Dear Catholic Advocates, This email list grew out of the Catholic Letter on Israel-Palestine initiative. We at the Catholic Advisory Council are pleased to share with you this second quarterly update to alert you and other U.S. Catholics to opportunities for learning, advocacy and engagement in the struggle for a just peace in the Holy Land. Recent News Summary With the U.S. elections and political transition underway, it is easy to lose sight of the severity of Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza and the other news coming out of the region. Yet the situation on the ground remains dire. In Gaza, over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed, an estimated 70% of whom are women and children, and people face severe hunger and malnutrition and lack health care, with pregnant mothers struggling to breastfeed and having limited access to midwives and doctors. In the West Bank, attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers on Palestinian communities continue, and Palestinians struggle to find work amid a non-existent tourism sector and collapsing economy. In recent days, we have learned that in Pope Francis’ upcoming book he references that some experts have determined the reality in Gaza to constitute a “genocide,” and he affirmed the need for further investigation into it whether it amounts to genocide. The International Criminal Court has also recently issued arrest warrants for war crimes allegedly perpetrated by Israeli leaders, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leader Muhammad Deif. Further north, in Lebanon, regional escalation has led to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, including military attacks and incursions by Israel into southern Lebanon and in Beirut but with the recent announcement of a ceasefire giving hope that violence may ebb there. Church leaders in the Holy Land are not “cancelling” Christmas festivities this year, but rather encouraging congregations to “commemorate the approach and arrival of Christ’s birth” in “ways that are sensitive” given the “severe afflictions” in the region. We in the U.S. can learn from this approach as Advent gets underway here, and spread this message in our own parishes. We must continue to pray and act on behalf of a Gaza ceasefire - including pressing for a halt of offensive weapons to Israel - the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners, robust humanitarian aid into Gaza and a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis. Further News and Updates Resources, Analysis, and Reflections - Reflection from Jerusalem from Patriarch Michel Sabbah & Christian Reflection from Jerusalem - “Keeping Hope Alive” (October 7, 2024) and for background on his life and ministry, watch the People’s Patriarch.
- Listening to Pope Francis on genocide and the war in Gaza (Fr. David Neuhaus, S.J.)
- Gaza and Israel/Palestine: The Role of Jesuit Higher Education in a Time of Turmoil (Schumacher Cohen, AJCU Conversations)
- Podcast: Catholic Social Teaching & Advocating for Palestinians, Across the Divide (Denari Duffner, Nov. 2024)
- Podcast: Catholic Faith and Peacebuilding Work, Across the Divide (Schumacher Cohen, Dec. 2024)
- Faith-Rooted Primer for Understanding and Addressing Bigotry in the U.S. amid the Violence in Israel-Palestine, from the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign
- Video: Blessed are the Peacemakers, hosted by Georgetown’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
Advocacy: Contact Your Elected Officials and Take Other Actions Support the Local Church in the Holy Land Do Your Holiday Shopping from the Holy Land to Support Bethlehem & Other Palestinian Communities We wish you many blessings as you journey through Advent and we are grateful for your continued participation in the sacred work of justice and peacemaking. Sincerely, Julie Schumacher Cohen, CAC member and co-author of the letter Jordan Denari Duffner, CAC member and co-author of the letter Jeff Abood, CAC Chair |
