My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Greetings in the Lord! At the Good Friday liturgies on April 7, parishes will conduct the annual Pontifical Good Friday Collection. This collection supports the work of the Church in the Holy Land.
Supporting the Church in the Holy Land is an historic mission. Since the time of St. Paul, Christians throughout the world have understood the responsibility to support the land where Jesus walked.
Christians in the Holy Land face special challenges, which we hear about in the daily news. The political, religious and military challenges in the Holy Land are more complex than ever and supporting this collection offers hope to Holy Land Christians.
This collection supports 23 parishes, three academic institutions and 500 scholarships for university education while it also helps keep schools open for 10,000 pre-K to grade 12 students and supports 53 friars preparing for the priesthood.
It has also aided more than 9,000 families through weekly food baskets; employed 1,000 workers in the Holy Land; preserved 80 shrines of the life of Jesus, the apostles and the prophets; and restored and maintained 640 houses or apartments for Christian families. This collection allowed work to begin on restoring the floor of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, and it funded the completion of the restoration of the Basilica of the Nativity.
Through the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, you join with Christians around the world to stand in solidarity with the Church in the Holy Land. Thank you for your generosity! Please know that I remain,
Sincerely in the Lord,
Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre
Archbishop of Louisville
