Greetings from Jerusalem

By Fr. David Steffy, L.C.,

Chargé of the Holy See for the Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center

June 11th, 2025

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Dear Friends of the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center,

Greetings from Jerusalem.

These last few years in the Holy Land have not been easy—first the pandemic, and now the war. You are all very aware of what is happening here. But despite all, never does a day go by that I don’t experience some act of kindness or goodness from someone, and often many, around me that wakes me from my stupor of discouragement and reminds me of the power of self-giving love. Love is still very much alive here, witnessed by men and women of all faiths and cultures who are more committed than ever to sowing seeds of love, forgiveness, and goodness through their example of silent, self-giving service.

As you know from previous newsletters, we have been preparing for the inauguration of the Pentecost Room these past years as well. Despite the temptation to postpone it, we knew this had to be the year. Pope Francis declared this the Jubilee Year of Hope. What better way to express this hope than through a beautiful artistic recreation of the Pentecost scene, where the Holy Spirit turned frightened and uncertain individuals into witnesses of the Lord’s words: “Love each other as I have loved you.” As Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed, God’s “breath” unites our hearts, making us view others as our brothers and sisters, and reminding us that “Pentecost renews the Church, renews the world.”

You might not have known that it has been 20 years since the Legionaries of Christ and the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi began to serve in the Holy Land here at Notre Dame. As members of the spiritual family Regnum Christi, we feel so blessed to have been able to join in the mission of service in the place where Jesus saved the world and showed the power of unconditional love. The inauguration of the Pentecost Room is one of the fruits of our ministry here.

Many of you expressed that you would have liked to have attended but could not because of the circumstances. I am glad that many of you were able to join our live-streamed Novena and the inaugural events. We felt your spiritual presence on the Eve of Pentecost, June 7th. The Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pizzaballa, blessed this room and designated it as a sacred space, accompanied by the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Yllana, Bishop Emeritus Marcuzzo, the Franciscan Custos Fr. Paton, other members of the local clergy and religious congregations, and several diplomats.

Photo (left to right): Fr. Juan María Solana, L.C.; artist Daniel Cariola; Fr. Francesco Patton, O.F.M.; Apostolic Nuncio Adolfo Tito Yllana; Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa; Fr. David Steffy; and Bishop Antonio Marcuzzo.

The following day, on the Feast of Pentecost, we celebrated the Solemn Mass with the presence of Bishop Shomali, the Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem. During the ceremony, the son of parents working in Jerusalem received his First Communion—a beautiful testimony of God’s love through this most sacred sacrament.

Afterward, those who attended Mass at Notre Dame gathered as a family to celebrate the Pentecost feast together. We had an open house where several hundred people had the opportunity to visit the room and be part of this new experience, guided through an audio tour available in English, Arabic, and Spanish.

I want to give special thanks to Daniel Cariola, the Chilean artist and painter of these amazing oil-on-canvas artworks. His dedication has borne fruit as the Holy Spirit has enlightened the room with its presence. This artistic rendition in the Pentecost Room is more than just a place to admire beautiful artwork—we hope it will be a living sanctuary of prayer, a place to be still and open your heart to the gifts of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and so much more. As Cardinal Pizzaballa reminded us, “Without the Holy Spirit, there is no credible hope. The Spirit is life.”

Daniel Cariola

In the Acts of the Apostles, we are told that about 120 disciples gathered in prayer. That could lead us to conclude that this was the case on Pentecost when the disciples were in the upper room. Well, the artist painted only 119. It was not a mistake. You and I are number 120. May the experience of the Holy Spirit through this feast unleash the power of the resurrection in each of us. Let us go from “Be not afraid” to “Love others as I have loved you.” Let us be grateful to God, the Father and the Son, today and proudly declare, “We are number 120.”

My prayer for you is that your past joys, sorrows, sufferings, woundedness, and sinfulness be recreated in the newness that is the love of Jesus given to us through his Spirit. The Spirit says to us today: Give me your fears, your wounds, your sufferings. Fear no more, be courageous, and let us give testimony of what it means to feel forgiven and loved by the Lord.

I invite you to come and experience Pentecost anew here in Jerusalem—not just as a historical event, but as a living reality that continues to guide and inspire us today. I pray the Pentecost Room will be a sacred place to renew your faith and deepen your encounter with God’s abiding presence. Until September, the room will be open for our in-house guests as we put things in place for the general public to visit as well.

I am also glad to announce that our New Gate Hostel has opened its doors. We are doing everything we can to welcome all of you and ensure you have the best options to visit the Holy Land.

Let us pray together:“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.”

Thank you for your ongoing prayers and support of the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center. I look forward to welcoming you personally to the Pentecost Room and sharing this grace-filled experience.

Sincerely in the Lord,

Fr. David Steffy, LC