C&SI - Who are the Christians of the Holy Land and why should we care? - 6th October 2024 (S04E45)

We had a busy podcast this week here on C&SI with a couple of visitors joining John and Shane. In part one, we have our regular run through saints of the week and Sr Caitriona Kavanagh OP joins us to tells us about news from the Dominican community. In part two, Br Justin Robinson OSB joins us from Cairo to share with us about the situation of Christians in the Holy Land and the challenges they face. Part three is our regular weekly reflection on the Sunday gospel (Mark 10:2-16)

As our first guest this week, we welcome Sr Caitriona Kavanagh OP from St Saviour's church in Limerick city. Sister Caitriona is a member of the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia whose motherhouse is in Nashville in Tennessee. Sr Caitriona shares with us about the celebration of the 800th Jubilee of the Dominicans coming to Ireland and the Irish Dominican's upcoming pilgrimage to Knock Shrine on October 13 2024. She also tells us about the faith formation work her community does in St Saviours parish in Limerick city and extends invitations to others to come and join them. You can read more about their activities here. 

Br Justin Robinson OSB is a Benedictine monk of Glenstal Abbey in Ireland. After studying theology at the Salesian Pontifical University in Jerusalem, he is now undertaking an MA in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the American University in Cairo. On the podcast this weeks Shane and Br Justin explore who are the Christian communities in the Holy Land looking at some of their history, relations with one another and wider society both Palestinian and Israeli. We focus in on what are their current challenges and what the impact of it means for the wider Christian community around the world and its impact on the Holy Land - the fifth gospel. 

If you wish to support Christians in the Holy Land you can find some additional information at these sites:

• Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Aid to the Church in Need
• Trocaire

Further information about Christians in the Holy Land:

• Terra Sancta News - news channel of the Custos of the Holy Land
• The Tablet - Why the number of Christians living in the Middle East is in decline but Christianity itself is not
• National Catholic Register - Holy Land Pilgrimages Decline to a Trickle, Because of the Gaza War
• CNEWA - Is Christianity in the Middle East Facing Extinction?
• The Economist - Why Christians are leaving the Middle East
• MECC - The Future of Christianity in the Middle East
• ACN - Christian presence in the Holy Land under "extreme threat"