Posted on 07/17/2025 1:20:44 PM PDT by ebb tide
The Cross still stands, after an Israeli attack causes grave damage on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza:
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| (Image source: @catholicsat on Twitter) |
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| (Image source: Vatican News) |
The Cardinal is right: it seems hardly possible that a tank, viewing what was clearly a church (pictured below before the attack) would fire by mistake.
American Catholics must speak up. Enough is enough. Our tax dollars are behind this. Enough.
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[Updated] Statement of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
This morning, at approximately 10:20 a.m., the Compund of the Holy Family in Gaza, belonging to the Latin Patriarchate, was struck by the Israeli army. As of this hour, three individuals lost their lives as a result of the injuries sustained and nine others were wounded, including one in critical condition and two in serious condition. The community’s parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, sustained light injuries.
The people in the Holy Family Compund are people who found in the Church a sanctuary—hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives, after their homes, possessions, and dignity had already been stripped away. On behalf of the entire Church of the Holy Land, we extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and from here, we offer our prayers for the swift and full recovery of the wounded.
The Holy Father has conveyed his own heartfelt condolences, his solidarity with them, and his prayers on their behalf.
The Latin Patriarchate strongly condemns this tragedy and this targeting of innocent civilians and of a sacred place. However, this tragedy is not greater or more terrible than the many others that have befallen Gaza. Many other innocent civilians have also been harmed, displaced and killed. Death, suffering and destruction are everywhere.
The time has come for leaders to raise their voices and to do all what is necessary in order to stop this tragedy which is humanly and morally, unjustified.
This horrific war must come to a complete end—so that we may commence the long work of restoring human dignity.
We embrace all those in the compound and stand with them in this painful hour, as they bury members of the community. We express our gratitude to all those who are sharing their condolences and sympathy with the Patriarchate and the church.
We will continue to stand by the side of the community of Gaza and do all that what is within our power to support them.
May the souls of the victims rest in eternal peace and may the Lord grant you all His Peace.
Ping
I agree completely. Let Hamas surrender and give back the hostages. War over.
Jews in tanks believe buildings with crosses are Muslim?
Were they or were they not housing combatants? This is not addressed in the article. If they were - than sanctuary is vacated.
Not saying it’s right, just asking the question.
Does that answer your question?
Our tax dollars support Hamas? Maybe. Those are the ones prolonging this war by refusing to surrender or release hostages.
I have a few questions:
1. Why were two women inside a church in a war zone? Could they not have been evacuated when fighting was clearly nearby?
2. There used to be 42 Catholic churches (along with 40 of other demoninations, including Byzantine and Coptic). Why is there now only ONE left? And only 2 other churches in all of Gaza?
3. Did Israel destroy 79 churches? Or someone else?
Israel says deadly Gaza church strike was mistake after Trump call.
https://www.axios.com/2025/07/17/trump-netanyahu-church-strike-gaza
It’s a war. Bad stuff can happen.
Merkava 4 tanks are 120mm smoothbore. Some kind of defect in a shell exploded in a tank within the last few days, killing the crew. Errant ammo happens. Just sayin’.
We blew the steeple off every church we came across in Europe during the war, there was ALWAYS an observation post up there.
Not saying this is the same, but it’s been known to happen that church rooftops are prime places for observers to use.
That being said, it looks like a lot of damage and killing two and injuring the priest for a brick facade that took a single round that high up with nothing behind it to do that much inside.
got it
I have a few questions:
1. Why were two women inside a church in a war zone? Could they not have been evacuated when fighting was clearly nearby? The dead are two nuns and a priest.
2. There used to be 42 Catholic churches (along with 40 of other demoninations, including Byzantine and Coptic). Why is there now only ONE left? And only 2 other churches in all of Gaza? Why don't you ask the IDF which has been bombing the heck out those churches?
3. Did Israel destroy 79 churches? Or someone else? Ask the IDF, this is not their first attack on a Catholic church.
You are blaming the 2 dead elderly nuns for being killed by Israeli weapons that you and I paid for? Shame on you. I pray that God forgives all of us.
You Islamo fans crack me up
you can’t possibly be this stupid
During the times of the Black Plague in Europe, most of the population of the cities fled to the countries to avoid contracting the disease, leaving the victims behind to fend for themselves. The only ones who stayed behind out of compassion for their fellow man were priests and nuns who sacrificed themselves to tend the sick, and many themselves succumbed to the plague. This was the beginnings of our modern hospital system. The classic nurse uniform and hat were based on the habits of religious sisters that served in hospital ministries. True Christians do not abandon those who are under their care, spiritual, medical, or otherwise.
This church is 4 blocks from the Hamas HQ. I am amazed it was untouched after 2 years of war and destruction in Gaza City. If Israel wanted to destroy it, it could have easily done so long ago. Clearly the fact that it was still intact after tens of thousands of bombs and bullets fired in the immediate vicinity demonstrates that this was in fact an accident.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, which used to be 90% Christian, here is what ethnic cleansing looks like:
Out of the Gaza Strip’s population of more than two million, about 1,000 are Christians. Most of them are Orthodox, but according to the Latin Patriarchate, there are about 135 Catholics in the territory.
82 churches, 12 synagogues at the time of Mohammed's birth. Now just 3 churches and zero synagogues. All destroyed by Arabian Muslim invaders. All Christians murdered or forced to convert. Same thing that happened when the "Palestinian Authority" took over Bethlehem in 1995: from 80% Christian to 10% today!
But Israel is the problem?
Stop making excuses for bad behavior. It isn’t okay.
Yeah, just slough it off. No big deal.
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