CNEWA launches Rome event for Eastern Catholic Churches
January 15, 2013: Many Catholics today are surprised when they hear that their Church
is made up of a myriad of ancient rites and not just the Latin one. Many of these
22 rites stem directly from the lands where Jesus lived. The Catholic Near East Welfare
Association (CNEWA) is trying to raise awareness among the faithful that the Church’s
rich tapestry of eastern traditions is an historically important source of strength
for the Universal Church. Accordingly, the President of CNEWA, Monsignor John Kozar
is co-hosting with the Pontifical Congregation for Eastern Churches a special event
and pilgrimage in Rome this week. He and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the
Congregation, are hoping to introduce Italians, mostly Catholics, to the reality of
the eastern rite churches. They’re doing so with the help of the Kights of the
Holy Sepulchre who have a long tradition of cooperation with the churches in the Holy
Land. The Knights will be hosting a get-to-know each other event Wednesday January
16th in their Grand Hall here in Rome.
“All of this is at the fullest level
of cooperation with the Congregation for Eastern Churches which really excites me
because we have a great partnership,” Msgr Kozar says. “I’d like to say it in these
terms: together, the Holy Father invites us, of course the congregation is his main
outreach in service to the eastern churches – but, he invites us in partnership with
them to extend the reach.” Prominent Italians from the political, civic and social
spheres are expected to attend next Wednesday’s event. The directors of CNEWA offices
in Amman, Beirut and Jerusalem will also mingle with guests and share their experiences
working among the poor, and especially among the hundreds of thousands of refugees
flooding over Syria’s borders. A suffering Eastern Church “We want to open a
little door,” explains Msgr Kozar, “to share with Italians (this little known segment
of the Universal Church). You know, there’s a great family at work and we’d like you
to learn a little bit about this eastern Catholic family. It’s part of the universal
Catholic family. And we’re given a special privilege of serving them because although
they’re very historic and they’re in the original lands of Jesus, they suffer greatly
because in those lands they lack a lot of things.” “We want to share (with Italians)
both the great good news of this heritage…but at the same time these tremendous needs
and how we’re very honoured to respond. And just maybe, they might want to become
part of the CNEWA family too, to help us reach out.” Speaking of the refugee crisis
from the conflict in Syria, Msgr Kozar explains that his organization is focusing
primarily on the displaced in Syria. The association’s funds are insufficient to offer
major help, but CNEWA is able to provide some of the basics like clothing, bedding
and food to some 500 – 1000 families, he says. All is delivered by “our hands-on
agents, part of our family,” says Kozar who assures donors in this way “that it’s
not going to the wrong places or it’s not being used for something else.” Besides
its offices in the Middle East and Egypt, CNEWA is present in India and Eastern Europe
with healthcare and schools "as a sign of solidarity with the local population." Msgr
Kozar says that’s a significant part of CNEWA’s mission: “our presence.” “We can’t
pretend to match what huge government aid agencies can and should do,” he says. “
We help with humanitarian aid of course…health care aid, but I think we’re best at
maintaining the presence, the face of Christ: priests, sisters, lay people, catechists,
formators…even though our numbers are very small, we try to keep an abiding presence.”