Gaza and the West Bank have faded from the headlines but realities on the ground are extremely dire. How are Catholic institutions and advocates responding? I will be co-moderating a three-part Spring Mini-Course zoom series hosted by the Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace highlighting stories from those working on the front lines of justice and humanitarian efforts. The first event, this coming Wed. May 14 at 11am ET features Dr. Greg Shay, an American Catholic doctor who recently served in Gaza and was profiled by National Catholic Reporter (link in comments), and Shireen Khamis who works for Caritas Baby Hospital-مستشفى كاريتاس للأطفال in Bethlehem. They will discuss "Healing and Hope Amidst Catastrophe: The State of Health Care in Gaza and the West Bank." Join us for these timely and urgent conversations! Register: https://lnkd.in/eCHdSdJC (fb)

Congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV from the Palestinian Christians Your Holiness, On behalf of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF), its President, Board of Directors, and the devoted Palestinian Christian community, I extend our warmest and most heartfelt congratulations on your election as the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Catholic Church. We lift our prayers with joy and reverence, asking the Lord to grant you wisdom, strength, and divine guidance as you undertake the sacred responsibility of leading the global Catholic Church in these challenging times. Your election is a profound source of hope and renewed faith for millions—especially for the Palestinian Christian community in the Holy Land, who look to the Holy See as a pillar of peace, justice, and unwavering solidarity. As Arab Palestinians—the descendants of the first Christians and the living stones of the Church in the land of Christ’s birth—we stand united in our devotion to the Gospel and deeply inspired by your vision of unity, mercy, and the inherent dignity of every person. We look forward with great hope to your leadership in advancing peace across the Middle East and championing the rights, freedom, and enduring presence of both Palestinian Christians and Muslims. We also pray that your papacy may support the just realization of a sovereign Palestinian state in the land where Christianity was born. May the Holy Spirit guide and sustain you throughout your pontificate. With deepest respect and in Christian solidarity, Rateb Y. Rabie, KCHS President & CEO Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) #HCEF #Palestine #PopeLeo #Palestinian #Christians #Easter #Holyland @highlight @everyone @followers (fb)