Beyond the darkness of death Dear brothers and sisters, each of us has had the painful experience of losing a loved one: a parent, a sibling, a spouse, a child, a friend. It is a moment of suffering, darkness and despair that falls on each of us, and it is not quantifiable. The tears fall uncontrollably, and the [...]
Dear brothers and sisters, For some time, you have daily been in my thoughts and prayers. Now, on the eve of this Easter that for you is so overshadowed by the Passion and, as yet, so little by the Resurrection, I feel the desire to write to you and to tell you how close you are [...]
“Since its origins, the Church has continuously and passionately cultivated solidarity with the Church of Jerusalem… Pope Francis has also often emphasized the importance of this ecclesial gesture.” – Letter of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, 2024 Dear Friends, The Holy Land friars and I wish you and your families a very blessed Holy Week. [...]
Ash Wednesday, 2024 Dicasterium a die 5 Iunii 2022 Prot. N. 1/2024 Dear brother in the episcopate, “And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.” How we wish the words of Psalm 122 were a description of what is happening in our days! Instead, many pilgrims remain far from the city of [...]
Fr. David Grenier, OFM, Commissary of the Holy Land in America, took part in the New York Encounter, held from February 16 to 18. On this occasion, he spoke about the ongoing conflict and its impact on the life of the Franciscans of the Holy Land and their support of the local Christian community. We discussed [...]