“My dear friends, as I look at you and reflect on the quiet, benevolent service you carry out — and of the many benefactors who, through you, channel resources to those in need — I cannot help but think of how much money, in this dark period of history, is being wasted on killing, squandered by so many who foment wars. While you generate life, they sow death; while you reach out to your brother, they seek enemies to crush; while you create dialogue, they seek monologues; while you open paths of hope, they lock people into fear; while you build the future, they destroy the present.”
– Address of Pope Leo XIV to the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Eastern Churches, ROACO, 18 June
In June, after my visits to the offices of CNEWA-Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem, Amman and Beirut, I attended the annual plenary session in Rome of ROACO, a committee of approximately two dozen Catholic aid agencies that offer humanitarian and pastoral assistance to the Eastern churches.
Adriana Bara, national director of CNEWA’s office in Canada, also attended. This important meeting provides the group with reports from the ground. This year, Joseph Hazboun, our regional director in Jerusalem, and Michel Constantin, our regional director in Beirut, offered video updates on the situations within their respective jurisdictions. For Jerusalem, those areas include the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. For Beirut, they include Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Egypt.
The apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, also addressed those gathered through video conference. The meeting always includes a report from the prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti. The agencies also share with each other their practices in the field, given the extremely challenging locations where we work. We cannot minimize the importance of CNEWA’s offices on the ground, in situ — we are there! The powerful words of Pope Leo describe precisely what we strive to do on the scene.
This year, CNEWA marks its 100th anniversary as a papal agency of healing, hope and peace. In the countries where we serve, people’s daily experiences include the trauma of war, human trafficking of all forms, starvation and famine, growing hostility and persecution of Christians, an ever-increasing number of refugees, lack of basic education, and the absence of proper health care. Many Middle Eastern countries face the lack of clean water because of climate change, poor agricultural policies and the horrific increase of regional conflicts, which have caused the destruction of water networks and desalination plants. CNEWA works in the world’s most water-scarce region!
CNEWA’s effectiveness at communicating these events in our world was recognized once again at the annual meeting of the Catholic Media Association in June, where CNEWA received a record 62 media awards, including 17 firsts, 16 seconds, 7 thirds and 22 honorable mentions. The wins span the panoply of efforts of communications, marketing and creative services, from best magazine, multimedia materials, blog, news, social media channels, design and layout, advertisements, press releases, advisories and individual excellence. These awards were won in a highly competitive and prestigious field, including an array of national Catholic media organizations.
Congratulations to our magazine’s executive editor, Michael J. La Civita, our editor, Laura Ieraci, our digital assets manager, Timothy McCarthy, the teams in communications, marketing and creative services, and the indispensable assistance that comes through our network of journalists, photographers and others through the leadership of our regional offices.
This current issue of ONE continues the great tradition of the magazine. Read the letter on the challenge of hunger in Ethiopia, where much of the population finds itself between famine and starvation! The conditions grow worse as international aid groups depart from the country.
CNEWA continues to make an emergency appeal for Ethiopia. Please, be informed, consider prayerful discernment, donate on the CNEWA website. Please, donate, today!
As well, Mr. La Civita offers his third article in the series on the history of CNEWA. A poignant article from Ukraine focuses on how war deeply affects children at all levels: parental loss, education and human development.
The articles from the Holy Land focus on efforts to work for justice and peace in the region. They also reflect on the impact of war on displaced persons and refugees. How has the war between Iran, the United States and Israel impacted the efforts of local groups, in the search for justice and peace, in promoting a local culture of dialogue?
In Memoriam. On 26 May, Carl Hétu, who served as the national director of CNEWA in Canada for 18 years, starting in 2004, passed through the doors of death into the fullness of eternal life. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Please keep the following special dates for CNEWA’s centennial in mind and plan on joining us:
13 December
Centennial Mass, 10:15 a.m.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City
Christmas Concert for Peace, 6:30 p.m.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Lebanon, Brooklyn
15 December
The Plaza Hotel, New York City
Guest of Honor and Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan International Leadership Award Recipient:
Frà John Dunlap
81st Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
CNEWA’s Faith & Culture Award Recipient:
Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E.
President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State
With my gratitude and prayers,
Peter I. Vaccari
President