NEWSLETTER JERUSALEM LOVE THE HOLY LAND AND BE LOVED NUMBER 24 JUNE 2013 Editorial Latin Patriarchate The Challenge of Education of Jerusalem The academic world has the wind in its sails. Last week, Rami Hamdallah, president of the University of Nablus in www.lpj.org the West Bank, announced that he has been mandated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a new gov- P.O.B. 14152 ernment. At the same time, in the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan, students eager- Jerusalem 91141 A Labor of Patience ly await the announcement of the results of the Tawjihi (the standardized test given Without a doubt, education is a great after 12th grade). This is a critical step as challenge for the Church, and it is of even Tel : +972 2 628 23 23 the scores will determine the students’ greater urgency for a tense Middle East. Fax : +972 2 627 16 52 professional future and will allow them to Promoting a culture of peace prepares for pursue admission to a university. a new future paradigm. Accordingly, global The Patriarchate is affiliated with two participation in this process is indispens- able. It is there that the youth of a nation, Media office: universities, one in Bethlehem and the new the American University of Madaba of a society, lives and learns together. Ap- [email protected] (located south of Amman). The latter pealing to education to substitute peace was officially inaugurated on May 30, for violence and thereby change the world 2013, in the presence of King Abdullah is the classic mission of a culture of toler- Latin Patriarchate II of Jordan; Cardinal Leonanrdo Sandri, ance and solidarity, founded on the princi- of Jerusalem on prefect of the Congregation for the ples of liberty, justice, and democracy. Ev- Oriental Churches and His Beatitude eryone understands that a culture which Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. rejects violence will root out conflict at 160 years after the establishment of the its source and resolve problems through first Latin Patriarchate school in Salt, dialogue and negotiation. Universities Jordan, the University confirms the have a myriad of distinct and connected mission of the diocese in education responsibilities. The first of which is to and in particular, the high academic discover and transmit knowledge through standards with international academic research and teaching, and the second The next issue relations. is for the student to gain understand- of the newsletter will In its mission, the university is at the ing through experienced practitioners. be published in September service of both Christians and Muslims. In relation to the recent desecration of after the summer break Cardinal Sandri highlighted the impor- the Dormition Abbey on May 30th, Bishop tance of this place for interreligious dia- William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar for Je- logue. In his inaugural speech, Patriarch rusalem reminded us that “it is absolutely Fouad Twal stressed the importance of necessary to end these acts of van- formation for the development of good dalism by instilling better education in relations between religions. “There is no the young, particularly in school.” Con- conflict between the need to be firmly vinced that this “is a long term process,” rooted in one’s cultural and religious the Bishop was quick to add that it will traditions, and at the same time, to be require “a lot of patience.” LATIN PATRIARCHATE PRINTING PRESS BEIT JALA – 2013 open to the identity of the other.” Christophe Lafontaine P A G E 2 NEWSLETTER — JERUSALEM “The Stones Cry Out”—History of Palestinian Christians Diocese: Holy Land News A documentary by Yasmine Perni on the his- tory of Palestinian Christians was presented King Abdullah II and the Patriarch Attend in mid-May in Nazareth then in Jerusalem. The documentary is a succession of scenes the Inauguration of the University of Madaba of evocative places—Biram, Iqreth, Birzeit, Beit Sahour, in various episodes such as the 1948 The official opening of the American University of Madaba (AUM) was expulsion, the Intifada, the civil disobedience held on Thursday, May 30. AUM is affiliated to the of the Latin Patriarchate in Beit Sahour, and interviews with Christians of Jerusalem and of which Pope Benedict blessed the first stone on May and clergy such as Patriarch Emeritus Michel 9, four years ago, during his pastoral visit to the Holy Land. Among the of- Sabbah, Archbishop Elias Chacour, Pastor Mi- ficials present were His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan; His Beatitude tri Raheb, and university professors. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 10th Extraordinary Prayer for Peace Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who represented On Saturday, May 18, the 10th meeting of the Pope Francis. “Extraordinary Prayer for Peace for Rec­ Fr. Rifat Bader, Director of the Center for Catholic Studies and formation onciliation, Unity, and Peace, Beginning in for media explained:“The presence of the King, the Patriarch and Cardinal Jerusalem” took place in the Syrian-Catho- Sandri authoritatively confirms that the path of the new university institu- lic Church of St. Thomas in Jerusalem. The tion should be viewed in the context of the great and enduring mission prayer was presided over by Bishop Gre- carried out by the Latin Patriarchate in Jordan in the field of education. 160 goire Pierre Melki, Syrian Catholic Patriar- years ago the early phases of the first school of the Latin Patriarchate be- chal Exarch of Jerusalem. yond the Jordan appeared in what was then a closed and marginal world. New Pontifical Mission National Today, that same mission continues to facilitate the birth of a University Director for the Holy Land with high standards and international academic connections, serving the Fr. Michael Abdo Abdo, OCD, was appointed Jordanian people, both Christians and Muslims.” Pontifical Mission National Director for the The American University of Madaba opened its doors in October 2011. Holy Land by decree of His Eminence Fernan­ Students today are about 850, but the University, at full capacity, can accom- do Cardinal Filoni (Prefect of the Congrega­ modate eight thousand. There are about twenty active courses, concentrat- tion for the Evangelization of Peoples), issued ed in the areas of information technology, economic sciences and medical April 28, 2013. health. The Latin Patriarchate has contributed significantly to the building of Christmas 2013 will be a holiday the university. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is a member of the Board of at Haifa University Directors, which now runs the fully independent University, from an academic For the first time, an Israeli university makes and financial point of view, on the pattern of other Middle Eastern Universities Christmas an official holiday. In mid-May 2013, and is accredited by the certification bodies of the American University of New the Haifa University senate decided on three Hampshire. Agence Fides new holidays for the entire student body, on the dates of the most important Christian, Mus- lim and Druze holidays – Christmas, Eid al Fitr, which comes at the end of the Ramadan fast, Latin Patriarch conveys Easter Greetings and Eid al Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice. This is the first time a university in Israel has to the Orthodox Churches taken such a step. All the Christian Churches of the Holy Land met on May 7, 2013, to ex- Dormition Abbey Vandalized change traditional Easter wishes. The Orthodox celebrated Easter on May Graffiti and anti­Christian insults in Hebrew 5, according to the Julian calendar. For the record, the majority of Latin were sprayed on a wall of the Dormition Ab­ Catholics in the Diocese of the Holy Land also celebrated Easter on May bey during the night of May 30. Two cars 5, following a directive of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy were also smeared with offensive words Land (ACOHL). and the tires were slashed. The abbey is lo­ His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by cated on Mount Zion in Jerusalem and held by German Benedictine monks who discov­ his Patriarchal delegation went to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate to share ered the vandalism. One of the gates of the his Easter wishes with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III. Present as well nearby Greek Orthodox cemetery was also were representatives of other Christian Churches of the Holy Land (Catho- marked with graffiti. lic, Protestant and Orthodox). Thereafter, all visited the leaders of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox. Cardinal Sandri Visits Syrian Refugees At the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Latin Patriarch spoke on behalf of at Our Lady of Peace Center the other Churches conveying well wishes. He mentioned the kidnapping in Cardinal Sandri visited Jordan at the end of Syria of Bishop Boulos Yazigi, the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and May. After the inauguration of the American University of Madaba in the presence of Archbishop Gregorios Ibrahim Hanna, the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan of King Abdullah II and Patriarch Fouad Twal, Aleppo and Iskandaroun. Expressing his solidarity with the Orthodox Church- the Cardinal, on Friday, May 31, went to Our es and the two hostages, Patriarch Twal called on the international community Lady of Peace Center in Amman to meet to intervene with force for the release of the two Bishops and also to find a Syrian refugees. solution to the Syrian tragedy Christophe Lafontaine LOVE THE HOLY LAND AND BE LOVED P A G E 3 Diocese: Holy Land News Statement Regarding Israeli Police Measures on Holy Saturday The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jeru- We urge the Israeli authorities especially the Minis- salem issued a statement, concerning the Israeli try of Interior and the police department in Jerusalem, police measures on Holy Saturday, May for 2013.