“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.
Every year on Good Friday, the Holy Father asks Catholic parishes around the world to take up a collection for the Holy Land. This Pontifical Good Friday Collection supports the work of the Franciscans as we maintain the sacred shrines, minister in parishes, provide formation and education in communities and schools, and care for the basic needs of people in the Holy Land.
This year, help and hope are needed more than ever. The tragic events that started on October 7, 2023, have brought disastrous consequences. Most Christians in the Holy Land rely on the pilgrimage industry to make a living and now find themselves without a source of income. Fear and despair are very strong, to the point that many Christians have left the country, and others are considering leaving. Can we let the Holy Land, where the Church was founded, our Mother Church, become a place without a local Church?
The Collection helps ensure that a Christian presence remains in the places where Jesus walked.
Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, reflects on the history and importance of the Pontifical Good Friday Collection:
Most Reverend Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, speaks of the need for the Church in the Holy Land to know the closeness of Christians throughout the world, now more than ever.
With your help, the Franciscans can continue to promote hope and peace in the Holy Land. Thank you for your generosity this Good Friday and for encouraging your fellow parishioners to join us in this important work.
Peace and All Good,
Commissary of the Holy Land