‘Their very existence is at stake’: Catholic organizations mobilize for Lebanon’s Christians

Christians in southern Lebanon have paid a heavy price in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel but have been sustained through the support of Catholic organizations and initiatives.

Caught in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, Christians in southern Lebanon have been paying a heavy price. Churches and monasteries have been destroyed, Christian symbols desecrated, and many families have lost loved ones, including a parish priest.

Yet despite the violence and destruction, they have refused to abandon their homes and villages. Much of this resilience has been sustained through the support of Catholic organizations and initiatives, which continue to help families, churches, and communities endure the crisis.

A French Catholic ally in Lebanon

L’Œuvre d’Orient is one of the Catholic organizations that has supported Christian communities in Lebanon long before the war. Its work includes supporting Christian schools, churches, pastoral initiatives, and agricultural projects, as many of these southern communities are largely rural and farming-based.

In a conversation with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Vincent Gelot, director of L’Œuvre d’Orient in Lebanon, said the French organization has delivered in 2026 seven humanitarian aid convoys and carried out several visits to villages in southern Lebanon.

“We are extremely close to the local communities. We have known them for a long time, we love them, and we try to remain as present as possible by their side,” Gelot said.

Explaining his approach to humanitarian work, he added: “As far as L’Œuvre d’Orient is concerned, I make it a point to accompany every one of our trucks. I want to be certain the aid reaches its destination and the right people. It is important to be physically present, because when we come, we meet our partners and the villagers and remind them how courageous and important they are. We are trying to maintain this human bond. It is not only about sending trucks and aid but also about being there with them on the ground.”

Gelot described the difficult reality facing Christians in southern Lebanon as being “caught in a vice” between Hezbollah militants attempting to use their villages to launch attacks across the border and Israeli military operations that have left homes, schools, and convents destroyed or occupied. “It is their very existence that is at stake,” he said.

Gelot stressed that many of these villages date back to the time of Christ.

“This is a region visited by Christ, the apostles, and the Virgin Mary. The people are profoundly attached to their land and their villages. It is therefore essential to help them remain on their native land.”

He also praised what he described as the communities’ “peaceful courage and resistance,” saying it is vital to stand beside them and show them the affection, admiration, and support of L’Œuvre d’Orient, its donors, and the Church in France.

However, for him, the stakes go beyond the survival of one community. “It is the very existence of Lebanon that is at stake,” he said, describing the country as a rare model in the Middle East for religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of the press. He added that Christians in Lebanon continue to hold a unique political, cultural, and historical role that remains vital to preserve.

He also highlighted the close coordination between L’Œuvre d’Orient; the apostolic nuncio, Paolo Borgia; and other Catholic organizations, including Caritas Lebanon.

Caritas on the front lines

Peter Mahfouz, commander and head of the emergency response unit at Caritas Lebanon, has been on the ground assisting communities across southern Lebanon.

Speaking to ACI MENA, he said Caritas teams have been delivering emergency food parcels, hygiene and shelter kits, mattresses, and blankets while also operating mobile clinics that bring medical consultations and essential medication directly to villages cut off from hospitals.

According to Mahfouz, the most urgent needs today include shelter capacity, continuity of medical care for chronic patients, food assistance for families who have lost their income, and mental health support — particularly for children and the elderly. He also stressed the urgent need to maintain humanitarian corridors allowing aid to reach southern Lebanon.

Mahfouz said one of the organization’s biggest challenges is that “the needs are growing faster than the funding.” Access to some villages also remains difficult and at times dangerous, forcing teams to constantly adapt routes and delaying aid distributions.

Furthermore, he stressed that Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis has not paused during the war: “Fuel, electricity, and the cost of basic food continue to weigh on every family we serve and on our own operations.”

Explaining how Caritas coordinates its work, Mahfouz said local parishes are often the organization’s first point of contact within affected communities.

“They know the families, they know who is most vulnerable, and they open their halls and centers as shelters when needed,” he added.

Caritas works closely with dioceses, religious congregations operating schools and clinics, and other Catholic organizations. “It is a network built on trust that existed long before this war, and that is exactly why it works in an emergency,” he concluded.

Asked what keeps him going despite the exhaustion and risks, Mahfouz pointed to the people themselves.

“The way they welcome us, the way their faces change when they see us arrive, and the prayers they send with us when we leave. You arrive expecting to give something, and you leave realizing they have given you more. That is what carries us through the long days,” he said.

A Polish initiative

The Lebanese Christian diaspora has also played an active role in supporting communities affected by the war, with numerous initiatives mobilizing aid from abroad.

European partners have also stepped up. One example is “Lebanon in Need,” a volunteer crisis committee founded by the Maronite Missionary Foundation in Poland in partnership with 4fund.com as part of the international “Europe for Lebanon” fundraising campaign.

The initiative emphasizes transparency and accountability in humanitarian assistance. All donations are processed through 4fund.com, a payment institution licensed by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority and authorized to operate across the European Economic Area, meaning transactions are subject to anti-money-laundering controls, regulatory oversight, and full traceability.

Organizers also stress that 100% of donations reach the field thanks to the commission-free structure of the partnership. Aid is distributed through trusted local channels, including Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local parishes.

The initiative further relies on continuous coordination between partners to avoid duplication of aid efforts, while regular financial and narrative reports are prepared to ensure transparency with donors.

The Vaticanʼs ongoing support

This week, a screenshot from a video call between parish priests in southern Lebanon went viral after Pope Leo XIV surprised them with a call to express his solidarity and prayers. The Vatican has repeatedly shown support for Lebanon’s Christians throughout the war, not only through words but also through concrete assistance.

The call was organized by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Borgia, who has become a deeply respected and loved figure in these communities. Viewed by many locals as a hero, he has consistently visited front-line villages, even during periods of heightened danger. Beyond diplomacy, he has taken a direct role in relief efforts, helping distribute aid alongside volunteers, carrying boxes from trucks, speaking with residents, and listening to their concerns. He works closely with Catholic organizations and initiatives supporting affected Christian communities in the south.