American priest escapes war in Holy Land, now safe at Holy Hill

HUBERTUS, Wis. - An American priest escaped war in the Holy Land – and is now safe at Wisconsin's Holy Hill. 

Fr. Michael Berry of the Discalced Carmelites was taking a sabbatical in Israel, but it was interrupted by war.

"We received missile alerts that we should take shelter," Fr. Berry said. "We had military planes constantly, jets flying overhead, and a couple Blackhawk helicopters. And then you'd find out subsequently that they had just fired into Lebanon. There was a drone that was flying just off the coast constantly. And you could hear it very loudly."

Some of Fr. Berry's fellow Carmelite friars at the historic monastery on Mount Carmel in Haifa were being evacuated back to their home countries. He said he contacted the American embassy last Tuesday using a web portal – and then he called the next day.

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"I called the embassy and was told that there was no evacuation plans at that point, it was Wednesday, and that I should just wait, I shouldn't make any further contact," Berry said. "Then I sought other means because I didn't have a lot of confidence that I was going to be able to get out before things really escalated."

After that call on Wednesday, Fr. Berry called the office of U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin. They linked him with U.S. Rep. Cory Mills of Florida. The very next day, the priest said a Mills staff member called with an urgent message.

"She just said, 'I understand you're trying to get out of there. Things are gonna heat up very quickly. And are you able to leave now?'" Fr. Berry recalled.

The office of Rep. Mills found another American family also escaping Haifa, fleeing to Jerusalem. 

"We were given a map with red, red areas that we were needed to avoid," said the priest. "They had circled areas to avoid where it was dangerous, where they had intelligence of rocket fire, or what have you. And there were all kinds of tanks that we were passing."

It turned out days earlier he had met the very same American family at the basilica on Mount Carmel.

"They felt it was providential that the same priest they had met a few days later was the one that they were driving to Jerusalem."

"I was grateful to God that I was with others. It made a huge difference to me. And I mean, honestly, during all of this, I was so deeply touched by the individuals who decided to be generous, because anywhere along the line, someone could have said, 'Hey, we've already got our hands full. You're gonna have to find another way.'"

With the family, Fr. Berry met Congressman Mills in Jerusalem. The family and the priest then joined a busload of Americans escaping to Jordan. The priest booked a flight back to Chicago on Saturday and returned safe to Holy Hill.

"It's still kind of surreal for people. I mean, people have been in tears when they see me because they said, 'We've been praying for you, you know, we've been hoping that he would come back safe and just so frightened for you.'" Fr. Berry said. "I feel so deeply touched by so many people who lovingly cared for me and prayed for me and desired me to come back. So, I really attribute my being safe at home to so many people who had prayed on my behalf."

Back in Wisconsin on Sunday, the priest got an email from the U.S. State Department informing him they had a ship ready to take him from Haifa to Cyprus on Monday. It said he would have to sign a promissory note promising to repay the U.S. government. 

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"I was just so disappointed by it," the priest stated. "And, I thought about other Americans maybe who didn't feel that they could reimburse the government. Why should someone have to make a decision like that when they're in the midst of what's shaping up to be a horrible war?"

A U.S. State Department spokesperson tells FOX6 News the department has been in touch with every American in Israel who contacted it. The spokesperson said U.S. law requires private citizens reimburse the government for evacuations. 

Back at Holy Hill Basilica in Hubertus, Wis., the Carmelite priest is doing what others did for him when he was stranded in the war-torn Holy Land.

"Now I'm one of those praying for those to get out of harm's way."