Local Holy Land pilgrims safely leave Israel after war starts

October 18, 2023

Four couples from the Des Moines Diocese – including three deacon couples – were traveling to the Holy Land when war broke out in Israel.

They are now safe.

Deacon Monty and Kathy Montagne, Deacon Bob and Peggy McClellan, and Mark and Brenda Flores, all from from Corpus Christi Parish in Council Bluffs, along with Deacon Kevin and Rhonda Heim, of St. Augustin Parish in Des Moines, were on pilgrimage to the Holy Land with a group from Nebraska.

The group of 32 arrived Oct. 3 and completed about half of the pilgrimage before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel and the start of war. On that day, the pilgrims were headed north to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. Ultimately, they were able to complete about 80% of the pilgrimage by the time they left Israel.

In an email to The Catholic Mirror written from the safety of Amman, Jordan, Deacon McClellan said he was confident Jesus was looking after the pilgrimage group.

They prayed the Surrender Novena each day of the pilgrimage led by Father Damien Wee, of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and Father Sean Timmerman, of the Diocese of Lincoln.

“The common prayer for this novena is: ‘Oh Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything.’ There couldn’t have been a more appropriate prayer for our experience,” said Deacon McClellan.

Indeed, Deacon Montagne said: “We thought originally we were surrendering all of our cares and concerns from home. When the war began, everything shifted and we had to rely every day on our Lord. Our eyes were opened as to how God has been taking care of our many needs.”

Among their helpers was a Palestinian and an Israeli.

“Our bus driver, Rafael, was Palestinian while our guide, Husam, was Israeli. Both were dealing with concerns for their families while remaining faithful to our care,” Deacon McClellan wrote.

“After a couple days up north we returned to Jerusalem. It was a little concerning to pass heavy trucks carrying tanks and other military equipment headed south. At one point we came to a slowdown of traffic, seeing cars parked haphazardly on both sides of the road. Soon we saw why. There was a field full of military equipment and soldiers. The cars belonged to the reserves that had been called up,” he  said.

The group learned their flight home had been canceled. They were due back on Friday, Oct. 13. Should they try to get another flight out of Tel Aviv or use another option? 

“The travel agency was working hard for us, eventually determining that flying out of Jordan was our best option,” wrote Deacon McClellan. “The trip to Amman, Jordan is about a two-hour drive, but it took nearly six hours to cross the border.”

Once safely in Jordan, the tour group found flights home over several days as seats were available on departures through Paris, Dubai and Qatar.

There was an unexpected blessing amid the turmoil.

“While here in Amman, we were able to travel by bus to visit Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land beyond the Jordan River before his death. This is a place we would not have been able to experience if Jesus was not taking care of everything” for the pilgrim group, said Deacon McClellan.

Father Luis Mejia, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, said he’d been updating parishioners on the status of their friends on the pilgrimage and asking for prayers that they return safely.

“We have been praying for them,” he said.

Over time, the group’s understanding of the word “pilgrimage” changed,” said Deacon Montagne.

“Though the sightseeing has ended, our pilgrimage continues. Today, we set aside seven hours for adoration, praying for peace in the region and for all the many innocents,” he wrote in an email from Jordan. “The Surrender Novena we began on the first day has opened our hearts to God’s great mercy.”