VATICAN CORNER

Continued …Despite the many difficulties, the Franciscans continued to perform their pastoral duties in the Holy Land and are still doing so today. There are now nearly 400 Franciscan friars and nuns in and around Israel. Their calling includes three principal elements: prayer in the Holy Places; welcoming pilgrims; and looking after Christians and the poor. The daily prayer of the friars in the Holy Places is a reminder that these places are not museums. Each place commemorates a particular moment in the life of Christ and of His disciples. The Franciscans care for 54 Christian shrines and sanctuaries in and around Israel. Praying there and commemorating the Salvation Story means making Christ Himself present. The task of the Franciscans is not only to support pilgrims from all over the world during their stay in the Holy Land but also to assist them in their walk of faith. There are many tours of the Holy Land available, most conducted by Israeli tour companies. But a Franciscan pilgrimage of the Holy Land is one journey that addresses a new dimension to Christian faith. Through an integration of prayer, reflection and relaxation, you will feel a spiritual awakening touch your hearts. As you follow in the footsteps of Christ, you will see the stories of the Bible come to life. Picture yourself in Bethlehem as you pray inside a cave and wonder at the mystery of Christ’s birth. Think about crossing the Sea of Galilee, climbing the Mount of Beatitudes, celebrating Eucharist while overlooking the Sea. Walk the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, and listen for the sounds of yesteryear along the narrow streets of Old Jerusalem. Many say a pilgrimage of the Holy Land has changed their views, attitudes & faith. The Franciscans have always been committed to not only caring for the sanctuaries in the physical sense, but also the “living stones” of the Holy Land, that is the believers and local Christian communities that live in very difficult conditions. In all the countries of the Middle East the Christian communities are a tiny minority compared to Muslims or Jews. There are about 150,000 Arab Christians in the Holy Land, (currently less than 2% of the population) and about 500 families leave each year. Christian in Gaza now number about 2,500. The extremely difficult situation created by the Arab-Israeli conflict has led to a constant migration away from the area. All this gives rise to unusual problems, which the Franciscans strive to solve concretely in the best possible ways by promoting the moral uplifting of the Christian communities. The “preference for the poor” is not limited to Christians: the Franciscans are committed to serving the poorest within the population, regardless of their religious persuasion. They remain faithful to their task as missionaries and prophets of reconciliation and peace, and the simplicity of style and the openness to dialogue what St Francis taught. The Good Friday Collection required by the Pope in every Catholic parish brings in each year about $12 million for the support of the Holy Land. It increases a little each year.

Sources: pbs.org., catholicnewsagency.com , franciscanpilgrimages.com, myfranciscan.org