24.05.2018
‘We don’t need you to be pro–Palestinian or pro–Israeli. Be pro–peace’ – Canon Hatem Visits from Diocese of Jerusalem
Canon Hatem Shehadeh from Haifa in the Diocese of Jerusalem is currently visiting Dublin & Glendalough as part of the partnership link between the two dioceses. He has been sharing his experiences as a Christian, Arab, Palestinian, Israeli, Irish Anglican minister living in the Land of the Holy One.
He addressed both clergy and lay people yesterday (Wednesday May 23) in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. He attended the Ministry of Healing Eucharist in Christ Church Cathedral earlier today, followed by lunch with Our Table. This evening he will be at the Thinking Allowed event in the Holy Cross Diocesan Centre, Clonliffe Road, Dublin 3. Tomorrow he will visit two schools in the dioceses and will be in St John’s Church, Laragh, for Evening Prayer at 5pm.
All are welcome to come and meet Canon Hatem who talks movingly about the situation in his home country and his insistence that they must not stop believing the message of peace, witnessing to the Lord and spreading the good news and the message of peace and reconciliation.
If you don’t get a chance to meet him, Canon Hatem has asked Christians in the west to do three things:
1. Push back against the demonisation of both Palestinians and Israelis.
2. Reject the support of violence. It is not Christian.
3. Support those who are seeking peace. “We don’t need you to be pro–Palestinian or pro–Israeli. Be pro–peace”.
[Full report will follow]
