the desire to rebuild is stronger than the destruction of war

In the homily of the Pentecost mass, Card. Pizzaballa told the Christians of Gaza: “I have never heard a word of anger from you,” this is the “sign of your strength.” Not a single house is “intact”, but we must look to the future. The visit to a bakery destroyed by the war, which reopened a few days ago and offers work to Christians and Muslims. We collect and publish the testimony of Father Romanelli.

Gaza City () – “We do not want power, but we ask to be strong” and although there is a feeling of “tiredness, of deep tiredness” due to these months of war, in reality “you are strong” because during the conversations I have I have never heard a single word of anger with you. This is the most evident sign of his strength,” the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, told the Christian community of Gaza at the Pentecost Mass he celebrated yesterday. The cardinal concluded the three-day visit, unexpectedly but long longed for by him and by the faithful of the Holy Family, to the Strip torn by the conflict that Israel launched against Hamas in response to the attack on October 7 and which has caused deep devastation and dozens of victims among Catholics.

“I have come – he continued in the homily – to bear witness, above all, to my personal love and also to the love of the entire Church, together with our strong commitment to support and help them in every way possible.” “You are isolated,” she added, “but you are not alone. May the Holy Spirit descend upon us all. May he descend especially on our two young people who will receive Confirmation. May he descend upon all of us and give us the strength to live in these special circumstances, not only to stay and resist, but to be the future of our children here in Gaza.”

Cardinal Pizzaballa has seen with his own eyes the destruction, the houses reduced to piles of rubble and the families mourning the innocent dead. “I really appreciate the way you have welcomed me and the attitude you have” and, despite the fact that he has found a lot of “tiredness due to this situation” and that “not a single house has been left intact,” he urged not to look only at the past but look towards the future. “The future – concluded the cardinal – is that of houses, that of schools, especially schools for children.” Education and work, starting with one of the primary goods and basic food of daily life: bread During the days he spent in the Strip, Card. Pizzaballa visited and blessed the “De las Familias” bakery, seriously damaged by the bombings and which recently reopened thanks to the support and contribution of the Latin Patriarchate. Bishara Shehadeh and offers jobs to Christians and Muslims.

The cardinal’s visit also allowed the return of the parish priest of the Holy Family, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, priest of the Incarnate Word, who was in Bethlehem in the days when the war began and was never able to return. The priest offered a brief testimony about the situation of the community and his hopes for the future. “The people,” he says, “are serene; Although the feeling of tiredness and exhaustion is strong, it is equally true that many want to resume life, rebuild, and others think about starting a new life somewhere else, although with a lot of pain.”

Below is the testimony of Father Romanelli for :

We found the Christian community in Gaza in pretty good condition, as good as it can be after more than seven months of war and with a conflict still ongoing.

Our Holy Family parish community is made up of more than 500 people, including Mother Teresa’s children.

People are serene, although the feeling of tiredness and exhaustion is strong, it is equally true that many want to resume life, rebuild, and others think about starting a new life somewhere else, although with a lot of pain. All of them loved and love their land. In the Christian community, in fact, there are many who have always lived and continue to live in the Strip, and feel united to it. There are also Christians who took refuge here from other parts, from Jerusalem, from Jaffa or Tel Aviv, from Migdalia and Ashkelon, who lost their homes and had to leave due to the wars of the past.

However, many Christians are originally from Gaza and feel that they belong to this land. That is why some feel great pain at the idea of ​​leaving, while others want to stay.

The city is very affected and the signs of the conflict are evident, practically no building is seen that has not been hit, that has been saved from the bombs.

We as a parish have continued with the activities, first of all with the spiritual life thanks to Father Yusuf [Assad, el vice párroco], who has remained with the faithful during all these months and will continue here with me. I stay in the parish, and Father Carlos Ferrero, our provincial, also came with me. [de la congregación del Verbo Encarnado]. And let’s not forget the nuns: a new sister also came, María “Maravillas” de Jesús, an Argentine who will remain here to bear witness to a living reality that continues her activities. We have already started the oratory again, some lessons to resume activities with the children, although it is not a real school. In any case, we are trying to undertake many other initiatives with the help of young people and, above all, younger families.

The Patriarch’s Visit [card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa] It was splendid, it ended [ayer] with Pentecost and the administration of the sacrament of Confirmation to two boys from the parish. All this is a sign of hope, people were also very happy to see us again and to know that I have returned and will continue here, with God’s help.

* Parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza.

(Photo from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)