Intervention of Rev. F. David NEUHAUS, Vicar of the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins for the pastoral care of the Hebrew-speaking Catholics (JERUSALEM)

Hebrew is also a language of the Catholic Church in the Middle East. Hundreds of Israeli Catholics conduct all aspects of their life in Hebrew, inculturating their faith within a society that is defined by the Jewish tradition.
However, today, in addition there are thousands of children, Catholic by faith, of the families of foreign workers, refugees and also Arabs, who go to Hebrew language schools, and need catechism in Hebrew, a great challenge for the Hebrew-speaking vicariate today. Finally, the Hebrew-speaking Catholic vicariate seeks ways to serve as a bridge between the Church, predominantly Arabic-speaking, and Jewish-Israeli society to promote both a teaching of respect for the people of the first covenant and a sensibility to the cry for justice and peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Together, Arabic-speaking and Hebrew- speaking Catholics must give witness and work in communion for the Church in the land of her birth.
[00032-02.02] [IN010] [Original text: English]