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Church in the WorldSabbah predicts onslaught by Islamic extremistsJordan Michael Hirst - 23 June 2007Christian leaders in the Holy Land have warned that there will be a surge in Islamic extremism unless Israel ends its occupation of Arab land. "Time does not work for peace. It works for extremism. The more time we give to occupation, the more time we give to extremism and terrorism," said the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Michel Sabbah, speaking on behalf of church leaders from Jerusalem at a conference of the ecumenical World Council of Churches (WCC) on Monday. The patriarch said countries in the Middle East and the international community needed to work to create a "vision" for harmonious coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. "We must take away the food that nourishes extremism: occupation, oppression and poverty. Justice to the poor, food to the hungry, respect to the dignity of the peoples; this is true fighting against extremism and terrorism," he added. The four-day WCC meeting in Amman, Jordan, brought together some 130 clerics and academics aiming to launch the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum with a view to promoting peace initiatives in the Middle East. Meanwhile 120 Palestinians died in last week's fighting in Gaza as the Islamic extremist Hamas movement seized power. During the fighting the Rosary Sisters school and convent in Gaza were pillaged, a statue and crosses were destroyed and prayer books set ablaze. "There may be some in Hamas who wanted to cause strife between Muslims and Christians," said Fr Manuel Musallem, the head of Gaza's tiny Catholic community. (See Michael Hirst and Trevor Mostyn, pages 12-13.) |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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