Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, was visiting Bethlehem as part of a visit to Israel to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). During his visit, Iran launched a missile attack on Israel, prompting Dolan to seek shelter at the Notre Dame Center in Bethlehem. Despite the attack, Dolan expressed gratitude for feeling safe and secure in Bethlehem, where he led mass at the Our Lady of Peace chapel at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center.
Following the mass, Dolan met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other government officials in Ramallah on the West Bank. His scheduled visit to Israel and Palestinian-controlled territories also includes meetings with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders, as well as visits to Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups. This trip was planned prior to Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, which led to hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
During the missile attack on Israel, U.S. military forces led by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) destroyed more than 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles from Iran and Yemen. This attack followed Iran’s blaming of Israel for a deadly strike on its consulate in Syria that killed a top commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ overseas Quds Force. The attack on Israel was the first time Iran launched a full-scale assault on the country, despite longstanding hostilities.
CNEWA communications director Michael La Civita, who is accompanying Cardinal Dolan on his trip, emphasized the importance of dialogue and seeking a just peace amid the conflict in the region. La Civita noted that Dolan’s visit was intended to show another way through dialogue and engagement. The cardinal did not plan to visit Gaza but intended to meet with hostages’ families and maintain open lines of communication between conflicting parties.
In response to the attacks, Pope Francis called for a halt to actions that could escalate violence in the Middle East and potentially lead to a greater conflict. The pope’s statement expressed concern for the situation and emphasized the need for peace and dialogue to prevent further escalation of hostilities. Despite the challenges and tensions in the region, Dolan’s visit to Israel and Palestinian-controlled territories aims to foster understanding and engagement among different religious and political leaders to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
