In an impassioned address yesterday at the conclusion of an annual children\u2019s procession to Bethlehem, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal condemned \u201cthe violence in the Middle East and in a special way the attacks in the Gaza Strip. In two weeks these attacks have hurt Israel and the region more than all the rockets launched across the years \u2026 This violence has caused a huge loss of life and destruction of homes, schools and institutions, wreaking immense damage and bringing terrible suffering for the civilian population, especially to many innocent children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Echoing Pope Benedict\u2019s words that \u201cmilitary options are no solution and that violence, wherever it comes from and in whatever form, must be firmly condemned,\u201d the patriarch said that \u201cwe are a people who have suffered and continue to suffer from violence for 60 years. We are also re-born children of God, whose Son came here and who suffered so that all may hope in His victory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not political leaders,\u201c the patriarch added, \u201cbut as we pray for Christ to come into our hearts, to strengthen us in our hope and faith, today we take on the mission of Christ, which knows no boundaries or borders. Let our love, sacrifices and prayers lead political leaders to building a civilization of love, reconciliation and security to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In an impassioned address yesterday at the conclusion of an annual children\u2019s procession to Bethlehem, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal condemned \u201cthe violence in the Middle East and in a special way the attacks in the Gaza Strip. In two weeks these attacks have hurt Israel and the region more than all the rockets […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[16],"tags":[39,47,95,99,124,183,199,212,229],"bishop":[],"department":[],"class_list":["post-130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gaza","tag-attack","tag-bethlehem","tag-fouad-twal","tag-gaza","tag-jerusalem","tag-pray","tag-rocket","tag-strip","tag-violence"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n