House of Grace – 30 years anniversary

On Friday, September 7, 2012 (a day before the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary), a joyful celebration took place at the ancient Greek Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady in Haifa. The faithful gathered to celebrate 150 years since the dedication of the cathedral in 1862. However, the celebration was a double one as it also celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the House of Grace.

Kamil Shehade, the founder of the House of Grace, is a luminous personality in the history of the Church in Israel. Kamil was born in 1954 and passed away at the age of 46 in 2000, leaving behind his wife Agnes and children to continue his work.

The House of Grace was founded on September 8, 1982 by Kamil and his wife Agnes. The House of Grace has been serving the community by providing a refuge for battered women, freed prisoners, troubled youth and others who have been rejected by society. The center also distributes food and clothing to the poor.

Kamil’s work derived from his faith that each hman being was born in the image and likenesss of the Creator of the world. Kamil believed in the value of the family and saw his wife Agnes as a full collaborator in every step that he took in his life. Kamil understood that society needed to take steps to rehabilitate prisoners and accept them anew in order that they might become an active and fruitful element in society. The tragedy that affected his people and other peoples too motivated him to concern for the freedom of each individual.

Here are the words of Agnes in memory of Kamil, her husband:

“Love is the first word that goes through my head when I think of Kamil… Kamil was a loving man, he loved God, the Church and every person he met…. He saw in every person the image of God and thus tried to transform life into a Paradise with his love and to bring peace to all peoples… His one desire was that we continue his work and that he remain alongside us”.

The Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew speaking Catholic in Israel is grateful to the House of Grace for hosting each Saturday a mass in Russian at 11.30.