Former NZ seminary director recounts Bethlehem struggles

Australian Br Mark McKeon FSC has lived and taught at Bethlehem University for several years and has seen the landscape marked by expanding military checkpoints, economic paralysis and escalating violence across the West Bank and Gaza in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and the subsequent miliary response by Israel.

Br McKeon was appointed as pastoral director at Holy Cross Seminary in Auckland in late 2017 and was later appointed as the seminary’s director of human formation. He finished his work at the seminary at the end of 2021.

Speaking about Bethlehem University, he said students routinely faced nighttime incursions by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) into their villages. And Palestinians were being killed every day in Gaza and the West Bank, he added.

“The few Christian villages in the West Bank are being regularly attacked by settlers, often unconstrained by the IDF.”

Br McKeon said movement across the West Bank had been heavily restricted by the IDF, which had installed more than 140 new checkpoints, gates and physical obstacles.

While the IDF maintains the checkpoints were necessary for security, the obstacles dramatically increased travel times for Br McKeon’s fellow university students and faculty.

In a town like Bethlehem, where Catholics comprise just 6 per cent of residents, the economic fallout has hit Christian-owned hotels and souvenir shops hard.

Br McKeon said the financial hardship forced families to choose between putting food on the table and paying tuition fees.

His own Bethlehem University had implemented staggered payment plans to ease the burden, but Br McKeon warned the ongoing conflict was accelerating an exodus of Christian families who were losing hope.

But despite all of the pressures, the Australian said Palestinians held close to “sumud” – a Palestinian concept meaning steadfastness, resilience, perseverance and faithfulness in remaining on the land.

Education, Br McKeon said, was a vital form of non-violent resistance that “the Israelis cannot take from the Palestinians”.

Recent Israeli policies presented fresh hurdles, including a refusal to recognise West Bank university degrees, severely impacting the university’s faculty of education where 45 per cent of students travel from Jerusalem.

Living in an international community of six brothers, Br McKeon continues teaching English and co-ordinating liturgies at the Chapel of the Divine Child, calling the campus a sanctuary of peace.

FULL STORY

Australian brother’s view from Bethlehem as pilgrim numbers fall and war toll rises (By Joe Higgins/Catholic Leader)

New Pastoral Director appointed to Holy Cross Seminary (NZCBC)

Br Mark steps up for human formation role at seminary (NZ Catholic)

Holy Cross Seminary newsletter September 2021 (NZCBC)

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Israeli settlers attack group of European diplomats in the occupied West Bank (Radio New Zealand)