Pope sends $67,000 to Gaza parish, with $35,000 raised in one day from synod delegates October 9, 2024By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Synodality, Vatican, World News As the Holy Land marked a grim first anniversary Oct. 7 of the Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities and subsequent Israel-Hamas war that has devastated the Gaza Strip, the papal almoner raised $35,000 in one afternoon from delegates to the Synod on Synodality and immediately sent it to Holy Family Parish in Gaza City.
As church prepares for Jubilee, ‘Holy Land is bleeding,’ Palestine ambassador says October 7, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Without a ceasefire, the upcoming Jubilee year in Rome will be marred by the suffering and bloodshed in the Holy Land, Palestine’s ambassador to the Holy See said. In an interview with OSV News Sept. 27, Ambassador Issa Kassissieh said that he hopes that “the war will be behind us” by the time Pope Francis […]
Israeli ambassador says country ‘craves peace’ as tensions rise in the Middle East October 7, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News On the first anniversary of the attack that sparked an escalating conflict in the Holy Land, Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See said his country still hopes for peace.
Powerful impose war on others, world shows indifference, pope says October 7, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News On the one-year anniversary of the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with all those suffering because of conflicts throughout the Middle East, urged Christians to be peacemakers and warned warmongers they will face God’s judgment.
Patriarch: Amid ‘turmoil of hatred, violence,’ Christians in Holy Land keep spiritual life alive October 7, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News In a year filled with the “turmoil of hatred and violence” — which Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa described as “terrible, horrible,” it has been very important to keep the “spiritual life of the Christian community,” as well as his own, “alive,” the patriarch said.
As wider war threatens Middle East, pope asks Mary to intercede October 7, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News As fighting in the Middle East intensified and spread, Pope Francis turned to Mary, begging her to “intercede for our world in danger.”
In the ‘bleeding region,’ Gaza Strip’s Christian community lifts each other up, defying reality October 6, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Even though death surrounds them every day, Gaza Strip’s Christian community tries to “relieve the suffering” by assisting each other with spiritual and material needs.
CNEWA launches emergency campaign as Israel-Hamas war expands into Lebanon October 4, 2024By Gina Christian Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the Israel-Hamas war expands into Lebanon, an agency of the Holy See has launched an emergency campaign to assist thousands of displaced families in that nation’s south.
A ‘living hell’: Survivor of Oct. 7 attack, father of hostage reflect as conflict approaches one year October 4, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Almost 100 families still await news of their loved ones who continue to be held hostage in the Gaza Strip after being abducted last year. Among those taken on Oct. 7, 2023, is Sagui, the 35-year-old American-Israeli who is the son of Jonathan Dekel-Chen.
Since Oct. 7 attacks and start of war, pope calls Gaza every day, lifting up suffering community October 2, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Since Hamas’ attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, and the immediate start of the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis has provided daily spiritual solace to Gaza Strip’s only Catholic parish.
‘Déjà vu, only worse’: Catholic aid workers ‘at risk everywhere in Lebanon’ October 1, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News As the Israel-Hamas war expands to include attacks in Lebanon — where the Iran-backed Shia militia Hezbollah is based — OSV News interviewed Michel Constantin, regional director for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission in Palestine.
Just war theory morally ‘devalued’ in today’s world, U.S. cardinal says September 30, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, War in Ukraine, World News The concept of just war, which has guided Catholic teaching on war and peace since the fourth century, has become “devalued as a moral instrument” due to its application in modern conflicts, said Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of San Diego.
