The war in Gaza and the crisis in Iraq and Syria, the impact of Pope Francis’ visit to the Holy Land, the Synod of the Family: these are some of the issues at the heart of the Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Priests of the Holy Land, that was held September 16 and 17 at the Caritas Center in Bethlehem. The Latin, Melkite, Maronite, Syrian, Armenian and Chaldean bishops, together with the apostolic nuncios from this land discussed the most imminent challenges for the Church of the Holy Land in the appointment that brings them together every six months. As the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who is the president of the Assembly of the Catholic Priests of the Holy Land, explains.
“There are challenges common to Europe and to us. But there are also challenges that are unique to the Holy Land. It is up to us to underline them and we expect that the brethren of the Synod and the Holy Father: the political and economic situation help solve these problems: the diaspora, husbands who go to work leaving their families behind, the wall that separates families. By coming here, the Holy Father has understood the importance of the political dimension on our daily lives and has talked about it many times.”
A work session was devoted to the challenges of the media as a useful tool for the Church, in the context of information. And there was a call for greater coordination so that the voices of Catholics in the land of Jesus may go out to the whole world and to local Christians in a more effective way.