Israel is Blocking the Accounts of the Latin Patriarch -- "Come, Pilgrimage in the Holy Land, Eat, Drink and Pray With Us"

(Jerusalem) "Israel has blocked the accounts of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem," says Msgr. Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, Archbishop of the Patriarchate and Patriarchal Vicar for Israel.  The Patriarchal Vicar charges that several Israeli communal representatives have seized Church property.  "Even my account was blocked,"  the Bishop told Asia News.    The entire situation has "worsened."   There is really "no real preparedness to restore peaceful relations. There is always a pretext to put it off.  Every day there are new deaths, but nothing happens to restore talks." 

Many Fronts: "Soon electricity and water will be cut off." 

There are many fronts that have encircled the Christians of the land. One has fallen upon Catholic schools, which will suffer drastic cuts from the Israel Ministry of Educaton.  Another front is a concerted attack from several community offices against the property and accounts of the Church. "We have been informed recently that in the past days that several  town halls have blocked the accounts of clerics, religious and the church. It is an attempt to force the Church to pay a special tax which religious communities have been free from since the time of the Ottomans."

Even the account of the Patriarchal Vicar has been blocked: "with the bills that come to the house,  and the blocked account, we run the danger that we'll soon have our electricity, gas and water shut off."

The same is reported by the Maronites from Haifa and religious communities in Jaffa.  "The decisions were made by the city authorities." The government, however has done nothing about it. Officially the government says they are against the measures, but that hasn't helped us.  We're not seeing a great desire to clarify the problem. The Nuncio has intervened with the foreign ministry, but that hasn't changed anything."   The accounts, "don't merely impact individual persons.“ says the Patriarchal Vicar. They also affect schools and hospitals.
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The Bishop also complains that the significant drop in the numbers of pilgrims is "not encouraging". As is seen, "we must speak of a complete crisis."

Holy Land pilgrimages  have decreased since 2015 by 30 percent, compared to the number last year. "All European countries, except Poland, have decreased. Internationally, pilgrims are coming from Nigeria, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, but overall there is crisis. "

The  decline of pilgrims has had a negative impact on the Christian communities in the Holy Land whether in Israel, in the Palestinian dsssssssterritories or in Jordan. "The pilgrims support the Christian community. If there are no pilgrims, many Christians have no income. With all the consequences for their families. "

The reason for the fall in the number of pilgrims has been the fear of attacks, the war in the Middle East and the Islamic State (IS).

Fear unfounded: "We pilgrims are respected"

"It is important to tell people that the horrific images on TV have nothing to do with the Holy Land. We have our problems, but these are other problems that are not from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land on the way. With us, no pilgrims are attacked. Christians and Muslims here respect pilgrims seeking God, so no one has to fear. "

All in all, said the Vicar, the situation in the Middle East is that peace is the crucial prerequisite to restore coexistence and dialog. The US and the EU should "correct their false Middle East policy: The support and financing of terrorists must be stopped, not only for the Islamic state , but for all terrorist groups."

Initiatives of the Holy Year of Mercy

In the Holy Year of Mercy a number of initiatives of all Christian communities has been launched. These mainly include visiting the sick, in hospitals and at home. "The sick can be powerful witnesses by the example of  Saint Mariam Bawardi. We are also distributing relief supplies and food for the needy in Gaza and for the refugees in Jordan. During Lent, all priests have committed increasingly to make  confession available. "

"Come to us for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, eat, drink and pray with us"

The Christians of the country would be left alone and isolated,  which is true even for the children. A Finish diplomat recently saw this when visiting the Finnish ambassador in a Catholic school in Galilee. "She was welcomed by the children with such enthusiasm that the ambassador was surprised. It showed me how much they clamor that someone cares for them. Then they also draw hope. This applies to all Christians in the country. They need understanding and support. "

The way to support the Christians, "is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land: Come, come to us, eat and drink with us and pray with us," said the Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Custody of the Holy Land
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

News Clips -- Planned Attack on Marriage at Bishops' Synod

Conspirators Handled as Advertised -- Objection to Illegal Criminal Penalty ---- Settlers Storm an Abandoned Outpost -- Bad Comparison -- The Crimes of Syrian Terrorists

Plotters Handled as Advertised

Vatican.  The conspirer Bishop Felix Gmur of Basel stood in -- as it had been long planned before -- on behalf of adultery at the Bishops' Synod.  Msgr Gmur the specially drilled journalists, how the Church addresses people, who "live in other family forms".  He prated on of two divorced bigamists, who have lived for fifty years in adultery.  Bishop Gmur would like to know if fifty years of fornication "can't be really valid in our eyes".  The Church should recognize adultery -- demanded Msgr. Gmur.

Objection to Illegal Criminal Penalty

Germany.  The British SSPX Bishop Richard Williamson has lodged a claim against the new German penalty.  The penalty was conformed to a non-existing sin, according to international legal standards, of "inciting hatred".  Another hearing will take place next year.

Settlers Storm an Empty Outpost

Occupied Palestine.  Dozens of Jewish settlers recently attack -- under the protection of heavily armed occupation soldiers -- in the abandoned outpost of the settlement Tarsala south of the 40,000 population city of Jenin in the northerly West Bank.  Witnesses reported that fourteen vehicles with bands of settlers stormed the place.  After that security patrols were led into the streets between Jenin and Nablus.  The inhabitants were threatened and insulted.

Poor Comparison

Germany.  The New Evangelization must be begun by individuals.  The Neoconservative Cardinal Joachim Meisner said this for the to the press official of the Diocese of Basel.  As Christianity received its freedom under the Emperor Constantine in 313, it didn't give Christian families and Christian schools:  "Then one began at point null and we appear to be again at that point."  Only:  Then, Catholics were highly motivated and anchored firmly in the faith.

Crimes of the Syrian Terrorists

"The refugees from the terrorist infested part of Aleppo report of abortion, kidnapping, abuse and burned from their homes and their cars stolen.  'My son was shot by a sniper of the [so-called] Free Syrian Army', shouted a father infuriated in an abandon school functioning as a refugee camp.  The boy has a cast on his foot and metal rods in his bones after an operation.

From an article on the online-edution of 'Springer' daily news 'Welt' about the foreign terrorists inciting a Syrian civil war on the 25th September.