Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, prefect of Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Charity, landed in Israel on Dec. 22, starting a “journey of closeness” as papal envoy to the Holy Land during a difficult wartime Christmas season.
Conflict in the Middle East
In times of darkness, faith is all you have, says Cardinal Pizzaballa
While faith cannot change anything in moments of great darkness such as the one Israelis and Palestinians are currently living through in the Israeli-Hamas war, it can, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, create “a small light” which will give “orientation.”
‘We have nothing except our church — faith is stronger than war,’ says young Gaza Christian
The world has become small and dangerous for the 600 Palestinian Gaza Christians sheltering at the Holy Family Parish church compound in Gaza City almost since the start of the Israeli-Hamas war Oct. 7.
Israeli army denies targeting Gaza church where Pope Francis says ‘unarmed civilians’ were ‘targets’
Following a series of attacks on Christians in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces Dec. 16, including the killing of a mother and daughter at a Catholic church, the Israeli Defense Forces said that it “takes claims regarding harm to sensitive sites with the utmost seriousness.”
Pope condemns targeting of unarmed civilians in Gaza
Pope Francis condemned the Israeli military’s killing of two Christian women sheltering at a Catholic parish in Gaza and an attack on a convent, noting that in the current fighting “unarmed civilians are targets for bombs and gunfire.”
Priest: Gaza Christians suffer much as Israeli strikes on strip continue but aren’t losing hope
As the humanitarian crisis escalates in Gaza — amid tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered near Gaza’s border with Egypt, attempting to flee, and a health care system on the verge of collapsing — a Gaza priest warned that Christians in Gaza are suffering a lot.
Pope asks Mary to watch over Ukrainians, Palestinians, Israelis
Mary’s conception, free from original sin, shows that the destiny of humanity lies in life, brotherhood, harmony and peace rather than death, hate, conflict and war, Pope Francis said on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Senate Republicans block Ukraine-Israel emergency aid over border, raising Catholic concerns
Senate Republicans Dec. 6 blocked an emergency spending bill to provide billions of dollars in wartime aid to Ukraine and Israel while calling for strict new policies at the U.S.-Mexico border opposed by some Catholic immigration advocates.
Hospital close to Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem struggles to operate amid war
The Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, located just 1,500 steps from the birthplace of Christ, is confronting significant challenges amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip 45 miles away.
Message of Peace Light, now in U.S., seen as more urgent amid Israel-Hamas war
As Catholics across the New York metropolitan area were given the opportunity to light their first candle of the Advent season the weekend of Dec. 2-3, a flame drawn from a source that dates back 1,000 years arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens.
Fighting in Holy Land, bombing in Philippines prompt prayers from ailing Pope
The end of the temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas “means death, destruction, misery,” Pope Francis said.
Israel-Hamas truce has been extended by two days; more hostages scheduled to be released
Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry said Nov. 27 that an agreement has been reached to extend the Israel-Hamas truce for another two days. The announcement was made by a ministry’s spokesperson on X on the final day of a four-day cease-fire in which hostages abducted by Hamas in October have been released in exchange for Palestinian […]