Bishops: Holy Land parents are a witness to peace for forgiving after suffering child loss in conflict
Mr Sean Farrell, CEO of Trocáire; Bishop Paul Dempsey, Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin; His Beatitude Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa ofm, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem with Reverend Dr Gary Carville, Coordinator of Council for Migrants, Refugees and Justice & Peace and the Council for Ecumenism of the Bishops’ Conference during the week of pilgrimage by the international delegation of bishops to the Holy Land on 17 – 21 January 2026 (Catholic Communications Office archive)
- Following the conclusion this week of the pilgrimage by the international delegation of bishops – known as the Holy Land coordination group – the following statement has been published:
“You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world” Matthew 5:13.14
The Holy Land coordination group of bishops said, “Our pilgrimage was to a Land where people are suffering trauma. We began with a visit to Bedouin communities living on the margins of society in the Occupied West Bank. They shared their experiences of a life on the periphery, being observed but often not encountered, their movement heavily restricted by rapidly expanding settlements encircling them on the surrounding hills.
“We heard stories about Israeli settler attacks and their continual violence and intimidation, theft of livestock and demolition of property, leaving many unable to sleep at night for fear of further violence. When we asked them who sees their struggles and their cry to live in peace with their neighbours, they replied: ‘Nobody sees us.’
“Our journey continued with Mass in the only completely Christian town in Palestine. They, too, told us of their suffering: endless attacks from extremist settlers, uprooting of their olive trees, the seizure of their land and intimidatory acts that make their daily life unbearable, driving many into mass emigration.
“In the twelve months since our last visit, the Land of Promise is being diminished and challenged. Gaza remains a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The people of the West Bank we encountered are demoralised and fearful. The courageous Israeli voices which speak out for human and civil rights are increasingly threatened; advocating for marginalised voices is a costly solidarity. We fear that soon, they too will be silenced.
“As Christians, it is our calling and duty to give a voice to the voiceless, and to bear witness to their dignity, so that the world may know their suffering and be moved to advocate for justice and compassion.
“The settlements in the West Bank, illegal under international law, continue to expand by commandeering the land of others. The universality of human rights applies to all without exception. Instead, it is relentlessly replaced by a system where dignity and protection depend on one’s civil status.
“We affirm Israel’s right to exist and for Israelis to live in peace and security; equally, we call for these same rights to be upheld for all those rooted in this land. We hope that efforts for peace will prevail over violence, and that there will be no more acts of terrorism and war. We also urge our governments to exert pressure on Israel to uphold the rules-based international order and to revive meaningful negotiations toward a two-state solution for the benefit and security of all.
“We were deeply moved by the faith and steadfastness of local Christians and also by people of other faiths who work to sustain the hope of their communities. They remind us that it is our shared vocation to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” and to strive for peaceful coexistence and security across the Holy Land.
“We also witnessed the courage of those Jewish and Palestinian voices who, despite immense challenges and their own trauma, continue to advocate for justice, dialogue and reconciliation. Hearing from parents who have lost a child to conflict and can still find a way to forgive, offers a powerful witness to the possibility of peace and reconciliation. Few experiences are more devastating. When such a mother or father pleads for an end to violence, the world must listen – and act.
“The people of the Holy Land cry out for our help and prayers; they long for an end to their suffering. Stand with them. Recognise their plea for dignity. Help foster genuine dialogue between communities. Heed the call of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to come on pilgrimage as a sign of our love, support and solidarity with them.
“As we leave this Land, we do so with our hearts full of compassion for those who are suffering and inspired by those who, by their pursuit of justice, keep the hope of peace alive.
“Our Lady Queen of Palestine and of all the Holy Land, pray for us.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors
- The group comprised: Rt Rev Nicholas Hudson, Bishop of Plymouth, Moderator of the Holy Land Coordination and Chair of the International Affairs Department, Bishops’ Conference England and Wales; Rt Rev Nicolo Anselmi, Bishop of Rimini, Italy; Most Rev Udo Bentz, Archbishop of Paderborn, Germany; Rt Rev Peter Burcher, Bishop Emeritus of Reykjavik, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland; Rt Rev James Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, International Affairs Department, Bishops’ Conference England and Wales; Rt Rev Paul Dempsey, Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Ireland; Rt Rev Michel Dubost CIM, Bishop Emeritus of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France; Most Rev Antoine Herouard, Archbishop of Dijon, Co-President of Justice & Peace, Europe, Vice-President of COMECE, France; Rt Rev Joseph Kopacz, Bishop of Jackson, International Justice and Peace Department, Bishops’ Conference, United States of America; Most Rev William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow, Justice and Peace,Scotland; Rt Rev Christian Rodembourg MSA, Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada; Most Rev Joan Enric Vives Sicilia, Bishop Emeritus of Urgell, Spain; Rt Rev Abdallah Elias Zaidan, Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, Chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, Bishops’ Conference, United States of America
- Mandated by the Holy See, the Holy Land Co-ordination meets and travels to the Holy Land every January with a focus on prayer, pilgrimage and persuasion. Its aim is to act in solidarity with the Christian community as it experiences pressure in the Holy Land. Since 1998 the Coordination group has met at the invitation of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land.