Netanyahu's Support Among Global Christians Is Collapsing — And It's Entirely His Fault

After an attack on Gaza's Only Catholic Church, Netanyahu has angered Pope Leo and 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa — Pope Leo XIV’s envoy and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem — crossed into Gaza on Friday to visit the bombed-out Holy Family Church after making a phone call to the Holy Father.

Thank you so much for reading this reader-powered publication. We’ve only been around three weeks — and already, thanks to you, we’re one of the fastest-growing Substacks in America.

We are 100% sustained by your generosity. If you find value in my work, please consider supporting me by becoming a paid subscriber today.

Paid subscriptions start at only $6.67 per month and will get you full access to this multi-part series on the life and formation of Pope Leo. The second part of the series was released earlier this week.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa — Pope Leo XIV’s envoy and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem — crossed into Gaza on Friday to visit the bombed-out Holy Family Church.

The Vatican reports that as Pizzaballa entered the enclave, Pope Leo phoned to “express his closeness, care, prayer and support” and to urge an immediate ceasefire.

Pizzaballa echoed the pope’s outrage: this was “time to stop this slaughter,” he told Vatican News, calling the attack on a house of worship “unjustifiable” and vowing “no more victims”.

The visit comes after a shell from an Israeli tank struck the only Catholic parish in Gaza on July 17, killing three people and wounding at least ten more, including the parish priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli —who Pope Francis called every night during the final year of his life.

Even amid grief, Gaza’s small Christian community has shown resilience: a social media report noted that Mass was still celebrated at Holy Family Church the night of the strike and again the next day.

Catholic Leaders Rebuke Israel’s Gaza Strike