My Dear Magdala Family,

On October 9th, I arrived in Israel and went directly to Notre Dame of Jerusalem to make sure that our team, volunteers, and religious community were all safe. After confirming everyone’s well-being and catching up on pending matters, I finally made my way to Magdala.

It was a journey filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I felt great joy and gratitude for the nearly four months I spent in Spain and Mexico, where I experienced countless blessings that God, in His mercy, allowed me to carry out through my priesthood. I had the privilege of administering nearly all the sacraments and preaching the Gospel in many cities. Yesterday’s liturgy reminded us that “The Word of God is alive and effective...” and I had the blessing of sharing that Word in so many places. I also felt once again the beauty of the bonds of family, friendship, and ministry that unite me with so many people. Blessed be God for that!

On the other hand, I felt the uncertainty of traveling into a dangerous and unstable situation. The news of recent weeks has been concerning. I left early to avoid traffic, but a road accident just outside Jerusalem delayed my journey for several hours. Finally, I arrived in Magdala mid-morning, had breakfast, and immediately began an intense day of catching up on all the matters that had piled up in my absence.

Upon arriving, it was incredibly reassuring to find our guests from Kibbutz Yiron, who had been with us for the past few months, calm and joyful. They welcomed me with greetings, hugs, and kisses, as if we had been lifelong friends. And with our employees, it felt like a family reunion after difficult weeks for them. In the midst of conflict, perspectives change, and we begin to value life, relationships, and even the small things in a new way.

The situation in the Holy Land remains delicate and uncertain. Many here place their hopes on the upcoming U.S. elections as a potential turning point. Let’s hope it will be so! We live in a globalized world, and this event undoubtedly brings a spark of hope.

A Deep Thanks for Your Support

I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the incredible support we’ve received from our beloved Magdala Family through our "Drop by Drop" campaign. The generosity and commitment of each one of you have truly been a blessing for us in these challenging times. Your contributions and prayers are like drops of water that, together, form a sea of hope and allow us to continue our work here in Magdala. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

It is with great excitement that we are now preparing our upcoming Advent Program. Please keep Kathleen Nichols and the Magdala Team in your prayers as they prepare this program for our Magdala Family.

Renewing Our Call to Support Magdala

In these challenging times, we continue to need the ongoing support of our Magdala Family. Once again, we invite you to consider making a monthly donation. Just like drip irrigation, every small contribution—whether financial or in the form of prayer—adds up and creates a deep impact, helping us to maintain Magdala as a place of spiritual renewal for all.

May God bless you and grant you abundant graces as we walk this new path together.

Fr. Juan María Solana, L.C. and the Magdala Team