The Church of the Holy Family, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, was hit last Thursday, July 17, in an attack that left its community mired in pain and uncertainty. A shell, according to initial reports, fired from an Israeli tank killed three people and wounded 15 more, including the parish priest, Father …
Category archives: Holy Land
Attack on Catholic parish in Gaza: Aid to the Church in Need calls for prayers and support for the Holy Land
Montreal/Königstein, July 17, 2025 – The Catholic parish of the Holy Family in Gaza was severely damaged today in a raid. According to the Latin Patriarchate, three people were killed. Among the injured, the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, sustained a minor injury to his leg. The church suffered major structural damage, and the Christian …
Supporting summer camps: vital for hope!
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) provides summer camps and activities for almost 100,000 children in 15 countries For many children from poor or war-stricken communities, the summer camps and other activities are an opportunity to have fun and grow in the faith in a secure environment, accompanied by religious and Church animators. Almost …
Holy Land: Attacks on a Christan village
Church leaders urge Israeli authorities to stop attacks on West Bank Christians. Radical Jewish settlers have been attacking the Christian town of Taybeh with increasing violence, while the Israeli military and police ignore requests for help. The leaders of the main Christian churches in the Holy Land are questioning the complicity of the Israeli authorities …
Christians must be allowed to stay in the Middle East!
“States have to change their perspective. It’s not about focusing on the number of Christians, but on the value that the presence of the Christians adds.” Cardinal Bechara Raï, patriarch of the Maronite Church In a statement to Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the patriarch of the Maronite Church, Cardinal Bechara …
Continue reading “Christians must be allowed to stay in the Middle East!”
Situation in Gaza still “very bad,” says priest. “No one is talking about rebuilding”
For three months, Gaza received no aid convoys, which meant that the parish had to ration the resources it had to feed the Christians within and some of the families that live nearby. The situation in Gaza, in the Holy Land, continues to be “very bad” according to Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, who is responsible for …
“One more day of war won’t solve the situation”
Parish priest of Holy Family in Gaza to Aid to the Church in Need Fr. Gabriel Romanelli says that living with 500 people in a closed compound is not easy, but that the Christians in Gaza consider themselves fortunate to have survived thus far and to be able to help thousands of other families in …
Continue reading ““One more day of war won’t solve the situation””
“Thank you for keeping the Christian presence alive in Jerusalem”
Life in Jerusalem’s Old City is difficult for the Christians who continue to live there, many of whom are poor. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been providing help to struggling families through projects carried out by the Latin Patriarchate. The Old City of Jerusalem is a magical place to visit, with its …
Continue reading ““Thank you for keeping the Christian presence alive in Jerusalem””
Churches cry foul as tax war flares up again in Israel
Last February, the heads of Christian Churches in the Holy Land have officially protested against a renewed attempt to force them to pay certain taxes in the State of Israel. The most pressing case at the moment is related to the Armenian Church, but there are many cases involving Catholic institutions. The patriarchs and heads …
Continue reading “Churches cry foul as tax war flares up again in Israel”
Bailasan: a balm for mental health issues in the Holy Land
The Bailasan Counselling Centre is the first Catholic psychosocial and mental health institution aimed exclusively at helping the Christian community in the West Bank. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) funded the renovation work at the centre and recently spoke to those whose job it is to care for a population suffering from a …
Continue reading “Bailasan: a balm for mental health issues in the Holy Land”