Franciscans in the Holy Land ask support through Good Friday collection April 12, 2025By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Giving, News, World News ROME (CNS) — While pilgrimages to the Holy Land have been few and far between in the past 18 months, hundreds of Franciscan friars celebrate Mass at the sites associated with the life of Jesus each day and continue to support the local Christian populations. The worldwide Good Friday collection for the Holy Land “is the principal source of financing” for the ministry of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, the friars said in a statement April 7. Since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023 and Israel began its retaliation, particularly in Gaza, there are few visitors and pilgrims, they said. But “the shrines have remained open,” and the friars continue to take care of and minister in the holy places, including the Basilica of the Visitation in Nazareth, the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The Custody of the Holy Land includes 270 Franciscan priests and brothers from more than 30 countries. They safeguard and offer the sacraments in 55 shrines associated with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, as well as in 22 other parishes. The custody also operates six hostels for pilgrims and five homes for the aged and for orphans. It runs 15 schools with 12,000 students. They employ some 1,100 local Christians and have about 630 apartments for low-income families. The Franciscan friars belonging to the custody also minister in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus. In Syria, the press release said, the friars distribute food and medicines to the neediest victims of the long-running civil conflict. The Good Friday collection is scheduled for April 18 in parishes around the world. Read More Giving Upcoming appeal to help sustain more than 70 mission dioceses in U.S. Holy Land collection is sign of solidarity, faith, hope, cardinal says Amid aid cuts, U.S. bishop urges Catholics to heed ‘very urgent’ CRS collection Pope Francis congratulates CRS on Rice Bowl’s 50th anniversary Rice Bowl needed ‘now more than ever’ as hunger rises, government aid falls, says leader Amid U.S. foreign aid freeze, CRS’ Rice Bowl could be in ‘its strongest moment,’ says founder Copyright © 2025 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
