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.
Iraqi archbishop says rift with Chaldean patriarch is a ‘misunderstanding’ September 30, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Iraqi Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil said tensions between himself and Cardinal Louis Sako, the Baghdad-based Chaldean Catholic patriarch, were the result of a misunderstanding and denied accusations he was working against the patriarch.
Excessive force, even after an attack, is immoral, pope says September 30, 2024By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News During a brief question-and-answer period with reporters on the papal plane returning to Rome from Belgium Sept. 29, the pope was asked specifically whether he thought Israel had gone too far in its most recent strike on Lebanon.
‘Peace is only possible if it is wanted,’ Cardinal Parolin tells U.N. assembly September 30, 2024By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Amid ongoing and potentially escalating conflict in both the Middle East and Ukraine, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin cautioned gathered delegates at the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York Sept. 28 that, “peace is only possible if it is wanted.”
