Bishop Emeritus Gerald R. Barnes will be serving as the spiritual director and leader of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land this fall.
The pilgrimage is hosted by Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (EOHSJ) Western USA Lieutenancy / San Bernardino Council. The EOHSJ is the only lay institution of the Vatican charged with the task of providing for the needs of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to support the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
The pilgrimage will visit important holy sites in the Holy Land and Jordan, such as the Sea of Galilee, Mount Zion, Bethlehem and the places where Jesus was crucified and buried.
While in Bethlehem, there will be a special ceremony to dedicate the Bishop Gerald Barnes Reception Area of the new nursing school building at Bethlehem University. This honor of having the reception area named after Bishop Barnes came about when Greg and Densy Chandra, who are parishioners of The Holy Name of Jesus in Redlands and a Knight and Dame of the EOHSJ, sought to give Bishop Barnes an award in his retirement for his lifetime of support to the EOHSJ.
Cardinal Foley Hall, the new nursing building, was dedicated in September 2021 but the reception area has not been dedicated yet, so the pilgrimage offers an ideal opportunity to do so.
Densy Chandra, who is the Group Coordinator for the pilgrimage, said that visiting the Holy Land can be extremely impactful on one’s faith journey because you can walk in the footsteps of Jesus, and the events and places in the Gospels come to life.
“It is hard to describe the awe feeling after having set foot in the Holy Land ... nothing can replace the indescribable feeling of having been able to visit in person, breath the air and touch the slab of the empty holy tomb. After I made my pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I have proven it to myself that my faith is a living faith, and my Christ is a living and merciful God,” said Chandra.
The pilgrimage dates are Oct. 18-Nov. 1, 2022. The registration deadline is March 15, 2022, and the deadline to submit a registration deposit is April 25, 2022. For more information or to register, contact Densy Chandra at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..