Turkey
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Heart of Byzantium
Egypt
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Land of Alexandrian Christianity
Syria
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Cradle of the Christian faith
Lebanon
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Not just a nation, but a message
Iraq
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Land of Abraham of Ur of the Chaldeans
Iran
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Home of the Apostles
The Holy City of Jerusalem
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
A city’s destiny depends on the three great faiths
Palestine
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
A fragmented holy land
Arabian Peninsula
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Tales of Christian perseverance
Perspectives
by Msgr. Robert L. Stern
(From ONE magazine September 2010)
Caught in the Middle
issues
by Robert L. Stern
(From ONE magazine January 2009)
Middle East Christians on the Move
Issues
(From ONE magazine July 2009)
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Aleppo: A Syrian Mosaic
by Spencer Osberg
(From ONE magazine November 2009)
An ancient city is home to diverse faith communities
Perspectives
by Msgr. Robert L. Stern
(From ONE magazine January 2011)
It’s a Small World
perspectives
by Msgr. Robert L. Stern
(From ONE magazine March 2009)
Peaceful Principles
Forming a Few Good Men
text by Dale Gavlak
photos: St. Peter’s Seminary
(From Catholic Near East July – August 2000)
In the face of many problems, Iraqi seminarians nevertheless pursue their vocations.
The Presbyterian Church in the Middle East
text and photographs by Rev. Kenneth Bailey, Th.D.
(From Catholic Near East May – June 1999)
While small, the Presbyterian movement has for more than a century affected the lives of generations in the Middle East.
Maaloula: An Oasis of Faith
by Michael J.L. La Civita
photos by Joseph Cornelius Donnelly
(From Catholic Near East October 1989)
An ancient village in the Qalamoun Mountains works to maintain its Christian identity and preserve its community.
Looking for Justice Between Blood Brothers
by Elias Chacour with David Hazard
(From Catholic Near East Summer 1988)
A Palestinian Catholic priest returns to the ruins of his home in Galilee to discover the meaning of the Beatitudes.
Educating for Justice and Reconciliation
by Michael Healy
(From Catholic Near East Summer 1988)
Father Elias Chacour continues “the long, slow labor of teaching young people the treasures of the Sermon on the Mount.”
“There Must Be Justice for Both Sides”
by Hugh Schofield
(From Catholic Near East Fall 1988)
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, a native Palestinian, reflects on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Church’s view on ending it.
Today’s Prophetic Voices in the Holy Land
text and photos by Michael Healy
(From Catholic Near East Winter 1987)
The forgotten minority in the Holy Land, Palestinian Christians express their faith with a quiet determination.
An Easter Message of Peace From Jerusalem
Catholic News Service (21 April 2011)
In their joint Easter
message, the heads of Christian churches of Jerusalem
turned their attention to the unrest in the Middle East,
noting the need to respect the rights of the minorities in
the region.
New Melkite Bishops
Catholic News Service (16 June 2011)
The Vatican
announced approval of two new Melkite Catholic
archbishops who had been elected by the Greek Melkite
Synod of Bishops.
Pope Calls for Peace in North Africa, Middle East
Catholic News Service (27 June 2011)
Pope Benedict XVI
called for emergency assistance to thousands of people
fleeing the violence and civil strife in North Africa and the
Middle East, and he appealed to nations to explore “every
possible form of mediation” to bring an end to the
conflicts.
Pilgrims to Holy Land Must Help Peace Efforts
Catholic News Service (21 July 2011)
Catholic and Anglican
leaders have challenged Christians to find new ways to
establish lasting peace in the Holy Land, including
changing the nature of pilgrimages.
Nashville’s Coptic Catholic Community
Catholic News Service (15 August 2011)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — The small
community of Coptic Catholics in Nashville, consisting of
about 40 families who have moved to the city from their
native Egypt, threw open their arms wide to welcome
Cardinal Antonios Naguib, patriarch of the worldwide
Coptic Catholic Church.
Baltimore Archbishop to Head Equestrian Order of the Holy
Sepulchre
Catholic News Service (30 August 2011)
Pope Benedict XVI
appointed Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien of Baltimore as
pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order (Knights) of the
Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, based in Rome.
Turkey Returns Properties to Non-Muslim Religious
Catholic News Service (31 August 2011)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Turkish prime
minister’s announcement that the government will return
hundreds of properties confiscated from non-Muslim
religious groups or compensate the groups for properties
sold to third parties is “a historic decision,” said the
Vatican nuncio to Turkey.
Order of Holy Sepulchre Welcomes Archbishop O’Brien
Catholic News Service (19 September 2011)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Officials at the
Vatican headquarters of the Equestrian Order of the Holy
Sepulchre of Jerusalem welcomed U.S. Archbishop Edwin
F. O’Brien as their new pro-grand master.
Video: “First Take: Vatican”
Catholic News Service (20 September 2011)
Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in Rome welcomes U.S. Archbishop Edwin O’Brien as their newly appointed pro-grand master.
Patriarch Encourages Pilgrimages to Holy Land
Catholic News Service (28 September 2011)
BETHESDA, Md. (CNS) — The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem says the dwindling population of Christians in his city needs to be bolstered by the support of Christians around the world and by their visits as pilgrims.
Pope Condemns Attack on Christians in Egypt
Catholic News Service (12 October 2011)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Condemning an attack
on unarmed Christians in Egypt, Pope Benedict XVI said
that during the country’s transition to democracy, all of its
citizens and institutions must work to guarantee the rights
of minorities.
Iraqi Christians Want Peace and Jobs
Catholic News Service (14 October 2011)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Iraqis want a return to peace, security and stability and the chance to secure meaningful employment, said two U.S. bishops who traveled to Baghdad in a demonstration of the American Catholic Church’s solidarity with the country’s violence-weary Christians.
Maronite Patriarch Visits United States
Catholic News Service (25 October 2011)
NEW YORK (CNS) — Unless Middle Eastern
countries support religious freedom and respect human
rights, the “Arab spring” movement will devolve into an
“Arab winter,” said Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai.
Melkite Archbishop Visits Canada
Catholic News Service (26 October 2011)
OTTAWA, Ontario (CNS) — Years ago, Melkite
Archbishop Elias Chacour flew to Washington, D.C., to
make an unannounced visit to the home of then-Secretary
of State James Baker.
Christian-Muslim Rift in Egypt
Catholic News Service (4 November 2011)
FRIBOURG, Switzerland (CNS) — The patriarch
of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt blamed Islamic
fundamentalists for the increasing number of attacks on
Christians and criticized a growing division between
Muslims and Christians since the country’s February
revolution.
Syriac Church in Baghdad Commemorates 2010 Massacre
Catholic News Service (4 November 2011)
BAGHDAD (CNS) — In a somber Mass
commemorating the 2010 massacre at the Church of Our
Lady of Deliverance, Catholic leaders urged their faithful
to have hope for the resurrection of Iraq.
Bishops Urge Catholics to Help Iraqis
Catholic News Service (16 November 2011)
BALTIMORE (CNS) — The nation and American
Catholics both can help keep Iraq from sliding into chaos
once U.S. troops leave the country at the end of the year,
said two U.S. bishops who visited Iraq for four days in
October.
U.S. Melkite Bishop Considers Ordaining Married Men
Catholic News Service (17 November 2011)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — To address a shortage
of priests in his nationwide eparchy, the Melkite Catholic
bishop of Newton, Mass., is exploring the possibility of
ordaining married men as priests.
Vatican Urges ‘Real Reforms’ in Syria
Catholic News Service (6 December 2011)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Vatican official
deplored the growing violence in Syria, and called on
political leaders there to enact “real reforms.”
Vatican Middle East Advocate Dies
Catholic News Service (12 December 2011)
DARBY, Pa. (CNS) — U.S. Cardinal John P. Foley, who spent more than two decades leading the church’s social communications council and later worked for the church in the Middle East, died Dec. 11 after a battle with leukemia.
Pope Remembers Cardinal Foley
Catholic News Service (13 December 2011)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI said he hoped the legacy of the late Cardinal John
P. Foley would inspire others to make the Gospel known through mass media.
Catholic Press Remembers Cardinal Foley
Catholic News Service (15 December 2011)
PHILADELPHIA (CNS) — U.S. Cardinal John P. Foley, longtime Catholic journalist and
advocate of Catholic communication, was being fondly remembered after his Dec. 11
death as a friend to the Catholic press around the world.
Palestinians Post Stories on Separation Barrier
Catholic News Service (16 December 2011)
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) — Sylvana Giacaman, 54, is giving herself a different kind of gift for
Christmas: She is allowing her photo and a personal story
to be posted on the Israeli separation wall.
Iraqi Christians Celebrate Christmas in Canada
Catholic News Service (16 December 2011)
EDMONTON, Alberta (CNS) — Iraqi Ziyad Matti
and his wife, Dalia Hikmat, have not had a proper
Christmas in years.
Midnight Masses in Iraq Cancelled
Catholic News Service (22 December 2011)
LONDON (CNS) — Chaldean Catholic officials have canceled traditional Christmas Eve midnight Masses because of security risks.
Christmas Message from Jerusalem’s Patriarch
Catholic News Service (21 December 2011)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Amid continuing turmoil in the Middle East, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem sent a message of hope and support to Christians of the region.
Msgr. Kozar Uplifted by Faith of Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (29 December 2011)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Christians in the Middle
East show “overwhelming faith,” but many also express
fear, said the president of the Catholic Near East Welfare
Association.
Bishops Concerned About Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (11 January 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Almost a year after the
eruption of the Arab Spring uprisings, the Middle East is a
place of hope and fear for Christians, said Bishop Gerald
F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz.
Gunmen Attack Iraqi Archbishop’s Residence
Catholic News Service (13 January 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Gunmen shooting at
guards keeping watch over the archbishop’s residence in Kirkuk in northern Iraq triggered a firefight, leaving two of the gunmen dead and five policemen wounded.
Nuncio to Syria on the Violence in Homs
Catholic News Service (10 February 2012)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Some priests have
decided to stay in battle-scarred Homs, Syria, even as
government forces intensified their strikes against the
heart of the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, said
the Vatican’s nuncio to Syria.
Pope Calls for Dialogue in Syria
Catholic News Service (14 February 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As a sectarian conflict
in Syria intensified, Pope Benedict XVI called on all
Syrians to begin a process of dialogue and reminded the
government of its duty to recognize its citizens’ legitimate
demands.
Benghazi Bishop Recalls Libyan Revolution
Catholic News Service (23 February 2012)
BENGHAZI, Libya (CNS) — As Benghazi
residents marked the anniversary of Libya’s revolution, the head of the city’s diminished Catholic community spoke of a need to rebuild his congregation and of the uncertainties ahead.
Vatican Diplomat Attends Syria Summit
Catholic News Service (27 February 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Vatican diplomat attended an international summit seeking an end to Syria’s yearlong civil war.
Arab Spring Conference in Rome
Catholic News Service (1 March 2012)
Muslims and
Christians throughout North Africa and the Middle East
recognize that “building a democracy is more difficult
than destroying a dictatorship,” but they are committed to
realizing their dream, said one of the leaders of change in
Tunisia.
Vatican Letter to Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (2 March 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Tension, hostility and
even violence are the “daily bread” of many of the Christian communities living in the biblical lands of the Middle East, said Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches.
VIDEO: “Holy Land Tour Part I”
Catholic News Service (2 March 2012)
In part one of a three-part series on the Holy Land, Catholic New Service visits Galilee, Israel, where Jesus ministered.
Turkey Consults Christians on Constitution
Catholic News Service (5 March 2012)
ROME (CNS) — A Catholic archbishop welcomed
a Turkish government decision to consult Christian
leaders on a new constitution.
Armed Men Storm Monastery in Syria
Catholic News Service (5 March 2012)
ANTAKYA, Turkey (CNS) — Masked gunmen
stormed the Syrian desert monastery of Deir Mar Musa,
about 50 miles southwest of Homs, destroying property
and briefly holding its inhabitants captive.
Attacks on Christians Tripled in 2003-10
Catholic News Service (6 March 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Terrorist attacks on
Christians in Africa, the Middle East and Asia tripled in a
seven-year period, a Vatican official told a U.N. meeting.
Pope Addresses Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (7 March 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians in the Middle East not to lose hope despite the serious difficulties they face.
Syrian Christians Fear Persecution
Catholic News Service (9 March 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Christians in Syria live in
fear of a repeat of persecution like was seen in Iraq, said
officials of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine.
Kuwaiti Bishop Criticizes Restrictions on Christians
Catholic News Service (14 March 2012)
OXFORD, England (CNS) — The bishop who
administers the church in Kuwait criticized legislation that
would restrict Christian places of worship in the country.
U.S. Bishops on Middle East Violence
Catholic News Service (15 March 2012)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Citing continuing conflict in the Middle East, the U.S. bishops’ Administrative Committee reiterated its support for the region’s bishops and all people of faith, urging them to stand against violence even in the face of hostility and aggression.
Israel’s Residency Laws Separate Families
Catholic News Service (15 March 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Joseph Hazboun remembers when he could hop into his car in Jerusalem and drive the few miles to the nearby West Bank city of Bethlehem to see his family. It was easy enough, even passing through mandatory checkpoints, that he and his Jerusalem-born wife and children would make the trip at least twice a month.
Pope Remembers Coptic Patriarch
Catholic News Service (20 March 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Praising the
ecumenical commitment of the late Coptic Orthodox Pope
Shenouda III of Alexandria, Pope Benedict XVI offered
his condolences to Orthodox Christians in Egypt on the
death of their patriarch.
Church Leaders Call to End Human Trafficking in Egypt
web news (21 March 2012)
In communion with the organizations seeking to draw attention to the plight of these people and to help them, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land calls for greater awareness
Jerusalem Religious Leaders on Environment
Catholic News Service (22 March 2012)
Adelie penguins walk on the ice at Cape Denison in Antarctica in this 2009 file photo. Religious leaders have urged people to take their faith-based commitment to the stewardship of God’s creation to the U.N. Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil 20-22 June. (photo: CNS/Paukine Askin, Reuters)
Pope Earmarks Holy Thursday for Syrian Refugees
Catholic News Service (28 March 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI
has decided the collection taken up at his Holy Thursday
evening Mass will be used to offer humanitarian aid to
Syrian refugees.
Pope Aids Victims in Syria
Catholic News Service (3 April 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI
has donated $100,000 to help the people of Syria.
Throngs at Jerusalem’s Church of Holy Sepulchre
Catholic News Service (4 April 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — As Easter approaches, it can be a daunting task to find a quiet moment of contemplation at any of Jerusalem’s holy sites, but it is especially so at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Holy Land Pilgrimages on the Rise
Catholic News Service (5 April 2012)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Fear of violence in the
Middle East has not kept pilgrims away from the Holy
Land, according to U.S. Franciscan priests who frequent
the sites commemorating the birth, death and resurrection
of Jesus of faith, not just historical landmarks that are more like any hesitancy to visit these places is “overcome
by faith and interest,” said Franciscan Father Jeremy
Harrington, commissary and guardian of the Franciscan
Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington. The holy
sites, he added, remain safe places to visit despite unrest in the region.
Pope to Visit Lebanon in September
Catholic News Service (9 April 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI will visit
Lebanon Sept. 14-16, Maronite Catholic Patriarch Bechara
Rai announced during Easter Mass at the patriarchal seat
in Bkerke, Lebanon.
Syriac Patriarch Remembered as Luminary who Built Bridges
Catholic News Service (17 April 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Cardinal Ignace Moussa
Daoud, the former patriarch of the Syriac Catholic
Church, was remembered as great spiritual father and
luminary who built bridges of understanding and honest
dialogue, both at the ecumenical and interfaith levels.
Church in Gulf States
web news (30 April 2012)
OXFORD, England (CNS) — The bishop
overseeing the church in southern Arabia predicted
Catholic life will remain safe in most Gulf states despite
threatened new restrictions in Kuwait.
Save Syria, Urges Melkite Patriarch of Damascus
Catholic News Service (23 May 2012)
Syria’s 2.5 million Christians
are being pushed into an exodus from the country out of
fear of chaos and crime, said Melkite Patriarch Gregoire
III Laham of Damascus.
Egypt’s Christians Vote in Historic Election
Catholic News Service (31 May 2012)
CAIRO (CNS) — Egyptian Christians voting in
their nation’s historic presidential election were throwing
much of their support behind candidates who aimed to
check the power of the Islamist parties.
A Christian Convert In Lebanon
Catholic News Service (4 June 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — The first time Thomas stepped
inside a church, he was overcome with emotion.
Bishop From Iraq Pleads for Support
Catholic News Service (15 June 2012)
ATLANTA (CNS) — Making an impassioned plea
on behalf of Iraq’s dwindling Christian population,
Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad
called upon the U.S. bishops to press the Obama
administration to take steps to protect religious rights in
the Middle Eastern country.
Christian Exodus from Middle East
Catholic News Service (20 June 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Catholic leaders warned about
the dangers of a continued exodus of Christians from the
Middle East during a Christian-Muslim dialogue meeting
in a Beirut mosque.
Maronites in Israel Learn Aramaic
Catholic News Service (25 June 2012)
JISH, Israel (CNS) — Aramaic language classes
begun four years ago at Jish Elementary School have
changed the way youngsters experience the weekly
liturgy.
Egypt’s Christians Cautious About Islamist’s Victory
Catholic News Service (26 June 2012)
CAIRO (CNS) — Christians expressed caution
about the election of Islamist Mohammed Morsi as
Egypt’s new president, saying they hope he will follow
through on his pledge “to be a president for all Egyptians.”
UNESCO Adds Church of Nativity to List
Catholic News Service (2 July 2012)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (CNS) — UNESCO
has placed sites — including the Church of the Nativity —
in Bethlehem, West Bank, on its list of World Heritage in
Danger.
Video: “First Take: Vatican”
Catholic News Service (3 July 2012)
“First Take: Vatican” looks at significance of pope’s trip to Lebanon for all Christians in the Middle East.
Nuncio Cautious about Church’s Designation as World Heritage Site
Catholic News Service (5 July 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — The designation of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity as a UNESCO World Heritage site complicates relations between the three churches that oversee the holy site as well as relations between the Israeli and Palestinian communities, said a church official.
Christian Leaders in Egypt Meet With Clinton
Catholic News Service (17 July 2012)
CAIRO (CNS) — Egyptian Christian
representatives met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton in Cairo, rejecting calls by other religious leaders to boycott discussions but stressing their determination to flex their newfound political voice.
Syrian Catholic Leaders Call on World Community
Catholic News Service (18 July 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As violence continued
to shake Syria, the Vatican nuncio in Damascus called on
the international community to unite in efforts to restore
peace.
Across the Divide
Catholic News Service (18 July 2012)
NEW YORK (CNS) — Few conflicts in the
modern era have proved as intractable as that pitting
Israelis against Palestinians. One institution caught up in
this clash has been the Holy Land’s Bethlehem University, a Catholic establishment open to students of all faiths.
Jesuit Expelled From Syria Calls for Regime Change
Catholic News Service (19 July 2012)
ROME (CNS) — Italian Jesuit Father Paolo
Dall’Oglio was expelled from Syria in mid-June after he intensified his public calls for democratic change in the country.
Pope Renews Appeal for Peace in Syria
Catholic News Service (30 July 2012)
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — Pope
Benedict XVI renewed his appeal for peace in Syria and
humanitarian assistance for civilians threatened by the
ongoing fighting or seeking refuge far from home.
Center in Bethlehem Treats Trauma Victims
Catholic News Service (31 July 2012)
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) — Every week
for the past month, when she has the money, Suha Alladin
takes her 10-year-old son Mohammed, from their West
Bank Village of Ma’asara to Bethlehem in a shared taxi.
Egypt’s Bishops Cautiously Welcome President
Catholic News Service (17 August 2012)
ANTAKYA, Turkey (CNS) — A spokesman for
Egypt’s bishops gave a cautious welcome to President
Mohammed Morsi’s reshuffling of top military officials.
Nun Condemns Violence in Syria
Assad’s Regime
Catholic News Service (17 August 2012)
DUBLIN (CNS) — A Carmelite nun said the
armed insurrection in Syria is “producing a totalitarianism that is worse” than that of Bashar Assad’s regime.
Young Lebanese See Papal Visit as Sign of Hope
Catholic News Service (21 August 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Lebanon’s younger generation
of Catholics sees Pope Benedict XVI’s Sept. 14-16 visit to
their country as a sign of hope in a region embroiled with
violence.
Video: Plight of Syrian Refugees
Catholic News Service (21 August 2012)
Laura Sheahen of Caritas Internationalis talks about her recent visit with Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan.
Nuncio to Syria Worried for Future
Catholic News Service (22 August 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People in Syria are
“stunned and deeply saddened and worried for the future,”
said Archbishop Mario Zenari, the Vatican nuncio to
Syria.
Ecumenical Patriarch: Repent for Pollution
Catholic News Service (29 August 2012)
ISTANBUL (CNS) — Praying for the protection of the environment includes asking God’s forgiveness for the small or serious ways each individual contributes to pollution, said the Ecumenical Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople.
Pope Visits Lebanon
Catholic News Service (31 August 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When Pope Benedict XVI travels to Lebanon Sept. 14-16 — assuming spillover from the civil war in neighboring Syria doesn’t force a last-minute cancellation of the trip — his purpose will be above all pastoral; and, as usual for papal trips, most of his remarks will focus on the spiritual.
Video: Microcosm of the Middle East
Catholic News Service (7 September 2012)
Melkite, Maronite bishops reflect on significance of Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming trip to Lebanon.
Comboni Sister Nurses Egyptians for
60 years
Catholic News Service (10 September 2012)
NAZLET KHATER, Egypt (CNS) — It is 7 a.m., and someone is already knocking on the door of the tiny village convent where Comboni Sister Giacinta Niboli and three other sisters live.
Video: Concern for Lebanon
Catholic News Service (10 September 2012)
A look at Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks yesterday about violence and the need for dialogue and reconciliation in the Middle East.
Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Egypt
Catholic News Service (11 September 2012)
AL-MUKHALFA, Egypt (CNS) — On a recent summer evening, the local representative of Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood party paid a visit to the almost entirely Coptic Catholic village of Al-Mukhalfa, known as “Little Rome” deep in Egypt’s south.
Video: Prayers for the Middle East
Catholic News Service (12 September 2012)
Pope Benedict XVI’s comments at his weekly general audience about his upcoming trip to Lebanon.
Pope Calls for Help for Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (13 September 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican firmly condemned the recent attack against a U.S. consulate in Libya, which led to the death of a U.S. ambassador, three U.S. personnel and at least 10 Libyans.
Pope Arrives in Lebanon
Catholic News Service (17 September 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon Sept. 14, saying that he came “as a pilgrim of peace, as a friend of God and as a friend of men.”
Pope Delivers Exhortation in Lebanon
Catholic News Service (17 September 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI signed a major document calling on Catholics in the Middle East to engage in dialogue with Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim neighbors, but also to affirm and defend their right to live freely in the region where Christianity was born.
In Lebanon, Pope Calls for Religious Freedom
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Peace will not come to the Middle East until its nations enjoy religious freedom, since only the free practice of faith can inspire the region’s diverse peoples to unite around basic human values, Pope Benedict XVI said Sept. 15.
In Lebanon, Pope Addresses Middle East Christians
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the suffering of Christians in the Middle East, reassuring them and urging them to promote peace through religiously inspired service to their societies.
In Lebanon, Pope Addresses Youth
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
BKERKE, Lebanon (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI urged young Christians in the Middle East not to flee violence and economic insecurity through emigration, but to draw strength from their faith and make peace in their troubled region.
Pope’s Visit to Lebanon a Message of Peace
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — When Pope Benedict XVI stepped off the plane in Beirut Sept. 14, he said he had come to Lebanon, and to the Middle East in general, as a “pilgrim of peace.”
Vatican on Syrian Victims
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The U.N. Human Rights Council must approach the crisis in Syria from “the perspective of the victims,” and rally the international community to press for the end of hostilities and the immediate offering of humanitarian aid to the suffering, a Vatican official said.
Film Unsettles Muslims, Christians in Egypt
Catholic News Service (18 September 2012)
CAIRO (CNS) — As tear-gas bearing police
battled Egyptians armed with stones in front of Cairo’s U.S. Embassy, Rashad was two neighborhoods away, making sure the few evening costumers respected the line at the Mobinil cellphone company where he works.
Video: Pope Reflects on Lebanon Trip
Catholic News Service (19 September 2012)
Pope Benedict XVI reflects on the significance of his trip last weekend to Lebanon.
Bethlehem University Appoints First Female V.P.
Catholic News Service (24 September 2012)
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) — Thirty-five years after the first class graduated from Bethlehem University, one of its members became the first woman and Palestinian to hold the Catholic school’s highest academic position.
Middle East Religious Leaders Meet in Rome
Catholic News Service (26 September 2012)
ROME (CNS) — Western nations need to respect the people of the Middle East and trust them to solve their own problems, said an Iraqi diplomat, an Iraqi archbishop and a Syrian-born representative of the Melkite Catholic Church.
Franciscans Report Attacks in Syria
Catholic News Service (11 October 2012)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Franciscans ministering in a village along the Syrian border with Turkey said four people, including three Christian youths, were kidnapped and beaten before being released as the civil war surged in their community.
Synod Addresses Interreligious Dialogue
Catholic News Service (15 October 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholics, especially those who live in multireligious societies, must have a clear understanding of their own religious identity, but they also must recognize the spirit of God at work in others, said the Vatican official in charge of interreligious dialogue.
Video: Bishop Kicanas on Vatican Delegation to Syria
Catholic News Service (17 October 2012)
Bishop Gerald Kicanas, chairman of Catholic Relief Services, discusses the Vatican announcement of a papal delegation to war-torn Syria.
Pope Sends Cardinals to Syria
Catholic News Service (18 October 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A papal delegation of bishops, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, will travel to the capital of war-torn Syria in late October to show solidarity with victims and encourage peace negotiations.
Egypt’s Nuncio Says Christian Complaints Valid
Catholic News Service (18 October 2012)
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Some of Egypt’s Christians feel uncomfortable with Islamists in power, but there is greater freedom of speech than before the revolution, said the pope’s ambassador to the Middle Eastern country.
Christians in Syria Struggle to Survive
Catholic News Service (22 October 2012)
LONDON (CNS) — The Chaldean Catholic bishop of Aleppo said Syria’s second-largest city, which he “loves so much,” has been left in ruins by months of fighting, and Christians there are struggling to survive.
Papal Trip to Syria Postponed
Catholic News Service (24 October 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The visit of a papal delegation to the capital of war-torn Syria, previously announced for late October, has been postponed indefinitely, and the delegation’s membership, which was to have included Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, will be changed.
Jerusalem Holy Site Dispute
Catholic News Service (8 November 2012)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — A dispute over an unpaid water bill reportedly running to $2.3 million could threaten the daily functioning of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, one of Christendom’s most holy sites.
Nun Helps Eritrean Refugees in Israel
Catholic News Service (15 November 2012)
TEL AVIV , Israel (CNS) — Comboni Sister Azezet Kidane is fluent in Amharic, Tigrit, Arabic and Sudanese dialects, so she was a natural choice when a shelter for African refugees needed help.
Maronite Patriarch’s New Role as Cardinal
Catholic News Service (20 November 2012)
BEIRUT (CNS) — Catholics in Lebanon said Pope Benedict XVI’s naming of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai as a cardinal reinforces the church’s support for Christians in the Middle East.
Catholics in Gaza
Catholic News Service (21 November 2012)
ERUSALEM (CNS) — As diplomatic efforts were underway to reach a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel Nov. 20, Catholics on both sides of the Gaza border prayed for peace.
Video: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Catholic News Service (26 November 2012)
Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien, Grand Master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, previews his pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Holy Land Pilgrimage
Catholic News Service (27 November 2012)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — On the eve of his first trip to the Holy Land as grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien said he hoped to encourage the region’s Christian minority with a message of solidarity from Pope Benedict XVI and other Catholics in the West.
Seminarians in the Holy Land
Catholic News Service (29 November 2012)
BEIT JALLA, West Bank (CNS) — After a morning of visits to Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity and a local Catholic parish, U.S. Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien was overcome with emotion during his meeting with seminarians at the Latin Patriarchate seminary.
Europe No Longer Catholic Church’s ‘Center’
Catholic News Service (11 April 2013)
OXFORD, England (CNS) — The election of Pope Francis, an Argentine, to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics confirms what observers have long known: Vast demographic shifts in the Catholic population are reconfiguring the face of the church and shifting the institution’s center from its historic European heartland.
Turkey to Build Camp for Christian Refugees
Catholic News Service (15 April 2013)
ISTANBUL (CNS) — Christians escaping the two-year civil war in Syria will soon have their own camp in which to live and receive humanitarian aid, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey told local media.
Israeli Court OKs Construction of Wall Through Salesians’ Property
Catholic News Service (2 May 2013)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — An Israeli court has approved the construction of the Israeli separation barrier along a route through the Cremisan Valley that will nearly surround a convent and its primary school and confiscate most of their land on the outskirts of Beit Jala, West Bank.
Syriac Bishop Decries Extremism
Catholic News Service (21 May 2013)
JERUSALEM (CNS) — Growing extremism in Syria could jeopardize the safety of all Christians, said Syriac Catholic Bishop Gregory Melki of Jerusalem.
Church Car-Bombed in Kirkuk, Iraq
Another church has been attacked in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. The bombing comes less than two weeks after a Catholic and an evangelical church were targeted.
A Taste of Taybeh
Picture of the Day: A Life of Service
A novice at the Transfiguration Convent in Tbilisi, Georgia, helps to care for a former nun who is now a resident in the hospice run by the sisters. (photo: Justyna Mielnikiewicz)
Picture of the Day: A Saint Without Borders in Lebanon
Pilgrims from around the world pray to the saint and request his intercession. (photo: Sarah Hunter)
Picture of the Day: A Syrian Mosaic
The Melkite Greek Catholic Warood School enrolls 350 students from preschool through sixth grade. (photo: Spencer Osberg)
Archbishop Elias Chacour in Ottawa
Carl Hétu discusses the planning and execution of a symposium for which Archbishop Elias Chacour will be a guest.
In Palestine, A Town Where Christians and Muslims Are Good Neighbors
Sami El-Yousef recounts his visit to a city in Palestine with a large Christian representation and a strong spirit of inter-religious cooperation.
The Other Man From Galilee
Father Elias Mallon discusses meeting Archbishop Elias Chacour at a recent symposium organized by the Sheptytsky Institute and CNEWA.
Coming to America
The Associated Press reports on Arab Christians leaving the Middle East for the West, a trend CNEWA has been detailing for years.
Picture of the Day: Sustaining Life and Faith in Syria
Today's image captures a scene from one of the ongoing efforts to stem the Christian exodus from Syria.
Msgr. Stern on the Arab Spring
CNEWA's president emeritus, Msgr. Robert L. Stern, gave a speech on the 2011 series of democratic revolutions known colloquially as the Arab Spring.
Picture of the Day: Remembering Christians in the Middle East
A woman waits for healthcare in Palestine. (photo: Peter Lemieux)
Picture of the Day: Christians in the Muslim World
There are only some 3,000 Christians in Gaza, of which a little more than 200 are Catholic. (photo: CNS/Paul Jeffrey)
"War on Christians"?
CNEWA Vice President Michael J. La Civita critiques a recent Newsweek cover story on violence against Christians.
Picture of the Day: Syria Before the Turmoil
Maaloula the last remaining village in Syria where Aramaic is still spoken. The majority of the population are Christian. (photo: Sean Sprague)
Picture of the Day: Syria's Christians
In Syria, a group of men in the Christian village of Al Meshtayeh socialize over a board game. (photo: Sean Sprague)
Peace, Justice and Forgiveness
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, at a conference in Washington, D.C., a few days ago.
Picture of the Day: Praying in the Holy Land
A man prays in a Coptic shrine behind the Tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. (photo: Gabriel Delmonaco)
Picture of the Day: Maintaining Hope in Tough Times
In this photo taken in 2000, Armenian Catholics celebrate Divine Liturgy in a village near Gyumri, Armenia. (photo: Armineh Johannes)
The Crisis of Christians in Syria
ssam Bishara, our regional director for Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, puts the situation in Syria in context.
Picture of the Day: Syria's Valley of Christians
In this photo taken in 2010, a farmer rides through Wadi al Nasarah (Arabic for Valley of Christians), near Homs. (photo: Sean Sprague)
Picture of the Day: Egypt's Deep Christian Roots
Latest reports indicate that Egypt continues to be rocked by political turmoil and protest.
Picture of the Day: A Christian Village
A retired priest sits near a painting of St. Lawrence at the Beit Afram home for the elderly in Taybeh. (photo: Rich Wiles)
Picture of the Day: A Refuge in Lebanon
A Syrian family arrives at an army checkpoint in northern Lebanon on 27 March. (photo: CNS/Afif Diab, Reuters)
Hospitality in Hmoud
Journalist Nicholas Seeley details his visit to the fully Christian village of Hmoud, in Jordan.
Picture of the Day: A Church Restored
A man makes an icon at the Immaculate Conception Church in Jordan, which is undergoing major restoration sponsored by CNEWA. (photo: John E. Kozar)
Picture of the Day: The Syriac Orthodox Church
Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the Holy Land. (photo: John E. Kozar)
A New Exarch in the Old City
Bishop Moussa El-Hage was appointed the new Maronite patriarchal exarch in Jerusalem.
Parsing the Plotlines
John Allen discusses the framing of the pope's upcoming trip to Lebanon.
Msgr. Kozar Joins Pope in Lebanon
Tom Gallagher of the National Catholic Reporter interviews CNEWA President Msgr. John E. Kozar on the pope's visit to Lebanon.
Page One: Headlines for 9/14/12
Stories of interest for the day.
Take Five: Making a Difference in the Middle East
Pope Benedict XVI is being received throughout the Middle East as a herald of peace and hope.
Messenger of Peace: The Pontiff Arrives
Today is the day that millions of people in Lebanon and the Middle East have been waiting for.
"After President Bashar, We Don't Know What Will Happen."
CNN reports on Christians' concerns about the prospect of a post-Assad Syria.
Page One: Headlines for 10/4/12
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 10/9/12
Stories of interest for the day.
Picture of the Day: "Denomination Doesn't Matter"
Faithful celebrate Mass at a Roman Catholic church in Antakya, Hatay province. (photo: Sean Sprague)
Is There Room for Christians in the Middle East?
CNEWA's Michael J. La Civita recently gave a speech on religious minorities and social movements in the Middle East.
Picture of the Day: Greetings from the Vatican in Arabic
A priest reads in Arabic during Pope Benedict XVI's weekly audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on 10 October. (photo: CNS/Max Rossi, Reuters)
Page One: Headlines for 10/18/12
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 11/19/12
Stories of interest for the day.
"We Are One With Them in Their Struggle"
Someone with ties to CNEWA, Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, is making his first trip to the Holy Land.
CNEWA in Rome
Carl Hétu describes the recent reception CNEWA co-hosted in Italy.
Page One: Headlines for 1/23/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 3/15/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 4/19/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 4/25/13
Stories of interest for the day.
In Canada, Working to Bridge the Divide
On 15 April, CNEWA Canada joined with the office of Senator Anne C. Cools to organize a special event in Ottawa highlighting the situation of Christian communities in the Holy Land.
Dividing the Valley
Rev. Elias Mallon discusses the Israeli separation wall's encroachment into the Cremisan Valley.
Page One: Headlines for 5/7/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Picture of the Day: Catholics Who Worship in Hebrew
Parishioners sing a hymn during evening Mass in the Church of Sts. Simeon and Anne in Jerusalem. (photo: CNS/Paul Haring)
Page One: Headlines for 5/22/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 5/30/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 6/4/13
Stories of interest for the day.
Page One: Headlines for 6/12/13
Stories of interest for the day.