VMAS Pastoral Workers meet His Beatitude

On 16 April, the VMAS pastoral workers had a special meeting with His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa. Fr. Matthew, the Vicar welcomed everyone and extended a special welcome to His Beatitude and deep gratitude for his interest in VMAS and his faithful support. Then, His Beatitude led us in a prayer followed by his address.

In his address, His Beatitude acknowledged the presence of the migrants and asylum seekers in the Holy Land, that they are part of the community, belonging to the same Church, and sharing the same faith. He commended the migrants and asylum seekers for the important work they do, saying to society they are invisible, but to the Church they are not invisible. He lamented that as foreigners the VMAS communities face discrimination and pay the price for the wars here, as some members of the communities were killed since October 2023. He however stated that the migrants are more than foreigners, they also became citizens of this land in a way.

He went on to state that when the church was born in Jerusalem on Pentecost, it was already plural, and that’s the reality we have here in our church. He acknowledged that the VMAS Communities are the part that keeps alive this identity of our church in Jerusalem where all the world is present here and our heart is open to all. He announced that he published a very long letter which says our church is still keeping this reality. He added that we also have a lot of differences within the same church and the political situation is also affecting the relationships inside the church. While the political situation is trying to create divisions, to create bias, he said we work to remain one, this is part of our mission. We are all facing these challenges together.

His Beatitude also spoke words of gratitude and appreciation to the pastoral workers for their important ministry with VMAS communities, which he described as touching the flesh of the Migrant and Asylum Seeker communities and journeying with them in all their challenges. He explained that he understands from the human point of view it is not simple to do the work they do, adding however that there must be some joys too. He stated that by nature, the activities for VMAS are unstable, they are flexible because they are answering a need and if the need changes the work changes too. He assured the pastoral workers the support of the Church expressing that the commitment and desire of the diocese to be present, to work, and listen is total, full and complete.

To give His Beatitude an idea of the VMAS different communities and ministries, the pastoral workers introduced themselves and shared about their different communities and ministries. This was followed by a lively discussion with His Beatitude on the new developments in VMAS Communities, irregular unions and properties in Tel Aviv. The meeting concluded with a delicious lunch with His Beatitude.