Come and See
- Notre Dame of Jerusalem
- Oct 6
- 2 min read
By Dame Peg Tichacek
October 6th - Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center
What can I say about being among the first to return to the Holy Land in early September?
I have visited the Holy Land on numerous occasions. This time, I was one of 54 pilgrims with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, led by Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann and Bishop Edward Rice. These were pilgrimages postponed in 2023 and again in 2024, intended to fulfill the Equestrian Order’s mission of praying for and helping sustain the Holy Land. Our group filled the only two buses parked at Notre Dame, and also at the holy sites we visited. I will never forget the sign of hope that, in this Jubilee year, pilgrims from the United States were expected to come soon.
The parking lots were empty, but the grace and power of the fifth Gospel were not. We visited all the holy sites, celebrated Mass, renewed marriage vows, and reaffirmed our mission as we witnessed hardship. Together with the people in the Holy Land, we reaffirmed our faith, which never fails.
Bishop Edward Rice, Emeritus Archbishop Joseph Naumann; Knights/Dames
The night we arrived at Notre Dame was September 7th, the eve of the Blessed Mother’s birthday. With access to the Notre Dame rooftop, we stood side by side with Our Lady of Peace and had a front-row seat overlooking the Old City and the Mount of Olives. It offered us a unique vantage point to witness an eclipse best seen in Jerusalem. The clouds parted, and the eclipse became visible. It was silent, and a beautiful sign of God’s magnanimity and Mary’s motherly love for Jerusalem.
Another evening at Notre Dame, we visited the new Pentecost Room and joined the 119 others who waited for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We were moved by the painting and the opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit as we were invited to stay and pray.
It is said that the Holy Land is the fifth Gospel. There is no other place on this earth as rich as the place where Jesus dwelt among us.
“Come and see,” he said, and all these years later, he can still be heard saying, “Come and see.”
Dame Peg Tichacek
Wichita, Kansas, USA
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