"We still feel the need to stretch out our hand, in the gesture of one who becomes a beggar out of love for his brothers and sisters: support us with prayer; support us by returning to visit the holy places as pilgrims, according to your possibilities; support us financially as well." Message from the Custos of the Holy Land for the collection for the holy places.
Christian Media Center
March 12, 2025
Dear brothers and sisters, May the Lord give you peace!
This past year has been very difficult for all of us who live in the Holy Land. The war, fought on several fronts, has not only brought death and destruction; it has also sown more hatred between neighboring and brotherly peoples. Many families have been left out of work and have struggled to send their children to school and pay for their relatives' medical bills. Many young couples have also had to postpone their dream of starting a family and having children.
We ourselves have struggled to pay the salaries of our teachers and local collaborators, who help us in our shrines and our various social works. We also had to deal with the increased cost of living because of the war. Nevertheless, thanks to the divine Providence that has been manifested through the solidarity of Christians throughout the world, we have been able to honour our many economic commitments, both charitable and institutional.
However, we still feel the need to reach out, in the gesture of one who becomes a beggar out of love for his brothers and sisters: sustain us with prayer; support us by returning to visit the holy places as pilgrims, according to your possibilities; support us also financially, remembering that whatever you give, the Lord will give you back a hundredfold.
On Good Friday, when the Collection for the Holy Places will be organized in your dioceses and parishes, remember us and do not hesitate to be generous. Encourage your priests not to forget us who, by mandate of the universal Church, care for the shrines of the Holy Land and the Christians who live around them. Encourage the members of your communities to give and to remember what Jesus himself told us: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
For it is also thanks to you and your generosity that we will be able to continue to care for the holy places and to make them places of prayer; to welcome the local faithful and pilgrims; and to set up educational works such as schools, social works such as dispensaries and health centres, homes for the elderly and young families, as well as human promotion projects to welcome migrant workers, displaced persons and refugees.
The Good Friday Collection makes it possible to cover part of these costs, thanks to the generosity of the faithful around the world – thanks to your generosity. Please feel free to give generously and joyfully. Give according to the greatness of your heart. We will simply be the channel through which your benevolence, your charity and your altruism will pass.
Help us help!
Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM, Custos of the Holy Land
This excerpt from the website - https://www.terresainte.net/
