Amid war, Cardinal Dolan to make pastoral visit to Israel, Palestine

[Michie]

(OSV News) — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has announced he will travel to Israel and Palestine amid a war now in its seventh month.

The cardinal will undertake a pastoral visit April 12-18 in his role as chairman of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

Founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926, CNEWA supports the Catholic Church in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe.


During his trip, Cardinal Dolan plans to meet with local Christian, Jewish and Islamic religious leaders; Israeli and Palestinian representatives; and various social service and humanitarian efforts.

The visit will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, established by Pope Pius XII in 1949 and placed since its inception under the administration of CNEWA.

The Catholic Near East Welfare Association​

The mission functions as CNEWA’s operating agency in the Middle East, working through the local church to provide emergency aid, health care, educational support, post-traumatic counseling and catechesis to all, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation. Over the years, the mission’s mandate has been extended to meeting the needs of all vulnerable persons throughout the Middle East. The archbishop of New York serves as ex-officio chair of the mission’s board of trustees.

Continued below.

Amid war, Cardinal Dolan to make pastoral visit to Israel, Palestine

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has announced he will travel to Israel and Palestine amid a war now in its seventh month.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[AlexB23]

(OSV News) — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has announced he will travel to Israel and Palestine amid a war now in its seventh month.

The cardinal will undertake a pastoral visit April 12-18 in his role as chairman of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.

Founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926, CNEWA supports the Catholic Church in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe.


During his trip, Cardinal Dolan plans to meet with local Christian, Jewish and Islamic religious leaders; Israeli and Palestinian representatives; and various social service and humanitarian efforts.

The visit will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, established by Pope Pius XII in 1949 and placed since its inception under the administration of CNEWA.

The Catholic Near East Welfare Association​

The mission functions as CNEWA’s operating agency in the Middle East, working through the local church to provide emergency aid, health care, educational support, post-traumatic counseling and catechesis to all, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation. Over the years, the mission’s mandate has been extended to meeting the needs of all vulnerable persons throughout the Middle East. The archbishop of New York serves as ex-officio chair of the mission’s board of trustees.

Continued below.

Amid war, Cardinal Dolan to make pastoral visit to Israel, Palestine

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has announced he will travel to Israel and Palestine amid a war now in its seventh month.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

I have no words for this, but prayers that Cardinal Timothy Dolan has a safe flight, mission in the Middle East, and return back home. The Middle East is one of the most dangerous places right now for aid workers. The Palestinian government needs to put Hamas in jail (to end the war), while Israel needs to stop fighting a third world country with less advanced military technology. Both countries are at fault.


Alright, here is the article summary for those who are fed up with both sides fighting (Luke 6:27 - "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you"):

In an article published on April 5, 2024, by Gina Christian for OSV News, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York announced his upcoming pastoral visit to Israel and Palestine from April 12-18, 2024. The cardinal will make this trip in his role as chairman of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), an organization founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926 to support the Catholic Church in the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe.

During his visit, Cardinal Dolan plans to meet with local Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religious leaders; Israeli and Palestinian representatives; and various social service and humanitarian efforts. The trip marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, which functions as CNEWA's operating agency in the Middle East and provides emergency aid, health care, educational support, post-traumatic counseling, and catechesis to all, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation.

Cardinal Dolan will be accompanied by Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, who serves as president of both CNEWA and the Pontifical Mission to Palestine. The full itinerary for the trip has not been released due to security concerns, but it is known that Cardinal Dolan will visit the Ephpheta Paul VI Institute, a school for hearing-impaired children in the Palestinian Territories; the House of Grace, which supports prisoners, at-risk youth, families in need, and Holocaust survivors; and the Notre Dame des Douleurs Home, which serves disadvantaged seniors.

The visit was planned prior to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on some 22 locations in Israel, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,200 people in Israel and over 32,900 in Gaza. Hamas took 253 hostages during the attack, with at least 130 believed to still be held captive and at least 34 believed dead. The ensuing humanitarian crisis has left the Middle East "on the verge of the abyss," according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

CNEWA's one full-time staff person in Gaza remains safe but has lost family members during the attacks. Despite the ongoing conflict, there are no plans to stop Cardinal Dolan's visit as he aims to show solidarity with the vulnerable throughout the Middle East and commemorate the work of the church in that region through the Pontifical Mission for Palestine.