CARITAS Australia is asking Australians to mark August 13 as Middle East Peace Sunday, in light of the ongoing conflict that is affecting millions of people across Lebanon, Gaza and Israel.
Announcing the peace day, Caritas Australia chief executive officer Jack de Groot said: “The deteriorating situation in the Middle East is now a massive humanitarian emergency”.
Mr de Groot said humanitarian agencies like Caritas remain powerless to bring aid to the civilians, who after more than three weeks of conflict, lack clean water, food, and medicines.
In the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Caritas will provide parishes with information material for prayer, advocacy and education.
Caritas will also provide an opportunity on the weekend of August 19-20 for Catholics in Brisbane archdiocese to make a donation to the Middle East Crisis Appeal in their parishes.
Australia’s Maronite Bishop Ad Abikram said: “Every single day, we are seeing and hearing with the whole world, what tragic atrocities Lebanon is enduring – hundreds of victims, thousands of displaced people and refugees, sick and elderly without medicines, children who are massacred or who are starving of food.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president, Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, called for sustained prayers from the Catholic community for peace in the Middle East.
Donations to Caritas Australia’s Middle East Crisis appeal can be made by phoning 1800 024 413, posting cheques/money orders to GPO Box 9830 in your capital city or online at www.caritas.org.au
