You Are Not Forgotten: Statement of the Coordination of Bishops' Conferences in Support of the Church in the Holy Land

Since 1998, the Coordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land has met at the invitation of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land. Mandated by the Holy See, the Holy Land Coordination meets every January in the Holy Land, focusing on prayer, pilgrimage and persuasion with the aim of acting in solidarity with the Christian community as it experiences intense political and social-economic pressure. Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, represented the United States.

Full text of their statement follows.

“We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it.” (Laudato Si 229).

Bishops pray at Mt. Nebo  in Jordan, where Moses viewed the land of Israel.

As the Bishops of the Holy Land Coordination, we echo Pope Francis' plea in his recent Encyclical Letter, Laudato Si (Praise Be to You), to remember our interdependence in an integrated world.  Here in this land holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims, we have been reminded during our visit of the Church's enduring presence among the weak and vulnerable and those who are too often forgotten. We take away our experiences and the stories that we have heard, and we are determined to give a voice to the voiceless.

The ongoing violence makes it all the more urgent that we remember and assist all, especially those on the margins, who seek to live in justice and peace.

To the Christian community and young people of Gaza, you are not forgotten. The 2014 war led to the destruction of thousands of homes and the physical and social infrastructure of Gaza, as well as the deaths of both Israelis and Palestinians. One and a half years later, while there are signs of hope and the resilience of the population is remarkable, many remain homeless and traumatised by the war. The blockade continues to make their lives desperate and they effectively live in a prison. At Holy Family Parish we were told: "In this Year of Mercy, one of the acts of mercy is to visit prisoners and I thank you for visiting the largest prison in the world." The ability of so many Christians and Muslims to support each other in this situation is a visible sign of hope and, at a time when many seek to divide communities, an example to us all.

Bishop Cantú, center, greets parishioners in Beit Jala, near Bethlehem.

To the Christian community of Beit Jala, where the Israeli confiscation of land and the expansion of the separation wall in the Cremisan Valley, in violation of international law, further undermine their presence in the Holy Land, you are not forgotten. Throughout 2016 we shall raise your plight nationally and internationally.

To those Israelis and Palestinians who seek peace, you are not forgotten. The right of Israel to live in security is clear, but the continuing occupation eats away at the soul of both occupier and occupied. Political leaders across the world must put greater energy into a diplomatic solution to end nearly 50 years of occupation and resolve the ongoing conflict so the two peoples and three faiths can live together in justice and peace.

Bishop Cantú speaks with a man near the Cremisan Valley whose lands were confiscated and his ancient olive trees cut down.

To the Christian refugees we met in Jordan, you are not forgotten. We heard about the trauma and difficulties in trying to rebuild their lives. For most, returning home is no longer an option. Jordan is struggling to cope with almost a quarter of its population now made up of refugees. The efforts of the local Church and NGOs in reaching out to all refugees - both Christian and Muslim - are significant and commendable in terms of addressing the refugees' loss of human dignity, but the international community must do more to alleviate their plight and work for peace across the region.

A full church greets the bishops in Jordan.

To the priests, religious communities and lay people of the Church in Jordan, you are not forgotten. The Church in Jordan is vital and growing, but Christians are fearful of the growing extremism in the region. It is to be hoped that the coming into force on 1 January of the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, offers us a model of dialogue and cooperation between States that respects and preserves freedom of religion and freedom of conscience for all people.

With a promise of active solidarity, we make our own the prayer of Pope Francis in Laudato Si: “O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.”

Archbishop Stephen Brislin, South Africa
Bishop Peter Bürcher, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
Bishop Oscar Cantú, United States of America
Archbishop Rodolfo Cetoloni, Italy
Bishop Christopher Chessun, Church of England
Bishop Michel Dubost, France
Bishop Lionel Gendron, Canada
Bishop Felix Gmur, Switzerland
Bishop William Kenney, England and Wales, COMECE
Bishop Declan Lang, England and Wales
Bishop John McAreavey, Ireland
Bishop William Nolan, Scotland
Bishop Thomas Maria Renz, Germany
Archbishop Joan Enric Vives, Spain

Photos courtesy of @stevecolecchi.

Time to Listen to the Bishops On The Shutdown

By Sister Mary Ann Walsh

As the government shutdown continues, it may be time to listen to another body – the U.S. bishops. Recent statements from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offer significant points worth considering.

They are neither Democratic nor Republican positions. They are simply principled.

Consider, for example, an October 1 letter from Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, Chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Migration, Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, California, chair of the Committee on Domestic Policy and Human Development, and Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace. The letter urged Congress to fulfill the role of government and meet the basic needs of people. The bishops told Congress that they “welcomed earlier bipartisan action which averted a federal government shutdown and the hardship that would have come with failure to reach agreement."

They added that "The Catholic bishops of the United States stand ready to work with leaders of both parties for a budget that reduces future unsustainable deficits, protects poor and vulnerable people, advances the common good, and promotes human life and dignity."

The bishops noted that the Catechism of the Catholic Church says it is the proper role of government to "make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life," including food, clothing, heath care, education and culture.

The Church is a voice for the poor. It’s often the only lobby for people in desperate need. In that regard, the church has argued for universal health care for about a century.

The church has also asked Congress to protect rights of conscience as a part of the same legislative process. A September 26 letter from Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, called for respect for religious freedom. They did so as a January 1 deadline approaches for beginning to impose the HHS contraceptive/abortifacient mandate on many religious institutions that serve the needy. As the bishops’ October 1 letter pointed out, threats to conscience rights undermine access to needed health care by driving people of faith out of the system.

Some have falsely interpreted this as a call for the government shutdown or a default on our nation’s debts. The bishops have done nothing of the kind. The bishops have been urging Congress to enact legislation like the Health Care Conscience Rights Act for two and a half years. Since July 2012, the bishops have been asking that this protection be included in “must-pass” bills such as the appropriations bills funding the government, which have long been vehicles for a number of important federal policies on conscience rights.

The bishops offer principles that uphold rights for all people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Good government protects its citizens. When it shuts down, it protects no one; and when it runs, it must be sure to respect their fundamental rights. The bishops have emphasized all of these concerns together. In this way, they offer a voice of reason.

Back to School Safety Tips

By Deacon Bernard Nojadera


Back to school means new clothes, shoes, school supplies and haircuts. It is also time to review family safety rules. To be effective, these rules for children should be specific to a situation.

Let’s start with getting to school. Here’s what children should know.

Children should walk in pairs, never alone, and wait together at the bus stop.

Shortcuts are a no-no. Parents should walk the route with their children first to show them the safest route to and from school.

Children must check with mom or dad before going anywhere with anyone that was not prearranged and should not accept rides from anyone.

On the bus, the rule is to sit quietly and follow all instructions from the bus driver.


Parents can teach:

That children do not have to be polite when someone asks them to do something that goes against family rules or makes them uncomfortable. If a request makes them uneasy, they should say, NO, get away and tell a trusted adult what happened.


That children are wonderfully made in the image of God and no one has a right to hurt them. This means they do not have the right to hurt anyone else either. If children see bullying, they should let a trusted adult know.

That children should pay attention to the inner voice that is telling them something is wrong. This is God keeping them safe.

That adults do not ask children for help finding lost pets or other items. If that happens, children should say, “I’m sorry I can’t help you” and then move away and tell a trusted adult what happened.

That children can tell you anything and that you won’t get angry when they do tell you things. Explicitly tell children that thinking something is so terrible, they cannot tell you is the signal that they must tell you.


Parents also can:

· Attend a parish safe environment training program if they have not already attended one. These programs tell people how to recognize behavior of people who harm children.

· Undergo a background evaluation if they have not already done so. Participating in safe environment programs shows support for the child safety program of the school/parish.

· Show respect for rules. Parents also should not let other adults teach it is okay to break the rules.

More safety tips can be found at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by clicking here. http://www.missingkids.com/Publications/Safety

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Deacon Bernard Nojadera heads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection.

Catholics Care. Catholics Vote: Poverty and Helping People to Flourish

"The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them," Jesus says in Mark's Gospel.

This would, at face value, seem like a fairly open-ended statement. But it gets a pretty heavy degree of specificity from the U.S. bishops in the introductory note to the reissued Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, when the bishops cite "an economic crisis ... , increasing national and global unemployment, poverty, and hunger; increasing deficits and debt and the duty to respond in ways which protect those who are poor and vulnerable as well as future generations" as one of their six areas of concern going into the 2012 elections.

If these are issues that are supposed to matter to Catholics, the bishops have certainly led by example in this area. For the Church, political engagement isn't just about what happens in a voting booth in November; it's about consistently bringing one's values and perspective to the public discussion. The U.S. bishops have brought their values to the issues of debt, poverty, unemployment and hunger in numerous letters to leaders in Congress. The Vatican has even tackled the more overarching challenge of financial reform.

Of course, every Catholic is called to engage the political process, as voters, lawmakers, advocates, etc. And all Catholics are called to, as Jesus said, do good for the poor, through whatever means are at their disposal, whether they're a teacher educating the next generation, a banker engaging in responsible lending practices or a legislator shaping public policy that will impact millions of lives. In his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI called this the "institutional path of charity."

On this path, Catholic teaching places a crowded cast of characters, all with their own responsibilities: government, businesses, churches and other organizations, and individuals. The Church's vision for society involves all of these stakeholders working together in a way that allows people to flourish, living life with a sense of dignity and reaching the potential God intended for them. In Catholic terms, everyone has a responsibility to promote the common good. To keep this from becoming stifling or chaotic, the Church prescribes principles like solidarity and subsidiarity.

Solidarity is the recognition of the responsibility of everyone in society to care for those who are poor and vulnerable. (The words of Jesus in Matthew 25 put this in perspective by saying that feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. are requirements for entering the kingdom.) Subsidiarity is the principle that says care for the poor -- and all human problems, in fact -- should be addressed at the lowest level possible and the highest level necessary. It promotes the robust network of relationships in society, from the individual to the global. It can be seen at work when, for instance, funding from the federal government goes to finance anti-poverty programs that are regulated and administered at the state or local level, often by charities, sometimes by Catholic charities.

The goal is always human flourishing. The tangled, interconnected mess of joblessness, the economy, poverty, etc. is a political concern for the bishops because it impacts the lives and dignity of so many. "Work is more than a way to make a living," the bishops write in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, "it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation." And as so many people struggle in financial hardship to regain that part of their lives, it becomes apparent that "The poor you will always have with you" isn't a license to ignore the poor or assume they will disappear when times improve for everyone. Rather it's a reminder of a duty shared by everyone and articulated by the bishops:  "The economy must serve people, not the other way around."