Federico Piana, Artur Hanula
Fatherly Love
For the parish priest of the only Catholic church in the entire region of the Gaza Strip and the remaining faithful, the continuous papal support is a ray of hope amid the darkness of war and violence.
As Fr. Romanelli pointed out, Leo XIV once again recalled that there is not a moment when he does not “think and pray for those who suffer.” The Pope addressed special words of gratitude to the priests and religious who support the people tormented by war: “Thank you for being by their side. May God help you and give you strength.”
Fr. Romanelli is also grateful to the Pope for the words spoken after the Angelus prayer on July 26, referring to the suffering of the population of the Holy Land, and for the appeal to end all conflicts, including those in the Middle East.
“I make a strong appeal to return to negotiations for a just political solution,” Leo XIV said, “based on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person, as well as to refrain from new military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the obligation to respect the holy places of every religion and their status quo.”
“The situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic, and the Holy Father is constantly in touch with us and prays for us,” noted the parish priest from Gaza.
The Desire for Normality
The longed-for peace in the Gaza Strip still seems like a distant prospect. Recently, new Israeli attacks took place. The humanitarian situation is becoming increasingly dramatic. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), over 1.4 million people—about two-thirds of the region’s population—could face severe food insecurity by the end of 2026 if aid continues to decrease.
Consecration to the Sacred Heart
In recent days—as Fr. Romanelli noted in a video message—a novena was celebrated in the local Catholic community and an act of “reparation for the insults inflicted on the Sacred Heart” was proclaimed. “Before the Sacred Heart, we renewed the consecration of the world, the Gaza Strip, our parish, and our congregation,” he concluded.
