Washington DC, September 25, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
May the Lord assure you with His peace!
I am pleased to invite you to a Mass of Thankgiving presieded by His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, with the presence of the Most Rev. Fr. For Patton, OFM:
Sunday, October 15, 2023 h: 11 am at Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America.
His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM was born in Cologno al Serio (Bergamo) Italy, on 21 April 1965. He received the Franciscan religious habit on September 5, 1984 and 15, 1990 he was ordained priest in the Cathedral Church of Bologna. Most Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa was Custos of the Holy Land for twelve years (05/05/2004 – 20/05/2016). On June 24, 2016, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed the Very Reverend Pierbattista Pizzaballa as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem until the appointment of a new Patriarch. On October 24 2020, Pope Francis announced the appointment of Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa as the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem after serving as Apostolic Administrator for four years. On October 28th 2020, Pope, Francis bestowed the pallium on H.B. Pierbattista Pizzaballa at Santa Marta Chapel. On July 9th 2023, the Holy Father announced he would hold a consistory for the creation of 21 new cardinals on September 30 2023 in the Vatican: among them Archbishop Pierbattista PIZZABALLA, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Most Rev. Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM was born in Trento on December 23rd, 1963. On May 20th 2016. Pope Francis for it was nominated Custos of the Holy Land by Pope Francis, for a six-year term and on July 9th 2022, his mandate was extended for further three years.
The Custody of the Holy Land is a fraternity of the Order of Friars Minor living in the Holy Land, founded by St. Francis in 1217 with a special mission: to guard the Holy Places. The friars have not only been the “guardians” of the stones and of those places to preserve their value, but their mission has also been to support the Living Stones: the local Christian community. The Custody of the Holy Land is present in America with the Franciscan Monastery and the Commissariat of the Holy Land to create “bridges between the Holy Land and Christians all over the world” through the promotion of pilgrimages and projects to support the living stones.
With Blessings and regards,
Fr. Rami Sidawi, OFM
Guardian