For Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem, the return to school in the Holy Land is by no means a foregone conclusion

“We cannot, however, celebrate this new beginning without remembering that, in some parts of the Holy Land, returning to school is no longer a given.” This is what is stated in “We cannot, however, celebrate this new beginning without remembering that, in some parts of the Holy Land, returning to school is no longer a given.” This is stated in the message from the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, marking the start of the new school year, signed by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem and President of the Assembly.

Pizzaballa is due to attend the Rimini Meeting this afternoon. “There are children whose classrooms no longer exist and communities where the joy of a new school year is overshadowed by death, displacement and destruction. These children, too – as the message issued by the Patriarchate states – are part of our community. May this new beginning also be a sign of hope for them, a promise that destruction will not have the last word and that they too, one day, will be able to return safe and sound to their studies and to a normal life.”