March 13, 2010 Out of the starting blocks

My first correspondence for this trip.  I’m in Adana.  A place of note both personally and historically.  I’ll get to why, but first want to journal the last 24 hours.

No hitches on the journey to Istanbul.  Arrived on time and got to the church guest house in Yesilkoy at 3pm.  Three cardinals were visiting as well for some meetings with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew.  Don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with three cardinals before.  After a short rest, I went to evening Mass and visited with Fr. Bruno and another friend until dinner, then retired to work on my talk for Sunday afternoon.  Father has asked me to preach on the topic Jesus Christ true God and true man.  I brought along a few reference materials and they’ve been great for meditation; sections 456-483 from the Catholic Catechism, an outline of the talk Who is Jesus? from the Basic Christianity Course we used back in college and  Peter Kreeft’s book on apologetics.  I don’t usually experience preparing for a talk as being very peaceful.  Quite honestly I’m usually scared.  But this has been very good.  Kreeft’s book is nothing short of awesome!  I think I’m going to buy several copies when I get home to give as gifts.  Chapter 7 is so clear and insightful in explaining the Christian understand of Jesus.  I strongly recommend it to everyone.

I flew in this morning to Adana and took the bus to Mersin.  This was a first.  I’ve never used public transportation in this part of the country.  It was an easy hour-plus ride, but I had no idea where I was when they dropped us off.  But after a short ten minute walk to the boulevard along the sea, I got my bearings.  Since it was quite far from the church, I took a taxi.

Several priest were there having lunch together; Fr Francis from Adana, Fr Roberto from Mersin, Fr Dominica from Antakya (Antioch) and the Franciscan superior of Turkey who lives in Izmir (Smyrna) – I don’t remember his name.  Since the plan was to visit individually with Frs. Francis and Roberto, this was providential.  The purpose of the trip is to discuss the possibility of taking people from all three communities on a pilgrimage/retreat for later this year.  Knowing that the 3 local priests are firmly on-board with the plan is essential.  From all external appearances I think they are very supportive.  Fr Francis is fluent in English and Italian so his presence made my job much easier and I was sure nothing was getting lost in the translation.  I have one more meeting with Fr Joseph in Iskenderun tomorrow and then hopefully the three of them will discuss together the best time to do it.  I’m hoping we can do it in June.

Fr Francis and I returned together to Adana by train and had a nice conversation all the way back.  His friends picked us up at the station and then came into the church to pray the Stations of the Cross with us.  The Catholic Church in Adana is very beautiful inside.  After having fallen into significant disrepair, it was renovated about 6 years ago.  I first came here in 1999 and it felt like a spiritually dark city.  I’m sure it’s infamous history (thousands of Armenians were killed her in 1908-09 and the church has experience a some scandals here recently) has contributed to that sense.  Recent trips have been better, but it’s never really felt right here for me.  Fr Francis seems like a really good man so I’m sure that’s making a big difference.  He’s from India and has been here for only a year.  He already speaks Turkish very well and has a real heart for the few local Christian families.  There are about 40 for Sunday Mass.  He also celebrates Mass every Sunday for the troops at the American airbase in Incirlik about 15 minutes away.

Tonight we went to visit 10 of those friends who were gathering just across from the base entrance at a carpet store for dinner and going away party.  I got to meet the temporary U.S. commander of the base, a woman.  They said they’d get me a pass to visit the base next time I come.  I hope so, it sounds exciting.

When we got back to the church, Father gave me a tour.  The highlight was a small room in the attic that he’s turned into a personal chapel.  It’s about the size of a large closet.  He has statues of Mary and St Therese whom he relies on for responses when he celebrates Mass in there.  He also explained that Armenians were killed in this church 100 years ago and he prays for them and with them often.  Very interesting to think about here as I get ready for bed.  I don’t think I’ve every slept in a place were people were martyred.  Come Holy Spirit!

Tomorrow morning it will be just the two of us of Mass here at 7:30 before I leave to catch the bus for Iskenderun, a 2 hour drive.

God is so good!