Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, made a pastoral visit to Gaza City's Holy Family Parish on December 19. The visit, occurring before Christmas, aimed to show closeness to the community following two years of war. The Cardinal met with local clergy, including Father Gabriel Romanelli, and parishioners to assess community needs. Discussions included reviewing the current situation, humanitarian response, relief efforts, and future prospects for the parish.
3 months ago
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived in Gaza City on December 19, 2025, for a three-day pastoral visit to Holy Family Parish, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip.1 3 6
He was accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali and a small delegation to assess the parish's situation amid ongoing relief efforts.1 3 6
Children greeted the cardinal with flowers, Santa hats, keffiyehs, and festive decorations like Christmas trees and Nativity scenes.1 3 5
The parish, led by pastor Father Gabriel Romanelli, has sheltered hundreds of displaced Christians and Muslims since the war began in October 2023.1 3
Pizzaballa expressed relief for the first time since the war, praising the community's strong faith and resilience.1 3 5
He conveyed greetings from churches and people worldwide, promising to rebuild schools, houses, and lives, emphasizing roots in Gaza.1 3
The visit occurs amid a fragile ceasefire holding into its third month, though Israel has conducted attacks, killing hundreds since October.1 3
The parish compound was hit by an Israeli shell in June or July 2025, killing three in what Israel called an accident.3 5 Humanitarian aid faces restrictions despite winter preparations.1
Pizzaballa will preside over an early Christmas Mass on December 21, including a baptism to affirm belief in life.1 3 6
The visit reaffirms the patriarchate's commitment to the community through hope, solidarity, and prayer as rebuilding begins.1 5 6
Investigate the Catholic Church’s role in wartime humanitarian aid
The Catholic Church has long played a pivotal role in wartime humanitarian aid, rooted in its social doctrine of caritas in veritate—charity in truth—which integrates love, justice, and the pursuit of the common good amid human suffering. This commitment manifests through impartial assistance to war victims, condemnation of indiscriminate violence, collaboration with international entities, and promotion of peace, as evidenced across decades from World War eras to contemporary conflicts like those in Ukraine and Gaza. Drawing from papal encyclicals, addresses, and diplomatic statements, the Church's efforts emphasize not only material relief but also moral witness to human dignity, transcending political divides to aid all people regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
The Church's engagement in wartime humanitarianism traces back through consistent papal initiatives, particularly during the World Wars. In 1948, amid the Arab-Israeli conflict, Pope Pius XII detailed how the Holy See responded to "numerous and urgent appeals" by dispatching aid to representatives in Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt, while encouraging global Catholic organizations to form relief undertakings for war victims. This impartial approach echoes earlier collaborations, such as during World War I when Pope Benedict XV partnered with Switzerland's Federal Council on the "work of the internees" to assist prisoners, renewing diplomatic ties in the process. World War II saw the Holy See and Switzerland jointly provide "material and moral aid" to countless Europeans, offering asylum, care, sustenance, and liberty to those fleeing conflict, often leveraging their neutral positions amid warring parties. Pope John Paul II later reflected on these efforts as driven by "a profound sense of responsibility, with generosity and a spirit of sacrifice, in the name of God and from brotherly love," underscoring the Church's role in mitigating suffering even when full remedies proved impossible.
These historical precedents established a model of neutrality and universality, where the Church aids "all men, whatever their race, their political organization or their religion," as John Paul II affirmed in bilateral and international contexts. By World War II's end, such actions had saved innumerable lives, fostering a legacy of humanitarian diplomacy that persists today.
At its core, the Church's wartime aid is animated by Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 encyclical, which frames social doctrine as "the proclamation of the truth of Christ's love in society." Charity is "love received and given," a grace that makes believers "instruments" to "pour forth God's charity and to weave networks of charity," essential for addressing socio-economic crises like war. This dynamic surpasses mere justice—though inseparable from it—demanding recognition of others' rights while extending gratuitousness, mercy, and communion. Justice serves as "the minimum measure" of charity, prompting aid that builds the "earthly city according to law and justice," yet charity elevates it through forgiveness and giving beyond what is due.
In a globalized world, Benedict XVI stressed that authentic development, including humanitarian response, requires "love in truth," illumined by reason and faith, to counter ethical voids in interdependence. The Church offers no "technical solutions" but a "mission of truth" that proclaims human dignity, fosters reciprocity, and prevents social fragmentation. This truth-oriented charity ensures aid serves the common good, not private interests or power logics, making it indispensable for war-torn societies.
Recent statements reveal the Church's active role in modern wars, blending condemnation with concrete aid. In Ukraine (2023), Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer to the UN, reiterated the Holy See's denunciation of "any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities... a crime against God and man himself," while expressing gratitude for global solidarity and detailing aid from the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, religious orders, lay communities, and faith-based groups reaching millions, including refugees.
Similarly, in the Israel-Palestine escalation (2023), Caccia condemned Hamas's October 7 terrorist attack—killing 1,400, wounding many, and taking hostages—while urging their release and decrying Gaza's "catastrophic humanitarian situation," with thousands dead, displacements, and shortages of essentials. He called for civilian protection, safe humanitarian corridors, and support for UNRWA, echoing Pope Francis's plea to "cease using weapons" and avoid disaster. Pope Francis, addressing diplomats in 2024, highlighted Ukraine and Gaza as proof that modern wars blur military-civilian lines, labeling violations of humanitarian law as "war crimes" and insisting on proportionate force, with civilians not mere "collateral damage" but persons of dignity. He invoked Gaudium et Spes to urge honoring and improving international conventions curbing war's savagery.
John Paul II's addresses further illustrate this continuity: to Iran's ambassador (1986), stressing reverence for life and adherence to war conventions; and to ambassadors (2003), calling on the UN for rebuilding and aid, while urging religious leaders to foster unity and protect children from violence spirals. The Church's commitment remains "essential" to its mission of manifesting "God's closeness to every human being."
Across sources, key principles emerge: impartiality toward all victims; condemnation of terrorism, extremism, and indiscriminate attacks fueling "hatred, violence and revenge"; protection of civilians, hospitals, schools, and worship sites; promotion of dialogue, negotiation, and peace over conflict; and collaboration with states, UN agencies, and NGOs. These align with international humanitarian law, which the Church seeks to strengthen, viewing war as antithetical to God's will for peace and brotherhood.
In summary, the Catholic Church's role in wartime humanitarian aid is a steadfast expression of evangelically inspired charity, historically proven in World Wars and Arab-Israeli conflicts, theologically grounded in truth and justice, and actively pursued today in Ukraine, Gaza, and beyond through aid networks, diplomatic advocacy, and moral clarity. This witness not only alleviates suffering but advances integral human development, inviting all to build a world of peace where dignity prevails.