"Your article beautifully expressed how the Pope’s calls were a beacon of hope for the Palestinian Catholics living in Gaza. The passing of the Pope is the loss of a voice that reflected the wishes of 1000’s of Canadians; that our government demand an immediate ceasefire, that humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza be restored and that the remaining hostages be released."
April 22, 2025
Dear Ms. Hassan and Ms. Arsenault,
On behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) I am writing to express our appreciation for your recent article, Every night during war, Pope Francis called Gaza's only Catholic Church in 'singular expression of love' that was posted online on April 21, 2025.
Your article beautifully expressed how the Pope’s calls were a beacon of hope for the Palestinian Catholics living in Gaza. The passing of the Pope is the loss of a voice that reflected the wishes of 1000’s of Canadians; that our government demand an immediate ceasefire, that humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza be restored and that the remaining hostages be released.
My one critique of your piece is that Israel’s response to the October 7 attack by Hamas is more than an ‘onslaught’. The 565 days of death and devastation that the Palestinians have endured with no end in sight is an extreme response to the one day attack.. As you referenced in your article, Pope Francis earlier called for an investigation into whether Israel's offensive in Gaza constitutes a ‘genocide’..
We need you to continue publishing stories on Palestinians in Gaza that emphasizes their humanity and their right to the same essentials of life that we enjoy in Canada. Thank you again for bringing both compassion and empathy to our attention through articles such as this.
Sincerely,
Debbie Hubbard
CJPME-Okanagan