Peace, dialogue and reconciliation — and the leading efforts of the church and people of good will to promote these values in places that have experienced conflict, violence and war — are recurring themes in the December issue of ONE, titled “Finding Unity in Diversity Through Paths of Dialogue and Respect.”
In this issue, read about:
- The efforts of the church in Bosnia and Herzegovina — 30 years after the genocide in Srebrenica — to bring about peace and reconciliation among Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox Christians, ethnic Bosnians, Croat and Serbs.
- The daily struggles of Palestinians in the West Bank against the Israeli government’s settlement expansion plans.
- The challenges in Lebanon to rebuild damaged areas in the south and in and around Beirut amid a tentative peace.
- The commitment of Deir Mar Musa monastery in Syria to facilitate interreligious dialogue, fellowship and peacebuilding after 14 years of civil war.
- The success of a CNEWA partner, Caritas Armenia, in providing hope, comfort and safety to Armenians for 30 years.
But that’s not all! ONE’s journalists in the field, committed to reporting on issues in the Christian East, have been filing additional feature stories we call “Web Exclusives.” Be sure to check in on our website throughout December to read articles on:
- Life in Syria one year after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
- The struggle of a Palestinian family to farm their ancestral land in the West Bank.
- The impact of Pope Leo XIV’s visit on Lebanon and CNEWA’s partners in the country.
- The developments in the Eastern churches, 30 years after the publication of John Paul II’s apostolic letter “Orientale Lumen” (The Light of the East).
In his regular column, Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, CNEWA president, introduces the pontifical agency’s centennialin 2026 to CNEWA’s friends, partners and beneficiaries. He provides a spiritual framework through which we should understand this significant anniversary:
“As CNEWA prepares to enter its second century of service in 2026 … the great challenge is not a matter of magnificent structures, but rather of a renewed awareness of the fundamental call to holiness through servanthood and the daily washing of the feet of others.”
The article “Marking a Century of Healing and Hope,” by executive editor Michael J. La Civita, launches the magazine’s centennial coverage with the story of CNEWA’s humble yet dramatic beginnings.
We look forward to bringing our readers more articles on the history and impactful work of CNEWA over the past 100 years throughout 2026. In the meantime, we hope readers will take time this Christmas season to contemplate the articles in this issue and even reflect on how we can all be greater bearers of peace, dialogue and reconciliation into the new year.