A Message From Bethlehem

Brother Peter Bray, is the 8th Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University, the first university established in Palestinian and the only Catholic university in the Holy Land and of course a long serving past Principal of our College.

We had an email from Br Peter this week and thought we would share part of it with you.

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Greetings from this beautiful, holy place! I hope this finds you well and coping with what I hear is a rather brisk winter. We are in the midst of summer here with some wonderful weather. 

I continue to hear on occasions good things about Francis Douglas Memorial College and the way things are unfolding there. I hope you continue to find it a satisfying and challenging place to be. 

It is almost five years since I came to take up this position as part of the Brothers' commitment to this joint venture with the Vatican here at Bethlehem University. I reflect back on an extraordinary journey for me and one that I never expected. It has been by far the most difficult job I have ever had, with the restrictions under which we have to operate, the unpredictability that is part and parcel of living under occupation, the challenge of a different culture and all that goes with that. However, I have never been in a place where it is so obvious that what we are doing is worthwhile!

Over the last two days we have had graduation as we brought the academic year to a close. To be on stage and congratulate students as they complete their time with us is something very special, particularly knowing the background of some of them and having seen them blossom as a result of being with us. Engaging with the students here and experiencing their resilience and determination as they benefit from the opportunity they have here, makes up for all the hassles that are part of being at Bethlehem University.