In the One, we are one
Pope Leo XIV’s motto — taken from St. Augustine’s “Expositions of the Psalms” — is replete with meaning. In a particular way, this motto echoes CNEWA’s mission among the peoples who first embraced the Gospel.
This unifying vision informs ONE magazine’s reporting on the Eastern churches, expressed plainly in its masthead — one God, one world, one human family, one church.
For this reason, the new pontiff’s motto graces the cover of our June issue, in which we highlight the words and events in Pope Leo’s early ministry that resonate with the ecclesial vision and spirit with which CNEWA conducts its work.
The June issue also pays tribute to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, 21 April, and whose 12-year papacy resonated strongly with CNEWA’s work among the churches and communities in the peripheries. His care for the Eastern churches, migrants, victims of war and the poor, as well as his teachings on human fraternity and Christian unity, called the world’s attention to issues and people otherwise forgotten.
This edition also features stirring reporting and photography that convey the fragile and ever fluid situation in the Middle East:
- The increasing restrictions in the occupied territories of the West Bank and the impact on its fragile Christian community
- The programming and support available for children and families in post-Assad Syria
- The resilience of church-run groups after U.S. foreign aid cuts in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.
A prayerful reflection on Pope Francis’ last encyclical, “Dilexit nos” (“On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ”), by CNEWA President Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, concludes the issue, reminding readers that, in such challenging times, hope can be found in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where suffering, grief and sorrow find meaning and rest.
We hope you enjoy the issue!