This Sunday marks World Day of the Poor and Archbishop Cushley has nominated the Beit Afram Elderly Home in Palestine as the recipient of the Archdiocese's annual appeal.
Your donation will help ensure that elderly Christians living amidst the violence of war and in need of care are not abandoned and that their costs to live with dignity are covered.
The care home is a project of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
"The elderly are often overlooked and alone, and are surely among the Anawim of the region.
The appeal ties in with the visit to Edinburgh of Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, from 1-3 December.
Archbishop Cushley said: "Cardinal Pizzaballa is an Italian Franciscan with a deep knowledge of the communities that make up the peoples of the area and he has many years’ experience there.
"He was chosen by Pope Francis to lead the Latin Catholic Christians in this time of great distress.
"With his blessing, therefore, our collection this year will go to one of the Patriarchate’s charities, the Beit Afram Home for the Elderly.
"The elderly are often overlooked and alone, and are surely among the Anawim of the region, especially in the present circumstances."
Parishes have the option to hold a special collection for the appeal this Sunday. Alternatively you can donate online at bit.ly/dayforpoor2025
Cardinal Pizzaballa will preach at Mass in St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Sunday 1 December at 7:30pm. You can read the Holy Father's message for World Day of the Poor 2024 here.
Scotland's Bishops call for Middle East peace
The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has issued the following statement on the hostilities in the Middle East:
“We have been shocked and horrified by the outbreak of senseless violence in the Holy Land.
“Our hearts go out to the innocent people of Israel who have been murdered and terrorised and to the innocent civilians of Gaza dying in a war zone.
“We join with Pope Francis in his call for peace and echo his condemnation of this widespread outbreak of violence.
“We pray for peace and call on the faithful, and all people of good will to do the same.
“We hope the violence will cease, that civilians and non-combatants will be respected and that all hostages will be released.”
EVENT: Journeys of Faith in Israel and Palestine
Two Christians will speak of their journeys of faith in Israel-Palestine at an online event hosted later this month.
Journeys of Faith in Israel and Palestine features Linda Ramsden and Omar Haramy.
Linda will describe how her encounters with Palestinians took her on a faith journey that has led her to become Director of ICAHD UK (Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions).
Omar Haramy, of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in East Jerusalem, will speak of the journeys that were forced upon Palestinians in 1948, the crisis of faith that resulted, and the response of Sabeel as it lives a theology that stresses God's love is for all people.
The event is hosted by the working group for Israel-Palestine of the Archdiocese's Caritas, Justice & Peace Commission and takes place on Zoom on Wednesday 26 August, 7:30pm to 8:30pm. Click here to register and you will receive the details you need to join the meeting.
Journeys of Faith in Israel and Palestine, online Zoom event, 7:30pm-8:30pm, Wednesday 26 August 2020.
Some background links:
- Click here for a Communique from Bishops Conference of England & Wales calling for peace in the Holy Land.
- Click here to visit the ICAHD website
- Click here to visit the Sabeel website.
- Click here to find out more about the Sabeel Wave of Prayer.
- Click here to read a recent open letter from Bethlehem Clergy.
The World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, takes place 15-21 September. Find out more here.