Do we hear it? Do we hear the cries of desperation from the Gaza Strip in Palestine? How can the we ignore the suffering?
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are called to be witnesses to what we see in the world around us. We cry out, “Give peace a chance!” We cry out for a ceasefire and the creation of safe humanitarian corridors to deliver lifesaving aid to the people of Gaza. We join the voices of our brothers and sisters crying out for peace, justice, and the protection of human dignity.
August 7, 2025
“In Ramah is heard the sound of sobbing, bitter weeping! Rachel mourns for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children – they are no more” (Jeremiah 31.15).
Do we hear it? Do we hear the cry echoing from the same land as in Jeremiah’s time? The cry comes from our sisters and brothers in Palestine, who also claim Abraham as their father in faith and pray to one God, as we do.
According to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), operating in Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza, about two million people are living in an area smaller than 17 square miles — roughly the size of Saginaw, Michigan. As the conflict in Gaza continues, people are suffering from extensive shortages of food, water, and other essential supplies – conditions that are leading to starvation, malnutrition and death.
CRS reports: “Hundreds of children and adults have surpassed the limits of their physical endurance and are at imminent risk of death. The limited aid allowed to cross into Gaza in recent months has fallen far below the threshold needed to curb starvation or sustain lifesaving services.”
Do we hear the cries from Gaza?
IPC ALERT
The region is on the brink of famine. In Gaza City, one in five children suffers from malnutrition, and cases are increasing daily (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA). Civilians are dying simply while trying to get food for their families. Since May 27, 2025, over 1,000 people have been killed while attempting to access food in Gaza (IPC).
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are called to be witnesses to what we see in the world around us. We cry out, “Give peace a chance!” We cry out for a ceasefire and the creation of safe humanitarian corridors to deliver lifesaving aid to the people of Gaza. We join the voices of our brothers and sisters crying out for peace, justice, and the protection of human dignity.
Jesus reminds us: “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me” (Matthew 25:40). Catholic Social Teaching calls us to solidarity: we are one human family, regardless of our differences. We are called to love our neighbor, welcome the stranger, protect human dignity, promote peace, hear the cry of the poor, and recognize that every person bears the image of God.
