Vatican official says Catholics must support Holy Land Christians.

(March 15,2006): Catholics have an obligation to support Christians living in the Holy Land with prayer and material resources, said Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, who is the Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches. He urged Catholics around the world to give to the special "Pro Terra Sancta" collection on Good Friday, or on the date established by their local bishops' conference. "The presence of Christians in the Holy Land is more necessary than ever for the peaceful future of the area," said the Cardinal , as well as for the good of the universal church, which needs to have "living communities that profess the Gospel faith" present and active in the land where Jesus was born, died and rose again. The collection was established in 1618 by Pope Paul V to support the Catholic community in the Holy Land and to help maintain the "sacred sites linked to Redemption."
In his letter to the world's bishops, Cardinal Daoud said, "The land of the Lord continues to be the scene of a conflict that has lasted for decades, and deprives Catholic communities and institutions of the adequate means to maintain and promote religious, humanitarian and cultural activities. This distressing situation leads to poverty and unemployment, with serious consequences for families and for the entire population," the cardinal said. "It also increases the disturbing phenomenon of the constant exodus of Christians, especially young couples for whom there is no prospect of a safe and dignified future," he said in the letter released March 14 by the Vatican press office. The Christian population of the Holy Land has steadily declined, from 28% of the population in 1947 to barely 2% today. The exodus has been particularly notable since the 6-day war of 1967; 35% of the Palestinian population has left the region. Today there are about 150,000 Christians in the Holy Land, of whom roughly half are Catholic.