The exhausted parish priest of Gaza has thanked Irish parishioners for their prayers, support and solidarity during more than two years of war in the region.
Argentine-born Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE said the Christian community in the war-torn territory will play their part in rebuilding their lives, as well as the physical infrastructure.
Speaking from Holy Family Parish in Gaza in the wake of the ceasefire and hostage deal, Fr Romanelli told The Irish Catholic: “thank God, after more than two years of war the people are happy.
“But they are waiting, hoping that this agreement will bear fruit – especially in the days and the months and the years after the end of this war,” he said, in a message conveyed via the papal charity Aid to the Church in Need Ireland.
Fr Romanelli said there are “many things to rebuild, but we are starting to experience calm and joy – even if the destruction is huge in all of the Gaza Strip.
“I hope that the international community will continue to help the more than two million people who live in Gaza Strip because they lost everything in this war,” Fr Romanelli said.
He said that the “prayer, solidarity and material support” of Catholics all over the world lifted the spirits of the people of Holy Family Parish, 450 of whom lived in the church for the entire period of the war.
“Thanks to all the Christian believers in Ireland for their prayer for us, for peace in Gaza and for our Holy Family community in Gaza. This inspired us to work for peace, and for justice – this is the will of God.
“We knew you were praying for us, and we were praying for you. Please continue to pray, it is not impossible to live in peace between the people of Palestine and Israel. Your prayers were a gift to us,” Fr Romanelli said.
Expressing a sense of relief, Fr Romanelli said that the people are “very tired”. However, he said that we are now “breathing in this ceasefire that, God willing, will mark the end of this atrocious war we’ve had to live through. We gave thanks, because we have persevered in faith and we have persevered in God’s sanctifying grace,” he said.
Fr Romanelli said that the displaced Christians have already begun to leave the church to return to what is left of their homes “even though for some, only a room is standing”.
Fr Romanelli thanked Aid to the Church in Need for the charity’s support during the darkest days of the war. “Truly, your love for the suffering Church is immense”.
Michael Kelly, Director of Public Affairs for Aid to the Church in Need Ireland said the organisation stands ready to support the reconstruction efforts of the community in Gaza. “We have been able to support the parish in Gaza thanks to the support of so many generous Irish people – and now the heavy lifting begins in terms of helping people to rebuild not only their lives, but also their homes,” Mr Kelly told The Irish Catholic.
Fr Romanelli said that while the war has greatly scarred the community, there is no bitterness among the Catholics of Gaza.
“Although we have experienced much evil, many, many bad things – war destroys everything – we have also experienced good things, and the generosity of many people who have put themselves at the service of others working in truly heartbreaking situations.
“Now I say, we must face this new stage with great charity. Let us leave the past to God’s mercy, without any resentment which – thank God – we do not have but let us also ask God that we never have any [resentment].
“Our prayer now is one of gratitude: gratitude for this peace, but also for all the spiritual and material benefactors including in Ireland,” he said.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressed hopes this week that the peace accord will be “fully and faithfully implemented,” marking “the beginning of the end of this terrible war.”
