Stop the wars while there is still time, pope tells Sant’Egidio peace summit in Paris September 25, 2024By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News For three days, Paris welcomed several thousand participants from around the globe who took part in the 38th “International Meeting for Peace,” organized Sept. 22-24 by the Community of Sant’Egidio.
Churches shelter people escaping violence as death toll from Israeli attacks climbs in Lebanon September 25, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon meant to target Hezbollah militants have led to over 550 deaths, including 50 children and 94 women, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. Christian churches in the country are sheltering people escaping violence.
Pope calls escalation of conflict in Middle East ‘unacceptable’ September 25, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis called the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East “unacceptable,” after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged increased airstrikes, with Israeli missiles killing hundreds in Lebanon.
U.S. cardinal: Church should prioritize nonviolence, not ‘just war’ September 23, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News The Catholic Church should focus on promoting active nonviolence, rather than refining just war theory as conflicts continue to flare up around the world and threaten peace, U.S. Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego said.
Lebanese cardinal decries attacks he calls ‘devoid of humanity’ September 23, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Rai expressed “profound sorrow” over the “devastating toll” of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, the country’s state news agency NNA reported Sept. 22.
Lebanese cardinal condemns pager attacks as second wave terrorizes the country September 19, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Catholic church leaders in the Middle East condemned a second wave of explosions of hand-held devices across Lebanon and in the capital, Beirut, apparently targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Pope recalls Israeli-American killed in Gaza, calls for hostages’ release September 16, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis lamented the death of an Israeli-American hostage abducted by Hamas and called for the immediate release of all hostages being held in Gaza.
Israel plunges into massive protests as Israeli-American, 5 other hostages found dead in Gaza tunnel September 2, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In what was a devastating Sunday morning for hostage families, Israel said Sept. 1 that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents became outspoken global advocates for all hostages to be released.
As war frightens away tourists, Catholic activists pray for peace during Holy Land pilgrimage September 2, 2024By Paul Jeffrey OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The Holy Land’s sacred sites overflow with tourists in normal times, but with war in Gaza, most airlines have canceled flights to the region. The streets of the Old City of Jerusalem are deserted with merchant’s stalls shuttered.
Holy Land patriarchs call for rapid cease-fire as war’s one-year mark approaches August 29, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News With the approaching one-year mark of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, spurred by the Hamas attack on southern Israeli agricultural communities Oct. 7, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem urged the warring sides to “reach a rapid agreement” for a cease-fire.
Pope to bishops in Middle East: ‘Keep hope burning’ August 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis asked Catholic bishops in the Middle East to always be “signs of hope, a presence that nurtures words and gestures of peace, brotherhood and respect.”
Jerusalem cardinal: Interreligious dialogue currently in ‘crisis’ August 21, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Three hundred days after the outbreak of war in Gaza, the cardinal at the heart of the Holy Land said interreligious relations have reached a low point.
