Issued by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media - Jordan. Editor-in-chief Fr. Rif'at Bader - موقع أبونا abouna.org

Published on Saturday, 24 October 2020

With the new patriarch… the Latin Patriarchate continues its mission

en.abouna.org :

The Press office of the Holy See announced on Saturday, October 24, that His Holiness Pope Francis had named Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa as the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem to be the 10th patriarch to hold this post since 1847.

 

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan posted the following Latin Patriarchate statement: “With feelings of joy and gratitude, the family of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, Amman, Nazareth and Cyprus, in particular the bishops, patriarchal vicars, priests, deacons, seminarians, religious men and women, consecrated men and women, the people of God in all the parishes as well as the workers in the diocesan institutions, congratulates the new patriarch wishing His Beatitude success in carrying out his exceptional responsibilities, especially in these unusual circumstances. May His Beatitude be granted good health and divine blessing to continue serving our Local Church, while promoting peace, justice and reconciliation.

 

The Latin Patriarchate launched an electronic e-mail address for messages of well-wishes, namely patriarca@lpj.org.

 

For his part, CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif’at Bader welcomed the nomination of Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa as the new patriarch of the Latin Patriarchate which includes Amman, Jerusalem, Nazareth and Cyprus. He pointed out that his Beatitude Archbishop Pizzaballa was born in Bergamo, Italy, in 1965, and that he joined “the "Order of Friars Minor" (Franciscans). After professing his religious vows, he was ordained priest on September 15, 1990.

 

He pointed out that Patriarch Pizzaballa obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical University of Rome in 1990, and a master’s degree in Bible sciences from the Franciscan Bible Institute in Jerusalem in 1993. After serving as custodian of the Holy Land between the years 2004-2016, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate. He was conferred the Episcopal Ordinance in 2016 in Bergamo, Italy, by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, dean of the Pontifical Congregation of Eastern Churches.

 

Fr. Bader said that the 10th patriarch will continue to care for the Latin Patriarchate institutions in the countries where churches, schools, universities and charitable centers are located. He pointed out  that the new patriarch is familiar with the Holy Land, as he served as custodian of the Holy Places,  then His Holiness Pope Francis named him apostolic administrator for the Latin Patriarchate during the vacancy of the Patriarchal post since June 2016. Furthermore, His Holiness the Pope named him as the new patriarch, so that the Latin Patriarchate would continue to fulfill its spiritual, cultural and humanitarian mission in the Church and society.