Here is the text of the letter sent by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, to the Bishops of the Catholic Church around the world regarding the Good Friday Collection in support of the Holy Land.
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Your Excellency,
The Gospel message of compassion illumines the need for the Good Friday Collection in support of our brothers and sisters in the places of Redemption. Together with their pastors, they live the mystery of Christ, Crucified and Risen for the salvation of mankind. On account of its ecclesial dimension, this ancient duty is an ever gratifying opportunity. As Easter approaches, it is all the more appropriate as an expression of the faith that the Church, under the guidance of Pope Benedict XVI, is intensely living, on the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. That event opened her to the world, at the same time rooting her still more firmly in the tradition that departs from the Christian origins. Of these the Holy Land is the silent witness and living custodian, thanks to the Latin communities of the Patriarchal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody, as also to the Melkite, Maronite, Syrian, Armenian, Copt and Chaldean faithful active there. Lately, this region is also witness to the fact that entire peoples, hungering for dignity and justice, have given wings to the dream of a springtime, the fruits of which are desired at once, as if the great, longed-for transformation could be possible without a renewal of hearts and an acceptance of a common responsibility for the poor.
Among the first fruits of the new awareness brought by the Council was the Encyclical Pacem in terris of Blessed John XXIII, which raises in this Year of Faith a pressing call for peace, especially in Syria, whose tragic path represents a threat to the entire Near East.
The situation in the Middle East would seem to demand what the Servant of God Paul VI proposes in the Encyclical Populorum progressio. Following his denouncement of «the material poverty of those who lack the bare necessities of life, and the moral poverty of those who are crushed under the weight of their own self-love» (n. 21), the Pope suggests not only «a growing awareness of other people’s dignity, a taste for the spirit of poverty, an active interest in the common good, and a desire for peace», but also affirms that «then man can acknowledge the highest values and God Himself, their author and end» (ibid). Towards that goal, the Pope does not hesitate to hold up «above all … faith – God’s gift to men of good will – and our loving unity in Christ». With a vision born of faith, he chose the Land of Jesus to make, in 1964, the first of his great apostolic voyages. Following in his footsteps in the year 2000, Blessed John Paul II described his pilgrimage as «a moment of brotherhood and peace, [to be remembered] as one of the most beautiful gifts of the whole Jubilee event» and expressed his «deeply felt desire for a prompt and just solution to the still unresolved problems of the Holy Places, cherished by Jews, Christians and Muslims together» (Novo millenio ineunte, n. 13).
Pope Benedict also offers us an admirable example of this same compassionate outlook. Encouraging evidence is found in his Pastoral Visit of this past September to Lebanon for the publication of the Apostolic ExhortationEcclesia in Medio Oriente; the constant mention of the region’s woes in the Angelus, in his audiences, and in his Messages to various people and institutions; as well as his prayer intention for January 2013, shared with the entire Church: «that the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance». Finally, for this coming Good Friday, he has invited two young Lebanese Maronites to write the text for the Via Crucis procession.
In the widest sense, the Land of Jesus is composed of Israel and Palestine, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. The Christians living in all these countries must find in us the same attitude of solidarity in the faith.
With grateful wonder we recognize how much the generous concern of Catholics around the world has already accomplished. This assistance maintains the Holy Sites, as well as the communities that dwell there. Together with institutes of men and women religious, the funds collected provide immediate relief to the catastrophic consequences of war and other emergencies. Through a qualified network of pastoral, educational and health care specialists, these resources come to the aid of families, often saving lives that have been rejected: the old, the sick, and the disabled. In addition, aid is provided to those without work and to youth in search of a brighter future. In every case, the collection seeks to build up human rights, especially the right to religious liberty. To this one must add the praiseworthy ecumenical and inter-religious effort, which requires stemming the incessant exodus of Christian faithful from their motherland and the accompaniment of the displaced and the refugee. Taken as a whole, this constitutes the «Christian characteristic», which makes the region, beyond all of its suffering, a Place where God is glorified, because humanity is blessed.
With deep conviction the Congregation for Eastern Churches appeals to all to reconfirm their ecclesial charity in favor of the Holy Land. Together with the Pope, the Congregation thanks the pastors and faithful who, standing by the Cross of the Lord, offer their prayerful and fraternal embrace to those dwelling in the Holy Land. These have earned the gratitude of the Supreme Pastor of the Church and ours, too, for by their faithful witness in the midst of suffering, they remind the world of the consoling promise of the Risen One: «These things I have spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full» (Jn. 15:11).
With my most cordial Easter greetings,
Leonardo Card. Sandri
Prefect
a Cyril Vasil’, S.I.
Archbishop Secretary
