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HOLY LAND COLLECTION - GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 2ND 2021

The Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land have the unique responsibility of caring for the Holy Places, as well as caring for the Christians living in the Holy Land – the ‘ancient stones’ of our Christian heritage and the ‘living stones’ of our present and future Christians. The friars minister across several nations in conjunction with the Latin Patriarchate and other jurisdictions including the Greco-Melkite, Coptic, Maronite, Syrian, Chaldean and Armenian churches. It is vital that we all care for the Christians living in the Holy Land in order to maintain a Christian presence in a land that is filled with a majority Islamic and Jewish population.

Your generous donation can be made via your bank account using the following        information.

  • Account Name: Good Friday Collection
  • BSB:                  086 006
  • Account No.:     775 796 614

The annual Pontifical Good Friday Collection is applied to these projects, programs and more –

Faith, Memory and Culture – The Holy Places
Holy Land Franciscans staff and maintain the Holy Places and shrines. This enables those who live in the Holy Land and those who visit to deepen their faith and their spiritual and cultural connection to Salvation history. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, there has been a dramatic loss of income due to the closure of the shrines and the lack of pilgrims. However, the maintenance and care of the shrines has had to continue as well as supporting the local people whom they employ.

Social and Charitable Activities
In order to assist Christians to remain in the Holy Land, including the poor and young couples, the Custody builds hundreds of residential units. Additionally, they build senior care facilities. Medical assistance is provided for the needy. Due to the Pandemic, there has had a significantly greater demand for assistance while at the same time, a dramatic loss of income.

Educational and Scientific Activities
The Franciscans operate and support schools open to all, regardless of religion or nationality. They provide scholarships for students to prepare them to get jobs and remain in the Holy Land to be part of living Catholic communities. Funds are distributed to young people studying to become priests or religious. Finally, Franciscan archaeologists pursue ongoing research at the Holy Places discovering historical artifacts.

Pastoral Activities
The Franciscans provide pastoral care in 29 parishes in the Holy Land offering Worship, Christian Formation, youth and family programs, as well as guided tours for pilgrims attending the shrines and holy places. With the closure of churches and shrines and the loss of pilgrims due to the Pandemic, pastoral care has needed to continue but with fewer resources.

Liturgical, Ecumenical and Communications Programs
The Franciscan Media Center tells the story of the Holy Land through multimedia distributed throughout the world in more than seven languages. The friars organize Liturgical Celebrations for the local Christians and Pilgrims and share with other Christian communities in the Holy Land in ongoing Ecumenical co-operation.

The Pontifical Good Friday Collection 2021 will continue to support the works of the Holy Land Custody through the generosity of the Australian Church. Thank you.