Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem to greet local Eastern-rite, Latin-rite Catholics, renewing 'solidarity' with Christians in Middle East
DETROIT — Detroit will welcome Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, for a pastoral visit from Dec. 4-7, during which the cardinal will raise support for the Christian communities in the war-torn Holy Land.
During Cardinal Pizzaballa's visit to southeast Michigan — an area that boasts a rich and diverse tapestry of Middle Eastern communities — he will meet with the faithful, celebrate Mass, and participate in events that celebrate the spiritual and cultural bonds between Detroit and Jerusalem.
In October, Detroit-area Catholics raised $462,574.49 in relief for those starving in Gaza at the request of Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, who asked parishes to support the critical collection over the course of two weekends.
Cardinal Pizzaballa's visit will begin with a fundraiser on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield Township, hosted by the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, an Eastern-rite diocese based in Southfield.
The following day, Cardinal Pizzaballa will be the keynote speaker at the “United in Faith: Bridging Hearts from the Motor City to the Holy Land” fundraising dinner at St. John’s Resort in Plymouth, hosted by the Archdiocese of Detroit, where the cardinal will share his insights about the work of the Church in the Middle East, including the dire situation facing beleaguered Christians in the Holy Land. The dinner will be preceded by a press conference at St. John’s Resort.
Cardinal Pizzaballa will celebrate Mass at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, open to the public.
Archbishop Weisenburger expressed his joy in welcoming Cardinal Pizzaballa to Detroit.
“It’s a blessing for the faithful of Detroit to welcome Cardinal Pizzaballa, whose courageous witness in the Holy Land strengthens the entire Church,” Archbishop Weisenburger said. “His visit reminds us that the Church is one body, united across every border and culture. It is also an occasion to renew our solidarity with the Christian community of the Holy Land and to bring greater attention to the humanitarian challenges they continue to face.”
The Christian community in the Holy Land is under increasing threat, as social and financial discrimination and pressure — as well as ongoing violence and civil unrest in the region — create complex challenges. Christians make up an increasingly small minority in the places where Jesus lived and taught, struggling to preserve and maintain the holiest sites in Christendom. In Gaza in particular, only about 450 Christians remain.
Cardinal Pizzaballa, 60, has served as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since Nov. 6, 2020. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, established in 1847 by Pope Pius XI, encompasses all Latin-rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — which contains both Calvary and the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest — serves as the co-cathedral of the patriarchate, along with the Co-Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
Cardinal Pizzaballa has led the patriarchate through the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which began Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas militants launched a terrorist attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and took another 250 as hostages.
The subsequent Israeli response led to the death and displacement of thousands of Gazans. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, approximately 67,000 people have been killed.
On Oct. 8 of this year, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire as the beginning of a 20-point peace plan, which would result in Hamas releasing remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.
Cardinal Pizzaballa welcomed the ceasefire agreement as an “important and long-awaited first step” in creating a lasting peace in the Holy Land, the cardinal told reporters in October.
“Many questions remain unanswered, and much still needs to be defined. We must not delude ourselves, but we are pleased that something new and positive is on the horizon,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said in an Oct. 5 statement.
“The end of the war does not necessarily mark the beginning of peace, but it is the first essential step toward building it,” Cardinal Pizzaballa added. “We have a long road ahead to rebuild trust among ourselves, to make hope tangible, and to free ourselves from the hatred of those years. But we will strive for this, together with the many men and women here to who still believe it is possible to imagine a different future.”
'United in Faith: Bridging Hearts from the Motor City to the Holy Land'
To learn more about Cardinal Pizzaballa’s visit to southeast Michigan, or to purchase tickets for Dec. 5 fundraising dinner, “United in Faith: Bridging Hearts from the Motor City to the Holy Land,” visit united-in-fath.aod.org.
