Holy Land: Bishops meet bereaved Palestinian and Israeli parents

Meeting bereaved parents

In this film, Bishop Oscar Cantú from the Diocese of La Cruces, USA, talks about the meeting of bishops from around the world with representatives of the Parents Circle. Parents Circle - Families Forum (PCFF) is a grassroots organisation of bereaved Palestinians and Israelis. It promotes reconciliation as an alternative to hatred and revenge. The text follows:

Greetings from the Holy Land. My name's Bishop Oscar Cantú from the United States - from the Diocese of Las Cruces.

I'm here in the Holy Land with the the Holy Land Co-ordination - a group of bishops that comes here every year to pray and to have a peaceful presence. We also come to dialogue and to listen to various voices in order to encourage the process of peace and justice in the Holy Land.

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity to listen to a number of voices. In particular we sat down with various diplomats from European countries to listen to their perspective - that was very helpful to us. Unfortunately it was not very cheerful news. It was the same message - one that has been discouraging, unfortunately.

As Christians we are always people of hope and we know that when the time is bleakest, when the situation is darkest, that is when God brings miracles through hope, through dreams of the human spirit. So we continue to pray for the people of this this holy land.
We also listened to young voices - one Israeli and one Palestinian - both of whom have something very deep in common in that they have lost a sibling in the violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

That has brought them together, rather than separating them, rather than breeding further hatred among them, that has brought them together to be a voice of reconciliation, and one of peace and justice

They are modeling for the people of this land, for the Israelis, for the Palestinians - for whoever will listen - that peace is possible, that reconciliation is possible and in fact it is much better for the human spirit.

So let us continue to pray for Jerusalem. May peace reign in this land.

Watch the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV4BDB1egy8