His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa on a Pastoral Visit to Karak: “The first duty of a shepherd is to be present with his flock”

His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, made a three-day pastoral visit to the city of Karak, beginning on Friday, October 10, and concluding on Sunday, October 12, as part of his ongoing visits to the Latin parishes of the Diocese of Jerusalem.

Throughout the visit, His Beatitude met with the parishioners of Karak and learned about their daily lives, visiting local churches as well as several educational and social institutions. He also met with numerous families and faithful, affirming that “the people of Karak remain an essential part of the Diocese of Jerusalem, even as our attention is naturally and painfully drawn to what has been happening in Gaza.”

Opening of the Visit

Fr. Alaa Bair, parish priest of Karak, welcomed H.B. Cardinal Pizzaballa and Fr. Davide Meli, the chancellor, together with Fr. Salem Lolas, parish priest of Ader; Fr. Khaled Qamouh, parish priest of Smakieh; and the pastors of the apostolic churches of karak — Fr. Yuhanna Hamati, Greek Orthodox priest, and Fr. Boulos Bqa’in, Greek Catholic priest — along with the elders of the parish and representatives of the local authorities.

The visit began with the celebration of the Divine Office at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, where Fr. Bair delivered a heartfelt welcoming address, describing the occasion as a “historic visit,” coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the parish’s foundation…

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This news was originally published on the Website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.