Catholic Action takes the field to support the Good Friday Collection

Il prossimo 18 aprile 2025, in occasione del Venerdì Santo, si svolgerà in tutto il mondo la tradizionale «Colletta Pro Terra Sancta». Attraverso questa raccolta, la Custodia di Terra Santa sostiene la tutela dei Luoghi Santi – le pietre della memoria – e la presenza dei cristiani in quei territori – le pietre vive –, promuovendo iniziative di solidarietà e assistenza.

This coming 18 April 2025, on Good Friday, the traditional “Pro Terra Sancta” Collection will be held all over the world. Through this collection, the Custody of the Holy Land supports the protection of the Holy Places – the stones of memory – and the presence of Christians in those territories – the living stones – promoting solidarity and assistance initiatives.

“Help us to give hope and sow peace!” is the appeal of the Custos of the Holy Land, Br. Francesco Patton, which the national presidency of Italian Catholic Action has decided to welcome and relaunch, inviting members and friends of the Association – present in over five thousand parishes of the Italian dioceses – to promote the collection for the maintenance of the Holy Places and the support of the Christian communities of the Holy Land, women and men who live there and bear witness to the Gospel every day.

Thanks to this support a Via Crucis, with comments from the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, is available on the site www.collettavenerdisanto.it, enriched with meditations and testimonies of the living stones.

In a video message addressed to Italian Catholic Action, the Custos of the Holy Land thanks the Association for its support: “The involvement of Italian Catholic Action in the promotion of the Collection is fully in keeping with the spirit of friendship that aims to strengthen the bond between the faithful all over the world and the Holy Places, through activities of service and concrete actions of closeness to the living stones”, says Br. Patton. “It is not the first time that Italian Catholic Action has shown, in a tangible way, its attention to the needs of the Holy Land, and I would therefore like to thank all the members for their commitment to promoting the Collection at such a difficult time for our mission”.

Br. Francesco Patton also recalls the grave difficulties faced during the last year in the Holy Land, where war has led to death and destruction, depriving many families of work, preventing children from attending school and making it difficulty to have access to medical care.

The Custos continues with an exhortation: “On Good Friday, when in your dioceses and parishes the Collection in favour of the Holy Places takes place, remember us and be generous. Urge your parish priests not to forget us, who by mandate of the universal Church take care of the shrines of the Holy Land and the Christians who live beside them. Encourage the members of your communities to be generous, remembering Christ’s words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’. Help us to give hope and sow peace!”

Help for the Holy Land is a priority for Christians throughout the world. For this reason, the national Presidency of Italian Catholic Action invites us not to forget this holy commitment and vital responsibility.

Participating and offering a contribution for the guardianship of the Holy Places and the support of the local Christian communities is a concrete sign of hope and peace. A valuable opportunity – as Pope Francis reminds us – “to ensure that in the Land of Jesus, faith is made visible in deeds”.

Rome, 26 March 2025

For information:

Italian Catholic Action

Press Office

Antonio Martino: +39 347 9485190 – 06 661321

a.martino@azionecattolica.it

ufficio.stampa@azionecattolica.it

Good Friday Collection

Antonello Sacchi

+39 348/8999678

ufficiostampa@elenagrazini.it