When Fr. Gabriel Romanelli traveled to Bethlehem to purchase drugs for a nun in early October, he anticipated to return quickly to his parish in Gaza Metropolis.
However the Oct. 7 assault on Israel — through which Hamas fighters killed greater than 1,000 folks, together with round 700 civilians — reduce the Argentine priest off from his flock on the Holy Household Church, the one Catholic church in Gaza.
In an April 25 interview with The Pillar, Fr. Romanelli mentioned that after Oct. 7, his parish turned from an “oasis” right into a refugee camp.
An estimated 700 folks sought refuge within the parish compound as Israel responded with a floor invasion of Gaza. They included nearly all of Gaza’s Latin Catholic group, mentioned to quantity round 140 folks, and plenty of Orthodox Christians.
Fr. Romanelli — an brisk determine in his early fifties, with black-framed glasses that amplify his eyes — was born in Buenos Aires and entered the Institute of the Incarnate Phrase (IVE), an Argentine spiritual institute with hyperlinks to the Holy Land.
The priest, who’s fluent in Arabic amongst a number of different languages, has spent virtually 30 years of his life within the Center East. He started serving because the Holy Household’s pastor in 2019. He spoke with The Pillar through Zoom throughout a week-long U.Okay. go to.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
What’s the scenario like as we speak for the people who find themselves residing within the Holy Household compound?
The scenario may be very robust, as a result of after six months of this warfare, the folks misplaced many members of the group — 33 members, the bulk killed by the IDF operation, in accordance with the data of the Latin Patriarchate and the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
So, greater than 3% of our group died, for a lot of totally different causes. At the very least 250 folks have additionally emigrated. In addition to the continued bombing and the lack of a large number of the group, they misplaced their homes, their family’ homes, colleges, eating places, locations of labor, and so on.
As a result of nobody is aware of till when this horrible warfare will proceed, the individuals are depressed. They’re with out hope — not with out hope within the Lord, as a result of they’re very trustworthy folks, very sturdy within the religion — however the strange hope, the strange life, may be very, very exhausting.
So because of this, lots of them need to cease the warfare, in fact. A lot of them begin pondering of going out, if they will get permission to exit, as a result of nearly all of the inhabitants in Gaza, they can not exit.
Might you describe a typical day within the life of somebody residing within the compound?
Within the compound, we tried for a lot of, a few years to create an actual oasis, for Christians and Muslims additionally. Within the morning, there have been actions for the varsity, for Christians and Muslims. And within the afternoon and night, there have been the Christian actions.
After the warfare started, the oasis turned into a shelter, a refugee camp. We obtained 700 Christians, Catholic and Orthodox — so nearly all of the Christian group. There have been additionally 54 kids with the sisters of Mom Teresa — Muslims with disabilities. At this second, we’ve got round 500 folks there.
They begin within the morning with prayer, the holy rosary, in entrance of the Holy Sacrament within the church. The outdated folks sleep there inside.
And after that, Fr. Youssef [Asaad], my vicar there, celebrates the Holy Sacrifice. And after, they attempt to make breakfast. Which means a cup of tea with some bread. After many months, within the final weeks, we make bread each day within the compound.
And after that, the day begins. A distinct group continues to wish the holy rosary. Among the guys go to the sisters of the Mom Teresa homes, to assist the sisters within the care of the disabled.
From the start of the warfare, we made totally different committees, so there are folks chargeable for the toilet, the water, the meals, the order, the youngsters… They begin to work till one or two, once they take one thing to eat and relaxation.
Sadly, we’re cooking for the entire refugees, in the perfect of circumstances, thrice per week. We distribute with the refugees, and likewise we give meals outdoors the compound to the Muslim civilian folks in our neighborhood.
After, they take a nap. This can be a widespread factor between South America — I’m from Argentina — and the Center East. So even within the warfare, they attempt to take a nap, a siesta.
And after that, some younger folks proceed to play, to talk. We began two months in the past to present some classes, as a result of all the colleges are closed, and different actions for kids within the oratory.
After the holy rosary within the night, we full the actions. Typically some teams proceed to talk. One group retains up all night time to assist with any wants, as a result of it’s 500 folks, a really small city.
That’s the every day schedule there.
What’s their best want in the intervening time?
It’s peace, a ceasefire. And not using a ceasefire, the folks proceed to die.
The ceasefire is just not the answer, nevertheless it’s step one, the beginning of the answer. It’s crucial particularly within the north, the place in Gaza Metropolis there at the moment are between 400,000 folks to 500,000 folks. They want all the things: water, meals, drugs. Sadly, the authorities don’t permit an enormous quantity of humanitarian assist to enter, and this can be a actual want.
Earlier than the warfare, 500 vans entered Gaza a day, and it was not sufficient. Now generally, within the south, there enter solely 30, 40, 80 vans. It’s not sufficient in any respect.
However within the north, virtually nothing. Typically three vans. It’s nothing, although this helps some folks. The UK, Jordan, and different international locations assist on this initiative. However there are half 1,000,000 folks in Gaza Metropolis, within the north, so extra help is critical.
You’ve been away out of your parish since Oct. 7, 2023. Whenever you do lastly return, what are the stuff you most need to do?
This can be a horrible factor, as a result of I perceive that my parish modified. However even when I perceive, the thought is totally different from the fact.
We mentioned that 3% of our group had been killed or died, particularly for the shortage of medicines. We mentioned that now 25% of our group left. It signifies that I’ll discover one other parish, with quite a lot of destruction.
So we ask the Lord to present me his grace, his energy, to do what we will do. I’m not a hero. We’re regular folks. However I have to be there. I need to be there, as a result of that is my mission. If I’m positive that Jesus the Lord requested me to go to a different place, I’m prepared. However till now it’s clear that right here is his will.
Even whether it is his will, many occasions it is vitally exhausting. And I feel this is without doubt one of the hardest experiences that I’ll have when sooner or later I come again there.
What’s one of the best ways for Catholics within the West that will help you and your parishioners now?
There are 3 ways to assist. The primary is prayer.
Sadly for us Christians — Catholics significantly — many occasions we’ve got mentioned: “We can’t do something, solely prayer.” Nevertheless it’s the other: our energy is prayer. Jesus requested us many occasions to wish, as a result of to wish is to ask, to enter into dialogue and into the drive of God, the ruler of historical past. So it’s crucial to wish, to supply the Holy Sacrifice, the rosary, and so on.
The second is to discuss the scenario. It’s not straightforward to be balanced, within the good sense of that time period. This isn’t a match, with groups: “I’m professional”; “I’m in opposition to.” It’s crucial to seek out the fitting expressions, to tell apart.
Sadly after Oct. 7 — but additionally earlier than — many phrases are utilized in a foul approach. So it’s crucial to seek out good expressions and use them in a great way, with feeling, with knowledge, with charity, with prudence.
And generally whether it is essential to be silent, generally it’s crucial additionally to talk, to clarify: warfare is just not the one answer. Battle isn’t the one answer. Right this moment, tomorrow, sooner or later, the diplomatic answer, the social answer, the humanitarian answer is the best way, as a result of answering violence with violence was by no means the full, definitive answer.
So it’s crucial to grasp and unfold good concepts in good methods.
The third approach is materials assist. I consider one of the best ways to assist at the moment is thru the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, our diocese. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, made some months in the past an enchantment for all folks. It’s nonetheless operating, as a result of there’s a lack of something there. It’s crucial to assist, with meals, with cash. This enchantment, not less than at this second, is one of the best ways that I do know to assist.
The killing of Naheda and Samr Anton on the parish on Dec. 16, 2023, was reported worldwide. Has any new data emerged about their deaths?
You may learn the data supplied by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Dec. 16.
There’s no different data, sadly. They had been killed inside our compound by an IDF sniper. The identical day, not less than seven extra had been wounded contained in the compound.
What’s been the toughest half about not being in your parish?
The toughest half was the times earlier than Christmas, as a result of all as of late the neighborhood was beneath navy assaults. So many individuals had been wounded inside our compound. The worst day was the day that Samr and Naheda had been killed.
And likewise the worst day is as of late, as a result of since early on I really feel that nobody needs to cease that. Even when some voices begin to converse because the Holy Father requested, “Sufficient. Cease. Ceasefire” — regardless of the liberation of the hostages, in fact, and the likelihood to remedy the wounded folks, in fact — “However cease, ceasefire.”
Even when some folks begin to converse on this approach, the leaders of many international locations have surrounded themselves with the logic of warfare. And that is an illogical factor, not factor. Not for Israel, not for Palestine.
So I need a miracle, as a result of a change in folks’s will is an ethical miracle. It’s crucial to wish to the Lord and proceed to work, to reach not less than at a ceasefire.
