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March 25, 2021
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Participating in the Way of the Cross is such a powerful way for Christians to recall the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ during Lent. Christians in the Holy Land are faced with the particular challenge of bringing their own suffering to the cross as they witness to the faith. The Latin Patriarch of the Holy Land has been a voice for Christians living not just in Jerusalem, but also in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Christians living in the Holy Land not only struggle to live their faith and worship in their parishes – they are also the stewards of the sacred places as Christians arrive in pilgrimage day after day. Each year, the Holy Father asks Catholic parishes around the world to take up a Good Friday Collection to support Christians in the Holy Land. In particular, the collection supports the work of the Franciscans in the sacred shrines and allows them to receive pilgrims, minister to the parishes, provide formation and education in the communities and schools, and care for the basic needs of the people in the Holy Land. Your support is essential to their ministry.
For the past year the COVID pandemic has brought a halt to all pilgrimages and the associated means of support for the Christian churches in the Middle East. Soon, travel to the Holy Land may resume safely and pilgrims once again will be able to experience walking in the footsteps of Christ and Our Blessed Mother. In the meantime, our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land are counting on you for help.
Please be generous in this year’s Good Friday collection in your parish. I invite you to visit www.myfranciscan.org to learn more about the good work made possible thanks to your response to this pontifical collection. With your help, the Franciscans can continue to be a light of hope to those living in darkness in the Holy Land.
With every prayerful best wish, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Robert J. McManus
Bishop of Worcester
PDF of the Letter