vonck, M. Afr., Rev. Dr. Jean-Claude Cellier, M. Afr., Rev. Dr. Michael Heap, M. Afr., and Fr. Simon Robert, SDB are the new teachers joining the STS. During the opening function the decree from the Grand Chancellor of the University, promoting Dr. Biju Michael to the status of “Associate Professor” of Moral Theology was read.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Friends,

The Studium Theologicum Salesianum, the Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome is happy to present to you its Newsletter. The staff and students take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year 2014 filled with the blessings of God.

Christmas is a season that cannot go by without making us wonder about God who loves us so much as to humble himself to be born in a manger. For a community dedicated to the study of theology, the season of Christmas is a privileged time of year for reflecting on this immense mystery of the love of God. The contemplation and study of this mystery fills our hearts with deep joy

SALESIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF THEOLOGY, JERUSALEM

The Salesian Pontifical University's Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology (Studium Theologicum Salesianum - STS) carries on the academic tradition of the former Salesian Centre for Theological Studies established in Bethlehem (1929), then transferred to Tantur (1949), to Cremisan (1957) and to Jerusalem in September 2004. It is is located a short 20 minute walk from the Old City of Jerusalem, site of the major events of Christ's life.

The Studium Theologicum Salesianum offers a four-year Pontifical Bachelor's Degree in Theology. All courses are taught in English. The STS follows a two semester system (SeptemberJanuary and February-June). In addition to students who do the regular four-year degree programme, STS welcomes students who want to study a selection of courses in theology.

The lay and religious students and faculty come from various religious orders and congregations and rites within the Catholic Church. You can get to know us better at www.jerusalem.unisal.it We also have a well furnished, computerised library containing over 36,000 volumes and close to 100 periodicals in various languages - the majority being in English, Italian and French. You can check our library catalogue on our website. You can contact us at [email protected]

as we apprehend the immense and singular love that God has for each one of us. For unto us a child is born. He will be called “Emmanuel” God with us (cf. Mt 1:23; Is 7:14). Truly, Christmas is a season for intense and happy seeking of understanding. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has said, “Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable.”

Residing in Jerusalem and going to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem is a unique experience. It recalls the close unity of the birth of Christ in the manger and the salvific action of his death and resurrection. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3: 16). God's love is manifested in the incarnation and in his death for he “did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all” (Rom 8:32). It is the guarantee of our salvation. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8: 31).

Yes, “if God is for us, who can be against us?”! Christmas is the great declaration of this message . God is Emmanuel. God is with us. God is among us. May this Christmas be for each of you an intense experience of God's love and may each day of the New Year 2014 be filled with the tangible, loving presence of God in your daily life.

Rev. Dr. Biju Michael, sdb

|3

OPENING OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2013-2014The Studium Theologicum Salesianum, Salesian Pontifical University, Faculty of Theology, Jerusalem Campus, began its Academic Year 2013-2014 on 20 September 2013.

The opening day included a brief staff meeting to update planning for the year. Staff and students then met in the Church for a well prepared prayer service at which the teachers made their Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity. Rev. Dr. Ric Fernando, professor of Canon Law led the prayers. In his homily, he spoke of the importance of following right theological method and gave a hand-out detailing important methodological aspects.

A highlight of the opening ceremony was the presentation of an audio book published by the STS. Rev. Dr. Joan Vernet released the audio book “Songs for a Spiritual Journey” by Fr. Antony Vazhappilly. The staff and students of the STS did the recording at the Don Bosco Communications Studio of the STS.

Rev. Dr. Eric Wyckoff introduced to the assembly the new students joining the STS and presented a summary report of the past academic year 2012-2013.

STS President, Rev. Dr. Biju Michael thanked the many people who have worked hard to make STS achieve its present identity. He introduced the new members of the teaching staff and drew attention to the rich and diverse faculty (teachers from 15 countries) that the STS is fortunate to have this year. 21 professors and 53 students from 33 countries form the

academic community this year. Fr. Eric Wyckoff was thanked for his services in the last academic year as Registrar. He continues his great service as the professor of Sacred Scripture. Sr. Mary Colman, FSE was welcomed as the new Registrar of the STS. Bishop William Shomali, Dr. Marcie Lenk, Rev. Dr. Leopold Vonck, M. Afr., Rev. Dr. Jean-Claude Cellier, M. Afr., Rev. Dr. Michael Heap, M. Afr., and Fr. Simon Robert, SDB are the new teachers joining the STS. During the opening function the decree from the Grand Chancellor of the University, promoting Dr. Biju Michael to the status of “Associate Professor” of Moral Theology was read.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Friends,

The Studium Theologicum Salesianum, the Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome is happy to present to you its Newsletter. The staff and students take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year 2014 filled with the blessings of God.

Christmas is a season that cannot go by without making us wonder about God who loves us so much as to humble himself to be born in a manger. For a community dedicated to the study of theology, the season of Christmas is a privileged time of year for reflecting on this immense mystery of the love of God. The contemplation and study of this mystery fills our hearts with deep joy

SALESIAN PONTIFICAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF THEOLOGY, JERUSALEM

The Salesian Pontifical University's Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology (Studium Theologicum Salesianum - STS) carries on the academic tradition of the former Salesian Centre for Theological Studies established in Bethlehem (1929), then transferred to Tantur (1949), to Cremisan (1957) and to Jerusalem in September 2004. It is is located a short 20 minute walk from the Old City of Jerusalem, site of the major events of Christ's life.

The Studium Theologicum Salesianum offers a four-year Pontifical Bachelor's Degree in Theology. All courses are taught in English. The STS follows a two semester system (SeptemberJanuary and February-June). In addition to students who do the regular four-year degree programme, STS welcomes students who want to study a selection of courses in theology.

The lay and religious students and faculty come from various religious orders and congregations and rites within the Catholic Church. You can get to know us better at www.jerusalem.unisal.it We also have a well furnished, computerised library containing over 36,000 volumes and close to 100 periodicals in various languages - the majority being in English, Italian and French. You can check our library catalogue on our website. You can contact us at [email protected]

as we apprehend the immense and singular love that God has for each one of us. For unto us a child is born. He will be called “Emmanuel” God with us (cf. Mt 1:23; Is 7:14). Truly, Christmas is a season for intense and happy seeking of understanding. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has said, “Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable.”

Residing in Jerusalem and going to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem is a unique experience. It recalls the close unity of the birth of Christ in the manger and the salvific action of his death and resurrection. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3: 16). God's love is manifested in the incarnation and in his death for he “did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all” (Rom 8:32). It is the guarantee of our salvation. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8: 31).

Yes, “if God is for us, who can be against us?”! Christmas is the great declaration of this message . God is Emmanuel. God is with us. God is among us. May this Christmas be for each of you an intense experience of God's love and may each day of the New Year 2014 be filled with the tangible, loving presence of God in your daily life.

Rev. Dr. Biju Michael, sdb

|3

DON BOSCO'S RELICS IN THE HOLY LAND

The casket containing the relics of Don Bosco reached Jerusalem on 10 September 2013 and was welcomed at the Salesian Monastery Ratisbonne at 3p.m. The visit provided the students and many well-wishers the opportunity to visit and pray through the intercession of the saint of the young people. It was a time of grace for the STS.

In his opening speech, the President focused on the importance of raising pertinent questions that deal with fundamental issues of human life. He stated:

“In the study of theology, as in the study of any subject, asking the right questions is of the greatest importance. What are our questions as we start another year of studying Theology? Are we satisfied with questions that are about our immediate, pragmatic and practical needs: How do I do this? How do I do that? What can I get out of it? These are important questions. But are they all? Or, do we ask also questions about the profound issues affecting human life? Do our questions sound any similar to the

question of the man in the Gospel according to Mathew: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Mt 19:16)

Only when we have such good questions that affect the whole of our human life will we get the most pertinent answers: “And eternal life is this:

to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3).

As a Faculty of Theology, we are called to ask fundamental questions and to seek answers to those fundamental questions that affect our lives…”

The students scoring the highest marks in the Year-groups were recognized. Deacon Pedro Sachitula won the award for the student with highest score at the end of the third year of studies. He scored an average of 29.50 out of 30. Manuel Hurtado, Sandy Habib and Thomasz Sage were the others recognized for their academic performance.

In the context of the visit of the relics of Don Bosco to Jerusalem, the Salesian Monastery Ratisbonne hosted lunch for the entire academic community. In the afternoon was held the first Assembly of the Students for the academic year 2013-2014.

DIES ACADEMICUS 2013-2014Report by: Arcadius Puwein, SDB

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Jn 1:1). To ferret this Word, faith is needed. The quest to understand this Word is theology. Therefore, faith precedes theology. The Dies Academicus of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum, Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University is held every year as a reminder for the students to earnestly seek theology with faith, to understand the Word in a fuller sense. Each year, on the occasion of the Dies Academicus, an eminent Church leader is invited to deliver the Lectio Magisralis

The Dies Academicus 2013-1014 was celebrated at stthe Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS) on 31

October 2013. The celebration was embellished and cheered with the presence of the chief guest, His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican. The occasion was graced by the presence of guests of honour: His Excellency Most Rev. Giuseppe Lazzorotto, Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine; His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Michael Sabbah, Latin Patriarch Emeritus of Jerusalem; Most Rev. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar for

Israel; Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land; Very Rev. Joseph Kelekian, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchiate of Jerusalem; Very Rev. David Neuhaus, Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew Speaking Catholic Community; Dr. Heidi Kuhn, Founder/CEO of Roots of Peace; and other well wishes of the STS.

Rev. Fr. Pier Giorgio Gianazza, Academic Council member of the STS and Vice Provincial of the Middle East Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco extended words of welcome to all the guests. The Dies Academicus was then led into a prayerful atmosphere with the choir of the students of STS under the direction of Deacon Gabriel. After an enthralling

performance from the choir, Rev. Dr. Biju Michael, the President of t h e S a l e s i a n P o n t i f i c a l University's Jerusalem Campus introduced Cardinal Turkson to the audience.

Cardinal Turkson presented the encyclical letter of Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris and its application to education and formation. At the very outset, he reminded the audience, that the theme of this encyclical, Pacem in Terris, was envisaged since two

|5|4

DON BOSCO'S RELICS IN THE HOLY LAND

The casket containing the relics of Don Bosco reached Jerusalem on 10 September 2013 and was welcomed at the Salesian Monastery Ratisbonne at 3p.m. The visit provided the students and many well-wishers the opportunity to visit and pray through the intercession of the saint of the young people. It was a time of grace for the STS.

In his opening speech, the President focused on the importance of raising pertinent questions that deal with fundamental issues of human life. He stated:

“In the study of theology, as in the study of any subject, asking the right questions is of the greatest importance. What are our questions as we start another year of studying Theology? Are we satisfied with questions that are about our immediate, pragmatic and practical needs: How do I do this? How do I do that? What can I get out of it? These are important questions. But are they all? Or, do we ask also questions about the profound issues affecting human life? Do our questions sound any similar to the

question of the man in the Gospel according to Mathew: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Mt 19:16)

Only when we have such good questions that affect the whole of our human life will we get the most pertinent answers: “And eternal life is this:

to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3).

As a Faculty of Theology, we are called to ask fundamental questions and to seek answers to those fundamental questions that affect our lives…”

The students scoring the highest marks in the Year-groups were recognized. Deacon Pedro Sachitula won the award for the student with highest score at the end of the third year of studies. He scored an average of 29.50 out of 30. Manuel Hurtado, Sandy Habib and Thomasz Sage were the others recognized for their academic performance.

In the context of the visit of the relics of Don Bosco to Jerusalem, the Salesian Monastery Ratisbonne hosted lunch for the entire academic community. In the afternoon was held the first Assembly of the Students for the academic year 2013-2014.

DIES ACADEMICUS 2013-2014Report by: Arcadius Puwein, SDB

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Jn 1:1). To ferret this Word, faith is needed. The quest to understand this Word is theology. Therefore, faith precedes theology. The Dies Academicus of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum, Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University is held every year as a reminder for the students to earnestly seek theology with faith, to understand the Word in a fuller sense. Each year, on the occasion of the Dies Academicus, an eminent Church leader is invited to deliver the Lectio Magisralis

The Dies Academicus 2013-1014 was celebrated at stthe Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS) on 31

October 2013. The celebration was embellished and cheered with the presence of the chief guest, His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican. The occasion was graced by the presence of guests of honour: His Excellency Most Rev. Giuseppe Lazzorotto, Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine; His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Michael Sabbah, Latin Patriarch Emeritus of Jerusalem; Most Rev. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Patriarchal Vicar for

Israel; Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land; Very Rev. Joseph Kelekian, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchiate of Jerusalem; Very Rev. David Neuhaus, Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew Speaking Catholic Community; Dr. Heidi Kuhn, Founder/CEO of Roots of Peace; and other well wishes of the STS.

Rev. Fr. Pier Giorgio Gianazza, Academic Council member of the STS and Vice Provincial of the Middle East Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco extended words of welcome to all the guests. The Dies Academicus was then led into a prayerful atmosphere with the choir of the students of STS under the direction of Deacon Gabriel. After an enthralling

performance from the choir, Rev. Dr. Biju Michael, the President of t h e S a l e s i a n P o n t i f i c a l University's Jerusalem Campus introduced Cardinal Turkson to the audience.

Cardinal Turkson presented the encyclical letter of Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris and its application to education and formation. At the very outset, he reminded the audience, that the theme of this encyclical, Pacem in Terris, was envisaged since two

|5|4

CARDINAL TURKSONReport: by Manuel Hurtado, SDB

His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He is the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 24th October 2009.

Cardinal Turkson was born in Wassaw Nsuta in Western Ghana. After his studies in the village of Amisano and Pedu he graduated with Master of Theology from St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, New York. During this time, he also took summer coursework at the University at Albany. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Amissah on 20th July 1975.

Cardinal Turkson was a professor at St Teresa's Minor Seminary from 1975 to 1976; then he entered the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, earning a licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1980. He returned to St Teresa's for a year, 198081, and became Vice-Rector at St Peter's Seminary in 1981. He also did pastoral work in a parish annexed to the seminary. From 1987 to 1992, he did doctoral studies in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute but was unable to complete his thesis due to his appointment as Archbishop of Cape Coast.

On 6th October 1992, Turkson was appointed Archbishop of Cape Coast by Pope John Paul II. He served as President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference from 1997 to 2005, and as a Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana since 2003.

John Paul II created Turkson Cardinal-Priest of S. Liborio in his final consistory of 21th October 2003. Turkson is the first Ghanaian Cardinal and was one of the Cardinal electors who participated in the papal conclave of 2005 which elected Pope Benedict XVI and that of 2013 which elected Pope Francis. He was described as "one of Africa's most energetic church leaders" by The Tablet, a Roman Catholic magazine published in London.

On 24th October 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Turkson President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Within the Roman Curia, Turkson is also a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church and, since 4th March 2010, the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses. On 12th June 2012 Cardinal Turkson was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

thousand years, when the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests (Lk 2:14),” at Christ's birth. Following this Biblical foundation, he presented the historical background of the political atmosphere which led to the publication of Pacem in Terris. Soon after the First World War, the League of Nations was established to maintain peace and security in the world using collective decisions. It failed, and the United Nations was founded after the Second World War. The UN aimed to stop war and provide a platform for peaceful dialogue, human rights and other related issues. But nations always found themselves at rivalry for national interests. Despite the UN, the world in the 1960's faced political ideologies that divided the world into two blocs (USA and Russia). Each of the two powers looked for supremacy and extension of their influence to the

emerging independent African and Asian nations. The erection of the Berlin Wall and the establishment of NATO were the concrete expressions of the division of the world in two blocs. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the crucial moment which brought the Cold War almost to the brink of full-fledged war. It was during these long fuelling conflicts that Pacem in Terris was formulated. It was the need of the hour. The encyclical in fact was signed on Television, for the world to witness the importance of peace at that critical moment.

Pacem in Terris lucidly and categorically stated that there is no connection between war and justice. No justice or peace can be achieved by war. Pope John XXIII accentuated on the need to build inner peace to achieve external peace. The subject and centre of human beings is relationship and dignity. They are the

building blocks for peace and justice. Human dignity and relationship are God's gift, and the world cannot take these away. Human dignity and relationship is part and parcel of human essence. They constitute man as man. Therefore, justice, peace, love and freedom ought to be cultivated to safeguard human dignity and relationship. The Cardinal ended his presentation emphasizing that politics too needs to be educated. He said that a well-educated Christian should manifest three intertwined dynamics: completeness, contextualization and collaboration. “A well-educated Catholic will be: enlightened by faith and inflamed by the desire for goodness; intellectually, culturally and scientifically competent, and spiritually integrated amongst the personal, professional, political and religious dimensions of life. The Cardinal then exhorted the STS as a religious educational institution located in the Holy City of Jerusalem to be engaged in its surrounding social and cultural reality.

Cardinal Turkson concluded stating, “Here at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum in Jerusalem, forming future pastors and ministers of peace, let us offer the prayer of Pope Francis and ask God to help us put it into practice: 'May the noise of weapons cease! War always marks the failure of peace, it is always a defeat for

humanity… Let us pray … for reconciliation and peace, let us work for reconciliation and peace, and let us all become, in every place, men and women of reconciliation and peace!'”

The stellar lecture of Cardinal Turkson was followed by a short period of question-and-answer. Eventually, Rev. Fr. Ivo Coelho, the Rector of the SDB community delivered the vote of thanks to His Eminence Cardinal Turkson for his prowess in presentation, and all the other invitees. The function was brought to a close with a choir led by student Lam Giuseppe Dang. They beautifully rendered the Magnificat in Vietnamese. Rev. Fr. Biju Michael, the President of the STS once again thanked the guests and invited all to refreshments.

|7|6

CARDINAL TURKSONReport: by Manuel Hurtado, SDB

His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He is the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, since his appointment by Pope Benedict XVI on 24th October 2009.

Cardinal Turkson was born in Wassaw Nsuta in Western Ghana. After his studies in the village of Amisano and Pedu he graduated with Master of Theology from St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary in Rensselaer, New York. During this time, he also took summer coursework at the University at Albany. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Amissah on 20th July 1975.

Cardinal Turkson was a professor at St Teresa's Minor Seminary from 1975 to 1976; then he entered the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, earning a licentiate in Sacred Scripture in 1980. He returned to St Teresa's for a year, 198081, and became Vice-Rector at St Peter's Seminary in 1981. He also did pastoral work in a parish annexed to the seminary. From 1987 to 1992, he did doctoral studies in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute but was unable to complete his thesis due to his appointment as Archbishop of Cape Coast.

On 6th October 1992, Turkson was appointed Archbishop of Cape Coast by Pope John Paul II. He served as President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference from 1997 to 2005, and as a Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana since 2003.

John Paul II created Turkson Cardinal-Priest of S. Liborio in his final consistory of 21th October 2003. Turkson is the first Ghanaian Cardinal and was one of the Cardinal electors who participated in the papal conclave of 2005 which elected Pope Benedict XVI and that of 2013 which elected Pope Francis. He was described as "one of Africa's most energetic church leaders" by The Tablet, a Roman Catholic magazine published in London.

On 24th October 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Turkson President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Within the Roman Curia, Turkson is also a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church and, since 4th March 2010, the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses. On 12th June 2012 Cardinal Turkson was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

thousand years, when the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests (Lk 2:14),” at Christ's birth. Following this Biblical foundation, he presented the historical background of the political atmosphere which led to the publication of Pacem in Terris. Soon after the First World War, the League of Nations was established to maintain peace and security in the world using collective decisions. It failed, and the United Nations was founded after the Second World War. The UN aimed to stop war and provide a platform for peaceful dialogue, human rights and other related issues. But nations always found themselves at rivalry for national interests. Despite the UN, the world in the 1960's faced political ideologies that divided the world into two blocs (USA and Russia). Each of the two powers looked for supremacy and extension of their influence to the

emerging independent African and Asian nations. The erection of the Berlin Wall and the establishment of NATO were the concrete expressions of the division of the world in two blocs. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the crucial moment which brought the Cold War almost to the brink of full-fledged war. It was during these long fuelling conflicts that Pacem in Terris was formulated. It was the need of the hour. The encyclical in fact was signed on Television, for the world to witness the importance of peace at that critical moment.

Pacem in Terris lucidly and categorically stated that there is no connection between war and justice. No justice or peace can be achieved by war. Pope John XXIII accentuated on the need to build inner peace to achieve external peace. The subject and centre of human beings is relationship and dignity. They are the

building blocks for peace and justice. Human dignity and relationship are God's gift, and the world cannot take these away. Human dignity and relationship is part and parcel of human essence. They constitute man as man. Therefore, justice, peace, love and freedom ought to be cultivated to safeguard human dignity and relationship. The Cardinal ended his presentation emphasizing that politics too needs to be educated. He said that a well-educated Christian should manifest three intertwined dynamics: completeness, contextualization and collaboration. “A well-educated Catholic will be: enlightened by faith and inflamed by the desire for goodness; intellectually, culturally and scientifically competent, and spiritually integrated amongst the personal, professional, political and religious dimensions of life. The Cardinal then exhorted the STS as a religious educational institution located in the Holy City of Jerusalem to be engaged in its surrounding social and cultural reality.

Cardinal Turkson concluded stating, “Here at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum in Jerusalem, forming future pastors and ministers of peace, let us offer the prayer of Pope Francis and ask God to help us put it into practice: 'May the noise of weapons cease! War always marks the failure of peace, it is always a defeat for

humanity… Let us pray … for reconciliation and peace, let us work for reconciliation and peace, and let us all become, in every place, men and women of reconciliation and peace!'”

The stellar lecture of Cardinal Turkson was followed by a short period of question-and-answer. Eventually, Rev. Fr. Ivo Coelho, the Rector of the SDB community delivered the vote of thanks to His Eminence Cardinal Turkson for his prowess in presentation, and all the other invitees. The function was brought to a close with a choir led by student Lam Giuseppe Dang. They beautifully rendered the Magnificat in Vietnamese. Rev. Fr. Biju Michael, the President of the STS once again thanked the guests and invited all to refreshments.

|7|6

BLESSING AND INAUGURATION OF NEW AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT IN THE CLASSROOMS

Rev. Fr. Eric Mairura, the financial administrator of the STS blessed and inaugurated the new audio-

thvisual equipment in the STS classrooms on 20 September 2013. All the students gathered in the Rashi auditorium, where a large screen with state-of-the-art LCD projection and full sound system has been set up for the use of lectures.

The six speaker sound system with fixed and

SUMMARY OF PACEM IN TERRIS

Report by: Emmanuel Mubanga, M.Afr.

Preventing war is not synonymous with building peace; peace is not simply the absence of war! Pacem in Terris, did not just condemn war, injustice, conflicts and violence, rather the encyclical offered a Christian anthropological vision of Man. Pacem in Terris was the first encyclical to be addressed to 'all Men of good will'. Whenever and wherever the rightful place of Man in creation is known and appreciated, there will be lasting and meaningful peace. Man created in the image of God (Gn 1: 27) has the endowed gift to enter into relationship with God and with one another. Relationships, coexistence imbued with truth, justice, love and freedom can give rise to peace.

The encyclical consists of an introduction and five chapters. In the introduction, Blessed John XXIII analyses a deviation from God's established order when human relationships are governed by force instead of freedom and reason.

In the first chapter which is, Order between Men, the encyclical highlights the equality of all human beings, not just before the Law but also in the eyes, hearts and behaviour of all their brothers and sisters.

In its second chapter, Relations between Individuals and the Public Authorities, the Pope pointed out that what true peace is between persons, is also true for human institutions and authority. There is no authority that has the right to coerce or to infringe upon freedom; the duty is the pursuit of the common good and protection for the weak.

In the third chapter, Relations between States, Blessed John XXIII speaks about the idea and practice of some states that consider themselves superior to others. There should never be any kind of opposition between states. All states are to be equal and answerable before the Law. There is neither room nor justification for the use of force to bring about peace. Just as human persons are called upon to trust each other, states are also urged to build mutual trust between them.

The fourth chapter, Relationship of Men and of Political Communities within the World Community, brings to light the fact that other than the states, individual persons also belong to the world community. The common good for individual states can only be fostered by referring to the human person. The universal human good ought to be founded on the dignity of human person, whose basis is freedom, rights and duties.

The fifth and final chapter, Pastoral Exhortations, underlines the obligation to establish human relationships under the guidance of the four pillars of the virtues of truth, justice, charity and freedom. Peace is founded on these four pillars and repudiation of these pillars means

cordless microphone facilities and the LCD projection system were established with the help of a financial grant from the Chancellor of the Salesian Pontifical University. Two other classrooms have been equipped with large-screen television sets connected to computers with additional facility for laptop connections.

ANNUAL MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Report by: Sr. Mary Colman, FSE

The seminarians, students and faculty at the STS joined other Theological Institutes in Jerusalem in celebrating the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit for the opening of the academic year 2013-2014. Mass

thwas celebrated at St. Saviour Church at 9:00 Saturday morning, 5 October. The main celebrant was Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M., Custos of the Holy Land. The Mass was followed by a friendly, informal gathering, with refreshments at the hall of the Custody.

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BLESSING AND INAUGURATION OF NEW AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT IN THE CLASSROOMS

Rev. Fr. Eric Mairura, the financial administrator of the STS blessed and inaugurated the new audio-

thvisual equipment in the STS classrooms on 20 September 2013. All the students gathered in the Rashi auditorium, where a large screen with state-of-the-art LCD projection and full sound system has been set up for the use of lectures.

The six speaker sound system with fixed and

SUMMARY OF PACEM IN TERRIS

Report by: Emmanuel Mubanga, M.Afr.

Preventing war is not synonymous with building peace; peace is not simply the absence of war! Pacem in Terris, did not just condemn war, injustice, conflicts and violence, rather the encyclical offered a Christian anthropological vision of Man. Pacem in Terris was the first encyclical to be addressed to 'all Men of good will'. Whenever and wherever the rightful place of Man in creation is known and appreciated, there will be lasting and meaningful peace. Man created in the image of God (Gn 1: 27) has the endowed gift to enter into relationship with God and with one another. Relationships, coexistence imbued with truth, justice, love and freedom can give rise to peace.

The encyclical consists of an introduction and five chapters. In the introduction, Blessed John XXIII analyses a deviation from God's established order when human relationships are governed by force instead of freedom and reason.

In the first chapter which is, Order between Men, the encyclical highlights the equality of all human beings, not just before the Law but also in the eyes, hearts and behaviour of all their brothers and sisters.

In its second chapter, Relations between Individuals and the Public Authorities, the Pope pointed out that what true peace is between persons, is also true for human institutions and authority. There is no authority that has the right to coerce or to infringe upon freedom; the duty is the pursuit of the common good and protection for the weak.

In the third chapter, Relations between States, Blessed John XXIII speaks about the idea and practice of some states that consider themselves superior to others. There should never be any kind of opposition between states. All states are to be equal and answerable before the Law. There is neither room nor justification for the use of force to bring about peace. Just as human persons are called upon to trust each other, states are also urged to build mutual trust between them.

The fourth chapter, Relationship of Men and of Political Communities within the World Community, brings to light the fact that other than the states, individual persons also belong to the world community. The common good for individual states can only be fostered by referring to the human person. The universal human good ought to be founded on the dignity of human person, whose basis is freedom, rights and duties.

The fifth and final chapter, Pastoral Exhortations, underlines the obligation to establish human relationships under the guidance of the four pillars of the virtues of truth, justice, charity and freedom. Peace is founded on these four pillars and repudiation of these pillars means

cordless microphone facilities and the LCD projection system were established with the help of a financial grant from the Chancellor of the Salesian Pontifical University. Two other classrooms have been equipped with large-screen television sets connected to computers with additional facility for laptop connections.

ANNUAL MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Report by: Sr. Mary Colman, FSE

The seminarians, students and faculty at the STS joined other Theological Institutes in Jerusalem in celebrating the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit for the opening of the academic year 2013-2014. Mass

thwas celebrated at St. Saviour Church at 9:00 Saturday morning, 5 October. The main celebrant was Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, O.F.M., Custos of the Holy Land. The Mass was followed by a friendly, informal gathering, with refreshments at the hall of the Custody.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS One of the most peculiar and unique features of studying at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum is the privileged monthly excursions throughout the Holy Land. In a cycle of three years the students are provided with the rare opportunity of visiting the historical and holy places in Israel, from the Galilee region in the north to the Negev region in the south. All these archaeological excursions are meant to aid the students in having a clear knowledge about Geography, Prehistory, Archaeological finds, and Biblical events hidden in these precious sites. These excursions make study of Theology in the Holy Land particularly interesting. One element which seems to be common is that the places themselves tell a story which no person can convincingly explain except that he/she has seen, touched, and has put himself into the context of the people who lived on this Holy Land many centuries before us. In the first semester of this academic year (2013-2014) the students visited two main beautiful and historical places, namely En Gedi and the Dead Sea, and Wadi Murabba'at Caves and Qumran. The third excursion to Masada has been postponed due to bad weather. The first year students as per tradition had a two-day excursion to Galilee. The students' experiences are reflected in the articles that follow.

EXCURSION TO EN-GEDI & THE DEAD SEA

Report by: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Early Thursday morning (10 October, 2013) we began our tour driving through a serene desert landscape toward En Gedi and the Dead Sea. En Gedi, an oasis in the midst of a desert, is one of the most important reserves in Israel. It is situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert and on the Dead Sea coast. At the foot of En Gedi, we listened attentively to a reading from 1 Samuel 24, the account of King David hiding in the desert and King Saul pursuing him. It was in the caves of En Gedi that King David spared Saul's life. David would later become the king. After the reading, we climbed to the Chalcolithic Temple and saw the spectacular view from above. There were endless mountains. The location of the temple is very close to two springs, the Nahal David and Hahal Arugot. In addition, this beautiful landscape offers a challenging hike to En Gedi Lookout, which is not for the faint of heart. The hike took us more than 2 hours. After our long and tiring excursion, we were rewarded with a delicious lunch in an atmosphere of joy, relaxation and community spirit.

Finally, we had the unique opportunity to float in the waters of the Dead Sea, and to immerse ourselves in its famous Dead Sea clay, that has curative value. Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth, and is really a lake with water so

salty that it allows you to float. It is considered to be the world's first health resort and a supplier of a wide variety of merchandise from cosmetics to herbal products. Whatever the case may be, one thing is amazing about the places we visited; these archaeological sites give us an opportunity to study past civilizations, and see how far we have come as people sharing the same planet.

A MEMORABLE VISIT TO GALILEE

Report by: Girmay Hailu, SDB

Early in the morning on Saturday (12 October, 2013), the new students of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum, accompanied by the Archaeology professor, Fr Joan Vernet, our Scripture Professor, Fr. Eric Wyckoff and Canon Law Professor, Fr. Ric Fernando, started our trip to Galilee. Immediately after we left the city we recited our morning prayer together in the bus. Then Fr. Vernet gave us some information on the historical places we passed as we traveled. Everyone was very curious and interested to see and know the historical places.

Our first stop was at the valley of the Patriarchs where we read from scripture the passage from Genesis 12: 1-7. We were able to see in the distance the valley of Alexanderion. Our second stop was in the Land of Gilead. We learned that this was a very important place where the prophet Elisha followed the Prophet Elijah. We read from scripture about the call of Elisha, 1Kings 19: 19. An amazing thing in this place was a biblical tree called the buckthorn tree. We found reference to it in Judges 9:7. The trees went out to anoint a king over themselves. The only tree to accept kingship was the buckthorn tree. The tree said to

all the other trees, “Come and take refuge in my shadow.” We listened to the reading by Fr. Vernet as we sat under that tree. At our third stop we visited Mount Gilboa where David lamented because Saul and Jonathan were killed there. Our reading was from the book of 2 Sam 1: 7-27.

Sooner than we expected we arrived in Galilee. Our first stop there was the Valley of Hippos. We drove through the mountainous road with ease although the road was a bit narrow. We walked along the ruined city of Hippos, situated on the top of the mountain. While we were walking we stopped to see a big mile stone. This stone was

put along the way to indicate the distance. A very interesting thing that we were able to see was the aqueducts. These were stones used for creating a water supply. The residents made tunnels through the stone to carry water from far distances. Then we entered the ancient city, how amazing it was to see such art and the hard work of the people of that time. The columns that we saw were made of granite and marble. These were brought from Egypt. We were all

|11|10

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS One of the most peculiar and unique features of studying at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum is the privileged monthly excursions throughout the Holy Land. In a cycle of three years the students are provided with the rare opportunity of visiting the historical and holy places in Israel, from the Galilee region in the north to the Negev region in the south. All these archaeological excursions are meant to aid the students in having a clear knowledge about Geography, Prehistory, Archaeological finds, and Biblical events hidden in these precious sites. These excursions make study of Theology in the Holy Land particularly interesting. One element which seems to be common is that the places themselves tell a story which no person can convincingly explain except that he/she has seen, touched, and has put himself into the context of the people who lived on this Holy Land many centuries before us. In the first semester of this academic year (2013-2014) the students visited two main beautiful and historical places, namely En Gedi and the Dead Sea, and Wadi Murabba'at Caves and Qumran. The third excursion to Masada has been postponed due to bad weather. The first year students as per tradition had a two-day excursion to Galilee. The students' experiences are reflected in the articles that follow.

EXCURSION TO EN-GEDI & THE DEAD SEA

Report by: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Early Thursday morning (10 October, 2013) we began our tour driving through a serene desert landscape toward En Gedi and the Dead Sea. En Gedi, an oasis in the midst of a desert, is one of the most important reserves in Israel. It is situated on the eastern border of the Judean Desert and on the Dead Sea coast. At the foot of En Gedi, we listened attentively to a reading from 1 Samuel 24, the account of King David hiding in the desert and King Saul pursuing him. It was in the caves of En Gedi that King David spared Saul's life. David would later become the king. After the reading, we climbed to the Chalcolithic Temple and saw the spectacular view from above. There were endless mountains. The location of the temple is very close to two springs, the Nahal David and Hahal Arugot. In addition, this beautiful landscape offers a challenging hike to En Gedi Lookout, which is not for the faint of heart. The hike took us more than 2 hours. After our long and tiring excursion, we were rewarded with a delicious lunch in an atmosphere of joy, relaxation and community spirit.

Finally, we had the unique opportunity to float in the waters of the Dead Sea, and to immerse ourselves in its famous Dead Sea clay, that has curative value. Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth, and is really a lake with water so

salty that it allows you to float. It is considered to be the world's first health resort and a supplier of a wide variety of merchandise from cosmetics to herbal products. Whatever the case may be, one thing is amazing about the places we visited; these archaeological sites give us an opportunity to study past civilizations, and see how far we have come as people sharing the same planet.

A MEMORABLE VISIT TO GALILEE

Report by: Girmay Hailu, SDB

Early in the morning on Saturday (12 October, 2013), the new students of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum, accompanied by the Archaeology professor, Fr Joan Vernet, our Scripture Professor, Fr. Eric Wyckoff and Canon Law Professor, Fr. Ric Fernando, started our trip to Galilee. Immediately after we left the city we recited our morning prayer together in the bus. Then Fr. Vernet gave us some information on the historical places we passed as we traveled. Everyone was very curious and interested to see and know the historical places.

Our first stop was at the valley of the Patriarchs where we read from scripture the passage from Genesis 12: 1-7. We were able to see in the distance the valley of Alexanderion. Our second stop was in the Land of Gilead. We learned that this was a very important place where the prophet Elisha followed the Prophet Elijah. We read from scripture about the call of Elisha, 1Kings 19: 19. An amazing thing in this place was a biblical tree called the buckthorn tree. We found reference to it in Judges 9:7. The trees went out to anoint a king over themselves. The only tree to accept kingship was the buckthorn tree. The tree said to

all the other trees, “Come and take refuge in my shadow.” We listened to the reading by Fr. Vernet as we sat under that tree. At our third stop we visited Mount Gilboa where David lamented because Saul and Jonathan were killed there. Our reading was from the book of 2 Sam 1: 7-27.

Sooner than we expected we arrived in Galilee. Our first stop there was the Valley of Hippos. We drove through the mountainous road with ease although the road was a bit narrow. We walked along the ruined city of Hippos, situated on the top of the mountain. While we were walking we stopped to see a big mile stone. This stone was

put along the way to indicate the distance. A very interesting thing that we were able to see was the aqueducts. These were stones used for creating a water supply. The residents made tunnels through the stone to carry water from far distances. Then we entered the ancient city, how amazing it was to see such art and the hard work of the people of that time. The columns that we saw were made of granite and marble. These were brought from Egypt. We were all

|11|10

astonished at hearing this. Other things we saw there included a city gate, a main colonnaded street, a defense wall with fortified towers, a sophisticated water supply system, a main square, a reservoir, a sanctuary, churches, and a baptistery. From this city's vantage point we were able to see a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee.

When we left the City of Hippos, we descended the mountain. Some of us decided to walk and others took the bus. At the bottom we had lunch in Ein Gev where all of us enjoyed St. Peter's fish. It was wonderful to have the similar kind of fish that St. Peter had fished from the sea and ate. The Fish was unique as it came with its mouth open. It looked like it was still alive.

After lunch we went to visit Kursi Monastery where Jesus had performed a miracle. He cured a man possessed by the devil. We heard this from the Gospel of Luke 8: 26-39. We had planned to take a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee but, unfortunately we were unable to rent the boat.

Instead we went by bus to Capernaum. In Capernaum we had a beautiful visit at the house of St. Peter and the old Synagogue, where Jesus taught. At the entrance of this place there is a script which says, “Capernaum, the Town of Jesus”. In Capernaum Jesus taught about the Eucharist and for this reason we read from the Gospel of John 6: 67-71. Another thing of interest was the “insula”. Between the house of St. Peter and the Synagogue, there are many houses. It has been

estimated that more than 200 different people were living there in that small compound. It shows that there was the sense of community life.

Our journey continued and we went to visit the Mount of Beatitudes. We went directly to the church and remained there for a few minutes of personal prayer before exploring the compound which was very beautiful and green. We were also able to get another magnificent view of the Sea of Galilee.

At last we moved on to Nazareth, the home town of the parents of Jesus. On our way we recited our evening prayer and we prayed the rosary. We arrived at the house of the Salesian Sisters where we celebrated mass in their beautiful chapel. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Eric Wyckoff, assisted by Deacon Pedro. It was a wonderful experience to have the Eucharistic Celebration in the home town of Jesus. We then spent the night there.

The following morning we went to Mt. Tabor. It was a very wonderful and spiritually enriching experience crossing through the beautiful plains of Nazareth to reach Mt. Tabor. This Mount is the place of perfect revelation and the place of the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus. We had an inspiring celebration of Mass in the chapel of Moses where we were able to experience some of what it felt like to be with Jesus and to feel how wonderful it must have been to stay with Him. Our next visit was the Holy Basilica of the Annunciation of Mary and the house of the Holy Family, the place of the

great mystery of the Word made Flesh and the mystery of our salvation.

We returned to the Salesian Sisters (FMA) where we had lunch. Their hospitality was wonderful. We very much appreciated the generosity of the sisters and their welcoming spirit.

Our journey continued as we proceeded to a place called Zippori. There we visited the remains of another magnificent city. In this place we viewed a system of streets, public buildings, dwellings, a theater, a synagogue, a gigantic water reservoir and much more. Here we were able to appreciate the beautiful mosaics used to decorate the floors. This ancient art communicates how active and alive the people were. It is incredible to see such art that was done hundreds of years ago and still looks as fresh today as it must have been then. Here in this place we understood from its remains that everything was very well organized and well structured. It was amazing to see the water reservoir and it was hard to believe that it had been done with the power of human hands with little advanced technology. It was dug very deep and we were able to walk about several kilometers inside it.

Finally, back home (13 October, 2013), we recognized that we have been very privileged to see and experience exactly where Jesus was teaching, walking and performing miracles and to hear the word of God in each of the places that we visited. This fantastic trip has great value in our lives and everyone on the trip treasured it. We thanked Fr. Vernet and all who were instrumental in arranging the trip, for giving us so many insights into these historical places with their biblical connections.

WADIMURABBA'AT CAVES AND THE QUMRAN

Report by: Gustavo Ramirez, SDB

07 November, 2013. On the road again! The awaited Thursday is here and we are ready to go. Where to this time? WadiMurabba'at caves and Qumran. We began our trip towards these two places in a kind of quiet mood, expectant of the spectacle of views we were promised to see. The Murabba'at caves are situated 18 kilometers from Qumran, also in the northern Judean desert near the shores of the Dead Sea. We started our ascent toward the caves and just half way up we made our first stop. This was only a preview of how the Dead Sea serves as a backdrop to these amazing desert mountains. We continued and finally arrived at the top of the hill; there we started the walk down toward the caves. It was here in these caves that Jewish fighters

hid out during the Bar Kochba revolt, leaving behind documents that include some letters signed by Simon Bar Kochba.

We started the descent of two hundred meters to find the caves situated side by side. Another wonder of nature and rightly so, a perfect hiding place, we walked into one of the caves to inspect its depth, although there are no writings on the walls or any sign of recent use, we learned that remains were discovered that reflected habitation, usually temporary, in the Chalcolithic Period, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman era.

We continued our journey towards the bottom of the

canyon and found a place where we sat to reflect on the significance of these places to our faith. This was my favorite part of this stop, silence-time! We were instructed to be quiet and still for some time to allow the silence to talk to us and to take in the experience of being there. After this we headed back for the ascent to the top of the hill where the bus awaited to take us to our next destination, Qumran. After a short 18 kilometer drive we arrived at Qumran. As it was getting late, we stopped to enjoy a de l ic ious lunch in an environment of community and camaraderie.

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astonished at hearing this. Other things we saw there included a city gate, a main colonnaded street, a defense wall with fortified towers, a sophisticated water supply system, a main square, a reservoir, a sanctuary, churches, and a baptistery. From this city's vantage point we were able to see a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee.

When we left the City of Hippos, we descended the mountain. Some of us decided to walk and others took the bus. At the bottom we had lunch in Ein Gev where all of us enjoyed St. Peter's fish. It was wonderful to have the similar kind of fish that St. Peter had fished from the sea and ate. The Fish was unique as it came with its mouth open. It looked like it was still alive.

After lunch we went to visit Kursi Monastery where Jesus had performed a miracle. He cured a man possessed by the devil. We heard this from the Gospel of Luke 8: 26-39. We had planned to take a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee but, unfortunately we were unable to rent the boat.

Instead we went by bus to Capernaum. In Capernaum we had a beautiful visit at the house of St. Peter and the old Synagogue, where Jesus taught. At the entrance of this place there is a script which says, “Capernaum, the Town of Jesus”. In Capernaum Jesus taught about the Eucharist and for this reason we read from the Gospel of John 6: 67-71. Another thing of interest was the “insula”. Between the house of St. Peter and the Synagogue, there are many houses. It has been

estimated that more than 200 different people were living there in that small compound. It shows that there was the sense of community life.

Our journey continued and we went to visit the Mount of Beatitudes. We went directly to the church and remained there for a few minutes of personal prayer before exploring the compound which was very beautiful and green. We were also able to get another magnificent view of the Sea of Galilee.

At last we moved on to Nazareth, the home town of the parents of Jesus. On our way we recited our evening prayer and we prayed the rosary. We arrived at the house of the Salesian Sisters where we celebrated mass in their beautiful chapel. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Eric Wyckoff, assisted by Deacon Pedro. It was a wonderful experience to have the Eucharistic Celebration in the home town of Jesus. We then spent the night there.

The following morning we went to Mt. Tabor. It was a very wonderful and spiritually enriching experience crossing through the beautiful plains of Nazareth to reach Mt. Tabor. This Mount is the place of perfect revelation and the place of the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus. We had an inspiring celebration of Mass in the chapel of Moses where we were able to experience some of what it felt like to be with Jesus and to feel how wonderful it must have been to stay with Him. Our next visit was the Holy Basilica of the Annunciation of Mary and the house of the Holy Family, the place of the

great mystery of the Word made Flesh and the mystery of our salvation.

We returned to the Salesian Sisters (FMA) where we had lunch. Their hospitality was wonderful. We very much appreciated the generosity of the sisters and their welcoming spirit.

Our journey continued as we proceeded to a place called Zippori. There we visited the remains of another magnificent city. In this place we viewed a system of streets, public buildings, dwellings, a theater, a synagogue, a gigantic water reservoir and much more. Here we were able to appreciate the beautiful mosaics used to decorate the floors. This ancient art communicates how active and alive the people were. It is incredible to see such art that was done hundreds of years ago and still looks as fresh today as it must have been then. Here in this place we understood from its remains that everything was very well organized and well structured. It was amazing to see the water reservoir and it was hard to believe that it had been done with the power of human hands with little advanced technology. It was dug very deep and we were able to walk about several kilometers inside it.

Finally, back home (13 October, 2013), we recognized that we have been very privileged to see and experience exactly where Jesus was teaching, walking and performing miracles and to hear the word of God in each of the places that we visited. This fantastic trip has great value in our lives and everyone on the trip treasured it. We thanked Fr. Vernet and all who were instrumental in arranging the trip, for giving us so many insights into these historical places with their biblical connections.

WADIMURABBA'AT CAVES AND THE QUMRAN

Report by: Gustavo Ramirez, SDB

07 November, 2013. On the road again! The awaited Thursday is here and we are ready to go. Where to this time? WadiMurabba'at caves and Qumran. We began our trip towards these two places in a kind of quiet mood, expectant of the spectacle of views we were promised to see. The Murabba'at caves are situated 18 kilometers from Qumran, also in the northern Judean desert near the shores of the Dead Sea. We started our ascent toward the caves and just half way up we made our first stop. This was only a preview of how the Dead Sea serves as a backdrop to these amazing desert mountains. We continued and finally arrived at the top of the hill; there we started the walk down toward the caves. It was here in these caves that Jewish fighters

hid out during the Bar Kochba revolt, leaving behind documents that include some letters signed by Simon Bar Kochba.

We started the descent of two hundred meters to find the caves situated side by side. Another wonder of nature and rightly so, a perfect hiding place, we walked into one of the caves to inspect its depth, although there are no writings on the walls or any sign of recent use, we learned that remains were discovered that reflected habitation, usually temporary, in the Chalcolithic Period, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman era.

We continued our journey towards the bottom of the

canyon and found a place where we sat to reflect on the significance of these places to our faith. This was my favorite part of this stop, silence-time! We were instructed to be quiet and still for some time to allow the silence to talk to us and to take in the experience of being there. After this we headed back for the ascent to the top of the hill where the bus awaited to take us to our next destination, Qumran. After a short 18 kilometer drive we arrived at Qumran. As it was getting late, we stopped to enjoy a de l ic ious lunch in an environment of community and camaraderie.

|13|12

Finally, we began our tour of Qumran, starting with a short video that showed the way the inhabitants of this place lived. It gave us a glance of their customs and their rituals, which led to the showing of the great discovery done in 1947 “the famous Dead sea Scrolls”. These scrolls, hidden in jars for nearly two thousand years and preserved as a result of the area's climate, included books of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha and the sect's own works. Following the video we explored the site looking at the aqueduct, the tower, and the many purification baths, ending with a quick look at the cemetery. The sites of Qumran and the Murabba'at caves once again prove to us, the importance of the early civilizations, the perfection of God's creation and the incredible connection we have with these ancient civilizations.

money can be a means to satisfy physical needs, no amount of money can satisfy the psychological needs for safety, acceptance, effectiveness and self-actualization. These can be met only in and through others. Hence there is the need for education to socialization and genuine concern and compassion for others.

Pastoral leadership requires growing into Jesus and modeling our lives after him. The hymn of St. Francis of Assisi which says: “O Master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love

SEMINARS & LECTURESSeminars, Conferences and Lectures from distinguished personalities complement the holistic education aimed at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS). At the beginning of the present academic year (2013-2014) the STS organized and held an international conference on pastoral leadership.

CONFERENCE ON PASTORAL LEADERSHIP: PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND DEFICITS

Report by: Carmel Myrthong, SDB

25 September, 2013. The Academic community of Studium Theologicum Salesianum was enthralled by an insightful conference on “Pastoral Leadership: Psychological Dimensions of Growth and Deficits” by Rev. Fr. George Palamattathil, PhD Clinical Psychology, University of San Francisco, USA; Director, Siloam Transformational Leadership Resource Centre, India.

Beginning with examples of the leadership of Jesus, John the Baptist, Benedict XVI, Francis, Maxwell and others, Fr. George weaved a colorful insight into servant leadership that is so needed in Pastoral work.

The talk focused on the psychological dimensions of growth in leadership that stem from having adequately met the hierarchy of needs as proposed by Maslow. The shadows or dark side of leadership was shown to be linked to the deficits in the need satisfaction in the various phases of growth.

Deep insights into the role of the family, community, socializing etc., in order for the psychological needs to be met drew much attention from the audience. While

with all my soul” summarizes servant leadership that Jesus lived. Every pastor has to imitate the servant

|15|14

Finally, we began our tour of Qumran, starting with a short video that showed the way the inhabitants of this place lived. It gave us a glance of their customs and their rituals, which led to the showing of the great discovery done in 1947 “the famous Dead sea Scrolls”. These scrolls, hidden in jars for nearly two thousand years and preserved as a result of the area's climate, included books of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha and the sect's own works. Following the video we explored the site looking at the aqueduct, the tower, and the many purification baths, ending with a quick look at the cemetery. The sites of Qumran and the Murabba'at caves once again prove to us, the importance of the early civilizations, the perfection of God's creation and the incredible connection we have with these ancient civilizations.

money can be a means to satisfy physical needs, no amount of money can satisfy the psychological needs for safety, acceptance, effectiveness and self-actualization. These can be met only in and through others. Hence there is the need for education to socialization and genuine concern and compassion for others.

Pastoral leadership requires growing into Jesus and modeling our lives after him. The hymn of St. Francis of Assisi which says: “O Master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love

SEMINARS & LECTURESSeminars, Conferences and Lectures from distinguished personalities complement the holistic education aimed at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS). At the beginning of the present academic year (2013-2014) the STS organized and held an international conference on pastoral leadership.

CONFERENCE ON PASTORAL LEADERSHIP: PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF GROWTH AND DEFICITS

Report by: Carmel Myrthong, SDB

25 September, 2013. The Academic community of Studium Theologicum Salesianum was enthralled by an insightful conference on “Pastoral Leadership: Psychological Dimensions of Growth and Deficits” by Rev. Fr. George Palamattathil, PhD Clinical Psychology, University of San Francisco, USA; Director, Siloam Transformational Leadership Resource Centre, India.

Beginning with examples of the leadership of Jesus, John the Baptist, Benedict XVI, Francis, Maxwell and others, Fr. George weaved a colorful insight into servant leadership that is so needed in Pastoral work.

The talk focused on the psychological dimensions of growth in leadership that stem from having adequately met the hierarchy of needs as proposed by Maslow. The shadows or dark side of leadership was shown to be linked to the deficits in the need satisfaction in the various phases of growth.

Deep insights into the role of the family, community, socializing etc., in order for the psychological needs to be met drew much attention from the audience. While

with all my soul” summarizes servant leadership that Jesus lived. Every pastor has to imitate the servant

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LECTURE SERIES ON ISLAM

The STS is an academic institution interested in and committed to engaging in interreligious dialogue (especially with Judaism and Islam) as well as in ecumenical dialogue with the Eastern Christian Churches. Besides that which is contemplated in the curriculum, the STS has initiated extracurricular seminars and lectures that will not only augment our knowledge of other religions and churches, but provide us with a taste of real and practical dialogue. This is so, for the fact that we are situated in Jerusalem and have the privilege to invite people who have experience on these matters and who are members of those religions or churches. At times we are also able to visit them and to pray with them.

This year, 2013-2014, our lecture series is focused on Islam. The inauguration of the series was held on November 20, 2013.

CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE

Report by: Cletus Atindaana, M.Afr.

November 20, 2013. The STS began its “Islam Focus lectures” for the 2013/2014 academic year with the first in the series taking the general title “Christian-Muslim Dialogue”. His Grace, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, M. Afr., former Vatican Nuncio to the Arab League and Egypt, and former President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious dialogue delivered the address in the Don Bosco Hall, STS. He is one of the Church's leading experts in the field of Inter-religious Dialogue especially in the field of Christian Muslim Dialogue.

His Grace Archbishop Fitzgerald, having thoroughly schooled his audience on the general history of the development of Interreligious Dialogue as a whole in the Church, zeroed in on recognizing and developing the spiritual bonds between Muslims and Christians.

First of all, he underlined some common core values, or rather, the meeting points between Christianity and Islam. These included the strong witness of the transcendence of God deeply rooted in the doctrines of both religions, the solemn worship rendered to the divine, and the solid sense of community and fraternity upheld in both religions, to name a few. These core values religiously pursued in both religions indicate unmistakably that the Muslims and the Christians are in deep search for a realization of their common human destiny which undoubtedly is the attainment of eternal life in God. These core values forming then, the substance of the Christian and Muslim life, provide fertile grounds for fruitful dialogue between the two religions.

His Grace Archbishop Michael went on to outline some important Christian prejudices about Islam and vice versa. These include the preconception of some Christians that Islam is fatalistic, fanatical, legalistic and violent. On the other side of the spectrum, some Muslims despise Christianity as a falsified religion that stands in the way of the Truth. These prejudices, his Grace contends, transpose into serious obstacles to effective Christian-Muslim Dialogue. He identified some of the major obstacles to dialogue: defensive attitudes on the part of the partners of dialogue, fear and suspicion, and reminiscence of past wounds such as slavery and colonialism. In order to overcome these impediments to successful dialogue, his Grace re-iterated the Church's commitment to perseverance in courage and hope since her decision to enter into dialogue with Islam and the other religions pronounced over the years has assumed an irreversible character.

Citing and explaining the multiple, brave, tactical and relentless efforts that the Church's leadership invests in Interreligious Dialogue, the speaker allowed the audience to grasp sufficient understanding regarding the successes experienced so far as well as the failures suffered by mother Church in her maternal persistent attempts to reach out to the other on the religious divide.

The former Nuncio spent time taking his audience through the different forms of dialogue that are involved in the dialoguing act. These include the dialogues of life, of religious experience, of action and of discourse. Altogether, they have the net effect of promoting common human values, be they religious or social.

The lecture ended with the answering of a series of questions seeking further explanations and clarifications mainly sensitive to doctrinal issues peculiar to Islam. The next lecture will be a follow-up to this first one. It will be focused on the Qur'an, the Holy book of Islam.

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LECTURE SERIES ON ISLAM

The STS is an academic institution interested in and committed to engaging in interreligious dialogue (especially with Judaism and Islam) as well as in ecumenical dialogue with the Eastern Christian Churches. Besides that which is contemplated in the curriculum, the STS has initiated extracurricular seminars and lectures that will not only augment our knowledge of other religions and churches, but provide us with a taste of real and practical dialogue. This is so, for the fact that we are situated in Jerusalem and have the privilege to invite people who have experience on these matters and who are members of those religions or churches. At times we are also able to visit them and to pray with them.

This year, 2013-2014, our lecture series is focused on Islam. The inauguration of the series was held on November 20, 2013.

CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE

Report by: Cletus Atindaana, M.Afr.

November 20, 2013. The STS began its “Islam Focus lectures” for the 2013/2014 academic year with the first in the series taking the general title “Christian-Muslim Dialogue”. His Grace, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, M. Afr., former Vatican Nuncio to the Arab League and Egypt, and former President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious dialogue delivered the address in the Don Bosco Hall, STS. He is one of the Church's leading experts in the field of Inter-religious Dialogue especially in the field of Christian Muslim Dialogue.

His Grace Archbishop Fitzgerald, having thoroughly schooled his audience on the general history of the development of Interreligious Dialogue as a whole in the Church, zeroed in on recognizing and developing the spiritual bonds between Muslims and Christians.

First of all, he underlined some common core values, or rather, the meeting points between Christianity and Islam. These included the strong witness of the transcendence of God deeply rooted in the doctrines of both religions, the solemn worship rendered to the divine, and the solid sense of community and fraternity upheld in both religions, to name a few. These core values religiously pursued in both religions indicate unmistakably that the Muslims and the Christians are in deep search for a realization of their common human destiny which undoubtedly is the attainment of eternal life in God. These core values forming then, the substance of the Christian and Muslim life, provide fertile grounds for fruitful dialogue between the two religions.

His Grace Archbishop Michael went on to outline some important Christian prejudices about Islam and vice versa. These include the preconception of some Christians that Islam is fatalistic, fanatical, legalistic and violent. On the other side of the spectrum, some Muslims despise Christianity as a falsified religion that stands in the way of the Truth. These prejudices, his Grace contends, transpose into serious obstacles to effective Christian-Muslim Dialogue. He identified some of the major obstacles to dialogue: defensive attitudes on the part of the partners of dialogue, fear and suspicion, and reminiscence of past wounds such as slavery and colonialism. In order to overcome these impediments to successful dialogue, his Grace re-iterated the Church's commitment to perseverance in courage and hope since her decision to enter into dialogue with Islam and the other religions pronounced over the years has assumed an irreversible character.

Citing and explaining the multiple, brave, tactical and relentless efforts that the Church's leadership invests in Interreligious Dialogue, the speaker allowed the audience to grasp sufficient understanding regarding the successes experienced so far as well as the failures suffered by mother Church in her maternal persistent attempts to reach out to the other on the religious divide.

The former Nuncio spent time taking his audience through the different forms of dialogue that are involved in the dialoguing act. These include the dialogues of life, of religious experience, of action and of discourse. Altogether, they have the net effect of promoting common human values, be they religious or social.

The lecture ended with the answering of a series of questions seeking further explanations and clarifications mainly sensitive to doctrinal issues peculiar to Islam. The next lecture will be a follow-up to this first one. It will be focused on the Qur'an, the Holy book of Islam.

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BOOK PRESENTATIONSThe STS has been holding, for three years now, lectures and book presentations by its students. In this academic year, as of now, we have had three presentations. Two lectures were on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a choice made in order to embrace the Church's call to celebrate the year of faith, get more acquainted with our Faith and live it with a renewed enthusiasm. In effect Deacon Rooney, gave a lecture on the general view of the CCC as well as some tips on how to make the best use of it. Bro James presented part III of the CCC - life in Christ. The third book presentation was on the Interior Castle of St Teresa of Avila, presented by Deacon Pedro (see the respective reports below).

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Report by: Paul Phuoc Trong Chu, SDB

9 October, 2013. In a crowded room of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS), people anxiously waited for the beginning of the first talk in the context of the upcoming conclusion of the Year of Faith. Phat Tran Ngoc, the Master of Ceremonies introduced the speaker Deacon Rooney Undar, sdb. The Deacon introduced the audience consisting of the STS students and professors to the importance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) “an authentic fruit of the Second Vatican Council.”

He then exhorted the audience that it is our duty as Catholic Christians to pass on the faith by the use of the CCC. We must make this “deposit of faith” accessible to the ordinary people and our evangelization must be adaptable to the current cultural context. The CCC was written to allow the faithful to deepen their understanding of their faith while enabling them to share it with non-baptized and uninitiated.

The speaker proceeded to show the attentive audience the structure of the CCC. He explained that the CCC is organized in a pedagogical manner. The Creed, Code, and Cult of the Catholic Church are detailed in 5 themes: the Profession of Faith, the Celebration of the Christian Mystery, Life in Christ and Christian Prayer. To be “up close and personal” with these 5 themes, the Deacon gave us 5 simple pedagogical steps:

1. KNOW: We must know the content of the book through disciplined reading. Rhetorically the Deacon asked, “How often do we waste time reading unnecessary fiction?”

2. TRUST: We must trust that the CCC is the authentic teaching of Jesus Christ as handed on to the Church. To distrust the CCC is “to play into the hand of the Devil,” said the Deacon.

3. SHARE: After absorbing the knowledge and understanding of our faith in the CCC, we must share it with others.

4. LIVE: Knowledge alone is not sufficient. With the grace of Christ, the CCC is intended to help us in the practice of Christian virtues.

5. ADAPT: We must adapt the content and teachings of the CCC to our own needs and that of society, so to “save the soul of society,” says the Deacon.

Commenting on the CCC, Deacon Rooney said, “the Catechism is [made] for the catechumen but is a reference book for us Catholics because we should know it already.” Since the CCC is intended to be a reference book, it is neither easy nor appropriate to read it through like a novel. However, it gives us a good framework for catechesis. A catechist does not necessarily teach directly from the CCC, but he or she must refer to it to ensure coherence with the sound teachings of the Magisterium. Furthermore, catechists are called to be creative in adapting the understanding of the faith to the age level and social context of their learners.

After the presentation, Deacon Rooney took questions from the audience. A member of the audience asked, “How do you respond to sola fide?” The Deacon

LIFE IN CHRIST: On the Catechism of the Catholic Church - Part III

Report by: Venant Da Cruz, SDB

13 November, 2013. On Wednesday, members of the STS held the second lecture on The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), by Bro. James Raja Samynathan. His presentation was based on Part Three of the CCC: Life in Christ. Bro. Carmel Myrthong, the master of ceremonies, invited Fr. Stephen to lead the opening prayer and then introduced the speaker of the day.

responded concisely, “…by your example of a Christian life.” An interesting discussion ensued on whether the Catechism of the Catholic Church replaces the need to study theology. The limited time did not permit a longer discussion so it was concluded with the reemphasis that the CCC is a reference book that assimilates the theology of many centuries and gives rise to further reflection on the truths of faith proceeding from the Word of God.

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BOOK PRESENTATIONSThe STS has been holding, for three years now, lectures and book presentations by its students. In this academic year, as of now, we have had three presentations. Two lectures were on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a choice made in order to embrace the Church's call to celebrate the year of faith, get more acquainted with our Faith and live it with a renewed enthusiasm. In effect Deacon Rooney, gave a lecture on the general view of the CCC as well as some tips on how to make the best use of it. Bro James presented part III of the CCC - life in Christ. The third book presentation was on the Interior Castle of St Teresa of Avila, presented by Deacon Pedro (see the respective reports below).

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Report by: Paul Phuoc Trong Chu, SDB

9 October, 2013. In a crowded room of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS), people anxiously waited for the beginning of the first talk in the context of the upcoming conclusion of the Year of Faith. Phat Tran Ngoc, the Master of Ceremonies introduced the speaker Deacon Rooney Undar, sdb. The Deacon introduced the audience consisting of the STS students and professors to the importance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) “an authentic fruit of the Second Vatican Council.”

He then exhorted the audience that it is our duty as Catholic Christians to pass on the faith by the use of the CCC. We must make this “deposit of faith” accessible to the ordinary people and our evangelization must be adaptable to the current cultural context. The CCC was written to allow the faithful to deepen their understanding of their faith while enabling them to share it with non-baptized and uninitiated.

The speaker proceeded to show the attentive audience the structure of the CCC. He explained that the CCC is organized in a pedagogical manner. The Creed, Code, and Cult of the Catholic Church are detailed in 5 themes: the Profession of Faith, the Celebration of the Christian Mystery, Life in Christ and Christian Prayer. To be “up close and personal” with these 5 themes, the Deacon gave us 5 simple pedagogical steps:

1. KNOW: We must know the content of the book through disciplined reading. Rhetorically the Deacon asked, “How often do we waste time reading unnecessary fiction?”

2. TRUST: We must trust that the CCC is the authentic teaching of Jesus Christ as handed on to the Church. To distrust the CCC is “to play into the hand of the Devil,” said the Deacon.

3. SHARE: After absorbing the knowledge and understanding of our faith in the CCC, we must share it with others.

4. LIVE: Knowledge alone is not sufficient. With the grace of Christ, the CCC is intended to help us in the practice of Christian virtues.

5. ADAPT: We must adapt the content and teachings of the CCC to our own needs and that of society, so to “save the soul of society,” says the Deacon.

Commenting on the CCC, Deacon Rooney said, “the Catechism is [made] for the catechumen but is a reference book for us Catholics because we should know it already.” Since the CCC is intended to be a reference book, it is neither easy nor appropriate to read it through like a novel. However, it gives us a good framework for catechesis. A catechist does not necessarily teach directly from the CCC, but he or she must refer to it to ensure coherence with the sound teachings of the Magisterium. Furthermore, catechists are called to be creative in adapting the understanding of the faith to the age level and social context of their learners.

After the presentation, Deacon Rooney took questions from the audience. A member of the audience asked, “How do you respond to sola fide?” The Deacon

LIFE IN CHRIST: On the Catechism of the Catholic Church - Part III

Report by: Venant Da Cruz, SDB

13 November, 2013. On Wednesday, members of the STS held the second lecture on The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), by Bro. James Raja Samynathan. His presentation was based on Part Three of the CCC: Life in Christ. Bro. Carmel Myrthong, the master of ceremonies, invited Fr. Stephen to lead the opening prayer and then introduced the speaker of the day.

responded concisely, “…by your example of a Christian life.” An interesting discussion ensued on whether the Catechism of the Catholic Church replaces the need to study theology. The limited time did not permit a longer discussion so it was concluded with the reemphasis that the CCC is a reference book that assimilates the theology of many centuries and gives rise to further reflection on the truths of faith proceeding from the Word of God.

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Bro James explained that the third part of the Catechism deals with our Life in Christ; the final end of man created in the image of God, and the ways of reaching that end. The lecturer described these ways as including right conduct freely chosen, morality, virtues, laws, and the beatitudes, with the help of God's law and grace (Section One). He continued that we strive for life in Christ through our conduct that fulfills the twofold commandment of charity and the mandates specified in God's Ten Commandments (Section Two). Bro James focused primarily on section one, Man's vocation: life in the Spirit. He stated that Life in the Holy Spirit fulfills the vocation of man. He divided this section into three parts.

1. The dignity of the human person. Bro. James explained that the Divine Image is present in every man. The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God. It is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment. By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or

does not, conform to the good promised by God and attested to by moral conscience. Reason helps man to recognize the voice of God and to act well.

2. The Human community. “Person and society is inseparable. Living in society is a requirement for the human person. In society, he develops his potential through mutual exchange in service of others“, says Bro. James. God calls us to show forth His image is both personal (to the individual) and global (to the human community) outcome. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love of God.

3. God, Salvation: law and grace. Man is called to beatitude but is wounded by sin. Man is in need of salvation from God. Divine help comes to man in Christ through laws that guide him and the grace that sustains him. Bro, James explained, our responsibility is to cooperate with the grace freely given to us by the most merciful God. From the Church we receive the grace of the sacraments that sustains us on the "way." The Catholic Church

teaching describes the path to the kingdom which we must walk each day. “All the faithful should have an attitude of filial love for the Church, their Mother and Teacher, and also be in union with the Church in making decisions,” says Bro. James.

After the presentation, there was time for the audience to ask questions, to clarify or to contribute with ideas.

As a conclusion, Bro James asked the audience, “Do you believe that our life is in Christ? Do you agree that our vocation is in the Spirit? If you say yes, let us offer our life to Him, to be in union with the spirit always, (all of us). CCC puts Christ in the center of all sreation. Christ is our model, we are all called to imitate Him by reading and understanding the CCC.

THE INTERIOR CASTLE: A Presentation on the Book by St. Teresa of Avila

Report by: James Raj Samynathan, SDB

16 October 2013. The second book presentation at the STS began invoking God's blessings with a short prayer and a hymn. Bro. Hurtado Manuel, sdb, the master of ceremonies, introduced the speaker of the day, Deacon Sachitula Pedro, sdb.

Deacon Pedro explained that Life is a gift from God. The lives of others teach us abundant things in our own lives. Therefore, the life of St. Teresa of Avila was unfolded to us by Deacon Sachitula. He stated, “It is important to understand what is essential in life, especially the Spiritual Life.”

The presentation of the book entitled The Interior Castle, by St.Teresa of Ávila captured everyone's attention, providing ways to appreciate the life of St. Teresa and our potential to imitate her steadfast faith in God. Deacon

Pedro's presentation evidenced the great esteem he has for this saint. Indeed, the book presentation was directed at waking up the best energies placed by God in the heart of every participant.

In his presentation, Deacon Pedro pointed out that the Interior Castle has prayer as its center. Prayer is understood as a living relationship with God. In her book St. Teresa explains this relationship by using the analogy of 7 mansions. She wrote the Interior Castle

as a spiritual guide to union with God. She interpreted the vision she was given as an allegory for the soul's relationship with God. Each mansion represents one place or stage on a path towards the "spiritual marriage” with God that happens in the seventh mansion.

In the first three Mansions there are rooms where the beginners learn to bring their life into conformity with

God. This preparation is the prelude to the mystical journey. The last four stages of prayer, or mansions, represent the various degrees of mystical prayer.

The First Mansion:

The first Mansion contains two chapters and gives a description of the Castle as well as of the Human soul. Our soul is to be like a castle made entirely out of a diamond or of very clear crystal in which there are many rooms. The "rooms" in the interior of the castle are ways of living in relation to the God who made us and seeks us. The soul has the desire for perfection but it is immersed in the preoccupation of this world. It must flee from the world and search for solitude.

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Bro James explained that the third part of the Catechism deals with our Life in Christ; the final end of man created in the image of God, and the ways of reaching that end. The lecturer described these ways as including right conduct freely chosen, morality, virtues, laws, and the beatitudes, with the help of God's law and grace (Section One). He continued that we strive for life in Christ through our conduct that fulfills the twofold commandment of charity and the mandates specified in God's Ten Commandments (Section Two). Bro James focused primarily on section one, Man's vocation: life in the Spirit. He stated that Life in the Holy Spirit fulfills the vocation of man. He divided this section into three parts.

1. The dignity of the human person. Bro. James explained that the Divine Image is present in every man. The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God. It is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment. By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or

does not, conform to the good promised by God and attested to by moral conscience. Reason helps man to recognize the voice of God and to act well.

2. The Human community. “Person and society is inseparable. Living in society is a requirement for the human person. In society, he develops his potential through mutual exchange in service of others“, says Bro. James. God calls us to show forth His image is both personal (to the individual) and global (to the human community) outcome. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love of God.

3. God, Salvation: law and grace. Man is called to beatitude but is wounded by sin. Man is in need of salvation from God. Divine help comes to man in Christ through laws that guide him and the grace that sustains him. Bro, James explained, our responsibility is to cooperate with the grace freely given to us by the most merciful God. From the Church we receive the grace of the sacraments that sustains us on the "way." The Catholic Church

teaching describes the path to the kingdom which we must walk each day. “All the faithful should have an attitude of filial love for the Church, their Mother and Teacher, and also be in union with the Church in making decisions,” says Bro. James.

After the presentation, there was time for the audience to ask questions, to clarify or to contribute with ideas.

As a conclusion, Bro James asked the audience, “Do you believe that our life is in Christ? Do you agree that our vocation is in the Spirit? If you say yes, let us offer our life to Him, to be in union with the spirit always, (all of us). CCC puts Christ in the center of all sreation. Christ is our model, we are all called to imitate Him by reading and understanding the CCC.

THE INTERIOR CASTLE: A Presentation on the Book by St. Teresa of Avila

Report by: James Raj Samynathan, SDB

16 October 2013. The second book presentation at the STS began invoking God's blessings with a short prayer and a hymn. Bro. Hurtado Manuel, sdb, the master of ceremonies, introduced the speaker of the day, Deacon Sachitula Pedro, sdb.

Deacon Pedro explained that Life is a gift from God. The lives of others teach us abundant things in our own lives. Therefore, the life of St. Teresa of Avila was unfolded to us by Deacon Sachitula. He stated, “It is important to understand what is essential in life, especially the Spiritual Life.”

The presentation of the book entitled The Interior Castle, by St.Teresa of Ávila captured everyone's attention, providing ways to appreciate the life of St. Teresa and our potential to imitate her steadfast faith in God. Deacon

Pedro's presentation evidenced the great esteem he has for this saint. Indeed, the book presentation was directed at waking up the best energies placed by God in the heart of every participant.

In his presentation, Deacon Pedro pointed out that the Interior Castle has prayer as its center. Prayer is understood as a living relationship with God. In her book St. Teresa explains this relationship by using the analogy of 7 mansions. She wrote the Interior Castle

as a spiritual guide to union with God. She interpreted the vision she was given as an allegory for the soul's relationship with God. Each mansion represents one place or stage on a path towards the "spiritual marriage” with God that happens in the seventh mansion.

In the first three Mansions there are rooms where the beginners learn to bring their life into conformity with

God. This preparation is the prelude to the mystical journey. The last four stages of prayer, or mansions, represent the various degrees of mystical prayer.

The First Mansion:

The first Mansion contains two chapters and gives a description of the Castle as well as of the Human soul. Our soul is to be like a castle made entirely out of a diamond or of very clear crystal in which there are many rooms. The "rooms" in the interior of the castle are ways of living in relation to the God who made us and seeks us. The soul has the desire for perfection but it is immersed in the preoccupation of this world. It must flee from the world and search for solitude.

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The Second mansion:

In this mansion, the soul faces incessant trials. The trial is conceived as a sign of war between the soul and the venomous creatures. Practice of prayer, along with certain mortifications, helps to attain the power of resistance. Following are the approaches to win the war; listen to God, develop spiritual habits, rely on your faculties, consult spiritual guides and maintain a fixed determination.

The Third mansion:

We come into the third mansion with a lack of vision and an inability to experience the force of love. Therefore we encounter an emphasis on the need for humility and obedience to practice the virtues and to fear God.

The Fourth mansion:

The significance of the virtue of quietness is experienced through Divine Consolation in the fourth mansion. The encounter with God is achieved by detaching oneself from the world and entirely depending on God.

The Fifth mansion:

In the fifth mansion we experience the prayer of union, wherein God is portrayed as the cocoon. Within his protective care he forms the caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

The Sixth mansion:

We gain a deep mystical experience in the sixth mansion where the bride and Groom meet one another.

The Seventh mansion:

This is the room of God himself, the mansion of the King; the room of spiritual marriage. In this mansion the human soul is blended with God and it can never be separated.

The journey of the soul is an interior one. It can go through numerous difficulties and temptations in the form of snakes, venomous reptiles and the worries of the world. The saint comes out with various grades of prayer, and the power of this prayer enlightens the soul to have a very deep relationship with God.

Deacon Pedro strongly emphasized our own need for prayer as the paramount feature in religious life. In addition, he recommended for everyone to read this book at least once. Student participants had their reflective questions clarified and the active participation in the discussion contributed to their insights as well.

CREATIVE CORNER!Many students and faculty who come to the STS either bring with them, or discover while they are here, a creative side of their personalities we appreciate and consider important to share with others. The writing of articles, composing of music, writing of poems, drawing and other talents are encouraged. A few of these offers are included

THE MINISTRY OF DYING

By: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Silent river gnawing at bay,my neighbor a couple years older drowned days before New Year.I am 7 or 8 years oldBurying my face in my father's lapbut curiosity forces me to look, and to look at the body:Hair perfectly combed, nails clipped,Body washed & swathed in white cloth strewn with flowers.Incense sending smoke signals for hours,Prayers, chanting with chimes and bells.Funeral procession deafening sounds of weeping, wailing, sobbing and screaming.The scene was mesmerizing. How does one comfort a parent?

Decades later, a seminarian in practical training,twelve funerals attended. One at a nursing home.I helped the undertaker lift a body Out of bed, the mouth was wide open. I know it wasn't proper to ask, but I was curious. “How do you keep the mouth closed?' “A curved needle with a suture string threaded through gum and nostrils.”I remember approaching the coffin days laterIn cleansed and sanitized room. Children in dark suits like miniature adults,quietly sitting and chatting. The eulogies moving and emotional,But then registering something odd, I wonder: how many have washed & carried the body of a parent or a child? What does the weight feel like?If anything, will they be haunted by this funeral?

RED SUN DESCENDS

By: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Oh, weathered souls arise from your idle slumber and stand by the sea. There are waves upon waves crashingin and out of the shore. When evening draws near,Watch as the red sun descends.It is enough to fill a man's heart.There is a man with mournful eyesstanding at the foot of Mount Olivesseeing the moon in the sky and the trickling stream below.He love too much too fast.He catches the moon too soon.Oh how completely alone he isin this beautiful night daylight fades and he lets go of this world.

Though in prayers our souls are swayed by passionsloneliness is more desolating.But don't be discouraged when you can't see anything clearly.While your eyes are blurred with tearsjust remember,for a blind man the night has no end.

“Take heart, it is I; have no fear,” [1]

So come, let us strengthen the bonds of our hearts.Spend our lives to make others smileand sharing each other's pain.Though we have nothing in our pocketsa thousand years from now,we will be remembered even in death.

[1] Mark 6:50

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The Second mansion:

In this mansion, the soul faces incessant trials. The trial is conceived as a sign of war between the soul and the venomous creatures. Practice of prayer, along with certain mortifications, helps to attain the power of resistance. Following are the approaches to win the war; listen to God, develop spiritual habits, rely on your faculties, consult spiritual guides and maintain a fixed determination.

The Third mansion:

We come into the third mansion with a lack of vision and an inability to experience the force of love. Therefore we encounter an emphasis on the need for humility and obedience to practice the virtues and to fear God.

The Fourth mansion:

The significance of the virtue of quietness is experienced through Divine Consolation in the fourth mansion. The encounter with God is achieved by detaching oneself from the world and entirely depending on God.

The Fifth mansion:

In the fifth mansion we experience the prayer of union, wherein God is portrayed as the cocoon. Within his protective care he forms the caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

The Sixth mansion:

We gain a deep mystical experience in the sixth mansion where the bride and Groom meet one another.

The Seventh mansion:

This is the room of God himself, the mansion of the King; the room of spiritual marriage. In this mansion the human soul is blended with God and it can never be separated.

The journey of the soul is an interior one. It can go through numerous difficulties and temptations in the form of snakes, venomous reptiles and the worries of the world. The saint comes out with various grades of prayer, and the power of this prayer enlightens the soul to have a very deep relationship with God.

Deacon Pedro strongly emphasized our own need for prayer as the paramount feature in religious life. In addition, he recommended for everyone to read this book at least once. Student participants had their reflective questions clarified and the active participation in the discussion contributed to their insights as well.

CREATIVE CORNER!Many students and faculty who come to the STS either bring with them, or discover while they are here, a creative side of their personalities we appreciate and consider important to share with others. The writing of articles, composing of music, writing of poems, drawing and other talents are encouraged. A few of these offers are included

THE MINISTRY OF DYING

By: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Silent river gnawing at bay,my neighbor a couple years older drowned days before New Year.I am 7 or 8 years oldBurying my face in my father's lapbut curiosity forces me to look, and to look at the body:Hair perfectly combed, nails clipped,Body washed & swathed in white cloth strewn with flowers.Incense sending smoke signals for hours,Prayers, chanting with chimes and bells.Funeral procession deafening sounds of weeping, wailing, sobbing and screaming.The scene was mesmerizing. How does one comfort a parent?

Decades later, a seminarian in practical training,twelve funerals attended. One at a nursing home.I helped the undertaker lift a body Out of bed, the mouth was wide open. I know it wasn't proper to ask, but I was curious. “How do you keep the mouth closed?' “A curved needle with a suture string threaded through gum and nostrils.”I remember approaching the coffin days laterIn cleansed and sanitized room. Children in dark suits like miniature adults,quietly sitting and chatting. The eulogies moving and emotional,But then registering something odd, I wonder: how many have washed & carried the body of a parent or a child? What does the weight feel like?If anything, will they be haunted by this funeral?

RED SUN DESCENDS

By: Minh Duc Dang, SDB

Oh, weathered souls arise from your idle slumber and stand by the sea. There are waves upon waves crashingin and out of the shore. When evening draws near,Watch as the red sun descends.It is enough to fill a man's heart.There is a man with mournful eyesstanding at the foot of Mount Olivesseeing the moon in the sky and the trickling stream below.He love too much too fast.He catches the moon too soon.Oh how completely alone he isin this beautiful night daylight fades and he lets go of this world.

Though in prayers our souls are swayed by passionsloneliness is more desolating.But don't be discouraged when you can't see anything clearly.While your eyes are blurred with tearsjust remember,for a blind man the night has no end.

“Take heart, it is I; have no fear,” [1]

So come, let us strengthen the bonds of our hearts.Spend our lives to make others smileand sharing each other's pain.Though we have nothing in our pocketsa thousand years from now,we will be remembered even in death.

[1] Mark 6:50

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opportunities to interact: study trips to the Kingdom of Jordan, the wonderful historical sites in Egypt, Sinai and Galilee and monthly archeological excursions. In the course of 4 years of the study of theology in Jerusalem we are able to visit all the archaeological sites in Israel-Palestine, with an expert guide of archeology, Fr. Joan Maria Vernet.

What characterizes our life of brotherhood is the living testimony to the Christian message that what unites us in brotherly love is our faith in Jesus. As the Latin saying goes: “Bonum est diffusivum sui” (goodness spreads itself out). The experience of the love of Jesus unites all of us and compels us to bring the joy of the gospel to all the persons we live with and encounter. “For the love of Christ urges us on” (2 Cor : 14). We believe that the bonds that unite us are

TOPOGRAPHICAL VISITS“I rejoiced when they said to me: 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'. And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem” (Psalm 122). With these words the ancient people of Israel expressed the joy of going back to the Holy City, after the burdensome years of the exile. With joy, we too, students of the STS, come in contact with the Holy Places that fill this city.

On a monthly basis, the first year students, guided by Rev. Fr. Leopold (Pol) Vonck M.Afr., have the chance of a half-day visit to the most important archeological and holy sites of Jerusalem.

What follow are the reports of their experiences during this first semester.

HOLY SEPULCHER BASILICA, ST. ANNE’ S & MOUNT OF OLIVES

Report by: Samynathan James Raja, SDB

A few days after our arrival in Jerusalem, we had the first topographical visit on 13 September 2013. We began with the celebration of the Mass. Our priest presiding was Rev. Fr. Biju Michael, the Principal of the STS. The Mass was in the very Tomb of Christ. We then walked to the Basilica of St. Anne, property of the Missionaries of Africa (also known as “White Fathers”). The house attached to the Basilica hosts

stronger than the barriers that can divide us. Though we come from different cultures, languages, world-vision and other differences, our experience here proves that people of different cultures and nationalities can live together in peace and harmony and work for the good of each one. It is difficult but possible. It is possible because the bond that unites is outside of us. It is in God. God alone can, will and does unite us. That is our experience. This love is capable of gradually overcoming individualism and narrow sectarian feelings that may lie in the heart of persons.

The celebration of Christmas can be an opportunity to deepen love and respect for each other. Jesus is the centre of unity. He brings and holds people together.

their formation community. A special connection is established between the STS and that community, since the students of the “White Fathers” attend their theology classes with us, at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum and Professors from St Anne teach regularly at the STS.

rdKristian Kris Laygo, sdb (3 Year Student)

“Being able to get to study at STS is a real privilege that I will forever be grateful for. As an English University it makes it much easier for me in my Theological studies. Regarding the location being in the Holy Land, not to mention being in the middle of the city of Jerusalem, is truly a blessing in as much as reading the Bible becomes more alive to see, touch, and experience vestiges of what

Jesus himself had gone through. As most would say, the privilege to study about the fifth Gospel. Culturally speaking, being in Jerusalem is very enriching, especially being able to observe and experience Jewish, Muslim, and Eastern Christian religiosity and culture.”

STUDYING THEOLOGY AT THE STSBy Fr. Stephen Kuncherakatt, SDB

The Holy See entrusted the Ratisbonne Monastery to the salesians of Don Bosco on May 1st 2004 to be a centre of Catholic presence - then as an affiliated seminary of the Salesian Pontifical University and now as the Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University. On the

st1 May 2014 we will be completing 10 years of our presence here. We are only 11km away from the birth place of Jesus, Bethlehem, and a couple of kilometers from the old city, where the church of the Holy Sepulchre is situated. The vision and mission of the Salesian Pontifical University's Faculty of Theology in Jerusalem, can be understood better in the words of Pope Francis in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, art 4:

“The books of the Old Testament predicted that the joy of salvation would abound in messianic times. The prophet Isaiah exultantly salutes the awaited Messiah: “You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy” (9:3). He exhorts those who dwell on Zion to go forth to meet him with song: “Shout aloud and sing for joy!” (12:6). The prophet tells those who have already seen him from afar to bring the message to others: “Get you up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice

with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem” (40:9). All creation shares in the joy of salvation: “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth! Break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones” (49:13). Zechariah, looking to the day of the Lord, invites the people to acclaim the king who comes “humble and riding on a donkey”:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he” (9:9).

We are preparing ourselves for the celebration of the coming of this King, Jesus, the long awaited messiah on Christmas day. Our international theological study-C e n t r e i s a m u l t i c u l t u r a l community of persons coming from over 30 countries in the world, from all continents, except from Australia. Students of this centre belong to the Salesians of Don Bosco, Missionaries of Africa, Franciscans, Fathers of Zion, Diocesans and lay people. The students belong to various liturgical rites: Latin rite and different

Catholic Oriental rites, such as the Maronite rite, Ethiopian rite, Syriac rite and Syro-Malabar rite.

The beautiful architectural structure of the Ratisbonne Monastery is the expression of the faith and joy of the Gospel, experienced by Alphonse Marie Ratisbonne on Jan 20, 1842. The awe-inspiring structure invites us to contemplate the beauty of the work of human hands in the midst of the beauty of a lovely rose garden. The beauty of architecture and of nature draws us to the contemplation of truth, which is the source of knowledge. Here is the place, where according to tradition, the prophet Isaiah made the messianic prophecy:”The virgin is with child and will bear a son and will name him Emmanuel” (Is 7: 14).

As we contemplate the Word of God in the study of the Bible and other theological treatises we are constantly invited to contemplate the tremendous mystery of God's unconditional personal love. We contemplate the mystery of God's love in our moments of study and reflection and live it as brothers. Besides the hours of lectures and personal study, we have many

|25|24

opportunities to interact: study trips to the Kingdom of Jordan, the wonderful historical sites in Egypt, Sinai and Galilee and monthly archeological excursions. In the course of 4 years of the study of theology in Jerusalem we are able to visit all the archaeological sites in Israel-Palestine, with an expert guide of archeology, Fr. Joan Maria Vernet.

What characterizes our life of brotherhood is the living testimony to the Christian message that what unites us in brotherly love is our faith in Jesus. As the Latin saying goes: “Bonum est diffusivum sui” (goodness spreads itself out). The experience of the love of Jesus unites all of us and compels us to bring the joy of the gospel to all the persons we live with and encounter. “For the love of Christ urges us on” (2 Cor : 14). We believe that the bonds that unite us are

TOPOGRAPHICAL VISITS“I rejoiced when they said to me: 'Let us go to the house of the Lord'. And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem” (Psalm 122). With these words the ancient people of Israel expressed the joy of going back to the Holy City, after the burdensome years of the exile. With joy, we too, students of the STS, come in contact with the Holy Places that fill this city.

On a monthly basis, the first year students, guided by Rev. Fr. Leopold (Pol) Vonck M.Afr., have the chance of a half-day visit to the most important archeological and holy sites of Jerusalem.

What follow are the reports of their experiences during this first semester.

HOLY SEPULCHER BASILICA, ST. ANNE’ S & MOUNT OF OLIVES

Report by: Samynathan James Raja, SDB

A few days after our arrival in Jerusalem, we had the first topographical visit on 13 September 2013. We began with the celebration of the Mass. Our priest presiding was Rev. Fr. Biju Michael, the Principal of the STS. The Mass was in the very Tomb of Christ. We then walked to the Basilica of St. Anne, property of the Missionaries of Africa (also known as “White Fathers”). The house attached to the Basilica hosts

stronger than the barriers that can divide us. Though we come from different cultures, languages, world-vision and other differences, our experience here proves that people of different cultures and nationalities can live together in peace and harmony and work for the good of each one. It is difficult but possible. It is possible because the bond that unites is outside of us. It is in God. God alone can, will and does unite us. That is our experience. This love is capable of gradually overcoming individualism and narrow sectarian feelings that may lie in the heart of persons.

The celebration of Christmas can be an opportunity to deepen love and respect for each other. Jesus is the centre of unity. He brings and holds people together.

their formation community. A special connection is established between the STS and that community, since the students of the “White Fathers” attend their theology classes with us, at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum and Professors from St Anne teach regularly at the STS.

rdKristian Kris Laygo, sdb (3 Year Student)

“Being able to get to study at STS is a real privilege that I will forever be grateful for. As an English University it makes it much easier for me in my Theological studies. Regarding the location being in the Holy Land, not to mention being in the middle of the city of Jerusalem, is truly a blessing in as much as reading the Bible becomes more alive to see, touch, and experience vestiges of what

Jesus himself had gone through. As most would say, the privilege to study about the fifth Gospel. Culturally speaking, being in Jerusalem is very enriching, especially being able to observe and experience Jewish, Muslim, and Eastern Christian religiosity and culture.”

STUDYING THEOLOGY AT THE STSBy Fr. Stephen Kuncherakatt, SDB

The Holy See entrusted the Ratisbonne Monastery to the salesians of Don Bosco on May 1st 2004 to be a centre of Catholic presence - then as an affiliated seminary of the Salesian Pontifical University and now as the Jerusalem Campus of the Faculty of Theology of the Salesian Pontifical University. On the

st1 May 2014 we will be completing 10 years of our presence here. We are only 11km away from the birth place of Jesus, Bethlehem, and a couple of kilometers from the old city, where the church of the Holy Sepulchre is situated. The vision and mission of the Salesian Pontifical University's Faculty of Theology in Jerusalem, can be understood better in the words of Pope Francis in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, art 4:

“The books of the Old Testament predicted that the joy of salvation would abound in messianic times. The prophet Isaiah exultantly salutes the awaited Messiah: “You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy” (9:3). He exhorts those who dwell on Zion to go forth to meet him with song: “Shout aloud and sing for joy!” (12:6). The prophet tells those who have already seen him from afar to bring the message to others: “Get you up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice

with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem” (40:9). All creation shares in the joy of salvation: “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth! Break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones” (49:13). Zechariah, looking to the day of the Lord, invites the people to acclaim the king who comes “humble and riding on a donkey”:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he” (9:9).

We are preparing ourselves for the celebration of the coming of this King, Jesus, the long awaited messiah on Christmas day. Our international theological study-C e n t r e i s a m u l t i c u l t u r a l community of persons coming from over 30 countries in the world, from all continents, except from Australia. Students of this centre belong to the Salesians of Don Bosco, Missionaries of Africa, Franciscans, Fathers of Zion, Diocesans and lay people. The students belong to various liturgical rites: Latin rite and different

Catholic Oriental rites, such as the Maronite rite, Ethiopian rite, Syriac rite and Syro-Malabar rite.

The beautiful architectural structure of the Ratisbonne Monastery is the expression of the faith and joy of the Gospel, experienced by Alphonse Marie Ratisbonne on Jan 20, 1842. The awe-inspiring structure invites us to contemplate the beauty of the work of human hands in the midst of the beauty of a lovely rose garden. The beauty of architecture and of nature draws us to the contemplation of truth, which is the source of knowledge. Here is the place, where according to tradition, the prophet Isaiah made the messianic prophecy:”The virgin is with child and will bear a son and will name him Emmanuel” (Is 7: 14).

As we contemplate the Word of God in the study of the Bible and other theological treatises we are constantly invited to contemplate the tremendous mystery of God's unconditional personal love. We contemplate the mystery of God's love in our moments of study and reflection and live it as brothers. Besides the hours of lectures and personal study, we have many

|25|24

Rev. Fr. Dominic Arnauld welcomed us and explained to us the history of St. Anne's Basilica, traditionally linked with the birth place of our Blessed Mother Mary.

Furthermore, it is the place where the pool of Bethesda is situated and thus where Jesus performed one of his miracles (cf. John 5). Our guide, Fr. Pol Vonck, expert in the knowledge of the topography of the Old City, gave a one-hour lecture on the history of the Holy Sepulcher Basilica (which includes Calvary) and accompanied us back to the Basilica. He explained to us in detail the history of the Basilica. We visited its many chapels, which belong to different Christian denominations. After this memorable experience each one returned to his respective community.

The second topographical visit on 19 September, 2013 was an enthralling experience for all the new students. It took us to the Mount of Olives which is the hill facing the Old City of Jerusalem from the Eastern side of Kidron Valley. Its name comes from the many olive trees that once grew on its hillside. According to Jewish tradition (based on Joel 4: 2), the Messiah was expected to appear exactly in the Kidron Valley (also known as Valley of Jehoshaphat) and judge the people. That's why the whole hillside became a huge Jewish cemetery with thousands of graves.

Many incidents of Jesus' life took place on this Mount. Today there are several churches which recall them. Our starting place was the church of the "Pater Noster", on the spot where, according to tradition, Jesus taught his disciples the “Lord's prayer”. Fr. Pol, explained to us the hallmark of this holy place. The ancient Byzantine church was built over a cave where

tradition believes Jesus used to stay with his disciples.

We then walked to other remarkable holy places located on the slope of the Mount. Namely: the Chapel of the Ascension, the church Dominus Flevit (which recalls the weeping of Jesus over the city), the Basilica of the Agony with the garden of Gethsemane and the tomb of Mary.

THE CITADELReport by: David Elweu, M.Afr.

In the third topographical visit, on November 2013, we set out to uncover the mystery of the Jerusalem Citadel. The site is also known by two other names: “Tower of David Museum” and “Museum of the history of Jerusalem.”

In his introduction, Fr. Pol explained the history of the Citadel and underlined that it is not a museum in the strict sense of the word. It is rather, he said, a collection of diagrams, models, pictograms, sounds and music, giving an overview of the history of Jerusalem through the different periods. Indeed, we literally explored 4000 years in 4 hours! The curiosity of the group was admirable; all the would-be moments of silence were filled in by questions! We were entering the tower when a question was raised about the origins of the Citadel's other name, the “Tower of David Museum”. Fr. Pol, as always, had the answer on his fingertips: the appellation dates back to the Byzantine period, when Christians believed that this Citadel was the palace of King David, and consequently named it the Tower of David. The top of the tower practically enables a complete view of Jerusalem's Old and New Cities. Fr. Pol's explanations were followed by questions on the different Churches, domes, minarets, mounts visible from that vantage point.

The entertaining view of the present-day Jerusalem prepared the group for the discovery, within the museum, of the different topographies of the City in the preceding periods, up to 2000 BCE.

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Rev. Fr. Dominic Arnauld welcomed us and explained to us the history of St. Anne's Basilica, traditionally linked with the birth place of our Blessed Mother Mary.

Furthermore, it is the place where the pool of Bethesda is situated and thus where Jesus performed one of his miracles (cf. John 5). Our guide, Fr. Pol Vonck, expert in the knowledge of the topography of the Old City, gave a one-hour lecture on the history of the Holy Sepulcher Basilica (which includes Calvary) and accompanied us back to the Basilica. He explained to us in detail the history of the Basilica. We visited its many chapels, which belong to different Christian denominations. After this memorable experience each one returned to his respective community.

The second topographical visit on 19 September, 2013 was an enthralling experience for all the new students. It took us to the Mount of Olives which is the hill facing the Old City of Jerusalem from the Eastern side of Kidron Valley. Its name comes from the many olive trees that once grew on its hillside. According to Jewish tradition (based on Joel 4: 2), the Messiah was expected to appear exactly in the Kidron Valley (also known as Valley of Jehoshaphat) and judge the people. That's why the whole hillside became a huge Jewish cemetery with thousands of graves.

Many incidents of Jesus' life took place on this Mount. Today there are several churches which recall them. Our starting place was the church of the "Pater Noster", on the spot where, according to tradition, Jesus taught his disciples the “Lord's prayer”. Fr. Pol, explained to us the hallmark of this holy place. The ancient Byzantine church was built over a cave where

tradition believes Jesus used to stay with his disciples.

We then walked to other remarkable holy places located on the slope of the Mount. Namely: the Chapel of the Ascension, the church Dominus Flevit (which recalls the weeping of Jesus over the city), the Basilica of the Agony with the garden of Gethsemane and the tomb of Mary.

THE CITADELReport by: David Elweu, M.Afr.

In the third topographical visit, on November 2013, we set out to uncover the mystery of the Jerusalem Citadel. The site is also known by two other names: “Tower of David Museum” and “Museum of the history of Jerusalem.”

In his introduction, Fr. Pol explained the history of the Citadel and underlined that it is not a museum in the strict sense of the word. It is rather, he said, a collection of diagrams, models, pictograms, sounds and music, giving an overview of the history of Jerusalem through the different periods. Indeed, we literally explored 4000 years in 4 hours! The curiosity of the group was admirable; all the would-be moments of silence were filled in by questions! We were entering the tower when a question was raised about the origins of the Citadel's other name, the “Tower of David Museum”. Fr. Pol, as always, had the answer on his fingertips: the appellation dates back to the Byzantine period, when Christians believed that this Citadel was the palace of King David, and consequently named it the Tower of David. The top of the tower practically enables a complete view of Jerusalem's Old and New Cities. Fr. Pol's explanations were followed by questions on the different Churches, domes, minarets, mounts visible from that vantage point.

The entertaining view of the present-day Jerusalem prepared the group for the discovery, within the museum, of the different topographies of the City in the preceding periods, up to 2000 BCE.

|27|26

MOUNT ZION

Report by: Olivia Burri

Our Topographical visit on 5 December 2013 was to Mount Zion. After reminding the group of the three kinds of holy places (authentic, traditional and popular), Fr. Pol told us that the places situated on what is today called Mount Zion all belong to the category of “traditional places”.

Before entering the beautiful church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, Fr. Vonck showed us a model of the Byzantine Jerusalem. The church, probably built in 675 AD, traditionally reminds us of the denials of St. Peter (cf. Mt 26, 69-75). It is divided into three parts: at the bottom, caves and a sacred pit where it is believed that Jesus was imprisoned overnight; in the middle, the crypt, which shows different stations of Peter's life through beautiful paintings; in the upper part, the main, present day church.

Some scholars believe that this church, being a remembrance of Peter's denials, was built on the spot where the house of the high priest Caiaphas stood. Outside, in fact, there is an ancient stairway. Now, we know that after Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane, he walked through the Kidron Valley up to the house of Caiaphas. Therefore, it might be that Jesus himself c l i m b e d t h i s s t o n e stairway.

Our next stop was the nearby tomb of David. Fr. Vonck explained to us, that

th thonly since the 10 or 11 century AD this place is believed to be the tomb of the great king of Israel. Before that, in fact, it was a church of Jewish-

stChristian tradition. In this old church (end of the 1 century) still remain some graffiti.

Just next to the Tomb of David is the “upper room”. It th

was once a church dating back to the 4 century. Christians believed this room was the “upper room”

(Acts 1:13), where the disciples were gathered at Pentecost. This same place was later also identified with the “large upper room” (Mk: 14-15 & Lk 22:12) where Jesus and the twelve Apostles had the Last Supper, in other words, the Cenacle. What we see today is the Gothic room built by the Crusaders in the

th12 century and refurbished

thby the Franciscans in the 14 c. Furthermore, one can still see Arabic inscriptions and plaques, from the period in which the room was turned into a mosque. Today the

Cenacle belongs to the Municipality.

Only a few minutes away, we visited the Benedictine Abbey of the “Dormitio”. In 1898 the German Emperor William II and his wife Augusta bought this piece of land and gave it to the German Catholics. The Abbey was then built. The name refers to Mary's death or Dormition, represented by a sculpture of Mary in the crypt of the church.

THE WESTERN WALL AND THE TUNNEL OF JERUSALEM

Report by: Araya Hagos Hailu, SDB

Our topographical visit on 27 November 2013 took us to a very holy place for the Jewish people: the “Wailing Wall” (Western Wall).

We first went down through David Street lined by shops, to reach an ancient fortification of the old Jerusalem, the so-called “Broad Wall”, in the Jewish Quarter. One section of it can be 7 meters wide. Researchers tend to believe that this is the wall mentioned in Nehemiah 3:8, where it is said: “And they restored Jerusalem unto the broad wall”.

We then moved to the core of our visit, the “Wailing Wall”. Built in 37 BCE by King Herod, during the widening of the Temple Mount Plaza, it is believed to have been very close to the holy of holies, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Jews from all over the world gather at the Western Wall to pray. Many people, not only Jews, write prayers on pieces of paper and place them between the ancient stones of the wall.

The exposed, outdoor section of the Western Wall is just a small part of the whole of it and it measures 57 meters (187 feet) of length. The whole wall, however, is actually 488 meters (1,600 feet) long. Now, not visible from outside, where is the remaining part of the Western Wall? It continues underground, beneath the streets and houses of the Old City. Sections of the wall were discovered in ongoing excavations and can be visited through the

“Western Wall Tunnels”. And that is what we actually did, immersed ourselves in underground Jerusalem to see the very foundations of the Temple Mount.

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MOUNT ZION

Report by: Olivia Burri

Our Topographical visit on 5 December 2013 was to Mount Zion. After reminding the group of the three kinds of holy places (authentic, traditional and popular), Fr. Pol told us that the places situated on what is today called Mount Zion all belong to the category of “traditional places”.

Before entering the beautiful church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, Fr. Vonck showed us a model of the Byzantine Jerusalem. The church, probably built in 675 AD, traditionally reminds us of the denials of St. Peter (cf. Mt 26, 69-75). It is divided into three parts: at the bottom, caves and a sacred pit where it is believed that Jesus was imprisoned overnight; in the middle, the crypt, which shows different stations of Peter's life through beautiful paintings; in the upper part, the main, present day church.

Some scholars believe that this church, being a remembrance of Peter's denials, was built on the spot where the house of the high priest Caiaphas stood. Outside, in fact, there is an ancient stairway. Now, we know that after Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane, he walked through the Kidron Valley up to the house of Caiaphas. Therefore, it might be that Jesus himself c l i m b e d t h i s s t o n e stairway.

Our next stop was the nearby tomb of David. Fr. Vonck explained to us, that

th thonly since the 10 or 11 century AD this place is believed to be the tomb of the great king of Israel. Before that, in fact, it was a church of Jewish-

stChristian tradition. In this old church (end of the 1 century) still remain some graffiti.

Just next to the Tomb of David is the “upper room”. It th

was once a church dating back to the 4 century. Christians believed this room was the “upper room”

(Acts 1:13), where the disciples were gathered at Pentecost. This same place was later also identified with the “large upper room” (Mk: 14-15 & Lk 22:12) where Jesus and the twelve Apostles had the Last Supper, in other words, the Cenacle. What we see today is the Gothic room built by the Crusaders in the

th12 century and refurbished

thby the Franciscans in the 14 c. Furthermore, one can still see Arabic inscriptions and plaques, from the period in which the room was turned into a mosque. Today the

Cenacle belongs to the Municipality.

Only a few minutes away, we visited the Benedictine Abbey of the “Dormitio”. In 1898 the German Emperor William II and his wife Augusta bought this piece of land and gave it to the German Catholics. The Abbey was then built. The name refers to Mary's death or Dormition, represented by a sculpture of Mary in the crypt of the church.

THE WESTERN WALL AND THE TUNNEL OF JERUSALEM

Report by: Araya Hagos Hailu, SDB

Our topographical visit on 27 November 2013 took us to a very holy place for the Jewish people: the “Wailing Wall” (Western Wall).

We first went down through David Street lined by shops, to reach an ancient fortification of the old Jerusalem, the so-called “Broad Wall”, in the Jewish Quarter. One section of it can be 7 meters wide. Researchers tend to believe that this is the wall mentioned in Nehemiah 3:8, where it is said: “And they restored Jerusalem unto the broad wall”.

We then moved to the core of our visit, the “Wailing Wall”. Built in 37 BCE by King Herod, during the widening of the Temple Mount Plaza, it is believed to have been very close to the holy of holies, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. Jews from all over the world gather at the Western Wall to pray. Many people, not only Jews, write prayers on pieces of paper and place them between the ancient stones of the wall.

The exposed, outdoor section of the Western Wall is just a small part of the whole of it and it measures 57 meters (187 feet) of length. The whole wall, however, is actually 488 meters (1,600 feet) long. Now, not visible from outside, where is the remaining part of the Western Wall? It continues underground, beneath the streets and houses of the Old City. Sections of the wall were discovered in ongoing excavations and can be visited through the

“Western Wall Tunnels”. And that is what we actually did, immersed ourselves in underground Jerusalem to see the very foundations of the Temple Mount.

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STS WELCOMES: RABBI DAVID ROSENReport by: Vincent Kyererezi, M.Afr.

thOn Tuesday 17 of December 2013, the triennium class of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS) had the privilege to attentively listen to Rabbi David Rosen. Our meeting took place in the context of Ecumenism and relationships with the Jews. Born in England, in an orthodox Jewish family, studied in Israel, Rabbi David's burning zeal started, with his experience in South Africa where he was a Rabbi of the biggest Jewish Congregation in the world, at 25 years of age. He not only challenged the Apartheid, racist regime through his preaching and calling for social justice, but also entered into inter-religious encounter with several religions, an eye opener that ultimately fashioned him into the great inter-religious, figure he is today.

Our distinguished guest received the papal Knighthood for Jewish Catholic reconciliation, in 2005 and was made commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. He enlightened us by his vast knowledge in the sphere of inter religious dialogue. As a past Chairman of the international Jewish committee to interreligious consultations (IJCIC) and former chief Rabbi of Ireland, he elaborated to us in a short but succinct presentation, how he has been influential in issues related to justice and peace in the whole world. This was not without hostilities particularly in South Africa during the apartheid era and in Israel during the visit of Pope John Paul II, where he was one of the key organizers.

Many of us had always heard of Rabbi Rosen as a prolific and rhetorical public speaker. This time, we had the chance to savour his wisdom and exceptional gift of speech. He is one of the few speakers capable of captivating his audience by his inexhaustible knowledge, spiced with a balanced sense of humour that mysteriously carries one into the next serious point one after another, without ever looking at the watch to gauge whether it's high time he stopped! In fact, time was not our best ally, henceforth limiting us to only four questions among which were: the Holy Spirit in the Jewish religion, how to survive hostilities in one's commitment to Justice, among others. He summarily answered them to our great satisfaction, opening us to a greater horizon of appreciating the Catholic value of forgiveness. He reminded us that compassion and justice go hand in hand and that God is always the source of our wisdom in our endeavor to do what is good.

Conclusively, the encounter with Rabbi David, the international director of interreligious affairs of the global Jewish advocacy group AJC and its Heilbrunn Institute for the international interreligious understanding, will remain forever engraved into our minds as we look forward to the next opportunity to enjoy his vast knowledge and experience. Certainly Rabbi David is worth listening to in the sphere of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, not only because he is the honorary advisor on interfaith relations to the chief Rabbinate of Israel, but also he is one who has walked the vast walk that he dares to talk his talk in such a charming manner. The STS was indeed glad to host him, albeit on a short notice and look forward to meeting him again.

VISIT OF THE RECTOR MAGNIFICUSRev. Dr. Carlo Nanni, the Rector Magnificus of the Salesian Pontifical University paid a visit to the Jerusalem campus of the Faculty of Theology on 19 November 2013. Dr. Carlo Nanni was on an official visit to Israel on the invitation of the Foreign Ministry of Israel. He, along with the Rectors of the Pontifical Universities in Rome were having meetings and discussions with Universities and cultural institutes in Israel.

In his address to the members of the Faculty of Theology in Jerusalem he urged the cultivation of a theological attitude beyond the study of theology. One must be able to read and see God and His active hand in the daily events of life, especially in the pluralistic society in Jerusalem. He also pointed to the need for a study of theology that focuses on 1) the full development of the human being fully mature with the fullness of Christ (cf. Eph 4:13); 2) the education of young people; 3) involving the intellect, emotions and the passions. He concluded his message stating that the study of Theology is demanding. Everything of value is demanding but is worth the struggle and sacrifice.

JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMISSION OF THE HOLY LAND MEET AT THE STS

The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Holy Land met with His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum on 31 October 2013. The members presented before Cardinal Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Vatican, the issues facing the faithful here in the Holy Land.

The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Holy Land was founded on 20 April 1971 and functions under the auspices of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land as a Catholic resource, liaison, and animation center to further the social mission of the Church. Latin Patriarch emeritus, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah is currently the president of the commission.

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STS WELCOMES: RABBI DAVID ROSENReport by: Vincent Kyererezi, M.Afr.

thOn Tuesday 17 of December 2013, the triennium class of the Studium Theologicum Salesianum (STS) had the privilege to attentively listen to Rabbi David Rosen. Our meeting took place in the context of Ecumenism and relationships with the Jews. Born in England, in an orthodox Jewish family, studied in Israel, Rabbi David's burning zeal started, with his experience in South Africa where he was a Rabbi of the biggest Jewish Congregation in the world, at 25 years of age. He not only challenged the Apartheid, racist regime through his preaching and calling for social justice, but also entered into inter-religious encounter with several religions, an eye opener that ultimately fashioned him into the great inter-religious, figure he is today.

Our distinguished guest received the papal Knighthood for Jewish Catholic reconciliation, in 2005 and was made commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. He enlightened us by his vast knowledge in the sphere of inter religious dialogue. As a past Chairman of the international Jewish committee to interreligious consultations (IJCIC) and former chief Rabbi of Ireland, he elaborated to us in a short but succinct presentation, how he has been influential in issues related to justice and peace in the whole world. This was not without hostilities particularly in South Africa during the apartheid era and in Israel during the visit of Pope John Paul II, where he was one of the key organizers.

Many of us had always heard of Rabbi Rosen as a prolific and rhetorical public speaker. This time, we had the chance to savour his wisdom and exceptional gift of speech. He is one of the few speakers capable of captivating his audience by his inexhaustible knowledge, spiced with a balanced sense of humour that mysteriously carries one into the next serious point one after another, without ever looking at the watch to gauge whether it's high time he stopped! In fact, time was not our best ally, henceforth limiting us to only four questions among which were: the Holy Spirit in the Jewish religion, how to survive hostilities in one's commitment to Justice, among others. He summarily answered them to our great satisfaction, opening us to a greater horizon of appreciating the Catholic value of forgiveness. He reminded us that compassion and justice go hand in hand and that God is always the source of our wisdom in our endeavor to do what is good.

Conclusively, the encounter with Rabbi David, the international director of interreligious affairs of the global Jewish advocacy group AJC and its Heilbrunn Institute for the international interreligious understanding, will remain forever engraved into our minds as we look forward to the next opportunity to enjoy his vast knowledge and experience. Certainly Rabbi David is worth listening to in the sphere of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, not only because he is the honorary advisor on interfaith relations to the chief Rabbinate of Israel, but also he is one who has walked the vast walk that he dares to talk his talk in such a charming manner. The STS was indeed glad to host him, albeit on a short notice and look forward to meeting him again.

VISIT OF THE RECTOR MAGNIFICUSRev. Dr. Carlo Nanni, the Rector Magnificus of the Salesian Pontifical University paid a visit to the Jerusalem campus of the Faculty of Theology on 19 November 2013. Dr. Carlo Nanni was on an official visit to Israel on the invitation of the Foreign Ministry of Israel. He, along with the Rectors of the Pontifical Universities in Rome were having meetings and discussions with Universities and cultural institutes in Israel.

In his address to the members of the Faculty of Theology in Jerusalem he urged the cultivation of a theological attitude beyond the study of theology. One must be able to read and see God and His active hand in the daily events of life, especially in the pluralistic society in Jerusalem. He also pointed to the need for a study of theology that focuses on 1) the full development of the human being fully mature with the fullness of Christ (cf. Eph 4:13); 2) the education of young people; 3) involving the intellect, emotions and the passions. He concluded his message stating that the study of Theology is demanding. Everything of value is demanding but is worth the struggle and sacrifice.

JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMISSION OF THE HOLY LAND MEET AT THE STS

The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Holy Land met with His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson at the Studium Theologicum Salesianum on 31 October 2013. The members presented before Cardinal Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Vatican, the issues facing the faithful here in the Holy Land.

The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of the Holy Land was founded on 20 April 1971 and functions under the auspices of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land as a Catholic resource, liaison, and animation center to further the social mission of the Church. Latin Patriarch emeritus, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah is currently the president of the commission.

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Studium Theologicum SalesianumSalesian Pontifical University, Faculty of Theology - Jerusalem Campus26 Rehov Shmuel Hangid, P.O.Box 733691072 Jerusalem - Israel www.jerusalem.unisal.it / [email protected]

De Maria EmanueleKuncherakatt StephenMichael BijuPhiri GeorgePuwein ArcadiusPyle Mary ColmanSachitula Pedro

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