Patriarcat Latin de Jérusalem

Béatitude Eminentissime, Excellences,
A l’issue de notre réunion plénière du 8-10 mars 2010, qui a eu lieu sur le mont des Béatitudes à la présence de Son Excellence le Nonce Apostolique, Nous, Ordinaires Catholiques de Terre Sainte, nous voulons exprimer notre proximité fraternelle aux chères églises d’Irak, Pasteurs et fidèles, sans distinction, pendant ces temps d’épreuves.

Il Presidente Onorario dell’associazione è il Patriarca Latino di Gerusalemme S. B. Monsignor Fouad Twal. E' un'associazione ONLUS senza fine di lucro che ha come obiettivo la raccolta di fondi a sostegno delle opere del Patriarcato Latino di Gerusalemme. Essa promuove e coordina attività di raccolta fondi da utilizzare nell’ambito della cooperazione allo sviluppo e della solidarietà internazionale da realizzare in Medio Oriente in tutte le aree di presenza del Patriarcato Latino di Gerusalemme (Israele, Territori Palestinesi, Giordania, Cipro).

Wednesday, March 10, in the Latin Patriarchate's reception hall, Mons. Johann Wagner was elevated to the dignity of Honorary Canon of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem by His Beatitude Patriarch Fouad Twal. This dignity is given to clerics demonstrating a particular commitment, love and spirit of service towards the Church of Jerusalem.

The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (AOCTS) held its bi-annual meeting from Monday, March 8 until Wednesday, March 10, 2010 in Galilee at the Domus Galilaeae. The Assembly includes all the heads of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land and at this meeting all were present: the president of the assembly, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal and his three Vicars, Bishop Marcuzzo from Nazareth, Bishop Selim Sayegh from Amman and Father David Neuhaus from the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community, as well as the two emeritus bishops, Patriarch Michel Sabbah and Bishop Kamal Bathish.

Imposant, pugnace – comme le sont souvent les prêtres placés en première ligne –, après avoir été le premier évêque arabe d'un pays d'Afrique du Nord, la Tunisie, où il a rouvert au culte l'église de Djerba, Mgr Fouad Twal assume depuis 2008 la difficile charge de Patriarche latin de Jérusalem, diocèse où, en 2009, il a accueilli le pape en visite en Terre Sainte. Grâce aux bons offices de la délégation du Mcl, organisation récemment en visite en Jordanie et qui, avec les fonds des “5 pour mille”, finance de nombreuses œuvres sociales parrainées par le Patriarcat, Mgr Twal a accordé cette interview au journal Vita.

Today, Wednesday, March 10, a group of 35 parishioners from Madaba (Jordan) on a pilgrimage to Palestine and Israel under the leadership of their pastor, Father Yacoub Rafidi, came to visit the Patriarchate. This is the third year that such a pilgrimage is organized. The parishioners have spent three days in Galilee, where they were able to visit the holy places in Nazareth and on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. They are now for four days in Judea, where they will pray on the holy sites of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. all May all the faithful of the diocese soon be able to freely come and pray in the holy places!

The fourth Sunday of Lent has a special flavor of joy and cheerfulness. The entrance verse starts with the word "rejoice in the Lord." In order to strengthen this invitation to joy, the liturgy proposes the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). In the same chapter, this parable is followed by two others: the shepherd who finds his lost sheep and the lady who finds her lost coin. How did the shepherd and the woman react after having found what they lost? "Rejoice with me", they said.

Here is the letter the prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, sent to the bishops regarding the collection for the Church in the Holy Land, which traditionally takes place on Good Friday.

Your Excellency,
The preparation for Easter once again launches the appeal to the Pastors of the universal Church to support the Holy Land by offering prayers, attentive participation and practical generosity.

From March 2 to 4, the bishops of the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arab Region (CELRA) met at the Latin Vicariate in Amman to prepare the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East to come. Their work was focused on studying the Lineamenta of the Synod. Each bishop expressed the difficulties and challenges he faces in his own diocese. The situations being very different, their expectations of the Synod are also different. All, however, agree on one point: the need for a "qualitative leap" in the spiritual life of their diocese.

Although Christian Arabs make up a small minority in the Holy Land, they could be an important bridge in the conflict that has divided the region for too long, says Patriarch Fouad Twal. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem laments, however, that as the international community is slow to take them into consideration, the numbers of Christians are dwindling. Part of the problem, he notes, is that Israel's 20-foot-high wall around the Palestinian territories has made daily life for many almost impossible.