Faith
Gaza Priest Urges Forgiveness Amid Ceasefire
Faith Facts
- Father Gabriel Romanelli leads Gaza’s only Catholic church and called for forgiveness as a ceasefire starts.
- The Holy Family Church sheltered up to 500 people, including Christians and others with disabilities, during the conflict.
- Fifty-seven members of Gaza’s Christian community have lost their lives amid the violence.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, shepherd of Gaza’s Holy Family Church, encouraged his congregation to extend forgiveness as the region anticipates recovery after the hard-won ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
His church, one of just three in Gaza, was struck by violence that claimed several lives, including parishioners and the church janitor, and resulted in Father Romanelli’s injury.
Despite an order to evacuate, he and devoted volunteers remained to protect the vulnerable, providing shelter to hundreds seeking safety.
Throughout the war, the parish served as a lifeline, caring for those most in need, sustaining a resilient Christian presence in the Holy Land.
“This ceasefire, God willing, will become the end of this atrocious war.”
Father Romanelli prayed that God would grant peace and reconciliation to the land, emphasizing justice and healing for all.
He gave thanks for the first Sunday without bombing, asking for mutual forgiveness among the people and a spirit of humility before the Lord.
Faith Facts
- Jerusalem’s Bishop William Shomali warns the root causes between Israel and Hamas remain unresolved, despite a ceasefire.
- Since 2008, the region has faced four major conflicts, with the latest being the most devastating.
- Gaza’s Holy Family Church celebrated its first peaceful Sunday as parishioners gave thanks and prayed for lasting reconciliation.
The appeal from Bishop Shomali highlights the ongoing struggles for lasting peace in the Holy Land, urging faith-driven perseverance. He emphasizes that prayer remains essential, as Christians trust God’s power to bring healing where humans cannot.
Church leaders call believers to continue seeking peace and showing forgiveness amid enduring hardship, reminding us that reconciliation reflects Christ’s teachings.
“The war between Hamas and Israel has ended but the conflict with its underlying causes didn’t end.”
“A solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict should be reached according to the international resolutions. It is not easy yet not impossible.”
“This ceasefire, God willing, will become the end of this atrocious war.”
Let us unite in prayer for peace, believing that with God’s grace, justice and true reconciliation are possible in the land where our faith began.
Faith Facts
- A recent study found that less than half of churchgoers believe the Bible has clear teachings on homosexuality or transgenderism.
- The number of people viewing the Bible as “clear & decisive” on abortion, religious liberty, and marriage has declined since 2023.
- Family Research Council President Tony Perkins says many churches are not consistently teaching biblical truths on key social issues.
Church attendance does not always translate to a strong understanding of biblical teachings on important moral topics. According to this new research, confusion among believers is rising regarding what Scripture truly says about issues dominating today’s culture.
Perkins emphasized the responsibility of pastors and churches to address these topics through faithful and systematic teaching of God’s Word.
“Many pastors, many churches are not systematically teaching the word of God,” Perkins said.
He noted that when churches neglect clear and regular instruction, culture fills the gap, shaping Christian worldviews away from biblical foundations.
Calvary Chapel churches were held up as positive examples due to their commitment to teaching through the whole Bible, engaging every subject as it arises.
In times of cultural confusion, Christian families and churches must courageously speak, teach, and live according to biblical principles, defending faith, truth, and freedom for future generations.
Faith Facts
- Many Christians, especially within Churches of Christ, rarely explore their faith’s historical roots.
- “Origin Story: Churches of Christ and the Restoration Movement” uses a comic book format to teach key lessons from the Restoration Movement.
- The book emphasizes unity grounded in Scripture and learning from past challenges.
Understanding our Christian heritage strengthens faith and clarifies our identity as followers of Christ. Dockery and Pack provide a fresh resource to help young believers reclaim biblical unity and restoration.
“Knowing our past helps us answer the Lord’s call for ‘Christians only’ who follow only the Bible.”
This book also suits adult Bible classes, offering everyone a chance to rediscover spiritual roots and pursue true unity in faith. Let us encourage the next generation to embrace this rich history and model genuine Christian living today.
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