Pontifical Good Friday Collection Friday, April 18, 2025
Dear Parishioners, 1. 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.
2. Supporting the Church in the Holy Land is an historic mission. Since the time of St. Paul, Christians worldwide have understood the responsibility to support the land where Jesus walked and where their faith originated. (cf. 2 Cor. 8- 9) .
3. Even if the situation is slightly improving since the agreement on a fragile ceasefire- that will hopefully continue to hold - Christians still face incredible hardships, relying on the Church for more than we do in our country, including basic things like food, medicine and school tuition to make sure their children can receive a Christian education. We have an opportunity to help them through the Pontifical Good Friday Collection.
4. Christians in the Holy Land face special challenges – many of which we hear about in the daily news. The war left deep wounds that will take time to heal. Many Christians (for example, 90 % in Bethlehem) depend on the pilgrimage industry to live. They could not work during the pandemic, and the war again stopped pilgrims from coming. Even as some pilgrims start to come back to the Holy Land, it will take time before our Christians may make once again a living from it. Supporting the collection offers hope to the Holy Land Christians.
5. Although often through adversities, a Christian presence always remained in the Holy Land since the beginning of the Church. It is important that Christians continue to live, work and pray in the Holy Land. The Christians are now less than 2% of the population, from 23% a century ago, and with the war, many more are thinking about leaving. In Bethlehem, more than 90 Christian families have left since October 7. The Holy Shrines must not become like museums, with many visitors, but without a local community, where the Church was born.
6. What has been accomplished? Last year’s Pontifical Good Friday Collection: - Supported 23 parishes and three academic institutions – Provided a home in Bethlehem for 30 children from homes facing domestic violence – Offered more than 500 scholarships for university education – Helped keep schools open for over 10,000 pre-K through grade 12 students – Supported 53 friars preparing for the priesthood – Restored and maintained 640 houses/ apartments for Christian families - Provided assistance to more than 9,000 families through weekly food baskets – Employed more than 1,000 workers in the Holy Land in a time where job opportunities are scarce – Preserved 80 shrines from the life of Jesus, the Apostles and the prophets – Continued the work of restoration of the floor at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, the holiest place on Earth.
7. Thank you for supporting the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, as encouraged by Pope Francis. Through the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, you join with Catholics around the world to stand in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land, directly making a difference of the lives of those caught up in war, violence and instability in this region. You become an instrument of peace in a troubled land.