Latest news with #Romanelli
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Westfield High School Valedictorian: Justin Romanelli
WESTFIELD — Westfield High School Valedictorian Justin Romanelli was putting the finishing touches on his speech the day before graduation, and practicing to get it ready. Asked what he wrote about, he said, 'Primarily, the idea of what is permanent versus what is temporary, how it's important to recognize which one is which, and how they impact [our lives].' Romanelli said he was looking forward to giving the speech. 'I wouldn't say I'm comfortable, but I'm looking forward to it. It's a great opportunity for me to do it publicly — it's not something I've been exposed to in the past,' he said, adding that he was also very nervous. Romanelli will be studying computer science and technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, in the fall. He said he plans to study coding but isn't sure exactly where it will lead, although his best guess is software development. The race for valedictorian was very tight this year, with Brandon Guyott, the school's salutatorian, a close second. Romanelli and Guyott are co-founders of the Coding Club at WHS and in the Robotics Club together. The duo also collaborated for the second year on their science fair project, 'Optimizing an After-Market Prototype That Operates a Window Remotely,' which earned second place at regionals, and an honorable mention in the state science fair. Guyott, who Romanelli calls 'his best friend,' is also heading to Rensselaer in the fall. Romanelli said during his four years at WHS, besides the Robotics and Coding Clubs, he was on the Student Council and in the Key Club, which he credits with making him who he is today. Romanelli's awards include Excellence in Computer Science, Excellence in Mathematics, and Excellence in Spanish. He also recently earned the MA State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction for Spanish, for which he was recognized in a ceremony at WHS in May. Romanelli said WHS has helped him to expand his interests. 'Westfield High School, at least for me, has been a great school. I've been able to approach different classes and different clubs without many barriers, [which has] helped me to branch out more and find new things,' he said. Read the original article on MassLive.
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Priest says Pope's calls to parish in Gaza were 'beautiful'
A priest has described Pope Francis' daily phone calls to his small parish in Gaza as "something very beautiful". In the 18 months prior to his illness, the Pope called the Holy Family Church every night, including just two days before his death. At 8pm local time, the papal calls would happen over WhatsApp video through the phone of Fr Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the Church, in what Gazan residents referred to as "Pope O'Clock". Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Fr Carlos Ferrero said he could not say the exact date that the Pope's calls to his parish started. "I came to the parish in May 2024 when the Patriarch managed to get permission to do a Pastoral Visit here; Fr Romanelli and myself, we entered (Gaza) to remain here," he said. "The Pope had already been calling sometimes to talk to Fr Romanelli, he even talked to him when we were in Jerusalem and called me once when I was in Jerusalem waiting to enter. "Once we were here, the calls began to be more and more frequent until they became a daily call." Fr Ferrero said the Pope would ask about how the congregation was getting on, and how the wider population were too. "Even if the words were few, it was enough for everybody to be consoled and supported." "He was very concerned, and encouraging us to be strong, to be patient, to continue praying, to support the people, and always showing his closeness to us all, and also very happy when we managed to help the population all around us." He described the Pope's support as "very, very important" to the Gazan Church. "Imagine for us, the head of the Church calling us every day, that's something amazing, and for all the parishioners, all the Christians who are refugees here, everybody appreciated it," said Fr Ferrero. "They were hoping and waiting for that call, because you feel you are being heard, you feel you are somebody important; somebody considers you, you're not just a number," "Even if the words were few, it was enough for everybody to be consoled and supported." Fr Ferrero said that people would gather around the phone to speak with him, to show their faces, and even sang him 'Happy Birthday'. "We already miss him, but at the same time, we were all supported by his words." The Church's last call with Pope Francis was on Easter Saturday, minutes before the beginning of the liturgy. "That was also providential because imagine if he was to call a little later, maybe we would have not answered; but thanks to God, Fr Romanelli was at the entrance of the Church and got the call." He said that their last call was short and that the Pope's voice was weak, but he had asked how they were, told them to keep strong, wait for peace, and that they would pray for one another. Upon hearing the news of Pope Francis' passing, Fr Ferrero said that the congregation held a special funeral in his honour. "We already miss him, but at the same time, we were all supported by his words," he said. "The celebration of Easter gives us the strength also to hope; something that he always encouraged everybody was to keep the hope up and wait for the grace of God."
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
One final call: Pope Francis' last blessing echoes in Gaza
"Pope o'clock." That's what Gaza residents sheltering in this besieged Catholic parish called the time — usually 8 p.m. local time, 7 p.m. in Rome — when Pope Francis would video call Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. 'When he called, everyone would gather near the screen and say hello, in Italian, in Arabic, in English,' said Romanelli, one of Gaza's last remaining priests. In a place where killing seems omnipresent, the all-too-ordinary death of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, may have passed with little more than a moment's thought for some. But for the church officials and the families at Holy Family Church, the pope was not a distant religious figure in a faraway country, but a daily presence. 'He truly became a member of the congregation,' Romanelli said. Francis' phone calls, which began almost as soon as the war between Hamas and Israel kicked off some 18 months ago, became a touchstone, a moment of solace in a time of relentless bleakness. Yet through those phone calls, the pope came to understand the suffering of Gaza residents, Christians and Muslims alike, said George Anton, head of the Emergency Response Committee for the Catholic Church in Gaza. 'He listened, really listened. He was asking, 'What did you eat today? Did you eat anything?' And it wasn't a casual question. He came to know Gaza — not from news reports, but from our voices, our hearts,' he said. 'As Palestinian Christians, we often feel forgotten, but in those moments, we weren't.' The calls were only one manifestation of Francis' concern for people in the Holy Land on both sides. In his speeches, he often beseeched the warring parties to forge a ceasefire and end the suffering; he was outspoken in his criticism of Israel for its blockade of Gaza — including its most recent siege since March 2, which has stopped all humanitarian assistance into the enclave, according to aid groups. To the very end, he called for peace. 'I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation,' Francis said in his Easter message. 'I appeal to the warring parties: Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!' It was a stance that the Rev. Munther Isaac, a Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem, saw as a counterweight to the muscular brand of conservative Christianity increasingly dominating U.S. discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'Christian groups in America pray for Israel and have no problem if the war continues, while Pope Francis was calling for the fighting to end," Isaac said. "He showed another face of Christianity, which I think is the true one — the face of peace." He continued: 'Without a doubt, he was a friend, and someone who played a role in showing the humanitarian side of Palestinians at a time when we have been dehumanized.' Gaza's Christian population numbers around 1,000 people — a minuscule proportion of the roughly 2.3 million people (most of them Muslims) in the enclave. Over the last year and a half of the war, Romanelli said, 19 Christians have been killed in Israeli attacks, while an additional 20 died due to lack of medical treatment and the dire conditions in the enclave. Hundreds of Christians, but also some Muslims, uprooted by Israeli bombardment, now reside on church grounds or in the surrounding environs. Some live in the church. One of the latter was Mohammad Al-Madhoun, a 40-year-old plumber. 'I found safety between the church's walls, and I stayed to help — fixing pipes, saving water, doing what I could for the people sheltering here, whether Muslim or Christian,' Al-Madhoun said, remembering the days when the bombings were close enough to shake the ground, including a strike near the church gate that killed 17 people. He spoke of the time the Israeli army surrounded the area, and no one could leave the church for 20 days. 'We stayed together. We cooked together, we baked bread together," he said. "We became one family under fire, praying, waiting, surviving." Al-Madhoun said the pope's call for peace resonated with everyone in Gaza, regardless of their religion. He hoped Francis' successor would also 'raise their voice for peace — not just for us in Palestine, but for every place suffering under the weight of war.' 'We've had enough," he added. "It's time for peace.' Despite his poor health, Francis insisted on calling the church the night before he died. But Romanelli could sense he was weak. 'Normally he would video call, but this was a normal call," Romanelli said. "He asked how we were, and told us to give his blessings to everyone present. That was it." Read more: Pope Francis' funeral to be held Saturday, with public viewing starting Wednesday Nevertheless, when news first came of Francis' death, people in the parish initially refused to believe it, Anton said. 'Or maybe we didn't want to believe it," he said. "Our connection with the pope made us refuse to accept this truth, even though we knew he was ill." Anton added that Francis had called no matter what the circumstance — whether there was shooting, or bombardments or fighting, and he never tired of advocating for the church in Gaza. 'The pope was vocal about the situation here," he said. "He would say, 'This is not right. Innocents must be spared.' With his death, we are missing this protective shield. We will miss him deeply.' Yet the parishioners hope his message will endure. Anton cited a line from the eulogy of Francis that Romanelli delivered: "Just as you were fighting for peace on Earth, let your first miracle be to achieve peace from heaven.' Special correspondent Shbeir reported from Gaza City and Times staff writer Bulos from Beirut. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
One final call: Pope Francis' last blessing echoes in Gaza
GAZA CITY — 'Pope o'clock.' That's what Gaza residents sheltering in this besieged Catholic parish called the time — usually 8 p.m. local time, 7 p.m. in Rome — when Pope Francis would video call Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. 'When he called, everyone would gather near the screen and say hello, in Italian, in Arabic, in English,' said Romanelli, one of Gaza's last remaining priests. In a place where killing seems omnipresent, the all-too-ordinary death of Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, may have passed with little more than a moment's thought for some. But for the church officials and the families at Holy Family Church, the pope was not a distant religious figure in a faraway country, but a daily presence. 'He truly became a member of the congregation,' Romanelli said. Francis' phone calls, which began almost as soon as the war between Hamas and Israel kicked off some 18 months ago, became a touchstone, a moment of solace in a time of relentless bleakness. Yet through those phone calls, the pope came to understand the suffering of Gaza residents, Christians and Muslims alike, said George Anton, head of the Emergency Response Committee for the Catholic Church in Gaza. 'He listened, really listened. He was asking, 'What did you eat today? Did you eat anything?' And it wasn't a casual question. He came to know Gaza — not from news reports, but from our voices, our hearts,' he said. 'As Palestinian Christians, we often feel forgotten, but in those moments, we weren't.' The calls were only one manifestation of Francis' concern for people in the Holy Land on both sides. In his speeches, he often beseeched the warring parties to forge a ceasefire and end the suffering; he was outspoken in his criticism of Israel for its blockade of Gaza — including its most recent siege since March 2, which has stopped all humanitarian assistance into the enclave, according to aid groups. To the very end, he called for peace. 'I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation,' Francis said in his Easter message. 'I appeal to the warring parties: Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!' It was a stance that the Rev. Munther Isaac, a Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem, saw as a counterweight to the muscular brand of conservative Christianity increasingly dominating U.S. discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'Christian groups in America pray for Israel and have no problem if the war continues, while Pope Francis was calling for the fighting to end,' Isaac said. 'He showed another face of Christianity, which I think is the true one — the face of peace.' He continued: 'Without a doubt, he was a friend, and someone who played a role in showing the humanitarian side of Palestinians at a time when we have been dehumanized.' Gaza's Christian population numbers around 1,000 people — a minuscule proportion of the roughly 2.3 million people (most of them Muslims) in the enclave. Over the last year and a half of the war, Romanelli said, 19 Christians have been killed in Israeli attacks, while an additional 20 died due to lack of medical treatment and the dire conditions in the enclave. Hundreds of Christians, but also some Muslims, uprooted by Israeli bombardment, now reside on church grounds or in the surrounding environs. Some live in the church. One of the latter was Mohammad Al-Madhoun, a 40-year-old plumber. 'I found safety between the church's walls, and I stayed to help — fixing pipes, saving water, doing what I could for the people sheltering here, whether Muslim or Christian,' Al-Madhoun said, remembering the days when the bombings were close enough to shake the ground, including a strike near the church gate that killed 17 people. He spoke of the time the Israeli army surrounded the area, and no one could leave the church for 20 days. 'We stayed together. We cooked together, we baked bread together,' he said. 'We became one family under fire, praying, waiting, surviving.' Al-Madhoun said the pope's call for peace resonated with everyone in Gaza, regardless of their religion. He hoped Francis' successor would also 'raise their voice for peace — not just for us in Palestine, but for every place suffering under the weight of war.' 'We've had enough,' he added. 'It's time for peace.' Despite his poor health, Francis insisted on calling the church the night before he died. But Romanelli could sense he was weak. 'Normally he would video call, but this was a normal call,' Romanelli said. 'He asked how we were, and told us to give his blessings to everyone present. That was it.' Nevertheless, when news first came of Francis' death, people in the parish initially refused to believe it, Anton said. 'Or maybe we didn't want to believe it,' he said. 'Our connection with the pope made us refuse to accept this truth, even though we knew he was ill.' Anton added that Francis had called no matter what the circumstance — whether there was shooting, or bombardments or fighting, and he never tired of advocating for the church in Gaza. 'The pope was vocal about the situation here,' he said. 'He would say, 'This is not right. Innocents must be spared.' With his death, we are missing this protective shield. We will miss him deeply.' Yet the parishioners hope his message will endure. Anton cited a line from the eulogy of Francis that Romanelli delivered: 'Just as you were fighting for peace on Earth, let your first miracle be to achieve peace from heaven.' Special correspondent Shbeir reported from Gaza City and Times staff writer Bulos from Beirut.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gaza's Catholics mourn Pope Francis, who 'never forgot' them during war
Gaza's small Catholic community is mourning the death of Pope Francis, who maintained daily contact with local church leaders throughout the ongoing conflict, the parish priest of the region's only Catholic church told ABC News. Father Gabriel Romanelli of Gaza City's Holy Family Church said the pontiff called the parish "every day from the beginning of the war" -- an effort the community greatly appreciated. "He met the people. He remembered some people by voice," he said. Watch ABC News live coverage of the funeral for Pope Francis on Saturday starting at 3:30 a.m. ET on ABC stations and streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Even as he expressed profound sadness at the pope's passing, Romanelli found spiritual significance in its timing. "There is a mix of feelings," Romanelli told ABC News. "The first feeling is very sad ... but at the same time, because he died on Easter, it's a sign of the mercy of God. For us as Christians, it's the feast of the resurrection of the Lord." Gaza has been devastated by the war that was sparked by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack. Since the conflict began, the Holy Family Church has helped to feed and shelter "thousands of families," with support from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Pope Francis, according to Romanelli. MORE: Pope Francis live updates: Vatican may extend hours to pay respects due to turnout There were approximately 1,300 Christians among Gaza's 2 million Palestinian residents in 2022, according to a U.S. Department of State report, which cited "media reports and religious communities." "We lost many Christians. Five percent of our community have died during this war," Romanelli said. The parish is currently housing around 500 refugees, including "the majority" of Gaza's minority Christian community but also some Muslims, "especially children with special needs," Romanelli said. During their frequent calls, Romanelli noted the pope's deep concern for the welfare of Gaza's civilians. "He would call us to give us force, power, support, moral support and also, through the Latin Patriarchate, material support to help the civilians here," Romanelli said. The pope would also consistently urge them to take care of the children as he expressed gratitude for the church's efforts to help the Christian community and all their neighbors, according to Romanelli. He said that message will be the pope's legacy in the region. "It's necessary to continue to help the people," Romanelli said. "After this war, the post-war period will be very hard. It's necessary that people be strong in faith, strong in humanity. ... We must smile and play with the children because it's necessary to break the violence with a real peace message." Romanelli, who has served as a missionary in Gaza for six years, said the parish held a memorial service for the pope on Monday. Due to the ongoing conflict and closed borders, he said he will be unable to attend the pope's funeral on Saturday, but hopes to follow the ceremonies online if conditions permit. Gaza's Catholics mourn Pope Francis, who 'never forgot' them during war originally appeared on
