Pontifical Mission Marks 75 Years
Commemorations continued for the 75th anniversary of Pontifical Mission, CNEWA’s operating agency in the Middle East, with a second pastoral visit to the region. Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, president of CNEWA-Pontifical Mission, traveled to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, from 14 to 26 July, accompanied by Tresool Singh-Conway, CNEWA’s chief financial officer, and Thomas Varghese, director of programs.
The trip began in the Jordanian capital, Amman, with visits to programs funded by CNEWA-Pontifical Mission, including Beit Mariam, a center for girls featured in this edition.
A Mass commemorating the anniversary, celebrated by Archbishop Giovanni Pietro Dal Toso, papal nuncio to Jordan, was held at the Church of Mary of Nazareth on 17 July.
In Lebanon, the 75th anniversary was marked with a press conference at the Catholic Information Center in Beirut on 18 July. Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, Maronite patriarch of Antioch and all the East, presided at a Divine Liturgy commemorating the diamond jubilee and hosted a reception.
Msgr. Vaccari traveled to Syria, 22-24 July, where he met with bishops, consecrated men and women, and the lay leaders who conduct the work of the church in difficult circumstances.
“The historic role of Pontifical Mission has never been more important than at the present hour,” said Msgr. Vaccari from Amman.
In April, Msgr. Vaccari traveled to Israel and Palestine with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, chair of CNEWA’s board of trustees, kicking off the anniversary observations with Masses in Jerusalem and Beit Jala and visiting with those suffering amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
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Aid for Gaza Continues
At the time of publication, the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza was ongoing, as conditions there continued to plunge. CNEWA-Pontifical Mission was working with local parish partners and kitchens to distribute food, potable water, medical and other aid, including regular meals to 1,000 people in northern Gaza coordinated with the Greek Orthodox parish of St. Porphyrios.
On 29 July, the church was hit by an Israeli missile, which failed to explode on impact; three people were injured by falling debris. Earlier in July, the CNEWA-funded Al Ahli Arab Hospital was included in a general evacuation order of several neighborhoods in Gaza City. By mid-August, more than 40,000 people (more than 39,000 Palestinians and almost 1,500 Israelis) had been killed in this conflict that began on 7 October.
Follow our blog for more updates on CNEWA’s work in Gaza.
CNEWA Board Elects Members
CNEWA’s international board of trustees elected two new members at its biannual meeting on 6 June, including Archbishop Richard W. Smith of Edmonton, Canada, and philanthropist Amanda Bowman. They will begin their four-year term of service on 7 November. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York, serves as the board chair.
CNEWA & ONE Win 58 Awards
CNEWA had another record-breaking year at the annual Catholic Media Conference, held this year in Atlanta, 18-21 June, winning 58 awards for its various media, including ONE magazine, the agency’s website, videos and blog.
CNEWA also celebrated the magazine’s 50th anniversary by sponsoring two conference events on 21 June, including a breakfast and a discussion panel on the theme, “Conflict, Crisis and Hope: Eastern Christians in the World’s Hotspots.”
During the breakfast, Msgr. Vaccari conferred CNEWA’s Faith & Culture Award to Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia for his promotion of the innate dignity of every human person and his defense of the role of faith in culture. The archbishop accepted the award via Zoom from Lviv, Ukraine.
The archbishop also participated in the panel that followed. Michael J.L. La Civita, director of communications for CNEWA, moderated the discussion, which included Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin of the Ethiopian Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat, Joseph Hazboun, regional director of CNEWA-Pontifical Mission’s Jerusalem office, and Laura Ieraci, editor of ONE. Bishop Medhin and Mr. Hazboun participated from Rome and Jerusalem, respectively.
Promoting CNEWA in Rome
Ada Odino, a Milan-based lawyer and cherished friend of CNEWA, organized an event to promote the mission of the agency in Italy on 25 June. It was held at the Terrazza Babuino, a luxury hotel a short distance from the Spanish Steps.
Msgr. Vaccari, in Rome for the annual meeting of Catholic aid agencies dedicated to serving the Eastern churches, attended the event, along with CNEWA’s Rome team: the Reverend Marco Scandelli, legal representative, and Anna Cuzziol, office administrator. The occasion was a significant milestone for CNEWA’s initiative in Rome, which reopened in July 2023, providing an ideal platform to highlight CNEWA’s mission and discuss its ongoing activities in support of the Eastern churches.
CNEWA Gala: Save the Date
CNEWA’s third annual Healing & Hope Gala will be held Monday, 9 December, at a private club in Manhattan.
CNEWA will welcome as its guest of honor Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, whose calls for justice and peace remain a beacon of reason and hope.
CNEWA will present its Faith & Culture Award to Gayle M. Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, a prominent advocate for the presence of faith in culture, especially in her beloved city of New Orleans.
For information, call (212) 826-1480 or email gala@cnewa.org.
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