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A facility that welcomes more than four hundred people every week, from Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This is Catholic Action’s new pastoral, sports and cultural center, linked to the Latin parish of St. Catherine. The facilities have recently been renovated in order to offer more diversity and quality to the many visitors of this site—perhaps the only meeting point for young people in Bethlehem, who are experiencing a complicated social and educational context, where children rarely have common reference points.
Fr. NERWAN NASSER, ofm
Pastor, Santa Caterina – Bethlehem
“Looking at the families, looking at the situation of the place, it is our duty to teach children the catechism. Then, here we find a variety of activities, such as art and sport. So, this a place where young people or parishioners can find the presence of the friars because we are always here.”
The center houses the catechetical activities for the youngest children, youth groups, teenagers and college students, meetings for young couples and for families, along with liturgical and parish feasts, but also the important moments in the lives of parish families that are celebrated there.
Fr. NERWAN NASSER, ofm
Pastor, Santa Caterina – Bethlehem
“Catholic Action cannot do anything without the parish. We need every single person here, in this city, coming from other Christian centers in the surrounding area. We need them to come and participate in every activity. They need to feel that this is a place designed just for them, and that this is like a second home for them. And we try to do our best for the new generations.”
Fr. NERWAN NASSER, ofm
Pastor, Santa Caterina – Bethlehem
“The Catholic Action center, according to the locals and their tradition, and as the second parish church. The beauty of this place—I say this as parish priest—is that I can meet all the people of the parish. We begin to talk here: about issues and ideas. This, therefore, is a place where the whole parish comes together for activities and prayer.”
Several areas have been refurbished in recent months. Among these, recreation rooms and two large rooms for meetings and the pool.
ISSA DA’BOUD
Head Catholic Action Center – Bethlehem
“We have put in all new engines, new filters, new plumbing and new tubes to drain the water. And all this has been done before your very eyes. In two days, it will be open to the parish and to all those to come. This is one of the places where we want people to gather.”
ISSA DA’BOUD
Head Catholic Action Center – Bethlehem
“This is the second place we have renovated. It will be a room for parish meetings, with the priests of the parish and, as you can see, we have represented the Virgin Mary on the wall, so that the place can be blessed.”
And with the onset of summer activities—the commitment of professionals and educators who work in the Catholic Action Center multiply.
ISSA DA’BOUD
Head Catholic Action Center – Bethlehem
“Now it is the summer, school is out, and so begins a busy period for us here up until September because this place will always be full of people and there will be lots of activities going on. Here you can find lots to do.”
ISSA DA’BOUD
Head Catholic Action Center – Bethlehem
“We think of so many ideas! We will discuss them with the priests of the parish, with the aim of gathering more people together, with the objective of employing more people. We do not want to see more so many people around, on the street. We want you to be under the wing of the Church. And we need the prayer of all Christians from all over the world.”