Fr. Don’s Weekly Letter ~ 5 October 2025

Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,

Greetings from Ephesus this evening as I write this letter. Today we visited the house of the Blessed Virgin Mary where she lived with Saint John on a high mountain ridge overlooking the ancient city until her Assumption into heaven. We then walked throught he ancient city with its temples, residences, library, and the theater where Saint Paul preached to 25,000 people. You can find photos of Corinth, Athens, and Crete from our first week sprinkled throughout this bulletin.

One of the things we talk about as we travel is the whole broader concept of pilgrimage. Is not every person in our parish -- in our world -- in the process of journeying to God, even if they don’t realize it? Life is the ultimate pilgrimage as we continue to collect messages and tools to make our way from here to there. There, of course, is not here, and so we must focus on what is there which makes it more desirable than here. The destination needs to be defined, and our resolve in reaching it necessarily requires prior planning, with real anticipation and holy hope.

But the process of getting there is the primary captivating experience we encounter in new places with new people. What we experience along the way is what shapes us into the people we are to become. The saints and holy people and contexts we find along the way can form us in ways we could never determine for ourselves. The sometimes uneasy or awesome things we discover shock us out of our complacency of everyday routines. We are inspired. We are humbled. We can still be surprised. God isn’t necessarily surprising, but we discover things about him that we would not otherwise have known or even imagined.

Those who travel and put themselves into this requirement for change are pilgrims who acknowledge that something has to change. Our now is not enough. But you don’t have to cross oceans to do this. You have the power of imagination and prayer to create this context wherever you are.

Celebrate the people you encounter, whether they be in a foreign land or your next door neighbor. God will use whatever context you have in order to accomplish in you what he has planned for you.

We met one such person today. His name is Ashley, and he got his degree in textile design 31 years ago in university and then went to work in Turkiye. Originally from Australia, and a Christian, he settled with his family near the ancient city of Ephesus and took over management of a failing carpet weaving factory. His goal was to save a centuries-old tradition of Turkish carpet weaving that was in decline, welcoming women in desperate situations to learn the art and craft of carpet weaving, giving them a new chance for education and employment.

His carpet designs, often based on centuries-old traditions of various cultural traditions, have won international design awards around the world.

We watched several women working at the loom making beautitul designs. We were given a presentation of the many carpets that have been produced. Carpets can take one person several months to complete up to two women 5 years.

I was so moved by this guy, a Christian in an overwhelmingly Muslim culture, who has taken his gifts and applied them so totally to the resurgence of culture and renaissance of an ancient art for the benefit of people in need, that I had to buy a carpet. They aren’t cheap -- but I promised him that I would tell you about him in case you might like to purchase a beautiful investment carpet and help advance a great art culture. I can’t think of a more beautiful application of God’s plan in the live of a lay person. He gave our parish a carpet which I will hang in one of our public spaces.

At any rate, we are having a beautiful pilgrimage. Early on I had encouraged our pilgrims to consider it as a “chill”grimage. Spiritual awareness shouldn’t be stressful! We have celebrated Mass in the archeological site of Corinth, at a Catholic church in Athens, at Saint John the Baptist church in Santorini. We have some interesting places for Mass coming throughout, and I want you to know you remain in our prayers everywhere.

The Lord be with you,