His Beatitude Fouad Twal,
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, was conferred a Doctorate in Theology,
Honoris Causa by the Faculty of Theology of Paderborn, Westphalia
(Germany) on Monday, May 9th. The Faculty announced on January 4th that
the highest representative of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land would
receive this honor for his great commitment to peace and reconciliation
between religions and peoples of the Middle East.
A tribute to the Patriarch was
delivered by the former Israeli ambassador to Germany, Avi Primor. He
stated that "one could hardly find a man more worthy of this honor. I
congratulate Patriarch Twal Bishop Twal for this award and all those who
made that decision." He particularly emphasized the care with which
the Patriarch worked to build schools, universities and hospitals in the
Holy Land. The former ambassador highlighted the Patriarch’s efforts
to overcome prejudices among peoples and religions. Patriarch Twal dedicated the award to “all men of goodwill,
the Middle East and the international community who are committed to
building bridges of mutual understanding.” In accepting the honor,
he then said: "I think we Christian Arabs have an important role in the
peace process. As Arabs, we have the same traditions, culture and language
as our Muslim neighbors. At the same time we are Christians and have a
Christian culture, which can perhaps be called Western culture. A possible
bridge between Jews and Arabs caught in the conflict. There is a lack of
attention on the part of the international community to recognize the role
that we Christians have to play here. "
The Patriarch received many wishes and
accolades, particularly from Professor Eckhard who donated €5, 000
for the Catholic university in Madaba (the Patriarch’s hometown in
Jordan). Pope Benedict XVI during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2009,
blessed the cornerstone of the university.
More than 40 Knights and Ladies of the
Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre attended the Mass and awarding
ceremony.
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