In his capacity as Chair of Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, will travel to the Holy Land. On the trip, which comes as the war between Israel and Gaza reaches the six-month mark, Cardinal Dolan will visit both Israel and Palestine to meet with Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religious leaders.
The Archdiocese of New York, which notes that this is not Cardinal Dolan’s first trip to Israel as the CNEWA Chair, reports that he will meet with religious leaders from both Israel and Palestine, although the itinerary will not take him into Gaza.
The US cardinal will also visit various social service organizations and examine the many humanitarian activities lending aid to people caught in the war.
While Cardinal Dolan’s itinerary has not yet been completed, the Archdiocese shared some of the stops he plans on making:
“Among the social service activities on his tentative itinerary are the Paul VI Ephpheta Institute for the Hearing Impaired, the Aida Refugee Camp, and the Home Notre Dame des Douleurs, a home for the elderly. He hopes to meet with families of hostages, enjoy a Sabbath meal with Jewish friends, and visit with Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups.”
CNEWA communications director Michael La Civita told OSV News that the trip had already been planned prior to the October 7 attack on Israel.
While he will still commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, for which he will officiate two liturgies, now he has extended his trip in order to meet with religious leaders and families of those who have been taken hostage, in promotion of peace.
The Archdiocese of New York recalls that Pope Pius XI founded CNEWA in 1926, as an “instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but troubled lands of the ancient Eastern churches.”
The organization serves the regions of the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe.
