New Zealand parishes and parishioners are being asked to contribute to a collection for the Holy Land next month, after the collection was transferred from Good Friday because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A letter from the Commissary of the Holy Land for New Zealand, Fr Anthony Malone, OFM, stated that, in February 2020, “Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the prefect for the Congregation for Oriental Churches, wrote to all commissaries of the Holy Land: ‘The care of the Sanctuaries of the Holy Land would be impossible without the collection Pro Terra Sancta, both because they preserve the memory of divine revelation, and because, in those places, the local Christian community finds the foundation of its identity and, thanks to their presence, many of the Christian faithful find material assistance and education.’”
“However, because of the effects of Covid–19, both internationally and in the Holy Land, the annual Good Friday Collection for the Holy Land was transferred to the Sunday closest to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, viz., September 13 of this year.
“New Zealanders have always generously supported the Good Friday collection. Our contributions are marked for the maintenance of the Shrine Church in Cana, Galilee, and for 20 university scholarships for Christian students living in the Holy Land.
“Could I ask all parishes and parishioners in New Zealand to contribute to this year’s Holy Land Collection on September 13. The Holy Land has always occupied an important place in the heart of the universal Church, as St Paul reminds us.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
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