Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, will visit Israel and Palestine, Friday, 12 April, through Thursday, 18 April, as chair of Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). The cardinal is expected to meet with Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders, visit social service and humanitarian activities and mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of Pontifical Mission for Palestine with Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, president of CNEWA-Pontifical Mission.
Chaired ex officio by the archbishops of New York, CNEWA is an agency of the Holy See founded by Pope Pius XI as an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but troubled lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe. Pope Pius XII founded Pontifical Mission to coordinate worldwide Catholic aid to Palestinian refugees who had fled their homes during the first Arab Israeli conflict. The pope placed Pontifical Mission’s leadership and administration under CNEWA. Subsequent pontiffs have since extended Pontifical Mission’s mandate to help meet the needs of all vulnerable persons throughout the Middle East.
As in previous visits, Cardinal Dolan will meet with various Israeli and Palestinian representatives, human rights groups and works of the local churches, including the Paul VI Ephpheta Institute for the Hearing Impaired, the House of Grace and the Notre Dame des Douleurs Home for Aged. He also hopes to meet with families of hostages, visit the Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem and share a Sabbath meal with Jewish friends.