February 07, 2024
Message from Br. Francesco Patton - Custos of the Holy Land
Dear friends,
May the Lord give you His peace!
After experiencing more than two years of uncertainty due to Covid and deluding ourselves that normality had returned, suddenly on the 7th October we were taken by surprise by the outbreak of a new war in the Holy Land, which, in addition to causing thousands of deaths, once again blocked the flow of pilgrims, prevented our children from attending school for long periods and left many of our Christians in the Holy Land unemployed, especially in Bethlehem and Palestine, but also in the Old City of Jerusalem and in Israel.
In this situation we feel the need for the closeness and solidarity of Christians throughout the world. First of all, through prayer, because we are convinced that only the action of God's grace can change hearts and turn them to dialogue, reconciliation and peace. Then solidarity and closeness through pilgrimage. Finally, closeness and solidarity also through the sharing of economic resources.
As friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, it is our task, according to the mandate of the Holy See, to take care of the holy places, to dwell there and make them places of prayer, to be welcoming to the local faithful and to pilgrims, and also to put in place educational works such as schools, social works such as homes for the elderly and for young families, clinics and dispensaries, works of human promotion through the creation of jobs.
The Good Friday Collection serves to cover part of these costs, thanks to the generosity of the faithful throughout the world, thanks to your generosity. On this occasion, we friars of the Custody of the Holy Land become beggars and we turn to you so that Good Friday may be a day of universal solidarity, a day on which Christians from all over the world take concrete care of the Mother Church of Jerusalem, which at this moment is in dire need of it.
Please open your hearts and help us according to your possibilities, so that we too can continue to care for this Holy Land and its children.
Peace and goodwill!
fr. Francesco Patton, ofm Custos of the Holy Land
