His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa presides over the yearly Mass for the Society of St. Vincent in Jerusalem

This news is shared from the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

On Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Pro-Cathedral, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the yearly Mass in honor of the accomplishments and dedication of the Charitable Society of St. Vincent in their service to the local community. Concelebrating was Fr. Amjad Sabbara, the parish priest of Jerusalem, along with several other priests. The Mass was attended by representatives from the Italian and Belgian consulates, as well as members of the Society of St. Vincent in Jerusalem

In his homily, His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa reflected on the life and legacy of Saint Vincent, highlighting his remarkable qualities of love and determination. He noted the profound changes St. Vincent brought to the Church and society at the time, particularly regarding caring for the poor and creating new opportunities for lay women to dedicate themselves in service of God and the other through daily life; as back then their roles were largely confined to contemplative life.

He underscored St. Vincent’s vital message: the importance of loving and serving the needy as an essential part of our faith. As he stated, “St. Vincent viewed the plight of the poor not merely as a humanitarian issue, but as a matter of faith.” He poignantly illustrated this with the words: “If you are sitting with Jesus in prayer and the poor knock at your door, leave Jesus and serve the poor to encounter Him in them.”

Concluding his remarks, His Beatitude addressed the current challenges: “All our organizations have faced significant trials recently, and we feel we lack the strength and capacity to meet every need. We gather today to express our gratitude to God for what we have accomplished, rather than lamenting what remains undone, and we must remember not to treat the needy as mere statistics, but to extend genuine love and solidarity toward them.” He also extended heartfelt thanks to all benefactors and supporters, emphasizing the necessity of unity in caring for all those in need in our community…

Click Here to Check the Full Photo Album.

This news was originally published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Please click here to read the full text.