Moderator issues statement after missile strikes Holy Family Church in Gaza
Published on 17 July 2025 2 minutes read
The Moderator has joined with the Archbishop of Glasgow to issue a joint statement expressing their sorrow at the loss of life after a missile struck Holy Family Parish Church in Gaza.
Three people are reported to have died and several others were injured when the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Church in Gaza, was struck by an Israeli missile today.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest in Gaza, who visited Scotland in April 2024 and met with then-Moderator Very Rev Sally Foster Fulton, suffered leg injuries.
Father Romanelli's visit to Glasgow was initiated by Justice and Peace Scotland and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) with the support of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the Church of Scotland. His visit was marked with a signed declaration– From Glasgow to Gaza: A Cry for Peace in the Holy Land.
The declaration called for an end to the violence in Israel/Palestine saying, "In the name of God, we call for an end to war, closure of heart and hatred to be replaced with dialogue, reconciliation, and peace."
In Jerusalem, the Patriarchs and the Heads of Churches have jointly issued a call for the "prayers, attention and action… particularly of Christians globally" to end the conflict and bring about peace.
The Church of Scotland endorses this call and we pray for all who are mourning today and for the healing of those who have been injured in this horrendous attack.
The joint statement issued today by Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and Most Rev William Nolan, Archbishop of Glasgow and President of Justice & Peace Scotland, says:
"We join today to express our profound sorrow at the loss of life and the injuries sustained following a missile strike on the Holy Family Parish Church in Gaza. Further, we echo the words of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in his call for a ceasefire, and his 'profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and enduring peace in the region."
"We recall the visit to Glasgow by Fr Gabriel Romanelli, priest of the Holy Family Parish, in April 2024 and the Declaration: "From Glasgow to Gaza: A Cry for Peace in the Holy Land" signed on that occasion.
"The Declaration concluded: 'Today we cry out to all people in positions of power to end this senseless violence. We pray to Almighty God that their hearts may be turned towards compassion, and that they may have the courage and wisdom to pursue the path of justice and peace for all who call the Holy Land home'.
"We reflect on the continued relevance of these words and we renew the call for a permanent ceasefire and the pursuit of "the path of justice and peace".
- Archbishop William Nolan, Archdiocese of Glasgow
- Rt Rev Rosie Frew, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Read the statement from the Council of Patriarchs and the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem.
