By Emmanuel Nigel
Piemonte House
Date: Friday, May 10th, 2024
Bishop van Roijen is a Netherlands-born Canadian Catholic Prelate working in the Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador in Newfoundland the motto is "Cor Et Anima Una" in Latin, translated in English as "One Heart And Soul" which has been taken from the Acts of the Apostles 4:32. Bishop Bart van Roijen who will turn 59 years on Sunday, August 4th, 2024 walked the length of the Gaza Strip on Monday, April 29th, 2024 in support of those suffering due to the long Israel-Hamas war which started on Saturday, October 7th, 2023 having already killed more than 35,000 Palestinians and displacing over 1.7 million Palestinians.
In solidarity, "Catholic Bishop Bart van Roijen Walks of the Gaza Strip in Support of the Cease-Fire." His Lordship Bishop Bart van Roijen of the Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador in Newfoundland, Canada, walked 42 kilometers, which would be close to 26 miles, from York Harbor to Corner Brook and ended his walk for support with an intense prayer service at the Cathedral of the Holy Redeemer. Several people around the world are having support calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and for peace to reign in both Israel and Palestine. Bishop van Roijen told CNA in an interview that he felt called to do this walk because he wanted “To quietly witness to the sufferings of both citizens and to make a strong statement that the atrocities, damage, and indignities that are being done must end.”
In his explanation that just a few days before being approached to take part in the walk, he was speaking with someone about the difficulties he was having with the “unresolved conflicts in the world and how they were perpetuated by endless justifications, open acts of aggression, and an unwillingness to dialogue in a meaningful way.”
“I expressed a tiredness with the whole idea of taking sides when it was clear that atrocities have, and continue to be, committed by both sides and that the civilian populations, on both sides of a conflict, are always the ones who pay the price,” van Roijen said. He also added: “The idea of a 42-kilometer walk helped me focus some of this energy on something constructive that was building greater awareness and solidarity with a civilian population that was forced to migrate 42 kilometers from the North to the South of Gaza, and helped me to appreciate how difficult this must be when dealing with possessions, children, infirmities, checkpoints, ongoing conflict, and the possibility of being targeted.”
Van Roijen emphasized that the walk allowed him to “Move from my response to the atrocities committed by both sides to a spirit of offering it to God.” Bishop van Roijen completed the walk in six hours and 45 minutes. The weather hovered between 46 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit and, despite the rain and wind, the Prelate did not take any breaks and managed to stay compassionate in his walk he used his umbrella and rubber boots during the walk.
He credited his four-mile walk to and from his office each day during the winter months for being properly and fully prepared. “Walking along the Bay of Islands, from York Harbor to the Cathedral in Corner Brook, gave me some nice views of the bay and the surrounding hills and villages,” he said.
“It also gave me the sense of the Gaza Strip in its proximity to its own body of water and the narrowness of its borders,” he said, adding: “By walking and praying I was given a sense of peace - a peace that I was able to integrate into the prayer service that followed at the cathedral.” As for what Catholics can do to aid in the current situation, van Roijen said: “Ours is a role of intercession, healing, and reconciliation, not of judgment or condemnation,” adding: “Though we should be strong in our insistence of the inviolable and inalienable dignity of all people, and that atrocities have been and are committed by both sides.”
“Catholics need to stand with the Palestinian and Israeli citizens who have had their human rights and dignity violated, to insist that all forms of violence cease, all hostages be released, and all channels of dialogue be opened,” he said.
“This conflict, like all conflicts big or small, is perpetuated by all those who contribute fuel to the fire, either in word or deed. The more resources and arguments that are provided to each side, and the more we divide ourselves into factions, the more conflict rages,” he expressed.
He urged the faithful to “Be wiser in regards to conflict within our Church, communities, countries, and world.” “Rather than perpetuate it by immediately taking sides,” he continued, “We need to challenge it and expose it for what it is: a failure to be truly human in word or deed, an affront to our dignity as humans and as brothers and sisters to one another.”
"I think Bishop van Roijen's action points to us that there is a need for Peace, an end to the war between Israel and Gaza, and the Israel-Hamas war. I thank Catholic Relief Services and other Organizations for their increasing efforts in Gaza despite the deaths of several aid workers. We need to speak and advocate for peace that the war should end sooner than later and we should all be committed to doing everything we can to address the significant humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza and Israel. Mediation for peace that is planned in Cairo should bear its need for true peace and the mediation should mark the end to the Israel-Gaza war - it should call for a Humanitarian Cease-Fire we have to ponder on peace we shouldn't ponder on war and peace is crucial peace is needed in Gaza and Israel. Israel and Hamas have to come together to negotiate for peace so that the war ends."
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