As conflict and instability continue to affect the Holy Land, the Vatican is encouraging Catholics worldwide to support the region’s struggling Christian communities through the annual Good Friday Collection.
Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, recently urged bishops to promote the collection, which funds the Church’s ministries and preserves the holy sites connected to the life of Jesus.
Reflecting on the ongoing violence, the cardinal expressed sorrow that peace has not yet been restored. “How we had hoped that peace would finally restore life and hope to the Holy Land!” he said, noting that despite negotiations, “dialogues and agreements multiplied, yet the weapons did not fall silent,” according to Vatican News.
The conflict has forced many Christians to emigrate while others struggle with daily insecurity and hardship. Still, Cardinal Gugerotti emphasized that Christians must continue to trust in God.
“Yet we Christians cannot cease to hope, because God is our hope, and God does not betray us,” he said, according to Vatican News.
The Good Friday Collection supports the work of the Custody of the Holy Land and local Christian communities who care for sacred sites and serve those living in the region. Though donations may seem small, the cardinal said their impact is significant.
“The Collection for the Holy Land… may seem like a drop in the ocean,” he said. “Yet the ocean, deprived of its drops, becomes a desert,” according to Vatican News.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
