Collection protects Holy Land shrines

Catholics attending Good Friday services can contribute to a collection for the maintenance and support of various Christian ministries in the Holy Land.

Lay and religious ministers in the Holy Land run schools, cultural institutions, hospitals, clinics and centers for social assistance, catering to Christians, Jews and Muslims. They also maintain shrines, churches and holy sites that celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

"All of these are direct expressions of the life of the Christian community and are vital for the custody of the sacred sites of our Christian faith," wrote Bishop Howard J. Hubbard in a letter read at Masses last weekend.

"Christians in the Holy Land are prone to feel isolated and abandoned. That is why they need to experience the evangelical charity, which binds us all together in Christ, and the support of the whole Church, which connects us more closely to our Christian roots."

Bishop Hubbard urged Catholics to participate with the collection during Good Friday services "to support the various programs set up on behalf of people who are in such serious need."

(4/17/03) [[In-content Ad]]