Support Hope by Giving to Christians in the Holy Land
The Custody of the Holy Land Launches Another Appeal Ahead of the Good Friday Collection
Custody of the Holy Land appeals to Christians ahead of the Good Friday Collection
The Custody of the Holy Land launches another appeal ahead of the Good Friday Collection to Christians around the world to “support hope by giving…and by fostering peace.”
By Kielce Gussie
As Holy Week begins, the Good Friday Collection remains at the forefront of people’s minds in the Holy Land. Fr. Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land, made an appeal to Christians all around the world ahead of Good Friday in just a few days.
On that day, “as we contemplate the Crucified, we ask you to remember in your Prayers and in concrete acts of charity those who continue to bear witness to the Gospel in the places of our redemption. Your closeness, dear brothers and sisters, is a tangible sign of hope and peace.”
At the request of a Pope
The Good Friday Collection—which commemorates the Passion of the Lord—is a concrete way to help those living in the Holy Land. His Holiness Pope St. Paul VI requested the establishment of the Collection in his apostolic exhortation Nobis Animo (March 1974) addressed to the Bishops, Clergy, and the faithful around the world.
Its goal is to deepen the bond between Christians across the globe and the Holy Places. Today, it continues to be one of the official collections of the Catholic Church.
The Good Friday Collection—this year held on April 3—is the main resource for supporting the activities and daily life tied to the Holy Places in the Holy Land. The Franciscan friars who serve as the Commissaries of the Holy Land transfer offerings collected by Parish Communities and Bishops to the Custody of the Holy Land.
These donations are then dedicated to preserving the Sacred Sites and sustaining the local Christian Communities, often referred to as the “living stones” of the region…
This text was originally published on the Website of Vatican News. Please click here to read the full text.