On Thursday, June 11, Director General of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM), together with the CCSM’s members of staff, welcomed Monsignor Peter Vaccari, president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) and President of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, accompanied by Mr. Raed Al-Bahou, director general of the Pontifical Mission Office in Jordan.

During the meeting, the discussions focused on a number of Church- and humanitarian-related issues, while also reviewing the mission and work of CNEWA, which is celebrating its centenary this year. Founded in 1926 during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI, CNEWA aimed to ensure a strong Catholic presence in humanitarian relief and social service, particularly in countries affected by wars, conflicts, and crises.

Fr. Bader also conducted a television interview with Monsignor Vaccari which will be broadcast shortly. The interview highlighted the importance of CNEWA’s work throughout the Middle East and the Near East, as well as the centennial celebrations taking place this year. Furthermore, special attention was given to the major event due to be held next December in New York, where CNEWA’s headquarters are located, in order to commemorate the centenary anniversary of service in addition to outline the organization’s vision and priorities for its second century.

For his part, Fr. Bader expressed his appreciation for the ongoing cooperation between Church institutions on the one hand and the Pontifical Mission in Jordan on the other. He thanked Mr. Ra’ed Al-Bahou for his outstanding leadership and for the fruitful cooperation with the CCSM since its establishment in 2012, while affirming the shared commitment to serving people in need and strengthening the Church’s mission in society.