NEWSLETTER JERUSALEM L O V E T H E H OLY LAND AND BE LOVED NUMBER 30 FEBRUARY 2014 Editorial Latin Patriarchate Cremisan: “The answer suggested. Until the State responds all work of Jerusalem of the court is a good sign” has to be stopped. The court asked the Ministry of Defense and the Commander COMMUNIQUE – Here follows a of the West Bank to cancel the seizure www.lpj.org press release from the Society of St. Yves orders issued in Cremisan. “The case is after the decision of the Supreme Court not over, until a final ruling is given. The of Israel to further postpone the validation court’s decision is an indication that it is not of the construction of the separation wall inclined to adopt the State’s position. We P.O.B. 14152 in the Cremisan valley. The Court asked definitely have new hope – the answer of Jerusalem 9114101 the State of Israel to develop its argument. the court is a good sign” explains Advocate This brings new hope and optimism for Zvi Avni, lawyer of St. Yves representing the families affected in Beit Jala and the the Salesian Convent and School. The certainty that they will not be dislodged in Supreme Court set a new hearing for July Tel : +972 2 628 23 23 the next six months. 30, 2014 to discuss the requested answer Fax : +972 2 627 16 52 of the State and the responses to it of the people of Cremisan. Supreme Court issues The valley of Cremisan will be cut Media office: a preliminary order: off from the community as soon as the [email protected] “Why were no alternative separation wall will be constructed as paths for the fence in the area planned by the Israeli authorities. 58 mainly Christian families and a Salesian convent considered?” will lose their lands; the convent, which Latin Patriarchate Yesterday, the Supreme Court of is running a school, will be situated in a of Jerusalem on Israel asked the State Attorney to justify military area and will be separated from until 10/4/2014 why not to alter the route in their neighboring monastery. Cremisan and why they insist to construct About a year ago, on April 24, the on the suggest route. Further the court Israeli Special Appeals Committee for land asks for a statement why it shouldn’t cancel seizure under emergency law had released the decision of last year which was given its verdict in favor of the State for a route by Special Appeals Committee in Tel which cuts off the valley from Beit Jala and Aviv. This would mean that the wall could separates the Salesian Convent from the be constructed also for example on the Salesian Monastery. In a Supreme Court route the Council of Peace and Security hearing on Wednesday, January 29, the Council of Peace and Security, an association of high ranking Israeli security personnel, had stated in an expert opinion that an alternative route below the illegal settlement of Gilo would cause much less harm for the community. At the same time it would serve Israeli security needs LATIN PATRIARCHATE PRINTING PRESS in a better way. BEIT JALA – 2014 Society of St. Yves P A G E 2 NEWSLETTER — JERUSALEM Diocese: Holy Land News Christmas Greetings of His Beatitude Fouad Twal to the Orthodox Patriarch JERUSALEM – His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, went Thursday, January 9, 2014 to the Orthodox Patriarchate to present his best wishes of a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, to his Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III. The speech follows which he delivered on this occasion. Your Beatitude, Patriarch Theophilos III Brother Bishops Dear Friends On the occasion of the Christmas Feast, according to the Julian calendar, and on behalf of all present, I express to the Greek Orthodox, the Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian sister-churches, our warmest greetings. Our We know that the eyes of the world are on us and wishes are in the same time ,a prayer for good health, any misunderstanding between our communities is peace, prosperity and pastoral success, in all your highly observed. efforts during the New Year 2014. Soon we will share the Week Of Prayer For The birth of Jesus has a strong message. Many Christian Unity. Its theme is very provocative: “Has fathers of the Church formulated it with this simple Christ been divided” (1 Cor 1:13). Responding to statement: God borrowed our human nature, in order the question requires prayer and reflection on our to give us much more in exchange. He took our fragility, responsibility towards God’s will and the irrevocable to make us participants to his divinity. He took our sinful call for all Christians “that all may be one”. Christians are nature to make us acquire his holiness. He became challenged, to prepare to receive the gift of unity through man to make us sons of God. The more we are aware prayer, inner conversion, renewal of life and fraternal of this privilege, the more we can be transformed ,and dialogue. A divided Christian witness, convinces fewer can help to transform the Holy Land and the Middle East and fewer people. There are no short cuts to unity. around us. There is the path of sincere love, serving and suffering The Middle East seems in long agony. Christians for the Church. suffer in many countries, and could not celebrate and Happily, we welcome the news of the forthcoming enjoy Christmas as we did here. We think in a special visit to the Holy Land of His Holiness Pope Francis and His way of Syria, where the population is suffering the Holiness Bartholomaios I, Archbishop of Constantinople consequences of a long civil war. We think of the two and Ecumenical Patriarch. In an ecumenical gesture, kidnapped bishops, who do not give signs of life ,and of both Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomaios, will the nuns who are still hostages. They are in our prayers gather in prayer at the Holy Sepulchre surrounded by all and thoughts. of us. This graced moment, present a further invitation to Your Beatitude, I am happy and proud of the fraternal charity and collaboration for all who are called collaboration between our churches during this past to unity. year, because we enjoyed increased meetings and There is other good news to share. Our Lutheran greater co-ordination. Allow me to praise your Beatitude, brothers inaugurated a new church on the Jordan River. for your speech during our last gathering with President In the presence of many Bishops and high ranking civil Peres ,and for the important message you delivered authorities, we share in their joy and congratulate them then. Though the Christian community here is relatively for this achievement. small, we know that when we are united, we express a Beatitude, dear bishops and guests, more effective message to all. The more generous and I convey to you all, our best wishes of joy and courageous and fearless we are, in working together happiness ,and ask for you, many divine blessings. and in praying together, the more our faithful are assured Amen. and confident. + Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem L O V E T H E HOLY LAND AND BE LOVED P A G E 3 Scott Hahn conference, Diocese: Holy Land News Sunday, January 12 The celebrated author Scott Msgr. Elias Chacour’s resignation Hahn (Rome Sweet Home) gave a lecture on the theme: The Apostolic Nunciature in Israel “The New Testament and the reports that the Holy Father, Pope Francis Eucharist in the Early Church.” has accepted the resignation letter The lecture was presented on submitted by Archbishop Elias Chacour, Sunday, January 12, 2014, at the Melkite Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth John Paul II Conference Centre and Galilee. at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem At the same time, the Holy Father Center . appointed His Excellency Moussa El Haje, Maronite Archbishop of Haifa and Even anti-Christian graffiti the Holy Land, as Apostolic Administrator in the heart of Jerusalem sede vacante (vacant see) and ad nutum Sanctae Sedis (at the disposition of the On the site of “QUDS NET Holy See), of the same Melkite Archeparchy NEWS AGENCY” dated January of Acre with the same powers and responsibilities for governance 10, 2014 , there are pictures of Archeparchy. Jaffa-Tel Aviv – January 27, 2014 graffiti drawn in Hebrew, in early January, on the walls of Notre Dame Center, near the Christian Holy Land Catholics at Baptism site Quarter in Old City Jerusalem. On the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the First Sunday after Epiphany, Laura Boldrini January 12, 2014, many faithful of the Catholic parishes of the Holy Land visits the Patriarchate gathered with the Franciscans of the Custody for the celebration of the Baptism On January 17, 2014, the of the Lord on the site, right at the edge of Jordan. This Feast completed in a President of the Italian Chamber beautiful manner the liturgical season of Christmas. of Deputies, Ms. Laura Boldrini, It is only two years ago that one could celebrate the baptism of Christ accompanied by the Consul in the place where tradition places this event, Qasser El Yehud. Since the General of Italy in Jerusalem, Six Day War, the site was closed and in ruins for 44 years. The Israeli army Mr. Davide La Cecilia, visited the rarely gave permission to celebrate Mass there. Re-opened in the summer of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 2011, the site once again can accommodate pilgrims as it did back in the day where she was greeted by His when the whole Church celebrated Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist in the Beatitude Fouad Twal and his Jordan River.