Getting phone calls from the Pope continues to bring “great joy” to the hundreds of people receiving shelter and support from the only Latin-rite Catholic church in Gaza, the parish priest said this week. Source: Catholic Review.
About 450 people forced to flee their homes, mostly the elderly, the sick and children, are housed in the Holy Family Church compound, Argentine Fr Gabriel Romanelli told Vatican Media on Wednesday in a video message.
Pope Francis, a fellow Argentine, called the parish priest almost every day for more than a year and a half since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023 and including just two days before his death in April.
Fr Romanelli told Vatican Media that Pope Leo XIV also has called, but he did not specify how often.
After Israel launched an attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar on Tuesday, Pope Leo told reporters gathered outside the Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo that he had just tried to phone the parish in Gaza City.
“I just tried to call the pastor, but I have no news,” the Pope had said, expressing concern about a new evacuation order from Israel; Israeli planes had dropped leaflets on Gaza City in the morning, warning of a new attack on the city and encouraging civilians to evacuate.
Fr Romanelli then shared a video with Vatican Media on Wednesday, saying he and other residents had been able to speak to the Pope after his attempt to call. “We told him that we are fine, that the situation continues to be difficult.
“Most of the population does not want to leave,” he said, underlining that “we continue to be near them.”
“We are fine, despite the terrible situation throughout the Gaza Strip,” Fr Romanelli said.
The priest said he was unable to answer the phone when the Pope called because they were celebrating a wedding Mass for a Catholic couple.
FULL STORY
Calls from pope to Gaza church bring ‘great joy,’ says parish priest (By Carol Glatz, CNS via Catholic Review)
RELATED COVERAGE
Fr Romanelli in Gaza: ‘It was a blessing to speak with the Pope’ (Vatican News)
