ROME – As Israel faces ongoing political and social instability, its new cardinal has said that since achieving stable peace in the near future is unlikely, constructive efforts in facilitating dialogue are needed. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said that his elevation was a surprise, and that he sees the red hat as “a responsibility.”
“To be a cardinal is not just a title, but also a responsibility, to be a voice from Jerusalem, of Jerusalem, about our situation, and also from Jerusalem to all the churches, to be able to say something positive for constructive building in this very complicated context,” he said, referring to Israel’s socio-political crisis and the broader tensions of the Holy Land.
