This Easter season, we hear at Mass the story of the resurrected Jesus walking the road to Emmaus, where he heard his disciples describe the amazing events which culminate during this season.
St. Francis of Assisi lived an Easter faith. Like those on the road to Emmaus, he was in touch in a personal way with the Resurrected Christ.
So, it is not surprising that Francis was a pilgrim to the Holy Land. Today, we might think of such travel as expensive and, in a region wracked with strife, sometimes dangerous. It was even more so in Francis’ time.
It took months to get there, and the Crusades made relations between the local Muslims and European Christians a hostile one, not to mention the danger posed by pirates on the high seas.
But Francis persevered. And his followers today continue to be a presence in the Holy Land. Franciscans staff 80 holy places. Christian pilgrims regularly encounter the friars in their distinctive brown robes, assisting visitors to fully appreciate the spiritual significance of retracing the steps of our Lord.
Today the Franciscans in the Holy Land frequently lack for pilgrims, as many have avoided the region during the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict. Still the friars maintain the holy sites, offering work to local Christians who struggle. Much of the Franciscan ministry involves nurturing and ministering to the dwindling Chrisitan community in the Holy Land. Many have left the region due to lack of work opportunities and the threat of violence.
Fr. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General of the leader of the Order of Friars Minor, has appealed to his fellow Franciscans to stay put in the Holy Land despite rising tensions and threats to physical safety.
Speaking to a Franciscan magazine, Fr. Massimo said after a recent visit to the region that the members of the Franciscan order living in the Holy Land were “better than I thought,” despite the current circumstances.
The Holy Land Franciscans minister through the turmoil, aware of the importance of their mission to keep the faith alive in the place Jesus knew as home.
“Please, brothers, stay here,” he said—his first words to the friars he met there. Our prayers and support continue to be needed to provide for this vital Franciscan mission.
Even though we might not be able to directly serve the Church’s mission in the Holy Land, we can pray and financially support the Catholic community there and the Franciscans who minister to them. Planned Giving to the Franciscans allows you to make a charitable contribution as part of your overall financial and estate planning. You can do this in a variety of ways, including bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance policies and retirement accounts. To learn more about making a legacy gift, please contact Bro. Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, via phone, 646-473-0265, ext. 303, or email, pokeeffe@friars.us
