Teaching faith, life and solidarity

Missio representative visits Bethlehem University , meets Religious Studies Chairperson and students

25 February, 2008

“When I became more acquainted with Bethlehem University and its vision I was very impressed. The service of the University is extremely important in the middle of all the hardships in this region. I am glad to finally have the opportunity to visit this unique institution and am struck by the vitality and vibrant atmosphere of this place”, said Mrs. Irmgard Icking, board member and head of the Foreign Department of Missio, the International Catholic Mission Society in Germany , when she visited Bethlehem University on 15 February, 2008.

After a short tour through the University's oldest building, De La Salle Hall, and the University's Chapel of the Divine Child Mrs. Icking met with Father Jamal Khader, Chairperson of the Religious Studies Department, and several sisters studying in the Department. The ensuing discussion centered around the important role religious education at Bethlehem University plays in local churches and religious communities, and also in strengthening good relations between Christians and Muslims.

Missio generously supports the Religious Studies Department by sponsoring scholarships for students and teachers' salaries. Fr. Jamal Khader expressed his deep appreciation of this support, stressing that it is “a great help in carrying our mission for the future of the Christian community in the Holy Land ”. Furthermore, he explained how the Department contributes to the vitality of the local churches by providing qualified, motivated and open minded teachers of catechism. He also described how learning about the Muslim faith helps to create more understanding and tolerance among the students.

The four sisters present at the meeting, Sr. Mera Kasabreh, Sr. Rita Karkar, Sr. Lina Sanosian and Sr. Samia Yassa, spoke about their experiences as students in the program and their hopes for the future. “Studying together with Muslim students is very special for me. I think it is important that we learn about each others' faith, because it helps us to live together peacefully”, commented Sr. Rita Karkar, who is in her third year. She added that “studying at Bethlehem University is both spiritually inspiring and links my studies to the social reality on the ground”. Sr. Mira Kassabreh, a fourth year student, described how her studies help her to prepare for the future. “After I finish my studies I want to contribute in strengthening the message of hope we must share with the community, especially in this spiritually important place”, she said.

At the end of her visit Mrs. Icking concluded: “When we recently celebrated Missio's 175 th anniversary we chose the slogan ‘faith, life, solidarity'. These keywords define what mission really means; passing on and teaching faith, life and solidarity, and doing this in a spirit which is inclusive— in a spirit of dialogue. I am glad to see how the work of Bethlehem University is following that spirit”.