by Tom Gallagher
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The New York City-based Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) announced today that it is partnering with the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Family on a “global initiative” to provide much-needed help for some 6,000 families in Syria, according to a press release by CNEWA. Both organizations have set a goal of raising $2 million.
The purpose of the funds is to keep families warm during the fast approaching winter months. CNEWA will distribute the funds through the Catholic church in Syria.
The press release states: “This [fundraising initiative] comes as Pope Francis has called for continued support of the people of Syria — and has turned his attention, in particular, to displaced families fleeing war and persecution. “When the stranger in our midst appeals to us,” he told the U.S. Congress in his historic address Thursday, “we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible. ... Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions.”
To read the full press release, click here.