Day One: We have landed!

Day 1:  We have landed safely in Tel Aviv!  Once we arrived to the hotel we quickily brought our packs to our rooms and then celebrated Holy Mass in a space reserved for our group at the hotel.  It was an excellent way to begin our pilgrimmage here in the Holy Land!  Then we had a great dinner at the hotel.  After, though New Years Eve, guys settled in pretty quickily to bed.  Jet leg set in!  However, some guys enjoyed the Mediterranian climate by walking alongside the boardwalk on the Mediterranian sea.  Some did a rosary walk, some just enjoyed the view and sound of the water, others even went for a jog!

We will keep you posted.  Tomorrow we will go to Tel Aviv University for a lecture!

Day 1:  Tel Aviv
Marina Hotel
7:30PM - Dinner

Great food!

Trip leader...Fr. Juan Miguel Betancourt

Fr. Juan Miguel Betancourt
Pilgrimmage to Rome
with SPS Theology IV
January 2012

Weather forecast...looks good!

Merry Christmas!  For those following the trip; we should be arriving to Tel Aviv on Wednesday December 31.  The 18 men of Theology III and their Scripture Professor, Rev. Juan Miguel Betancourt will be spending their first 2 nights at a hotel in Tel Aviv.  Here is the upcoming weather forecast...  

Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Wednesday, December 31

Clear

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Precipitation: 0%

Humidity: 52%

Wind: 7 mph

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Pro Ecclesia Sancta...

Archbishop John Nienstedt recognizes Br. Adam Tokashiki as an acolyte 
during the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity Acolyte Installation 
ceremony in Saint Mary's Chapel on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. 

Brother Adam Tokashiki is in the Theology III class at SPS.  He is studying to be a priest for the religious order Pro Ecclesia Sancta.  He is originally from Lima, Peru.  He will be joining the class in the Holy Land.

Diocese of Rockford, Illinois

Chuck Fitzpatrick grew up on the Southwest side of Chicago.  He part of the Theology III class at SPS and will be with us in the Holy Land.  Here is a picture of him below:

Chuck Fitzpatrick
Diocese of Rockford, Ill

Uganda seminarians...

Herbert Habumuremyi and Charles Mugabi are in seminary formation at SPS.  They are both studying to be priests for their home Diocese of Kabale Uganda located in East Africa.  They are pictured together below:

Herbert Habumuremyi and Charles Mugabi
Diocese of Kabale, Uganda

The Diocese of Fargo...

Steven Wirth comes from Munich, ND, is studying for the Diocese of Fargo, and is a member of the Theology III class.  He will be traveling with the class this year in Jerusalem.

Steven Wirth
Diocese of Fargo, ND

From the Diocese of Superior, WI

Theo Heino is from Spooner, WI.  He is another member of the Theology III class who will be part of the group from SPS going to Israel this year.

From the Diocese of Souix Falls, SD

Barry Reuwsaat, a member of the Theology III class, will be along with the group to the Holy Land.

Barry Reuwsaat
Diocese of Souix Falls, SD

Doug's Update during Study Monday at SPS

Doug Liebsch is a seminarian of the Diocese of St. Cloud.  He will be among the Theology III men traveling through the Holy Land.  Enjoy!

Seminarian from the Diocese of Crookston

Joining the Theology III class on the trip to Jerusalem will be Matthew Regan of the Diocese of Crookston.

Matthew Regan
Diocese of Crookston

Update from SPS

Hello friends and family! We are eager to keep you up to date with many photos and videos from Jerusalem.  Check out our first video with the 2 seminarians of Theology III from Duluth.

18 men, 9 dioceses, 1 religious community

This year the Theology III class will be led in the Holy Land by Rev. Juan Miguel Betancourt.  He is an Assistant Professor of Sacred Scripture at the Saint Paul Seminary.  This 2014 Fall semester he has been instructing the Theology III class in the Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament.

As we are anticipating our journey to Jerusalem, we would like to introduce the men of the Theology III class who will be on the trip.

The group will consist of 18 men, studying for 9 dioceses, and 1 religious community.  The dioceses represented are:  St. Paul and Minneapolis, Duluth, Crookston, St. Cloud, Superior, WI, Fargo, ND, Rockford, IL, Sioux Falls, SD, and Kabale, Uganda.

The religious community represented is Pro Ecclesia Sancta.

Below you will find the pictures, names, and home parishes of the 7 men who are from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  Check back periodically to find the pictures of the rest of the group.

Neil Bakker
Cathedral of Saint Paul

Michael Daly
Lumen Christi

Kyle Kowalczyk
St. Joseph - West St. Paul

Matthew Northenscold
St. Timothy - Maple Lake

J. Michael McClellan
Divine Mercy - Faribault

Mark Pavlak
St. Agnes - St. Paul

Joseph Zabinski
St. Charles Borromeo - Mpls