“ In the joy of birth, the pain of labour is forgotten .” The Custody of the Holy Land pronounced these few words in the speech he made when 68 Latin Christian families of Jerusalem received the keys to their new homes.
In the hope of obtaining one of these homes one day, they applied many years ago. Norma had been waiting for 27 years to be given a home by the Custody, Samir since he got married 14 years ago and Hanan for 6 years.
Most of the families only learnt the good news the day before, in the evening or even in the middle of the night. “The administrative department called us at half-past midnight. The two of us had to go to the Custody to sign the contract. We were so overjoyed we could not sleep that night. “ All the stories sound the same, all the tired faces are beaming with joy. The Father Custos finished receiving the families at three in the morning, Father Ibrahim was up until 5 in the morning completing the formalities. “ It was a magnificent night, “ said the Custos, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who is also clearly very happy, although he cannot forget the applicants who were disappointed.
About 700 families were dreaming of these 68 homes in Bethphage. Only 68 are living this dream. The 700 others took it badly that they were rejected and this is what explains why everything was said at the last minute and at night, to avoid protests. “We tried to be fair is the distribution, but we knew we were going to upset some people. This property project is not the first or the last by the Custody. We are also continuing to restore houses in the old city, “ explained the Custos. “These houses are the fruit of the generosity of Christians all over the world, “ continued Father Ibrahim Faltas, the new bursar of the Custody. “The project cost several million dollars and began more than 20 years ago. “
It will have taken more than 15 years to obtain building permission from the Israeli authorities. Then, when the work was able to begin, it was the start of the second Intifada, which slowed down or even temporarily halted the progress of building, to the design of an architect who is also a Franciscan of the Custody, Father Alberto Prodomo. When at last the houses were almost completed, a technical disagreement with the local council of Jerusalem blocked not only the water supply to the Saint Francis residence, but also its connection to the electricity company and this meant another three years of red tape. Four Custos Fathers and four bursars. Father Dobromir, the previous bursar and who fought in the name of the Custody to obtain the precious permits is also there. He signed the agreement with the council last June.
On the platform there were some official speeches, all very short because although a reception awaited about a hundred guests, including the Apostolic Nuncio and the discretorium of the Custody. the real wait was to gain possession of the key. Not the giant one which is given symbolically, but the real one, the key to this house that they receive brand new without ever having even visited it or seen it on paper. About twenty small three-floor buildings with apartments having from 3 to 6 rooms, which are going to house a Christian community of couples of all ages but also elderly so that the population of the residence reflects real life.
Gladys speaks, trembling at the microphone. For years the whole family had made sacrifices to be able to pay the rent which was exorbitant for them – but normal in Jerusalem and almost low - of $800 a month. “ Now we are going to be paying a quarter of that figure and we can begin making plans for the children and for ourselves. “
With this action, the Custody has no aim to make a profit but fills the mission that it has taken on due to the history and the circumstances of the country. “ It is one of our most difficult missions to explain in the West. The Church in the Holy Land also plays a social role. Israel helps the Jews, the Muslims the Muslims and the Christians the Christians. And the Church pays special attention to the poorest, so that building homes or giving housing to local Christians is a normal activity for the Church of the Holy Land and of the Custody in particular. We have been doing this work for 400 years. It is really important for those who cannot afford to buy a home themselves. Land, especially in Jerusalem, also has a political value which pushes prices up and the Christians today can no longer follow this inflation. Having a space of one’s own and a house of one’s own is an encourage to put down roots and stay in this land. “
“ There is a glaring shortage of houses in Jerusalem, at least at affordable prices. The majority of rents for this type of home start at $1000, here the rent will be much more moderate, “ continues Father Ibrahim. “We are not forgetting those who we have not been able to satisfy this time and who are upset and angry. We have other projects. The Custody already owns 500 houses in the Old City and more than 200 outside the city walls. We really want to help halt Christian emigration by making these houses available but we cannot satisfy everyone at the same time.”
Norma is happy, at her age walking is difficult and in the Old City that really becomes an obstacle, but there is one thing in the Old City that she is going to miss and that is the Holy Sepulchre. “I will try to go there twice a week. “ For Hanan’s children, it is not so easy to leave their childhood neighbourhood and their friends. For Raymond and his wide, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary here with their two children and the broad smile on their faces will take some time to disappear.
At last the time to go in and visit the apartments has come. The families still can’t believe their eye, nor can they see themselves in this new setting. Amazed and tired, they are speechless. “I don’t really know when we are going to move, “ says Samir still in a state of shock, “I hope as soon as possible. “ The happy new tenants will sleep more tonight ? We can’t be sure because they are at the height of excitement and the dream is only just beginning.
Mab
In the hope of obtaining one of these homes one day, they applied many years ago. Norma had been waiting for 27 years to be given a home by the Custody, Samir since he got married 14 years ago and Hanan for 6 years.
Most of the families only learnt the good news the day before, in the evening or even in the middle of the night. “The administrative department called us at half-past midnight. The two of us had to go to the Custody to sign the contract. We were so overjoyed we could not sleep that night. “ All the stories sound the same, all the tired faces are beaming with joy. The Father Custos finished receiving the families at three in the morning, Father Ibrahim was up until 5 in the morning completing the formalities. “ It was a magnificent night, “ said the Custos, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who is also clearly very happy, although he cannot forget the applicants who were disappointed.
About 700 families were dreaming of these 68 homes in Bethphage. Only 68 are living this dream. The 700 others took it badly that they were rejected and this is what explains why everything was said at the last minute and at night, to avoid protests. “We tried to be fair is the distribution, but we knew we were going to upset some people. This property project is not the first or the last by the Custody. We are also continuing to restore houses in the old city, “ explained the Custos. “These houses are the fruit of the generosity of Christians all over the world, “ continued Father Ibrahim Faltas, the new bursar of the Custody. “The project cost several million dollars and began more than 20 years ago. “
It will have taken more than 15 years to obtain building permission from the Israeli authorities. Then, when the work was able to begin, it was the start of the second Intifada, which slowed down or even temporarily halted the progress of building, to the design of an architect who is also a Franciscan of the Custody, Father Alberto Prodomo. When at last the houses were almost completed, a technical disagreement with the local council of Jerusalem blocked not only the water supply to the Saint Francis residence, but also its connection to the electricity company and this meant another three years of red tape. Four Custos Fathers and four bursars. Father Dobromir, the previous bursar and who fought in the name of the Custody to obtain the precious permits is also there. He signed the agreement with the council last June.
On the platform there were some official speeches, all very short because although a reception awaited about a hundred guests, including the Apostolic Nuncio and the discretorium of the Custody. the real wait was to gain possession of the key. Not the giant one which is given symbolically, but the real one, the key to this house that they receive brand new without ever having even visited it or seen it on paper. About twenty small three-floor buildings with apartments having from 3 to 6 rooms, which are going to house a Christian community of couples of all ages but also elderly so that the population of the residence reflects real life.
Gladys speaks, trembling at the microphone. For years the whole family had made sacrifices to be able to pay the rent which was exorbitant for them – but normal in Jerusalem and almost low - of $800 a month. “ Now we are going to be paying a quarter of that figure and we can begin making plans for the children and for ourselves. “
With this action, the Custody has no aim to make a profit but fills the mission that it has taken on due to the history and the circumstances of the country. “ It is one of our most difficult missions to explain in the West. The Church in the Holy Land also plays a social role. Israel helps the Jews, the Muslims the Muslims and the Christians the Christians. And the Church pays special attention to the poorest, so that building homes or giving housing to local Christians is a normal activity for the Church of the Holy Land and of the Custody in particular. We have been doing this work for 400 years. It is really important for those who cannot afford to buy a home themselves. Land, especially in Jerusalem, also has a political value which pushes prices up and the Christians today can no longer follow this inflation. Having a space of one’s own and a house of one’s own is an encourage to put down roots and stay in this land. “
“ There is a glaring shortage of houses in Jerusalem, at least at affordable prices. The majority of rents for this type of home start at $1000, here the rent will be much more moderate, “ continues Father Ibrahim. “We are not forgetting those who we have not been able to satisfy this time and who are upset and angry. We have other projects. The Custody already owns 500 houses in the Old City and more than 200 outside the city walls. We really want to help halt Christian emigration by making these houses available but we cannot satisfy everyone at the same time.”
Norma is happy, at her age walking is difficult and in the Old City that really becomes an obstacle, but there is one thing in the Old City that she is going to miss and that is the Holy Sepulchre. “I will try to go there twice a week. “ For Hanan’s children, it is not so easy to leave their childhood neighbourhood and their friends. For Raymond and his wide, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary here with their two children and the broad smile on their faces will take some time to disappear.
At last the time to go in and visit the apartments has come. The families still can’t believe their eye, nor can they see themselves in this new setting. Amazed and tired, they are speechless. “I don’t really know when we are going to move, “ says Samir still in a state of shock, “I hope as soon as possible. “ The happy new tenants will sleep more tonight ? We can’t be sure because they are at the height of excitement and the dream is only just beginning.
Mab