CV NEWS FEED // The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has released a new video testifying to its efforts to address the problems faced by believers in the Holy Land in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
In a press release accompanying the video, the Latin Patriarchate praised its head, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, for his leadership as it “worked tirelessly to address the difficulties facing the faithful in the Holy Land.”
“In the midst of a sudden and devastating war, the faithful in the Holy Land are facing an unprecedented financial burden,” the video begins, highlighting how “the universal Church has borne the burden of the Church of Jerusalem” in responding to Cardinal Pizzaballa’s General Appeal.
“We have been able to help so many families,” the video continues, “first in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, in Jerusalem and in many other areas of life in our dioceses of the Latin Patriarchate.”
According to the video, the Patriarchate’s efforts included distributing food stamps, assisting with rent payments, covering medical and educational expenses, and creating jobs for Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In total, over 12,000 families have received some form of support from the patriarchy, the video says.
“The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has assisted 1,152 Christians who sought refuge in the Holy Family parish in Gaza,” the video continues.
As CatholicVote previously reported, Cardinal Pizzabala visited the Christian community in Gaza earlier this summer. He later said that the experience “left a mark on his life and mine.”
Speaking of the Christians in the Catholic parish in Gaza City and the Orthodox Christians nearby, Cardinal Pizzaballa said: “I was surprised that it was they who taught me a lesson that I will never forget.”
“Their unwavering faith, accompanied by heartwarming smiles, shaped me and my life,” he recalls. “I saw hope and optimism in their eyes. They told me: ‘We will stay here. As long as the Church is by our side, we are not afraid.’ Their attitude really impressed me.”
