Why donate to the Holy Land Collection?
Our connection to the Holy Land
During Holy Week, the Gospel readings come to life in a special way as we gather to celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The readings remind us of our special connection to the land where this great story unfolded.
Supporting the Church in the Holy Land is an historic mission
Since the time of St Paul, who urged his missionary Churches not to forget the needs of the Church in Jerusalem, Christians worldwide have understood the responsibility to support the land where Jesus walked.
It has never been easy to be a Christian in the Holy Land
In these challenging times in the Middle East, Christians are experiencing unique hardships, made all the worse due to the pandemic and current war. We have an opportunity to help them through the Holy Land Collection.
Christians in the Holy Land face special challenges
Christians in the Holy Land face special challenges, many of which we hear about in the daily news. The political, religious and military challenges in the Holy Land are more complex than ever. The wars, unrest and instability have been especially hard on Christians. Supporting the Holy Land Collection offers hope to the Holy Land Christians. Over recent years, their difficulties have been greatly magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic and now two wars, which have prevented pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. This has had severe economic consequences that have disproportionately affected the Christian people and the most vulnerable in Palestinian society.
Who are these Christians?
Christians living in the Holy Land today are descendants of those who first believed and lived the Christian faith. It is important that Christians continue to live, work and pray in the Holy Land.
An opportunity to express solidarity
The Holy Land Collection offers all Catholics an opportunity to express their solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land. A donation to the Holy Father’s annual appeal is a direct way to make a difference in the lives of those caught up in war, violence and instability in this region.
What has been accomplished?
The annual Holy Land Good Friday Collection is applied to these projects, programs and more:
Faith, memory and culture–the Holy Places
Holy Land Franciscans staff and maintain the Holy Places and shrines. This enables those who live in the Holy Land and those who visit to deepen their faith and their spiritual and cultural connection to Salvation history. Due to the Covid Pandemic, then the war in Gaza whose effects will continue for many years, and now the war with Iran, there has been a dramatic loss of income due to the closure of the shrines during the pandemic and the steep reduction in pilgrims up to the present. However, the maintenance and care of the shrines has had to continue as well as supporting the local people whom they employ. The latter is no small thing as many of the Christians of the Holy Land support their families from employment related either directly or indirectly to visiting pilgrims.
Social and charitable activities
In order to assist Christians to remain in the Holy Land, including the poor and young couples, the Custody builds hundreds of residential units. Additionally, they build senior care facilities. Medical assistance is provided for the needy. Now more than ever, there has been a significantly greater demand for assistance while at the same time, a dramatic loss of income.
Educational and scientific activities
The Franciscans operate and support schools open to all, regardless of religion or nationality. They provide scholarships for students to prepare them to get jobs and remain in the Holy Land to be part of living Catholic communities. Funds are distributed to young people studying to become priests or religious. Finally, Franciscan archaeologists pursue ongoing research at the Holy Places discovering historical artefacts.
Pastoral activities
The Franciscans provide pastoral care in 29 parishes in the Holy Land offering Worship, Christian Formation, youth and family programs, as well as guided tours for pilgrims attending the shrines and holy places. With the loss of pilgrims due to recent events, pastoral care has still been needed for the local Christians but with fewer resources.
Liturgical, Ecumenical and Communications Programs
The Christian Media Centre tells the story of the Holy Land through multimedia distributed throughout the world in more than seven languages. The friars organise Liturgical Celebrations for the local Christians and pilgrims and share with other Christian communities in the Holy Land in ongoing Ecumenical co-operation.
