Taybeh Parish : a new courtyard for the “Parables House”

TAYBEH– On November 20th, Taybeh Latin Parish concluded the renovation work of the Latin Patriarchate Engineers on the courtyard in front of the “Parables House”, located in the main square of the Palestinian parish.

The “Parables House” is a 300 years old traditional Palestinian house, located inside the Latin Convent. It has rooms on two levels. The upper room for the family is divided in two spaces by the “barns”, that can be found in the gospel (Luke 12:16-21).  And the lower level to accommodate the large and smaller animals.  The house and its domestic and agricultural furnishings illustrate the context of many of the parables of Jesus and also offer an insight into how the Nativity cave at Bethlehem may have been configured.

Today the “Parables House” is featured in many international travel guides, as an attraction of this 100% Christian village in Palestine.

Given the importance of this house for the Church, pilgrims and parishioners, the works of renovation of the courtyard began in early October 2014.  The area around the house was in very poor conditions, and not being used at all.

The project was to completely renovate the area, building a square and an amphitheater, where the various groups of pilgrims visiting the house, could seat outside and hear an explanation before entering, as space inside is quite limited.

In the concept was also included a small biblical garden with some traditional plants from the period of Jesus: olive tree, palm tree, grape tree, Pomegranate, among others.  On the infrastructure side: new lighting system, electricity, water and accesses.



The new courtyard can be used for the groups to sit and listen a lecture on the house, for small concerts, plays, chorus, summer camp activities, graduation parties, presentations, as well as for anyone visiting the Latin Parish.

The renovation of the courtyard was possible due to a generous assistance of our donors and friends from Brazil.

“We are very pleased to give this area back to the parish and that everyone is able to enjoy it.”  

Fr. Aziz Halawe -Taybeh Parish Priest

Source: http://en.lpj.org/2014/11/27/taybeh-parish-a-new-courtyard-for-the-parables-house/

St Louis : what example for the Holy Land ?

HOLY LAND – the Diocese of Versailles in France observed in 2014 the 8^th centenary of the baptism of King Louis IX, known also as St Louis since his canonization back in 1297. St Louis is undoubtedly one of the few Kings of France to have ventured to travel to the Holy Land, at the head of a Crusade for the purpose of protecting Christian access to the Holy Places. The question of practice of Faith in security in the Middle East is still hot burning. What message can we therefore pick from his adventure ?


Despite the goodwill of those who launched the Crusades, anxious to defend Christians access to the Holy Places, these campaigns have seriously hurt and hampered, across the ages, the relationship between West and East, between Christians and Moslems. Absence of dialogue, creation of ghettos and mutual mistrust were the direct results of the Crusades. However, time has allowed for the two sides to meet and to learn to live together.

Mgr Shomali, present at the closing ceremony of St Louis Year on Sunday 23 November in Versailles, stated in his speech that this episode of History “does not harm the image of Louis IX who was truly a man of conscience, honest, sympathizing with poor people”. The King of France led the 7^th and 8^th Crusades. He arrived in Acre, but never saw Jerusalem. “It is thanks to him that the thorn crown is in Paris. Thanks to him the coastal towns of Palestine were reinforced to prevent the crumbling of what remained of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. And thanks to him that we are here today”, has further stated the Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem before the assembly.

 New way to protect the Holy Places

Since the last Crusade taking arms is out of question. Other means were used to protect Christian of the Holy Land, namely through the revival of certain Orders of Chivalry, including those of Malta and of the Holy Sepulchre, to bring support, both material and spiritual, to the communities who live in the vicinity of Christianity’s Holy Places. Many members of both Orders were present at the Cathedral of Versailles.

However, the Christian World of the Middle East is now facing a new Islamic offensive which threatens the life of faithful and of places they worship in every day since 2000 years. They need relief, without repeating the image of the past.

As a foremost support, the Bishop of Versailles, Mgr Aumonier, co-signed with other bishops, including the Apostolic Nuncio in France and Mgr Shomali, a message. The signatories evoke their proximity to Christians living in persecution while placing full trust in their prayers so that in the West Christians may “clearly confirm their own faith, both in their words and in their actions”. The message was concluded by these words: “May we able to receive, as we ought to, Christians of the East obliged to fly into exile and to implement everything possible in order for you to live peacefully over your Land”.

The example of St Louis, holy for all the Church, should serve as an impulse for every Christian to come to Jerusalem and to the Holy Land. Not only for the sake of pilgrimage, but also to bear witness of a Christian presence which requires a protection of the Holy Places, facing those who seem willing to scrap them out. When that cannot be done through weapons, all means used to ensure this protection are justified”.

Pierre Loup de Raucourt

Source: http://en.lpj.org/2014/11/27/st-louis-what-example-for-the-holy-land/

Sacred Heart of Jesus Youth group marks Chrsit the King Day

Nour-Abouna

 

The Sacred Heart of Jesus Youth Group in Naour celebrated Jesus the King Day in appreciation of Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, marking the end of the liturgical year.

To mark the day, a Mass was celebrated presided over by Fr. Rif’at Bader with the participation of a large gathering of the faithful in addition to displaced Iraqi brothers living at the Latin Church of Naour.

In his homily, Fr. Bader reviewed the difficult circumstance being experienced calling for giving all possible aid to the needy and the pained because who ever does so in practice fulfills the will of Lord Jesus. He said: We, the faithful, must not limit our donations to materialism but rather provide moral support to the needy.

Source: http://en.abouna.org/en/holylands/sacred-heart-jesus-youth-group-marks-jesus-king-day

Patriarch Twal: Security Risks Can't Stop Pope From His Mission

Whether in Turkey or Israel, Says Love Involves Having Courage to Call Out What Is Wrong

Vatican City, November 26, 2014 (Zenit.org) Deborah Castellano Lubov 

Speaking on Pope Francis' visit to Turkey this weekend, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem says security risks cannot prevent the Jesuit Pontiff from doing his mission and reaching out to the "periphery."

In an interview with ZENIT in the Vatican after the leader of the Italian bishops, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, returned from Gaza and spoke to his nation's bishops in Assisi, His Beatitude Patriarch Fouad Twal not only spoke about the need to courageously confront situations facing Turkey and the Holy Land, but also shared how the January meeting of European bishops will not be held in Europe, but rather in Jerusalem, and why.

Speaking about the dramatic situation in the Holy Land, including Jerusalem's recent upsurge in violence, the Jordanese-born Patriarch made an analogy to a mother and child to show what is to be understood about and done for the region.

ZENIT: Your Beatitude, the Pope visits Turkey this weekend, Nov 28-30. Could you speak on the importance of this visit?

Patriarch Twal: It’s always about the "periphery," you know. Turkey is not in the center of Europe. It’s not very strong, not very rich. I think we have to have good, good relationships with the Muslim countries, with the Muslim people. Reasons such as friendship, collaboration, and further understanding are important, but what is also very important and needs to be fought is relativism, moral relativism. The courage to see the truth is critical.

ZENIT: Could you speak about whether you believe the Pope’s safety is at risk in making this trip to Turkey, especially given ISIS’s recent advancements?

Patriarch Twal: I don’t think so. I remember when I spoke with the Holy Father who is Saint now, John Paul II, he told me, "The threat I had was here in Rome, not outside." I don’t think these threats can stop us or stop the Pope from making his mission. I don’t think so.

ZENIT: Should one be afraid though to have this view?

Patriarch Twal: As long as we say the truth, we shouldn’t be afraid. If we say something wrong, we must pay the price. But as long as we say the truth, we must be courageous and tell the truth. I think if a mother loves her children, she must have the courage to say what is wrong, for their benefit, for the future, for their health. … If you love, you must have the courage to say what is wrong is wrong, what is good is good. For the well being of all, for being all together. Sometimes you have to say it. We can’t give our blessing to what is bad for others. If you want to believe in peace, you cannot [give it.]

ZENIT: When you said one must have this courage to say what's being done in a given situation is right or not, is this likewise applicable to Israel?

Patriarch Twal: Continuing the analogy of the mother and children ... This big mother must have the courage to say to her children what is wrong, what is right. So if Israel, the "spoiled child," is doing wrong, we need to have the courage to say this is not for your benefit, not for the future, not for children. We must have a big, big vision for the future, not just for the moment. We can’t just be satisfied with momentaneous victories. We need to think far away, far away, far away. And when I say far away, I think we need more concrete steps from Israel to show Israel wants peace too. Not only to live with or manage the conflict, but to have a solution. We have to solve the conflict for all.
And when I speak in Jerusalem, about peace, I said it needs to be peace for all, as one people can’t enjoy peace without peace for the others.  We are condemned to live together [chuckles], we have no choice, at least we can be condemned to live together as good neighbors.

I am from Jordan, so I am a little outside the conflict. So from outside, we could be a little more objective.

ZENIT: Turning to Cardinal Bagnasco’s visit to Gaza: Could you speak about the purpose of his visit to Gaza and whether you feel this goal was achieved? Perhaps, you could reflect a little on his remarks to the other Italian bishops at their recent episcopal conference in Assisi, earlier this month.

Patriarch Twal:  We spoke quite a bit on the situation. And the Pope has his own concern about the whole situation. In the last consistory, I launched an appeal for all the cardinals, bishops, presidents of episcopal conferences for two things: first, that they can come visit us in Ankara just to pray with us, and to be with us, for praying for peace in the region. The second part of the appeal to episcopal conference presidents was for dioceses to adopt or buy one house or one land, in Bethlehem or Jerusalem. And if a diocese is poor and it can’t on its own, they can put two dioceses together. Because as you know, in Palestine, in the Holy Land, in Bethlehem, in Jerusalem, the land, the house, is poor … We are losing more and more houses, not just for all people, but for Christians. If we have more houses we can keep more young couples, get them to stay. However, since they cannot buy, they cannot build, and they need [supplies and help] and money, they therefore can’t stay. That’s why. That’s the difficulty.

ZENIT: Has anyone responded to your appeal? Have you seen any positive outcomes?

Patriarch Twal: So Cardinal Bagnasco [President of the Italian bishops’ conference] was the first president of an episcopal conference to say, "I am going."

I have gotten good news for next year. All the presidents of the episcopal conferences will have their meeting in Jerusalem. That’s the first time. Jerusalem is not Europe. They are bishops of European episcopal conferences and normally it would be in Europe. This next year, I invited them. They accepted. This will be a good event for us …. to promote awareness, to promote community, to know about the situation. I think after this, no one will be able to say, "I don’t know." Everybody knows now how we are living.

And this last time, there’s been more violence in Jerusalem, within Jerusalem, and it begged the question whether these walls that Israel built has protection, or not.  If we speak of the war around Gaza, daily, we have rockets going from Gaza to other villages ... we cannot stop rockets. And in recent days, we’ve had a lot of killings and violence, in Jerusalem, inside the Wall, which is a proof that the Wall doesn’t help in any way. These walls. They don’t mean anything, these walls.

The fact that Cardinal Bagnasco came with members of the presidency of the episcopal conference is a lot for us. And I must say that the Italian bishops, even the Italian government more or less, were always close to us, to the patriarchate in Jerusalem. Of the different groups that we receive in the patriarchate in Jerusalem, we have more Italian groups than American groups, than German groups. The Italians have been a little more welcoming, yes. And what is to be learned from this? Well, we learn that early on, there have been links to Italy. In the beginning, we had many Italian patriarchs, priests … We are in some ways more linked with the Italian bishops' conference.

ZENIT: Your Beatitude, what does this gesture, responding to your appeal, signify?

Patriarch Twal: It is a good sign I hope. During the assembly, he [Cardinal Bagnasco] had addressed this situation in the Holy Land, sharing his experience, with the more or less 200 or 250 bishops there, [between] those still active and those already in pension. So it can be a good sign. And if each diocese can follow his example and comes and adopts one project, just one project… It can be a social project, a religious project, an education project, or something like a scholarship, that would be great. If each diocese does something, it could do great things, and would be great for the Holy Land. So this could be a great help.

I’ve had many friends who have helped. So we’ve had many kinds of help and of collaboration, and this one could be very nice. The fact that he spoke to all the bishops was a great step, and I hope and I pray that others will follow his good example.

ZENIT: Is there a certain nation or group that you feel will follow his example, specifically?

Patriarch Twal: For sure. Now we’ve launched the appeal. The Pope spoke. I spoke. We started. Now that it’s near Christmas I don’t think there’s much hope for them [to visit]. But perhaps after Christmas. Many come between Christmas and the end of the year. There are some holy days. Many groups who cancelled their pilgrimage during the war of Gaza are now coming back. For two months, everything stopped. And it was a big loss. For Israel, for Palestine, and so on.

ZENIT: Your Beatitude, do you foresee, in the near future, positive steps or acts of solidarity that will help those suffering in the Holy Land?

Patriarch Twal: Well, the acceptance of my invitation for the European bishops' conference to convene in Jerusalem in January is a great sign. This has been coordinated with the bishops with the goal of giving them, and them having, more information ... but even more, to have more solidarity with the Holy Land. So we started preparing this meeting: who would come, who would speak, and so on.  For me, from an information and advocacy point of view, it’s beneficial.

 

(November 26, 2014) © Innovative Media Inc. 

 

Source: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/patriarch-twal-security-risks-can-t-stop-pope-from-his-mission

Pope:"Dialogue with terrorists is almost impossible, but the door must always be kept open”

By Giacomo Galeazzi

On the return flight from Strasbourg to Rome, pope Francis responded to a wide range of questions put to him by journalists and looked visibly satisfied by the enthusiastic welcome he received on his visit to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg."

About your words on the real strength of the people and international powers: are you a social-democratic Pope?

“That is reductionism my dear man. It makes me feel like I’m part of an insect collection: look, that one there is a social-democratic insect! I don’t know if I’m a social-democratic Pope or not … no, I would not dare take sides, I dare to say that this comes from the Gospel, this is the message of the Gospel followed by the social doctrine of the Church. I have never moved away from the social doctrine of the Church which comes from the Gospel and the Christian tradition in any of the social or political comments I have made … what I said about people’s identity is an Evangelical value, that was what I was referring to … but you made me laugh, thank you!”

The streets of Strasbourg were pretty empty this morning. People said they were disappointed. Do you regret not going to Strasbourg Cathedral for its Millenary anniversary? And when will you go on your first visit to France and maybe to Lisieux?

It has not been planned yet. But I must go to Paris of course. Lourdes is another possibility … I have asked to go to a city a Pope has never gone to before, to greet the people. But no preparations have been made. As far as Strasbourg Cathedral is concerned, we did think about it, but to pay a visit to it meant visiting France, this was the problem.”

You mentioned the concept of transversality and to meetings you had with young politicians in different countries. You also spoke of the need for some sort of intergenerational pact. Out of personal curiosity: is it true you have a devotion for St. Joseph?

“Yes, whenever I have asked St. Joseph for something he has granted me my wish. My wish for transversality is important. In conversations I have had with young politicians representing different parties and nations here and in the Vatican, I have noticed that their tune is different, it leans toward transversality. It is a gift, they are not afraid to go outside their own beliefs, without rejecting these, in order to engage in dialogue. They are courageous, and I think we should follow their example and also engage in intergenerational dialogue … Europe needs this act of going out to find people to engage in dialogue with.

In your second speech you spoke of the sins of the children of the Church. How did you react to the news about the incident in Granada which you helped bring to light?

“I read about it, I called the person and I said to them: you go to the bishop tomorrow. I wrote to the bishop asking him to get to work, hold an inquiry and get things moving. How did I react to the news? With great pain, great, great pain. But the truth is the truth and we must not hide it.”

You spoke both about the threat of terrorism and about the threat of slavery. Both are characteristic of the Islamic State which poses a threat to much of the Mediterranean, Rome and yourself. Do you think it is also possible to engage in dialogue with these extremists or is it a lost cause?

“I never see anything as a lost cause, ever. Maybe dialogue is not possible… But I never close any door. It is difficult, almost impossible one would say, but the door always stays open, no? You used the term threat twice. It’s true, terrorism is one of the many existing threats. But slavery is a reality that forms part of today’s social fabric. Slave labour, human trafficking, child trafficking… It is a tragedy, let us not turn a blind eye to this! Slavery,the exploitation of people, is a reality today… It is a threat from these terrorists …. But there is also another threat: State terrorism, when every State takes it upon themselves to decide and thinks it is their right to slaughter terrorists. But many innocent people die alongside them … this is high-level anarchism and it is very dangerous. We must fight against terrorism, but I repeat, when an unjust aggressor needs to be stopped, this is done with the consensus of the international community. No country has the right to take it upon themselves to stop an unjust aggressor.”

When you travel, does your heart tell you are travelling as the Successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome or the Archbishop of Buenos Aires?

“I really don’t know … I think I travel as all three … but how come you ask me this? You’re really making think now. My memory is that of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, but I am no longer that … Now I am Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter. I think I travel with this memory and this reality. I am concerned about Europe at the moment. As Bishop of Rome … I am Roman … and Successor of Peter, I want to help it move forward. Thank you so much for your work , it has been an intense day, don’t forget to pray for me.”

Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:28

 

Source: http://en.abouna.org/en/content/popedialogue-terrorists-almost-impossible-door-must-always-be-kept-open%E2%80%9D

Patriarch Twal in Gaza: “the testimonial of the Church is always a source of consolation and courage”

GAZA – On Sunday 23 November 2014 His Beatitude went to Gaza for the second time since the painful events of last Summer He was escorted by His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster in England

At 7 a.m. the delegation left the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Gaza. After having crossed the Israeli check-point, at the entrance of Gaza, the two prelates went forth to the Latin Parish, where faithful were waiting for them in order to celebrate together Holy Mass, on this day of the Lord. After Mass, Patriarchate and his distinguished guest met with the parishioners, before proceeding to the Greek Orthodox Church for a meeting with its pastor.

The delegation visited next the Jordanian Military Hospital which provides medical care to the people of Gaza. It is a an evidence of gratitude from the side of the Church towards the Jordanian Government which exerts a lot for the Palestinian cause and for the people of Gaza”, said the Patriarch. “And we wish to see other Arab countries follow the example of Jordan; Gaza needs are immense and pressing, especially in the fields of health care, education and accommodation”.
Cardinal Nichols was shocked seeing huge destruction in Gaza. “It is a deeply depressing situation in a devastated region where people are trapped”, said the Cardinal.

“It is astonishing the number of people with the appearance of nothing to do – people just sitting on the streets. It is not an economy which might uphold a whole population”. According to Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster “innocent citizens of Gaza are caught in a vice of conflicting ideologies – an almost impossible situation for them”.

The Cardinal felt concerned that the Middle East is seen more and more the victim of the rule of extremists, saying that “political leaders must not be satisfied with a security or military response, but need to find a political solution”.

For the Patriarch, the Cardinal’s gesture would be “a sign of unity between Mother Church of Jerusalem and the other Churches of the world”. He wishes that “other dioceses and other bishops follow the example of the Diocese of Westminster and of its pastor, and come to see our situation from close, so that our fellowship and unity become yet more solid”.

Following the visit he made with the Cardinal to the Sisters of Madre Teresa and to the Rosary Sisters, the Patriarch expressed his gratitude towards these charitable institutions run by the Catholic Church, including international ones like Caritas, Pontifical Mission and CRS in Gaza. For the Bishop of Jerusalem “it is a testimonial given by the Church, which fills us up with consolation and courage. These religious communities and these institutions provide a genuine service to the people of Gaza, on the level of health care and food, and helps them at times to find shelter”

“Soon I shall come back to Gaza, said the Patriarch, in order to celebrate Christmas with what remains of our children over there! It is a joy and a pastoral duty. We shall listen to them, and they will convey to us their anguish, their needs, their sufferings”

In conclusion the Patriarch expressed his astonishment seeing laborers still working to keep roads clean, despite the wide-scale devastation of the city. He also noticed, in good humour, a growing phenomenon: asses becoming more and more a means of public transportation!  Hope is creative!

Firas Abedrabbo

Source: http://en.lpj.org/2014/11/26/patriarch-twal-in-gaza-the-testimonial-of-the-church-is-always-a-source-of-consolation-and-courage/

See also: His Beatitude Fouad Twal sends photos from Gaza

Fr. Neuhaus: “Christians of the Holy Land are called to Truth”

HOLY LAND – the situation in Jerusalem is still very tense and fears of a third Intifada are there. At the center of this hot reality, what is the vocation of the Church in the Holy Land? Roberto Piermarini asked Fr David Neuhaus, Patriarchal Vicar for Hebrew-speaking Catholics, in an interview with Radio Vatican.





Fr: what is the vocation of the Church in the Holy Land? 

A – Church is deep rooted on both sides. There is the Arab-speaking ancient Church which should live in solidarity with the Palestinian people in its difficult moments, in its fight for independence, for recognition: this Arabic-speaking segment of the Church should stay in deep solidarity with the Palestinian people, but always saying the truth, upholding the Christian position as regards violence and anything that is unlawful in the fight for rights, for equity. On the other hand, there is a much smaller, weaker Church, living within the Hebrew society, speaking and praying in Hebrew: ¨this segment of the Church too, in solidarity with the Israeli people, should say truth. Truth is in any case always the same, it is not ambivalent. Truth is the truth of the situation, of suffering, of oppression, of discrimination, of occupation, of terrorism, of unlawful use of force. Here too, this other segment of the Church, in deep solidarity with the Jewish people in this very promising period where relations between Church and the Jewish people are outstanding, the best ever since 2000 years, should talk about the situation using the same Christian language. The purpose is to raise a new reality, in mutual respect, since we are all followers of the same Church. I believe that there is here a small seed which can change the situation, provided we have patience and faith, as we always tend to ask: “What’s going on in the Holy Land? What can we do?” First thing to do is to pray, knowing that everything leads to the general good, for God is the one who guides History. For the moment, this is the vocation of the Church: using the word to change what is going on men’s minds. Here, with a strong voice, calling for justice and peace for everybody, lie the Church values. We are looking for those who, both within the Palestinian and Israeli communities, seek  justice and peace, in order to work together, to shuffle our society.

Fr: what were the reactions of Pope Francis visit to the Holy Land? What are its fruits?

 A – I believe there’s something very important: Pope showed evidence how religion can promote justice and peace. Here, religion is manipulated by our political, ideological leaders to show that God being to my side God fights against the other party. The Pope has shown very clearly what the Church believes in and promotes: God is Truth and God loves each one of us. Pope went to meet the two sides and has achieved symbolically strong gestures to ask: Where is God in the midst of this entire situation? It is there where we seek forgiveness that we ought to look for reconciliation. That was the force of the Pope’s message during and after his visit: Where is God? We should thus find ourselves, certain that we are all God-loved children, and that God does not hold preference for a son over another one. Maybe he used others to proclaim his love to us. We are all children of God and when we start praying we should realize that we cannot expect of God to say what pleases to us: “God is to my side in the fight against my foe.” But in praying we know that the one whom I consider a foe is my brother. The word “brother” has repeatedly been brought up during the Pope’s speeches in the Holy Land. Talking to Bartholomew, he called him “my dear and well-beloved brother” there was no division but a brotherhood. With even Moslems, Jews, Palestinian and Israeli leaders alike, this term is one that can change our mode of thinking. Thus the Pope has reinforced the Church in its mission to announce with a strong voice what is our vocation.

Fr: how does the church see at this moment the future of Jerusalem, does she see Jerusalem rivaled between Israelis and Palestinians?

Talking about Jerusalem, the Church has for many years talked about a city “off conflict”, meaning an international city. Maybe that’s the best solution for the moment. But over the last years, the Church has also taken into consideration the fact that perhaps there could be an agreement. In the early 90s we had thought that the moment had probably come.  In the present situation, Church insists on the fact that Jerusalem is an international city and at the same time a city where every individual, rights and faithful of each religion should be respected.  I believe that on this point the Church, instead of stopping at a rigid view of the situation, would like above all that Jerusalem lives its own vocation. We still remember the eloquent speeches and the document of John Paul II on Jerusalem and its vocation: we cannot forget that Jerusalem is important for Jews, Christians and Moslems. God has wanted it that way: this did not occur without the will of God. Therefore Jerusalem should remain the city that delivers this message: all my children, all should be able to find in Jerusalem their spiritual and religious home.

Source: Radio Vatican 
             and http://en.lpj.org/2014/11/26/fr-neuhaus-christians-of-the-holy-land-are-called-to-truth/