In these last four Sundays of the Easter season, we read from the discourse of the Lord at the last supper in the Gospel of John. The whole Gospel is a “mystagogy”, a journey into hidden realities, into a deeper understanding of the meaning of Jesus Christ.
In times of war, the Church in the Middle East is called to be more than a place of worship. It is called to be a place of refuge, healing, truth, and service. War does not only destroy buildings; it wounds memory, family life, dignity, trust, and hope. Prayer remains the heart of the Church, but true prayer must also become action. This is where the diaconal mission of the Church becomes essential.
At a time when the world continues to struggle to comprehend the scale of suffering unfolding in Gaza, Jordan’s position has remained clear, consistent, and deeply human.
Peace and the unity of the Church have been the two recurring and foundational themes of the first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, who continues to ask for prayers for these intentions.
Pope Leo XIV has summed up his apostolic journey to Africa, at the outset of which was a visit to the brotherly nation of Algeria, with words conveying profound spiritual, humanitarian, and dialogical dimensions. He described the visit as a return to spiritual roots, particularly to the land of Saint Augustine, the religious order to which the Pope is affiliated, namely the Augustinian Order.
In our Eastern churches of the Levant, memory plays a fundamental role in maintaining the cohesion of the faithful community and preserving its beliefs, rituals, and traditions.
At a time when the very concept of the nation-state is being strained by competing identities and deepening divisions, Jordan offers a model that merits careful examination, not as a fleeting exception, but as a coherent political and intellectual framework grounded in a clear principle: citizenship first, the human being before any categorization.
The pastoral letter of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was issued in April 2026 at an important timing, following a decade of his presence in the service of Jerusalem first as apostolic administrator, then as patriarch, and later as cardinal of the Catholic Church.
On April 25, 2026, the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan marked its 14th anniversary as it was founded in 2012, with a procession exuding exorbitant media contributions and a humanitarian mission.
In the photo: The new Chaldean Patriarch, Mar Paulos III Nona, meets with members of his diocese, namely, Mar Thomas in Sydney, Australia. What is striking is the large turnout of Chaldeans and other members of the Iraqi communities which is a reflection of the deep wound in the hearts of Christians in Iraq and the East, namely emigration.
