ARCHDIOCESE — The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) has announced the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will be the recipient of the 2008 Living Stones Solidarity Award in recognition of its consistent and significant support of the Christian presence in the land of Christ’s birth.

The Living Stones Award was established to honor institutions that, through sustained and extraordinary solidarity with Christians of the Holy Land, demonstrate their determination to preserve the "living stones" (native Christians of the Holy Land) in the cradle of Christianity.

"Your contributions of funds, time and resources have made a significant difference in the lives of many," wrote Rateb Rabie, HCEF president, in a letter to Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. "The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has demonstrated its solidarity by opening its churches, homes and hearts. The kindness and support of the diocese priests and staff is evidence of your Christ-like nature, but also a testament to your passion and commitment to building solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land. Words cannot express our heartfelt gratitude as this award is merely a token of our appreciation."

The archdiocese regularly supports the foundation’s work and four area parishes — St. Andrew in Milford, Assumption in Mt. Healthy, All Saints in Kenwood and St. Susanna in Mason — have welcomed groups of Arab Christian eighth-graders through the Children’s Peace Project, which is designed to make personal connections between Western and Holy Land Christians.

For many years, Cincinnati Catholics have also provided strong support for the foundation’s child sponsorship program, Holy Land gifts program and taken part in pilgrimages and fact-finding missions. In addition, the archdiocese annual mission appeal has greatly benefited HCEF in its efforts to bring peace, hope and security to Christians in the Holy Land. In 2006 Archbishop Pilarczyk hosted then Archbishop Fouad Twal during his visit to Cincinnati. In June Archbishop Twal was installed as the Latin (Catholic) Patriarch of Jerusalem by Pope Benedict XVI.

The award will be presented on Oct. 24 in Bethesda, Md., at HCEF’s 10th annual international conference. Archbishop Pilarczyk will be unable to attend, so Father Rob Waller, pastor of St. Andrew Parish, will receive the award in his stead. Also present at the conference will be Eve Van Sickle, whom Father Waller said is "much of the energy behind keeping our eyes on St. Andrew’s parish partnership with Annunciation Church in Beit Jala."

Van Sickle will receive HCEF’s President’s Award for her work on behalf of the children through the sale of Holy Land gifts and promotion of child sponsorship. Van Sickle said her work is "a way for me to fulfill my promise to never forget our Christian brothers and sisters and to tell their stories as a way to educate Americans to the terrible injustices they suffer every day. For St. Andrew Parish, the children who came to stay with us in 2003 live on in our hearts, and the parish partnership is a way to keep their memory alive within our community and to seek justice for the Palestinian Christians."

Franciscan Sister Marietta Sharkey, director of religious education at Assumption Parish, also keeps the memory alive of the Holy Land children who visited there in 2004. Parish organizations and individuals sponsor more than 15 children, supporting their education and writing them letters, she said. In addition, the faith community holds an annual soup supper to raise funds, and the children are never far from their thoughts and prayers. Sister Marietta also remains in frequent contact with the teacher who accompanied the children on their journey and she visited the Holy Land herself in 2005. "I am passionate about this because I love the kids," she said.

Regarding the solidarity award Van Sickle said, "I am hugely proud of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for receiving this award. Sometimes it is so frustrating to tell to tell people in America, in Cincinnati, what it is like for the Palestinians to try to live as Christians. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati we have been given the opportunity to tell their story. In a small way we help the Holy Land Christians carry their cross. I am so proud that Cincinnati is a model for other Catholic dioceses in America."